When it counts, we must disrupt.

Disruption is about refusing to let power go unchecked. Authoritarian regimes rely on disinformation, fear, or quiet acceptance to function. Disrupting means interrupting what’s harmful and making it visible for others. I’ve spent the past few months in deep conversations with ordinary people here in the U.S. and around the globe. Regardless of what language they speak, the story is the same. The powerful needed them to let it go, ignore the harms. So they got loud.

Over the past year, grassroots disruption has proven why it works. Think about the on-the-ground digital documentation of the sins of this regime. Ordinary citizens in militarily occupied cities—including Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Charlotte and Washington D.C.—have bravely used their mobile devices to record and broadcast real-time abuses and overreaches by agencies like ICE and other federal enforcement under the current regime.

When masked gunmen with government sanction tried to forcibly remove people, our fellow Americans blocked the outrage with their bodies. In Minnesota, a day-long general strike drew tens of thousands, creating an economic blackout and mobilizing their neighbors. Other acts of nonviolent disruption include blocking streets to interfere with human rights abuses, art installations that defy propaganda, and young people walking out of class to defend their fellow students.

Nonviolence disruption does not mean non-confrontational. And nonviolence is not the same as peaceful. Peaceful tends to mean passive avoidance of conflict. Nonviolence understands that conflict is necessary, but physical force is not. More importantly, nonviolent disruption carries real risks that must be weighed. Renée Good and Alex Pretti are the most recent examples of how nonviolent disruption can still be met with murderous, deadly harm, because authoritarians offer no guarantees of safety. The trouble is, there’s no guarantee of safety if we remain silent and out of the way either.

Instead, our disruption exists to become sand in the gears of their horrid machinery. Across the country, disrupters have compiled an irrefutable public ledger of abuses, documenting everything from unwarranted stops to constitutional violations. This tangible, visual evidence provides critical leverage to expose injustice. It also becomes a training tool for the next wave of activists and organizers.

Disruption works.

In multiple cases, the resulting public backlash and legal scrutiny have forced the regime to alter its course. Federal agencies, faced with proof of conduct, had to temporarily back away from draconian actions or controversial policies. This success is a direct consequence of mobilized public witness and the power of documented truth, of interrupted capital and obstinate patriots. The permanent change we seek is only achieved because ordinary people consciously chose to disrupt.

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In the 10 Steps to Autocracy and Authoritarianism, the steps aspiring autocrats across the world have historically taken to consolidate power, Step 6 is to attack the truth and free expression to discredit journalism, attack the arts, intimidate public voices. This tends to happen in conjunction Step 8, which weakens civil society — including operations that interfere with the regime’s plans. Students stop protesting like they did in defense of Palestine or to end apartheid in South Africa. Philanthropies withdraw monies for bail funds. When people take action to demand accountability — by naming what’s happening, by documenting it, by refusing to amplify it or by stopping the oppression in its tracks — autocrats have a harder time consolidating their power.

Disruption requires intention. It can look like:

• Showing up to protest specific harms — nonviolent, visible, and consistent.

• Filming and documenting violations of civil rights when it’s safe to do so.

• Sharing “Know Your Rights” information with people who may need it.

• Calling out false or misleading information — and replacing it with facts.

• Hosting sit-ins, economic blackouts or teach-ins to counter propaganda.

The level of risk differs, and deciding how much risk we can each tolerate is a personal choice. Think about it carefully, including what happens to those who depend on you. And what happens if you don’t act. Ultimately, disruption aggregates and it adds up to send a signal that we are watching and we will not sit idly by. Just as importantly, it shows others they are not alone in noticing or in acting.

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Below are resources to help you take action safely and effectively:

Getting Started:

• Attend protests and demonstrations on issues you care about.

• When safe, refuse to comply with unjust policies and film state abuses of power.

• Block and counter propaganda and disinformation.

Building Momentum:

• Learn protest tactics and safety measures from experienced trainers, lawyers and know your rights trainers.

• Use bureaucratic tools (e.g. slow paperwork, procedural concerns, demanding review) to stall unjust policies.

• Show up at large mass events and out anti-propaganda literature..

• Join economic blackouts and boycotts.

Leadership Development:

• Practice civil disobedience and strategic non-compliance.

• Organize nonviolent protests or demonstrations.

• Document civil rights abuses and share with reputable sources.

Disruption doesn’t have to be dramatic. Sometimes, it’s simply the decision to say something instead of staying quiet. Other times, the disrupter documents what’s happening instead of pretending not to see. Disrupting can look like challenging a falsehood instead of letting it pass — or putting your body on the line to protect another. A civic leader named recently reminded me:

But I’d add, to churn the water is how we make it move faster. Disruption is how we speed up the flow towards the democracy we deserve.

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Leveraging the courts to affect change is one of the more difficult maneuvers in the 10 Steps to Freedom & Power. The system is designed to dissuade you: the rules, the requirements for access, the division of power across state and federal, local and appellate. The conditions can be dizzying, and the cost is expensive. Yet, we have built our country on the rule of law — the generally agreed upon guidelines that should compel equity and demand accountability. When it works, litigation is how we challenge harm, enforce rights, and hold power in check.

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From the seminal cases like Brown v. Board of Education and Roe v. Wade, to the less known but essential decisions like Tinker v. Des Moines (established students’ right to free speech) or Griswold v. Connecticut (constitutional right to privacy for contraception), litigation started by regular people can reshape democracy. And, despite how complicated litigation may seem, it’s not reserved for lawyers alone.

The rule of law depends on people.

Every court case starts somewhere. Whether it’s a person who was denied something they were entitled to or a family impacted by a policy that shouldn’t exist, like the families impacted by the horrible conditions at detention prison camps across the country.

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Those individuals can become plaintiffs or witnesses. But most importantly, they can become storytellers. Their stories can become the foundation of cases that can move through courts and reshape outcomes far beyond one person’s experience.

We all hold that power.

Just a few months ago, Trump’s disastrous tariffs were largely struck down by the Supreme Court. In Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump, Learning Resources, Inc.—a family-owned U.S. company that makes and imports classroom toys and STEM learning products—sued the Trump administration, arguing it illegally used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs that would have dramatically raised its costs and disrupted its business. They won.

The case matters because it successfully argued all the way to the Supreme Court of the United States that the president overstepped legal authority—showing how even a small business can challenge national policy and win when the law is on its side. It’s just one recent example of the power of litigating this regime’s unconstitutional actions.

The speed of the regime’s attacks have been met by a ferocious response from attorneys at entities like the ACLU, Democracy Forward, the NAACP Legal Defense Fund and others. And it’s working. According to analysis, the Trump-Vance administration loses 70-80% of the time. Their high profile victories at the U.S. Supreme Court, while horrible, represent only 5% of the cases filed. The lawsuits, though, are about much, much more.

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Lawsuits are one of the key ways to undo bad action by this government. In the 10 Steps to Autocracy and Authoritarianism, Step 5 is installing loyalists — replacing qualified officials with loyalists to weaponize government agencies and execute illegal orders. Here’s what that looks like:

Not every case makes national headlines, and not all damage is public. But every wrong that is challenged can quietly protect rights, set precedents, and create boundaries around what power can and cannot do. Extraordinary lawyers are doing their part, but they — we — need you too. Litigation ends in the courts, but it starts with everyday people speaking up, reaching out and trying to make things right.

It looks like:

• Speaking up if you — or someone you know — has been directly affected by a policy or decision.

• Being willing to share your experience if it could support a legal challenge.

• Connecting with organizations that are actively bringing cases and need plaintiffs or witnesses.

• Voting in local and state elections for judicial candidates that share your values.

And for those in the legal field:

• Volunteering time or expertise to support vulnerable communities.

• Offering pro bono services.

• Partnering with organizations doing impact litigation.

Litigation is one of the ways people turn authoritarian harm into accountability. The courts have their limits, but in a nation with three branches of government, we must keep the pressure on each one. The right understood this and worked to overturn the courts. Those of us who believe in what’s right can do the work of taking our courts back, one case, one judge, one story at a time.

Below are resources to help you learn more, get connected, and take action:

Getting Started:

• Learn about the legal process and issues from civil rights lawyers and legal advocacy organizations.

• Support legal aid and organizations.

• Connect people with legal resources.

Building Momentum:

• Participate in court watching programs to monitor judicial proceedings.

• Volunteer with legal aid clinics or organizations serving vulnerable populations.

• Help gather evidence and documentation for community legal cases.

Leadership Development:

• Organize “know–your–rights” trainings in your community.

• Legal professionals can provide pro bono services.

• Partner with legal aid organizations to create community education programs.

Litigating might not be one of the most visible ways to fight the authoritarian takeover; but as we learned from the civil rights movement, the courts force change. If you’ve been impacted, consider stepping forward. If you have the skills, consider offering them. If you’re able, support the people and organizations doing the good work of fighting for our rights.

This is a timely and necessary discussion about the impact of the Trump regime’s cruel immigration policies and what it means for families navigating an already difficult system. If you’re looking to better understand the people affected by these cruel policies—and what can be done about it—this is a conversation you’ll want to check out and share.

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Mobilizing can look like:

• Exchanging banned books with neighbors on your street.

• Helping an immigrant family grocery shop or find legal aid.

• Showing up to support your local library and hosting a friends of the library walkthrough.

• Joining — or starting — a tenants group.

• Hosting a small gathering or conversation in your home or community space.

Small actions, taken consistently, create movement — and we’ve seen how quickly that can build.

Last month, more than 8 million people turned out for No Kings rallies across the country — the single largest protest in American history. I attended the No Kings rally in Albuquerque, New Mexico where I spoke to nearly 50,000 people. Of course, I talked about the ways the Republican regime is pushing us deeper into an authoritarian state. I shared. Then I spoke about the ways we can fight back. First, by showing up and then by doing something. Protest is a vital start. Mobilizing is what comes next.

The No Kings protests are important proof that we are not in this alone. When 8 million people show up with a common message, we know we can win. But when the posters are put away, we are called upon to turn our energy into output. Wherever we are, we can decide to take action, scale up slowly, and keep going. Pick the issue that matters and give it a bit of our time. It adds up, I promise.

One of the keys in the 10 Steps to Autocracy and Authoritarianism is breaking the government so it no longer works for people. That means cutting agencies, firing civil servants, and replacing expertise with chaos and incompetence so the people lose trust. Making the pain so bad, we forget what competence felt like.

This regime may have been successful at gutting agencies and bankrupting public services, but they will never be successful in breaking our willingness to defend our values. Because before we had these programs, we had each other. And, together, we can build a stronger system, a more resilient society. It all starts with a step.

So what does mobilizing look like right now?

• Picking one action — the one that feels doable and helpful — and following through.

• Making participation visible so others know how to join you or are inspired to find their own actions.

• Creating opportunities for people to show up, even in small ways.

• Staying consistent, even when it feels quiet or less than the moment demands.

Exchange banned books. Help immigrants. Join a tenants union. Host neighborhood potlucks and regular conversations. Then look around and see what’s next. Turn 15 minutes into 30. Once a month into once a week. Single actions into a network of change. Every movement starts small — and what is sustainable must begin.

Below are resources to help you take that next step:

Getting Started:

• Track and attend public events on the issues you care about.

• Share resources and information about community needs.

• Participate in existing organizational actions.

Building Momentum:

• Volunteer to help with mobilization efforts for organizations you support.

• Host and organize small group actions in your community (forums, resource drives, petitions, solidarity events).

• Coordinate with other groups for larger actions.

Leadership Development:

• Learn planning and mobilization skills from experienced organizers.

• Take on a leadership role in your organization, work with established organizations to plan and coordinate major community actions.

We are taking our own advice about organizing and reaching out. Our 10 Steps Campaign now has Mobilize, with events to choose from that are located near you. Check it below!

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