Every week, you'll get simple, doable steps we can take to save our democracy even when we're busy and overwhelmed by the firehose of bad news.
This simple analogy will completely change how you see these dark days
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:: Only got 5 minutes? Even if all you do is #1 under "Do this + feel better" below, you'll have done your part. Elle Woods would be proud. 💅 :: Sometimes a breaking news alert rocks me back on my heels, and I find myself thinking: How did we get to this point? We're witnessing the hostile takeover of our government by a fascist regime. That feels surreal to say aloud, but unfortunately, it's not hyperbole—it's reality. Even so, the resistance around us continues to grow. People are making phone calls to their reps, sometimes daily. Folks are rolling up their sleeves and figuring out how to do what needs to get done, whether that's how to get a permit for a rally or getting old college buddies to sign a letter to your alma mater asking them to stand up to this regime. And everywhere I look, new coalitions are coalition-ing. All this fills me with hope. 💗 And yet... If we don't reflect on how we got to this point, we risk this fight turning into a game of Fascist Whack-a-Mole. Right as we knock down the current ugly threat, another one could pop up and fill that vacuum. We need to trace our path from the Whack-a-Mole machine, through the dust bunnies and the tangled mess of extension cords, to see where it's plugged in so we can yank it out. We need to answer the question: How did this fascist machine suck so much power to itself, away from us, the people? 😬 Imagine this: You've lived in your neighborhood for a long while, and you love it. Every day while walking your dog, you pass by the crown jewel, smack dab in the middle of the neighborhood: a community garden. This garden is vibrant, providing a home for pollinators, fresh vegetables for people who need food, and a sense of togetherness for the folks who maintain and sustain it. 🌱 But over time, you start to take the garden for granted. It earns a passing glance, if that. And eventually, you stop noticing it altogether. Then one day, tragedy strikes. A bulldozer shows up and starts demolishing the garden. 💔 Only a few people notice at first, but when they do, they spring into action, surrounding the garden to protect it with their bodies. As neighbors walk by, these fighters plead for others to join them. Most people keep walking, but you decide to join. And as you step up to the border of this revered community garden that served so many people in countless ways, a fresh realization smacks you in the chest. The bulldozer wasn't the first threat. Because now, you can see that weeds were already choking out the once-thriving plants. Rodents and vermin were left unchecked, greedily consuming whatever bounty was able to push through the thicket of weeds. People—your neighbors?—have been dumping trash into the garden, from greasy fast food containers to big black plastic bags pockmarked with teeth marks and tears. 😞 This community garden is like our democracy, and we lost sight of the number one rule for both: Everyone pitches in. Here's how it happened with me. In my college years and my 20s, I knew how to call my reps, nagged all my friends to vote, and even wrote a letter to the editor here and there. Then I became a parent, and I assumed someone else would take care of our democracy. I was busy and didn't have any extra time that wasn't already spoken for. And sometimes, I let apathy and cynicism convince me that it didn't matter either way. That my action (or inaction) didn't matter. After talking to several folks in Molly's Army and to more people at rallies and events, I know I'm not alone in this. 🙋♀️ The hard truth is: We let our community-building muscles atrophy. If—no, when—we manage to knock down the current threat, we'll be at a crossroads. In that (glorious!) moment:
👉 Because this isn't a one-time deal. After the dentist gives you a painful, bone-rattling root canal, you don't walk out into the sunshine and proclaim, "Thank goodness! Now I never have to brush again!" Nope. You brush better. You floss harder. You buy a stupid Waterpik. Because you never want to get another root canal again in your life, thankyouverymuch. The good news: Serving as a steward of our democracy is a lot more fun than flossing. 💃🏼 You'll make friends, you'll see positive change, you'll grow your own hope. And sometimes people bring peanut butter pretzels to share! Even so, it's not a checkbox to check off but rather a way to live. Maybe you get a group of friends together to hold a bake sale once a quarter and raise funds for a cause you care about. Maybe you make a name for yourself as the resident library superuser who can help folks get library cards and learn how to check out e-books. Or maybe you organize a rotating schedule of care calls in your neighborhood to share the work of regularly checking in on seniors who live alone. Doesn't matter what you do—as long as you pick one thing you care about and make it part of your routine. And as your community-building muscles get stronger, you'll feel good. 💪 If we want a thriving democracy, we need to nurture it. After we beat the fascists down, we can't go back to ignoring what's been eating at the roots of our democracy. Because we've got important work to do. First, we'll clean up the mess by rebuilding our civic institutions that are currently being dismantled. Then we'll work towards an even better future—a true democracy that serves all of us. 🇺🇸 And holy mackerel, that's a lot! It's certainly not going to happen overnight. So just like with a community garden, our democracy needs us all to pitch in, now and every day. And if at any point you feel overwhelmed and you need a neighbor to step in and take care of your metaphorical plot so you can take a breather—that's okay. Rest is important, and we're in this together. ❤️ You bring the gardening gloves, and I'll bring the peanut butter pretzels. What's insideInside our latest update, you'll find these sections:
Do this + feel betterHere are 3 things you can do right now. As a bonus, taking any action (even if it's tiny!) will help dispel feelings of hopelessness and overwhelm... 1. Tell your alma materThis week, more than 400 college and university presidents and officials responded to attacks from this fascist regime by signing a public letter to protest the "unprecedented government overreach and political interference now endangering American higher education." It's like a mutual defense pact but for colleges. 🛡️ Is a public "buzz off" letter the absolute bare minimum colleges should be doing right now to protect our freedoms and our students? Yes. Would it be helpful to applaud this step in the right direction? Also yes! Let's give our higher education leaders a pat on the back, and our encouragement will embolden them to continue stepping up and speaking out. And if your college—current or former—didn't sign the letter? Be the squeaky wheel. 📣 When the letter was first published, they had a smidge more than 150 presidents and officials signed on. But because people are demanding their alma maters join in, the letter is up to nearly 450 signatures—just two days later. Speaking up works. 👉 Here's how to find out where your college falls:
🎯 Graduate with honors: Take it one step further and make your letter an open letter. Ask your college buddies to sign onto it with you, share as a view-only Google Doc, and boom—you've turned one voice into a chorus. Follow these instructions from someone who did that here. 2. See what's happening May 1The next national day of action is coming up next week on Thursday, May 1. Some groups are holding rallies, some will march for democracy, and some will volunteer in the community. 👉 Here are a couple ways to see what's happening near you:
3. Boost your party skillsWe can't show up every four years to phone bank and door knock and expect that to be enough to rebuild our democracy. We need to talk to the people we already know, now. Friends, neighbors, the parents we wave to in the school pickup line. Plenty of folks support democratic values but might not pay as much attention to the news. Other people are worried about what they're seeing but don't have anyone they feel they can talk to about it. Still others want to do something but aren't sure how or even what to do. Enter: a house party. 🥳 According to organizing experts, house parties can:
I may be an introvert, but even I like a good house party. They have yummy food! And fun beverages! And I get to leave my kids with a babysitter and have an uninterrupted conversation with other grown-ups! 💫 I'm sold. 👉 Join me in this virtual workshop, and let's learn more together:
Note: This virtual event is hosted by a group in California, but the house party strategy works no matter where you are. Get a shot of motivationA quote that resonated this week: "Collective action also requires us to build trust. Trust is forged through an exchange of vulnerability. It is built through experiments in interdependence. For some of us, those experiments can be very challenging. But in order to accomplish tasks collectively, we have to learn to take chances, and to rely on each other.
That means I do my part while trusting that you will do yours. I watch your back, and trust that you’ll watch mine. We all stare down our enemies together, believing that we will help and defend one another. This kind of collective belief in one another doesn’t happen overnight. It is the product of countless exchanges wherein people allow themselves to depend on one another."
— Kelly Hayes, a long-time organizer and co-author of Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care, in How To Be a Fighter When You Feel Like a Punching Bag
Hey, look! We did thisHere's a quick run-down of what folks in our group have been doing to help lately:
Your turnWhat small actions have you taken lately? Please hit "reply" and let me know what you've been up to so we can celebrate with you. 🥳 Onward, Kelly p.s. If this message resonated with you, please consider becoming a sustaining member for $5 a month. You'll help cover the costs of our website and email list, plus you'll help us reach more people and spur them into taking meaningful action. 💞 |
Molly's Army
Every week, you'll get simple, doable steps we can take to save our democracy even when we're busy and overwhelmed by the firehose of bad news.