February Newsletter

Jen S
22 hours ago
11 min read

We made good trouble in 2025, but 2026 may be even more critical. With midterm elections approaching, Trump and his allies know this could be their last unconstrained chance to suppress democracy and consolidate power. Robert Reich has prepared a list of the 10 most effective things you can do to stay proactive rather than reactive. You can check it out here.

PROTECT OUR VOTING RIGHTS

From All Voting is Local, a voting rights organization and part of the statewide election protection coordinating table:

They are working to raise awareness about the red tape "show-your-papers" ballot initiative that would impose new barriers to voting and block eligible voters from voting.

They are urging local county commission boards and city councils to pass resolutions opposing the Americans for Citizen Voting ballot initiative. So far, Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners, Detroit City Council and Ypsilanti City Council have unanimously passed resolutions. They are working closely with other nonpartisan partners on this project and would love to work with more Indivisible chapters. Theyd are currently talking to several counties and cities about getting this resolution on the agenda for a hearing and vote. Our goal is to build a statewide roster of local elected officials who oppose this terrible ballot initiative and can help raise awareness about it, ahead of a potential "Vote No" campaign if the organization submits enough valid signatures to make the ballot.

Check out this memo othat outlines some key facts about this voter suppression proposal and our efforts to push back. The memo links to a coalition letter of more than 30 organizations that are supporting this resolution project. For more information contact Ben Gardner.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR VOTER ENGAGEMENT: ARE YOU A VOTER IN MI-01

Don’t miss these great opportunities to hear from candidates running for office! Check these 11 town halls set up across the district:

Click here for the Press release:

Click this link to learn more about the upcoming Meet the Candidates events in March and beyond.

March 9 - Menominee

March 10 - Ironwood

March 11 - Houghton

March 19 - Escanabais

March 21 - Marquette

NO KING3 MARCH 28

No Kings 3 map is live! Check the continuing progress, make sure your community is represented!

MOBILIZE FOR CHANGE WITH THE PEOPLE'S COALITION

This is the year to work for change within the political party system. SWIM is working with the People's Coalition to make this happen. We need to get as many like minded people to the MDP Convention on April 19 to make that happen. This is where the candidates for Attorney General and Secretary of State will be nominated, as well as the candidates for the various state college boards. You can vote if you are a member of the MDP but you must join by March 19. You can do so using the links below.

Volunteer: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSecpzeNaoV4iKa9sYrEXOYMpTi6dRnVMY85sL3y5tkYPrNhlg/viewform

Free MDP membership:https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfdbcihFou8YXVpINJqLvIxTrakQEzZGoEdp9Jg6tElIj7FJA/viewform

Info: ourpeoplescoalition.com

Join: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdj_xhaFtg5aVW0q9GvYQUc2-sN8hn9-ijrcwBzd2IJaLvaoA/viewform

The People’s Coalition Statewide Tour is underway! TPC has been holding town halls around the state to teach voters how the Democratic Convention actually works. It can be…complicated if you aren’t aware of all the rules! Help push your members, neighbors, and community to attend the Convention in person. TPC is working on buses from a few places, too! We can’t get our voices heard if we don’t show up. Be there and demand a better party!

Check out their graphics: The People's Coalition statewide tour

MICHIGAN CONSTITUTION

Another important item on the ballot this year will be the Michigan Constitution. This is the year voters will choose whether or not to open the state constitution for revision. This could be devastating considering the important changes we have worked for over the last few years. You can get more information here.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

The International Women's Day will be March 8 this year. Stay tuned for more information and be sure to check out their website.

ICE OUT TRAINING AND RESOURCES

Did you miss the invaluable training from the front lines of Minnesota?

Here is the Immigrant Defense Network (MN) Constitutional Observer handbook: https://bit.ly/4qOc6

“When Documenting ICE Arrests,” is an animated video that is part of the “We Have Rights” series. This video helps to visualize the role of the Constitutional Observer.”

ICE Watch Legal, a collaboration between several longtime Minneapolis activists and the National Lawyers Guild, has published this new resource for Observers, Upstanders, Protesters, or anyone “navigating the federal occupation” of their city. This vetted legal guidance will help you understand what rights you have. Also what risks you may experience when observing ICE activity.

They have also created a form that allows you to ask the ICE Watch Legal team a question.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Red cards

These are wallet-sized cards that can be printed and distributed to share how people can exercise their constitutional rights. They are available in many different languages. Templates in different languages can be downloaded from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC).ILRC will also provide printed red cards at no charge to nonprofit organizations and public defenders that serve immigrant communities. For organizations not eligible to request free printed red cards, they can be ordered in bulk (for a fee) from this union print shop.

Warrant Explainer from The Vegan Korean that differentiates between administrative and judicial warrants, outlines what to look for on the warrant, and emphasizes the importance of following protocol.

“How to Make Sense of Law Enforcement in the Streets”, a video created by the New York Times explains the uniforms and markings you may encounter when dealing with federal law enforcement.

Also,

Upcoming webinars on ICE watch and community defense:

https://statesatthecore.substack.com/p/community-defense-and-ice-watch

MICHIGAN FREEDOM COALITION IMMIGRANT RIGHTS PROGRAM

The recording and toolkit for the Michigan Freedom Coalition’s Immigrant Rights Town Hall from February 4 are available here in case you missed it.

Toolkit with scripts, talking points, and resources: ICE Out .

This program is also recommended by Michigan Freedom Coalition:

2/25: States at the Core, ICE Watch & Community Defense

From We The People Dissent Coalition - share widely!

The Veterans Administration (VA) instituted a rule change today that people need to know about.

The VA changed how they rate disabilities when a veteran is on medication or using a medical device. Basically, if the treatment is helping you, they'll now rate you based on how you're doing WITH the treatment — not on how bad your condition actually is.

Here is an example:

You use a CPAP machine for sleep apnea? If the CPAP is working, they rate you on how you sleep with it — not on the fact that without it, you literally stop breathing.

More examples:

You take ibuprofen every day so your knees work? Cool, your knees feel better, so you receive a lower disability rating.

Hearing aids helping you hear? Great, then your hearing must not be that bad.

Understand the problem?

Veterans are essentially being told that managing their condition means they don't deserve full compensation for it. That's wrong. The condition doesn't go away because the treatment works. Take away the CPAP, medications, or hearing aids — and everything comes right back.

Courts actually ruled in the veterans' favor on this. In spite of the favorable rulings, the VA overrode those opinions, skipped the normal process, and made the changes effective immediately.

The VA is required to accept public comments through April 20, 2026.

Go to https://www.regulations.gov/docket/VA-2026-VBA-0067. Leave a comment. You don't have to be a veteran. Share this so people know what's happening.

FROM INDIVISIBLE NATIONAL

If you love being in the know, join the weekly Indivisible National Updates from Ezra and Leah. Register here for the 2026 weekly updates.

Tips from our Regional Organizer, Scott:

Vetting and Security is a mindset and a team sport.

But if you lock everything down, new people can’t find you and the relative openness of our organizing in the Cities was a key to bringing people in.

Be aware of who your members are (this circles back to building community)

Have official roles for vetting; in person vetting helps build community

Signal is a learning curve: https://activistchecklist.org/s

If you are an oft-quoted leader in the press, then basic digital hygiene is in order.

Google Search Removal Tool is useful

Consider a paid service to remove your personal information from the internet

Tighten security on your personal social media accounts

Messaging source suggestions:

Our top go to: Anat Shenker Osorio
Messaging Guidance for the Assault on Minnesotans and Funding Fight
Our second go to: Antonia Scatton
https://reframingamerica.substack.com/p/one-pager
Plus, Dan Pfeiffer also had some things to say https://www.messageboxnews.com/p/how-to-talk-about-minnesota-and-ice?

PETITIONS--ONE LAST PUSH

The deadline has been extended so this will allow us to continue to collect signatures through the month of March. This will make NO KINGS 3 a great opportunity for signature collection. If you know of folks that would like to participate but have not yet signed up, they can do so here.

HOW TO DISCONNECT GOOGLE'S AI FROM YOUR ACCOUNTS (GMAIL, ANDROID AND IPHONES)

You've probably already noticed that AI is creeping into more and more of your digital communications--whether it's summarizing your emails or serving you pop-up ads about something you mentioned earlier in the day.

You can find plenty of TikToks, Instagram posts, and Reels showing you how to disable these features, but they often move too fast or don't go deep enough to cover everything you need to do to keep Google's AI from listening in.

Every time your smart device, phone, app, or software receives an upgrade, it defaults back to its original settings--meaning AI is right back to being "helpful" to you.

We've created a document, current as of February 2026, walking you through how to disconnect Google's AI from your Gmail, Android, and iPhone accounts.

The steps involved are numerous and a bit tedious, but worth taking if you have concerns about your privacy and security. We encourage you to work through them at your own pace, perhaps over several sittings--this isn't something you can rush through in 5 minutes. If you're already tech-savvy, there's a checklist at the end you can use to make sure you've covered all your bases.

These written instructions will hold up better over time than a TikTok video full of screenshots--but do keep in mind, they will eventually become outdated, as Google will inevitably redesign its AI tools.

Click here for instructions.

KEEPING UP WITH OUR SENATORS

THANK OUR SENATORS FOR HOLDING FIRM ON NO FUNDING FOR DHS

We are in another partial shutdown because our Senators are holding strong.

Show them some love for that AND emphasize we want their continuing support to keep ICE out of our communities.

Senator Slotkin: 202-224-4822

Senator Peters: 202-224-6221

Click here for more details of the stand we are taking and a script to use: No ICE Brutality

Whether you are happy with what our reps are doing or not, keep on calling!

Senate Minority Leader Schumer: (202) 224-6542

House Minority Leader Jeffries: (202) 225-5936

Senate Majority Leader Thune: (202) 224-2321

Speaker of the House Johnson: (202) 225-2777

VOTER GUIDE FOR MICHIGAN SENATE RACECheck out this comprehesive voter guide comparing the candidates in this race.

OUR RIGHT TO PROTEST IS UNDER ATTACK IN MICHIGAN - TAKE ACTION NOW!Michigan Republicans have introduced House Bill 4664, legislation that would criminalize peaceful assembly on public roads—imposing fines and potential jail time on protesters and activists simply for exercising their Constitutional rights.

This isn't about public safety. Streets and sidewalks have long been recognized as protected spaces for free speech, and Michigan already has laws addressing unsafe obstruction. HB 4664 is unnecessary and dangerous—a bill designed to silence dissent by making citizens afraid to speak out.

By expanding police power and criminalizing peaceful protest, this legislation threatens the very foundation of our democracy. It prioritizes control over Constitutional rights and puts law-abiding Michiganders at risk of prosecution for doing what generations before us have done: standing up for what they believe in.

WE MUST ACT NOW. CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES TODAY AND DEMAND THEY VOTE NO ON HB 4664.

Link: Find your Michigan State Representative

Link: Find your Michigan State Senator

Our First Amendment rights are not negotiable. Make your voice heard before it's too late.

RESOURCES TO AMPLIFY YOUR MESSAGING AND OUTREACH

PARTNER TOOL KITS

COMMON CAUSE

Common Cause has a really easy tool that lets you enter your home address and receive a roster with contact information for all the elected officials who represent you — from city council members to U.S. senators. And, when you’re ready to make a call, the League of Conservation Voters offers a comprehensive guide on best practices.

WHERE YOU GET YOUR NEWS MATTERS

Sources for news matter. Check these out.

ELECTION INFORMATION

Check out these Wikipedia sites (thanks for Al Wirth of NE Oakland Indivisible for pointing these out!) Make sure your district is listed - remember Wikipedia is publicly edited!

2026 Michigan Senate election - Wikipedia

2026 Michigan House of Representatives election - Wikipedia

AGENDA FOR NATIONAL RENEWAL

The American Peoples Compact (APC) is a research-backed, nationally tested policy platform to rebuild and renew America, by the people, for the people, and with the people. See how this SWIM co-sponsored platform can help inform your vision! The American People's Compact | People-First Policy Platform

RURAL ORGANIZING

Our Partners at Rural Organizing have compiled a comprehensive list of their resources. This includes everything from past debriefs to how-to steps for organizing mutual aid events. You can access it here:

Rural Organizing, Rural Host Network Resource Document

FOOD BANK INFORMATION

Here is an updated link for food bank information created by Macomb Defenders Rising.

PROTECT THE BALLOT

Protecting the ballot will be even more vital in 2026. If you missed the seminar, you can access the recording here. You can also access the Q & A, and slide deck for this webinar. This could be a great discussion starter for a meeting!

HERE IS A GREAT CALLING REFERENCE GUIDE and MUTUAL AID PRIMER courtesy of Indivisible Metro Detroit.

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! Updated safety protocols are posted on the SWIM Leader Slack site! Here is another l ink to a document for general emergency and disaster preparedness.

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. This resource can be 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!

COLLABORATION IS THE NAME OF THE GAME!

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

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.