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Protest and Advocacy

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How Many People Were Arrested At Standing Rock? Protesters Still Remain

Following the expiration of a 2 p.m. deadline to leave the Dakota Access Pipeline protest camp or face arrest, many people seemingly chose the former option. According to Lt. Tom Iverson of the North Dakota Highway Patrol, 10 people were arrested at Standing Rock by Wednesday evening. The camp is now officially closed, though another estimated 25 to 50 people remain in the encampment.

The Oceti Sakowin camp has served as a gathering place and home for Dakota Access pipeline protesters for month
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13 Ways To Help Immigrants & Refugees Affected By Donald Trump's Executive Order

President Donald Trump's executive order banning refugees and immigrants from seven countries from entering the United States has thrown thousands of lives into chaos. Immigrants and refugees with visas are either being prevented from entering the country or are being detained when they arrive. There are many ways to help immigrants and refugees impacted by Trump's order, both from within the United States as well as abroad, and this support is very much needed.

Federal judges in several states
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Why Is Venezuela Protesting? Trump Has Lots Of Thoughts On The Political Unrest

Recently, the international community has become increasingly involved in the political unrest in Venezuela, as the country faces a leadership crisis. As news about this unrest continues to emerge, you might be wondering why exactly Venezuela is protesting — and whether Trump's administration has become involved in the crisis. In fact, Trump has taken an assertive stance on the country's political crisis, and even delivered a speech on Monday in Miami to address the issue.

Venezuela's political
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How To Help Stop Libya's Slave Trade & Fight Slavery Around The World

Earlier this month, a CNN investigation revealed that migrant slave auctions are occurring in Libya, as people who are fleeing their home countries are being "auctioned off" by captors for hundreds of dollars. This discovery is incredibly egregious and tragic — and the world must act to help put an immediate end to the practice. Here's how you, too, can help stop the slave trade in Libya (and around the world) by engaging in advocacy campaigns and helping fund development and anti-slavery initia
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6 Petitions To Protect Migrant Children Being Held At The Border

Over the past several weeks, there has been a flurry of reports about the conditions migrant children being held at the southern U.S. border face. If you feel outraged by these reports and want to help, no matter where you live, one of the many ways you can be an advocate involves signing petitions to protect those migrant children. The petitions' specific goals differ slightly, but ultimately, they share the same mission.

A July 2 report released by investigators at the Department of Homeland
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Wayfair Walkout Photos Show Employees Protesting Sales To Migrant Detention Centers

Employees at the national e-commerce company Wayfair took a stand Wednesday to protest their employer's sale of bedroom furniture to federal border detention facilities. Employees began walking out of the company's headquarters in Boston beginning at 1:30 p.m. — and photos of the Wayfair walkout reveal a commitment to ensuring that their company isn't affiliated with migrant detention centers.

As TIME reported, the Wayfair walkout resulted after around 500 employees wrote a letter to the compan
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7 Ways To Protest On Equal Pay Day If You're Sick Of Working More To Earn Less Than Men

Tuesday, April 10, also known as Equal Pay Day, symbolizes how far into the year women must work in order to make as much as men did the previous year. So yep, that essentially means women have to work much harder than men to make the same amount of money. And no one wants that. However Equal Pay Day is also your chance to protest the wage gap and help close it up once and for all. If you want to participate, there are lots of ways to do so.

There is a substantial pay gap between men and women
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Prison Strikes Are Being Planned In Over A Dozen States & Here's Why You Should Pay Attention

Aug. 21 marks the first day of planned nationwide prison strikes in over a dozen states. The strikes, which are slated to last over two weeks, are focused on protesting labor exploitation of prisoners, as well as poor living conditions. They are also calling on everyday Americans to pay attention to their consumer decisions, as your purchasing choices could perhaps be affecting prisoners' plight.

As The New Republic reported in 2014, in many states, prisoners often work for very minimal compens
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Protesters Toppled The "Silent Sam" Confederate Statue In Chapel Hill After Officials Wouldn't

A statue at the University of North Carolina (UNC) has long been a subject of controversy, with many calling for its removal in recent years. On Monday evening, protesters toppled the "Silent Sam" Confederate statue in Chapel Hill, taking matters into their own hands after officials would not agree to immediately remove it.

As WRAL reported, the statue came down during a protest on Monday evening. Around 300 people congregated at the University's Peace and Justice Plaza at 7 p.m. and then proce
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How To Protest Trump's Asylum Rule After A Federal Judge Refused To Block It

On Wednesday, a federal judge made a decision that could profoundly affect migrants' ability to come to the United States as asylum seekers. The judge ruled against temporarily blocking the Trump administration's new rule, which would bar most Central American migrants from seeking asylum in the United States. Following the decision, you might want to know how to protest Trump's asylum rule — and what steps you can take to help those affected by it.

As CBS explained, the Trump administration's
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How To Protest A Muslim Registry To Show Donald Trump This Isn't What America Stands For

Throughout Donald Trump's presidential campaign, he often referred to his desire to establish a "Muslim registry" in the United States. And most recently, Trump's incoming Chief of Staff Reince Priebus indicated that Trump is now currently not planning to create a Muslim registry, but he "[would] not rule anything out." Needless to say, this hardly-reassuring rhetoric indicates that there still exists a strong need to preemptively protest any potential Muslim registry that the Trump administrati
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These Charleena Lyles Petitions Are Just One Way To Protest Her Death

On Sunday afternoon, Charleena Lyles, a 30-year-old African American woman, was shot and killed in her Seattle apartment after she called 911 for help following an alleged attempted robbery. Many people have been outraged after the incident and have begun signing petitions to oppose Lyles' shooting death and the behavior of the police officers involved.

Lyles reportedly called Seattle police to her apartment on June 18 to report a burglary. According to police, though the standard protocol is t
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How To Fight Islamophobia After The Finsbury Park Attack

On Sunday evening, one person was killed and ten were left injured when a van drove into a group of worshippers outside of a London mosque. Police noted Monday that they are classifying the incident as "clearly" a terrorist attack targeting Muslims. In light of this act, you might be wondering how you can help fight Islamophobia after the Finsbury Park mosque attack.

Just after midnight on Sunday, a white van plowed into worshippers as they were exiting the Finsbury Park mosque in North London
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How To Find A March To Confront White Supremacy Near You

Beginning on Monday, a coalition of activists will commence a 10-day, 112-mile "March to Confront White Supremacy," which will begin in Charlottesville, Virginia, and end in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. If you are interested in joining the march and you live in Virginia or the D.C. metro area, then you can easily join a march near you. Or, if you do not reside in Virginia or D.C., you can still play an important role by actively supporting the march.

The March to Confront White Supre
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Are The March For Black Women & March For Racial Justice The Same? Their Missions Are Intertwined

On Sept. 30, two separate, but intertwined, marches will take place in the nation's capital of Washington, D.C. — the March For Racial Justice and the March For Black Women. The March for Black Women describes itself as its own independent march at the center of the March for Racial Justice, with both marches sending independent yet connected messages.

The March for Racial Justice describes its movement and upcoming march in great detail on its website. The site emphasizes the march's vision of
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This National Walkout For Christine Ford & Deborah Ramirez Sends A Powerful Message To Survivors

In an effort to show solidarity with Deborah Ramirez and Christine Blasey Ford, a national walkout has been scheduled on Monday by a host of progressive organizations. If you wish to lend your support to these two women, you can participate in this movement in-person or virtually.

According to the event's Facebook page, the national walkout is being hosted by 23 different organizations. The walkout is slated for 1 p.m. ET on Monday. The organizers ask that those who wish to participate to wear
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How To Fight For The Equal Rights Amendment, Because 2017 Is Our Year

March 22 marks the 45th anniversary of the U.S. congressional passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), which guarantees American women equal rights under the law. However, while the amendment passed Congress, it has not yet been ratified by enough states to incorporate it into the Constitution. Thus, it is still important to fight for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment to ensure that it becomes part of the law of the land, once and for all.

Once Congress passed the Equal Rights Amen
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What Is Hands Off DC? The Capital’s Residents Are Protesting For Their Rights

On Monday evening, residents of the District of Columbia, along with the city's Mayor, Muriel Bowser, gathered to protest a House committee vote to override a D.C. law making assisted suicide legal in certain circumstances. This protest and a related brainstorming meeting are part of a larger "Hands Off D.C." movement in which D.C.'s (majority liberal-leaning) residents are seeking to make sure that Congress does not intervene in local affairs.

The city of the District of Columbia, as a federal
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14 First-Time Activists Explain Why The Women's March Won't Be Their Last

Hundreds of thousands of people attended the Women's March on Washington this weekend. I was one of the many marchers in D.C., and spent some of my time talking with Women's March participants who were new to activism, but joined at what was certainly the perfect time. Their experiences, when put together, tell a compelling story of what it means to be united in solidarity.

I spoke with people of many different backgrounds and ages who came from near and far to attend the Women’s March. Some of
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17 Issues To Advocate For In 2017

In 2017, advocacy and civic engagement are playing an increasingly prominent role in Americans' lives. After the election of Donald Trump as president, many Americans have increased their involvement in public policy advocacy — some have even decided to run for office. If you are interested in becoming more involved as an advocate this year, but are unsure of which issue(s) you would like to tackle, the following constitutes a list of important issues we need advocates for in 2017.

The list bel
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How To Help Stop Trump's Title X Abortion Funding Rule & Stand Up For Women's Health Care

In a striking blow for women's health and rights, the Trump administration has announced that it is proposing a new rule related to federal family planning funding. The proposed rule would strip federal Title X funding from any organization that provides women with or refers them for abortions. This rule, which many are referring to as a domestic "gag rule," would severely inhibit many women's ability to receive essential reproductive health services. If you want to help stop Trump's Title X abo
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5 Net Neutrality Petitions To Sign If You Want Congress To Keep The Free & Open Internet Alive

On Wednesday, May 16, the United States Senate will vote on whether or not to repeal net neutrality rule changes implemented by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Back in April, the FCC ordered an end to Obama-era net neutrality protections, causing many to fear that the internet will become less equally accessible. If you wish to encourage Congress to supersede the FCC's decision and maintain net neutrality protections, there are still many net neutrality petitions you can sign.

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