Sunday Edition Newsletter - Indivisible Benton County

Indivisible Benton County continues growing and developing skills, tools, and strength to work and amplify our message against Trump’s fascist regime. Our determination to support our community and the rights of those who live in it is unwavering. We are grateful you are here to fight alongside us.

As always, we start this letter sharing what has happened since our last Email.

And we have a lot to recap!

Events held before after the April 23rd meeting and the May 14th meeting.

May 1st – May Day Protest I

May 3rd – May Day Protest II

May 3rd – Canvassing in N Albany and Philomath

May 9th – New Events Committee founded

May 10th – Tabling at Saturday Market

General meeting May 14th

Indivisible Benton County met on May 14th at Corvallis Community Center. We opened the meeting sharing information on events held, reports from committees, and announcements of events to come. Subsequently, each committed met separately and continued discussing their goals and developing action plans.

Communications Committee

Reported on the various platforms created to increase the footprint of Indivisible Benton county on the web. The goal is to reach various demographics to share information and recruit members for future actions. These platforms now include a website designed to inform and receive input from the community. This includes a purposely designed form for submission of posts by community members. Note: If you see changes in format from one visit to another, they reflect a continued effort by the volunteer team to achieve a most functional form. Please visit our website frequently!

We encourage you to get familiar, like, follow, subscribe and interact with these social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, Reddit, Bluesky, and Nextdoor. Feedback is always welcome.

Legislative Committee

Established a clear picture of what the group’s goals and actions are and should be. The group will be monitoring bills and policy developments relevant to our mission and goals, helping promote and amplify national legislative campaigns at local level, coordinating advocacy actions, scheduling visits to legislators offices and town halls, and delivering materials prepared by the parent organization. In collaboration with other committees it will encourage others to take action such as signing petitions, attending rallies, and contacting representatives. Also in collaboration with other committees, it will assist in organizing or attending events that raise awareness or build support to key issues. A series of resources were shared for sources of information on state and federal priority bills, letter and postcard writing, the Oregon legislature (OLIS). To use and encourage the use of tools like 5calls and Resistbot was agreed. An immediate priority action was established as visiting Congresswoman Val Hoyle’s Corvallis office that happens twice a month to share our unified message.

Voter Engagement Committee

The committee focused on the final push to get out the vote for this special election, particularly in the critical areas of North Albany and Philomath. In collaboration with Benton County Democrats, a group of 12 volunteers was recognized to participate on the June 17th canvassing in both areas. As a result 8 turfs were completed yesterday in North Albany and 5 in Philomath. This effort resulted in reaching approximately 350 addresses. Our volunteers had good conversations with voters, received many thank yous for reminding the deadline (Tuesday the 20th, in case you too haven’t turned in your ballot!). The group discussed voter engagement actions to take after this election, and identified as a priority to get people new to the area to update their addresses to have ballots delivered directly to them. Other identified forms to increase voter registration and turnout included: senior and independent living places, OSU diversity events, students clubs (such as democrats and student councils), Food Banks, Multicultural Literacy Center and Farmer’s Market. The group recognizes that some form of training in voter education is required.

Outreach & Partnership Committee

The group agreed to use Slack as the platform for communication and created a living document where actions are being organized with participation of committee members. Dozens of target actions are being listed and strategies are being discussed. The group identifies its role as to find existing groups in the community and establish collaborative actions, growing the Indivisible Movement. The collaboration with other groups is not ” but rather “single-issue” but rather a loose collaboration that can take many forms –“networking goes both ways”. The group plans to collaborate in upcoming events led by other community groups such as the Midvalley Healthcare For All protest at the courthouse on May 31st and the Stop Avelo protest in Eugene that will happen on the same day. The group will be active participant, taking many roles in the No Kings day being organized by Indivisible BC on June 14th.

Events

The events committee was formed on May 9th in response to the large number of events that Indivisible BC has held and plans to continue holding. The committee’s main focus now is organizing the No Kings protest that will take place on June 14th. This will not just be a protest, but a large community event including art instalments, art displays, musicians and other local artists. It’s still in embryonic stage but it’s shaping to be.

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WHAT IS “NO KINGS”?

NO KINGS is a national day of action and mass mobilization in response to the increasing authoritarian excesses and corruption of the Trump administration. We’ve watched as they’ve cracked down on free speech, detained people for their political positions, threatened to deport American citizens, and defied the courts. They’ve done this all while continuing to serve and enrich their billionaire allies. They think they rule—but we are bigger than even their worst aspirations.

Donald Trump is planning a military parade in Washington, D.C. on June 14. This display of might is intended to intimidate opponents and solidify his image as a strongman on our dime—we won’t stand by while that happens.
Instead of allowing this military parade to be the center of gravity, we will make action everywhere else the story of America that day: people coming together in communities across the country to reject strongman politics and corruption.
Alongside local organizers, partners, and leaders from across the pro-democracy & pro-worker movement, we will demonstrate organized people power that outpaces any authoritarian aspirations.

WHY WE’RE MOBILIZING JUNE 14

Donald Trump thinks his rule is absolute, but in America, we don’t do “kings.” Since the inauguration, the Trump administration and its enablers have operated as though they have a mandate—but they don’t, and never did. They are going to extremes to empower Trump and enrich themselves, while cutting jobs and services for the rest of us. Now, they’re turning Flag Day into a celebration of Trump.

He’s using OUR tax dollars to pay for HIS party: Donald Trump’s birthday celebration is expected to cost millions of our tax dollars, all while Republicans claim there’s no money for Social Security, SNAP, or Medicaid.

We are united against kings: Trump has already indicated that he’s aiming for at least a third term, and now he’s planning a self-aggrandizing military parade in D.C But the American people don’t put up with kings. Together, we will mobilize in huge numbers to reject this corruption and abuse of power—it’s in our DNA as a country.

They’ve gone too far: This is bigger than political disagreement. They’ve defied our courts, deported American citizens, disappeared people off the streets, and slashed our services—all while orchestrating a massive giveaway to their billionaire allies. Enough is enough. For anyone who thinks he’s gone too far, this movement is for you.

We’re standing together against the abuses of power, cruelty, and corruption. On June 14, we will gather to remind Trump and his enablers:

America has No King!