So You Went To The Women’s March, Now What?

The Women's March was the largest inaugural protest in history. People around the globe have made it clear that they're not going to stand for misogyny, xenophobia, violence towards women, discrimination, and a host of other issues. While museums across the country are collecting the signs used during the demonstration and protesters are getting back on those planes, trains, and automobiles to their lives, many are left wondering: What's next?

We've got some suggestions, whether you want to go big or start with some baby steps.

Stay on top of the news. The only way to find out what's real and what's not is to know the facts for yourself. Make sure you're getting your news from credible sources.

Donate to charities and causes. It doesn't have to be a lot, either. Even as little as $5 can help. If you don't have the means to donate monetarily, donate your time by volunteering. No organization is going to turn you away if you're eager to help.

Remember to be intersectional. Not every feminist is white, middle-class, cis-gendered, and able-bodied. The marches were attended by men and women, gay and straight, all shapes, sizes, and colors. Twitter user @mstharrington held this sign when she realized how little she had done to keep Trump from being elected. At the Women's March on Washington, she received feedback from women of color and white women alike. You can read the entire twitter thread, here.

Find your local representatives and get to know them. Call them. Email them. Make your voice heard. Changes start at the local level. Getting to know the men and women who work for you — yes, they work for you — will show that you're dedicated to the cause. Find out who to contact, here. All you need to enter is your zip code. And it's not just your congressperson and senator you can speak to. Go as local as the school board and mayor. There's a whole Tumblr page dedicated to printables you can mail to your reps, whether it's a local mayor or the senator.

Sign up for alerts. We know your email inbox is crammed. Daily Action will send you a text message with something you can do every day. According to the website, you'll "receive one text message every workday about an issue that we have determined to be urgent based on where you live." After listening to a short audio message about the day's issue, you'll get connected to a "senator, member of Congress, or other relevant elected official" to make your voice heard. It takes 90 seconds.

Take care of yourself.

And here's where it gets really big: You can run for office. Daunting, we know, but there are orgs out there to help out. Try Emerge America, Run For America, and She Should Run, which all encourage people from across the political spectrum to get involved. Politics is democratic — which means we all have a say.

Looking for more stories about the continuing fight for reproductive rights? Watch Shatterbox Anthology’s “Lucia, Before and After” above. This short film from director Anu Valia takes an unflinching look at the barriers to choice still faced by women across the United States. Just 7% of 2016's top films were directed by women. Refinery29 wants to change this by giving 12 female directors a chance to claim their power. Our message to Hollywood? You can't win without women. Watch new films every month on Refinery29.com/Shatterbox and Comcast Watchable.