By Cat Gina Cole
Greetings all! In this column I will write a series of articles about American Pagan history. The very first thing I want to tell you about is the current movement of Pagan Solidarity because it is historical in many ways. Pagan Solidarity began in late January or early February of 2025 when our nation turned upside down.
Social media was ablaze with fear, anger, and questions like, “Who will protect us now,” “Who will be our voice?” and “What are our leaders doing about this?” I must say, there is nothing that can bring the entire Pagan community together like a major social cause. We all know what a mess our current social structure is in and so to did the Father of our American Pagan movement, Oberon Zell. I call him the Father of the American Pagan movement because almost 60 years ago to the day, it was Oberon and his collection of Pagan friends that began raising their voices for the Pagan community in the middle of the civil rights movement of the 1960s.
Oberon Zell and his friends, of which there are too many to list here, were activists of their time and now sixty years later are still activists and the voices for the Pagan community.
Our world turned upside down with the election of one Donald J. Trump who proceeded to undo all the work of our American Pagan forefathers and civil rights leaders and struck fear into all of our communities. I assure you, our Pagan elders and leaders knew what to do and went right to work as they had done this before. This resulted in the creation of Pagan Solidarity. Currently, there are over three hundred, elders, leaders, organizations, and small communities and groups that are involved and support Pagan Solidarity. Their website is an extensive resource on how to be pro-active, who to turn to, and current news and much more.
In answer to the question of what our leaders are doing, they rose to the occasion and provided for us. Here is a very short list of where you can see what is being done and what is being said.
For Pagan Solidarity follow the link. https://sanctuarynotdeportation.org/
And this list would not be complete without the Green Egg Magazine that also has been around since the 60s. Do check out their free blog that has many wonderful articles and Pagan writers. https://greeneggmagazine.com/
There are other smaller scale activists doing their thing for our community that can be followed on social media like John Beckett at Patheos and other Pagan columnists at this link. https://www.patheos.com/pagan-blogs
There is the ever-reliant Wild Hunt here with an article about Pagan Solidarity. https://wildhunt.org/2025/03/oberon-zell-via-a-new-coalition-call-pagan-solidarity-call-for-magickal-resistance-this-ostara-morning.html
And there are many others who reach out and assist those in need and or are active on their local level, much like my own Haven Sanctuary listed here. https://catginacole.com/haven-temple-a-pagan-charity/
In closing, it was thought the Pagan community would go underground again, especially in unsafe communities, and I am sure some have. I live in what I consider an unsafe area out here in the country of Southern Oregon and I have been pleasantly surprised.
I am very proud of the Pagan and Queer communities here. They rose up and they did not dull their shine. There are more “open to the public” Queer and Pagan events than ever occurring locally. Three new “Witch and Herbal” shops have opened, one in the very heart of the most conservative area we have.
I understand we all do what we are able in supporting our communities, but we can all at least click, like, share, comment and follow, on social media if nothing else. I think it very important to share all the positive, all the rising up, going on that we can to show we will not dull our shine.
I think Gwidion Pendderwen said it best in his song, “We Won’t Wait.” The lyrics fit the times sixty years ago and they certainly fit our current times now.
WE WON’T WAIT
~Gwydion Pendderwen~
We have trusted no man’s promise
We have kept to just ourselves.
We have suffered from your lies
and all the books upon your shelves.
Our patience and endurance through the burning times and now
Have given us the strength to keep our vow.
Chorus
And we won’t wait any longer
We are stronger than before.
We won’t wait any longer
We are stronger…
You have grazed away the heather
You have razed the sacred grove.
You have driven native peoples from the places that they loved
Though your greed has been unbounded you have felt the pangs of shame
Every time you try to pawn the Mother’s name.
Chorus
And we won’t wait any longer
We are stronger than before.
We won’t wait any longer
We are stronger…
Though you thought you had destroyed the memory of the ancient ways.
Still the people light the balefire every year on Solstice day.
And at Beltane even Samhain you can find us on the hill
Invoking once again the triple will.
Chorus
And we won’t wait any longer
We are stronger than before.
We won’t wait any longer
We are stronger…
Through the ages many nations have risen and have gone
But dispersed among the nations of the earth we linger on.
Now the time has come to take the sacred cauldron of rebirth
And fulfill our ancient pledges to the earth.
Chorus
And we won’t wait any longer
We are stronger than before.
We won’t wait any longer
We are stronger…
Want to join the conversation about this blog post? Go to the Green Egg Forum and scroll for the forum post that relates to this article: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1069823176940972
Cat Gina Cole is a Hereditary Witch and author of Psychic Skills for Magic and Witchcraft (Llewellyn, 2022). She is the founder of The Coven of the Rising Phoenix, Haven Coven, and Haven Sanctuary You can reach her at www.catginacole.com.