We know — it’s been a tough week. Every headline’s a gut punch. That’s not an accident; it’s a tactic. They flood the zone so we freeze. But we’re choosing a different F-word. (No, not that one.)
We choose to FLOCK.
When the system tries to isolate, we gather. We dance. We make noise.
This week, our fortification comes from Hardy Merriman on The New Yorker’s “Politics and More.” He reminds us: when democracy backslides, you can’t measure resistance by the headlines — the headlines are designed to overwhelm. Look instead for what’s growing: new alliances, more mobilization in more places, and moments of repression backfiring (welcome back, Jimmy Kimmel).
His takeaway? “Lots of people doing lots of things works.”
So that’s exactly what we’re doing — flocking together, building power through joy, and dancing straight into the streets. First, at our convening and then at the No Kings 2 Protest.
Wednesday, October 15th — A FORWRD CONVENING!
6:30-8:30 PM at Cherrywood Center (1605 East 38 ½ St, 78722)
This is where the magic happens, y’all. Think of it as a double shot of connection and courage — half strategy, half soul fuel.
We’ll reconnect, get engaged with the work of FORWRD to Win, get smart about the science of resistance, and then translate that energy into action — including a little dance therapy with Erica Nix as we prep for the No Kings Flash Mob.
The last 45 minutes of the meeting is prep for No Kings. Even if you don’t plan to join the flash mob, we need your help writing “No Kings” on crowns and putting FORWRD stickers on the beads and buttons that we’ll pass out.
PLEASE RSVP! And bring your friends! We’ll have wine, snacks, and good company. We promise.
We’ll reconnect, play and learn from 6:30-7:45, then we dance with Erica!
Saturday, October 18th: FORWRD Flash Mob at the No Kings 2 Rally!
The first No Kings Rally was the second largest protest in US History. The goal is to make this one even bigger, and we’re determined to do our part. By now you’ve probably heard the 3.5% Rule. For Austin to hit 3.5% we need to grow the attendance from 20,000 that attended NK1 to about 35,000 this time. Every body matters. Literally.
If you haven’t heard, the No Kings 2 Rally will start at the Texas Capitol at 2 PM and be AN ACTUAL MARCH down Congress that ends at Auditorium Shores. It is going to be righteous.
Even more so, because of the FORWRD FLASH MOB we have planned. We want you with us ANY WAY YOU WANT TO BE THERE. Cheering, dancing, handing out No Kings crown, whatever. Here’s a quick overview:
We’ll meet at the Texas Volunteer Firefighters Monument at 1:30 PM on Saturday, October 18th. (The monument is just inside the gates of the Capitol near 11th and Congress.)
The Off Hand Brass Band will play from 1:30-1:50, to get the crowd pumped.
We’ll do our 4- minute dance once at 1:55 and again when the crowd starts the march at 2.30. (You are welcome to only do one dance if you want!)
The marvelous Erica Nix will be leading us. Our goal is to be a joyful punctuation mark, more Zumba-class-in-boots, than Austin Red Jackets halftime show!
After our second dance, we’ll march down to Auditorium Shores to the tunes of our righteous FORWRD playlist. We’ll exercise our First Amendment rights, accompanied by our amazing Guild Banners while we hand out No Kings crowns, purple beads, and FORWRD postcards to the crowd.
What to wear? Purple shirts (Ideally your FORWRD T-shirt) and boots! We’ll supply you with a gold No Kings crown you can put on a dark baseball hat for shade!
Don’t have purple? Don’t have boots? COME ANYWAY! These are all suggestions - YOU are the most important piece of the puzzle!
Parking Note: Of course, public transportation is a great option! You might consider carpooling with a group and driving 2 cars - park one near Auditorium Shores and shuttle the group up to the Capitol and park near there. At the end of the event at Auditorium Shores, you can all ride back to the car near the Capitol.
Yes, there are rumors that some FORWRD members are going to reprise their Roller Derby outfits for the Flash Mob!! (Looking at you, Obi Mom Kenobi)
Practice Makes Power.
We’ve learned that what feels awkward at first melts into muscle memory and confidence with practice. We have 3 ways for you to practice the moves for the Flash Mob dance. Whether you join us in the actual dance or not, you raise heart rate and calm your nervous system just by practicing. (Reminder: you can only do one dance if you want.)
Practice on your own with our videos:
Practice with Friends!
We highly encourage you getting together with friends to practice. We’ll be hosting a pracitce THIS SUNDAY at 10 AM at Shipe Park (4400 Ave G, 78751) with coffee afterwards at First Light. Join us!
Are you ready boots? Start walkin’!
FORWRD-ATX Calendar Updates
Can’t wait to see you at one of these great events!!
💜= FORWRD member recommended
💜Sunday, October 12th 10AM FORWRD Flash Mob Dance Practice Join us in Shipe Park (4400 Ave G, 78751)! We will have a computer to watch the videos, a boombox to play the music, and best of all, lots of camaraderie as we keep on polishing our moves for the Flash Mob! We’ll practice for a bit and grab coffee at First Light after. Email us at [email protected] with any questions!
💜Monday, October 13th 5-6 PM No Kings Street Theater Promotion! Join the Rosedale Huddle Flash Bobs with a little red-light rush hour promotion for the NO KINGS protest. Here's their plan: meet at the intersection of 45th & Lamar. There will be a little skit in the 25-second red light, with a character playing Trump and three "We the People" chasing him down & holding signs. If you are interested in helping, reach out to [email protected]
💜💜💜Wednesday, October 15th FORWRD CONVENING! Please join us in person! Reconnecting in person is more important than it’s ever been. As always, we will play and learn together. We’re planning a fun trivia game, an exciting update from our FORWRD TO WIN committee, and other important updates from our Organizing Council. At the end, we’ll turn things over to the incredible Erica Nix for a LIVE practice session for our SUPER COOL flash mob for the NO KINGS protest on Saturday the 18th. We also have some crafting projects to work on if you’re not in the mood to dance. Please RSVP here and bring a friend!
💜💜💜 Saturday, October 18th National No Kings Rally!! FORWRD is meeting up at 1:30 PM at the Texas Volunteer Firemen Monument just inside the gates of the Capitol near 11th and Congress. Whether you are dancing with us or there for moral support, we hope you will help us make this No Kings Rally bigger and better than our June rally! Flash Mob starts just before 2 PM. Rally is 2-2:30 PM. At 2:30 PM, the crowd will begin marching to Auditorium Shores and we will perform our Flash Mob one m ore time on the way out! March with us down to Auditorium Shores. Wear purple! Email us with any questions: [email protected].
Virtual Events:
Friday, October 10th 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
Sunday, October 12th 6-7:30 PM Social Media 101 for Activists Whether you're a neighbor who wants to get out the vote, a candidate, an activist or organizer - we want you to know how to effectively use social media to save democracy. This 1.5 hour training will be an hour of education from HOCTX President Sophia Mirto, our resident professional communications director with experience running social media for nonprofits, startups, and elected officials.