No Kings! Plus February Events
Big News on X No Kings 3
We've been waiting and waiting for the date, and then, first thing Wednesday morning, the date was announced!
X No Kings 3
Saturday, March 28th
EVERYWHERE
Ezra Levin, Indivisible co-founder, spoke about the planning on MSNOW later that day. Our leadership team along with rally teams, communications teams, and others, will be working on this event for the next two months.
We had about 6000 people total at our three IMV locations on October 18 for No Kings 2. We need more--7500 --for No Kings 3 to help move the national needle from 7 million to at least 9 million in attendance on that day.
Should we continue to meet at multiple locations (Utica, Rome, Herkimer?) Should we instead all meet at a central location like downtown Utica to march through the city? How will we get people to show up if the weather is not great (March will most likely still be snowy and cold)?
Please mark your calendars for March 28th and make a personal commitment now to be there and bring at least two NEW attendees with you.
Rallies Coming Up
Saturday, Jan. 31st, 12 -1:30 pm, Protest Against Trump's Authoritarianism, Along Black River Blvd near the intersection with Erie Blvd. on one side of Fort Stanwix, Rome.
Thursday, Feb. 5th, 3:30-4:30 pm, Rally to Protest Trump & ICE, Pirnie Federal Building, 10 Broad Street, Utica.
Special Valentine's Day Rally on Saturday, Feb. 14th, 12-1:30 pm
Black River Blvd near Ft. Stanwix in Rome. Like many Indivisible groups across the country, we will message not just what we oppose, but what we love and protect: Democracy, the Constitution, Civil Rights, our neighbors, immigrants and refugees, America. We're letting you know now so you can come up with some creative signs. We Democracy and Immigrants and Our First Amendment Rights!
The Thursday and Saturday rallies continue weekly.
For those who like to protest in Clinton, mark your calendar for Feb. 13th 3-4 pm.
Whistles & Red Know Your Rights Cards
We will hand out Whistles and Know Your Rights Cards at upcoming IMV rallies and events.
Whistles: Whistles are a symbol of solidarity and we encourage people to wear them at all times to signal support for and solidarity with Minnesotans and others under ICE occupation, and immigrants who are being harassed and detained. Blowing the whistles at the sight of ICE is NOT encouraged and may be unnecessarily dangerous.
Know Your Rights Cards: We have these in English/Spanish. However, locally, there is a need to print cards inexpensively in languages spoken here. For that, we want a LAMINATOR. If you have a laminator and the local immigrant support network group can borrow it, please email IMV immediately: IMV@IndivisibleMV.org.
IMV Zoom Workshop on Immigration & the Law
We look forward to hearing from Oneka Roach-Campbell, Esq., an immigration attorney who has practiced locally. She will talk about the current situation for people in process of becoming legal residents or citizens and what we can do to help. She will also cover Know Your Rights basics. We'll have a link soon. Please mark your calendar:
IMV Zoom on Immigration & the Law
Wednesday, Feb. 11th
7-8:30 pm
An Invitation to Jon Lipe's Campaign Announcement Event
Many of us know Jon Lipe well. He is a frequent speaker at our monthly meetings, and an IMV friend with extensive campaign and legislative experience going back many years. He trained many of us on how to phonebank (to identify people to start IMV in early 2017!) and to how to knock doors for candidates.
Jon has worked for both Rep. Anthony Brindisi and Rep. John Mannion in DC and here in the 22nd congressional district, but before that, he stood with us week after week in front of Claudia Tenney's office during our two-year long picket against her terrible MAGA representation in Congress. We've always hoped he would run for office someday because we know what a great job he would do representing us.
Jon's invitation to be in the room when he announces he's running:
"As you may have heard, our assemblywoman for the 119th District, Marianne Buttenschon, recently announced that she is not seeking re-election this fall after four terms as our voice in Albany.
Keeping this seat Democratic is absolutely essential for our area. It is the only Democratic seat in the Mohawk Valley in the state legislature. If we lose this seat, Oneida County will be effectively shut out of all major decisions made at the state level.
I was born and raised in this district and over my career I’ve had the privilege of working for some of our best elected officials, such as Sherwood Boehlert, Anthony Brindisi, and John Mannion. With our nation heading down a dark path, 2026 is the year when we must do all we can to protect our country, starting with our corner of the world here in Central New York.
Please join me on Sunday, February 1st at 1:00pm at the Irish Cultural Center in Utica for a special campaign announcement regarding the 119th Assembly District. All friends and supporters are welcome!"
Change Your Party Registration by Feb. 14
Primary elections are important. It is when voters decide which candidate should be on their party line in November. But turnout is low. In New York, you have to be registered in a party to be able to vote in primary elections. If you want a say on who is on your ballot in November, you must change your registration by February 14th! In some areas, the primary is the election! Make sure you have a say!
Visit NYS Board of Elections Website
Mandi Drake and Mike Brown Joint Campaign Kickoff
You're cordially invited to the campaign kickoff event for Mandi Drake and Mike Brown! Please see the event details below, as well as an event flyer.
Event: Campaign Kickoff Event for Mandi Drake and Mike Brown!
Where: Gerber's 1933 Tavern (16 Liberty Street, Utica, NY 13502)
When: 2:00-4:00 PM on Thursday, Feb. 5
RSVP: Contact Campaign Manager Sean D. Mahoney at 315-570-3419.
Media Opportunities: Interview and photo opportunities will be available on site and upon request.
***ActBlue Donation Links for Mandi Drake and Mike Brown***
Mandi is challenging Joe Griffo for NY Senate's 53rd district and Mike is running for Oneida County Clerk.
IMV Poster Party on Tuesday, Feb. 3
We have weekly rallies in Rome on Saturdays and in Utica on Thursdays--and the weather has been taking a toll on signs. Plus, we have a Valentine's themed rally coming up on Feb. 14 (We love democracy! We love the Constitution!, etc.) and need some signs for that event.
Please join us to make posters, whether for your own rally attendance or to share:
Tuesday, Feb. 3rd, 5 pm-7:45 pm, IMV Poster Party, large room at Dunham Library, 76 Main Street, Whitesboro.
Some supplies will be available. Posterboard, cardboard, permanent markers. Ideas and additional supplies are always welcome.
IMV Help Wanted
In order for IMV to function, we have a few administrative jobs that we need to fill. They can all be done from home and take only a few hours per month. All welcome to volunteer. Jobs are perfect for those who want to contribute but are unable to attend in person events. And if you have a different role you’d like to do to help IMV, let us know.
Email imv@indivisiblemv.org if you can help.
Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer:
Our treasurer and assistant treasurer are both stepping down. Training will be provided. Takes only 3 or 4 hours per month.
Newsletter Formatter:
We need a volunteer who can take the finished newsletter and move it from a Google document into MailChimp. The newsletter will require some reformatting in the MailChimp document. Basic comfort with computers and editing. One hour every Thursday from 8-9pm. This can be a shared task with another person. Training provided.
IMV Email Monitor:
The IMV email account generally receives fewer than 10 emails per week. Looking for a volunteer who can check the IMV email account daily, respond to basic requests for information and forward more complex questions to the IMV leadership team. Training provided. Takes about one to two hours a week.
Save the Date of IMV's February 2026 Meeting
We will meet in person on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2-4 pm at a location to be announced soon. We will prep everyone to help with candidate petitioning, which starts later that week, and outline the 2026 election cycle so we can map our periods of peak activity to impact the NY21 and NY22 congressional elections and everything else on the ballot in November. We will also do some intense planning and organizing for No Kings 3 and other anti-authoritarian movement actions. Please mark your calendar!
Take Action Now on Two NYS Bills to Protect New York from ICE
We live in a blue state, but we don't have the legislation that other blue states have to protect their residents from ICE and inhumane detention.
1) Please contact your state legislators and Gov. Hochul now to ask them to pass the New York for All Act immediately.
2) Please contact your state legislators and Gov. Hochul now to ask them to pass the New York Dignity not Detention Act.
Updates and Inspiration
Our IMV Vigil & Action Zoom on Sunday
Thank you to the more than 90 IMVers who joined us during the Sunday evening snowstorm for a vigil and action conversation over Zoom. We talked about what was happening in Minnesota and what it means for our activism here in the Mohawk Valley. It was good to be together instead of mourning the death of Alex Pretti in isolation.
Many who attended requested a copy of the prayer by Rev. Mark Sandlin, which was a "mash up" of the Prayer of St. Francis and the "Reverse Prayer of St. Francis--Lord, make me a channel of disturbance." Here is his prayer, written in the immediate aftermath of the murder of Renee Nicole Good.
The Senate Vote Today to Block DHS/ICE Funding Without Accountability
Thank you to everyone who made calls to Sens. Gillibrand and Schumer this past week. They did not vote to support the funding bill in its current form, which gives free reign to the terrorizing and murderous occupation of cities by ICE and CBP. As a result, they forced Republicans to the table for a short term deal while they work out guardrails on ICE.
Call to thank them for their votes today, and let them know that you expect them to stand strong and not give Republicans one inch on their lawlessness and cruelty. Here's a tool for reaching them.
Thank You for Reading to the End
There were about 15 hardy protesters who showed up for the rally yesterday in Utica in bitter cold and heavy wind. A couple high school students showed up to take photos --what a powerful witness to young people!
At the same time our members were protesting Trump and ICE, thousands of Indivisibles gathered to hear from Ezra, Leah, along with guest Erica Chenoweth to talk about next steps for Indivisible groups and our movement, "What's the Plan?" Their weekly Zoom call is now a podcast that comes out every Friday. You can subscribe to it so you don't forget to listen.
"This is no longer the Trump era. This is now the NO KINGS ERA. Trump is just still trying to live in it." -Ezra
No matter how long he tries desperately to hold on to power, we are ushering in a new era of reform.
200,000 people signed up for the mass training on Monday to learn how to stand against ICE in their own communities.
There are more of us than there are of them.
March 28th will be the largest mass demonstration that America has ever seen.
We are going to win.
Website: indivisiblemv.org
Follow us on Bluesky: @Indivisiblemv.bsky.social, on Instagram's Threads.net/@indivisiblemohawkvalley, on X (Twitter) using @indivisiblemv and of course on our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
