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Barrington Area INDIVISIBLE Group Meeting

Introduction

Thursday, March 20,2025

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What is INDIVISIBLE?

A grassroots movement of thousands of local groups with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda.

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Indivisible Chapters Across the Country

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New groups are joining at a rate of 10 per day!!

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Statement from Ezra Levin,

Indivisible Co-Founder

"Indivisible has always been committed to nonviolent action. Every guide, every training, every event we organize reinforces peaceful protest and de-escalation. Indivisible is firmly opposed to any acts of violence or vandalism.” - March 11, 2025

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Indvisible’s Group Commitments

Remake our democracy
Embrace progressive values
Coordinate and collaborate
Build a strong and strategic movement

Upholding Values

Toxic behaviors, racist or other prejudiced actions and disprect will not be tolerated
Uphold norms of egagement

Ground Rules

We will be following the Indivisible’s

Group Commitments

Remake our democracy - We recognize our democracy was rigged from the start in favor of the white and wealthy. We actively work to realize a shared vision of a real democracy - of, by and for the people.
Embrace progressive values - We model inclusion, respect, and fairness in all of our actions.
Coordinate and collaborate - We partner with other Indivisible groups on advocacy, elections, and national Indivisible campaigns. Recent wins

The Dems were united on Mon night and defeated the test bill in the Senate “The protection of women and girls in sports act” - People have been calling and they finally uniting
Tesla and Musk protests that are all over the country.� -

Build a strong and strategic movement - We focus our efforts to maximize our impact, winning progressive policy victories and taking power at the local, state, and federal level.

Upholding Values

Toxic behaviors, racist or other prejudiced actions, and disrespect can erode the shared purpose of our movement, and Indivisible will not allow these things to go unaddressed.
Uphold norms of engagement, or the way in which we expect people to interact with each other. The goal here is to create a safe, healthy and collaborative environment within grops that is mutually understood between leaders and staff. Some examples of this are, but not limited to:

Respectfully communicating between groups, leaders, members and staff
Approaching the work with an opennessness and willingness to learn, and to be corrected when necessary.
Operating with a belief that we all in this together. We will all need guidance at one point or another on how to grow and learn in a way that is more aligned with or movement and communities.

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Reminder

You are here because you want to take action

Action items may include

postcard writing
physical protests
Calls
Canvassing

Voluntary - not required
Do what is meaningful to you
Do what you can and no more
Opportunities from other Chapters - Illinois, Chicago, NWSOFA & others

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Reminder - you are here because you want to be here and take action. As we get going, we will develop action plans / items that may include everything from post-card writing to physical protest and everything in between. We ask you to remember a few things:

Everyone has different interests & time limits - Right now, there is a lot coming at us..
You are not expected to participate in everything - In fact - you should not even try.
There will be no judgment if you do not care for certain activities. (For example - some people just hate canvassing)
We ask that you participate in a way that is meaningful to you.
Know that every little thing we do makes a difference!
As we get up and running with social media, you will see more activities

Indivisible National
Indivisible Illinois & Chicago & other Individisible Chapters and partners.
Along with the activities that we plan and do as a group

You are here because you want to be - most of you said that you want to take concrete actions.

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Why These Action Items?

Visibility
They work - but take time!

Montgomery Bus Boycott 1955-56
Anti-Apartheid Boycott 1960 - 1990
Nestle Boycott - 1970 - present
United Farm Workers Delano Grape Strike 1965 -1970

Builds momentum
Work towards getting 3.5% of population engaged to make change

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Visiting Offices (Most Effective)
Calling (Very Effective)
Postcarding (Effective)
Canvassing
Town Halls
Social Media posts
Protests
Boycotts

Let’s talk about potential activities for one minute - Postcarding, canvassing, protests, calling, social media posts - all of these activities have importance - Why do we do them?

Visibility - If you stand up, it shows other people they are not alone and gives them the courage to stand up.
Boycotts work ! Economic pressure is time tested, Target, and Tesla - But it takes time

Examples - Montgomery Bus Boycott - 13 months
Anti-Apartheid Boycott
Nestle Boycott
United Farm workers Delano Grape Strike - The United Farm Workers’ grape boycott was an industry-wise boycott against California grapes that forced growers to negotiate in good faith with farmworkers. (Waging Nonviolence)

Builds moment for the next big thing.
3.5% - Research by Erica Chenoweth Professor of Public Policy at Harvard Kennedy School from Harvard - building towards that. Not there yet.

https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20190513-it-only-takes-35-of-people-to-change-the-world
According to Marie Newman - the Unions are 30 secs away from a strike and some governors are working on a tax strike.

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What if I disagree?

We are a “Big Tent,” welcoming all views within the parameters we set in the Ground Rules.
It is always your choice whether you participate in an action.
Remember - We are all working to the same goal!

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Want to Donate to Barrington Area Indivisible?