All of Us

Disrupters spark the moment, but it takes an entire ecosystem to sustain a movement.

In Los Angeles, protesters of all ages and backgrounds are confronting the terror of ICE enforcement and the National Guard, revealing to the world how broken our systems are in the United States. We are staring into the jaws of authoritarianism, although the alarm bells have been ringing for some time:

• Deportations at schools and courthouses

• Travel bans targeting the global South

• Arrests and threats for speaking out on Palestinian human rights

• Book bans erasing histories, cultures, and LGBTQ stories

• Barriers to asserting our civil rights

• Restricted access to science and health care

• Warnings not to speak our ancestral languages

This isn’t all new. But it is the story unfolding in our lifetime.

Right now, disrupters are sounding the alarm about what’s happening through protest and direct action in Los Angeles and around the country. In response to the signs, chants, and images of disrupters, our curiosity may be aroused, our hearts might ache, and our anger might rise. That’s a signal and an invitation to act - and to do so with intention.

Social change happens when many people and groups play different roles, aligning with shared values, strategic goals, and deep solidarity. When I developed the Social Change Ecosystem Map, I wanted to offer ways to move beyond the myth of the lone hero, the single organization, and the sole strategy. In other words, it takes all of us.

Disrupters are the spark…

Disrupters may be the most visible part of the ecosystem, but they cannot carry our movements alone.

Staff from the South Asian Network and ally organizations protesting the travel ban in Los Angeles (June 2025)

• Disrupters shake us out of denial, often in ways that are uncomfortable, confrontational, and urgent. They know, as James Baldwin wrote: “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

  So they face it—loudly and unapologetically. With bullhorns. At the gates of power. In public squares and digital streets.

• Disrupters are deeply rooted in the communities under attack. Sometimes, they are directly impacted themselves. That’s why they don’t waste time with polite politics or courteous compromise—they’re responding to calculated harm in an attempt to shift power.

• Disruption is not destruction. Though disrupters are often maligned as insurrectionists or criminals, disruption can open the door to reckoning, repair, and rebuilding, especially when visionaries and experimenters are involved.

• Disruption takes a toll—physically, emotionally, legally. Not everyone can play the role of the disrupter. During the 2020 uprisings, many stayed home to protect immunocompromised loved ones. Today, undocumented people may not feel safe protesting amid military presence. When playing the role of disrupters, it is important to skill up with security training and protocols, mental health supports, and the counsel of caregivers and guides. Check out these helpful resources from Nonviolent Peaceforce about anchor and activation points, and follow Kalaya'an Mendoza (kalamendoza) for safety and protest tips.

• Disrupters with privilege can flank impacted communities. U.S. citizens, influencers, and white allies in particular can assume the risks and consequences that come with disruption that others cannot—because of their protections, platforms, and positionality.

It takes an entire ecosystem.

One of the common reactions I get when people and groups use the social change map is that they feel guilty if they don’t play the role of disrupters. But disrupters cannot be the face of an entire movement. They need the rest of us to do our part.

For example, in this time of urgency, we can see expressions of other roles emerging:

• Visionaries are reminding us of alternative futures, where safety means well-resourced communities. Action step: Lead visioning exercises and storytelling sessions with your community that begin with the question: “What if ICE didn’t exist” or “What if public safety meant…”

• Caregivers check in on protesters and feed people at vigils. Action step: Be part of a “care crew” at a local action.

• Storytellers challenge the narratives of “law and order” and remind us that it is the state, not the people, that is lawless. Action step: Debunk misinformation spreading in your community.

• Healers address collective trauma and hold space for grief and recovery. Action step: Offer grounding circles for protesters and impacted communities.

• Weavers build bridges—connecting immigrant justice groups with housing advocates, student coalitions with legal aid. Action step: Use your platform to bring resources and information together.

• Guides offer historical context, reminding us that communities have survived past raids and repression with resistance and resilience. Action steps: Help newer activists understand how to connect current crises to past movements and strategies.

A few ways to move in this moment:

• Check in - take time to process how crisis moments are affecting you, and check in with yourself, guides, and ancestral wisdom.

• Find a community—a national or local organization, an association you’re part of, a mutual aid group, a campus network, or a digital campaign—that aligns with your values and issues important to you. Neighborhood listserves, family and friend chats, and alumni groups are also communities. And if none exists that aligns with you, start your own. It won’t be perfect. It will be messy. Do it anyway. To find local opportunities, look for rapid response networks, faith-based groups and immigrant rights organizations.

• Figure out what’s needed before jumping in. Each moment calls for different strategies. Listening to the recommendations of those directly affected can anchor us when we feel overwhelmed by the noise.

• Ask what your role can be: Based on the calls to action, your skills, and your capacity, how can you support.

• Offer what you have. Then reflect. Learn. Rest.

• Return. Begin again, understanding that your role may shift based on context and need.

For a deeper dive on the social change ecosystem framework, please visit www.socialchangemap.com, and work through my interactive book, “Social Change Now: A Guide for Reflection and Connection.”