Graphic designed by Whit Clifton. Designs available to download and print.
| IWCCC September 2 Newsletter |
As we near November 3, it’s easy to get stressed out and overwhelmed by Trump’s desperate efforts to sabotage fair elections. His MAGA supporters are blatantly trying to spread confusion and fear to keep us from voting. It’s good to keep informed, but doomscrolling only helps the billionaires who own the media platforms. Instead, we need to focus on what we can do NOW to get out the vote to create a massive Blue Wave. If you share a scary article, video, or post, please also share the solution. People are yearning to know what they can do to help safeguard elections—we can guide and mobilize them. As Jessica Craven wrote in a recent newsletter:“We can make the difference between despair and hope. Between cynicism and engagement. Between winning and losing. In any war, the morale of soldiers is of paramount importance. In THIS war, it is especially so. What Trump and his doom peddlers are spreading is bad enough—but for us to also depress and frighten our troops is self-defeating.” Folks, we need to embrace hope over despair, and we need to turn our anger into action. We have two months left. Please read and share this newsletter—and then get back to work! Also, ask everyone you know to check their voter registration (at https://866ourvote.org/ or https://iwillvote.com/) to make sure they haven’t been recently purged from the voting rolls. Jennifer Huber for IWCCC |
| Upcoming In-Person Events with Local GroupsFriday Flyer to print and distribute |
| Meetings, Trainings, & EventsEvery Tuesday, 1-3 pm In-person Phone Bank:Nancy Klein’s House in El Sobrante Sign up here Every Wednesday, 2-3:30 pm, IWCCC Postcard Writing Meetup: Write postcards together or pick up postcards to write at homeThe Good Table Cafe, 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up for September 2, September 9, and September 16 Second Wednesday of the month, 3:30-5 pm, IWCCC Immigrants’ Rights Meeting:The Good Table back conference room, 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante, 94803 Friday, September 4, 2-3 pm, Sign-making Party:Make protest signs together at The Shed5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante, 94803 Tuesday, September 8, 9 am, CCC Supervisors Meeting:Attend & voice your support for a county ICE Non-Cooperation Ordinance1025 Escobar St, Martinez, 94553 or from home via Zoom or phone 855-758-1310 Saturday, September 12, 8:30 am-12 pm, FIESTAS PATRIAS PARADE:Parade with local Indivisibles to show solidarity with our immigrant communityMeet at 8:30 am at 25th St & Barrett Ave, Richmond, CA 94804Sign up here Wednesday, September 16, 7:15-9 pm, Benefit for Indivisible East Bay & Coalition:View the award-winning documentary “Democracy Noir: A New Dawn”Grand Lake Theater, 3200 Grand Ave, Oakland, 94610More info & buy tickets here Thursday, September 17, 5:30-7:30 pm, Anna Villalobos Campaign Launch:Come support IWCCC member Anna, who is running for San Pablo City CouncilLa Plazuela Restaurant, 2022 23rd Street, San Pablo, 94806 Sunday, September 20, 11 am-4 pm, El Sobrante Stroll:Join IWCCC members doing outreach in the parade and at our boothSan Pablo Dam Rd between Appian Way & El Portal Dr, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up here Sunday, September 27, 12-4 pm, El Sobrante Pride Day:Join IWCCC members doing outreach at our Pride boothLa Moine (Cheese) Park, 3445-3531 Morningside Dr, Richmond, 94803Sign up here ** Sunday, October 4, 3:30-5 pm, IWCCC Community Meeting: **The Good Table, 5166 Sobrante Ave, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up here For materials from our 8/30/26 meeting click here ProtestsEvery Friday, 5-6 pm, IWCCC Good Trouble Protest:Bring non-perishable food, towels, & toiletries to donate San Pablo Dam Rd. & Appian Way, El Sobrante, 94803Sign up here Every Saturday, 11 am-12 pm, Stand Up for Our Immigrant Community Rally: Grocery Outlet, 2079 23rd St., San Pablo, 94806 Second Saturday of the month, 11 am-12 pm, Indivisible North East Bay Protest:San Pablo Ave & Sycamore Ave, Hercules, 94547Sign up here Fourth Saturday of the month, 11 am-12 pm, Indivisible North East Bay Protest:Tennent Avenue & San Pablo Ave, Pinole, 94564Sign up here Tuesdays & Thursdays, 10-11:30 am, Federal Immigration Court Presence:Stand with immigrants in the face of the horrific actions of ICE1855 Gateway Blvd #850, Concord, 94520Sign up here Friday, September 4, 4-5:30 pm, Indivisible North East Bay Protest:California St & Springwood St, Rodeo, 94572Sign up here |
| Action Group NewsInspired to help? Reply to this email |
| Protest Group is focusing on “voting” as a theme at our “Good Trouble” Friday protests until November 3. Starting October 5, we need volunteers to hold “early voting” signs on San Pablo Dam-Appian corners between 5-6 pm every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday until the election—sign up here. Here are a few voting slogans for signs if you need inspiration. Or come make protest signs together at The Shed/Good Table on Friday, September 4 at 2 pm (limited supplies provided). Whit Clifton also designed posters that you can have printed at the store—check out his designs and printing instructions here (use the “open in browser” link). |
| Outreach/Coalition Building Group is focusing on Get Out the Vote efforts. We are canvassing businesses with flyers that list key voting dates—sign up to canvass here. We will also have a table at the El Sobrante Stroll and Pride Day, where we will be focusing on getting out the vote, reminding people to check their registration, and registering potential voters. If you are interested in volunteering for these events, sign up here. If you are interested in being a poll monitor, email Chris M. at indivisiblewestcococounty@gmail.com. |
| Blue Dot Group is helping “blue dot” Indivisibles to motivate their demoralized electorate to vote, despite increased voter suppression. We’re fundraising for progressive candidates, mailing letters to voters, phone banking, canvassing, and networking to support vulnerable districts and flip red districts in Tennessee, North Carolina, Iowa, Ohio, Mississippi, and our own Central Valley, CA (CD-13 and CD-22). Contact J McNamara (democracy.richmondca@gmail.com) for more info. |
| Immigrants’ Rights Team encourages you to attend the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors meeting on September 8 at 9 am to support a countywide ICE non-cooperation ordinance. Several supervisors don’t support the measure, so we need a large community presence to apply pressure. You can prepare a short (1-2 min) public comment to be shared in person or via Zoom. Contact Mary Downs (atapo.uma@gmail.com) or Gail Gordon (gailsusangordon@gmail.com) for more info. And check out these videos to know what to do if you see ICE activity: (1) How to document & report ICE activity and (2) Eyes on ICE: Document and Record. |
| Writing Group is getting out the vote by sending handwritten postcards to Democrats and Independents who live in “toss-up” districts. We meet every Wednesday from 2-3:30 PM at the Good Table Cafe patio. So far, we’ve sent over 12,000 postcards to voters. We’re currently writing to Democratic voters in Maine and Iowa who are newly registered or who usually don’t vote in midterm elections. |
| Phone Banking & Texting Group is busy reaching out to voters. There are in-person, weekly phone banks on Tuesdays from 1-3 pm at Nancy Klein’s house in El Sobrante. Newcomers are very welcome! Email, text, or call Nancy Klein (nancyklein44@outlook.com, 510-917-4045) or sign up here. Starting on October 3, Nancy will also host weekly phone banks on Saturdays from 10 am-noon. She is also happy to train you to phone bank from home. Check out the options for virtual phone banks here. Interested in texting instead? Nancy Klein and Nancy Burke (nlburke@sbcglocal.net) are happy to answer texting questions. Check out the options for virtual text banks here. Interested in election protection, including helping voters “cure” their ballots if they made a mistake on the outside envelope? Check out the options here. |
| Community Building Crew needs a leader to organize social activities — such as a potluck at Kennedy Grove or sign-making parties at The Shed — because we need FUN to sustain ourselves and our community. |
| Social Media Group is asking everyone to create and share posts that encourage people to check if they’ve been purged from voter rolls, register, and vote. Whit’s poster designs can be downsized to use as memes (use the “open in browser” link). Want to spend an hour with other volunteers to boost pro-democracy content on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and X? Swing Left now has weekly virtual Social Banks on Thursdays from 4-5 pm. And please follow our social media accounts and share posts using the hashtag #iwccc to amplify our content. |
| National & State Snapshot |
| Donating: Use this Oath’s app to maximize the impact of your donation dollars. Be a poll worker: Sign up to be a poll worker on election day in Contra Costa County. IWCCC member Neil Zarchin’s first experience as a poll worker on June 2 was “rewarding and fun.” Contact him for more information at neil.zarchin@outlook.com.Protect the Vote Training: Watch Indivisible’s Election Protection 101 and 201 videos if you missed these trainings. Support CA Prop 4: This California Clean Money Campaign would lift the ban on using public funds for political campaign financing, giving local governments the option to create public programs that level the playing field and reduce dark money in our politics. More info here. Stop CA Prop 39: Californians will vote in November on a Republican-backed voter ID ballot initiative to amend the California Constitution to require a government ID for voting in person and an ID number for the outside of mail-in ballot envelopes. Learn more here and here. Research by VoteRiders and the Center for Democracy and Civic Engagement (CDCE) shows that 4.5 million citizens of voting age don’t have a current driver’s license with up-to-date info. And citizens of color and young people are less likely to have a driver’s license at all. Central Valley Matters: Help Randy Villegas win CD22. More info here and donation link here. No More Endless Wars: Call and demand that your representatives stop Trump’s wars in Iran, using this script. And demand they oppose the reconciliation 3.0 bill, which includes an additional $73B for the Iran war – more info and script here. |
| Armchair Action Opportunities |
| Please check out this separate document for a large variety of actions that you can do from home. |
| 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.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 and good news to celebrate on Sundays. “Hopium Chronicles”: A Substack blog by Simon Rosenberg with hopeful news, sharp analysis, and strategies on how to defeat MAGA.“The Anti-Authoritarian Playbook”: A Substack blog by Scott Nagakawa on how to resist authoritarianism.“Democracy Docket”: Daily & weekly newsletters by Mark Elias about the latest voting rights and election issues in the courts. “The Joy Reid Show”: A YouTube show with Joy-Ann Reid’s takes and analysis of the news, politics, and culture. If you’re an artist or crafter, check out the activism handbook “Let’s Move the Needle” by Shannon Downey. |
| IWCCC Contacts, Communications & Social Media |
| Website: indivisiblewestcococounty.orgCalendarTo 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 CountyTikTok: tiktok.com/@iwccc12Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/IWCCC/ Tag us from your social media accounts with #IWCCC |
