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“Anyone who thinks that they are too small to make a difference has never tried to fall asleep with a mosquito in the room.”
- The Dalai Lama
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Hi all!
RISE started with a small group of committed individuals almost exactly seven years ago today. We were not affiliated (yet) with the nascent Indivisible group; we were simply a few people freaking out over the election and deeply committed to doing something to fight back.
Flash forward seven years to Indivisible-RISE Newburyport. Our numbers have swelled from a handful to many hundreds, joining thousands of other groups working around the country. Just this year alone (that's not even three months, folks!), we've written nearly 10,000 postcards to register voters and get out the vote! We're submitting LTEs to newspapers in key swing states. We are donating to grassroots organizations and down-ballot races where our dollars make a difference. We're regularly adding new members and volunteers during this critical election year.
We. Are. Getting. Things. Done. And we could not do it without all of you.
As new members join us and old members continue their work or get back into their activism after a break, we want to extend a warm WELCOME or WELCOME BACK and THANK YOU to you all. Every bit we do together makes a difference. Please continue to share these opportunities with friends and keep spreading the word.
Many thanks to all who came to the hugely successful March movie screening and meeting to discuss the youth vote. In addition to the film we had an amazing discussion with activist Sophia DeLoretto-Chuddy, one of the youth organizers who appeared in the film. Sophia has a wealth of knowledge and helpful suggestions on how to help get out the youth vote. To further benefit from her wisdom we invited Sophia to join us at the April meeting. Details and a registration link for this Zoom meetin are below in To Do.
While the media continues to focus on the mounting legal and financial troubles of the Republican candidate, Biden continues to do impressive work both in the White House and on the campaign trail. One of the most effective and powerful ways we can all make a difference is to spread the word of President Biden's successes. In addition, while we don't want to spend time discussing the alternative, there is evidence that when people know exactly how outrageous Trump's statements are (about abortion, civil rights, democracy, etc), they are less likely to vote for him. So let's keep talking to our friends and neighbors, our relatives in Michigan, former college roommate in Arizona, and any contacts in swing states. These personal conversations can make all the difference.
Onward. |
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TO DO
April 16th Meeting: Youth Voters - Continuing the Conversation
At our March meeting, we showed a film called "The Young Vote" and then spoke with activist Sophia DeLoretto-Chudy who was featured in the film. Both the film and Sophia offered the nearly 90 attendees thought-provoking insights about youth voters. Participants raised excellent questions; more than we had time to address. We've since heard from several attendees with more great questions. Sophia has graciously offered to attend our April monthly meeting to continue that discussion.
We'll meet by Zoom to maximize participation and because Sophia is in Austin, TX. We're also working on a possible second speaker, so stay tuned. No worries if you missed the March meeting. We'll do a quick recap at the start of the April meeting to bring everyone up to speed.
Registration for the Zoom on April 16th at 7:00-8:00 pm is required.
Postcards, Postcards and More Postcards!
Our mighty postcard team is growing daily! In less than 3 months, writers have completed and mailed nearly 10,000 postcards to register voters and get out the vote in special elections and prinaries. Bravo! Let's keep it up, and please join us!
We're continuing our work registering Democrats in battleground states, most recently focusing on women in NC with a pro-choice script; younger voters in NC with a script stressing concerns about climate change; and older voters in NV emphasizing the risks to social security and Medicare. We expect to continue with these and similar campaigns in AZ, MI, NC, NV, PA and WI until it is time to start writing to help get out the vote in the same swing states.
As always, there are two ways to write with us:
-- In person at Action Hour on Wednesdays 5:30-6:30 at Nu Kitchen on Pleasant Street in Newburyport.
-- Remotely, with writers getting postcards at one of our pickup locations, buying postage and emailing indivisible.rise.newburyport@gmail.com for the script and addresses. Email us with questions or to join this program. And, if you're already writing with us, let us know if you'd like to sign up for a regular weekly supply of addresses so you don't need to email us every time you are ready to write more postcards.
Join our LTE Working Group
Our letter writers are researching, writing and starting to submit LTEs to help persuade undecided voters. As described in Member Updates below, another member's letter was published in a swing state newspaper! Please email us if you are interested in getting involved with writing letters, researching newspapers or both!
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TO CONSIDER
On April 12 at 12:00-1:15 pm, Heather Cox Richardson is hosting a webinar entitled Why Democracy Needs You. HCR will speak about the stakes of 2024 elections and what we can do to defend democracy. Register here.
If you like podcasts, What A Day is a good listen with a casual style and a bit of humor. The hosts "break down the biggest news of the day, share important stories you may have missed, and show you what 'Fox & Friends' would sound like if it were hosted by people whose parents read to them as children."
You might enjoy Hopium Chronicles, a daily newsleter written by politcal analyst and commentator Simon Rosenberg. In a refreshingly optimistic tone, the newsletter discusses strategies to defeat MAGA and ensure that freedom and democracy prevail.
The Anti-Trump Republican Vote is Alive and Kicking is a article that will help you breathe easier. So, too, will the Facbook page Republican Voters Against Trump with 120,000 followers and many posts by Republicans speaking out against the Republican presidential nominee for whom they previously voted. |
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TO CELEBRATE
Elections News
Presidential Campaigns:
--President Biden's fundraising continues to widely outpace Republicans. His campaign has $155 million in cash, which is over 3 times what his opponent has. His total contributions from outside groups has now reached $1 billion, with a recent $120 million pledge from the League of Conservation Voters. While it is troublesome that this type of spending is necessary for a Presidential election (and many of us would like to work to change that system), it is encouraging for this year's election that Biden is in such a favorable position.
--There are signs of increased support for Biden:
Positive Voter Protection Updates
NC - In a win for Gov. Roy Cooper (D), a court struck down a Republican-crafted law that would have stripped the governor of his appointments to elections boards.
WA - Two positive developments:
- A federal court adopted new legislative districts that fairly represent Latino voters after the previous map was struck down for violating the Voting Rights Act.
- Gov. Jay Inslee (D) signed three election bills into law that make it easier to register to vote, help prevent delays in statewide election certification and allow counties to pilot new programs for signature verification.
WI - Voter protection efforts keep increasing and improving in this state
As always this section primarily fouses on good news related to elections and voter rights. Also as always, we rely heavily on two sources for this information: Jessica Craven's Chop Wood Carry Water newsletter and Democracy Docket.
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MEMBER UPDATES
Kudos to another member whose letter to the editor was published by a swing state newspaper. In response to an editorial in the Las Vegas Review-Journal that was reprinted in the Newburyport Daily News, Diana Kerry wrote a letter to the editor that was published in both the Las Vegas paper and the Daily News. The letter addresses how Biden deserves credit for improving the economies in red states. The Las Vegas Review-Journal powerfully titled the letter, " Joe Biden has made red states prosperous!" along with a photo of President Biden, helpng to ensure that readers of the paper are drawn to the letter. If even just one undecided person who reads the letter is persuaded to vote for Biden, this is a win!
If you are motivated by recent developments, have some good news to share, or would like to get more involved, please let us know. Indivisble-RISE is completely volunteer run, and we can always use more help organizing and leading our actions, events, programs, and more. Email indivisible.rise.newburyport@gmail.com with ideas, news, suggestions, and anything you would like to tell or ask us. We'd love to hear from you! |
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