Participants recalled being threa -tened and criticized, and feeling hopeless, fearful, shameful, guilty, disap -pointed, frustrated, angry, and exhausted. Nonetheless, participants still revered their experiences with grassroots activism positively

grassroots activism also promoted responsibility, humility, agency, hope, flexibility, perseverance, and emotional regulation and provided opportunities for LGBTQ+ people to cope with their past and feel fulfilled.

ome scholars have suggested that activism provides healing powers and resilience for marginalized populations

activism is not just a problem-focused strategy, but is “possibility focused

scholars have suggested engagement in activism is one possible response to coping with oppression