At 2 AM, the text arrives: “Website banned. Going dark. Evacuating team.”
By morning, a Russian LGBTQ+ organization has erased its digital footprint to protect staff from government persecution. But when justice workers are forced to disappear from the public eye, their work doesn’t stop. It just goes underground.
The organization kept one case manager inside Russia at personal risk. This week alone, they will evacuate five people from deadly situations. Their funding runs out in three months, but these grassroots leaders still show up. This is what resilience looks like on democracy’s frontlines.
They Lost Everything. They Rebuilt Anyway.
I’ve just returned from two weeks visiting with seven partner organizations across Poland and the UK. Every single one lost between 15% and 80% of their funding when Trump’s USAID cuts triggered a cascade across the European funding ecosystem. German foundations reduced support. Australian sources disappeared. International organizations closed Polish operations.
Here’s what happened next: They fought back.
The organization that lost €1.5 million and fired 60% of their staff? They rebuilt in six months. This UUSC partner serves 500 people from over 40 countries every month — deliberately taking the hardest cases everyone else refuses.
UUSC’s Roma organization partner operating at 20% capacity? They’re running a Leadership Academy with international exchanges while building corporate partnerships with companies like IKEA, creating employment pathways for people facing systemic discrimination.
The Ukrainian women’s organization that refused government money to maintain independence? They raised ₴6 million on International Women’s Day and continue to operate successful galleries showcasing conflict art. They are documenting over 400 civilian women held in Russian captivity while collaborating with Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense on sexual harassment policy.
The group building an activist recovery center? They purchased land strategically chosen for safety. Their “Currents of Care” burnout prevention tools are now being translated into four languages. This partner is creating subscription-based retreat facilities that generate sustainable revenue.
The Victories You’re Not Hearing About
While governments criminalize their existence, these organizations are winning. Just as we cannot safely name our partners in this article, these grassroots leaders can rarely publicly celebrate their victories. Still, whether our partners are evacuating people from life-threatening persecution in Russia, serving the Roma community, providing support to people in migration, cultivating community care for Black families, or operating underground healthcare networks when governments deny care, they continue to succeed.
Why They Deserve More, Not Less
These organizations don’t need rescue. They need reinforcement.
A Cameroonian trans woman trapped in Belarus by passport confiscation? The underground organization is still working her case. Roma children in overwhelmed collective shelters? The traveling team still reaches them. Nineteen-year-olds forced into sex work due to identity document discrimination? Underground providers still offer healthcare. Women held in Russian captivity? Their stories are still being documented, their trauma supported.
Our partners have proven that they can adapt, innovate, and make an impact that surpasses organizations with exponentially larger budgets. They operate where governments cannot or will not. They’ve built trust with communities that trust no one else. They’ve created models that other organizations now replicate.
These grassroots leaders are not asking for handouts. They’re asking for partnership with people who understand that modest investments in grassroots leaders yield democracy dividends no international bureaucracy can match.
Poland’s 2025 elections loom with extreme parties positioned to shut down foreign-funded civil society entirely. Russia’s persecution expands daily. Conditions will worsen significantly before improving, but these organizations aren’t going anywhere. They’ll operate openly when possible and underground when necessary. Make a contribution today to support their work serving targeted groups who continue defending human dignity against authoritarian assault.
The 2 AM messages keep coming. And they keep answering.
They’re not victims waiting for rescue. They’re fighters who’ve earned reinforcements. The only question is whether we’re worthy of their partnership. You have the opportunity to supply reinforcement and support the urgent work of UUSC’s partners. Don’t miss this chance to be a part of their global impact.
