Like many others, Cute W and I participated in a No Kings protest on Saturday. One thing that was terrific about it (besides ruining Trump’s birthday) was that there seemed to be many people who hadn’t been to a protest before. Leading up to No Kings, I kept hearing people talking about either being nervous about violence or about getting arrested. Which is rare. And with what’s been happening in Los Angeles, I saw tons of articles about how to stay safe during a political protest. That is great information, and it’s an excellent idea to read those.
This is different. Saturday was super-fun, and it got me thinking about how you can maximize the joy at a political protest. It is wonderful and heartening to connect with other people who are concerned about and engaged with current events, and these ideas will help you make those connections and build community with new people.
Enjoy the opportunity for creative expression. Make signs, and put some effort in! This is a great opportunity to get out paints and glitter and make something fantastic. Or find artwork online that you love and give credit to artists you admire. Get together with friends for a sign-making session.
Take pictures of signs. This is my go-to activity during a protest. I walk up to people and say, “I love your sign, can I take a picture of it?” People work hard on their signs, and they appreciate the recognition. No one has ever said no or acted unfriendly to me in any way. They are psyched. If a kid is holding a homemade sign, I compliment it lavishly. The kid is proud, the parent is proud. It’s a completely feel-good interaction.
Bring giveaways. Some people hand out little flags, pins, stickers, or bumper stickers, and it’s a nice way to connect with people and show support for a cause you care about. (I received the rainbow flag at No Kings, the other items are a few random giveaways from other protests.)
Don’t just stand there. Perhaps you have mobility issues or tire easily. In that case, bring a chair or blanket and set up camp. Or, if you’d like to move around, you can bring a bike. Cute W and I biked to the protest, and it was really fun to bike up and down Wolf Road. Later we saw someone rollerblade by, flag whipping behind. Many people drove by on their way in or out of the protest, and it’s nice to cheer for the protesters and get cheered in return.
Dress up! Some people like to wear full-on costumes, or you can accessorize with your favorite hats and pins that make a statement. It’s really fun to see all the cool gear people have found or made. And it’s another opportunity to compliment people.
Pump Up the Jam. You can bring a speaker and play patriotic songs, or bring along any kinds of noisemakers: drums, a horn, or even a cowbell. Some people will love this, others may not want to hear you. But they can move, so if you wanna make some noise, do it! And join the chants. Or start a chant.
Include Pop Culture References. Signs and other political items with pop culture references are fun and they’ll create an instant connection with other members of the crowd. Cute W got all excited and asked to get a picture of someone with their Star Wars themed sign. Someone in the crowd on Saturday was wearing a t-shirt with a reference to a TV show:
(If you can’t guess, here’s a clip.)
When I asked a girl with a stack of signs which one was her favorite, she showed me a Taylor Swift-themed sign. I got excited and, after checking that her mom was okay with me sharing a bad word, pointed out my pin.
Blow Bubbles. Bubbles are fun and interactive. Why not?
Share Pictures on Social Media. I love looking at everyone’s creative protest signs, so these days, I take tons of pictures, then share them after the protest. It’s another way of showing up. I don’t include people’s faces, so I’ll either crop the photo or cover them up. Some people say that they don’t mind sharing pictures of themselves, and they often look very happy and proud, but it’s hard for me to remember who’s who, so it’s easier for me to just crop them all. It’s a little opportunity to reflect on the event. What’s great about sharing pictures is that you can reach even more people, and I think it makes people think, “Wow, that looks great, I’m sorry I didn’t go.” And maybe then they’ll show up the next time.
