Indivisibles,

As we enter the second week of nationwide protests against the murder of George Floyd -- an innocent Black man in Minneapolis, and Breonna Taylor, tragically lost to a no-knock police raid in Louisville, and all the other Black lives taken by police violence -- we know it can be difficult to know where to channel your time and energy. This moment has mobilized millions people around the world, both inside and outside of our movement, to take a hard look at the institutions that prop up law enforcement, perpetuate racism, and enable state-sanctioned murder and brutality. We’re at a turning point that demands fundamental change at a systemic level. 

That’s why we’re joining in solidarity with the movement to #DefundthePolice. 

No matter where you’re from, you want to feel like your local and state institutions have your back. Consistent acts of police brutality and violence against Black communities shows that these institutions serve some of us -- but not all of us. We’re adding our collective voice to the national calls by local organizers for transformative reform because we see the power it has to uplift those who are policed the hardest. 

Defunding the police means taking money out of police department budgets, many of which are allocated millions or even billions of dollars a year, to fund services and programs that provide basic needs -- things like food assistance, housing assistance, clean water, mental health services, school funding, and more. 

Throughout the weekend, we saw questions on social media about why defunding the police is the answer and you might have seen this tweet go around: 

And it’s true. For years, public needs like healthcare and education had their budgets slashed and defunding the police isn’t such a radical idea when we think about the history of what merits cost cuts or not. Defunding the police means re-allocating funds to transform communities by ensuring that more people have access to what they need to be safe and well, giving way to new services that are better equipped to support and protect. If you’re with us, check out our resource on how to get involved with this movement. 

Take continued action this week and keep the momentum going to defund the police and to be in solidarity with Black lives. In the meantime, here’s our list of weekly to-dos:

 Your 5 weekly to-dos 

1. Take action in solidarity with protestors in Minneapolis and across the country. Last week, protestors showed up across the country to assert that Black Lives Matter and that it’s time for police violence to end. Yesterday, the movement won a huge victory in Minneapolis and now we’re working to defund police across the country. Check in on our resource for the latest asks, and then donate, make calls, and demand accountability for the thousands of deaths of Black people at the hands of police.
2. If you missed it, check out our workshop on being a stronger ally to the fight for racial justice. How do Indivisibles talk within our groups about and amidst this national moment? This mini-training will teach you how to use the fundamentals of relational organizing to escalate white folks and non-black people of color from allies to accomplices, both in casual conversations and in concrete anti-racist steps within our communities.
3. Check out our third episode of our Youtube series, COVID Corruption. This episode ties into the ongoing protests against police brutality that we've seen around the country, and provides examples of how allies can take action -- especially during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has revealed how badly we are failing to meet people's basic needs.
4. RSVP for the Vote for Our Lives Virtual Rally. Congress should proactively take steps to protect the health and safety of voters, because nobody should have to choose between their health and their vote. Join Speaker Nancy Pelosi, voting rights leader Reverend Barber, civil rights and labor icon Dolores Huerta, and representatives of voting rights and racial justice organizations on Tuesday, June 9 at 7pm ET to hear about the impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our elections and the need to provide funding to ensure we can vote safely during COVID-19. 
5. Call your Senators and demand they pass the Heroes Act immediately. Working families are still feeling the pain of the COVID crisis. Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans don’t want to do anything except give more handouts to corporations, but that won’t help people who need to pay their rent or who have lost their jobs because of the coronavirus. We need to demand that they pass the Heroes Act immediately and oppose any amendments that water the bill down.

 2020 Update 

This month, we surveyed Indivisibles across the country to find out who they believed Joe Biden should choose to be his running mate. After hearing from you, the choice for Indivisibles is clear: Senator Elizabeth Warren is the top choice for Vice President. 

• Elizabeth Warren is the number one choice for Vice President among Indivisible supporters. 41% of respondents picked her as their first choice. To put this in context, the second-best choice was Kamala Harris, who garnered 21% support. Stacy Abrams was the third choice, with 18% support. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar performed the worst, earning only 7% of respondents' support.
• Elizabeth Warren led the pack across key battleground states: Arizona, Michigan, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania Indivisibles all believe Senator Warren is the top choice for Vice President.
• Senator Warren, more than any other potential candidate, will mobilize progressive community leaders and activists to help elect Joe Biden. 46% of respondents indicated that the selection of Senator Warren would make them more likely to volunteer and/or donate to the Biden campaign.

To learn more about the survey, its methodology, and the results, read our writeup here!

 Find a Virtual Event “near” you

• Red and Rural Webinar Series Episode #3 - Transformational Conversations
  Join us for the  final webinar of the Red and Rural series as we learn what it means to host transformational conversations in Red and Rural Communities. Using elements of deep, values based canvassing, we will discuss how to have difficult conversations with our loved ones. We will be joined by Emily Baird-Chrisohon, from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
  Date: June 10th, 8pm EST
  Register here.
• Rural Voices Summit
  Join us for Indivisible’s Virtual Rural Voices Summit! Come connect with rural Indivisible groups and rural organizers from across the country for a day of digital celebration, self-care, and rural power building in anticipation of the November election.
  Date: June 27th, 11 AM-5:30 PM EST
  Register here.
• Save the date: End of SCOTUS Term Virtual Protest 
  The partisan, conservative justices on the stolen Supreme Court are poised to inflict tremendous damage to our democracy over the next few weeks. That’s why Take Back the Court, Indivisible, and Demand Justice are coming together to fight back and press for court reform.
  Join Senator Elizabeth Warren, Alicia Garza, and Dan Pfeiffer for an hour-long virtual protest on Facebook Live
  Date: June 30th, 8pm EST
  Register here.

Fund support for protestors nationwide 

As protests across the nation continue to demand justice for George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and countless other Black lives lost to police violence, organizations working on the ground to support activists need as much help as we can give them. We’ve set up a page where you can donate directly to leading organizations in Minnesota and nationwide -- click here to find out more and fund the crucial work they’re doing.

Hold each other in community 

Even though the protests over the last week have been met with opposition and confusion, there were a few wins that kept us motivated to push forward. On Sunday, the Minneapolis City Council announced they would be moving forward with defunding the city’s police department. The decision makes a special call on the community to help design a path forward.

There’s still so much more work to do but we encourage you to find hope and meaning where you see progress, even if it’s in your personal life. Keep marching forward, we’ll be right there at your side.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team

PS: For Indivisibles who are attending local protests where social distancing is not possible (which is, ya know, a lot of them), general guidance from health officials recommend that you contact your preferred medical provider to discuss testing for COVID-19 between 5 and 7 days after your protest. Stay safe and engaged.