We're grateful for all you've done this past year, hope that you have a relaxing holiday break (after a few last minute events this week), and look forward to working together with you in 2020!
RALLY FOR
IMPEACHMENT THIS TUESDAY DEC. 17!
Join One of the Over 500 Rallies Planned Across the Country
Locally, rallies are planned in Boston, Cambridge, Concord, Framingham, Reading, and Sudbury as well as in Andover, Haverhill, Newburyport, and several locations in southern NH (find and sign up for rallies here). Share your photos or videos with us on our Slack, Facebook page, or on Twitter (tag us @MinmanIndiv). Can't make it to a rally - share a photo showing your support!
We're co-sponsoring the rally that our friends at Concord Indivisible are organizing at 5:30pm outside First Parish Church in Concord where Senator Michael Barrett, Rep. Tami Gouveia, and comedian Jimmy Tingle will be speaking (sign up here), but encourage you to sign up for whatever rally is most convenient. UPDATES:Due to the weather, the speaking portion of the rally will be moved indoors and the public visibility portion outside will begin at 5:00pm. Dress warmly, bring flashlights or other ways to illuminate signs, and allow extra time for rush hour traffic and parking (or arrive early to do some holiday shopping or have a quick bite to eat!). Want to carpool from Lexington to Concord? Sign up here if you can offer or need a ride.
The GOP has been loudly proclaiming that no one cares about impeachment - we need to show up in large numbers to show they're wrong!
Check our homepage for other actions you can take to support impeachment and a list of resources to help you keep up with the latest developments.
MEET WITH US
At a postcard party (with holiday cookies) for Carolyn Bourdeaux this Thursday, December 19 or in January!
Postcard Party for Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA07)
Thursday December 16, 7-9:00pm
Lexington, RSVP for Address Join us to write postcards for Carolyn Bourdeaux (GA07) and enjoy some Christmas cookies and light refreshments. Carolyn is running in what will be one of the most competitive House races in 2020. Georgia is an exciting state to work on with 2 Senate seats and the opportunity to fight voter suppression. Take some time during this busy holiday season to have a relaxing evening together and to get ready for 2020!! Postcards and cookies will be provided. RSVP here.
Monthly Activism Evening
Monday January 13, 7-9:00pm
First Parish Church, 7 Harrington Rd., Lexington Join us at this month's Activism Evening to celebrate our successes in 2019 and make plans for 2020! We'll write postcards to encourage FL voters to sign up for Vote by Mail, take action on key state legislative issues, practice our texting skills, and get tips for using Slack and social media for our 2020 priorities. It would be helpful to bring a laptop (or tablet) and pens, highlighters and stamps (and/or a small contribution for postage).
MI Book Club Meeting
Date TBD, 7:15-8:45pm
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Rd., Lexington The presidential primaries are just around the corner, so we'll be kicking off 2020 with a roundtable discussion of books written by some of the Democratic presidential candidates. If you'd like to join us in January and/or February (dates TBD), use this form to indicate which book(s) you'd like to read. Members have already signed up to discuss books by Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar, but we're hoping to discuss other candidates too!
BUILD ANOTHER BLUE WAVE IN 2020
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20
ORGANIZING CORPS 2020 FUNDRAISER
Organizing Corps 2020 is recruiting and training 1,000 people in key battleground states to work on the 2020 general election and help democrats win up and down the ballot. This fundraiser in Ashland from 5:30-7:30pm is hosted by State Senate President Karen Spilka, and former Governor Dukakis and OC2020 founder Meg Ansara will be speaking. See this link for more details or donate to OC2020 here.
Save the Date!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, January 25 for a fundraiser in Lexington for Carolyn Bourdeaux who is running to flip the GA07 congressional seat. More details coming in the next Muster in early January.
Help Make Blue Waves in Battleground States
Over the next 10 months, Massachusetts activists will play a critical role supporting Democratic candidates in Maine, Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, Iowa, and other states. Indivisible MA and Swing Left will be organizing travel to those states in addition to remote activities such as phone banking and texting. The earlier we start coordinating our efforts, the more effective we will be. Please complete this form if you're interested in taking part in this massive undertaking to protect our democracy.
HELP REGISTER NEW VOTERS
Voter turnout will be key to success in the 2020 elections and there are opportunities to help register voters both here in MA and in important battleground states like Maine.
Massachusetts For the past several years. MI members have volunteered at events sponsored by MIRA to register new citizens immediately after their naturalization ceremony. It's an easy and inspiring way to spend an hour! No prior experience necessary and MIRA provides training and all materials—clipboards, forms, and pins. Most of the ceremonies happen at Faneuil Hall, but a few happen at the JFK Library in Boston. Get details and sign up for events through February here.
Maine
Our friends at Swing Left Greater Boston have registered over 1000 voters in Maine in the past six months and have several trips scheduled in January. Get more details and sign up here. You can also learn more about registering Maine Voters by signing up for this January 7 training call.
LET'S PACK THE STATE HOUSE FOR THE SAFE COMMUNITIES ACT
It's Time to Pass the Safe Communities Act!
As the Trump administration continues to pursue its inhumane immigration policies, we need to stand up and protect our immigrant neighbors here in MA. The SCA hearing that was postponed earlier this month has been rescheduled. Mark your calendars and make plans to join us at the State House on Friday, January 24 for a hearing in Gardner Auditorium on the Safe Communities Act.
RSVP here to join us! We need hundreds of advocates at the State House to send a strong message that the Safe Communities Act has overwhelming support across our Commonwealth. Can we count on you to be there? The day kicks off with a rally at 10am, then we want to keep Gardner Auditorium full all day – which means we’ll need advocates to come in shifts - you decide what you can do! Most people mobilizing that day won’t be testifying, just showing their support - the key is to be there. If you'd like to connect with other MI members who plan to attend, let us know here.
Please keep contacting your legislators to build the momentum needed to pass the SCA this session.
CALL FOR CLIMATE ACTION
Crunch time is coming for climate bills in the Mass Legislature. It is expected that an omnibus climate bill will be moved out of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities, and Energy in January and we need to maximize pressure on our legislators to assure that bill is as strong as possible and that it is passed by the House and Senate. Please call your legislators now (click here for a suggested script)and plan to be an activist in January.
GET THE ROE ACT PASSED NOW!
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22
MYSTIC VALLEY ACTION FOR CHOICE MONTHLY MEETING
Join us in Arlington from 6:30-8:30pm to talk about actions we can take in support of the ROE Act including developing a strategy for the coming year. Light refreshments will be available. RSVP here for address.
SHOUT OUT FOR RANKED CHOICE VOTING SIGNATURE COLLECTION
Earlier this month, Voter Choice for MA shared a video of volunteers and staff delivering over 110,500 signatures that had already been certified by city and town clerks to the Secretary of State's office. That's 30,000 more signatures than needed in this first round of signature collection to get a RCV question on the 2020 ballot. Volunteers from 51 of the 54 communities here in Middlesex County, including many of our own members, collected over 23K of those signatures.
The Legislature now has until early May to take action on RCV. If they don't, we'll need to collect about 20,000 more signatures in May and June from people who didn't sign the ballot petition this fall.
Thank you to the many MI members who signed the ballot petition, helped collect signatures, and volunteered to help sort petitions at the RCV field offices. We look forward to working with you in 2020 to get RCV passed here in MA!
KEEP UP THE MOMENTUM FROM THE INDIVISIBLE MA CONFERENCE
Minuteman Indivisible made an impressive showing at Indivisible MA's Together for 2020 and Beyond Conference earlier this month. We had 25 members attend (the most of any Indivisible group!) including five who led one or more workshops. We were also joined by many local allies and friends, including the Boston Red Cloaks.
Many of the workshop slides and handouts are available on the Indivisible MA website here (click on a workshop and scroll down if needed to find document links). A write-up about the conference and photos are available in last week's Indivisible MA newsletter.
CONNECT WITH US AND OTHER ACTIVISTS ON SLACK
Why would Minuteman Indivisible, Indivisible MA, and Swing Left Greater Boston want you - a busy activist who's already inundated with emails -- to join YET ANOTHER communication platform?
To answer that question, here's what an activist who just joined the Indivisible MA and Swing Left Slacks had to say: “Thank you! Slack is an email-inbox saver. I'm a huge fan.”
As activists, we’re working together and sharing information - A LOT. The weight of all that information can be overkill for anyone’s inbox. By moving your activist conversations to Slack, you not only save your inbox, but also the inboxes of your compatriots, colleagues and co-organizers.
Want to unseat Trump, hold the House or flip the Senate, take back key state legislatures, work for democracy reform, protect immigrants, save our planet, or fight for other important causes? Join us and other local activists on Slack!
The Muster usually comes to your inbox during the first and third week of the month.
Keep checking the MI Calendar and our homepage for the most current line-up of events and actions.
Join our Slack to stay in the loop! Your input is welcome!
Support Minuteman Indivisible's work Our expenses are modest, but we do need funds for events, supplies, and communications, including our website and newsletter. You can donate here to help Minuteman Indivisible continue to work for you and for Liberty and Justice for All!
