With federal programs championing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) eliminated and corporations following suit, leaders, residents and activists are calling for collective action and solidarity within their respective communities to keep alive the progress of those who came before and prepare for future challenges.
Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League
“The National Urban League has a call to action: Defend democracy, demand diversity, and defeat poverty. If we can keep our focus on those three things in 2026, we can make sure that we push back against this unrelenting assault on our very existence in this nation.”
Terryn Nelson, native Washingtonian
“Studies have shown [that] to resist a fascist regime, 3.5% of the population needs to protest and do a number of things. [It’s] a great time to demand that they codify our civil rights, our voting rights, our reproductive rights, our education, our health care. You need to…not rely on [the fact] that people are just going to follow an honor code – these things need to really be legalized and locked in stone.”
Salim Adofo, Advisory Neighborhood Chair Salim Adofo (8C)
“We have to go back to our workplaces, we have to go back to our schools. That’s where the real organizing work begins – getting people to sign up to be part of organizations, getting folks to write the letters, getting people to be mobilized and to always stay on point.”
Kierra Johnson, president of the National LGBTQ Task Force
“What I hope is that Black queer experiences are hailed for its impact. Our impact on movements, campaigns, advancements, legislation that has supported our people across the country. It becomes really important for organizations like ours – like [all] advocacy organizations across movements – to not only leverage our power for good, but to get real information [and] truth out to people, and combat misinformation that unfortunately is pervasive.”
Lawrence Hamm, chairman of the New Jersey-based People’s Organization for Progress
“We have to build a united front of all the organizations, to build the biggest movement possible, because they can be defeated. It’s not going to be easy, and it’s not going to happen in the short term, but they can be defeated – if we get together.”
Claudia Barragan, immigrant community development activist
“I think we need to fix unity. We need to get united.”