KQED: Tell Us Your Stories of Quiet Dissent

In an era where people are protesting noisily around the country, we’re looking for stories of quiet resistance.

Opting out of the status quo doesn’t have to make a big political statement. Sometimes little acts of dissent can bring about big change. In fact, we tend to forget how much “the power of no” is part of our everyday lives.

We’re interested in the reasons why people decide to say no to the apparently minor things that most of us are conditioned to say yes to, and what happens to them and their communities when they refuse to participate.

Please take our short survey to tell us your story:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1QJCqXE5vvlU2xlRWpwNUjXDKOw0sjmqCtQXOKMILQdQ/edit?ts=594068fe

Here are some examples of the sorts of stories we’re interested in hearing -- though please don’t limit yourself to these archetypes:

• A member of a group of political activists (e.g., a student or environmental group) who decides not to participate in a particular action with the rest of the group.
• A person who won't work more than 40 hours a week on principle even in a workplace where working long hours is the norm.
• A high-performing student who chooses not to attend a four-year university.
• A parent who chooses not to send their kid(s) to a private or charter school, and instead puts them in the local public school, when their peers actively searched out, applied for and sent their kid(s) to private or charter schools.
• A couple in a community where everyone typically has lots of children who decide not to have kids.
• A prom king or queen who decides not to go to the school prom, even though everyone in their peer group is going.