Welcome to our August 12 Midweek Edition of Action Alerts!
By Abbi Lichtenstein
Whether you have five minutes, an hour, or more, you’ll be able to find action items listed below to help save our country.
“Man's capacity for justice makes democracy possible, but man's inclination to injustice makes democracy necessary.” – Reinhold Niebuhr, Children of Light and Children of Darkness (1944) foreword
Town Halls
The August recess is a great opportunity to attend town halls in your community and hold your Republican MoC accountable for the big, ugly bill they passed and other issues you are concerned about.
From Citizens’ Impeachment: here is a calendar of scheduled town halls around the country.
If you don't see a town hall scheduled near you, click here for instructions on how to contact your MoC and to urge them to speak at one. Script is included.
Rallies
National Day of Action on Aug. 16. Trump is trying to rig the 2026 midterm election by gerrymandering district seats in Texas to add five additional Republican seats. Texas House Democrats have broken quorum to try to stop this. But it won’t stop there: Florida, Indiana, Missouri, and Ohio (and maybe other red states) are also looking to gerrymander their districts to favor Republicans. However, we are fighting back! Join a stop Trump Takeover event by clicking here. Use this toolkit from DemCast to counter the Texas gerrymandering.
Join Indivisible in a statewide protest in Pennsylvania on Sunday, Aug. 24, 2–4 PM ET, to demand the closure of the Moshannon Valley Processing Center ICE facility, one of the largest in the Northeast. Click here to sign up.
Join May Day Strong, a Day of Action on Labor Day, Sept. 1. Sign up with one of the thousands of communities across the country who will be standing up against billionaires taking over our country! We will be in the streets, outside the offices of the corporate criminals who are behind the attacks on our freedoms, and at congressional offices. Together we will demand a country that puts workers over billionaires. To learn more about the event and join a National Call scheduled for Aug. 14, 7 PM ET, and Sept. 16, 8 PM ET, click here.
Action Network is organizing Tesla Takedown protests every week. Find a protest near you by entering your ZIP code here.
The Big List of Protests will help you find a rally near you.
Boycotts
Click here to find out which chain restaurants to boycott (and why you should avoid them) and which chains you should support instead. You will also find boycotts against major retailers and information on how to find the companies that align with your values.
Contact Congress/Attorneys General/Governors/State Legislators
From Indivisible: Call on blue state Democrats to fight fire with fire by redrawing new congressional maps. If red state Republicans rig the midterms by redrawing their maps to steal seats, blue state Dems must even the playing field by responding in kind. Use our tools to demand that Democratic governors and legislators act now. Click here for more information and to contact your governor and state legislators.
Tell your senators to vote NO on the CLARITY Act and protect financial stability, national security, and working families from a manufactured crypto catastrophe. The CLARITY Act is a bill drafted by crypto industry insiders that would leave working families exposed to financial ruin, legalize dangerous speculation, and allow political elites like Donald Trump and his family to profit directly from deregulated digital markets. Click here to contact your senators.
Millions of Americans have relied on Medicaid for paying medical bills and getting health care without going bankrupt. Seniors use Medicaid to help pay for living at a senior facility. Now the Republican Congress and the Trump regime have slashed Medicaid to pay for tax cuts for the wealthy, and those who rely on Medicaid won’t be able to get the lifesaving health care they need. Demand that Congress reverse these cuts and to restore Medicaid. Write to Congress here.
From The Workers Circle: No government law enforcement agency should conduct arrests in secret and hide behind masks to conceal their identity. Yet, ICE agents have been doing exactly this, in addition to violating constitutional requirements for due process. Democrats in Congress have introduced three bills that would stop these illegal practices, The Visible Act, The No Masks for ICE Act, and The No Secret Police Act. Please urge your Members of Congress (MoC) to vote for these bills. For more information about these bills and to contact your MoC, Click here.
From The Workers Circle: Tell Congress to stand up for voting rights and block any proposal that defunds our freedom to vote! Congress just released a budget bill that provides just $15 million for election administration in 2026 — less than $300k per state which will heavily affect Native American communities. We’re calling on Congress to increase that funding to at least $825 million in FY26 — the same level allocated in 2020 — so election officials can protect our vote, upgrade infrastructure, and ensure every eligible voter can access the ballot box. To learn more and to write your members of Congress, click here.
From a More Perfect Union: Write to your senators and tell them to pass a bill to ban congressional stock trading. Click here for more information and to contact them.
From Indivisible: Tell Your Members of Congress to release the Epstein files now! The Trump regime is trying to bury the files, and Mike Johnson dismissed Congress early for summer break to prevent a vote to release them. What are they hiding? Click here for instructions on how to reach your MoC. A script will be provided.
From Rogan’s list: Reach out to your members of Congress, especially those on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and ask them to publicly endorse Sen. Durbin’s demand for release of the Maxwell interview. Insist that she receives no pardons or commutations and that they back a subpoena if the Justice Department does not cooperate. (If they’re House members, also ask them to sign the discharge petition for the Khanna–Massie effort to make the DOJ reveal everything they have). Phone language here; Resistbot letter here.
The Department of the Interior has proposed an 83% cut to Tribal college funding. If Congress signs off, over $100 million will vanish, destroying institutions that provide higher education and cultural lifelines to Native communities. To learn more and to write a letter to your Member of Congress demanding they not cut 83% to Tribal colleges, click here.
From the ACLU: DOGE is feeding our data to unvetted AI to surveil us and consolidating our data, putting us at massive risk of cyberattacks and misuse. It's a major violation of our privacy. Send a message here to your MoC and demand they stop DOGE from invading our privacy.
Alligator Alcatraz is an immigration detention facility built on swamp land that flooded soon after construction. Conditions inside are inhumane: immigrants are fed only once a day, and that food is often infested with maggots. The lights are kept on 24/7, there is no access to bathing, and extreme overcrowding worsens the suffering. To make matters worse, some Republican officials are profiting from this catastrophe by selling merchandise at the expense of detainees’ dignity. This is unacceptable. To learn more about the ongoing abuse and to take action by telling your Member of Congress to shut down Alligator Alcatraz click here.
After the devastating floods in Texas which left people, including children, dead or missing — due in part to weakened warning systems caused by Trump-era cuts to NOAA and the National Weather Service — we must take action now. Use 5calls.org and urge your Members of Congress (MoC) to fund U.S. Weather Prediction and Climate Science to prevent further weather-related deaths. Click here to contact your MOC. You can also use 5calls.org to contact your MoC about other issues you want them to vote on. Scripts are included.
From Indivisible Blue State Defiance — Safeguarding Civil Liberties: What Blue State Attorneys General Must Do To Stop ICE Overreach. Contact your blue state attorney general and tell them to fight ICE’s overreach. State attorneys general have both the authority and the responsibility to defend residents against federal excesses. Please click here for more information including contact information for your AG.
Safeguarding Civil Liberties 2.0: How Blue States Can Fight Back Against Trump’s Immigration Crackdown and Secret Policing. If you live in a blue state, contact your governor and state legislators and demand that they pass legislation that would ban masks, require that ICE agents show proper ID, and more. Click here for more information and how to contact your governor and state legislators. Script is included.
Events
Join One Million Rising: One Million Trained, Millions More Empowered, on Aug. 13, 8–9 PM ET, and be one of the One Million Rising — a national effort to train one million people to help lead in this moment and build a force that will fight back the Trump regime’s unconstitutional policies.
They recommend that you sign up for all One Million Rising sessions, even if you cannot attend them live. Each training will be recorded to be viewed on demand, and the best way to ensure you receive the recordings is registering on Mobilize. Sign up here.
Join Invisible’s Speaker series: Advancing Our Values — Solidarity in Action Training Series. You will learn how to better support impacted communities from experts in the field.
Here’s a preview of some of what’s to come:
Building Partnerships and Coalitions, with Cristina Jimenez — Aug. 18, 7 PM ET
Creating Mutual Aid/Community Response Teams, with Stephanie Rearick — Sept. 15, 7 PM
Understanding Systemic Oppression and Privilege, with Tim Wise — Oct. 21, 7 PM ETJoin Activate America’s Organizer 101 interactive training session on Thursday, Aug. 14, 4–5:30 PM PT. It is a fast-paced, 90-minute training designed to help you turn action into power. Sign up here.
On Thursday, Aug. 14, 7:30-8:30 PM ET, join Red, Wine & Blue’s virtual event — Sex, Lies, and Stereotypes: How Disinformation Undermines Women's Rights. Join us for a conversation with Dr. Bonnie Stabile, Associate Professor at George Mason University, to learn how disinformation harms women and how it is intentionally used to target women in positions of leadership. Learn more and register here.
Join Red Wine & Blue: How You Can Fight Climate Change webinar on Tuesday, Aug. 19, 7:30–8:30 PM ET. We are seeing the realities of climate change. Learn what everyday steps you can do to fight it. Sign up here.
Red Wine & Blue has many more events scheduled. Click here to sign up for them.Join the Center for Common Ground and the Workers Circle for the next installment of their Effective Advocate series, Aug. 21, 7 PM ET. Learn how to build and sustain coalitions in your community. Hear inspiring examples of coalition-building efforts gaining momentum across the country and walk away with the tools and knowledge to drive meaningful change. Sign up here.
Join Black Voters Matter, Voicing Our Power: A Conversation Series with Volunteers weekly sessions on Wednesdays at 6 PM ET. Discussions serve to give volunteers a voice and to talk over issues that matter to them including mental health, our communities, protecting DEI, and more. In addition, on Aug. 20, come to a panel discussion that will focus on Black women’s contributions to the labor force, how layoffs are affecting Black women, and how we can continue to uplift Black women in the workspace. Sign up here.
Join Organize Summer with the DNC. This summer, the DNC is laser-focused on building power for Democrats and making sure Republicans are held accountable for their dangerous and unpopular policies. Join them in organizing your community, getting involved with your Democratic state party, and building long-term infrastructure to support Democrats who fight against Trump and Republicans. Get involved here.
Join Know Your Republic: How Our Government is Supposed to Work, Promote the Vote PA. Experts will speak on the following topics:
Aug. 13: Gun Safety with District Attorney Chris de Barrena-SarobeSept. 17: Labor Movement
Click here to sign up.Fight Back With Friends, a monthly call to action with Indivisible. Please join this national program designed to help you activate your community! Using their Empower app, they’ll equip you with the tools to connect with friends, family, and neighbors who need your voice to get civically engaged. Join them on the fourth Tuesday of every month for a one-hour training session, where they’ll introduce calls to action that make a real impact. Sign up here.
Attend What’s the Plan? A Weekly Discussion with Indivisible’s Co-Founders every Thursday, 3–4 PM ET. Discuss what is happening in the chaos of the White House and learn about the plan to stop it. Please sign up here.
Phone Banking, Canvassing, Texting, and Postcard Writing
Organizing Summer run by the DNC is hosting a phone bank to call Texas voters to let them know that Republicans are ramming through gerrymandered maps to favor themselves and ignoring flood victims. Sign up here.
Silver Spring Progressive Action is hosting a phone bank to call Virginia voters on Monday, Aug. 18, 6:30–8 PM ET. We will be phone banking for Abigail Spanberger for governor and for a VA House delegate. After all the harm caused by the Trump regime, it’s more important than ever to make Virginia bluer. Virginia needs to expand their 51-49 Democratic majority in the House of Delegates and elect Abigail Spanberger governor to deliver a Democratic trifecta. Whether you're a first-time caller or a seasoned pro, training will be provided. Please sign up here and let’s flip these seats!
On Thursdays, 6 PM ET via ZOOM, join Field Team 6 to get text training and to register likely Dem voters in Virginia, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and other key swing states. Sign up here.
Join Good Neighbors Fight for Home: Phone Bank, Wednesdays, 6–8 PM ET, to talk with Virginia voters about threats to essential services and the importance of voting this year. The Rural Caucus of the Democratic Party of Virginia, Red2Blue, Swing Blue Alliance, and others are hosting this event. Sign up here.
Join a Common Cause Phone bank and mobilize voters to take action against dangerous legislation in state houses around the country. They will focus on the most urgent campaigns that need our help. Issues include stopping bills that make it difficult for students, minorities, seniors, and veterans to vote. The phone banks are on Tuesdays and Thursdays at various times. Sign up here.
Join Black Voters Matter on Zoom at 6 PM ET on Tuesdays as they gather to drive change through digital organizing. Their texting campaigns will give you the opportunity to engage residents across the U.S. while empowering them to make a positive impact in their communities. For more information and to sign up, click here.
Join a Black Voters Matter Postcard Party on Zoom, Aug. 21 and Sept. 18, 6–8 PM ET, and create messages to remind people of the power they have in their communities. Sign up here.
Write Postcards for the Virginia, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania elections in November. Click here to sign up.
Donating
Texas Democrats are fighting back and are trying to stop the Republicans from their illegal gerrymandering. Democrats left the state to break quorum to prevent a vote on this. These new districts were illegally drawn in a way that silences the voices of minority communities across Texas. It’s not about fair representation, it’s about Trump clinging to power. Please consider donating to support the Texas Democrats and to fight against this illegal takeover. Donate here or here.
From Rogan's List, please consider supporting relief efforts in Texas. Find a list of vetted local organizations to contribute to via the Communities Foundation of Texas here, and GoFundMe has set up a page for verified fundraisers for those affected by the flooding here. Back local mutual aid efforts from Austin Mutual Aid here and Hands Off Central Texas here.
Other Action Items
Sign up with Field Team 6 and help register Democratic voters. Click here to sign up.
The 14th Amendment which allows, “No State shall … deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws,” is under attack by the Trump regime. Included is the protection of rights like due process of the law and birthright citizenship. However, we can fight back and protect it. Click here on how you can join the fight and be a defender of the 14th Amendment.
From Network NOVA: Stay informed and take action on immigration and ICE.
Speak with Your Wallet: Find resources that will inform you about which companies and candidates support democratic values and those who oppose them. Also support candidates in the VA race and other congressional races. For more information click here.
From Rise Up, Federal Workers Defense Fund: If you've been fired from your federal government job or you're a federal worker concerned about your employment, Worker's Legal Defense wants to help. They will connect workers to free legal support through a network of pro bono attorneys. Click here for more information.
From Network NOVA, join the Virginia Election Protection Coalition to ensure that all Virginia voters can cast a ballot free of obstacles and intimidation. Click here to learn more and to sign up.
From Raise: If you see ICE sightings, call the hotline at 888-600-5762. More information here.
Thanks for reading!
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