We are the ones we've been waiting for
Together, We're Fighting Republican Chaos & Complicity
IMV's photo of our December meeting was featured on the Tuesday night broadcast of The Rachel Maddow show on MSNBC about the vibrancy of the Indivisible movement and other grassroots activism to resist Trump and the Republicans and fight for democracy. (Missed it? You can listen to what she said about us and other Indivisible groups across the country on the podcast recording (start at 22:40). We had at least as many people at our January meeting last Sunday, and people joining us for the first time.
If you're ready to get involved in the resistance to the Trump movement, read on. You'll find events to attend and easy, practical, impactful actions you can take. As Rachel Maddow noted, we're showing up and flexing our power, built over eight years of the hard work and experience of regular volunteer activists just like you.
We're driving calls to our Members of Congress about the hurts and harms of the Trump executive orders and Republican congressional complicity.
We're getting ready for a special election in NY21 to flip a House seat when Elise Stefanik resigns.
We're preparing to fight Republican dog whistles and elect Democrats in local elections this coming November. Every Republican mayor, town or city councilor, or county legislator is one more Trump enabler and sycophant. We need to challenge them on every single line. (If you are willing to run for a local office this year, we will help you every step of the way!)
Remember, no one is coming to save us. We are the ones we've been waiting for.
Republican's Aren't Done Yet: Take Action Now on Funding Freezes
A White House memo in response to a court injunction is not going to end this. Republicans are in control of the House and the Senate, and they let the Executive branch wipe their separate "power of the purse" off the map without a peep, bowing to their corrupt, dictator king earlier this week. But what he was doing was what they have been arguing for over decades--slashing federal spending (drowning it in a bathtub) so they can give the money to a bunch of billionaires.
Two things are happening at the same time:
1) Republicans are continuing their Project 2025 dehumanization and demonization of vulnerable populations--trying to build their support by creating phony enemies. Too many believe their false narratives about migrants and trans people. We need to support and advocate for the people who are being harmed or are in danger of being harmed.
2) The other story is the destruction of the federal government. Project 2025 and the billionaires are portraying it as cutting government spending and getting rid of DEI, but it's really about taking the taxes all of us pay and giving that money to billionaires instead of using it for things like Medicaid --which keeps local hospitals and nursing homes alive. They want to fire 2.3 million Federal employees who are employed at places like DFAS in Rome where the paychecks those employees earn go into our local economy. Federal spending gets spread across the whole country to places like Oneida (and Herkimer or Madison) county. They want to stop that, and just give huge tax cuts to billionaires--not one of whom is going to spend that money in Oneida County.
What can you do about it?
1) Find a way to share your story about the federal funding freeze. How did or will the Republican White House funding freeze impact your family, your community, your business, your job, or your local non-profit service agency.
Record a selfie video.
Write a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper.
Share your story on social media.
2) Call Sen. Schumer and Sen. Gillibrand, and ask them to oppose the nomination of Russell Vought to head the OMB. He is mastermind of Trump's funding freeze memo. If Vought is confirmed, chaotic funding freezes like we saw this week will only be the beginning. Together, Trump and Vought will seek to transform the government into a tool of far-right ideology, Christian Nationalism, and political revenge against Trump’s enemies. Click HEREto make your calls now.
Tips for Calling Your MOC (Members of Congress)
These tips come from Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, former congressional staffers who started Indivisible.
1. Give your name and address (It matters that you live in the district/state of the MOC. They don't care what you think if you don't.
2. Ask for a written response. You'll need to give a street address unless they say they pulled it up based on your name from previous calls.
3. Ask for the name of the staffer. Do it politely, You're just adding a personal element and some accountability.
4.Keep it simple--one topic per call--not a long list. Say the bill topic and then say you want the MOCs vote to be YES or NO. (Leave a voice mail if you don't get a person).
5. Get your friends to call too. The staffers give Yes/No tallies to the MOC at the end of each day. Numbers count.
Still Spreading the Word About Our Mohawk Valley People's March Rally
On Jan. 18th, in coordination with the national Women's March People's March, IMV co-hosted a rally with a broad coalition locally including Citizen Action, the NAACP Utica/Oneida County Branch, Mohawk Valley Latino Association, Oneida County Pride Association, the Oneida County Democratic Women's Club, and the Oneida County and Kirkland Town Democratic Committees. Here's the Sentinel's coverage.
New: Thanks to David Laguerre for obtaining the video clip from WKTV's coverage that was broadcast at 11 pm on Jan. 18th. You can see it HERE
IMV Steering Committee member Kathy Wojciechowski wrote an LTE to continue to make the public aware of the rally. It was published in The Daily Sentinel on Thursday. Excellent letter! It wasn't online at this writing, but keep an eye out if you missed it.
Our big coalition is ready to organize and support each other for whatever comes next. We will stand together no matter what attacks come or who is targeted. "No on let go of anyone's hand."
Climate Crisis Working Group Meeting, Actions to Take for Climate
IMV's Climate Crisis Working Group will be having a meeting on February 10th, 6pm - 7:30pm at the New Hartford Public Library (Corasanti Meeting Room). In the meantime, we can make a difference in our state and local community. Below are actions that you can take on critical issues impacting our state’s environment and Lead in the Country, State, and Utica.
Albany Lobby Date:
February 4th: Despite our ongoing advocacy, Governor Hochul did not put the NY HEAT Act, the GAP Fund or meaningful building electrification into her budget. It would be great if you could join us for the Feb 4 Albany Rally & Lobby Day to pass NY HEAT; we need everyone’s help to fill the buses (free!), eat the lunches (free!), and fill the Million Dollar Staircase like we did last year! (And if you’re still on FB, please invite your friends via the Feb 4 FB event and post the link to your page!)
Contact Jennifer Geiger jgeiger777@gmail.com or Maggie Reilly margaret_reilly@mac.com if you are interested in going to Albany; there is a bus leaving from the North Utica Shopping Center.
Take Action on Lead: Federal, State, Local
1. Send a message to your Member of Congress to tell them to KEEP LEAD OUT OF OUR WATER. More information HERE.
2. There is and has been a serious Lead Poisoning issue in the City of Utica impacting mainly the residents of the Cornhill area and West Utica. These are the most disadvantaged communities in our city. The Climate Crisis Working Group invites anyone who is interested in working on this critical issue to contact Maggie Reilly margaret_reilly@mac.com or Mona Perrotti monap414@yahoo.com
3. Send a short statement in support of new NYS regulations. Here's where you send it and language for your submission.
Climate Superfund Act
Lastly, Here is IMV member Alan Cole’s LTE explaining why the Superfund is a Step in the Right Direction for NY!
Education Advocacy Day in Albany Feb. 4th
Join Citizen Action and the Alliance for Quality Education (AQE) on a bus to Albany to lobby our legislators for education equity and universal child care in 2025!
On February 4th, we will be holding an AQE Advocacy Day to show the Legislature, Governor, and the media that public education, early education and child care are top priority issues in New York, with much more work still to be done. Our State Legislators are elected to represent US in budget negotiations, and they need to know that we’re expecting them to prioritize New York’s children in the budget this year.
That’s why we need to have a big presence at the Capitol. When you come to Albany, you have a chance to speak directly to decisionmakers and tell them about the biggest issues facing you, your family, your schools and your community. Our collective power comes from the parent, student and community voices that make up our organizations. Every voice matters! This is an all day event, with the bus leaving from the North Utica Shopping Mall at 50 Auert Ave. at 9am. Sign up HERE.
NY21 Special Election Organizing
Hundreds of energized activists have joined Sarah Reeske's NY21 calls to strategize about building momentum in their local communities for flipping the district and electing a Democrat to congress. Just as a reminder, this is what's going to happen:
1) Once Elise Stefanik resigns from her seat in Congress to become UN Ambassador, Gov. Hochul has 10 days to announce a special election date.
2) The special election must be held on a Tuesday 70-80 days from that announcement.
3) The Democratic candidate will be selected by the 15 Democratic County Committee chairs that make up the district (Same for the Republicans).
4) We're all going to help get the Democrat get elected and flip the seat!
Yes, Republicans hold a significant registration advantage in NY21, but, in recent years Democrats have outperformed, and even won, in some special elections. Rome, is the most populous city in the 15 county congressional district. So our IMV local electoral actions are going to have a big impact!
Here's the recording of Sarah's NY21 zoom from Jan. 21st and the slide deck. If you haven't already, please fill out our interest form that helps Sarah know what kind of actions you'd like to take to flip NY21. The first action is this coming week. Sign up now:
Take Action to Flip NY21 Blue
Phone bank on Wed, Feb 5 from 6-7:30pm. Register here. We'll be calling voters who really should be Indivisibles and asking them questions and if we can invite them to upcoming Indivisible actions for the special election.
Reproductive Health Care: Free Film and National Speaker in Utica
Everyone is invited to Zurawski v Texas: A Free Moving Screening with Spec ial Guest Amanda Zurawski, presented by Whitney’s Legacy. This special event will be held Wednesday, Feb. 12th, 7pm at MVCC Utica, Schafer Theater, 1101 Sherman Drive, Utica. Reserve your seats: https://www.whitneyslegacy.org/events-2.
You can read about the film, Amanda Zurawski, who almost died in Texas when she was denied an abortion, in this Daily Sentinel Guest View by Jennifer Boulanger, who has also written for this newsletter in the past. IMV members have organized tirelessly in the past few years in the recent battle for reproductive freedom and abortion as essential health care. Please join IMV in showing up big for this event. Abortion rights are human rights.
Ways to Connect with IMV & Hold on to Hope
If you are looking for ways to connect with like minded folks through IMV, our CAFE Fridays weekly Zoom might be for you. That group gets together for casual conversation--and sometimes come up with our best ideas. Getting on the Zoom is a good reminder to pull out your phone and make your calls to state legislators or Members of Congress, and then debrief in real time. The link to join Fridays at 9:30 am (usually the call goes until about 11:30 am--come when you can) is in the calendar.
Americans--and the world--are being crash bombed by Trumps crazy, cruel, crazy on a constant basis, and it would almost be comical if he were not being enabled by the supplicant Republic MAGA party, their leaders in Congress, and the tech billionaires who are reaping the rewards --while everyone else suffers hurt and harm--including the people who voted for him. It's easy to become hopeless, exhausted, and overwhelmed. That's what they want. We won't give them what they want.
We are going to stay focused on our goals. We're going to execute our strategies following the New Indivisible Guide, as we have followed previous versions for many years. We're going to use smart effective, tactics, and do it together. If you have questions about how to plug in or suggestions for trainings or events, email us at IMV@Indivisiblemv.org.
Remember to make your calls today to Sen. Gillibrand and Sen. Schumer and tell them block Russell Vought for OMB Director with everything they've got!
"The one thing we need more than hope is ACTION. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere." -Greta Thunberg
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.
