Take Action Tuesday, April 22-28
Actions and Information
It Takes Everyone on the Team
Collective energy nationally encouraged the framework that helped Harvard University stand strong against the Trump Administration’s demands. This was a critical win last week and one that set the stage for universities across the country to unite and reject authoritarian demands.
Teamwork together with five million activists marching peacefully and joyfully in the massive Hands-Off! rallies across the country – what we did right here in Kent and Ottawa Counties on April 5th – made a difference and was mentioned as a key factor (by National Indivisible) in Harvard taking this courageous step.
Everyone has something to offer and collectively, together, we are strong and united. This is the strength that authoritarians fear most.
Actions and Information for This Week:
Attend – The monthly in-person meeting for West MI Indivisible is today, Tuesday April 22 at 3:00 at Grandville Public Library, 4055 Maple St. SW, Grandville 49418. Come to identify, prioritize issues and actions. Connect and meet local people who are working to save our democracy.
Attend – Protect Social Security rally at the Social Security Office at 3045 Knapp St NE, Grand Rapids, Wednesday April 23, 12 noon, (IGGR-sponsored event).
Call – URGENT to keep calling both of our US senators on the SAVE Act- (Silencing Americans Act). The SAVE Act is a voter suppression bill that will disenfranchise millions of voters, primarily women. Even though Democrats are the minority in the Senate, we can win this one as long as we keep the Senate Democratic caucus united (60 votes are needed by the Republicans).
Even if you’ve already called, call our U.S. senators again to demand a NO vote on The SAVE Act, S. 128.
Senator Elissa Slotkin - Washington D.C. office: 202-224-4822
Senator Gary Peters – Washington D.C. office: 202-224-6221
Call – Contact your representative and senators to demand that Kilmar Abrego Garcia is brought home and that the plans to traffic other civilians to El Salvador are stopped. Everyone in our country has constitutional rights. Violations of due process and other rights must stop. Use the 5 Calls app which gives a script and talking points.
Overcoming Perfection
“Too often, we fall into an all-or-nothing cycle with our habits. The problem is not slipping up; the problem is thinking that if you can't do something perfectly, then you shouldn't do it at all.”
― James Clear, Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
NEWS - from our teams:
Federal:
Join – Project Mail Storm - Become a Mail Storm Trooper. Civil rights organizers flooded Congress with snail mail in the past. Mail was used to pressure the FDA. This isn’t new. It’s just time to do it again. Mail one letter per week, every week. Write short messages, use it to “journal” your opinions, no perfect words required. This is protest with postage.
Address list:
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20500Supreme Court
1 First Street NE
Washington, DC 20543DOGE
1650 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20504Dept. of Homeland Security - DHS
245 Murray Lane SW
Washington, DC 20528-0075Find your congresspeople at: Contact Us | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
Contact West MI Indivisible Federal Committee leader - Jessica (revjrw@gmail.com) to join the team, provide resources, etc.
Social Safety Net:
Social Security – You can now report social security problems/disruption of benefits to MI Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office through this new online form: Report Social Security Disruptions
Contact West MI Indivisible Social Safety Net Committee leader - Susan (susansorg58@gmail.com) to join the team, provide resources, etc.
State:
Continue Call Support – Grand Valley State University continues to receive pressure from Ottawa Impact activists and the federal government to eliminate DEI at the university.
Here is contact information to express support of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
President Mantella –
(616) 331-2100 and email president@gvsu.edu
Dr. Bernal, Vice President for Strategy and Chief of Staff to President –
(616) 331-2100 and email bernalie@gvsu.edu
Office of Inclusion and Equity –
(616) 331-3296 and email inclusion@gvsu.edu
Contact Jennie at westmiindivisible@gmail.com if you are interested in leading the state team, have information or resources to share.
Contact SWIM - Statewide Indivisible (info@statewideindivisiblemi.com) if you are interested in volunteering at the state level to survey local leaders, create orientation/training videos or set up/administer a network server (possibly Discord, Slack, etc.).
Local:
Check out or locally purchase the May Book Club pick – The Small and the Mighty by Sharon McMahon. Small actions can make a Mighty difference!
Attend – Grand Rapids Earth Day Rally - Our Planet is Worth Fighting For: Grand Rapids Earth Day Rally · Mobilize - Saturday, April 26, 3-5:00 pm, Wilcox Park, 100 Youell Street, GR, 49506 (LCV-sponsored event).
Contact Jennie at westmiindivisible@gmail.com if you are able to lead our local team, have information, or resources to share.
Ongoing Actions:
Bridge Takeover Protests (IGGR-sponsored event). Friday April 25th, 4:30-6 pm, Fuller over I-196 (park on side streets north of the highway).
Indivisible – National Zoom Call Thursdays, 3:00 pm: What’s the Plan? A Weekly Discussion with Indivisible’s Co-Founders · Indivisible
Protest for Progress - GR Trans Foundation: ✔️Weekly Protest for Trans Rights - Grand Rapids Trans Foundation - Sundays, 1:00 pm. Monument Park, 3 Fulton Street Grand Rapids, 49503.
Upcoming Events:
Movimiento Cosecha GR Four Days of Action - No shopping May 1-4, for more info: Upcoming actions to practice solidarity with immigrants in Grand Rapid | Grand Rapids Institute for Information Democracy
May Book Club - May 1, 7:00 pm Georgetown Public Library. Registration coming next week.
May in-person West MI Indivisible meeting - May 13, 3:00 pm, Grandville Public Library.
"By actively engaging in peaceful protests, raising awareness, and exercising our democratic rights, we can create meaningful change and ensure that oppressive forces do not thrive.” - from BookKey, 30 Best On Tyranny quotes.
