What we’re reading, watching, thinking and doing to build a strong and resilient local community while amplifying the nationwide effort
to save our democracy.

If you are reading this for the first time, welcome!

We cram a lot into this weekly newsletter and no one (including us) can or wants to do everything.

Skim through the sections (Protests, Events, Time but No $, $ but No Time, What We are Reading and Watching and Who We are Calling) to find something you will do this week.

Hi Friend,

Join us for a conversation with our Brookline legislative delegation about protecting democracy and supporting vulnerable communities on Monday, June 9 at Brookline Town Hall. This is your chance to:

• Learn what our representatives are doing in Massachusetts to safeguard our rights
• Understand how they’re working to counter harmful federal policies
• Discover ways you can help support their efforts and share your ideas for what else can be done to oppose MAGA actions
• Engage directly with the legislators who represent you

Whether you’re concerned about constitutional rights, community protection, or simply want to be more involved in local democracy, this meeting offers a valuable opportunity to connect with your elected officials and make your voice heard.

Think globally, act locally — and this is where that action begins.  More information here.

• Saturday, June 7 12-2  Tesla Takedowns 888 Boylston Street, Boston and every Saturday at Tesla dealerships and repair centers around the world.  Learn more about this campaign and find one close to you here.
• Thursday, June 5 5:30-7 Demonstration outside the Plymouth County Correction Facility (PCCF)  the only facility in Massachusetts with an ICE agreement.   Join hundreds demanding that PCCF not help ICE kidnap innocent residents.  Sidewalks and grassy areas near the Alltown Fresh Intersection, 26 Long Pond Rd., Plymouth
• Friday, June 6, No Kings on D-Day, 5-7, Parkman Bandstand on Boston Common.  Honoring veterans, flags are welcome but leave protest signs at home.
• Saturday, June 14, No Kings but Yaaas Queen! Pride for the People Parade. 11-3 starting in Copley Square (sign up to walk with us). Ways to participate: sign up to march with us, join another group marching, help line the streets OR show up at one of the 1000 No Kings events..  BUT SHOW UP SOMEWHERE!! with friends!!!

Check out the links below for more information and to sign up.

• Monday, June 9, Safeguarding Democracy: A Community Forum with State Legislators 7-8:30 pm Brookline Town Hall
• Thursday, June 12 Sign making for the No Kings but Yaaas Queen Pride for the People Parade 6:45-8:45 pm United Parish Church in Brookline. Make a sign for yourself and make one (or more) for someone else.
• Monday, June 16, Postcards to VA and PA, join fellow activists in person 6:45-8:45 pm United Parish Church
• Saturday, June 28, On the anniversary of the Dobb’s decision: Stop the War on Women, details to follow

• Tuesday, July 1, Pramila Jayapal’s Resistance Lab Training watch party 6:30-9 pm United Parish Church in Brookline

• Anytime, join one of our new teams:

  • Activist Evenings’ Rapid Response Team will receive notice of last minute actions like protests, legislation, and supporting immigrants.
  • Activist Evenings’ Outreach Team  will work together to expand hope and courage in our community by promoting specific events and developing ways to help people learn about how Activist Evenings is defending democracy and each other.

The Big Beautiful Bill (a name worthy of 1984’s Ministry of Truth) passed the House by one vote in the middle of the night.  Next it has to pass the Senate where deficit hawks are demanding even more cruelty.  Their goal is to fund the $1.5 trillion tax cut for billionaires on the backs of everyone else, hitting the poorest among us the hardest.  We can’t sit this one out.  (Read more about it here).

Here are Indivisible’s recommendations:

Since the reconciliation bill still needs to pass the Senate — and then get voted on for a second time in the House — we need to hold Republicans in both chambers accountable and keep turning the political tides against the bill.

Here are four actions you can take right now:

1. Email your senators to demand they speak out against this chaos-inducing attack on democracy. We need to get GOP senators on the record about this sneak-attack on checks and balances, and we need to push Democrats to speak out LOUDLY about what Republicans are attempting.
2. If you have a Republican representative, send an email shaming them for supporting the dangerous reconciliation bill. House Republicans betrayed their constituents by voting to gut Medicaid, crush SNAP, and weaken the courts — all so Trump can gain more wealth and power. Let’s hold them accountable.
3. Sign up for a phonebank to mobilize people in key states against the Republican reconciliation bill. Phonebank volunteers connect other folks directly to their Republican senators so they can voice their opposition to the dangerous megabill. Phonebanks are open each week in June to volunteers nationwide; all you need is a phone and a computer.

• 5 calls, is an app that makes it super easy to make the calls our electeds rely on.
• Every Wednesday and Thursday,  11-12:30, well run phone banks calling voters with Republican Senators with Indivisible to Stop the Trump Tax Scam

• Also every Wednesday,  6-8 pm  The Good Neighbors phone bank will be calling rural Democrats in Virginia who didn’t vote in the 2024 elections to find out what issues they care about. There will be full training and support throughout the phone bank using active listening to hear what issues are important to these voters. Help find stories we can use in Virginia campaigns for 2025.

• For the month of June, donations to Activist Evenings Indivisible will be matched dollar for dollar.  We appreciate and make use of every donation we’ve received.  If you’ve never given before, or can give just a little more, this is the month to do it.
  
• With legacy media and legislatures in thrall to Trump,  the courts are on the frontlines in the battle to defend democracy.  Force Multiplier’s Democracy Defenders Fund identified four effective groups in this battle where your support can have the most impact.
• Sister District is raising money for 7 progressive candidates in Virginia.  There is particular pressure in the next week to fill their coffers.  Sister District figured out that we could use the GOP playbook against them and have a proven track record of flipping and defending the state legislatures that are protecting civil and reproductive rights.
• Rural Ground Game understands that focusing exclusively on urban and suburban areas is no longer electorally viable and are working on the ground in Virginia to hold the State Legislature and flip the Governor’s mansion this year.

• Every Thursday at 3-4 pm, Indivisible founders, Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, host What’s the Plan?  We watch this along with 9000 other activists and a few MAGA infiltrators to boost our mood and get a preview of the actions that are coming up.
• Tuesday, June 24 4-5 pm, Solidarity in Action: Indivisible Training for Systemic Change and Allyship Series Kick-off with Heather McGhee

You probably have a long list of things you care about and while calling your elected representatives can feel daunting, it gets easier with practice and takes very little time. Usually we are done making our day’s calls in under 10 minutes.  If you’ve never done it before, start by calling outside of office hours.  You’ll reach voicemail; be sure to leave your contact information and ask for a response so you are sure your opinion is tallied.  Sometimes we make calls at stop lights since our Senators and Representatives contact information are in our phones.  “Call Elizabeth Warren, Siri” and we are quickly sharing our opinion.  5 calls automatically connects you and has scripts for all of the many issues you might want to address.  Remember, you pay your electeds to represent you and they need to hear from you to do their jobs.

Multiply your impact after you’ve called by messaging friends.  Honestly, even for us, it’s sometimes great to get a reminder from someone in our circle.

• Call your Senators and Representatives to demand they do their jobs as leaders protecting democracy, end regular business in Congress and slow down the steam roller the GOP is taking to the Constitution.  And, not for nothing, they also appreciate hearing from you when you call to say, thank you.
• Call your friends who have Republican Senators and ask them to make the calls you can’t. You can make it easier for them by having phone numbers and suggested scripts for them to follow.

Plastic lawn signs prepped for No Kings but Yaaas Queen sign making.  (TY, Michael, Diane and Ka

Courage is contagious. Promote activism.  Forward this newsletter, let friends know what you are doing, bring someone new to an event and share the joy of being in community.

Together for Democracy,

Marjorie Siegel, Laura Walters, Barbara Weiffenbach, Suzette Abbott

Activist Evenings, An Indivisible Group

We don’t do this for the money but we need money to do what we do. Please consider supporting Activist Evening — any amount helps!