Our Big Ask: Invite Your Friends to No Kings

Written By Alan Cole

 No Kings Oct.18:
We Need YOU to Start Recruiting Your Friends

Have you seen the #NoKings.org map explode? Our Utica, Rome and Herkimer rallies are now on the map!

Our only path out of this autocratic freefall is to bring millions more people--a very big, wide coalition--into the public, open, transparent movement against authoritarianism.

The goal of the No Kings events on October 18th is not necessarily to connect with motorists, as we do at our honk and wave pop up rallies.  The goal is to get as many people in attendace at the rallies as possible--in every rally in every city and town possible.  And when we come together, the goal is to honor freedom of speech by speaking, just as we honor freedom of assembly by gathering.  Events will have music, creative signs, and inspiring speakers. And whatever else our organizers plan.  

There is one goal for #NoKings in October: To blow past the 5-6 million who came to #NoKings in June. If we hit 11-12 million, we are at 3.5% of the population showing up against authoritarianism. No pro-democracy movement with 3.5% of the population showing up in the past 100 years has failed to stop authoritarian regimes from consolidating their power.

Safety is a top priority, and IMV, like every other event across the country, ours will have a clear safety plan with safety marshals.  We will need many of you to volunteer. 
Ask #1: If you can volunteer as a Safety Marshal, or as a videographer, or help with media email IMV@IndivisbleMV.org and let us know how you can help and which location. 

What if hundreds of you on this email (which is sent to nearly 3000 people weekly) were safety marshals or took on other event roles, so that we could have 10,000 people at our three events?  We are thinking big! 

Ask #2: Can you find at least 3 people who were not at No Kings in June and convince them to sign up for a local No Kings rally on October 18?

If you want a deeper dive, check out the Toolkit and the Trainings.   We need all hands on deck. Not just to show up.  But to get the word out. To invite other people.  To make our rallies HUGE.

*****We are asking everyone to attend this training to prepare for participation in public demonstrations: 

Monday, October 6th, 8:00 pm, No Kings Protest Safety, Know Your Rights, and De-escalation Training. Attend this important ACLU Zoom training. Essential for anyone who will be at protests or rallies on No Kings or any time. If you can't make it, there will be another training on Wednesday, Oct. 15th. 

******Please sign up for the training above!

"We are not without fear. But we walk through it in courage. The kind of courage that topples kings."  -Greisa Martinez Rosas of United We Dream Action

"We're the home of the brave and the land of the free. But if we want to be free, then we gotta be brave." --Mark Ruffalo on the No Kings Mobilization Kick Off Call last week. 

Zoom Training to Write a Letter to the Editor

State legislators must return to Albany and take up crucial legislation. Indivisibles are calling for passage of the NY for All Act, Dignity in Detention Act, and raising taxes on the super wealthy to offset a massive hole in the state budget worth billions of dollars thanks to the Republicans’ cuts to Medicaid and other programs in July. 

Our friends at Invest in Our New York have an upcoming letter-to-the-editor training about how to write about the need for a special session on Tuesday, September 30th starting at 6:30pm. 

Register for the workshop!

 

You're Invited: Blake Gendebien Bonfire in Little Falls

Please come to a fun bonfire at Chris Brown's farm on Sunday, September 28th, 5:30-8:30 pm.  "Bonfire Get Together in Support of Blake Gendebien for NY21."   396 Ritter Road, Little Falls.  Come as you are. Pizza, snacks, s’mores.  Blake will join at 7 pm for Q&A.  For suggested donations and RSVP: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/9.28herkimer
 

Two Indivisible Learning Events on Zoom

Next week presents an incredible opportunity to learn some new approaches for your political activism as Indivisible hosts TWO guest speakers. 

On Monday, September 29 Indivisible will be offering Part 2 of our Solidarity in Action -- Creating Mutual Aid Community Response Teams training with Stephanie Rearick at 7pm ET/4pm PT. 

Then: 

On Tuesday, September 30, Indivisible's Co-Executive Director Ezra Levin will facilitate a discussion with Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) about her book Why Fascists Fear Teachers at 7:30pm ET/4:30pm PT.

Both of these sessions are opportunities to learn from veterans in the movement about their focuses, what has worked for them, and why. Whether we’re building our capacity to offer help to our community or trying to figure out how to defend democracy, we need to learn from experts to move forward with intention and clarity.  
 

Climate Crisis Working Group

 Trader Joe’s receives an “F” in Toxic-Free Future’s latest Retailer Rankings See how other companies rank in protecting customers from the many toxic chemicals and harmful plastics in their products and packaging. Email Trader Joe’s CEO here asking him to commit to greater transparency and providing cleaner products and packaging. 

Take Action: Call Governor Hochul to Say NO to NUKES and Fracked Gas and tell her to Sign the 100 Foot Rule Repeal 
Tell Governor Hochul to say
YES to CLEAN ENERGY such as SOLAR, WIND and BATTERIES and say
NO to NUKES and FRACKED GAS PIPELINES
because they are expensive and risky projects that would drive up energy bills, contaminate our water, threaten beaches and worsen climate change.
Please call Governor Hochul at 877-559-7809 and tell her to stand up to Trump and block the Williams NSE pipeline project off the coast of NY. Tell her to pass the 100 foot rule repeal. 

Your Renewable Energy Projects and Federal Incentives
If you or anyone you know is interested in an electrification project such as solar installation, heat pumps, induction stove, energy efficient improvements such as insulation or window/door replacement, etc., the Federal Incentives under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) are in effect until December 31, 2025. You can contact Maggie Reilly:  margaret_reilly@mac.com or go to NYSERDA or Rewiring America for more information. It is NOT too late. Renewables are becoming cheaper and are a cleaner way to power your home!! Let’s do this now!!
 

Lynn McHugh, Oneica Common Council Candidate, Needs Your Help

Lynne McHugh is a Democrat running for Common Council in the City of Oneida. Lynne spoke at the February rally in Syracuse. Many of her signs have been stolen and she is facing internet trolls attempting to undermine her job as a family therapist.  She has asked if IMV members could help by visiting her Facebook page “Lynne McHugh for Ward One”. Lynne would really appreciate  every share, like or encouraging comment.  Of course, financial support is always needed.  Replacing her signs is expensive. Lynne has an Act Blue account Lynne McHugh — Donate via ActBlue

If you live in Oneida or have friends who do, please encoruage them to support Lynne and vote for her!
 

So Do Herkimer Democrats....and their County Leg Candidate

Are you on Facebook?  Here is a bite-size ask for action to help Herkimer County maintain some level of democracy:

Herkimer County has 17 County Legislators. 15 Republicans, 1 Conservative and one complete DINO. (likes Trump, endorsed Stefanik). William Scott Carter is the only real Dem candidate. That is to say, he's a Dem but running as an independent on the 'Common Ground' line. William is running in the 5th Leg District, which is in  Ilion, up behind the Remington Plant and across Otsego St (the gorge road).  No matter where you live, please follow, like or comment on his Facebook page to push it out in the Metaverse.

Oh, they are threatening to make the Conservative the chair of the 'minority committee.' Help raise the profile for William Scot Carter so he can win and be the sole non-MAGA Republican voice on the Herkimer County Leg. 
 

Postcard Party To Get Ready for No Kings

Calling all Creatives and Crafters!  Teresa is hosting another Postcard Party to make signs for No Kings.  Tuesday, October 14th, 5:00-7:45 pm. at Dunham Library, 76 Main Street, Whitesboro. There will be materials available to make the signs so just bring your creativity and artistry! 
 

NAACP Freedom Fund Event Honorees IMV Members & Friends

IMV Steering Committee member Rev. Jill Farnham-Us is among those being honored at this annual event.  Other IMV  members & friends on the honoree list include Heather Wasielewski, who is currently running for Utica Common Council, James Paul, for whom we knocked doors three years in a row to elect finally successfully to the Utica School Board, and our ally on many fronts, the Oneida County Democratic Women's Club. Buy your tickets now!

Date:  Sunday, November 2
Time:  3:00-6:00 pm
Place: Irish Cultual Center, 623 Columbia Street, Utica
Theme:  "The Fierce Urgency of Now"

Tickets for the Freedom Fund Dinner are available now on Eventbrite!  You can find them at this link.  Here's some additional information:

  • Early bird tickets are available until October 1.  Early bird ticket prices are $70 for adults (21 and older), $50 for youth (20 and younger).   Tickets for lifetime members are $50.   A one year NAACP membership is included with youth and adult tickets.

  • General admission tickets are available until October 20.  The price for tickets purchased between October 1 and October 20 are $75 for adults (21 and older), $55 for youth (20 and younger) Tickets for lifetime members are $50.  A one year NAACP membership is included with youth and adult tickets.

  • Please reserve your seat in advance - tickets will not be sold at the door.   For any questions, please contact Dawn Michelle Laguerre at laguerremedia@gmail.com.


Sum Up and Inspiration

  • Are You Getting Ready for October 18th's No Kings Rallies?  David and Dawn Laguerre are selling cool baseball caps with the No Kings logo on the front.  Email Dawn at laguerremrdia@gmail.com to get yours so you're ready for the big event!

  • Please make sure you volunteer to help with the rally and/or idenitfy three friends that you can invite (or better yet, bring!) to the rally of your choice on October 18th.  

  • Weekly rallies continue on Thursdays in Utica (On October 2 join IMV at Oneida Square 4-5:30 pm!) and near Fort Stanwix at Black River Boulevard in Rome on Saturdays at noon.  

  • Mark your calendar now for our big October IMV Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 23rd at 6:00 pm.  We'll be at MVCC Utica Campus again.  We'll have time to continue working in teams on key areas like "Rallies & Protests,"  "Media & Messaging" and more.  And we hope we'll be welcoming many new activists to our movement after they experience their first ever pro-democracy, anti-authoritarian rally on October 18th!  

  • Experts from Heather Cox Richardson to Robert Reich have said this past week that the successful pressure campaign on Disney/ABC to support First Amendment free speech (and Jimmy Kimmel) is an indicator that our people-powered movement is gaining momentum.  To that Indivisibles say, "YES! And...we still have a long way to go. But we can do this.  We need to keep showing up together. We need to find our courage.  When we fight. We win. 

“Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen” - Brene Brown 

“Power concedes nothing without an organized demand”- Charlene Carruthers

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear.” -Franklin D. Roosevelt

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.

Alan Cole
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"Courage Starts with Showing Up"