The weather is getting cooler, but action on legislation, the impeachment inquiry, and the 2020 elections is heating up. This issue of the Muster has lots of ways to get involved, but we need your help to continue bringing the Muster to your inbox on a regular basis.
MEET WITH US THIS WEEK!
There are three opportunities to meet with us this week! Join us at our MI Book Club Meeting on October 23 (tonight), or our Weekday Warriors Meeting this Friday October 25. We're also co-hosting a fundraiser for Organizing Corps 2020 tomorrow Thursday, October 24.
And mark your calendars now for next month's Activism Evening on Monday, November 11.
MI Book Club Meeting
Wednesday October 23, 7:15-8:45pm
Lexington Community Center, 39 Marrett Road,Lexington Join us to discuss Evicted, the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Matthew Desmondthat focuses on poverty, housing insecurity, and public policy in a large Midwestern city. New members are always welcome and we provide a summary of the book for those who haven't had a chance to read it yet. RSVP here.
Organizing Corps 2020 Fundraiser
Thursday October 24, 7-9:00pm
Lexington, RSVP for address Join us at this fundraiser to support Organizing Corps 2020, which plans to train 1,000 organizers in 7 key battleground states to work for the eventual Democratic nominee. Cofounder Meg Ansara will be speaking and the refreshments will feature foods from each of the 7 key states. We will also vote on our preferred state(s) to support. RSVP here or donate using this link.
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24
ORGANIZING CORPS 2020 FUNDRAISER
We're cohosting this fundraiser in Lexington to support Organizing Corps 2020, which plans to train 1,000 organizers in 7 key battleground states to work for the eventual Democratic nominee. Cofounder Meg Ansara will be speaking and the refreshments will feature foods from each of the 7 key states. RSVP here or donate using this link.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29
FUNDRAISING TRAINING WEBINAR
Raising money for progressive candidates is one of the most effective things we can do to flip the Senate (and hang onto the House) in 2020. Our friends at Swing Left Greater Boston have invited us to sign up for this fundraising webinar. Learn how to make a personal “pitch” to a friend or colleague from the "pros" at 31st Street Swing Left, a chapter based in the DC/MD/VA area. RSVP here for the call-in details and to preview the 31st Street Swing Left fundraising toolkit.
GET STARTED NOW TO TURN MAINE BLUE
At last month's Activism Evening, many members expressed an interest in helping flip the Senate seat currently held by Susan Collins in Maine. Several of our fellow Indivisible groups and allies have already begun this effort. Here are some ways you can get involved right now:
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 1
MUSIC & ACTIVISM
Join us at Joe Sent Me in Cambridge for this informative and fun evening organized by one of our allies. Marie Follayttar, Executive Director of Mainers for Accountable Leadership, will open the evening at 6:30 to explain how we can help unseat Sen. Susan Collins in 2020. There will also be an opportunity to write letters to Senate Committees asking that more money be appropriated for election security with accountability parameters for how the money may be spent. Appetizers will be provided and live music by the Doc West Band starts at 7:30. RSVP here.
SATURDAY NOVEMBER 9
CANVASS TO DEFEAT SUSAN COLLINS
DEMAND THAT SENATORS SUPPORT A FAIR IMPEACHMENT TRIAL
Want to put some pressure on Republican Senators and support the impeachment process?
Indivisible has identified 13 Senators who might be swayed and is asking us to call voters in their states and ask those voters to turn up the pressure on their elected officials. It’s a simple process:
Sign up for a shift here and use the Hubdialer platform to call progressive voters in one of the target states.
Explain what's at stake in the impeachment fight and why it's so important that they talk to their senators.
Ask them to use their power by calling their members of Congress.
When they agree, hit a button to patch them through to their senator's office.
And stay tuned for information on impeachment rallies and events being planned for November, including local rallies that will be held on the eve of any impeachment vote being organized by the same groups that planned the "Nobody is Above the Law" rallies last year and this spring. Check this link for more details.
ADVOCATE FOR SECURE
ELECTIONS
We're working hard to elect good candidates, but that work will be undermined if our election systems can be hacked. Earlier this week, Senate Republicans blocked two election security bills, so we need to get loud if we want secure elections in 2020. Contact federal and state legislators and ask them to support adequate funding and measures like hand-marked paper ballots and post-election audits to protect our elections.
Call Your U.S. Senators at 833-413-5906 and urge them to support the $600 million in funding and accountability measures contained in the House funding bill for election security in any final budget negotiations. You’ll be given talking points and then be connected to the Capitol switchboard.
Learn about Congressional Hearings on Election Security
Last month, the House Judiciary Committee held an initial hearing on securing America's elections; you can watch or read the testimony from that hearing here. This week, the Committee followed up with testimony from federal agencies responsible for election security: video and testimony from that hearing is available here.
Support Election Security Bills in MA
Massachusetts' voting machines count actual paper ballots, but they are still vulnerable in several ways. One key way to protect our vote is to audit the paper ballots cast to make sure they match up with electronic vote tallies. Four bills (S.388, H.694, H.687, and H.721) that would strengthen post-election audits, including three that would establish risk-limiting audits - a gold-standard reform, were discussed at a recent State House hearing. Call or email your state legislators and urge them to support these bills.
GET THE ROE ACT PASSED NOW!
Getting the ROE Actpassed to protect reproductive rights here in MA has beome more urgent! A few weeks ago, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a Louisiana case that could undermine Roe v. Wade. Please help us get this legislation out of committee before the legislature adjourns for its holiday recess in Novermber.
Sign up to join us at the State House for the ROE Act Advocacy Day on Thursday, November 14. Get more details and RSVP here.
Attend a meeting of a local group that supports the ROE Act. Join us in Arlington tonightOctober 23 from 6:30-8:30pm for Mystic Valley Action for Choice's monthly meeting to discuss actions we can take to support the ROE Act. Light refreshments will be available. RSVP here to get the address.
There's only a few more weeks to collect signatures to get ranked choice voting on the ballot in MA and we need your help!
Even collecting 5-10 signatures makes a difference. The ballot campaign has asked everyone to submit only 5 signatures per sheet to limit the chances of a sheet being rejected. Can you collect 5 signatures from your family, friends, or neighbors? You can use the comment field on this form to let us know if you'd like to get 1 or 2 signature forms or if you'd like to collect more signatures and we'll get you what you need. Sign up here if you can help collect signatures with us outside the Lexington Farmers Market next Tuesday afternoon October 29.
You can also collect signatures by signing up directly with the ballot campaign here. Find locations across the state where volunteers are already planning to collect signatures here.
HELP PREVENT GUN VIOLENCE
MONDAY, OCTOBER 28
GUN VIOLENCE: A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS
Temple Isaiah and the Lexington League of Women Voters are co-sponsoring a talk by Dr. David Hemenway based on his book Private Guns, Public Health. Dr. Hemenway, who is a Professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, will present the case for approaching gun violence as a public health issue - emphasizing prevention over punishment - and propose ways to reduce gun violence. This event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served at 6:30 and the talk begins at 7:30. See this link for more details.
DISCUSS AN IMPORTANT BOOK
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23
MI BOOK CLUB MEETING
Our MI Book Club meetings are back! Join us at the Lexington Community Center at 7:15pm to discuss Evicted, the Pulitzer Prize winning book by Matthew Desmondthat focuses on poverty, housing insecurity, and public policy in a large Midwestern city. New members are always welcome and we provide a summary of the book for those who haven't had a chance to read it yet. RSVP here.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 29
PROTECTING DEMOCRACY BY PROTECTING THE VOTE
The Cambridge Public Library Foundation is hosting a special conversation about how voter suppression is impacting democracy. Speakers include Professor Carol Anderson, author of One Person, No Vote, Professor Lawrence Lessig of Harvard Law School, and Professor Rachel Cobb from Suffolk University, who will moderate the discussion. There's a reception at 6pm, followed by the program at 7. RSVP here for this free event.
.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 3 or THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7
UNDERSTANDING WHITE FRAGILITY
Lexington's Community Coalition invites you to join them to discuss the book White Fragility, and learn how to move past emotional barriers to become actively anti-racist. Two of our MI members will be on the Sunday panel at the Lexington Depot from 2-4:00pm! There will also be a similar event on Thursday morning from 9-11:00am at Via Lago. All are welcome See this link for more details.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15
"WE ARE INDIVISIBLE" BOOK EVENT
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 will be coming to your inbox on the first and third week of the month this fall.
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!
