Check out Ali’s latest reel [1] from January’s community meeting[JH2]
| IWCCC February 18 Newsletter |
| Hi Everyone, There is no sugar coating it. Those in power are doing gut-wrenching things that violate our basic values. So, it’s easy to get lost or overwhelmed by our justified outrage. But we need to use our outrage to fuel focused strategic action that comes from a place of justice, transparency, respect, and hope. Instead of worrying about every evil thing coming out of this administration, let’s channel our energies towards growing love, growing justice, growing tolerance, growing empathy, growing community, and growing a democracy that belongs to everyone. The more that we can grow these impulses of light, the more our opponents will weaken, stumble, and fall — and then we can hold them accountable. There are countless ways we can do these things. All of us can find a few that work for us – check out the newsletter below for ideas. And join us on February 22 at our next IWCCC community meeting (sign up here). These actions will sustain our movement and ourselves. As Dan Harris says, action absorbs anxiety. I’ll end by sharing a recent poem by Michael F. Dubois about Alex Pretti, titled “If They Call Me a Domestic Terrorist:” If they gun me downin my own street somedaymay my crime be compassion. May the record showfrom every anglethat I was helping a woman upafter they pushed her to the ground,that not even their weapons could stop me from extendingmy hand to those in need, that I was a walking example of the best my elders taught me —that everyone is equaland worthy of defending. If they tell the nation,from the highest podium,that I was a domestic terrorist,let it be known that my radical actwas believing the best in peoplewhen they wanted nothing morethan to divide us. Jennifer Huber for IWCCC |
| Upcoming In-Person Events with Local Indivisible GroupsFriday Flyer to print and distribute |
| EVERY Friday, 4:00-5:00 pm, IWCCC Good Trouble Protest:Come resist with us and connect with like-minded neighbors San Pablo Dam Rd. at Appian Way, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up here Every Wednesday, 2-3:30 pm, IWCCC Postcard Writing Meetup: Come write postcards together or pickup postcards to write at homeThe Good Table Cafe, 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up for Feb 18 and Feb 25 Every Saturday, 11 am-12 pm, Stand Up for Our Immigrant Community Rally: Grocery Outlet, 2079 23rd St., San Pablo, 94806 Fourth Saturday of the month, 11 am – 12 pm, North East Bay Indivisible Protest:Tennent Avenue & San Pablo, Pinole, 94564Sign up here ** Sunday, February 22, 3:30-5 pm, IWCCC Community Meeting: **The Good Table, 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up here Saturday, March 28, 1-3 pm, No Kings 3,San Pablo Dam Rd. at Appian Way, El Sobrante, 94803 Sign up here |
| National & State Indivisible Snapshot[3] |
| Demand Congress Reign in ICE: [4] Funding for the Department of Homeland Security ran out, causing a partial government shutdown, because Democratic leaders are pushing for commonsense policies to address ICE’s unlawful brutality. Keep demanding that your Senators refuse to pass any appropriation bill that funds ICE and Border Patrol operations, unless it puts serious restrictions on ICE and rolls back its budget. Tell them not to cave! Use this Indivisible script or this 5 calls script to call your Senators. Do it every day. For more information, read and share this Indivisible explainer and this updated Indivisible email.Stop the SAVE American Act: Call your Senators and demand they prevent this House-passed law, which would restrict the types of ID citizens can use to register to vote and would require in-person registration at government agencies like the DMV. If it passes, citizens will no longer be able to register by mail, at community events, etc. Check out 5 Calls for a script. We need as many Democratic and Republican Senators as possible to make a stand for voting rights. Eyes on ICE: Learn how to document and record law enforcement encounters by watching this recording. And check out California’s new online portal for reporting misconduct by ICE, CBP, and other federal agents, which will be used by district attorneys like Contra Costa County’s Diana Becton to conduct independent investigations.Stand with Minnesota: Watch the recorded virtual training about actionable lessons on organizing against authoritarianism from Minnesota’s resistance against ICE and CBP here. More info on how to stand with MN here. And tips on how to pressure companies like Target, Hilton, and Enterprise to stop cooperating with ICE here. 2026 Primary Program – Let’s fight for a Democratic party that’ll actually fight for us. Check out the Indivisible website and a recent news story for details. Join the call on February 17 about how we can use the primaries to build a fighting Democratic party. And check out Indivisible’s Endorsement Guide. |
| Action Group NewsInspired to help? Reply to this emailUse this link to see a summary of IWCCC action groups’ activities[5] |
| Protest Group is busy organizing our regular “Good Trouble” Friday protests and the No Kings 3 national protest on March 28. Sign up for our upcoming protests with Mobilize, filter for 94803. During winter months, our protests are canceled for moderate to heavy rain, but bring an umbrella if it’s just drizzling[6] . Want to join in with our great singers at the Good Trouble Friday protests? Check out our book of protest songs here, as well as the Singing Resistance Songbook. And learn Bruce Springsteen’s “Streets of Minneapolis” song. Learn de-escalation techniques and help organize and run safe, peaceful, and energetic protests. De-escalation training from ACLU and MoveOn can be found here. Reply to this e-mail if you want to help. |
| Outreach/Coalition Building Group [7] continues to build partnerships with other local Indivisible chapters, such as Hercules-based Indivisible North East Bay, Indivisible Kensington, Indivisible ReSisters of Contra Costa, Indivisible East Bay, and Richmond Indivisible.The group is collaborating with several other Indivisibles on a candidate forum for Congressional District 8. It is scheduled for February 21st. Here is the link to attend. Neil Zarchin is spearheading an effort to apply for a GROW GRANT from Indivisible National to develop a training series for our local area. We hope to work with Richmond Indivisible and Indivisible North East Bay on this project. Our outreach to local groups continues. We are currently planning to speak at the El Sobrante Municipal Advisory Council and will be reaching out to the following organizations: The Moose Lodge, The Civic Leaders Luncheon, May Valley Neighborhood Council, NAACP-Richmond & El Cerrito, El Sobrante Chamber of Commerce, and Green Team Planters Group. If there are others that we should consider, please let us know. Ruth Horton will be starting voter registration activities at Contra Costa College and high schools. A small group is forming to get trained on voter registration. When we have a date, we will circulate it.Lastly, are you curious about general strike [8] organizing and what you can do? Check out this |
| Immigrants’ Rights Group [9] continues offering immigrants information about their rights and building the larger community’s capacity to participate in protective actions. Here’s how we do these: Distributing red cards (on what to do if ICE comes to the door) and yellow cards (with Bay Area Rapid Response phone numbers) to immigrants, initially at food distribution sites and now at local churches. Several sites have asked for more cards to distribute on their own! Building support for immigrants through local businesses – offering welcoming window posters, providing red and yellow cards to distribute to customers, and offering information about protecting workers should ICE arrive on their doorstep. Owners/managers have responded very positively to all of this.Sharing skills that build the larger community’s capacity to stand up for immigrants in preparation for ICE raids. Learn the SALUTE protocol, the acronym that tells what to report to the local Rapid Response number if you witness a raid. Or ask us about patrolling local areas that may be subject to raids; training is available. If you’re interested in any of these activities or have other ideas, send us an e-mail or come to our regular meetings on the 1st and 3rd Sundays from 2- 3:30 pm at The Good Table Cafe in the back conference room. |
| Writing Group writes letters to the editor, blogs, this IWCCC newsletter, and other persuasive writing to reach diverse audiences and apply pressure campaigns. Speak your mind with help, coaching, and encouragement. Letters to the Editor can be a powerful way to make your voice heard. Not sure how to get started? A virtual training on how to craft a letter to the editor that gets published is coming up on February 24 from 4-5 pm. Or just ask Jennifer H. for resources and one-on-one training. The Writing Group is also writing postcards. On Wednesdays from 2-3:30 pm at the Good Table Cafe, join us to write postcards together in person or come pick up postcard packets to write at home. So far, we’ve already written 750 postcards to voters! Sign up for Feb 18 and Feb 25. Reply to this e-mail if you want to help. |
| Phone Banking Group has paused in-person regular phone banks until the mid-term elections, or until a specific need or issue comes up. Stay tuned. In the future, text or call Nancy Klein to sign up for in-person phone banks: nancyklein44@outlook.com, 510-917-4045.If you want to phone bank with other groups, including from home, Nancy Klein will train you and get you started. And she’s going to provide phonebank training during the IWCCC community meeting on Feb. 22. Calling voters is less scary and more effective than you think. More information here [10] about groups doing virtual phonebanks. You can also get training and participate in virtual phone banks with Commit to Democracy every Monday or Wednesday from 3-5 pm, with in-depth trainings available on Tuesdays from 3-4 pm. |
| Community Building Crew offers social activities because we need FUN to sustain ourselves and our community. Want to suggest or organize fun events? Reply to this e-mail. We need someone to help lead this action group! |
| Social Media Group [11] aims to inform, inspire, sustain, and grow our membership, especially with young people. We use social media platforms to produce and distribute social media posts, memes, and humor about relevant issues, concerns, and IWCCC events through our website, blogs, and social media platforms. We are on Bluesky, Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, and more. Want to make content, reels, and more? Reply to this e-mail. And everybody, please amplify our message including this newsletter: cross-post, share this newsletter, # iwccc, make and share content, and follow us from your own social media accounts (see below for IWCCC links). |
| Look after our Neighbors – Food Drive at Our Protests |
| Food Assistance |
| Food assistance is available for families in need. Please share these resources and consider donating to help provide aid to our community:Find food in my city search tool.Food distribution sites providing fresh produce, proteins, dairy, and nonperishable food in El Sobrante, San Pablo, and Richmond.Contra Costa County library’s after-school meal program provides free student meals.“Take some, leave some” non-perishable food pantry at 4660 Appian Way in El Sobrante (by sidewalk in front of Moose Lodge). |
| Armchair Action Opportunities |
| Participate in Trainings to help keep yourself, IWCCC members, and our at-risk communities safer. For example, we encourage you to sign up for Indivisible’s Solidarity in Action Speaker Series and watch the recordings of the ones you’ve missed. Sign up for Multicultural Institute online trainings to assist with its “Adopt a Corner” rapid response and community watch efforts. Email the immigration coordinator, Kimberly Castro, for details.Sign up for Bay Resistance trainings and alerts to prepare to be an ally to protect our neighbors from ICE and the National Guard operations. More info here.Consider linking in with the Braver Angels, an organization that facilitates Democrats and MAGA individuals to talk with each other, helping to bridge the partisan divide and reduce toxic politics. Use the “Goods Unite Us” app to assess and choose companies to do business with that reflect your values.Pressure your membership organizations and businesses to NOT capitulate. Let them know that you won’t donate, subscribe, or shop if they cave to the Trump regime.Call Elected Officials using the “5 Calls” app to state your views on any issue. Or write your own script and use this amazing spreadsheet of contact information for Congress, Cabinet members, and News Agencies. Thank Brave Public Officials: Standing up poses a significant risk to public figures. Help them stand strong by thanking them — courage can be contagious. Use your social media to amplify Indivisible and IWCCC events and actions. (See our social media links below.)Move from “I dissent” to “I refuse”: 45 Acts of Non-Compliance for Ordinary People.Fundraise or Donate: We can do more with more money. Indivisible is funding billboards in red states to push back on misinformation and much more – fundraising link for Indivisible here. And here’s the fundraising link for IWCCC. Thank you!Fund local action on the ground in purple states with the Movement Voter Project. An alternative to writing postcards from California – year-round progressive organizations have more influence with their own communities to push MAGA back. |
| Handy Links to Inform and Inspire Your Activism***Email me your suggestions for inclusion here *** |
| Indivisible’s Latest Newsletter and weekly What’s the Plan Zoom calls on Thursday at 12 pm.Mobilize National and Right Now Ideas for Activism.The Rachel Maddow Show, MSNBC: A podcast or show that’s a great pick-me-up every Monday evening. “Letters from an American”: A daily ~10-minute Substack blog and podcast by Heather Cox Richardson on the historical context of what’s happening in the news.“Chop Wood, Carry Water”: A well-informed, upbeat Substack blog by Jess Craven with a list of actions to make a difference. “Hopium Chronicles”: A substack blog by Simon Rosenberg with hopeful news, sharp analysis, and strategies on how to defeat MAGA.“Democracy Docket”: Daily & weekly newsletters by Mark Elias about the latest voting rights and election issues in the courts. Learn how redistricting has created 4 newly-formed districts that are now a “toss-up” instead of Republican leaning. If you’re an artist or crafter, check out the activism handbook “Let’s Move the Needle” by Shannon Downey. Catch up on the Ukraine war and potential war in Venezuela |
| IWCCC Contacts, Communications & Social Media |
| Website: https://equalrights4all.us/iwccc/Calendar: https://calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0/r/month/2025/10/1To join or unsubscribe from our email list: IndivisibleWestCoCoCounty@gmail.comTo register to attend events: Mobilize.us, filter by 94803Join us on Slack!BlueSky: @IndivisibleWCoCo.bsky.socialFacebook: @indivisible West CoCo CountyInstagram: instagram.com/indivisiblewestcococountyTikTok: tiktok.com/@iwccc12Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IWCCC/YouTube: coming soonTag us from your social media accounts with #IWCCC |
