Thanking all of you from all of us

By Ann G. Daniels and Heidi Rand

It’s become our annual tradition at this time to list some people and things that have been keeping us going through the Tunnel of AYFKM. Here’s our list from last year, and our list from 2017. As the weird keeps getting weirder (to put it mildly), amazing folks keep the flame burning, so we’re proud to share our latest installment: our 2019 list of wonderful individuals and groups that have helped Indivisible East Bay do our work, and that have stood out as true champions of the resistance. The list is far from being exhaustive – think of it as a starting point.

This administration may be the Bad Place, but these folks are the best!

Please patronize these terrific businesses and entertainers, and tell them THANKS for helping IEB:

• Charlie Varon: for presenting his captivating & inspirational monologue “Cul de Sac” at the October AMM
• Brian Copeland & Charlie Varon: for donating to IEB a portion of the proceeds from their performance of “The Great American Sh*t Show” 
• Sports Basement Berkeley: for providing free meeting space at the coolest sports emporium in the Bay Area!
• Rialto Cinemas Cerrito, El Cerrito: for providing free meeting space for IEB’s CA-11 team at a really cool theater! 
• IBEW Hall in Dublin: another free meeting space when we gather for AMMs in CA-15 territory 
• Finnish Hall in Berkeley: for giving us a break on their rental space price
• Alliance Graphics: best Union printer in the Bay Area! All of their net profits go to supporting the Middle East Children’s Alliance, and they also support dozens of other non-profits, schools and progressive projects.
• 1951 Coffee: the local non-profit cafe that provides barista training to the refugee community. More info at our article.

Working with these groups (almost) makes it all worthwhile:

• Indivisibles all over, including – but not limited to! – Indivisible National, Indivisible Berkeley, Indivisible SF, Livermore Indivisible, Indivisible El Sobrante/Richmond, and our great election partner Indivisible Northern Nevada. We are Indivisible!
• Black Voters Matter: As their website says, “effective voting allows a community to determine its own destiny.” IEB was proud to partner with BVM in text-banking at our GOTV efforts.
• DemCast: DemCast’s mission is to cultivate, amplify & maximize the impact of grassroots digital media, bolstering blue electoral and policy victories at all levels of government, across America. We thank them for partnering with us, posting our action articles & weekly newsletter on their blog, and spreading the word via social media.  
• Democracy Action: Kudos for organizing so many resistance events, and gratitude for including ours on their list!
• East Bay Activist Alliance: A coalition of local elections activists in the East Bay, they work to help elect Democrats all over the U.S., especially at the state level, particularly in areas that can flip red to blue.
• Election Protection: ​This national, nonpartisan coalition, made up of more than 100 local, state and national partners, works year-round to advance and defend the right to vote.
• Evolve CA: Evolve organizes high-impact grassroots campaigns to benefit all Californians. If you’ve attended IEB’s CA-11 team or All Member Meetings, you’ve heard about their plan to pass the Schools & Communities First ballot measure, to reform Proposition 13.  
• Flip the West: Formerly Flip the 14, FtW works to strengthen the work of the Resistance in Arizona, Colorado, Montana, and Texas, while continuing their work in California. They organize and amplify volunteer opportunities to reach the voters Democrats need to win, and serve as a clearinghouse for blue wave organizations looking to get involved where it matters most.
• NorCal Blue: Resistance events calendar and resources for Northern California.
• Postcards to Voters: An online resource allowing activists to send friendly, handwritten reminders to targeted voters giving Democrats a winning edge in close, key races coast to coast.
• Reclaim Our Vote: A non-partisan organization working to register voters of color in states where voter suppression is high. 
• Resistance Labs: This organization created by Oaklanders supports frontline organizations fighting the worst of Donald Trump’s agenda.
• Swing Left East Bay: Organizes activities in the East Bay with the goal of flipping Senate seats in Arizona and Colorado, holding congressional seats in CA-10 and 21, and working on other elections as needed to have the greatest strategic impact.
• Vote Forward: Empowering grassroots volunteers to help register voters from under-represented demographics and encourage them to vote. They build tools to enable Americans, wherever they may be, to encourage fellow citizens to participate in our democracy.
• West County Organizing: phone and text banks for state and special elections, in El Sobrante. Email Nancy at nancyklein@westcountyorganizing.com for schedule and to RSVP.

And Here’s to all of You and Everything You’ve Done!

We said it last year, and the year before, and it stays true, so we will say it yet again:

We are thankful for every phone call, every postcard, every difficult conversation with a loved one, every protest, every sign, every idea, every atom of energy you gave to our resistance this year. Despite how difficult it’s been, despite the psychic and social horror of it all, we have won far more often than we have lost. Our successes and our continued defense of the United States is down to you, your families, and your communities. Sincerely and with the deepest hope for our next year: thank you.

Graphic “Thank You,” Alpha Stock Images by Nick Youngson (CC BY-SA 3.0)

Ann G. Daniels’ checkered professional background includes practicing law, reproductive rights advocacy, creating web content for nonprofits and educational organizations, and teaching adult and family literacy. She also designs jewelry, teaches knitting, and sings second soprano.

Heidi Rand fights the evil empire with skills gained as a Ninth Circuit staff attorney and civil rights lawyer, using words to resist, and to inform and inspire others to take action. She also wields a mean camera and knitting needles, though not usually at the same time.