One of GW’s main selling points is its location by the White House and Capitol Hill — and the opportunities that come with it, like internships and protesting on the National Mall. It was one of the main reasons I wanted to attend GW. I remember reading about past protests at GW when I was researching colleges my senior year, and I was glad to have chosen a university with a civically engaged student body. I was excited for it to be my turn to one day protest. But as President Donald Trump cracks down on campus protesters and free speech, protesting has become extremely risky for many international students, immigrants and minority groups. As a Mexican American woman who once looked forward to protesting in D.C., I have now become more cautious under the Trump administration and have begun seeking other ways to contribute.

I grew up viewing protesting as a form of civic power. In school, I learned how University of California, Berkeley students in 1964 challenged restrictions the university placed on political speech during the Civil Rights Movement. I remember how excited my eighth-grade history teacher looked as he pointed to the photos in the textbook, and I thought that could be me one day. I still remember the first time I came to D.C. during my junior year of high school for a journalism conference in 2021. A large crowd of protesters had gathered outside the White House, and it was my first time witnessing a demonstration in person. It was striking to see so many people gathered together. There was a rare emotional charge I had never really seen or experienced before, and it was inspiring. Part of me hoped that if I ever felt so strongly about an issue, I would get the chance to protest it. I eventually got to protest in my senior year of high school for my teachers, though I haven’t done so in college yet. In part, this is because protesting has become a challenge under the Trump administration. 

A year after I visited D.C., I told my older brother about the protest in front of the White House and that my future dorm, Mitchell Hall, was just blocks away from it. But as I regaled him with bright, naive eyes, my brother warned me that participating in protests could put me and my educational future at risk. He explained that, as a young Mexican American woman, I wouldn’t have the same privileges others might when protesting. He said that when other people “screw up,” the consequences for them aren’t as high as they are for people like us. If I ended up in jail because of protesting, he wouldn’t have the money for bail or a lawyer. He also said political figures are more inclined to make an example out of someone who has my background.

It made me realize early in college that while protesting may have been something that I looked forward to growing up, it might not always be an option for many, including myself.

Over the past couple of months, Trump has taken action to execute what he called “the largest domestic deportation operation” in U.S. history. Trump has been targeting students, specifically focusing on immigrants or international students who’ve protested or somehow supported the pro-Palestinian movement. He’s arrested a handful of people at universities, revoking visas and trying to deport students across the country. Currently, over a 1,000 international students have had their visas revoked by the Department of Homeland Security.

I’m not completely discouraged from protesting by Trump’s actions, but I am more cautious. I don’t jump at protests the same way I did in my senior year of high school. My brother’s warning also stopped my impulsivity with protests in D.C. before Trump’s term. But I also know that when I do protest, it will be for something I feel is so intertwined with who I am, like immigration. So far, we have seen people like Mahmoud Khalil, the professor at Georgetown University and Rumeysa Ozturk, the Tufts University student who was arrested by immigration agents for her pro-Palestinian views, targeted by Trump for expressing their opinion. It’s scary. But there are alternative ways to support the causes you believe in. 

This semester, I had to take a science course that fulfilled my local and civic engagement requirement. I chose to volunteer at the Amica Center for Immigrant Rights to do my part in helping out undocumented immigrants as Trump started his deportations. I worked in the detention hotline, answering questions and transferring calls. I had the opportunity to actively help those facing immigration issues or deportations. I might not be protesting right now, but I can continue volunteering my time — even if it’s in small ways. 

Many people from different backgrounds feel scared or more cautious when it comes to protesting, but the general feeling of wanting to do something is there. If you feel strongly about immigration, then you can volunteer, whether it’s working at the hotline or doing jail visits or even helping translate documents. You can show up to court, packing the courtroom to show your support. Advocacy extends beyond any single issue, and there are ways to support the causes you believe in deeply. 

GW tries to make volunteering more accessible to students by using GivePulse, a website where you can search for all the volunteering opportunities students have available to them. If you feel passionately about homelessness, then you can volunteer at Miriam’s Kitchen, serving meals to those who need them the most. If you’re going home for the summer, you can find ways to volunteer in your area, like by helping out a local politician whose policies align with your views. Right now, you can try and find a way — any way — to help out the causes you believe in or the communities that mean the most to you so you can create a chain link of change. 

I don’t deny that protests can be very effective at sparking change. But if you feel like you can’t protest, for one reason or another, know you can still do your part so you don’t feel completely powerless. 

Andrea Mendoza-Melchor, a junior majoring in journalism and mass communication, is the opinions editor.