How You Can Take Action After Election Day

On my first day of college, and in my very first class at college, our professor gave us our semester project: we were to change the world. I've spent every day since working towards that goal.

The results of last week's presidential election are most certainly disappointing, to say the least. Now more than ever we will be faced with doing exceedingly hard work to remove all manner of hatred and discrimination from our lives. 

In our hurt and anger, we may find it hard to figure out the best place to start towards healing and creating a better tomorrow. We must be the change we want to see. Here are the organizations that will need our help - our donations, our time, our support and our effort - in order to succeed:

• The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has been our nation’s guardian of liberty, working in courts, legislatures, and communities to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties that the Constitution and the laws of the United States guarantee everyone in this country.
• Black Lives Matter is a chapter-based national organization working for the validity of Black life. #BlackLivesMatter was created in 2012 after Trayvon Martin’s murderer, George Zimmerman, was acquitted for his crime, and dead 17-year old Trayvon was posthumously placed on trial for his own murder. Rooted in the experiences of Black people in this country who actively resist our dehumanization, #BlackLivesMatter is a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-Black racism that permeates our society. Black Lives Matter is a unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of Black people by police and vigilantes.
• The Council on American-Islamic Relations' (CAIR) vision is to be a leading advocate for justice and mutual understanding. CAIR's mission is to enhance understanding of Islam, encourage dialogue, protect civil liberties, empower American Muslims, and build coalitions that promote justice and mutual understanding.
• The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) represents a force of more than 1.5 million members and supporters nationwide. As the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization, HRC envisions a world where LGBTQ people are ensured of their basic equal rights, and can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.
• The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck at Cardozo School of Law, exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice. I am proud to have worked at this amazing institution for five years.
• The Ms. Foundation for Women (where I used to work) has a timely mission: to build women’s collective power to realize a nation of justice for all. Ms. achieves this goal by providing grants to women's organizations across the country.
• NARAL Pro-Choice America is dedicated to protecting and expanding reproductive freedom for all Americans, including abortion access. NARAL is the nation's leading pro-choice advocacy group.

• The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) works to ensure the political, educational, social, and economic equality of rights of all persons and to eliminate race-based discrimination.
• The National Immigration Law Center (NILC) is one of the leading organizations in the U.S. exclusively dedicated to defending and advancing the rights of low-income immigrants.
• The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
• Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual's income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence.
• RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operate the National Sexual Assault Hotline (800-656-HOPE) in partnership with more than 1,000 local sexual assault service providers across the country. RAINN also carries out programs to prevent sexual violence, help victims and ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.
• The Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) is dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable members of our society. Using litigation, education, and other forms of advocacy, the SPLC works toward the day when the ideals of equal justice and equal opportunity will be a reality.