Free America Walkout
On Tuesday, January 20th, 2026 at 2 PM, people across the country will participate in a mass walk-out demonstration to protest the Trump regime's cruelty, our lawmakers' inaction, and our neighbors' silence.
But walking out isn't enough. And for many of us, it simply isn't possible. Instead of just walking out, Mass 50501 encourages you to act. Build community and forge connections by engaging with the people around you—especially those who have been silent. Pick one of these actions to do on January 20th, 2026.
Talk with Your Coworkers
Check in with your coworkers, and talk to them about a current event. Checking in can be awkward, but talking to the people you see every day is an important part of building community. Now more than ever, we need to strengthen those support networks. The end goal is to build connections over shared values, but you don’t have to open the conversation with politics. Start small.
“How are you holding up? Are you OK?”
We are living in an abnormal time. Take a minute to ask a coworker how they’re doing. How are they coping with what’s been in the news? From ICE raids to international conflict, there’s been no shortage of distressing headlines. Share your feelings with them. It doesn’t have to be a debate or an argument.
“I just feel sad for these families that are getting ripped apart.”
“Things are really tense. I’m worried about what will happen if we go to war.”
Make yourself a safe person to come to if your coworkers need to talk. Maybe you can help them see an issue from a different perspective. Maybe you can find someone to confide in, too. Talking to each other is the first step to building a resilient community. Let’s be resilient enough to withstand this moment.
Once you break the ice with check-ins and small talk, try one of the conversation starters below. Talking politics can be tricky. Ease in with neutral statements, gauge your coworker’s reaction, and proceed in whatever way makes sense.
Conversation Starters
“Have you seen the news about Venezuela? Do you think we’ll go to war?”
“Did you see that TikTok with ICE agents chasing a DoorDash driver into someone’s house?”
“I heard the U.S. might take Greenland by force. What do you think will happen?”
Let’s say you work up the nerve to talk about politics, and your coworker turns out to have very different political views. Perhaps this isn’t a conversation you want to have anymore. De-escalate and either pivot to a new topic or walk away.
De-escalate & Pivot
If your coworker says:
“I don’t care, let’s go to war. Let’s make Canada our 51st state while we’re at it.”
You can say:
“Well, at least we won’t need passports. Anyway, see you after lunch!”
“I haven’t heard much, it was just a random TikTok on my FYP. Is it just me, or has your algorithm been showing you the weirdest ads lately?”
“I don’t really know anything about it. My friend brought it up while we were watching Stranger Things. By the way, did you see the finale?”
Overcoming Apathy
If your coworker says:
“I don’t pay attention to politics.”
You can say:
“Do you mind if I ask why?”
“I don’t like politics either, but I want to know where my tax money is going. War is expensive.”
“I know, I don’t usually follow politics either. After I saw what happened in Minneapolis, I felt like I needed to pay attention.”
“It sucks, but everything is political. I try not to shop anywhere that donates money to certain political candidates.”
Responding to Stonewalling
If your coworker says:
“I don’t talk about politics at work.”
You can say:
“I totally understand. We don’t have to. It’s just scary to see all these crazy headlines in the news every day.”
“No problem. I like talking about politics, so let me know if you change your mind.”
Encouraging Action:
If your coworker says:
“I feel so bad for those immigrants. I wish there was something I could do.”
You can say:
“There are ways to help. Have you heard of LUCE?”
“I felt the same way. I joined a community group that provides meal trains to the families of people who are detained. We could always use more help delivering food.”
“We can stop supporting businesses that are hurting our community. Did you know Home Depot is helping ICE?”
Walk Out & Visit Your Representative
You have one representative and two senators in the U.S. Congress. Your vote matters to them. Engage with your Congressmen and let them know what they need to do to secure your vote at midterm elections this year. Talk to your neighbors, family, and friends. Get a group together to visit your representative's local office on January 20th.
Planning a Visit to a Congressional Office
Find your representative here.
Search by your zip code. Click the representative’s name. You will be redirected to the representative’s website. Their local offices and phone numbers for each are listed at the bottom of the page. These are the senators for all MA residents:
Call the office you’d like to visit and set up an appointment
The office staff will take your call. Tell them you’d like to visit on January 20th. The rep may not be available, but you can make an appointment to speak with one of their staff members instead. Their staff will relay your comments to the rep. (Reminder: be kind to the staff. Even if you don’t like your rep, the staff are just doing their jobs.)
Talk to people in your district who’d like to join you
Coworkers, family, friends, neighbors—as long as they live in the rep’s district, encourage them to come with you. A larger group will communicate to the rep that this issue is important to their constituents.
Pick one issue to discuss with your rep
Decide as a group what you’d like to address. The issue should be something within the rep’s power to do. (See topic suggestions below.)
Write a script or note cards
Remain calm and professional during your visit. Give your rep the chance to address your concerns. You don’t have to pretend you’re happy with them, but no one is receptive to yelling and angry demands.
Pick one or two people in your group to do the talking
The group should know who will speak and who will support. Several people all competing to be heard will not get their point across effectively. The rep or their staff may feel dogpiled, which isn’t an effective way to get them to listen to you.
Go to your appointment
This is your moment to make your voice heard. Arrive on time, be courteous, say what you came to say, and thank the rep or staffer for their time at the end of the visit. Be sure to leave your contact information if you’d like the rep to follow up with you.
Issues to Discuss with Your Representative
IMPEACHMENT
Tell your rep that you want them to file articles of impeachment against President Trump and/or members of Trump's cabinet, such as Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
ICE AGGRESSION
Tell your rep that ICE agents aren't making your community safer. If you have relevant personal stories, share them. If not, consider citing ICE's violence against MA residents.
EXECUTIVE OVERREACH
Tell your rep that they have a responsibility to protect you—their constituent—and a duty to check the executive branch's power. Let them know if they want your vote at midterm elections this year, they need to show up and fight against the president's abuses of power every single day.
Walk Out & Protest
The Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL Boston) will be hosting a peaceful rally.
Attend PSL Boston's rally to show your solidarity whether or not you can participate in the walkout. Visit the event page here for more details.
STOP ICE TERROR
Hosted by PSL Boston
January 20th, 2026 @ 5 PM
Copley Square | Boston, MA
While digital platforms are crucial for activism, we can’t do it all from behind a screen. Change happens when people show up in person in their communities. Being present and visible is especially important right now because information suppression is rampant in digital spaces. Your social media posts can be suppressed much more easily than news coverage of large rallies and demonstrations. Show your community that there are people all around them who are willing to stand up for what's right even when it's scary. Show this regime that we will not be intimidated into compliance.
Call Your Representative
If you can’t visit your representative in person, call their local office between 2 PM - 3 PM. Speak to a staff member if you can. Leave a voicemail if you can’t. Don’t forget to leave your contact information if you’d like a response.
Refer to (2) above for etiquette, topic suggestions, and how to find your representative. If you’re uncomfortable calling, or you don’t know what to say, visit 5calls.org. Enter your zip code, pick a topic (for example, “stop ICE’s aggressive attacks on immigrants and citizens”), and review the suggested script. Adjust the script or leave it as-is. Then call your representative’s office and read the script.
Brag on Socials
You heard the call to action. Now show us what you’ve done. No matter what action you take on January 20th, spread the word on social media. Let’s be louder than hatred and injustice.
Boost our call to action
When you’ve finished your action on 1/20/26, like the post on social media and comment DONE.
Tag #Mass50501
Take a selfie if you can, maybe with the coworker you talked to, or with the group that visited your rep’s office! Tag us and tell us what you did for this day of action.
