New app aims to turn Trump Twitter tantrums into social justice fundraising

Impact

The next time President Donald Trump goes off on a Twitter rant, a new social justice fundraising app can let you put your money where his mouth is. 

WeCanResist.It, launched this week, is "like America's swear jar, but against toxic ideology," says co-founder Allyson Kapin.

Rather than vainly wishing Trump would just delete his account, WeCanResist.It lets people take action by donating to non-profits that focus on racial, gender and environmental causes every time the president pops off on social media.

"We're seeking to engage all the people who are new to politics, who showed up at marches for the first time in their lives, and who are asking, 'What's next?' And we're using the very medium that Trump likes best: Twitter," Kapin, of Women Who Tech and Rad Campaign, told Mic in an email exchange.

Courtesy of Allyson Kapin/Courtesy of Allyson Kapin

WeCanResist.It was rolled out just days after Evan Williams, a founder of Twitter, told the New York Times that, if the platform helped Trump win the White House, "then yeah, I'm sorry."

The app is designed for both ease of use and sustained impact. 

There's no having to attend an event or respond to an email appeal. Instead, it kicks in whenever Trump tweets, say, a derogatory remark about a woman's body or a tone-deaf salute to an ethnic group he's targeted with his policies. 

App users pick their causes and how much they want to donate, per tweet, up to a monthly maximum. At the end of the month they get a readout of how much they gave as a result of Trump's social commentary.

In its first week, the non-profit list includes 350.org (which organizes to fight climate change), Black Lives Matter, BYP100 (which trains young black activists to fight racial profiling and other issues), Clean Water Action, Crisis Text Line (which trains people to be crisis counselors), Hollaback (an anti-street harassment non-profit), National Center for Transgender Equality, National Immigration Law Center, the National Organization for Women, URGE (a reproductive rights organization) and Voto Latino. 

Jessica Reeves, chief operating officer of Voto Latino, said in a statement to Mic that "as an organization that works to empower young Latinos, we know it is also our responsibility to pushback against any hateful rhetoric surrounding our community."

Working with WeCanResist.It "allows us to continue being pioneers in using tech, while accomplishing both of those things," she said.

WeCanResist.It/WeCanResist.It

Emily May, founder of Hollaback, said via email, "Thanks to this brilliant project, you no longer have to feel helpless when Trump spews hate. Now, with each tweet, you are part of the resistance." May said Hollaback "will use the funding to fight harassment online and in the streets."

Overall, said Kapin, "Especially in light of the proposed Trump budget, the nonprofit and social justice communities are looking for an effective response to Trumpism."

To that end, "We're transforming what feels like a gut punch every time Trump tweets, and turning it into an easy, smart way to sustain the communities who are being attacked the most."

About 300 users have signed up so far, and more non-profits — who receive 100% of the profits from donations collected via the app — have asked to join, Kapin said.

Michael Kelly, director of communications for Clean Water Action, said in a statement that WeCanResist.It gives voice to "people who are exasperated by the president and looking for an easy way to get involved" and lets the public tell Trump "he really needs to stop getting his news from Twitter."