Action Items: Week of July 20, 2025
The antidote to despair: Action.
“Stay strong, be brave, love hard and true, and you will have nothing to lose.” - Demi Lovato
This Week’s Newsletter Contains…
Top 5 Things You Can Do This Week
IGGR Events
Events from Other Organizations
Michigan Petitions
Social Media Channels, Volunteer, Donate
Top 5 Things YOU Can Do This Week
Call Senators Peters 202.224.6221 and Slotkin 202.224.4822 (see Resources for You for more contact info)
Thank you for voting NO on HR 4 Rescissions Act of 2025, which effectively defunded the Public Radio and Public TV for 2026 and 2027
Oppose the confirmation of Emil Bove to a lifetime appointment to the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Demand that the tax credits for Affordable Care Act insurance be renewed.
Oppose Administration efforts to denaturalize people who became citizens through the naturalization process. Trump Administration Raises Possibility of Stripping Mamdani of US Citizenship
Stand up to the Administration’s policy of mass deportations, masked abductions by ICE agents, detention camps that rival concentration camps. Giant bugs, heat and a hospital visit: Inside Alligator Alcatraz’s first days
Use your oversight authority to promote transparency and guard against human rights abuses in the North Lake Correctional Facility by visiting the ICE Detention facility in Baldwin MI without prior notice. Closed private prison near Baldwin now reopen as ICE processing center
Oppose and obstruct all of Trump nominees and all legislation proposed by the GOP.
Demand that the tax credits for Affordable Care Act insurance be renewed.
Push for re-funding National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for extreme weather prediction, including hurricane hunters and a program that uses water gauges to predict floods. The planned cuts would eliminate the entire scientific research division. Trump is Gutting Science and Disaster Response
Support legislation that protects the ability of the U.S. District Courts to certify class actions against Trump administration actions that violate constitutional rights. Although the Supreme Court struck down U.S. District Courts’ universal injunctions and temporary injunctions against Trump administration actions, it left open the ability of the courts to certify class actions that would universally protect rights. Trump’s Birthright Citizenship Ban Faces New Peril:Class Actions
Call Representative Scholten, 202.225.3831 or Moolenaar 202.225.3561
Very disappointed that you voted YES on the Senate’s (so called) GENIUS Act, S. 1582
Thank you for introducing the BEACON Act to establish a new inspector general office to oversee the President
Use your oversight authority to promote transparency and guard against human rights abuses in the North Lake Correctional Facility by visiting the ICE Detention facility in Baldwin MI without prior notice. Closed private prison near Baldwin now reopen as ICE processing center
Stand up to the Administration’s policy of mass deportations, masked abductions by ICE agents, detention camps that rival concentration camps. Giant bugs, heat and a hospital visit: Inside Alligator Alcatraz’s first days
Demand that the tax credits for Affordable Care Act insurance be renewed.
Oppose HR 589, a bill to repeal the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, (18 U.S.C. Section 248 of 1994) which ensures safety to people when entering a reproductive health clinic.
Call State Representatives, State Senators, and State Attorney General
Ask your State Representative and Senator (find contact info here) to authorize greater state contributions to the medicaid funds to protect rural hospitals, which depend on Medicaid for reimbursement. Eighteen rural Michigan counties have 40% of their populations dependent on Medicaid. Thirteen rural hospitals dependent on Medicaid funding are likely to close this year. Trump Gets His Big Beautiful Bill: What It Means To Michigan
Thank Attorney General Dana Nessel (517.335.7622 or email miag@michigan.gov) for filing an amici brief in support of lawsuits filed against the U.S. EPA arguing that the EPA cannot withhold funding authorized by Congress in the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act that would have funded establishing Climate Resilience Hubs that would provide appropriate temperature centers in extreme weather, and food, water and medical supplies in emergencies. Future of climate ‘resilience hubs’ uncertain after Trump cuts
Ask the Attorney General to consider bringing charges against Ted Nugent for carrying a concealed weapon into the Capitol when testifying against the Department of Natural Resources. Game regulators blast Ted Nugent for ‘insulting’ Capitol testimony
Consider contributing to the ACLU and NAACP Legal Defense and Education funds. Those entities are bringing class actions against Trump’s birthright bans.
Listen to some Motown music. Turn it up to eleven. You know all the words, sing along as loud as you can, maybe try some dance moves a la The Temptations. You’ll feel better, we promise.
IGGR Events
Sunday, July 20 at 1:30 pm. IGGR Steering Committee Meeting. Fountain Street Church, Room 109, 24 Fountain Street NE. The IGGR members are welcome, seating is limited. Join via Zoom and YouTube.
Monday, July 21 at 7 pm. Messaging for Solidarity - Race Class Narrative with Anat Shenker-Osorio. Virtual. Host of the Words to Win By podcast and Principal of ASO Communications, Anat Shenker-Osorio examines why certain messages falter where others deliver. She has led research for new messaging on issues ranging from freedom to join together in union to clean energy and from immigrant rights to reforming criminal justice. Anat's original approach through priming experiments, task-based testing and online dial surveys has led to progressive electoral and policy victories across the globe. Register here. Sponsored by Indivisible National.
Wednesday, July 23 at 12 pm. Protect Social Security Rally at the Social Security Office, 3045 Knapp St NE
Friday, July 25 at 4:30 to 6 pm. Bridge Takeover Protest. 54th Street over 131. Future dates/locations:
August 1 - Veteran's Memorial Bridge (North Park)--Last one as Food truck Fridays ends
August 8 - Fuller Ave over I-196
August 15--Hall Street over US 131
Wednesday, July 30 at 8 pm. One Million Rising: Strategic Non-Cooperation to Fight Authoritarianism. Online. A national effort to train one million people in the strategic logic and practice of non-cooperation, as well as the basics of community organizing and campaign design. This is how we build people power that can’t be ignored. You’re invited to join us—and lead.
Session 2: How to Make it Happen - July 30 This train-the-trainer session is how we get to one million. Learn not just our strategy, but how you can train others and get them on board. You'll host your first community resistance gathering after this session.
Session 3: What Now? - August 13 You'll be onboarded to basic campaign design and learn how to implement it locally as well as get plugged into our next national campaign work
Sign up here. Sponsored by Indivisible National.
Thursday, July 31 at 7 to 9 pm. Safety Marshal Training, Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain NE, Room 109 (Basement). Indivisible Greater Grand Rapids is looking to add safety marshals to their existing safety team and will be conducting a safety marshal training for those people interested in helping with rallies, protests, and marches. No experience is necessary to attend this in-person training. We look forward to you joining our team! Click here to sign up.
Tuesday, August 5 at 5:30 pm Join the Michigan for the Many collaboration to gather signatures for important upcoming ballot proposals for the inaugural Happy Hour Training Session. During this session, you will learn about the three current proposals we’re supporting: Invest in MI Kids, Taking Back Our Power: Michiganders for Money Out of Politics, and Rank MI Vote. You’ll also learn about the regulations surrounding signature gathering and the steps involved in obtaining and returning the petitions. Sign up here. Sponsored by Kent Dems, Indivisible of Greater Grand Rapids, and Distill Social.
Wednesday, August 13 at 6 pm. IGGR Meetup. The Mitten 527 Leonard St NW, GR.
Coming this Fall: In-person IGGR Member Meetings! Mark your calendars and plan on attending our monthly meetings this fall. Mondays at 6:30 pm. September 22, October 27, November 24. Fountain Street Church, 24 Fountain NE.
EVENTS FROM OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Monday, July 21 at 10 - 11:30 am. AVELO/ICE Protest. Patterson at 44th St at the entrance to the Grand Rapids Airport. Parking across the street at 4765 44th Street or Wendy’s. Every Monday! Sponsored by Stop GEO Group in Baldwin and Coalition to Stop AVELO.
Monday, July 21 at 12 - 1 pm. Tesla Takedown Picketing Events are Back! 2919 29th St SE. Every Monday from 12 - 1 pm through the summer.
Wednesday, July 23 at 5 - 6 pm. Freedom Protectors Rally. Ten Mile Road and Main, Rockford. Family Friendly really to protect first amendment rights, civil rights, and liberty and justice for all. Every Wednesday. Public Parking Lot P12 (directly off the bike trail) behind all the buildings in the first block of North Main St.
Saturday, July 26 at 12 pm. Support Our Veterans and VA Rally. Veterans Park in Greenville, MI on M-57 Washington between Bower Street and Luray Street; rally on north side of M57 (Alternating Saturdays with Michigan Veterans Home, 2950 Monroe Ave NE, GR). Sponsored by the Support Our Veterans and VA Facebook group.
Michigan Petition Drives
Michigan petition summer: What to know about voting, tax, wage proposals before you sign
IGGR supports these petitions:
Invest in MI Kids: Increases revenues for public schools via increased state taxation for those making over $500K per individual or $1M for a couple (still waiting approval from the Board of Canvassers)
Taking Back our Power - Michiganders for Money Out of Politics: Bans political contributions from:
Regulated monopoly utilities (like DTE and Consumers Energy)
Corporations that seek or hold large state and local government contracts (over $250,000)
With Ranked Choice Voting, you can rank candidates in the order you prefer them — 1st choice, 2nd choice, 3rd choice, and so on. If your 1st choice can’t win, your vote instantly counts toward your backup choice.
Ballots are counted in “instant runoff rounds” where contestants receiving the fewest top-choices are eliminated and their supporters’ ballots are then counted toward the next choice indicated on each.
RCV ensures the winning candidate has majority (more than 50%) support and that similar candidates can’t split the vote or “spoil” the election.
IGGR encourages you to decline to sign these petitions:
AxMITax to eliminate all property taxes in Michigan
Committee to Protect Voters Rights to require proof of citizenship to register to vote and tighten voter ID rules.
Americans for Citizen Voting to require proof of citizenship to register to vote and tighten voter ID rules (this group has submitted two very similar proposals for approval -- For those keeping score, there are now three petitions to limit voting rights in Michigan in play)
For more information: Michigan canvassers walk back approval for petition aimed at taxing the rich to fund schools: Members move forward with a second and third effort aimed at preventing noncitizen voting
Help Us Educate, Activate and Hold Our Elected Officials Accountable!
We are a 100% volunteer, grass-roots organization and we need all the help we can get. Right now, there are requests for more event, more rallies, more involvement which is great. However, to do that, we need more hands and money.
Can you please help us by volunteering at least an hour a week? Can you donate so we can pay for venues, sound equipment, water, etc?
WE NEED YOU!
Please let us know if you find this newsletter helpful by pressing the ❤️ button at the top or bottom of this email. You can also click on the thought-bubble icon 💬 and leave us a comment or question. Not only does the team at IGGR want your feedback but you help us make this communication better for all. Thank you for reading.
We Have More Channels To Follow/Find Us!
IGGR has some new volunteers helping out with our social media, and as they ramp up regular posting, we need your help to grow our channels! Please give our new Facebook page Indivisible Greater Grand Rapids, a follow.
(FYI - The Facebook Group is not going away and is a wonderful way to share lots of information and build connections — whereas the page doesn't require membership or moderation and is a great place for IGGR to share targeted messages. The Page is in addition to the Group.)
If you frequent Bluesky, Instagram, Threads or YouTube, find + follow us there as well!
Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/indivisibleggr.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/indivisibleggr/
Threads: https://www.threads.com/@indivisibleggr
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@indivisiblegreatergrandrapids
Thank you, IGGR, for these great weekly updates! I appreciate having all of this information in one place. ;-)
Richard, thank you for your questions. AND for your dedication to activism. Your efforts are certainly needed to help save democracy and we appreciate the time you devote to doing that.
Please know that IGGR leaders attend protests as we can. All of us devote 15-20 hours a week on IGGR stuff -- doing research, going to meetings (weekly and biweekly), talking to allies, reaching out to other organizations, taking care of administrative things, etc. Some of us have full time jobs. Some of us have health issues. With all of this, some weeks we just don't have the bandwidth to add protesting to our schedules.
We cannot speak for other IGGR members, though we do believe that some are regularly attending the protests (please note, the Tesla Takedown is not an IGGR event). We can confirm there were IGGR members at the July 17 event.
We are grateful to your continued resistance. Please know that IGGR members and leaders support your work, even if you don't see us at rallies (though we might be there!).