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Now, more than ever, is the time to stand up for the causes you care about, whether that means fighting for equal pay or defending abortion rights. But knowing how to effectively make your voice heard isn't always easy.
Every day brings new calls for donations, emails about petitions you should sign, and news articles about an array of crises. The volume can be so high that it's hard to know where to begin. It may seem easier to just tune things out and go on with your day.
But for the activist looking to continue their efforts beyond the Women's March or another protest, there are ways to identify key issues and make a change — all from your phone. Ahead, we've included seven apps and websites that let you see what's being voted on, help you quickly reach your reps, and donate where you see fit.
These apps and sites don't replace in-person action. But you have to start somewhere.
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Give Back Every Single Day
The new non-profit Give One makes donating 25 cents every day as simple as a single click. After going to the site, you can select one cause that you care about, be it education and the arts, equality, the environment, homelessness and poverty, health and relief, or violence and bullying. Every few months, Give One chooses a different non-profit for each category. Some of the organizations currently on the site are Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, and the Environmental Defense Fund. After picking your cause, you can choose to donate as little as 25 cents and as much as two dollars every day. Enter your billing info and that's it — your subscription goes into effect.
For those who live in New York, you can also find a slew of volunteering opportunities that are also helpfully organized by category.
Photo: Courtesy Give One.Clik here to view.
Elect more women to office
She Should Run is an organization that tackles one major problem: Research shows that women can win elections when they run for public office, but not enough women are "encouraged and recruited" to run in the first place.
The goal of this site is changing the statistics. Go online, and press "take action." From there, you'll see ways to easily encourage women you know or have seen to run, to give a tax deductible donation, and even to find out how you — yes, you — can make a run for office.
Photo: Courtesy of SheShouldRun.org.Clik here to view.
Reach your rep on every timely issue
To stay informed about which congressional votes are coming up and make sure you reach out to your elected reps in time, download Countable.
The app makes it easy to follow all the news and decisions being made on a range of issues — everything from the arts to abortion policies. Vote "yea" or "nay" on an issue and you can leave a comment that will be sent to your elected representatives, or send them a video message.
Photo: Courtesy of Countable.Clik here to view.
Change the gender ratio with a tweet
If you see a major gender imbalance on TV or at a work conference, GA Tally is designed to help you raise awareness. Just log in, enter the number of men versus the number of women, provide a hashtag, and "chart it."
The app produces an easy-to-interpret pie chart that you can then share, with a single click, to Facebook and Twitter, so others can be made aware of the problem.
Photo: Courtesy of GA Tally.Clik here to view.
Get a daily action alert via text
Signing up for Daily Action Alerts might be the easiest way to know what issues are happening in your area and make a difference — all in the span of a minute or two. Just text DAILY to A-C-T-I-O-N (228466) and, after inputting your zip code, you'll be registered to receive a daily text about an important, nearby cause.
From those texts, you can listen to a brief recording on the issue and be directly connected with one of your representatives so that you can put in your two cents.
Photo: Courtesy of Daily Action.Clik here to view.
Read an article, donate to a cause
If you've ever read a news article and thought, That's awful, I wish I could do something to help — but you weren't sure what to do, you're not alone. That's why tech company Speakable launched Action Button. The button, which is partnered with Planned Parenthood, One, and Amnesty International, appears with many news articles on The Guardian, The Huffington Post, and Vice.
When you see it, you'll have the option to quickly take a poll, sign a petition, or make a secure donation.
Photo: Courtesy of Action Button.Clik here to view.
Make a difference in human rights issues
This past fall, Amnesty International Canada launched Amnesty SOS. The app features pressing issues — for example, a journalist who has been wrongfully imprisoned abroad — and lets you "send an urgent message." Just enter your name, email, phone number, and city, and your message will go to authorities involved in the issue.
Photo: Courtesy of Amnesty SOS.Clik here to view.
See causes and give back on Facebook
Facebook's News Feed has become a treacherous place in the current political climate, but there's still a way to use yours for good. Instead of getting caught in a commenting war, go to Facebook's fundraiser page to see relevant, timely issues that are suggested for you. You can donate there to causes that range from the ACLU to Syrian refugees.
Photo: Courtesy of Facebook.Clik here to view.
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