It’s Been a Year Since the Election—What Did It Motivate You to Do?

We want to hear your stories about life after Nov. 8, 2016.

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Trump made me do it. 

On the night of Nov. 8, 2016, when it became clear that Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was going to win the presidency, I felt this need to do something—take some kind of action to combat the collective numbness that was unfolding around me. I took a break from the makeshift “war room” my newsroom had erected and took a walk. That was just the first step.

Once the initial feelings of surprise wore off, it seemed like everyone I knew did something they wouldn’t have otherwise done if Hillary Clinton had won that night. One colleague told me he immediately subscribed to National Review so he could gain some insight into what conservatives were thinking. Another coworker “finally subscribed to the New York Times.” Friends on Facebook announced that they were donating to the ACLU and Planned Parenthood. And me? I clicked on over to The News Literacy Project and inquired about volunteering. 

So, now a year later, our question for you is: What did you do after the election? Is it something you kept doing throughout the year? Or maybe you didn’t do anything at all—and if so, why? 

Mother Jones reporter Kanyakrit Vongkiatkajorn and I want to start collecting your stories. We may follow up with you to find out more about how the election affected you and what it inspired you to do—or not do. Share your stories here.

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Investigative journalism, like the story you just read, takes time to do. Months of research. Weeks of writing, editing, and fact checking—and putting together the photography, art, video, and audio that tell the stories in a new way, illuminating new perspectives and voices

We can afford to take that time because we don’t report to an oligarch or corporation with a special agenda. We report to you, and for you. That’s why we unabashedly pursue the truth and relentlessly shine a light into the darkness.

In this month’s Summer Membership Drive, we’ve got to raise $200,000 to support more crucial investigations. This is a pivotal moment in our nation, with democracy on the line, and we can only do this work because readers like you step up. Every donation, of any amount, makes a difference here. We cannot do this work without you.

So, we’re asking: Will you support independent journalism that demands those in power answer for their actions?

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