Will You Say 🧊No ICE , No War, & ❌👑No Kings?

Written By Alan Cole

Actions To Take Today

We had a great meeting on Sunday, with more than 80 people in attendance, and learned about how to organize to protect our community from ICE, how to petition for 2026 candidates, and how to prepare for No Kings 3.  We have a lot of work in the weeks ahead. The good news is we're doing it together.

Please read to the end and check out the calendar, but just to make it easier, here are the actions you can take today:

 No Kings Volunteers Needed

Authoritarians hate joy. It is like their kryptonite. They feed on fear and anger and hate and anxiety and all of the things that divide people. They grow powerful as long as people feel powerless to stop them. But if there is one thing that they cannot stand, it is JOY. Joy is resistance. Joy brings people together. Joy is infectious (in a good way). Joy breeds hope, and love, and vision, and energy, and even more joy. Joy reminds us that in fact this hateful wannabe emperor has no clothes (so, so sorry for that visual), no matter how many sycophants he has around him admiring the non-existent stitching.

On March 28th, we are going to make so damn much joy that every MAGA within 100 miles of here is going to know that they have lost.  Bringing together that much joy in one place at one time isn’t simple or easy, but if I can let you in on an activism trade secret: it is a heck of a lot of fun.

Now the ask: we need you to have some of this fun with us! You are more than ready to play a role in making this event one big festival of democracy-loving, neighbor-loving, freedom-loving, human-loving, peace-loving pure joy.  There is a way for everyone to help.

1) Volunteer.  We have three rallies, starting at 11:30 in the morning and going through to 4:30 pm. We need big teams of safety marshals at all three events. We need people at each event to serve as media spokepersons, videographers, photographers, and set up/clean up teams.  Please review the volunteer form and sign up for the tasks and roles you will take on. 

2) Recruit attendees.  The main goal of No Kings 3 is to have more people show up  on March 28 than we had show up for No Kings 1 in June (5 Million) or No Kings 2 in October (7 Million). Locally, we had nearly 6000 show up for our three rallies on October 18.  Even though more people oppose Trump's authoritarianism now than in October, the cold winter weather works against us. So we need everyone to spread the word and ask friends and acquaintances to commit to showing up.  Have a friend willing to volunteer with you? Share the volunteer link: 

Start by signing up for a  No Kings 3 rally: 

ROME: Saturday, March 28th, 11:30 am-1:00 pm, No Kings Rome, Fort Stanwix National Monument, 100 N James St, Rome, NY.  This will be a honk and wave rally on sidewalks around the Fort.  Park in the public parking lot on James Street or on streets (West Dominick) and smaller lots in the area.  https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/903767/ 

UTICA: Saturday, March 28th, 1:00-3:00 pm, No Kings Utica, 207 Genesee Street, Utica. We’re going to have a sidewalk march around the NYS office building and have a loud and peaceful rally with great music and speakers. Register:  https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/903925/

HERKIMER: Saturday, March 28, 3:00-4:30 pm, No Kings Herkimer, 321 E. Albany Street, Herkimer.  Join us for a Honk and Wave rally  in Herkimer County.  It’s our 3rd No Kings rally at this site, and we continue to grow!  Register: https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/903768/

Clipboards & Coffee Petition Kick Off with Lipe for Assembly

IMV members support longtime IMV member Jon Lipe in the Democratic primary for the 119th Assembly seat.  Jon helped us start and build IMV in 2017 and he's been integral to our work ever since.  

Jon has reached out through his campaign manager, Steven Anderson, to invite us to the campaign's petitions launch event on Satutrday.    

Clipboards & Coffee
Saturday, Feb. 28, 9:30 am
https://www.facebook.com/share/18FMzwBo57/
600 N. Geroge Street, Rome
First-time petitioners and experienced folks all welcome!

At our meeting last Sunday, IMVers agreed that their favorite door-knocking is petitioning door-knocking. We are talking to our people!  We're taling to fellow Democrats and giving them a chance to participate in democracy by putting candidates on the ballot.  We're representing the Anti-authoritarian party right at their door so they don't feel so alone, so they know Democrats care about them, and so they can be part of making elections work.  Join in this fun work!
 

How You Can Help Combat the Trump Administration's Cruel Immigration Policies in the Mohawk Valley

At our meeting on Sunday, we heard from Jenn Cieslewitz, who has worked with immigrants and refugees for many years and is currently involved with the Utica Immigrant Defense Network.  Here’s our call to action: 

  • Like and follow the Utica Immigrant Defense Network on Facebook for updated sightings and to report ICE sightings in the Utica-Rome area. Bilingual Know Your Rights and other vetted resources available to share widely. Stay tuned for opportunities to support immigrant and refugee community members  https://www.facebook.com/share/1DmKYpAvam/?mibextid=wwXIfr

  • Use the Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) Urgent Action Needed link to contact your Members of Congress TODAY and urge them to uphold refugee protections guaranteed by U.S. law to ensure that the final FY26 DHS funding bill:

    • Rescinds or cuts funding for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and CBP’s Border Patrol

    • Ends Operation PARRIS

    • Prohibits immigration enforcement at “sensitive locations"

  • Contact Assemblywoman Marianne Buttenschon's office (315-732-1055) to show your support for the Dignity Not Detention Act  Dignity Not Detention Phone Zap - Pass DND and New York For All Act  Pass the New York for All Act - NYCLU

    • Ask her to co-sponsor these bills in the Assembly. Assemblywoman Buttenschon represents Utica, the City of Refugees, where fully 22% of the population is foreign born. 

    • We have heard from leadership that the Assembly will bring NY4All to the floor for a vote if they can get 80 co-sponsors. Marianne Buttenschon could make the difference.  Ask her to co-sponsor NY4All. 

    • Oneida County Sheriff Maciol has already done his part, guaranteeing that he will not sign a 287(g) agreement to cooperate with DHS/ICE.  Ask Assemblywoman Buttenschon to do her part and co-sponsor the bill!I  

    • The New York for All Act broadly prohibits state and local officers from enforcing federal immigration laws, funneling people into ICE custody, and sharing sensitive information with federal immigration authorities. It also ensures that people in custody are informed of their rights before being interviewed by ICE. The act prohibits ICE and CBP from entering non-public areas of state and local property without a judicial warrant and begins the process of limiting their access to state information databases.

Climate Crisis Working Group 

Join the Rallies in Albany on March 10th and March 25th for Climate 

We hope you can join fellow IMV members at the upcoming mass mobilization at the New York State Capitol on Tuesday, March 10th.

This is a moment that demands unity. Our neighbors are being abducted by ICE agents, the Governor is threatening to roll back our landmark Climate Law, and federal cuts have eviscerated critical programs NYers rely on.

To respond to these intersecting crises, thousands will go to the Capitol for a mobilization backed by three major formations in the NYS political landscape, NY Renews, Invest in Our New York, and Make the Road NY. The three core demands for the actions are: Protect Immigrants, Tax the Rich, and Make Polluters Pay.

Buses may be available. RSVP to join NY Renews, Make the Road, and Invest in Our New York for a huge day of action to Defend New York!

Also Join IMV Climate Crisis Working Group members March 25th to Rally for Cleaner Heat & Lower Bills in the Budget!

Join us in Albany on Wednesday, March 25th to support state policies that reduce our reliance on costly, polluting fossil fuels! We'll be advocating for funding for programs that cut energy bills for low- and moderate-income New Yorkers through energy efficiency upgrades and electrification.

We'll be in Albany during the final budget negotiations – our last chance to make sure the Legislature & Governor Hochul hear us loud and clear! Register here and select bus transportation from Utica.

Sum Up and Inspiration

Our Local Rallies continue! Join IMVers in Rome tomorrow at noon or in Utica on Thursdays (see calendar). 
 

“There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”  Elie Wiesel

And if you need some extra motivatoin to get out in the cold to petition for candidates so we can have elections and vote: 

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Anne Frank

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” Margaret Mead

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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Will You Help Us Make No Kings 3 HUGE and SAFE?