HERE WE GO … in this email you’ll find everything you need to get ready for our flash mob at the NO KINGS Rally on Saturday, October 18!
Quick refresher: We thought planning a flash mob for NO KINGS …
a) would be fun,
b) would show other rallygoers that people just like them are working together to make resistance visible & joyful … and they’re always invited to join us,
c) would provide another reason for folks to come out for NO KINGS. We’re in a period of dangerous backsliding as a democracy, and PUBLIC MOBILIZATION is an essential guardrail to prevent further damage. (Here’s a recent New Yorker podcast with Hardy Merriman that goes into great detail about the importance of public mobilization in this moment.)
Get up offa that thing & dance ‘til you feel better
Here are three ways for us to learn the steps before our in-person rehearsal on the 15th:
In this video, choreographer Erica Nix breaks all the moves down and then puts it all together at the end. This one lasts 20 minutes:
The second video is less than 5 minutes long and includes just the steps and the music:
Erica will host a Zoom rehearsal on Wednesday, October 8 from 7:15 - 8 pm:
Meeting ID: 832 3560 3457
Passcode: iloveyou
We’re feeling the background, Erica 🌴
Please don’t let this plan intimidate you! You can always learn just one song if that’s all you’re up to. Let’s give it a try and see where we wind up!
DRESS CODE: Purple shirts & boots. (FYI, purple FORWRD-ATX shirts will be on sale at our meeting on the 15th ….)
**We’ll send another message out next week with the specific time and location of the flash mob — the flash mob action squad is still ironing out the details ….
Meeting/In-Person Rehearsal Wed, 10/15 👯
Wednesday, October 15, Meeting 6:30 pm, Rehearsal 7:30
Cherrywood Center, 1605 E. 38 ½ Street, 78722
If flash mobs aren’t your thing, there are still plenty of reasons to attend our next meeting! We’ll get an update from our FORWRD-To-Win committee — these folks have been working behind the scenes for months and we’re excited to hear their plans.
We’ll also celebrate what we’ve accomplished together in eight months, and we’ll brainstorm together about the future. How can we keep building momentum all the way through next year’s midterms?
And then we’ll have a chance to practice the whole dance together, with Erica leading us in person! It’ll be a fun and action-packed two hours, we promise.
When our Arts & Culture group decided to create guild banners for the first NO KINGS rally in June, they faced a tight deadline and a big goal: to complete banners reflecting SEVEN different arts disciplines, to serve as community gathering points and specific reminders of what the Trump regime’s cuts are costing our local arts organizations.
The banners were built for speed, and in the hot months of summer, the adhesive letters started to detach. That’s when committee member Maria Raper stepped in. Using an overhead projector, she has taken on the project of painting all the banners by hand ‼️
Maria’s one-woman restoration project
Thank you for taking on this massive project, Maria! Our arms are tired just looking at you ….
Two of the newly restored banners, ready for the next NO KINGS rally
🗓️ Calendar Highlights
For Friday, October 3rd: New month, new motivation 💪
💜= FORWRD member recommended
Local Austin events (in person):
Saturday, October 4th 9-11 AM Tesla Takedown SOUTH - Join a regular group of protestors who are drawing attention to Tesla’s ties to right wing authoritarians and educating the public about the damage that Elon Musk is doing to our democracy.
💜Sunday, October 5th 4-5:30 PM Indivisible Rosedale Huddle Meeting We are a local Indivisible group that meets on the first Sunday of the month with our friends neighbors and fellow activists to report on events and activities, share news about upcoming action and to connect up and create working groups to GET THINGS DONE.
Monday, October 6th 3:30-5 PM Democratic Study Group Speaker Meeting The Democratic Study Group has invited TX Democratic Party Chair Kendall Scudder, Travis County Democratic Party Chair Doug Greco, Legislative Director for Texas House Rep. Gina Hinojosa - Brian Pena, ACLU of TX strategist Ash Hall, and Texas Stonewall Dems board member Angel Carroll.
Tuesday, October 7th 8-9:30 AM West Side Banners over Austin with the Rosedale Huddle. Peaceful, energetic and FUN! We will be holding banners and signs over the interstate at peak traffic /visibility times - we wave flags, support our banners and thumbs up to the many honks and waves from cars and trucks below. At Far West and MoPac
Friday, October 10th 8-9:30 AM 12th Street Banner Drop with the Rosedale Huddle - Peaceful, energetic and FUN! We will be holding banners and signs over the interstate at peak traffic /visibility times - we wave flags, support our banners and thumbs up to the many honks and waves from cars and trucks below, At 12th St and I-35.
💜Wednesday, October 15th FORWRD CONVENING! Please mark your calendars and tell your friends about our next meeting on Wednesday, October 15 at 6:30 pm at the Cherrywood Center! We’ll get an update from our FORWRD TO WIN committee and brainstorm creative ways to show up for candidates. Then … we’ll turn things over to the incredible Erica Nix, who is already hard at work building a plan for a SUPER COOL flash mob for the NO KINGS protest on Saturday the 18th.
💜💜💜 Saturday, October 18th National No Kings Rally!! Help make No Kings 2 BIGGER and BETTER than the first one! BRING A FRIEND! SHOW UP FOR DEMOCRACY! 🕔 Schedule 2:00 PM → ASSEMBLE to hear from leaders in the movement 2:30 PM → MARCH together to Auditorium Shores 3 – 5:30 PM → UNITE with dozens of orgs, find your action home
Virtual Events:
Monday, October 6th 7-8 PM No Kings Protest Safety with the ACLU. This training will give you the tools to take action safely, confidently, and with key de-escalation strategies in hand. Whether you're marching, rallying, or supporting from the sidelines, you'll learn how to protect yourself, your community, and stand up for your rights.
Wednesday, October 8th 7:15-8 PM Zoom Rehearsal for our FORWRD Flash Mob with Erica Nix!
Thursday, October 9th 2-3 PM What’s the Plan with Indivisible Join Indivisible co-founders Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin each week, as we carve out an hour to discuss what’s happening and – more importantly – what’s the plan.
