August Newsletter

Jen S
13 minutes ago
9 min read

CALLS TO ACTION

ONE STOP SHOPPING FOR ACTIONS NEAR YOU!

The Resistance Coalition is tracking events around the state!

SWIM is one of the many partner organizations in the Resistance Coalition (RC)! RC is working to keep track of events around the state for you - click this link to see all of the actions submitted by our Indivisible Local Groups and Partner Organizations, from Tesla Townhalls to Bridge Takeovers; from Metro Detroit to the Keweenaw Peninsula! Scroll down to the green rows to see the list of WEEKLY STANDING PROTESTS!

Check out these other resources to access links to protests across the state.

Mivoter.org
Michigan Resistance and Activism Events
We The People Dissent list and map of protests.

NATIONAL BOYCOTTS

Mark your calendars and plan ahead!

All of August - Boycott Amazon

All of September - Boycott Walmart

All of October - Boycott Target

All of November & December- Boycott Walmart, Amazon & Target; shop minority-owned businesses (search Black-owned businesses here.)

(from https:generalstrike.us)

Check out https://choosedemocracy.us/boycott-central/#active for lots of active boycotts!

Did we miss any? Post them to our social media pages - see below for direct links.

NEWS FROM INDIVISIBLE NATIONAL

Do you want to share with other Indivisibles? Group2Group is back on August 12, from 3pm ET - 4:30pm ET.

Do you have questions about EveryAction? Submit them here and we'll answer them LIVE on Tuesday's Group2Group call.

Do you know someone who should be receiving these emails? Send them the Group Leader Email Subscribe Link to get the connected!

Do you want to learn more about coalition building? Solidarity in Action Speaker Series August 18, 7pm ET - 8:30pm ET.

Do you know someone who previously unsubscribed from this email and wants to re-subscribe? Send them this Re-subscribe Link to get re-connected.

Did you miss the 1,000,000 Rising Trainings? You can access the recordings here.

One Million Rising Host Toolkit.

PETITION SEASON IS HERE!

It's Summertime Petition-Palooza!

It's summertime in Michigan, which means special interest groups in the state are working hard to get their proposals on the 2026 ballot.

Petition drives already underway or starting soon include AxMITax (a bad idea to eliminate Michigan property tax and not replace revenue). Other petitions include taxing the state’s wealthiest residents to help fund Michigan schools, proposals that tighten voter ID requirements that make it difficult to vote and disenfranchise married women, and one to adopt ranked-choice voting.

Too busy to read the fine print? Circulators aren't obligated to tell you the truth, so here's a handy guide from Bridge Michigan for you and your friends and family. Here is another recent one published by The 'Gander. Please share widely.

SWIM is working with Michigan For The Many and Distill Social, to coordinate and streamline petition signature gathering. We also plan to participate in a Day of Action for Petitions later in the fall. You can sign up here to be a signature gatherer. Once you sign up your information will be sent to a petition distributor in your area.

Here are the Training dates and sign up links for Distill Social's Ballot Petition Training Sessions:

Monday, Aug. 18, 6 pm ET

Monday Aug. 25, 6 pm ET

Monday, Sep. 8, 6 pm ET

Monday, Sep. 15, 6 pm ET

Monday, Sep. 22, 6 pm ET

Monday, Sep. 29, 6 pm ET

BEWARE! BEWARE!

Michiganders may soon encounter petitioners gathering signatures for a proposed constitutional amendment requiring proof of citizenship for voter registration. There are two groups behind this effort, PROVE IT, MICHIGAN and AMERICANS FOR CITIZEN VOTING, who each need to collect 450,000 valid signatures to place the proposal on the November 2026 ballot.

If these measures make it to the ballot and voters approve them, they will rewrite existing voter approved language AND would require excessive documentation as proof of citizenship to register to vote. This will lock eligible voters from voting. For example, married women who's names differ from those on their birth certificate may be required for additional proof of identity.

Do not sign ballot petitions about "secure voting"!!!

These are attempts to restrict YOUR right to vote.

Inform your networks about this initiative, and if approached to sign this petition, DECLINE TO SIGN! Despite its presentation, these proposals aims to restrict voter registration in Michigan rather than enhance electoral integrity.

Keep an eye out for this and other deceptive petitions coming our way from the folks at the MI GOP. You can access a handout to help share this information here.

If you want help defeat these measures from making it onto the ballot you can sign up for Voters Not Politician training here.

RUSH HOUR RESISTANCE

Visibility Brigade

Template for Activism

For those lucky enough to live in locations with safe pedestrian bridges, this template for activism is another tool in your advocacy toolbox.

In 2020, the Visibility Brigade of New Jersey emerged from frustration with the lack of physical signs alerting ordinary people about the crisis facing our democracy. Now in 2025, they continue going strong and describe their group as "kind and gentle" but with an inner commitment to save our country.

Each week, they deliver a dose of what political strategist Anat Shenker-Osorio calls "social proof" -- political action that provides people with powerful cues on how to act.

This rush-hour messaging tool is being adopted across our nation by activists to convey short, impactful messages that resonate with commuters during peak travel times. Messages like "Justice 4 Epstein Victims" or "Tariffs are a Tax on Us" can speak to broader communities and spark important conversations.

Here are a few tips from Notmytribe.com for effective and safe bridge activism:

Keep messages brief enough to be read and comprehended at 65 mph
Go for numbers. Having a crowd of people gathered around the banner--especially wearing safety bright safety vests--help increase visibility
Do it safely. Do not suspend signs directly over traffic where they could fall on the freeway. If there is fencing, hang the sign on the inside of the fencing if allowed by local law enforcement
Keep letters at least 8 inches tall so they can be easily read
Construct banners to they can withstand wind. Freeway overpasses tend to be windy spots
Watch your backdrop. Make sure there is nothing behind the banner that could make it hard to read
If police request you leave, you can either leave or request a ticket. The ticket will give you an opportunity to argue in court that the freeway bannering is free speech protected by the 1st Amendment
If it is windy and you have a banner rather than individual letters, have extra volunteers so as people get tired, they can be relieved.

You can read more about the Backbone Campaign here or NotMyTribe here.

Send pictures of your actions to info@statewideindivisiblemi.com and we'll post them on Facebook and in our newsletter.

GROUP SHOUT-OUTS!

Here's a shout-out to Lenawee Indivisible who will be holding a die-in on Saturday, August 23 from 2:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Unite for Unions and Collective Power

March with Indivisibles this Labor Day, September 1, 2025 as we stand shoulder to shoulder in a powerful show of support for unions, workers' rights and collective bargaining. Find an event near you here.

Michiganders built this state and this country on hard work and determination for all union workers. We paved the path to the middle class and a better life for ourselves and our families.

In or near Detroit? Sign up for this event.

When: September 1, 2025

When: 9:00 am

Where: Line up location: Michigan Avenue and 6th Street

If you're near Saline, here's their Labor Day announcement:

TIME TO GET FAMILIAR WITH CACEROLAZO

In a classic authoritarian tactic, Trump, in an effort to distract us from real issues (like Epstein accountability) is sending Federal troops into Blue States. As he becomes more desperate, Michigan could very well be a future target.

Cacerolazo is a protest tactic where people bang pots and pans to create a wall of sound that says "We see you. We're together and we won't be quiet." It's more than noise. It signals neighbors that something is wrong and also tells authorities they are being watched. We saw this work in Los Angeles when neighbors confronted ICE agents chanting "Shame! Shame! Shame!" until they left.

There are several excellent articles offering recommendations that may be helpful to Michigan Indivisible groups about legal ways to resist: Degenerate Art has an article called De-ICEing Your Town. Also check out Demlab's The Sound of Resistance (+ Podcast), and Jack Hopkins Now: The Obedience Trap: How Power Weaponizes Human Nature...And How You Fight Back.

ENVIRONMENTAL CORNER

Check out Common Groundwater's podcast, "The New Silent Spring" about the 6th Great Lake right beneath our feet. This critical resource flows deeply and silently through every community and to every corner of our peninsula, yet most Michiganders know nothing about it. Check it out.

Our partners at Michigan Climate Action are planning a conference "Climate Crossroads + Collective Commitment" in Lansing on September 9 at the Lansing Center. This will be followed by Captial Day to support these issues on September 10. You can register and learn more here.

If you have something for this section or would like to be involved with a working group focused on the environment, please contact Lynne Cavazos.

Here is one of our favorite Republican Representative Missing in Action Posters

Feel free to take this idea and create your own Senator or Representative Missing in action poster.

RESOURCES TO AMPLIFY YOUR MESSAGING

PARTNER TOOL KITS

PROTECT YOURSELF

As protests gear up, it's important to keep yourself and other protestors safe. This document has a bunch of resources to help you do just that! Share with your crew!

OPTICS ARE IMPORTANT

The American public judges who's right and wrong almost exclusively based on the images they see on the news and on social media. This makes managing protest optics absolutely critical for movement success. This document has many suggestions on how to put our best foot forward.

POLITICAL ACTION ROADMAP FOR MICHIGANDERS

Political action is a way to support your community and fight for a society that is feminist, anti-racist, and pro-democratic. Casting your vote is just one of the many tools at your disposal! Here are some additional ways you may already be engaging in political action. Th re used to help scaffold new people to the movement - share with your community members

CHECK OUT FIVE CALLS

Many local groups are having their members use this great tool to contact their legislators about the hot topics in front of them. This could not be easier. Sign up here.

CARD CAMPAIGN FOR DEMOCRACY makes it easy for even the shyest activist to get their voice heard. Here is a downloadable postcard protesting Donald Trump and "his rape of our democracy and country." Sign up for their emails here and pick up the 2025 Card campaigns.

USE THE POWER OF YOUR SPENDING!

Check out Goods Unite Us (link here; there is also an app) for verifying who the merchant may be supporting before you purchase!

WANT MORE? Check out more toolkits on our website here!

And we can't ever forget the need for self-care! Cara Erskine from Great Lakes Democracy Action Indivisible shared this amazing list of self-care tips and resources. Thank you, Cara!

SWIM WEBPAGE AND SOCIAL MEDIA

Bookmark our Website: www.statewideindivisiblemi.com. The website is a repository of resources and network partners amassed since 2017.

Members: Send us your announcements, events, photos or writings to our email at info@statewideindivisiblemi.com! We need to share our successes - we're better together!

SOCIAL MEDIA

BlueSky: @mi-swim.bsky.social

Facebook: SWIM (StateWide Indivisible Michigan) Members

Instagram: statewideindivisiblemichigan

YouTube: newly available for groups to post to @SWIM-StateWideIndMI

For the time being, we maintain our Facebook & Instagram accounts, but foresee a time in the not-distant future when we will leave these platforms like we (and many others) did X.

Join us on BlueSky!

USING THE POWER OF SOCIAL MEDIA TO AMPLIFY GOOD NEWS

Truth Bomb Toolkit – this is a very comprehensive toolkit with EVERYTHING you might want to know about Truth Bombs and how to do them.
Into Action Labs allows you to download hundreds of gifs and add your own message(s).
Indivisible's Trainings-to-Go - Slides, handouts, discussion questions, as well as notes/directions for the person leading the space. Start with a pilot batch of 3 Trainings-to-Go: Recruitment 101, Indivisible 101, and Tools for Building Inclusive Groups! These are located in the Support Hub along with a lot more! Questions or suggestions can be sent to training@indivisible.org.