The past year of political action may have left you exhausted and the results of the election may have left you discouraged. It's ok to not feel "happy" this holiday season. Eat the cookies!  Spend time with loved ones and take care of yourself. Play games, do puzzles, visit family and friends, and watch favorite movies.  You'll feel more rested when we get busy in the new year.  Very soon we'll be busy making political activism bite size, local, and fun. We need to take a breather now because very soon we have to talk to lots of voters for the NY21 special election. 

IMV Members are amazing. Some folks are giving up, but you're just getting started.  We are proud of every single one of you--whether you write Letters to the Editor, make calls to Members of Congress or state and local electeds, run for office, work the polls, knock doors, or participate in the climate rally "Die ins" in Albany.  You are the ones you've been waiting for. You take care of each other and take care of your neighbors.  And as IMV, you actually work in the public, political sphere to gain and wield power to make life better for everyone.

We just really don't know what all the crazy will be, but we know it will start on Day 1.  We will work to build power, connect with allies on the issues as they arise, and continue to reach out to find all the "blue dots" on every street and in every town. Maybe you are one. Maybe you know one.  We want every single one to know: "You are not alone.  We are here for you. Join us."

(I❤️NY Photo of Mohawk River near Rome, NY)

WE WERE MADE FOR THIS MOMENT.  

Indivisible Mohawk Valley has adopted and uses many slogans:

"Democracy is not a spectator sport."
"We make political activism local, bite-size, and fun."
"Breathe, then PUSH."

Let's add this one, which became the solidarity rallying cry for pro-democracy activists in Brazil following the election of authoritarian fascist president Jair Bolsonaro:
"No one let go of anyone's hand."

Let's come together and hold on tight to each other and especially the people who will be the targets in the months ahead, those they will try to scapegoat, strip of jobs and rights, demonize, and de-humanize.  No one let go of anyone's hand. We'll start figuring out how we're going to do that together at our meeting on Sunday.  See you then.  

Contact Senator Schumer and Senator Gillibrand and tell them to confirm Biden’s judicial nominees -- There are at least 29 pro-democracy judges waiting to be confirmed ahead of the new administration, folks who have been handpicked by Biden for their diversity, ethics, and commitment to justice. If the Senate doesn’t confirm them all before Trump takes power, he’ll be able to stack the judiciary with MAGA sycophants. We cannot let that happen.  Especially because we know one of these nominees--Anthony Brindisi--who appeared before the judiciary committee in September and has been waiting ever since.

There is no more time to waste. Make your calls right now and keep calling every day.  Sen. Majority Leader Schumer wants to put the pedal to metal on this, and it helps him when he can point to a heavy volume of constituent calls. And it helps us build movement power when we can get a lot of people to make those calls. 

Much of what we do in the coming 2-4 years is going to be ad hoc and defensive.  With MAGA running the tables in the Senate, House, and White House, and the courts largely infiltrated and compromised, we will be playing defense on many fronts…

What we won't do is give up or throw in the towel.  We will come together and we will work together and will build strength and power.  

"Joy doesn't betray but sustains activism. And when you face a politics that aspires to make you fearful, alienated and isolated, joy is a fine initial act of insurrection."  --Rebecca Solnit

This was always going to be a tough one.  We helped flip a congressional district, decisively ousting Brandon Williams and electing John Mannion in NY22.  We helped pass Prop 1 to protect all New Yorkers from discrimination and safeguard reproductive freedom by changing New York's state constitution.  We even helped turn out voters to hold the one Democratic representative the Mohawk Valley has in the state legislature--Marianne Buttenschon.  But it feels like cold comfort because. of....all the rest of it.  It's okay to feel gutted and wonder how this happened.  

We know you're getting deluged by emails and texts asking for your money, vote, and your volunteer time.  And you have been drowning in these pleas for weeks, if not months.

But everything those messages tell you is true. Our democracy, our freedoms and rights, our values and the rule of law are all on the line. 

On Nov. 6th, none of us wants to feel like we left anything on the field.  

"When we fight, we win."  That's what Kamala Harris says.  But by fight, she means pounding pavement, not faces.  Punching phone numbers, not people.  She means: 

"When we WORK, we win."  And the work is doors, conversations, phones, and texts to friends--here and across the country. 

So let's get out there and do it. 

Friday, Oct. 25, 4-5 pm
Clinton Village Green
This event is intended to show motorists and commuters enthusiasm for Kamala Harris, John Mannion, James Meyers, Adrienne Martini, and other Democratic candidates. Bring your candidate signs, signs about voting YES on Prop 1, and signs about VOTING!

What happens at the top of the ticket (President/VP) is not something that we in New York can do much about. But we have an outsized influence on one of the most competitive congressional races in the country --helping John Mannion defeat Brandon Williams in NY22.And we need to ensure that we keep our one Democratic legislative rep for the Mohawk Valley (Buttenschon) and add to that delegation with Meyers and Martini.  

It is VP Harris' birthday on Sunday, Oct. 20th, and we know what she really wants as a gift: your time and effort to reach voters and convince them to go to the polls and vote for her and the Democrats!  She has committed herself 110% to protecting reproductive freedom, the rule of law and democracy, and access to a fair economic system.  We need to have her back on her birthday.

Please join IMV for a special Kamal Harris Birthday Canvass.  We promise to make it productive, fun, and delicious!

Join special guest Senator Chuck Schumer on Zoom for our big Yes on Prop 1 Phonebank TONIGHT 6-8 pm! This year our rights and abortion are on the ballot, and New Yorkers have the power to close dangerous loopholes in our State Constitution that leave our rights vulnerable to the whims of extremist politicians and changing political tides. Our rights are not negotiating chips, and every New Yorker deserves to be protected from government discrimination. That's why we must flip the ballot this November and vote "YES" on Prop 1! Join us, TONIGHT from 6-8 at our Planned Parenthood co-hosted Phone Bank!

You know that it's true. MAGA must be defeated at every level and in every possible race--or we risk losing our futures and freedoms--and the traditions and norms of our democratic republic. They've got a plan to reverse women's rights, LGBTQ rights, quash gun reforms, and a green economy that takes the climate crisis seriously, and hand over the wealth of our country from the laborers who have created it to the billionaires who hoard and hide it.  Their plan is to decimate the federal government --from FEMA and NOAA to the Department of Education and Head Start. We can't let them win. But unless we come together and do the work to get out voters to polls, they will.  That's why every day between today and Nov. 5th matters. Every day and every action.  Read on to see the things you can do now:

Friends, there are just 33 days until Election Day!  Let's reach as many voters as we can and make every day count! 

If you have not found a way to plug in yet to the electoral action and need some guidance, reach out to us ASAP.  There is something for everyone, and every effort makes a difference. No one wants to look back at this month in their lives and think, "I wish I'd done more." 

Read about three actions you can take to help get the word out to voters about the NY Equal Rights Amendment, a constitutional amendment on the ballot that is designed to protect all New Yorkers from discrimination. 

And, something for everyone this weekend.

Join Indivisible Mohawk Valley for our September 22nd monthly meeting. This will be the best canvass launch ever because everyone who canvasses will get free coffee/drink and dessert, so grab a canvassing buddy and come join us.

First time canvassers are welcome! We'll pair you up with an experienced one and teach you how to talk to voters about supporting Harris/Walz and all Democrats on the ballot. We'll be talking to friendly voters.

Canvassers get a free Kamala Harris lawn sign!

We're Within the "Margin of EFFORT"

Lots of people who don't normally talk politics were doing so in the past few days, as their excitement grew following Kamala Harris' excellent debate performance (and the other's guy's disastrous one). It's always good to have voters excited, energized, and enthusiastic about the Democratic ticket!

However, our job is to remind friends and neighbors in New York that since we don't live in a presidential battleground state, we need to focus on our congressional and state elections.

Please join IMV for our rally today!  Share your enthusiasm for Kamala Harris and our other Democratic candidates with passing motorists and connect with other local political activists.

Labor Day weekend is a wonderful time to spend relaxing with loved ones.  While you do that, please make sure that your family and friends understand why the labor movement is behind Democrats in this election.

You're invited to join IMV on Tuesday, August 27th to have pizza, knock on doors, and connect with our Democratic Congressional Candidate, John Mannion.

Make Calls, Knock Doors. DO SOMETHING

On Tuesday night, Michelle Obama was clear about the assignment: She reminded us of what Kamala Harris' mother told her: "Don't just sit around and complain...DO SOMETHING." Then she went on:  "So, if they lie about [Kamala Harris], and they will, we've got to DO SOMETHING.  If we see a bad poll, and we will, we've got to put down that phone and DO SOMETHING.  If we start feeling tired, if we start feeling that dread creeping back in, we've got to pick ourselves back up, throw water on our face, and DO SOMETHING.  We've only got 2.5 months to get this done. Only 11 weeks to make sure every single person we know is registered and has a voting plan. So we can't afford for anyone to sit on their hands." 

We had a fabulous OneNYS Indivisible call last night, thanks to Sarah Reeske, our statewide organizer.  Our first agenda item was Prop 1 (AKA NYS Equal Rights Amendment).  Research tells us that our conversations with voters --including family, friends, and coworkers, will make the difference in getting the ERA passed. If you want more information about how to have those conversations HERE is the tool you need.  The ERA is a constitutional amendment to protect the civil rights of all New Yorkers, including for reproductive freedom and abortion. Read on to learn more.