Positive Outlook: How You Can Make a Difference in the Trump Era
Tomorrow is the inauguration of Donald Trump. It's a dark situation to many, and understandably so. Many are protesting his election and throwing up signs that say #notmypresident or the like, but the fact of the matter is that it's a foregone conclusion, so your time might be better spent working to better our country and be a part of positive change. Get out there and march. Make your voice be heard!
Many of you will participate in the Women's March or one of the many protests surrounding Trump's inauguration, while some of you will be tied to your jobs, personal mundanities and other commitments that may keep you from attending. Remember, just because you aren't front and center at the protests, that doesn't mean you can't make a difference. We've compiled a few ways that you can do your part through attending events, buying music or just plain giving your time / resources to organizations fighting the good fight.
THIS IS A LIVING DOCUMENT! If you would like to add your charity or record, please let us know at staff@clrvynt.com!
MUSIC
Post-Trash: Volume Two
The compilation put out from independent music blog Post Trash rounds up a variety of great independent artists currently making music (including the likes of Rick Rude, Mannequin Pussy, Haybaby and more), with the proceeds of the album going directly to Planned Parenthood. More information HERE.
Pinegrove Discography
New Jersey emo group Pinegrove have served up their entire discography on Bandcamp, with all sales of their records going to Planned Parenthood, including their 2016 favorite Cardinal. Head to their Bandcamp.
Our First 100 Days
Our First 100 Days is a forthcoming subscription compilation that will release one new song each day for the first 100 days of Donald Trump’s presidency. Started in conjunction with Secretly Group and 30 Days, 30 Songs, all proceeds will go to organizations that support causes threatened by Trump’s proposed policies: All Above All, Cosecha, Hoosier Action, People’s Climate Movement and Southerners on New Ground. Subscribe here.
Lushlife, My Idols Are Dead + My Enemies Are in Power Mixtape
Community is everything to Lushlife: The rapper and producer made a name for himself by finding common ground between the hip-hop, rock and electro scenes in his native Philadelphia, while celebrating each niche’s respective identities. Naturally, this philosophy informs Lushlife’s diverse, guest-filled mixtape My Idols Are Dead + My Enemies Are in Power, which features Killer Mike, Moor Mother, Sad13 and Botany, among others. All proceeds from the tape (available here for a minimum donation of $1) will benefit the American Civil Liberties Union.
Monster Protest Jamz Vol. 1 Compilation
Monster Protest Jamz Vol. 1 is a forthcoming compilation to benefit My Song Is My Weapon, a new online community that provides creatives of all types with a space to share and disseminate protest art. Tom Morello, Amanda Palmer, X’s John Doe, Margaret Cho, Billy Bragg, tUnE-yArDs, Nada Surf and many others have signed onto the project, which is being funded via PledgeMusic. Pre-order it here.
Physically Sick
If you’re looking for an anti-Trump compilation you can boogie to, look no further than Physically Sick, a 42-song experimental dance collection co-released by New York’s Discwoman collective and Physical Therapy’s Allergy Season imprint. One-hundred percent of the profits from the comp — which features Bookworms, Heartthrob, Max McFerren, Physical Therapy, Steven Warwick and many more — benefit charities committed to pushing against the Donald’s policies (the ACLU, Callen-Lorde, the National Immigration Law Center, Planned Parenthood). Get it here.
Lives Through Magic
Former DFA label manager Kris Peterson has tapped Róisín Murphy, Helado Negro, Owen Pallett, Gobby and others for Lives Through Magic, a compilation released in remembrance of those who lost their lives in last December’s Ghost Ship fire. All proceeds will be split 50-50 between the Gray Area Foundation for the Arts and the Trans Assistance Project. True to the title, Lives Through Magic represents a “positive document of the beauty that exists in the minds, bodies and spirits of our small, but global community,” Peterson said in a statement. It’s due out January 29; pre-order here.
Code Red: An International Compilation to Benefit the ACLU
Verses Records strikes back at Trump (and corruption in the political / financial establishment writ large) with Code Red, a 40-track compilation benefitting the ACLU. Created over the span of just 22 days (what Washington gridlock?), the set’s diverse track list features 40 artists from six countries, including Moor Mother, Divine Circles, Angel Falls, Dead Neanderthals and many more. Download it here.
A Song a Day Keeps the Pain Away
Storied rock label Rough Trade has linked up with Bandcamp for a new subscription service to help ease our post-Trump anxiety (and more importantly, benefit the Southern Poverty Law Center): the aptly named A Song a Day Keeps the Pain Away. Chip in $20.17 or more, and you’ll receive one previously unreleased track daily from someone on the Rough Trade roster. Subscribe here.
Jamming the Trump Agenda: A Sonic Fundraiser for the ACLU & Sierra Club
Fans of drone, folk, rock and, of course, kindness would be well-advised to check out Jamming the Trump Agenda, a collection of 22 tracks compiled by the experts at Beyond Beyond Is Beyond records. With contributions from Eerie Wanda, Olden Yolk and Weyes Blood, Kikagaku Moyo and more, this comp is a great way to chill out and bite back. All proceeds from the compilation will benefit the ACLU and Sierra Club; nab it here.
EVENTS
The website Collective Consciousness has done a great job of aggregating events around the inauguration and beyond, but there is no such thing as too many. Head over to their site for a full listing, and if your event is not listed, please feel free to send them to collectiveconsciousness.us@gmail.com. Any / all events will be represented, as this is not a curated list.
GIVING
American Civil Liberties Union - DONATE
The ACLU "works to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the Constitution and laws of the United States."
Anti-Defamation League - DONATE
The Anti-Defamation League was created to "stop the defamation of the Jewish people, and secure justice and fair treatment to all peoples."
Astraea Lesbian Foundation - DONATE
The Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice disburses funds to benefit members of the LGBTI community through advocacy and grant-making.
Border Angels - DONATE
Border Angels is an "all-volunteer nonprofit that offers educational and awareness programs and migrant outreach programs to San Diego County’s immigrant population."
Boys & Girls Clubs of America - DONATE
The Boys & Girls Clubs of America offers "enrichment programs and support for children when they’re not in school."
Center for Reproductive Rights - DONATE
Center for Reproductive Rights offers "the world’s foremost legal advocate for securing women’s access to quality reproductive health care."
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles - DONATE
The Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles is "an advocacy and organizing group focusing on achieving human, civil and labor rights for immigrants."
Council on American-Islamic Relations - DONATE
The Council on American-Islamic Relations "is the country’s largest Muslim civil liberties organization."
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund (DREDF) - DONATE
DREDF is "a national civil rights law and policy center devoted to advancing the rights of people with disabilities through advocacy, training, education and public policy."
EarthJustice - DONATE
EarthJustice is "the largest nonprofit environmental law organization in the country, working to protect wildlife, for healthy communities, and for cleaner energy options. The organization represents its clients free of charge."
EMILY’s List - DONATE
EMILY's List is "a political action committee that works to elect pro-choice Democratic women candidates to public office."
Equal Justice Initiative - DONATE
The Equal Justice Initiative is "committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the United States, to challenging racial and economic injustice, and to protecting basic human rights for the most vulnerable people in American society."
The Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute - DONATE
The Gay and Lesbian Victory Institute "works to achieve full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people by building, supporting and advancing a diverse network of LGBT public leaders."
Girls Rock Camp Foundation - DONATE
The Girls Rock Camp Foundation raises money for affordable, accessible camps across the country, each designed to help girls develop real-world skills and artistic expression by forming and playing in — you guessed it — rock bands.
Human Rights Campaign Foundation - DONATE
The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is "the largest civil rights organization working to achieve equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans, [representing] a force of more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide — all committed to making HRC's vision a reality."
Jazz Foundation of America - DONATE
Jazz Foundation of America is “an advocacy organization that supports jazz musicians across the country with performance opportunities and emergency living expenses.”
LA Gay & Lesbian Center - DONATE
The LA LGBT Center "offers programs, services and global advocacy that span four broad categories: Health, Social Services and Housing, Culture and Education, Leadership and Advocacy."
Lambda Legal - DONATE
Lambda Legal "is a national legal organization dedicated to fighting for the civil rights of the LGBT population and people with HIV through litigation, education and policy work."
Mazzoni Center - DONATE
The Mazzoni Center offers “healthcare to LGBTQ population in Philadelphia, including trans clinical care and recovery services.”
Music Unites - DONATE
Music Unites is a “nonprofit charity organization supporting music education around the world that partners with musicians and celebrities to promote projects and events at schools, directly to children at events and organizations.”
Musicares - DONATE
The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences founded Musicares in 1998 as a safe haven for musicians struggling to make ends meet. They provide a bevy of programs, from emergency financial assistance and addiction treatment to housing and outreach.
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People - DONATE
The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) works to “advocate for the civil rights of people of color and to stop race-based discrimination.”
NAACP Legal Defense Fund - DONATE
The NAACP Legal Defense Fund fights for racial justice through litigation, advocacy and education.
NARAL Pro-Choice America - DONATE
NARAL Pro-Choice America is a “political advocacy group with the aim of ensuring reproductive and sexual rights for all women.”
The National Coalition Against Censorship - DONATE
The National Coalition Against Censorship is an interdisciplinary coalition of 50 nonprofits that advocates for the protection of First Amendment principles, with a particular focus on the fight against censorship.
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence - DONATE
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) “advocates for victims of domestic violence and fights for policy change for survivors.”
National Immigration Law Center - DONATE
The National Immigration Law Center is “dedicated to supporting the rights of low-income immigrants to the United States.”
National Immigration Forum - DONATE
The National Immigration Forum is an immigrant advocacy group that “offers ways to integrate immigrants into the workforce while also gaining citizenship.”
National Organization for Women - DONATE
National Organization for Women (NOW) is an activist organization and PAC that “advocates for equal rights for women, and offers volunteer opportunities such as clinic escorting.”
National Women’s Law Center - DONATE
The National Women’s Law Center has worked to enact policies and laws on behalf of women and families.
Native American Rights Fund - DONATE
The Native American Rights Fund provides “legal assistance to Native American tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide who are otherwise underserved.”
New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault - DONATE
The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault “collects and supports a number of ongoing volunteer opportunities in community training, rape crisis counseling and legal advocacy.”
NextGen Climate Action - DONATE
NextGen Climate Action works politically “to prevent climate disaster.”
PEN America - DONATE
PEN America works to “protect free speech in the United States and across the world through the written word.”
Physicians for Reproductive Health - DONATE
Planned Parenthood - DONATE
Planned Parenthood is the country’s leading sexual and reproductive healthcare provider.
The Point Foundation - DONATE
The Point Foundation "empowers promising lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students to achieve their full academic and leadership potential."
Prison Arts Coalition - DONATE
The Prison Arts Coalition is a network of those creating art in and around the criminal justice system.
Queer Cultural Center (QCC) - DONATE
The Queer Cultural Center (QCC) "conducts artistic and interpretive programs exploring queer art and cultural issues."
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network - DONATE
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) is an "anti-sexual assault organization working with local rape crisis centers across the U.S."
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press - DONATE
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press "provides information and assistance to journalists on First Amendment, Freedom of Information and other issues."
Reproductive Health Access Project - DONATE
The Reproductive Health Access Project "trains and supports clinicians to make abortion, contraception and miscarriage care accessible to everyone."
Running Start - DONATE
Running Start is a "partisan program to train young women to lead in politics."
She Should Run - DONATE
She Should Run is a nonprofit devoted to "changing culture to inspire more women and girls to run" for elected leadership.
Sierra Club - DONATE
The Sierra Club "defends our most precious resources and wild places."
Southern Poverty Law Center - DONATE
The Southern Poverty Law Center is a "nonprofit organization that combats hate, intolerance, and discrimination through education and litigation."
Sweet Relief - DONATE
Sweet Relief Musicians Fund provides financial assistance to “career musicians who are struggling to make ends meet while facing illness, disability or age-related problems."
Sylvia Rivera Law Project - DONATE
Sylvia Rivera Law Project provides counsel to poverty-stricken and the trans / gender non-conforming.
Union of Concerned Scientists - DONATE
The Union of Concerned Scientists uses advocacy to gain awareness and research science issues.
Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights - DONATE
The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights fights for the rights of the young children of immigrants.