As the current regime unleashes its war on the left and much of the liberal establishment, we need to fortify ourselves to resist the political repression we know is likely to intensify. It’s a moment that requires integrity and courage – and collectivity. One of the strongest ways for us to protect our movements and each other is to develop a strong culture of resistance based on solidarity and connection.
In this spirit, we are releasing an updated version of A Troublemakers’ Guide: Principles for Racial Justice Activists in the Face of Political Repression to contribute to building a culture that will help us stay strong, resilient, and focused with our eyes on the world we are hungry for. It draws on lessons we’ve learned from mentors, current and past movements led by people of color, and our own organizing experience. Please read the guide, share it with your community, share it on social media and help get these principles in front of as many people as possible so we are as prepared as possible.
As more and more people find ways to disrupt the cruelty of this regime, we know that the government will use every tactic available to try to destroy our movements. We can expect more FBI visits, grand juries, arrests, political trials and imprisonment. We know they will intensify surveillance and infiltration. We can expect the state to try to exacerbate conflict and distrust between individuals and organizations.
History teaches us that political repression is aimed most violently at organizers and communities of color. We also know that white people have often had the least developed practices around security. We have a responsibility to protect all our movements by strengthening our security practices. Storms are coming, and we need to keep each other safe.