What will you do when research participants and others threaten to terminate your study? Though public disapproval of research is nothing new, there has been little discussion surrounding activism against academics. More often, discussions relate to the role of the academic as activist (see Castree 2000). In this short chapter, I take the reader through my story of taking qualitative research into the public sphere. To do so, I first outline my graduate research and explain why I chose to engage with participants and the public more broadly. Next, in order to illustrate the potential negative feedback qualitative researchers in particular may face, I highlight the comments received as a result of my work. Finally the paper closes with some first-hand advice- providing the reader with an opportunity to learn how I was able to get through these difficult moments and continue on with an academic career.