Resistance Roundtables are small group events organized by Democrats Abroad members to build community, share ideas, and take action together. With democracy under threat in the U.S., every action—no matter how small—helps build collective power. These events provide a space for members to engage in resistance activities and contribute to meaningful change.
They're also a great way for members to share strategies and insights with other Democrats Abroad members around the world.
How Do Resistance Roundtables Work?
Resistance Roundtables bring together small, self-directed, groups—either in person or online—to take direct action and strategize for impact.
- The host invites a group of friends or fellow activists to meet.
- Before the meeting, the host selects activities from our action library or builds their own.
- During the meeting, the group carries out an action or discusses an issue or reading.
- After the meeting, follow up with your team, let us know how your meeting went, and if you can - share about the experience on your social media channels!
Before Your Roundtable Meeting
When setting up a meeting, plan ahead:
✔ Assemble a Host Team: We recommend having at least two people—one to moderate and one to take any necessary notes. The host team also organizes the space and meeting time.
✔ Recruit Guests: We've found that a roundtable works best with around a dozen people who are engaged and interested in getting in involved in the action.
✔ Send Invites & Reminders: Send an invitation at least a week in advance and a reminder on the day of the event. Be sure to include the date, location, time, and planned actions.
✔ Prepare Materials: Make sure you have everything needed for your selected action(s).
✔ Organize a Location: Choose a quiet, accessible space with enough seating for your group. A private home, community center, library meeting room, or café with a reserved table can all work well—just make sure the venue supports your planned activities. (Don't forget to make reservations!)
✔ Plan Your Action(s): Choose one or more activities to focus on. See the action list below for ideas (we’d love to hear yours too!).
Action Plans
Click on each title for in-depth action plans your group can run together:
📞Raise the Roof with Calls – Contact your representatives, senators, governors, or election officials about issues that matter to you and your group. We’ve got ideas!
🌳 Organize a Call Tree for Today and the Future – Work together to create a call tree within your group and their friends to spread Take Action messaging quickly.
🎨 Create Protest Materials – Design posters for protests and rallies.
📢 Social Media Advocacy – Craft shareable posts, use resistance hashtags, and engage with political content to amplify messages.
✍ Write Letters & Op-Eds – Advocate for key issues by writing letters to editors and lawmakers.
🎵 Curate Music Playlists – Build resistance-themed playlists for inspiration and motivation.
📖 Resistance Reading – Gather as a group to explore and discuss books and articles on social justice and activism to deepen understanding and inspire action. We've got suggestions!
During the Meeting
Build Community
- Welcome guests and introduce everyone.
- Include a short social time before or after the action.
- Consider a drinks and snacks moment.
Kick Off the Event
- Ask new guests to state their name, where they vote, and what they hope to get out of the action.
- Review the action plan and assign roles.
- Identify a moderator and a note taker.
- Begin the action!
After the Meeting
✔ Finalize Follow up Actions: The hosts or their deputy should finalize the follow up the action includes. Consider sharing a story about your action on your social channels.
✔ Thank Participants: Send a brief thank-you email, possibly linking to any social media posts that you’ve created from the roundtable.
✔ Keep Momentum Going: Encourage attendees to commit to attending the next roundtable or even host the next one!
✔ Share Insights: Let Democrats Abroad know if you have suggestions for improving the process or want to contribute further to the 2025 Resistance Work.