1. Talk to others — family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, coreligionists — about what is important to you. You don’t have to debate or argue (almost always counterproductive) — just tell them what you are seeing and hearing and experiencing and how it is affecting your life and others’ lives.

2. Ask questions! Ask your friends and relatives and coworkers about what they are experiencing. Even with people firmly on the other side of the political divide, you can usually find common ground and points of agreement (but you’ll never know unless you try). If you can find things you agree on that can lead you to work together on some kind of project that benefits the neighborhood (for example), so much the better. For tough family relationships, try working on a family history or genealogy project often serves as an icebreaker and a means of keeping you both “human” in one another’s eyes.

NOTE: “Talk to others” absolutely does not require you to engage with toxic or untrustworthy people, be they family members or anyone else. Keep yourself and your loved ones safe.

3. Write letters to your representatives and other public officials. Let them hear from you about what they are doing — if they’re doing a good job, thank and encourage them; if they’re not, be clear about what you disagree with and express your disappointment. Good or bad politician, let them know how this administration’s execrable policies and actions and lies are affecting you and people you care about. Again, tell them your stories.

NOTE: If you have a hard time expressing yourself in writing, ask someone for help whose writing you know and like. You can also tell your story aloud using a recording app to provide a transcript that you can use as a basis for writing. (There are AI helps out there as well, but I’m too old-school to want to recommend using them.)

4. Write op-eds and letters to the editor of your local or regional newspaper. Write pieces for organization newsletters.

5. If you are on social media, be it Facebook, Instagram, or other platforms, use your online presence to share important news and fight misinformation and lies.

IMPORTANT: Be sure to validate any and all “breaking news” stories before passing them along. How? If it’s a truly notable story, legitimate mainstream media will be carrying it. You can also , speak, write, post on social media, and more.