Hi John,  

Make your first 2026 resolution with ACLU People Power. 

We’ve lived through a brutal first year of the Trump administration’s return to power. We’ve witnessed attacks on immigrants, trans youth, free speech, and voting rights escalate at breakneck speed. We know what we’re up against. But we also know what it takes to win: a movement that shows up, adapts, and refuses to let cruelty define the future. 

This January, the ACLU is taking a clear, unflinching look at what President Trump has attempted in year one and what our movement has already stopped, slowed, or pushed back. But even as we reflect back on 2025, this People Power Newsletter is focused on the future. It’s about what we are building right now to prepare for the fights ahead.

So this year, we’re setting movement-wide New Year's resolutions, and we invite you to set them with us. These commitments reflect who we are, what we’ve learned, and how we intend to fight forward in 2026. And they start with you.

2025 was a year of true momentum. We grew by 157,038 new members. We activated 5,466 veterans in our new Veterans for Democracy program. We joined millions taking to the streets at No Kings protests across the country. These numbers are more than metrics: they represent courage, connection, and people refusing to stay silent.

Now we’re ready to do even more. 2026 is the year we’re committed to: 

We’re organizing with intention. To do that, we need every person in this movement plugged in from day one. We invite you to make your first resolution with us. 

If you’re with us this year, we need you to sign our 2026 Volunteer Pledge. Whether you’ve joined a rally, attended a phone bank, or are brand new to the People Power community, your role in this movement matters. Now is the time to make a commitment to yourself and your community to keep showing up. When we recommit together, we build something powerful: a resilient movement ready for anything. Sign your 2026 People Power pledge today and let’s keep showing up, side by side. 

We’re kicking this new year off with dedicated time spent gearing our volunteer community up to take real, tangible actions rooted in lessons learned and oriented towards building real power. Sign up today and join us on January 27th at 8 PM ET for our first action call of 2026. This call will feature interactive breakout sessions with key organizing leaders. You won't want to miss this! 

If you’re ready to get active and get involved, now is the time to sign up and volunteer. Join our community of activists organizing for immigrant rights, gender justice, and civil liberties nationwide. Whether you’re phone banking, textbanking, or showing up in person – we need you. Sign up today and join our activist community!

Our path forward isn’t just about resisting or reacting. It’s about reimagining what freedom looks like when people take power back, one action at a time. Let’s keep building our vision for the future, together, from now through 2026.

Want to stay connected between newsletters? Visit our new People Power website at aclu.org/peoplepower for real-time updates, upcoming actions, and organizing resources. 

In Solidarity,

The ACLU People Power Team