Step Up & Fight Back Amidst Exhausting Chaos (2/16/25)

It’s impossible to ignore how overwhelming things feel right now. For those of us in NYC, this week was particularly rough as we saw our mayor's corruption and quid pro quo deal with Trump lead to the courageous resignations of at least 7 principled prosecutors. Every American with a passing knowledge of 20th-century history was appalled by the spectacle of the Vice President insulting our allies and courting the Nazi-friendly AfD party at the Munich Security Conference. We also saw the U.S. Senate confirm a manifestly unqualified anti-vaccine conspiracy theorist for the head of HHS while a measles outbreak raged in Texas. The chaos can be exhausting, and the challenges ahead are daunting. But even in the midst of it all, there are bright spots—proof that people are stepping up, fighting back, and making a difference.

This week, we hosted the Christopher Street Project, founded by the incredible college-aged activist Tyler Hack, whose mission is to advocate for transgender rights. Tish James and attorneys general across the country are in court protecting our rights, and winning. In Westchester County, NY, a Democrat overwhelmingly defeated a MAGA candidate in a county executive race, proving that we are able to fight back against MAGA and still deliver big wins. On Friday, we had 80 people from across the country hear from Blake Gendebien, the dairy farmer, former school board president, and basketball coach running in the special election in NY-21. Whatever the outcome of that race (and we hope he wins), he is an example of someone deeply embedded in a community running to make a difference and improve the lives of his neighbors.  And many of you are already using the 5 Calls app to demand action from your representatives.

So, what can you do right now? Here are a few ways to channel frustration into action:
Write postcards to Wisconsin for their critical Supreme Court election (details below).
Support Virginia—a key state protecting rights—by donating to our MFD 2025 Giving Circle while every dollar is still matched 1:1 (only 8 days left!). More details below.
Make your voice heard—if you haven’t yet, download the 5 Calls app (5calls.org) and start calling your elected officials. Join one of the many #NotMyPresidentsDay protests around the country including one at Union Square in NYC (details below). 
Check out more actions—find quick, impactful steps you can take in our "Daily Actions" document.
Invite your friends to join you -- in this week's call with Indivisible leaders Ezra Levin and Leah Greenberg, they emphasized that we need to grow this movement in opposition to the Trump-Musk administration, and suggested we invite friends to join us when we are taking actions whether postcarding, protesting, or joining our giving circle.

We may feel vulnerable right now, but as one of our favorite Substack writers, Joyce Vance, reminds us, we are the cavalry. So whether you attend a protest, make calls to your Senators and Representatives, write postcards to Wisconsin voters, or join our Markers For Democracy Giving Circle for Virginia, you are helping to check "power run amok." If we can help win the Supreme Court race in Wisconsin, and help create a Democratic trifecta in Virginia this fall, it will be a massive morale boost and we can help make it happen together.
Keep going. Keep showing up. And remember, even in tough times, we are never alone in this fight.