Fight the Drift 🛟

Masha Gessen wrote an important piece in the New York Times this week, warning that we’re entering a new phase of the Trump regime.

“Living in and reporting on Russia when Vladimir Putin took and consolidated power, I was shocked many times … but time went on and the shocking event became a fact of our lives. After the initial shock, few people keep track of the shifting front line.”

What’s more, Gessen says, any small measure of progress — like courts ordering Trump to return people who are wrongly deported — can make us feel as if things aren’t really as bad as we might imagine.

“They create the sense that there is more air to breathe and more room to act than there was yesterday. And so just when we most need to act — while there is indeed room for action and some momentum to the resistance — we tend to be lulled into complacency by the sense of relief on the one hand and boredom on the other.”

We all feel that, don’t we? That slight pull away from urgency? Back in February, the Senate switchboard reported receiving 1600 calls per minute. Are we still feeling that outraged about what they’re destroying?

Let’s not be lulled. Let’s fight the drift and keep the volume turned UP 🎤.

Next Wednesday: Come to Our Meeting!

One very easy way to fight against complacency is to come to our meeting next Wednesday!

The vibe will be looser and less scripted; you don't have to pick a break out session. We will have a de-escalation training as we empower each other to keep engaging and building bridges. We'll also highlight what's been going on in FORWRD and share some sparks around how to interrupt ICE Raids … and why showing up at the No Kings Rally is so important.

We've built in time to hang out, have a glass of wine, and make a protest poster. It's going to be good. Our goal is to connect with each other, learn something together, and share ideas and plans. You can RSVP here:

If you would like to help with set up or clean up, or bring a snack or drink to share, please sign up here. We’re looking forward to another great meeting!

And Bring Your Kids!

Do you have kids between the ages of 18 and 30? Please invite them to come with you! We’d love to expand our tent and hear more about their impressions of politics, media and the future. Can we entice them with free snacks and wine?

Our Next Project: Uniting Austin’s Creative Community

If you’re in our Signal group, you’ve probably seen the photos of the 1,000 gold crowns that our Arts & Culture group will be distributing at the June 14 NO KINGS rally at the Capitol.

But that’s just a small piece of their overall plan for the rally! Volunteers are building six guild banners, each reflecting a different area of art and culture, in the next 14 days.

The banners — representing Music, Art, Dance, Film, Writing and Theatre— will serve as gathering points for local creatives, who are invited to come march with their peers. Signs around each guild banner will call attention to specific budget cuts to local arts organizations in that focus area.

Can you help spread the word? Invite your creative friends to assemble under their banner, side by side with their fellow writers, musicians, filmmakers, poets and actors — you know, the people who truly make our community and America great.

The banners will be constructed out of fabric, cardboard and bubble wrap to stay within the Capitol safety guidelines. Here’s an (undecorated) prototype:

We’ll build more banners for future rallies, reflecting other areas that are being devastated by DOGE and the GOP’s No Good Very Bad Budget Bill — like education, health, sciences, conservation, and more.

Every one of us cares about something that the Trump regime is currently attacking. Now we’ll have a way to unite our community around what’s important. We can’t wait to see the finished banners — and thanks to everyone on the Arts & Culture team for their vision and hard work!

From SIGNAL … to the Real World

Our Signal group of 220+ is a lively daily stream of links, events, ideas, articles, and photos. It can be a lot to keep up with! So we’ll be sharing highlights here each week.

Last week, the group discussed reaching out to the Austin Chronicle to recommend that they feature activism events in their local calendar section. Wendy Salome — who brilliantly manages our own calendar — submitted a letter to the editor, which was published in last week’s paper:

Nice going, Wendy!

This week on Signal, Laura Carbonneau posted this important message:

If you’d like to join the Signal group and you’ve misplaced the invitation you received, just give us a shout and we’ll hook you up.

Last Call for our Survey!

We’ve received many thoughtful responses to our Spring survey — we’ll share the results and comments at our meeting next week.

If you haven’t responded yet, please take five minutes to share your thoughts.

🗓️ Calendar Highlights

Friday, May 30 Calendar Updates

Coming in HOT!! Grab a friend and join one of these local activities … wear your FORWRD button to connect with your sisters-in-arms! (Do you need a FORWRD button or sticker? Come to the meeting next Wednesday and we’ll give you one!)

• Friday, May 30th 8-9:30 AM (in person) 12th Street Banner Drop with the Rosedale Huddle - To join in the “Honking for Democracy” Friday banner drops, email [email protected]

• Friday, May 30th 5-7 PM (in person) Resistance Art Show Swing by the Capitol Rotunda for a guerrilla art show! BRING: 3 friends & your creative protest signs (No sticks longer than 12 inches are allowed by Capitol DPS)

• Saturday, May 31st 9-11 AM (in person) There are TWO Tesla Takedowns happening in Austin - one at the NORTH (183 and McNeil) Tesla Gallery and one at the SOUTH (St. Elmo) Tesla Gallery - note the new earlier time! The #TeslaTakedowns are working ….

• Saturday, May 31st 10 AM- 12:30 PM (in person) Fight for your Rights: The People vs Greg Abbott Rally - featuring Rep. James Talarico. Come protest Greg Abbott’s power grabs!

• Sunday, June 1st 1-3 PM (webinar) Resistance Lab with Rep. Pramila Jayapal - Join Rep Jayapal for this powerful organizing training designed specifically for this moment. You can listen to Rep. Jayapal talk about this training with Stacie Abrams on the Assembly Required podcast!

• Monday, June 2nd 7-8 PM (webinar) Get People to No Kings with Crooked Media and Indivisible. We need to bring in as many people to this movement as possible to make sure Trump and his billionaires get the message. Whether you're hosting a NO KINGS rally or just plan to attend, all of us can pitch in to help promote these protests. 

• Tuesday, June 2nd 8-9:30 AM (in person) Far West Banner Drop - NEW!! Rosedale Huddle added a Tuesday morning banner drop over MoPac! To join in the “Honking for Democracy” Tuesday banner drops, email [email protected]

• Wednesday, June 4th 6:30-8:30 PM (in person) FORWRD-ATX in person convening! Grab a friend or two, RSVP here, and join us for another inspiring night of connection at the Griffin School! 

• Thursday, June 5th 6-7 PM (webinar) Protecting Public Science The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) invites you to a virtual briefing on how the Trump administration is interfering with federal science in real time, what's at stake, and how scientists and science advocates can help push back.

• Friday, June 6th 5-8 PM (in person) HandsOff Veterans March Join this protest in solidarity with veterans protesting what is happening in our government

• Saturday, June 7th 11 AM - 2:30 PM (in person) World Refugee Day raises awareness of the plight of refugees throughout the world. The Austin celebration, sponsored by the Bullock Museum and member organizations of the Austin Refugee Roundtable, celebrates new American citizens and recognizes the courage and resilience of refugee families and individuals.

• SAVE THE DATE Saturday, June 14th 5-8 PM (in person) No Kings Mass Protest