Life
Settling into the first 100 days of Donald Trump's administration, you might be looking for ways to stay politically engaged when you're not necessarily able to take up full-time activism (which doesn't quite pay the bills). If that's you, good news: There are plenty of politically active social media accounts to follow that will help you keep resisting and persisting throughout the Trump presidency. Taking part in the democratic process may not be something a lot of people are used to doing, but if you're anything like most Americans, you're practically an expert at social media — and you can easily leverage those skills in an effort to keep fighting the good fight.
Politicians are known to use social media to their advantage; even the White House got a Tumblr in 2015. Then there's Trump's Twitter account, which often reads like the inner monologue of a self-absorbed teenager at a mock UN conference. Scrolling through his feed is a unique experience, but I would characterize it as similar to being hit in the face with an inflatable exclamation point, over and over and over until you have to cleanse your mind with The Washington Post.
But I digress. The point is that social media has influenced the political sphere as much as it has any other area of modern life, so it's a great way to stay engaged with our democracy. With four long years of Trump's administration stretching ahead, it's more important than ever to make your voice known beyond just voting (although if you do only one thing, voting is probably the most important). The good news is that it appears to be working at least some of the time. Here are seven social media accounts to follow to stay politically engaged this spring.
1
The Women's March
The Women's March Instagram bio says it all: "Our march forward does not end here." Since Jan. 21, the protest's organizers have launched a campaign called 10 Actions for the First 100 Days. Every 10 days, a new way to resist Trump's administration is released. So far, the first action was writing postcards to representatives; the second is forming a community "huddle" to plan for the future.
The Women's March has obviously been posting about the campaign on their Instagram, interspersed with current news and photos from the march. Follow on Instagram @womensmarch.
2
Ilana Glazer
It's no surprise that one of the creators of Broad City doesn't shy away from getting political. Amid more typical celebrity Instagram fare — snapshots of her friends, clips of Andrew Garfield making out with Stephen Colbert, etc. — you can find posts like the one pictured above calling people to action, or reposts of useful articles. Best of all, these posts almost always provide specific information rather than hand-wavy generalizations.
The account is also hilarious, because she's Ilana Glazer. Follow her @ilanusglazer on Instagram.
3
The Environmental Protection Agency
We won't be seeing Barack Obama make any more appearances on the EPA's feed, but it's worth following while the agency is still allowed to talk freely about climate change. Follow @epagov on Instagram and @EPA on Twitter.
4
Bernie Sanders
America's favorite left-wing grandpa runs an active Twitter account, where he tweets about current events and his thoughts on Trump on the regular. Basically, it's where you should go if you need some revolutionary inspiration. If you're looking to stay informed, his Facebook account is more in-depth, sharing links to important articles and keeping an eye on Trump's administration so far.
Follow Sanders @SenSanders on Twitter or on his Facebook page.
5
Teen Vogue
Teen Vogue has emerged as one of the foremost publications criticizing Trump, to the point where I'm shocked he hasn't called them "fake news" yet. Their coverage mixes information and simple ways to resist; articles range from "What Donald Trump Lied about This Week" to a summary of Daily Action Alerts, a service that texts subscribers about local political issues every day. Teen Vogue is definitely worth a follow on Twitter @teenvogue.
6
She Should Run
Dedicated to getting more women elected to political office, She Should Run maintains a number of initiatives encouraging women to run for office and helping them with their campaigns. Considering the extent to which Trump's presidency could end up influencing American women, it's time we were fairly represented in Congress. You can follow She Should Run on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter @SheShouldRun.
7
Your Local Representative
One of the most important parts of political participation is keeping an eye on the people who represent you. You can find a list of your local officials here, along with their contact information. Once you've identified your elected politicians, follow them on Twitter and Facebook, so you'll hear about their decisions right from the source.
