Indivisibles,

Freedom Rider. Chairman. Civil Rights Champion. Conscience of the Congress. These are just some of the titles held by the heroic and inspiring John Lewis -- a man who carried the torch of the Civil Rights Era into Congress until his final days. The loss of such a giant during one of the largest movements for black lives in U.S. history is deeply painful, but this is all the more reason to embody Congressman Lewis’ optimism and tenacity:

We will continue to push Congressman Lewis’ vision for America forward with everything we do. The fight for racial justice is one of our top priorities, which is why we’re partnering with Movement 4 Black Lives on initiatives like #StrikeForBlackLives which called on us to go offline today for 8 minutes and 46 seconds in solidarity with Black lives. It’s up to us to constantly shine a light on less obvious forms of systemic injustice, like the fact that BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) make up a large portion of essential workers who are disproportionately at risk because of COVID. 

The recent events in Portland are just another example of why we can’t lose momentum. In response to protests, federal agents have taken to terrorizing Americans on the streets of Portland. While Trump calls the protestors “anarchists and agitators” from the comfort of the oval office, federal agents deployed by the Department of Homeland Security have responded with (uninvited) military force -- using tear gas, pepper spray and even abducting protestors in unmarked vehicles. Customs and Border Patrol is comfortable with these kinds of tactics -- they just did what they usually do -- except this time it’s not just at the border. This kind of behavior is more than just troubling, it’s edging us closer to a fascist state. If you look at some of the content coming out of Portland, you’ll see what we mean. For reference, here’s a disturbing video of a former Navy officer being beaten and pepper-sprayed by unidentified federal officers.

Ready to jump on any opportunity to look like a strong-man, Trump wants to see this kind of violent suppression at protests across the country. If you’re worried about excessive use of force against Americans at the hands of federal officers, you should definitely be paying attention to how Congress is handling the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). The NDAA authorizes our massive defense budget and it will be up to the Senate on Wednesday to decide how to proceed. Even though the House voted on NDAA today, we still have a few days to catch the Senate. Outraged like we are? Make sure to call your Senator and ask them to oppose the NDAA unless the Merkley-Wyden Portland amendment is adopted.

And with that, we leave you with your weekly to-dos:

 Your weekly to-dos 

1. THURSDAY CALL-IN ACTION: Call your Senators to demand they pass the Heroes Act with $3.6 billion in election funding. We are running out of time to implement safe, secure elections this fall. That’s why we’re asking everyone to call your Senators on Thursday and demand they pass the Heroes Act with $3.6 billion in election funding. Our democracy depends on it. For more information on the Heroes Act, check out our explainer where we break down the package and how it will support vulnerable families during these times.
2. Join our 2020 Electoral Bootcamp to win back the Senate and White House, and keep the House. On August 8, we’re holding a day-long virtual conference to teach you the in’s and out’s of Indivisible’s general election strategy. Come learn of the different ways to take action: from phone banking, to text banking, to countering online disinformation -- these are all the tactics we need to win!
3. Register for an Anti-racism and Allyship Livestream this Thursday, July 23. We’re grateful for our partners at MoveOn for pulling this together.  This event features Marcia Chatelain, Ph.D., who will provide some historical perspective and MoveOn's very own, Reggie Hubbard, to discuss where we go from here.The next installment of their livestream series covers how systemic racism has been historically built into the foundation of our country -- you won’t wanna miss it.
4. Join the DFAD #DemocracyOpenMic to inspire our elected leaders to act now to protect our elections. While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in states across the country, too many states lack the resources to ensure safe and accessible voting this fall. The disastrous primary elections in Wisconsin and Georgia demonstrate the urgent need for Congress to act now to #ProtectOurVote. That’s why we’re calling on activists, artists, and creators across the country to make your voice heard by participating in a Democracy Open Mic. Record a video, create a protest sign, design a graphic and more, the possibilities are endless!
5. Welcome back the Senate and demand the Heroes Act! Tomorrow, July 21 from 9AM - 1PM, join us with fellow allies to welcome back the Senate with a messaged face mask that they can wear on the floor to demand the Heroes Act! This event is in-person so please only join if you are willing and able to and are not presenting any COVID-19 symptoms.

 2020 Update 

Trump meant what he said last year, he won’t commit to accepting the result if he loses the 2020 presidential election. During a recent interview with Fox News’s Chris Wallace, Trump stated, “I’m not a good loser. I don’t like to lose.”

The peaceful transition of power from one leader to the next is the foundation of our democracy. That’s why we can’t and won’t allow Trump to follow through with his threats to ignore the will of the people. But, don’t worry, we have a plan. In partnership with Stand Up America we launched Protect the Results. We’re building the infrastructure needed to mobilize millions of Americans should Donald Trump take steps to undermine the outcome of the election. Wanna show your support? Make sure to sign the pledge to take action if Trump refuses to accept the results.

 Welcome back the Senate and Demand the Heroes Act! 

Kick-off the start of the Senate session and to mark the sprint through the last two weeks of July to ensure that provisions achieved in the Heroes Act that passed the House are front and center as the Senate gets back to work. Join us with fellow allies tomorrow, July 21 from 9AM - 1PM, with a messaged face mask that they can wear on the floor! We'll meet up on the grassy patch just across from the Senate steps on the east side of the capitol building. After you sign up, you'll get a text message with a picture of the location.

This event is in-person so please only join if you are willing and able to and are not presenting any COVID-19 symptoms. Volunteers handing out the masks will be socially distancing and have hand-sanitizer and branded masks as well. Sign up here if you can join us tomorrow!

 Find a virtual event "near" you 

Indivisible Text Banking Trainings 
Learn how to start texting with the IndivisiText program on our platform TextOut! We’re planning to send millions of texts before Election Day so we need volunteers who want to help. We send texts for endorsed IndivisiCandidates, to do volunteer recruitment, get out the vote actions, and more. These trainings are mandatory for anyone who wants to text -- so if your group is hosting a text banking party, please ensure all your attendees go to a training. Please note these trainings will all cover the same material so there is no need to attend more than one. 
Date: Wednesday, July 22 at 7pm EST -- Register HERE.
Date: Tuesday, July 28 at 8pm EST -- Register HERE. 

Indivisible August National Activist Call
We have a ton to talk about, so make sure to join us for the monthly Indivisible National Activist Call! All group leaders, group members and other Indivisible activists are welcome.
Date: Thursday, August 6 at 8pm EST -- Register HERE.

 Help us secure the results of November's election

We’re in the habit of trusting in the rule of law and peaceful transfer of power in the US, but even that isn’t guaranteed: just yesterday, Trump wouldn’t say whether he plans to accept the results of November’s election.

This is a nightmare scenario, and we have to start preparing for it now. Luckily, that’s just what we’re doing with Protect the Results -- a joint project with our partner Stand Up America to make sure Trump and everyone else respects the results of November’s election. We’re budgeting over $1.2 million if we need to do that work, and we need your help: can you donate $10 to protect the results and fund all our work?

 IndivisiWin of the Week  

You know we can’t help but keep busy over here, especially when we think we have an idea that will make your life easier. Our newest YouTube series, Indivisible Weekly, is our newest project to make our movement stronger and more unified. Every week, Pablo will tell you all about what we're working on and what you and other Indivisibles can do to help. We hope you love this project as much as we do -- and share it with your friends so they can love it too!

In solidarity, 
Indivisible Team