Thank you for everything you do to strengthen our democracy. We are grateful to be working side-by-side with you!
We hope that you have time this week to relax and enjoy good food and the company of family and friends. As we gather together this Thanksgiving, let’s check in with any returning college students and others at our table and ask if they are registered to vote. Share with them that they can register to vote and sign up for voter reminders at TurboVote.org.
JOIN US IN DECEMBER!
Our December MI events have a festive tone! Our work has a serious purpose, but it can also be enjoyable.
Button Making Party!
Sunday December 1, 4-6:00pm
Lexington, RSVP for Address Indivisible MA needs some buttons to sell at their December 7 conference and two of our members are organizing a party to coming up with some great ones. Join in on the fun! Wine and cheese will be served to stoke the creative juices. Do you have a killer phrase you’d love to see on a button? Are you a graphics expert and want to design the button? RSVP and/or give us your suggestions here.
Monthly Activism Evening
Monday December 9, 7-9:00pm
First Parish Church, 7 Harrington Rd., Lexington At this month's Activism Evening, we'll celebrate our successes in 2019 and make plans for 2020! We'll create signs and slogans for the Impeachment Eve rallies planned before the House vote, write some postcards, hear an update about action plans from the Indivisible MA Conference, and enjoy some holiday refreshments! Bring pens, markers, stamps (or a small donation) and any materials you have for making signs.
Weekday Warriors Holiday Event
Monday December 16, 9:00am-noon
Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St., Boston Join us to take holiday thank-you packages of home made baked goods to our state legislators' offices at the State House. We'll meet in Lexington to arrange plates or tins of goodies, then drive to East Arlington to park near the bike trail and walk the quarter mile or so to Alewife. This is a fun outing that takes about 3 hours unless we stop for a hot cocoa and a delicious baked scone on Charles Street on the way home! You can also arrange to meet up with us in Boston. RSVP or sign up for our Google Group to get more info here.
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. Please make plans to join us at the State House next Monday, December 2 for a hearing in Gardner Auditorium on the Safe Communities Act.
RSVP here to join us on Dec 2! 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 9 am, 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.
Want to help, but can't make it to the State House on Dec. 2?Please call your legislators and tell them to support a floor vote at the beginning of the formal session in January (and ask everyone in your networks to do the same). Written testimony is a powerful way for committees to see that there is constituent support of a bill. Use this form letter created for indivisible members (or write your own) and email it to the chairs and members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.
Please keep contacting your legislators to build the momentum needed to pass the SCA this session.
REGISTER FOR THE INDIVISIBLE MA CONFERENCE
Join us at Indivisible MA's Together for 2020 and Beyond Conference on Saturday December 7 at Worcester State University.! This one-day conference will bring together progressive activists from many grassroots organizations across Massachusetts to learn best practices and strategize for 2020.
Here are just some of the people who will be in Worcester on December 7:
Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley
Ezra Levin, Indivisible Co-founder and Co-Director
State Senators Becca Rausch and Jamie Eldridge
Meg Ansara, strategist behind Organizing Corps 2020
Miles Rapoport, former head of Demos and Common Cause
Swing Left, Progressive Mass, Act on Mass, Force Multiplier, Sister District, MIRA, 350.0rg, ORMA, PDA, AND many local Democratic Town Committees
Resource people from Planned Parenthood, the ACLU, MIRA, Field Team 6, Open Progress, Blue Revolution, Gun Violence Prevention Leaders
400+ local activists from every part of Massachusetts
The conference will focus on workshops, not a lot of speeches. You'll learn about the best strategies and tactics to effectively be involved in supporting races and candidates in 2020 and how to make a difference in issues you care about such as climate change, immigration, racial justice, gun safety, and more.The last session of the day will focus on “Making it Happen" – a networking and planning session to organize an action plan with others in your area or area of interest.
The next 12 months will be critical to the future of our country and our democracy. Come sharpen your advocacy skills and network with like-minded people from all over the state determined to make a difference. Together our activism will make history.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 2
RECEPTION FOR KATHERINE CLARK & SARA GIDEON
Join Rep Michelle Ciccolo and Senator Cindy Friedman at this reception in Lexington from 6-7:30pm to benefit Congresswoman Katherine Clark and Democrat Sara Gideon, who is running for the US Senate in Maine to challenge Sen Susan Collins. RSVP and/or donate here. Address provided upon RSVP.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 11
FUNDRAISER FOR MAURA HEALEY
Join Senator Barrett, Senator Friedman, Rep. Garballey and others from 6-7:30pm to welcome AG Maura Healey to Lexington. In 2018, Maura was instrumental in reinstating a Democratic majority of attorneys general nationwide by helping to flip four seats from red to blue during the midterms. Funds raised now will enhance her ability to run for AG again and/or to travel around the country working to get other Democratic AGs elected. RSVP and/or donate here.
SUPPORT THE IMPEACHMENT PROCESS
Phone Bank with Indivisiblefor a Fair Impeachment Trial
Hundreds of Indivisible volunteers have already made 500,000 Hubdialer calls to friendly voters in key states and connected them with their Republican senators on impeachment. Indivisible hopes to make more than one million calls! Join volunteers across the country to pitch in an hour of your time and sign up for a shift here to connect voters with their senators to demand a fair and complete impeachment trial.
Rally to Support impeachment
Indivisible and the other groups that planned last year's "Nobody is Above the Law" rallies are promoting local rallies that will be held on the eve of a House impeachment vote. Rallies are already being planned in Cambridge, Concord, Framingham, Sudbury, and other MA communities, many by our fellow Indivisible groups. Check this link for more details and join us at our monthly Activism Evening on Monday, December 9 to make plans and create signs and slogans!
Contact Our MoCs About Impeachment Thank our MA MoCs for standing up for our democracy and our constitution on impeachment. Ask your representative to continue to hold Trump accountable by voting for articles of impeachment and our Senators by voting for conviction and removal from office. Ask all of our MoCs to protect the whistleblower and other witnesses from attempts at witness retaliation and intimidation. Contact information for your MoCs may be found here. For more information on the need to show constituent power on impeachment, see this Indivisible resource.
Keep Up-to-Date on the Latest Impeachment Developments
Heather Cox Richardson, a history professor at Boston College. posts excellent daily summaries of the impeachment process on her Facebook page. You can also view the summaries here or subscribe to get an email version.
Indivisible posts Impeachment Daily updates on its YouTube channel - a summary of the latest developments delivered with a bit of humor.
George Lakoff has created this podcast that discusses how to communicate about impeachment.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3
MYSTIC VALLEY ACTION FOR CHOICE MONTHLY MEETING
Join us in Arlington from 6:30-8:30pm where Dr. Cheryl Hamlin, OB/GYN, will be speaking about her experience as a provider in Massachusetts and Mississippi. There will be plenty of time for discussion and potluck refreshments. Please feel free to bring a dish or non-alcoholic beverage. RSVP here for address.
Join the Boston Climate Strike in Copley Square starting at 10:30am to stand for a Massachusetts Green New Deal and an end to the climate emergency! Get more details here and RSVP here.
Support State Climate Change Legislation The science is clear: to avoid the devastation of irreversible climate change, we must cut our carbon pollution to net zero by 2050. To do this, we need ambitious state legislation like the 2050 Roadmap Bill to ensure Massachusetts meets its climate goals while keeping people and jobs front and center.
This bill is a critical update to the state’s landmark Global Warming Solutions Act. The 2050 Roadmap Bill (H.3983) requires use of the latest science to create a comprehensive plan to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by at least 2050. It also adds new accountability — holding state agencies accountable to the legislature and to the people of Massachusetts for implementing that plan. See this fact sheet for a summary of the bill's provisions and a list of the many organizations that support it.
There's no MI Book Club meeting this month, but 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.
SUPPORT BUSINESSES THAT FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY
Last month, a New York Times article reported on impeachment ads that had been posted on Facebook:
“Candidates, campaigns and companies have unleashed a flood of Facebook advertisements related to impeachment, and it might come as no surprise that President Trump and his re-election campaign are far outspending everyone else.
But last week, the second biggest spender was an entity you might not be familiar with: a purveyor of pepper, paprika and poppy seeds based in Wisconsin.
Penzeys Spices, a family-owned company in Wauwatosa, spent nearly $92,000 on Facebook advertisements related to impeachment from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, according to data from a communications agency that tracks political spending.”
What may be surprising is that Penzys' ads were pro-impeachment.
We have no affiliation with Penzeys, but thought you might like to know about their special group of holiday gift boxes on themes like “Love People,” “Welcome,” “American Heart and Soul,” and “Kind Heart.” If you'd like to support Penzey’s resistance efforts, you can find their "Penzeys Best" gift boxes here.
HELP US CONTINUE PUBLISHING THE MUSTER
We need volunteers to help edit our Muster newsletter. If you've been receiving this email newsletter for a while, you may have noticed it's being sent out less frequently; without your help, we may not be able to send it at all.
We're looking for one or more volunteers who can spend a few hours every other week taking the information submitted by our team leaders, issue champions, and allies and entering it into our Mailchimp newsletter template. There's no need for special graphic or writing skills or even previous experience using Mailchimp - we'll provide any training or assistance you might need!
Editing the Muster is a great way to connect with the amazing volunteer activists who organize the actions and events highlighted in the Muster. Email communications@minutemanindivisible.org if you'd like to help.
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!
