Free Protest Guide

LOVE LOOPS™ FOR PROTESTERS

A Collaboration Between Love Loops™: The Narcissism Recovery Project and Friends of Doreen™

By Darren Elliott, RP, BEd — Registered Psychotherapist, Educator, Author, Singer, and Community Building Drag Performer (FriendsofDoreen.com)

“When fear shows up — bedazzle it.” — Doreen Devine

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love (1963)

When fear rises, empathy shuts down.

When love rises, communities heal.

This guide helps you stand for justice without losing your humanity — with breathing, songs, humor, and community care.

Dedication

For everyone who wants to be part of the change —
getting America off the fear path and onto a love path.

QUICK START: PREPARING THE HEART

Before we take to the streets, we prepare our hearts.
This work isn’t only political — it’s emotional, spiritual, and relational.
When we regulate ourselves, we help regulate the space around us. That’s how fear begins to lose its grip.

💛 Before You Go (2 minutes)

Buddy up: exchange names, medical needs, meet-back spot, and a simple check-in word.
Breathe 4–6: inhale for 4, exhale for 6 (×5 cycles) to reset your nervous system.
Set intention: “I protest for love, dignity, and safety — for all.”
Pack light: bring water, snack, tissues, ID (or not, based on safety advice), charger, and paper emergency contacts.
Wear comfort, not conformity: dress in layers and good shoes. Add a splash of hope (pearls, color, or a gentle costume) if you like.
Costume considerations: playful and non-threatening, weather-appropriate, and easy to move in.
Bring joy: treat this as a gathering of hearts — celebrating solidarity, peace, and shared humanity.
Purpose: we’re creating Love Loops to counter the Fear Loops that divide and dehumanize us.

Let’s be humans together — supporting each other, building a crowd of peace, love, and acceptance — while we firmly reject fear, hate, and authoritarian control.

💚 During the Protest

Stay in your body: feel your feet, soften your jaw and shoulders, lengthen your exhales.
Speak human: use short, calm phrases such as “I want everyone safe” or “Let’s slow down.”
Don’t mirror hate: regulate, de-escalate, and document safely.
Hum or sing when tense: rhythm reconnects the nervous system faster than argument.
If tensions rise — sing louder. Hold hands if safe and consensual. Offer consensual hugs to help others regulate.

Our bodies release bonding hormones after about 20 seconds.
A 30-second consensual embrace can calm and re-center two nervous systems.

❤️After
• Hydrate, eat, rest.
• Debrief with your buddy: What I saw / felt / need.
• Sing one verse together to remind your body: love is still here.

Mantra: We protest for people, not against them.

We won’t mirror hate — we’ll regulate.

LOVE LOOPS™ PRINCIPLES

1) Love Is a Strategy, Not a Slogan
“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Love isn’t weakness — it’s disciplined courage that turns bystanders into allies.

2) Community Over Celebrity
“Never forget where you came from and always praise the bridges that carried you over.” — Fannie Lou Hamer
Build circles, not stages. Pass the mic. Heal together.

3) Truth Without Contempt
“I can’t believe what you say, because I see what you do.” — James Baldwin
Name harm with clarity, not shame. End behaviors that destroy lives without destroying people.

4) Empathy Is Our Revolution
“We need, in every community, a group of angelic troublemakers.” — Bayard Rustin
Accountability and empathy can coexist. We oppose harm while keeping a door open to conscience.

5) Humor Heals the Fear
Joy breaks intimidation. Song, satire, and costumes disarm fear.
“When they come at you with hate, bring your sparkle.” — Doreen Devine

6) Practice the Loop
Feel → Name → Choose → Act → Reflect. Fear shuts empathy down; love switches it back on.

SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS

Physical
• Know exits; stay hydrated and nourished. • Bring essentials: water, meds, snacks, sanitizer, mask, charger. • Write an emergency number on your arm.

Emotional
• Buddy system with a code word. • Exhale longer than you inhale. • Anchor phrases: “I am safe right now.” “I’m not alone.”

Legal
• Know your rights (ACLU.org/know-your-rights). • Prefer PIN over Face/Touch ID. • Film calmly; don’t interfere. • Memorize legal aid hotline.

Digital
• Disable biometric unlocks. • Limit location sharing. • Back up media after. • Post later with consent.

Community
• Protect the most vulnerable first. • Don’t film people in distress without consent. • Stay in the love loop.

IN-THE-MOMENT TOOLS

Grounding in 30 Seconds
• Name five things you see. • Feel your feet. • Exhale long. • Hand on chest: “I’m here. I’m okay. I’m with others.”

Partner Signals
• Tap wrist = water. • Open palm = pause/breathe. • Linked hands = stay close.

De‑Escalation Language (low and slow)
• “I hear you.” • “Let’s take a breath.” • “We all want to be safe.” • “We’re on the same side of wanting peace.”

When You’re Overwhelmed
• Name the feeling, press feet into ground, count ten breaths, hum a tune, look for kind eyes.

If You Witness Aggression
• Film steadily; narrate facts. • Keep distance. • Don’t taunt or touch. • Share with legal aid before social.

When Fear Enters the Space
• Slow breath, lower voice, invite a mantra: “One breath. One beat. One body.”

CHANTS & SONGS: SING TO STAY HUMAN

Singing regulates the nervous system, lowers stress, and creates rhythm safety. It builds unity and transforms anger into meaningful movement.

How to Use Chants
• Keep them short and repeatable. • Use call-and-response. • Clap/tap/sway. • End with a shared stillness.

“When we sing, we don’t ignore pain — we give it a tune we can carry.” — Darren Elliott

SAMPLE LOVE LOOP CHANTS TO GET YOU STARTED

Love & Unity
• We are light, we are love, we are one.
• No hate, no fear — we hold each other near.
• Hands of peace, hearts awake.
• From pain to pearl — from fear to love.
• One breath, one beat, one body.

Courage & Compassion
• Brave means scared but singing anyway.
• If they shout, we breathe. If they push, we stay.
• Not enemies — just people in pain.
• We choose love again, and again, and again.

A Little Glitter from Doreen Devine
• “Honey, don’t fight the fear — bedazzle it!”
• “When they shout with hate, we out‑sing with grace.”
• “If love’s a protest, then I’m marching in heels.”
• “Fear can’t handle fabulous.”

Create Your Own
Start with one emotion, add a two-beat rhythm, keep under 10 words, try a familiar tune, then record and tag #LoveLoopsChant.

THE #LOVELOOPS CHALLENGE + CREATIVE PROTEST

Protests are performances of humanity. Use humor, costumes, puppets, choirs, or drag to interrupt fear with joy. Be symbolic and kind. Avoid mockery of vulnerable groups.

Ties to the No Kings Movement
“We don’t need new kings — we need new communities.” Love Loops stands beside No Kings, bringing emotional literacy and empathy into activism.

Post your creativity with #LoveLoops and your city tag (#LoveLoopsNYC, #LoveLoopsChicago, #LoveLoopsAlabama…).

“WEAR PEARLS ON SUNDAYS” INITIATIVE

Some people wear armor. We wear pearls.

The Origin
Doreen Devine invited allies to wear pearls as a gentle, visible stand for LGBTQIA+ dignity and drag as art.

Why Pearls?
• Formed through irritation → resilience. • Visible yet gentle. • Connect generations.

How to Participate
• Wear pearls on Sundays or any day. • Tag #WearPearlsOnSundays and #LoveLoops. • Visit FriendsOfDoreen.com.

Safety Note
If visibility is risky where you live, choose safety first. Allies can carry the visible load.

“If love had a dress code, darling, it would be pearls and kindness.” — Doreen Devine

AFTERCARE & HEALING

Protest is intense; your body needs to cool the fire.

1) Breathe & Rehydrate — Warm food and water signal safety.

2) Reflect & Release — What touched my heart? What did I feel? What do I need? Debrief with a buddy; tell the story to complete the loop.

3) Regulate Together — Check on each other. Host gentle decompression spaces.

4) Grieve & Grow — Acknowledge pain. Ask what to do differently next time.

5) Stay in the Love Loop — Return to nourishing communities. Keep creating, singing, and connecting. Seek professional support if needed.

JOIN THE MOVEMENT: LOVE LOOPS™ BEYOND THE PROTEST

Love Loops is more than a guide — it’s a movement. Like No Kings, we believe love turns enemies into neighbors.

How to Get Involved
• Start a Love Loops Group — monthly circles for reflection and compassion-based action. LoveLoops.love

• Host a Book Club — The United States of Disconnection by Darren Elliott.

• Use The Wake Up Guide — WakeUpGuides.com for empathy practice.

• Join Doreen’s World — FriendsOfDoreen.com for music, humor, and mental health.

• Follow/Tag — TikTok @friends_of_doreen | IG @friends.of.doreen | YouTube @FriendsOfDoreen | #LoveLoops #NoKings #WearPearlsOnSundays

Closing Blessing
“Love your neighbor — all your neighbors. That’s where the healing begins.” — Darren Elliott
And Doreen Devine: “Go shine your pearls, my loves. Be loud with kindness.”

APPENDIX A: MAKE YOUR LOVE LOOPS POSTERS

Design Tips
• Bold letters readable from 30+ feet.

• Light backgrounds, dark text.

• Add unity symbols: hearts, pearls, loops.

• Optional QR to LoveLoops.love.

• Waterproof with clear tape.

Poster Messages (Use Love, Not Contempt)
Love & Unity — Fear divides. Love unites. • Love is louder. • Compassion is my protest. • From pain to pearl — from fear to love.

Healing & Empathy — No one heals by being hated. • You don’t have to agree to care. • Hurt people can heal people.

LGBTQ+ & Inclusion — Wear pearls, not prejudice. • Drag is art. Love is sacred. • We shine together.

Connection & Accountability — Accountability is an act of love. • Love says: I want you to grow, not go.

For ICE Agents / Police / Observers — You are human, too. • I want you to go home safe tonight. • You don’t have to follow fear.

Humor & Hope — Less fear, more flair. • Peace looks good on everyone. • If love’s a revolution, I’m overdressed. — Doreen Devine

🖼️ Illustration Placeholder: Example Poster Layout Here
🖼️ Illustration Placeholder: Hand‑drawn Heart/Loop/Pearl Motifs

THE #LOVELOOPS POSTER CHALLENGE

Make art that heals, not harms.

Create a Love Loops poster and post a photo with #LoveLoopsPoster and your city tag (#LoveLoopsNYC, #LoveLoopsChicago, #LoveLoopsToronto…). Each month we’ll feature community favorites at LoveLoops.love/poster-challenge and @FriendsOfDoreen.

Your art might inspire a stranger to take a first loving step.

Fill the world with courage and connection.

Replace Fear Loops with Love Loops.

Let’s make this the bottom and get off the fear path while we can.

Together.

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