I was inspired by seeing others putting together their own personal “Project 2025” plans as a response against the actual Project 2025. These personal plans outline what actions they intend on taking in 2025 (and beyond) to help counteract some likely harmful policies coming our way.
Below is my personal Project 2025.
A quick note about the recommended charities below: I always vet all organizations I donate to or volunteer with by checking their score on Charity Navigator and reviewing their impact reports.
Climate action
Since we can’t rely on our government to take meaningful action against human-caused climate change, I plan on putting more pressure on corporations and amping up my own personal sustainability efforts.
Boycott and divest from companies that produce fossil fuel as much as I can
Oil and gas companies
Amazon (this is going to be a hard one for me)
Products made in China (China produces the most carbon of any other country)
Pressure my employer (Red Hat) to enact measures to mitigate the massive energy consumption from AI
Invest in sustainable companies
Acorns makes this really easy and affordable
Donate to sustainable organizations that are making a difference (there are a lot but these are just a few of my favorites)
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)—I donate to them monthly
Live sustainably in my daily life
Reduce the amount of driving I do
Recycle and compost
Avoid single-use products and plastics
Shop at my local package-free shop (Part & Parcel)
Conserve water and energy
Delete photos, emails, and files to lessen my CO2 consumption from digital file storage
Volunteer with local sustainability groups
Keep Durham Beautiful is a great one in my area
Triangle Land Conservancy is another good one
Human rights
Everyone deserves basic human rights and respect. I can never understand the desire to govern how other people live their lives, as long as they’re not harming anyone.
One organization that is doing work to serve all the communities below is the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)—I donate to them monthly.
LGBTQ+
As a queer person, this one is personal. I plan on supporting my queer community in any way I can (even just checking in on my friends to see how they’re doing), especially the trans community.
Donate to LGBTQ+ organizations that are making a difference
Women
As a woman, this one is also personal. I’m mostly concerned about women’s health (including abortion access and violence against women). Some good organizations to donate to:
On a personal note, I’ll also be doing the following
Keep a few Plan B pills on hand
Buy a stun gun and pepper spray for self-defense
Take a self-defense class
Racial equality
Immigrant rights and the genocide in Palestine
Politics and civil rights
Reach out to my Congressional representative on key issues (like fighting against Project 2025 and calling for a ceasefire in Gaza). Find your representative here.
Get more involved in local political, civil rights, and grassroots groups (like Durham for All, People’s Alliance PAC, and NC Triangle Democratic Socialists of America)
Vote in all elections
Prepare for the worst
I’m not usually an alarmist but some of the rhetoric coming from the incoming administration is concerning. Here’s how I plan to prepare:
Continue to save money in a high-yield savings account
Move some of my investments into a high-yield savings account where it makes sense
Stock up on non-perishable food
Take self-defense measures (listed above)
Some odds & ends
Continue to build and support my communities
Hold bigots and extremists accountable
Have difficult conversations in a human, empathetic way (especially with those with differing viewpoints)
Continue to educate myself on important issues
Stand up for and help those in need
Volunteer with local organizations
Feel free to steal this or tweak it to make it your own!
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