Why Protest? Answers For Discouraged Activists

Above Photo: People marching in Austin, Texas on Saturday were among the millions nationwide who mobilized to express their dismay at the reality of President Donald Trump. “There are millions of people in this country who currently feel lost and alone and would like to contribute to movements that envision a more just society,” writes Lobel. But in addition to organizing this new wave of energy, he adds, there must also be “a coherent strategy and vision” if transformative change is to be achieved. (Photo: Steve Rainwater/flickr/cc)

Dozens chime in on why resistance is necessary and burnout is worth overcoming.

In addition to fighting the Trump administration’s policies, another obstacle the resistance faces is its own cynicism. When even left-leaning pundits proclaim that “Trump just became president” for competently reading a teleprompter onstage or unloading Tomahawk missles on Syria from the comfort of his country club, it’s tempting to feel deflated.

Why protest, one might ask, when it’s easier to compulsively rewatch “The West Wing” in tears, leave desperate messages on Barack Obama’s Instagram and generally pretend that there aren’t racist demogogues running our country. If you recognize any of these scenarios, it’s time for a dose of perspective. One source is the excellent new internet zine, “Why Protest?” created by Mariame Kaba and designed by Megan Doty.

Kaba, the founder of the criminal justice organization Project NIA, explained in an email interview that she was inspired by an anonymous Facebook post about why protest matters, even when it feels like it doesn’t. She explained, “As months passed, I found myself trying to explain why protest matters to several children and young people I love. I started wondering if others were having similar conversations in their communities and if they needed a resource to help frame those discussions.”

So Kaba took to social media—Twitter and Facebook—to crowdsource reasons to protest. Some of her favorite responses included:

“[Protest] energizes & affirms. Also, wins concrete things way more often than it is given credit for.” —Sophia Consonants 

“Protest crafts solidarity from people acting together. Private reaction is translated into public action & the image of power is disrupted.” —@MilitantMillenn

“To reimagine public space, to shift power dynamics, to show our commitment to each other, to afflict the comfortable.” —@madgeofhonor

Kaba’s advice to young organizers is “to pick your lane and to focus on it.” When burnout sets in, it’s essential to “find your people and make sure that you cultivate and build strong relationships. You are going to need soft places to land in this work. You are going to need true comrades. Take time to water the seeds that you are planting. Grow something beautiful in defiance.”

The call has already been answered, even in the zine’s early days. Shortly before we spoke, Kaba heard that “A group of students from Fulton High School in Knoxville, Tennessee, are currently creating their own zine based on the same question. I am really excited and looking forward to what they create. I wonder if/how it might be different from the zine that Megan designed.”

Explore the original zine below. If you’re inspired to attend a protest afterward, check out our list of April events. To find out more about Mariame Kaba, follow her on Twitter.