OK, boomer.

I am looking at you: old people (like me) born between 1946 and 1964. You, there, with your thinning grey hair and hearing aids. I am talking to you. You, who were radicalized during the civil rights movement, the Vietnam War, the shootings at Kent State, the women’s movement, and the nuclear freeze movement, among other movements for social and political change during the 1960s, ‘70s, and ‘80s. You know who you are. I am one of you, and we have been called back into active duty.

Trump’s atrocities grow by the hour. The litany of his cruel, abusive, chaotic, pernicious, and blatantly unconstitutional decisions is too long and tedious to enumerate here. Plus, you are all too familiar with this list. Maybe you have lost a job, or have friends or loved ones who have lost jobs, or suffered in other ways from Trump’s atrocious decisions.

So here we are boomers: active again in the struggle for basic human rights and justice. We are back in the fight. At rallies with banners, on street corners with posters, writing letters to our congresspeople and composing guest editorials, meeting with neighbors and friends to plan the next action, participating in nonviolence direct action trainings, and mobilizing to raise legitimate dissent and serious hell for as long as it takes.

But this is a tricky time for us boomers. People like me, active in social and political movements since the 1960s, often suffer from know-it-all-ism. And know-it-all-ism is bad for movements, bad for organizing, bad for sharing power, bad for the struggle, and both frustrating and disrespectful for the young people trying to get to the head of the march, trying to get a chance at the mic to speak, and trying to lead with boomers behind not in front of them.

So boomers, we are back in the fight but we must proceed with discipline. It is our time to march and rally, chant and shout, write letter after letter, and follow. Yes, it is our time to follow. It is our time to put our shoulders to the plow, and do what must be done — but not take over, not take charge, and not be the leaders, as we have done in the past.

This will be hard for many of us. But new leadership is emerging — young people of color, women, people in marginalized groups, young grassroots organizers, voices that have been drowned out for years. It is their time. And we must give them support, financial backing, and mentoring if they want it.

I recently spoke on the power of nonviolent direct action in a class at Smith College. The students in the class talked about rallying against Trump on April 5 in Northampton and noticing how old and white the crowd was. They found it dispiriting — a clear signal that we must find ways to show up, but also make way. Make way for young leaders to step forward, speak at events, and engage with the press.

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Also, boomers, we must recognize that young leaders see what we are doing and take note. If we are participating in the resistance in a dignified fashion, they see it. If we are carrying posters with vulgar images and language, they also take notice. I told the Smith students that my goal is to behave in a way that reflects the world I want to usher in by acting in a peaceful, dignified, respectful, and disciplined manner. I do not want to mirror the dreadful tactics, ugly language, and insulting messages that Trump and his henchmen employ.

I recognize that it can be hard for me and my fellow boomers to walk the tightrope: finding ways to witness, be present, be counted, but not be in charge. To decline to speak at an event unless young leaders and people of color are on the stage among the speakers. To give up our turn at the mic for people half our age to share their wisdom and experience.

OK, boomer.

It is our time and not our time.

We are seasoned and experienced, yes.

We have placards in our basements that are decades old yet still relevant.

We have walking shoes that have marched hundreds of miles.

So good for us.

Now we must model how to step aside with grace so that young leaders can take charge. We must model with our actions how to show up and be ready to undertake mundane tasks that need to be done.

It is our time to raise hell, but not dominate the discourse.

The Rev. Andrea Ayvazian, Ministerial Team, Alden Baptist Church, Springfield, is also founder and director of the Sojourner Truth School for Social Change Leadership.