IC-SS Endorses Kina Collins!
Following a decisive vote by our voting membership, Indivisible Chicago-South Side is proud to endorse Kina Collins for Congress in the IL-07 primary.
Kina Collins is the leader we need in Congress. From protecting the planet to preventing gun violence in our communities, she will fight for the progressive causes our group believes in.
Over the past few years, we’ve met Kina again and again at rallies, on panels, and in meetings. She speaks in depth on the important issues, but she also listens to the people. We are confident Kina Collins will be a responsive leader for the 7th district and a determined fighter for us all in Washington. Read the campaign’s press release here.
Learn
- Learn about Kina Collins: Kina Collins website + Facebook + Twitter + IG
- See IC-SS’s resource guide on Kina Collins
Act
- Tonight, attend Kina’s BD fundraiser downtown, Mon, March 7, 6pm RSVP
- Volunteer with Kina Collins: Sign up for volunteer info + Sign up for events
- Sign up to host or co-host a house party for Kina
- Support Kina Collins here.
NOTE: Kina Collins does not accept funds from corporate PACs.
Thanks to Our Members
Thanks to IC-SS members & friends who attended our meet-and-greet forum with Kina in December. Thanks to voting members who attended our endorsement meeting and cast a ballot in the endorsement vote. Your participation matters!
Fight for Voting Rights: Take It to the States
WE FOUGHT. All through 2021 we rallied, marched, contacted our senators, and connected voters in other states to their senators. We changed a lot of minds and got so close, but in the end we couldn’t get Manchin and Sinema to agree to a change in parliamentary rules to allow for the passage of federal voting rights bills.
Meanwhile, state after state has imposed new legislation to threaten citizens’ right to vote and to have their ballot counted. And this voter suppression disproportionately affects Black, Latino, and young voters.
KEEP FIGHTING IN 2022. In addition to encouraging massive voter turnout, we must fight for voting rights so everyone’s ballot counts. That means taking the fight to the states. And it means talking to voters on the phone.
Phone Voters with Us – Choose Your Day & Time
Ready to fight for voting rights in the states? All you need is a phone and computer. You get training and support on Zoom from friendly organizers from Common Cause and Indivisible Chicago.
- Tuesdays, 3:00-5:00 pm. With citywide Indivisible Chicago, we’ve been connecting Florida voters to their lawmakers, telling them to halt a dangerous voter suppression bill. We’ll call other states as well. (You may see co-host Sarah Lincoln and other familiar faces.) Get info/Sign up.
- Need other days/times? Common Cause offers phonebank opportunities every day of the week, with many options outside regular working hours. Get info/Sign up
Won’t You Consider Phonebanking?
With phones, we can reach voters around the country who can take action in their own states. You can make a real difference in protecting elections and voting rights. Got concerns? Here are some perspectives.
Concern: “I feel uncomfortable talking on the phone”
New perspective: You’ll get a script to use and all the training and support you need from friendly organizers on Zoom.
Concern: “I don’t want strangers to get my personal phone number”
New perspective: No need to use your personal number! Some phonebanking platforms route your calls through a different number. For other platforms, you can use Google Voice instead of your personal number.
Concern: “I tried phonebanking in the past, but each time I only reached a couple people, and that didn’t feel effective.
New perspective: It’s all about collective action! Together, you and other phonebankers on the same shift can reach dozens of voters in a short time – dozens who’ll pressure their elected reps or take other important action.
Concern: “I hate to bother people”
New perspective: Our democracy is in danger. Yes, we may interrupt someone for a few moments, but we provide a big benefit — we give people a chance to protect voting rights and American democracy. When you reach someone and help them take action, they feel grateful, hopeful, and motivated to keep fighting.
What To Do
- Sign up for phonebanking opportunities with Indivisible Chicago and Common cause (box above) or Wisconsin Voter Protection (box below).
- Want to know more about phonebanking before signing up? We’ll be happy to talk with you about what these phonebanks are like. Email us and we will write back or arrange to chat.
Chicago Fights Back for Wisconsin – Join Us!
Wisconsin is at the frontline in the fight for democracy. Chicago can help.
Find Your Way to Volunteer for WI: Texting & More
Help WisDems keep Wisconsin blue and save democracy too. Say you like texting? They got you! Like helping recruit volunteers by phone? You can do that, too. Go here for all the info – then see specific opportunities below.
Help Recruit Poll Observers, Tues, Wed, Thurs Each Week
Let’s protect elections in Wisconsin. WisDems needs your help to recruit poll observers so that voters can safely and easily cast their ballots in the April 5 local elections.
Join WisDems to phone likely Democratic voters in Wisconsin and recruit them as poll observers. You just need a phone and computer. Every Tuesday & Thursday, 5:00-7:00 pm and every Wednesday, 12:00-2:00 pm. Get info/Sign up.
Interested in Being a Poll Observer in WI on April 5?
Help protect Wisconsin elections! WisDems is seeking poll observers for the local election on Tues April 5th. You’d travel to Wisconsin to observe at a polling place and report any problems. Half-day and full-day shifts will be available. Fill out this interest form, and WisDems will contact you with more information.
FYI: Wisconsin Election Dates for 2022
- WI spring primary (local): Feb 15 + WI spring election (local): April 5
- WI partisan primary: Aug 9 + US midterm elections: Nov 8
Voting in Prison – Lobby Day this Wed
From Chicago Votes:
Are you an Illinois resident passionate about voting rights, incarcerated community members, or democracy? Chicago Votes is hosting a Senate Bill 828, Voting in Prison, lobby day in Springfield, IL on Wednesday, March 9th. The Voting in Prison Lobby Day has both in-person and virtual options. Get info/Sign up.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to Alexandria (Alex) Boutros at alex@chicagovotes.com.
Write Letters & Postcards – Have an Impact
Super busy but still want to make a difference? Find small gaps in your schedule and write to voters from your living room.
Vote Forward Letters
Check out the many Vote Forward campaigns here – including some in Illinois, like Rep Lauren Underwood‘s district (IL-14). Do a little window shopping and then make your choice!
ACT: Start writing: sign up now right here.
Postcards to Swing States
Get ready to write postcards to voters in key states withPostcards to Swing States, a Progressive Turnout Project effort. You’ll get postcards, instructions, and mailing lists for free and then buy your own stamps. Sign up now for alerts to 2022 campaigns.
Democracy Around the World
As we watch Ukraine resist the invasion and attacks by Putin’s forces, we are reminded how precarious democracy is everywhere. Here are some resources on the topic plus ways to get informed on Ukraine
Read & Watch
Putin vs. Democracy: Democracy is on the decline worldwide, and Vladimir Putin is a big factor. By German Lopez, NY Times
The Global Expansion of Authoritarian Rule. By Sarah Repucci &
Amy Slipowitz, Freedom House
It’s time to confront the Trump-Putin network. By Rebecca Solnit, Guardian
Winter on Fire – Feature-length documentary on Ukraine’s 2013-14 Maidan Revolution. This film provides background information that may be helpful in understanding the events of today. (Watch on YouTube or on Netflix.)
Help the People of Ukraine
Ukrainian and international organizations accepting donations and recommended by knowledgeable sources:
- UNHCR, UN Refugee Agency – Help displaced families
- Vostok SOS – Assistance to conflict-affected persons
- Voices of Children – Help children affected by trauma of war
More on Ukraine
- Find resources, including scholarly articles, at CEERES/UChicago.
- Find other ways to help at link shared by Tim Snyder.
- See suggestions in our last newsletter, IC-SS News 02-28-22
Organizations & Opportunities
Indivisible Chicago-South Side shares information and action announcements from other organizations on issues important in our country, state, city, and communities.
Panel with Sen Peters on SAFE-T Act
On Tuesday, March 8th at 6:30 p.m., join Illinois State Senator Robert Peters and a panel of violence survivors and advocates as they discuss the importance of community-centered solutions for violence prevention in Illinois. Register for the Survivors and the SAFE-T Act Town Hall here.
Justice for Laquan: CAARPR Demands Van Dyke Indictment
On Friday, IC-SS members joined the Chicago Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression (CAARPR) to demand that the Department of Justice indict Jason Van Dyke on federal charges. Van Dyke, the police officer who murdered 17-year-old Laquan McDonald, was recently released from prison, having served little over three years.
