Protect Our Future

Actions for Week of October 3, 2021

Either we act now, or THE GOP steals the next election and destroys our only planet

Any time
FLORIDA POSTCARDING

Broward for Progress is hosting virtual postcarding to Florida voters.  Let's get more blue mayors and school boards to protect our elections, our lives, and our kids.

Monday, October 4
LETTER WRITING (in person)
5:30 PM
The Ellington (outdoor patio)
2745 Broadway

Swing Left is organizing a Vote Forward letter writing event in person, with letters, stamps, and all materials provided. All you need to do is show up. Write to VA voters to keep VA blue.

Tuesday, October 5
PHONE BANK TO VA
VA has a gubernatorial election this year, as well as selecting a new legislature. Let's not let Trump's picks win!
 

Wednesday, October 6
END CITIZENS UNITED
6 PM

Target Majority NYC has partnered with End Citizens United to host Phone Banks for the Freedom to Vote Act every Wednesday evening. We're talking to voters in AZ to patch them directly through to moderate Senator Sinema, and urge her to fix the filibuster and protect the Freedom to Vote. Incidentally, this is even more crucial because Ted Cruz is suing to able to donate even more money and get higher reimbursements to his own campaign!

Thursday, October 7
VOTE FORWARD LETTER WRITING BASH
7 PM

Swing Left is organizing a Vote Forward letter writing party to reach voters about upcoming elections. 
 

Saturday, October 9
PA VOTER REGISTRATION (in person)
9 AM - 6PM

Voter Registration in Philadelphia with UWS MoveOn/Indivisible; Join UWS MoveOn/Indivisible volunteers to register voters at a Farmers Market in Philly! with their local Indivisible. Carpool, train, or bus.

FUN

A walk in the park
Filmed in France around 1900

Dinosaur tail wagging
Models show that two-legged dinosaurs had to wag their tails to walk properly.

Having a whale of a time!
Say hi to the humans.

More whales. No travel needed
They're right here in NYC!

**** Your steering committee: Jodi, Margo, Nicole, and Jonathan

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Democracy is on the Line

Actions for Week of September 26, 2021

Voting maps are being drawn, and women's rights are in peril.

Tuesday, September 28
REDISTRICTING FIGHT FOR FAIR VOTING MAPS
8–9 PM

Join Swing Left for a virtual conversation about this year’s redistricting process and the fight for fair maps.

Voting rights and gerrymandering experts Marc Elias of Democracy Docket Action Fund, Leslie Small of America Votes Georgia, and Kelly Burton of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee will discuss the the implications of redistricting on the 2022 midterms, elections for the next 10 years, and the core of American democracy.

Wednesday, September 29\
KEEP VIRGINIA BLUE
6:30-8:30 PM

Call voters in VA and urge them to vote Democratic in this critical gubernatorial and state legislative election. Polling is close and the GOP candidate is endorsed by the likes of Ted Cruz and Trump! Training provided, so don’t worry if this is new to you. 

Thursday, September 30
KEEP NEW JERSEY BLUE
5 PM-7PM

Keep a Democrat in the governor’s seat and expand team blue up and down the ballot.  Otherwise, Jersey risks getting a Trumpian style Republican who repeats covid lies and spoke at rallies lying about the 2020 election. Keep Jersey moving forward (not backward). Training provided.

Saturday, October 2
RALLY FOR REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS & AGAINST VIGILANTES
2 PM
Washington Square Park

Reproductive rights are fundamental human rights. March from Washington Square Park to Union Square park to show solidarity for the people of Texas and have our voices heard. Please wear masks.  Attend in person, or watch on Facebook: https://facebook.com/events/s/march-for-reproductive-rights/186293943612158/
 

All this week
SUPPORT HIGH SCHOOL VOTER REGISTRATION\

Most high school students are eligible to register to vote before they graduate from high school. But the majority of schools do little to help.

Students across the country will be holding voter registration drives in their high schools. High school student leaders can sign up for a free training to learn how to lead a drive in their schools. Students receive a free Democracy in a Box toolkit. Please encourage the high school students in your life to get involved.

Any time
Subscribe to Democracy Docket! 

Democratic voting rights attorney Marc Elias has created an essential resource called Democracy Docket for detailed information about important litigation and policy shaping our elections and democratic institutions. Subscribe to stay informed on the fight for democracy in the courts and in Congress.

FUN

Playing to a different crowd
Not your standard audience

Origami Knight
All with a single sheet of paper

Whales in the desert
Egypt's large fossil collections include early whale ancestors. Not what you expect in a desert.

Undersea photography
Winners of the best photos for 2021

Save Democracy

Actions for Week of September 19, 2021

Stop the fascists.before it’s too late

Any time
Call Senator Schumer and demand he unite his caucus to abolish the filibuster and pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act: (202) 224-6542 or (212) 486-4430.

Tuesday, Sept 21
LETTER WRITING AT AU JUS
4 - 5:30pm at Au Jus [99th St/Bway]. 

Write letters through Vote Forward to irregular Virginian Democratic voters to motivate them to vote.  Socialize and get to know other activists.

OR

PHONE BANK FOR VA (1)
(Tues. Sept. 21 6-8 PM, or Sat. Sept. 25 3-5 PM)

Join NYC-based Sister District volunteers for a Virginia phone bank in support of candidates Debra Gardner and Chris Hurst! 

Wednesday, Sept. 22
PHONE BANK FOR VA (2)
6-8 PM

Join Sister District teams in New Jersey, Coastal LA, Bronx/Westchester, Brooklyn, Southern VT, and friends around the nation to call voters to help VA Delegates Wendy Gooditis and Lashrecse Aird win reelection!

LEARN ABOUT VA CANDIDATES
Want to learn more about the candidates working to keep Virginia's House of Delegates blue? Join Sister District for a candidate spotlight series of interviews on Instagram

Wednesday, September 22
CALL VA AND AZ VOTERS!
 6 PM

Swing Left Target Majority NYC has partnered with End Citizens United and Let America Vote to host phone banks on Wednesday evenings to call voters in West Virginia and elsewhere to patch them directly through to their moderate dem senators and urge them to end the filibuster and pass voting rights.

Saturday, Sept 25
PHONE BANKING TO VIRGINIA VOTERS
4-6 PM

Join SwingLeft's Weekend of Action as voting in Virginia starts on Friday, Sept 24!

Sunday, Sept 26
VOTER REGISTRATION IN PHILADELPHIA:  
9 AM-6 PM 

Help register voters at a farmer's market in Philadelphia that is organized by our partner Indivisible Philadelphia.  We'll travel by car [pooling] as well as train or bus.  If you have a car that you can drive, please indicate.

OR

FUNDRAISER FOR ANTONIO DELGADO
4:00 in the Flatiron district (exact address upon RSVP)

Antonio Delgado (NY19) is in a tight race to keep a vital house seat.  Come support his effort to keep the house!

FUN

There be whales (lots of them)
A large pod, all in one place

The Duke plays the blues
This is called The Weary Blues. I can relate.

Slow shipping, climate friendly
Call it back to the future

Men at work.. in space!
Even in space, things fall apart

Now or Never

Actions for Week of September 12, 2021

We’ve got to protect the vote, at all levels, or lose our majority. Do you want the fascists to win?

Monday, September 13
POSTCARDS TO VOTERS

Send postcards to voters in Ocala, FL urging them to vote for Dr. Manal Fakhoury for mayor. The election is Sept. 21. Text JOIN to 484-275-2229.

Any time
NY STATE BALLOT PROPOSALS

There are 5 ballot proposals on the ballot this November. Mostly about making voting easier.  Find out more about them from this League of Women Voters event.

Tuesday, September 14
PHONE BANK TO VIRGINIA
6:00 PM–8:00 PM

Neal Morgan, Sister District Head of Organizing, will lead training for this phone bank to call voters in VA for two amazing democratic candidates for VA House of Delegates - Debra Gardner and Chris Hurst.

Wednesday, September 15
PHONE BANK FOR VIRGINIA DELEGATES
6:00 PM–8:00 PM
Please join Sister District teams in New Jersey, Coastal LA, Bronx/Westchester, Brooklyn, Southern VT, our partners Loudoun County Democrats & friends around the nation to call voters to help our great VA Delegates Wendy Gooditis and Lashrecse Aird!

Friday, September 17

RALLY TO SAVE DEMOCRACY
Federal Hall, 26 Wall Street
11 AM

Fueled  by Trump’s big li lies, the GOP is going all out to suppress voting any way they can.  They’ve introduced over 400 bills just this year!. And d now they are planning to draw Congressional district maps that will make it even worse. Let’s make sure Senator Schumer knows how important we think it is to stop them.

Saturday, September 18
5 PM - 7 PM 

OR

Sunday, September 19
12:30 - 2:30 PM
BLUE JERSEY!

Call our neighbors in New Jersey and talk to them about how important it is to keep Democrats at all levels of government (not just Congress).

Any time
SAVE THE SCHOOL BOARDS! 

Some of the most important elections are happening at the school-board level, where right-wing extremists have been running and winning seats. Run for Something has endorsed several school board candidates this year. Here are three to get involved with below:

-Halla Henderson, St. Paul School Board, MN

Sign up to volunteer: https://www.hallaforspps.com/contact

-A. Tom Hasani, Upper Moreland Township Board of School Directors, PA

Sign up to volunteer: https://tomhasani.com/contact-us

-Ayesha M. Wilson, MSW, Cambridge School Committee, MA

Sign up to volunteer: https://www.voteayesha.com/get-involved

FUN

Early traffic in NY
We had streetcars!

This rare map was headed to the trash
Turned out to be treasure

Alvin Ailey Dances
Chroma, Grace, Takedame, and Revelations

George Lewis and Beethoven
From the BBC and the Proms

Get in on the fringe
The odd, the unusual, and the just plain off the wall, from the Philly Fringe festival

**** Your steering committee: Jodi, Margo, Nicole, and Jonathan

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If Not Now, When?

Actions for Week of September 5, 2021

If we do not act, who will act for us?

Any time
Pass the Women’s Health Protection Act
Yes, our congressional reps support this, but we’ve got to pressure them (especially Schumer) on this. Even more reason to kill the filibuster!

Any time
(Not an action per se, but vital info about amendments on the ballot this November)
Make voting easier, protect our air and water, and redistricting
 

Wednesday, Sept. 8
Chuck the Filibuster
2-4 PM OR 4-6 PM

Team up with Common Cause to insist on real democracy (and not the Trumpian dystopia the GOP wants). Call voters in Delaware and  connect them to their Senators.  Urge those Senators to support the For the People Act (S1) and eliminate the filibuster. 

Any time
Tell the White House to protect our right to vote

\While we’re at it, let’s make sure the White House knows how we feel about elections.

Sunday September 12
Join Field Team 6 in calling eligible voters in North Carolina's 8th district
3-5 PM

You’ll be targeting Richard Hudson, a traitorous Republican who voted to overturn the Biden election results. In November, Richard won his district (NC-08) by 6.6 points, or 24,993 votes. We have 33,938 eligible voters to call in his district. Let’s go get ‘em.

Any time
Register votes in Texas
Beto O’Rourke has launched a tool to help register TX voters right in their homes. You can phone bank, text, or do social media outreach.

FUN

You will not go to space today
Makes me think of Wile E. Coyote somehow

Play with your food!
Produce staff having fun

Success!
A little piece of Mars collected (for eventual retrieval)

Comedy wildlife photo awards
Animals being silly (while people take photos)

Awwww
Friends!

**** Your steering committee: Jodi, Margo, Nicole, and Jonathan

P.S. There will be a Women’s March on October 2 to protest TX and the Supreme Court’s shadow docket denying women basic rights over our own bodies. More details as I get them.

Important Update! - Voting Rights or Bust!

Actions for Week of August 29, 2021

This is our only chance to save democracy from the rising GOP

Democracy is under attack. Across this country, at every level of government, from school boards to federal office, Trump-inspired white supremacists and dangerous conspiracy theorists are gaining power.

Republicans in states like Georgia, Texas, and others are passing draconian laws that will strip voting rights from millions, and hand the power to choose our elected representatives to increasingly radical Republican lawmakers. 

All of this is happening on the cusp of a gerrymandering process that may cause us to lose the House.

Nothing is more important right now than preserving and expanding the right to vote, and doing all we can to prevent more extremists from winning elections.

With that in mind, Indivisible Upper East Side will devote all efforts from now until the 2022 Midterms on local, state, and federal-level actions to protect democracy and the right to vote.

That includes everything from continuing to push Schumer to abolish the filibuster and pass the For the People and John Lewis Voting Rights Acts; to fighting back against efforts like California's anti-democratic recall effort; to promoting efforts to influence local school board elections - and more.

If you're reading this, there is something YOU can do this week to help protect our democracy. Ask your friends to help too. Here are some places to start:

Any time
Call Senator Schumer and demand he unite his caucus to abolish the filibuster and pass the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act: (202) 224-6542 or (212) 486-4430.

Tuesday, August 31
Keep Virginia Blue
6:30PM - 8:30PM

Phone bank to re-elect Roselyn Tyler to the VA House of Delegates and help keep the Governor's mansion BLUE, too! Del. Tyler's district is becoming more conservative. She is being challenged by a conservative who came within 2% of winning last election. We need to keep this seat, and the Virginia House, blue!

Wednesday, September 1
Dial WV, AZ & NH For the People w/ End Citizens United
6 PM - 8 PM

Call voters in WV and NH and patch them directly through to their Democratic Senators. Then urge them to support the For the People Act. This legislation will rein in corporate interests, end partisan gerrymandering, ban dark money, and protect our freedom to vote. President Biden has asked for the bill to come to his desk quickly, it's on the verge of becoming law, and we need your help to make it happen.

Shifts will begin with a quick training session, and all you'll need is your computer and some headphones. Scripts will be provided.

Thursday, September 2
Stop Voter Suppression and Increase Democratic Registration
3 PM - 6 PM

Call voters in AZ, GA, and Louisiana to register voters of color, insist on fair districts, and urge their Senators to support S1.

OR

Join a For the People Act Teach-In and Phone Bank with Swing Left
6 PM

Swing Left and Common Cause will host a teach-in about the For the People Act, followed by a phone bank to West Virginia that puts voters in that state directly though to Sen. Joe Manchin's voicemail, the only Dem in the Senate not yet signed on to support S1, and the staunchest supporter of the filibuster. These voter messages have already worked incredibly well to change Manchin's position! We have to keep moving him in the right direction.

Sunday September 5
Write VA '21 Letters with Vote Forward, Swing Left & NW Bronx Indivisible
1-3 PM

Virginia holds crucial statewide elections this November. Write letters to underrepresented Democratic voters to support them in getting out to vote. You will learn how to write effective letters and spend an hour or two getting to know some great fellow activists!  We wrote 110 letters last year to help turn VA blue. Can we double that this time?  

FUN

Brains!!
Mini brains grown in a lab from stem cells have spontaneously developed rudimentary eye structures, scientists report in a fascinating new paper.

Wienerlympics!
Swimming, weightlifting, and lots more! 

New type of human found in Indonesia.
This hunter-gatherer lived 7,000 years ago.

Dog and cat living together!
Scultpural best friends

Girl Reading a Letter at an Open Window
Restoration of a Vermeer reveals a cupid hidden for over 350 years

Stop the GOP Steal

Actions for Week of August 22, 2021

The GOP is trying to steal a governor’s chair in CA, Senator Sinema is playing games with democracy, and why local elections matter (think mask mandates and school curricula).

Tuesday, August 24

FOR THE PEOPLE PHONEBANK WITH COMMON CAUSE 
5:30 PM - 8 PM

Call voters in key states and patch them through to their Senators.  You can even pick which Senator’s constituents you’d like to talk to (like maybe Sinema or Manchin).  Sinema claims to support voting rights, but will she put her money where her mouth is?  Training included if you need it.

Wednesday, August 25

STOP THE GOVERNOR RECALL IN CALIFORNIA

The California recall is way too close.  Republicans are energized, while Democrats seem to be oblivious. Newsom must get over 50% of the vote in order to remain governor. Otherwise, whichever Republican gets the most votes, no matter how small a percentage, will become governor! And that will allow him to fill any Senate vacancies, among other things. Let’s stop this nonsense by writing some postcards!

MAKE CALLS TO STOP THE CA RECALL
8:30 PM - 11 PM

If phone calls are more your speed, team up with our own Kim Moscaritolo to call CA residents and tell them how Trump allies, QAnoners, conspiracy theorists, and anti-vaxxers are trying to usurp the will of the people of CA and replace their governor with a Trump stooge.

Thursday, August 26
PA VOTER REGISTRATION PHONE BANKING 
5 -7 PM

Chat with unregistered potential blue voters in PA. Urge them to register in time for this year’s local elections (those matter too - just look at school boards defying ridiculous mask bans).

Any time
END TAXPAYER-FUNDED FOSSIL FUEL SUBSIDIES

Global warming is an immediate and urgent threat (soaking rain, hurricanes, and fires burning out of control).  This must be stopped, and fast.  

FUN

Whatever happened to all the moon trees?
Sprouted from seeds that traveled to space in 1971, many haven’t fared so well back on Earth.

Pompeii's snack bar now on view
Photos at link (since we can't see it in person),

The town that’s underground
It’s so hot here, people live beneath the sand.

Singing in the rain
The NYC concert was rained out awfully easily, but Diana Ross had more nerve, back in the day.

Squish
This is oddly hypnotic.

 

**** Your steering committee: Jodi, Margo, Nicole, and Jonathan

Let Our People Vote

Actions for Week of August 15, 2021

Voting should be easy. The GOP wants it to be hard. And NY isn’t immune.

Tuesday, August 17
Stop Voter Purges
5 PM-6:30 PM

Team up with the ACLU to alert Florida voters that they have been removed from the voting rolls (sometimes without realizing it).  Let them know what has happened and explain how they can fix it.  We can’t let the GOP win by cheating.

Thursday, August 19
Board of Elections Forum (in person or Zoom)
7 PM
Dressel Hall
88th between 1st and 2nd

The Board of Elections keeps failing.  Are you mad about it? Want to do something?  Join Sen. Liz Krueger and Joanna Zdanys (Brennan Center for Justice) for a forum on improving our elections,

Friday, August 20
Virtual Coffee with Carolyn Maloney
 8-9AM. 

Chat with our Congresswoman about what’s going on in Washington (or isn’t) and what we’d like her to do to fix it.

Sunday, August 22
August UWS MoveOn/Indivisible Monthly Meeting with Brad Lander
3 – 4:45pm EDT

Soon to be Comptroller Brad Lander will talk with us and take questions about his plans for being NYC’s chief financial officer.

FUN

Sneaky birds!
Help feather, er line a nest!  Seems only fair, since we use feathers for pillows and comforters.

What classical Greek and Roman statues really looked like
Hint: they weren’t white

A tuna robot reveals the art of gliding gracefully through water
It looks like a fish and swims like a fish, but it’s also a model that could inspire future underwater vehicles.

Free access to one million British and Irish newspaper pages
There are more in the archive, behind a paywall).

Reclaimed wood turns into art
The wood is worked and burned to celebrate nature.

Truth or Trump?

Actions for Week of August 8, 2021

Which do you want? And which will we get next election?

Tuesday, Aug 10
Democracy Can’t Wait
1 PM
Battery Park

Census data comes out on August 12. That will start the redistricting process. Without S1 the GOP can squiggle, wiggle, and cheat their way to an undeserved majority.  And we will never win again.  Before that happens, tell Senator Schumer to save democracy by passing the For The People Act before August break. Recess can wait, democracy can't!

OR

Phone Bank to Register Democrats to Vote in Georgia
3-5 PM

Join Field Team 6 to call eligible voters (likely Dems) in Georgia. You'll be reaching out to get people registered as Democrats, or signed up to vote from home (vote by mail) if they're already registered (and 65 or over, or disabled).

Thursday, August 12
Stop Voter Suppression
3-6 PM

Stop the gerrymandering that costs Dems seats (even when we win more votes). Voting should be simple, easy, and quick. Call Arizonans and West Virginians and connect them to their Senators' offices automatically. Training is provided (so no need to be nervous).

ANY TIME
Call Senator Schumer

Call Sen. Schumer and tell him to keep public campaign finance in the final version of the voting legislation -- and to pass it before starting Senate recess!
(202) 224-6542

FUN

Five minutes with Stravinksy
The composer Mikhail Baryshnikov called his “first heady sniff of the West.”

Olympics… IN SPAAAACE
Synchronized space swimming, and no-hand handball

More from the “Dee Gees”
I dare you not to chair dance.

Technicolor wasn’t really color (and why Dorothy’s slippers were red (not silver)
It was more like printing really.

I’ve got the moon!
Not the usual photo

Just Three Seats

Actions for Week of August 1, 2021

That’s all that separates us from a GOP House takeover and the death of US democracy

Monday, August 2
"Letter To the Editor" Zoom For the People  Act
5:30 – 6:30pm EDT

The “For the People Act” is at a critical stage.  Find out how to use this easy tool to send powerful letters to local papers at the touch of a button. 
 

Wednesday, August 4
Write Letters to Voters with UWS MoveOn/Indivisible [on zoom]
5 – 6:15pm EDT

Join Swing Left to write letters using this award-winning, proven tactic to reach potential voters in important upcoming elections.

Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84166869206

Thursday, August 5
End the Gerrymander, Insist on Fair Districts
3 – 6pm EDT

Fight gerrymandering and pass the For The People Act (S1/HR1).  S1 prevents locking in partisan gerrymandered districts for 10 years! S1 would also expose the billionaires who buy politicians and pay for misleading political ads, increase the impact of small donations, hold elected officials to high ethical standards, make voting simpler and safer, and much more! The tool automatically connects voters to their Senators, to urge elected officials to do the right thing.

OR

SD-36 Connecticut Phone Banking
6 PM-9 PM 

It's not just national or Congressional elections that matter. State legislatures decide election rules, women’s health, make decisions on climate, and a lot more.  Those seats need to be blue (or stay blue) too.  Join the CT Dems for a virtual phone bank -- reaching out to likely supporters to get out the vote. This election will be extremely close and it is critical we keep SD-36 blue! RSVP today for Zoom details.

FUN

Protect your trash from smart birds
They taught each other how to be vandals

The Blues (Dizzy Gillespie and George Benson)
A little bebop for your Sunday 

Wow! This is way past balloon animals
And it’s wearable too.

Bug out!
I confess, I had no idea this existed

Typewriter art
Artist creates landscapes with an unexpected art tool