By Charlotte Lamer, Democrats Abroad Paris Chapter Blog Coordinator

In the first two posts of this series, we’ve explored how change is made and who makes it. Last month, we looked at the patriots–political actors, nonpolitical agents, and pamphleteers–who shaped resistance in early America. Before that, we dug into Chenoweth and Stephan’s 3.5% rule, the idea that if just 3.5% of a country’s population actively resists, socio-political change is possible. 

Importantly, their dataset shows that this is why we need to act now:

• Nonviolent movements are twice as likely to succeed as their armed counterparts.

• Success depends on organized, strategic, coordinated action- it's resistance with structure.

• Everyone matters: wherever you are, whenever you act, however much you contribute, it all matters.

This final post is about moving from reading to doing: where we’ve been, where we are, and where we must go.

Where we’ve been

Just this spring, two protests, “Hands Off” (April 5) and the first “No Kings” (April 19), remind us of the power of large-scale, peaceful, and sustained civic action. 

Their scale and breadth of participation were remarkable. Chenoweth and colleagues at Harvard’s Crowd Counting Consortium estimate that together, 1.2 to 1.8 million people took part nationwide, across all 50 states and D.C., including rural and traditionally conservative areas. By comparison, these crowds far exceeded equivalent protest waves in 2017. Note Chenoweth et al. did not include the numbers for the second “No Kings” protest (June 14), which by some estimates are closer to “4 million and 6 million” people- that's between 1.2% and 1.8% percent of the U.S. population.

What do these two protests teach us? That creative, nonviolent tactics work. Humor, satire, and inventive signage made them more approachable and relatable. 

There is also evidence of a shift in strategy: rather than traveling to major cities, many activists chose to protest locally, “meeting people where they are.” This is Chenoweth’s idea of resistance in everyday spaces. 

And critically, these protests were incredibly peaceful. The Crowd Counting Consortium recorded “no injuries, arrests, or property damage” in more than 99.5% of April and May demonstrations. 

If Chenoweth and Stephan gave us the figure (3.5%), and the patriots gave us the model (coordinated, organized resistance), Indivisible provides the playbook. 

Learning from Indivisible

One of the most practical guides for resisting threats to democracy has been drafted by Indivisible, a grassroots advocacy network of 5000+ local chapters. Indivisible’s strategy is pragmatic. Its founders modeled their strategy on the Tea Party’s organizing principles: applying coordinated, constituent-level pressure on lawmakers. 

Note that the Tea Party here refers to the “conservative populist [socio-political] movement that emerged in 2009”, not to be confused with the Boston Tea Party patriots. What both movements do share, however, is the ability of local activists to influence Congress by organizing their communities and pressuring their own representatives to oppose policies they disagreed with.

Today, Indivisible not only mobilizes but educates. The group breaks down what happened during the 2024 election, explains some of the “why” behind election results, and provides clear, actionable next steps: phone banking, volunteering. See below for more ways to get involved with Democrats Abroad and other acts of resistance. 

What you can do today. What you can do tomorrow.

Not every action requires money or marches. Some of the most powerful contributions are quiet, consistent, and close to home. In fact, here are some inclusive, non-monetary, non-protest options: 

1. Sustain action: Be a part of the DA Resistance Movement and sign up for Take Actions to be emailed to you every week.

2. Volunteer in your local Democrats Abroad chapter - help get the word out, plan the next protest, or support GOTV efforts.

3. Attend an event in your local chapter and check out Remote Resistance Roundtable sessions held to plan concrete actions to oppose this current administration. Keep an eye out for the next No Kings Day protest scheduled for October 18th.

4. Get Out the Vote (GOTV): Join Democrats Abroad as we prepare for the midterm elections in 2026. Monitor upcoming key races in New Jersey, redistricting in California, and key local races in New York. Upcoming trainings in Paris: Sept 15 & Sept 28

5. Read up on how to protest effectively. I recommend starting here: Free DC models effective resistance to Trump’s takeover at Waging Nonviolence. 

6. Next, dive into Small Acts of Resistance by Steve Crawshaw. It’s a quick empowering read to remind us that small, collective action has power. 

7. Watch Indivisible’s One Million Rising training offers practical strategies for organizing and mobilizing. Watch here.

8. Act: Stay informed and contact your representatives about key legislation, like the PROVE Act, which can jeopardize the right to vote for Americans abroad. Understanding bills like the SAVE Act, which could restrict online and by-mail voter registration, empowers you to make a difference. Learn more about the PROVE Act.

Small, informed actions—learning, watching, reading, calling, organizing, understanding—build that waterfall moment.

Always remember, YOU are the 3.5%.