Trump’s speech tonight- 3 things to do instead

Hey MVP friends-

You might’ve heard that Trump is giving a speech to Congress tonight…

The MVP team and I just wanted to reach out to you and say: Yep, it’s going to be terrible – probably even worse than we predict – but you don’t have to subject yourself to it.

Here are three much better things you can do instead:

1. Invest strategically in the frontline groups working to protect communities, block MAGA, and plant the seeds to win back power in 2026 and beyond. We’re calling this effort our Comeback Campaign – take a look and join the effort here.
2. Change the station: Instead of getting depressed by Trump’s lies tonight, tune in to progressive leaders working every day to end the MAGA era. Our partner, the Working Families Party, is hosting a “Working People’s State of the Union” delivered by Congresswoman Lateefah Simon (CA-12); and, our partner MoveOn is holding a “Calling BS” livestream and prebuttal featuring Senators Chris Murphy and Brian Schatz, and other leaders.
3. Organize locally – join our partner Indivisible in opposing the Trump agenda and holding our Congresspeople’s feet to the fire, with like-minded people in your community.

Remember: Wannabe authoritarians and phony strongmen thrive when enough people conclude that they are powerless. But we are not powerless. If we zoom out, we can quickly see that we are part of a much larger story: A story of unfinished, unguaranteed progress, that began centuries before us and will continue for centuries after us. What happens next in this story is — at least in part — up to us. 

On the theme of zooming out, I want to leave you with these wise words from a movement leader I admire deeply, Akaya Winwood, who shared this today:

There is a phenomenon in gardening where, as a plant reaches the end of its life, it blossoms like never before, and then dies. Humans sometimes do this as well. 

I believe that this is what’s happening for patriarchy and other human systems based on hierarchy. We are witnessing the final gasps of systematic oppression and control, perhaps worldwide. 

… These systems rooted in power-over and oppression are not dying quietly or with grace – quite the opposite. Which is why we must prepare ourselves individually and collectively as we weather the onslaught of repeated intentional cruelty. 

One of the ways we can protect and prepare is to Gather. Find your people. Reach out to a pal you haven’t seen in a while and go for tea. Join a community action group, visit your local museum, support a group you admire who is working for change, dance, sing, have a potluck with your neighbors. Now is not the time to hunker down in isolation. Gather. 

I may not get through this tempestuous time, but WE will. I trust this without a single doubt. 

We will get there, I know we will. 

My heart to yours.

We will get there, friends. Stay steady tonight. We’re in this together.

Zo Tobi, MVP Director of Communications
(On behalf of the MVP team)