Indivisibles,

There’s a lot moving in Washington this week, but we want to pause to acknowledge that today is the first day of Black Futures Month! The impact of the Black community goes beyond successful organizing during critical elections -- every day, Black organizers are charting a path forward for a country that is truly by and for the people. That’s why we’re following the lead of our partners at Movement for Black Lives to celebrate Black Futures Month, a time to honor the work that’s been done and uplift the work that is happening today. 

In America, every fight is a fight that involves Black liberation and justice. This week, we’re focused on a few key issues that signal how progress is being undercut by bad-faith actors, and how we plan to move forward.

We need to employ the constituent power we’ve been building for the last four years to make progress. Get started with your weekly to-dos:

 Your weekly to-dos 

1. Call your members of Congress to demand they pass meaningful COVID-19 relief without watering it down. Even as more and more people lose their jobs and their loved ones to the virus, Republicans seem to be more concerned with political games than delivering relief to hard-hit communities. And while COVID-19 doesn’t discriminate, there's no doubt that the virus has disproportionately impacted Black communities. Today, Republicans are meeting with President Biden to discuss a much smaller relief package in the name of “unity” and “bipartisanship” (see below for more details). We need to build on Biden’s plan with meaningful improvements and pass a package that takes this crisis seriously.
2. With one week before Trump's impeachment trial, apply pressure on Senators to remove and disqualify. The impeachment trial is starting on February 8, but we need to keep calling this week so they know we still care. We won’t forget the images of white nationalists roaming the capitol with confederate flags and Nazi paraphernalia -- and we need anyone who dismisses the gravity of what happened last month to be held accountable. Many Republicans are still promoting “unity” over accountability and would rather not disturb Trump’s base by voting to convict him. This is a fight we believe we can win -- but only if we bring enough pressure.
3. Make calls for democracy reform. Now that we have a Democratic trifecta, we have to move quickly to unrig our democracy so all of our other priorities can be within reach. We’re setting our sights on passing H.R. 1/ S. 1, the For the People Act, a robust reform package that targets voter suppression, gerrymandering, money in politics, corruption, and more. Also on our agenda, passing H.R. 51/ S. 51 to make D.C. the 51st state. Both of these bills represent critical structural democracy reforms and racial justice priorities. They’ll make our democracy more equitable and representative of the people, and empower the long-term progressive goals that we’ve been fighting for. Click here to read more about the For the People Act and D.C. Statehood.
4. Call your representative and demand that they cosponsor Rep. Jimmy Gomez’s resolution to expel Marjorie Taylor Greene and vote to expel when it comes to the floor. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) is a seditious, hateful, QAnon-supporting, racist, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic congresswoman and she deserves to be expelled from the House of Representatives. While we support expulsion and other consequences for additional members who have broken their oaths, this is an important step forward toward accountability and restoring the integrity of Congress.
5. Sign up for Tuesday’s 100 Days for Climate, Jobs, and Justice: Winning the THRIVE Agenda Livestream. Amidst a confluence of devastating crises -- the pandemic, racial injustice, economic devastation, and of course climate change -- we have a historic opportunity to set our country on a different course in the next few months. But it will take all of us working together to make our voices heard and demand change.

Policy update: COVID-19 relief 

Today, 10 Senate Republicans are meeting with President Biden to promote a woefully inadequate COVID-19 relief counterproposal to Biden’s original $1.9 trillion plan. This is the same group, led by Susan Collins, that believes that December’s relief package is more than enough to carry us through the next few months (🙄). This isn’t a proposal Democratic leadership is taking seriously. In fact, all it confirms is that Senate Republicans aren’t interested in working with Democrats in good faith to address this crisis.

Democrats have plans to pass their relief proposal through a process called budget reconciliation. It’s a fancy term for a simple process: committees write tax and spending legislation that includes Biden’s $1.9 trillion plan. Then, since reconciliation can’t be filibustered (#AbolishTheFilibuster), the resolution can pass in the Senate through a simple majority vote. And, to the Republicans who say reconciliation demonstrates a lack of “unity,” we’ll remind them that the Republican-controlled Senate used this process to pass huge tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations and to attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act. 

Democrats are moving quickly to get relief out the door. The House is set to vote on the budget resolution (the first step in budget reconciliation that directs committees to write legislation) on Wednesday, after which it will go to the Senate for their vote. From there, a COVID-19 relief package will come together for Congress to vote on through the reconciliation process. 

Regardless of party, it's crucial that we keep applying pressure on our members of Congress to deliver on their promises for meaningful COVID-19 relief. Democrats should remain firm in their position to pass Biden's plan without falling for empty calls for bipartisanship -- call your representative to demand they support a bold rescue plan and fight to defend the bill once it heads to the Senate.

P.S. -- We rely on your support to keep these call pages up and running, fund ads to get the word out, and continue all the work we’re doing this year. If you’re able, click here to donate to help fund our work.

 National events 

100 Days for Climate, Jobs, and Justice: Winning the THRIVE Agenda Livestream
Join this call with fellow activists and movement leaders to hear about how the Democratic trifecta creates a huge opportunity for change -- and how we must mobilize a multiracial, cross-movement effort to seize it. We’ll hear about policies that are needed to transform our economy in ways that create good jobs, fight climate change, and advance justice for those on the front lines, as well as the political waters we must navigate to win. We’ll leave the call with concrete steps and updates on what’s next.
Date: TOMORROW, Tuesday, February 2 at 7 pm EST -- Register here. 

New Year, New Plan: Working with Red MoCs
This hour-long training session will cover how to work with your Republican member of Congress. We know that there are so many unique challenges that come along with organizing in a red area, so throughout this training, we will cover some effective strategies and tactics for working with your conservative members. Of course, we will leave some time for questions along the way. For this event, both times cover the same content, so register for the time that works best for your schedule.
Dates: TOMORROW, Tuesday, February 2 at 8 pm EST -- Register here.
Wednesday, February 3 at 3 pm EST -- Register here.  

February National Activist Call
From COVID-19 relief negotiations, impeachment proceedings, and establishing the Senate Organizing Resolution, there’s a lot happening in the coming weeks in D.C. Join activists and group leaders to discuss these issues and our next steps during our next monthly National Activist Call. We’ll be starting this call on a slight delay (likely 5 to 10 minutes after the hour) due to another Indivisible training in the preceding hour. If you're getting a notification that the call hasn't started yet, hang on for a few minutes and you will be admitted to the call. Thanks for the flexibility and apologies for any inconvenience!
Date: Thursday, February 4 at 8 pm EST -- Register here.    

New Year, New Plan: Working with Blue MoCs
This hour-long training session will cover how to work with your Democratic member of Congress. We know there is a broad spectrum when it comes to Democratic members so we’ll be discussing the differences across the Democratic Party -- from progressive Dems to working with conservative Democrats. We will also spend time exploring strategies and tactics for holding your Democratic member accountable during a trifecta. Of course, we will leave some time for questions along the way. For this event, both times cover the same content, so register for the time that works best for your schedule.
Dates: Thursday, February 4 at 7 pm EST -- Register here.
Friday, February 5 at 3 pm EST -- Register here. 

Some good news 

All month long we’ll be uplifting the work of Black-led organizations and activists who are doing the hard work on the ground to further Black liberation and justice: 

Starting this month off on a good note, Stacey Abrams and the Black Lives Matter movement have both just been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize! These nominations aren’t at all surprising: BLM’s ongoing fight against racial violence brought about an international reckoning for racial justice last year and Abrams’ vision for a Democratically-controlled Georgia worked to register over 800,000 voters in a state with a long history of voter suppression.

Stacey Abrams' work helps us reimagine the future of our elections. She may have helped deliver Georgia (and the presidential election), but she isn’t alone in her fight. Black activists like Tamieka Atkins, Nsé Ufot, Helen Butler, and thousands more who have powered the Black Lives Matter movement, and electoral and legislative wins nationwide, share Stacey’s vision and have dedicated their lives to organizing. 

If you’re looking for more ways to celebrate Black Futures Month, check out the work of our partner organization, Movement for Black Lives.

In solidarity,
Indivisible Team