Chop Wood, Carry NY 2/13
Hey, Team NY!
Keep reading for some “Not My President’s Day” events this weekend.
Countdown: 1,438 days
Between Eric Adams (the mayor of NYC) and Rod Blagojevich (former Governor of Illinois) receiving pardons for federal corruption charges yesterday, JD Vance stating that the Executive branch isn’t subject to the whims of the courts, and Elon Musk joining 34-time-Convicted-Felon Trump in the Oval Office for a meeting with the press, it’s incredibly easy to want to disengage and emigrate to Canada (hey, I think we’ve all wanted to run away at least once since November 5).
But, as I told my mother today, if the billionaires want to destroy our democracy for good, I’m not going to let them make me paralyzed with fear or apathy. When you find yourself feeling apathetic or fearful, it’s usually a good indication that you need to take a breather and engage in some self-care. How do you engage in self-care when the world is on fire and the future is uncertain? I watched this lovely reel on ways we can regulate our nervous systems by incorporating joy in day-to-day life. It’s not all woo-woo; it’s actually grounded in neuroscience. Here are my take-aways from this video:
Practice noting when things are going your way—“Wow, this is a really delicious and fresh cup of coffee . . . Wow, I found a good parking spot today . . . The sun is shining today!” If you train your brain to notice the good, it’s easier to be optimistic (if not about politics) about your life. As Jay Kuo reminds us, it’s okay to be happy about your life in America, even if you are not happy with America.
Schedule things in the future to look forward to— vacations, dinners with friends, going to the beach. This helps you trust that good things are on the horizon, no matter what the fascists want us to think.
Laugh—listen to comedians, watch funny TV shows, and even go to laugh yoga.
Create something—take pictures, bake, cook, journal, write, crochet, sew, knit, draw, sculpt. As demanding as it is to write this newsletter, putting my thoughts on a digital paper, hitting publish and then hearing from you all via email fills my heart with joy. Find something you like to do that allows you to be creative.
Finally, here is my addition:
Pay attention to the spaces (virtual and physical) you find yourselves in. I make a point to mute groups, authors, politicians, and threads where the language and tone is triggering. I’m a fairly glass-half-full kind of soul, but due to anxiety, I am triggered by dramatic titles and comments I see on social media. So, I try to follow folks who are realistic, but offer ideas for engagement and a reason to believe in a better tomorrow (like Rep AOC, Senator Chris Murphy, Jay Kuo, Robert Hubbell, Simon Rosenberg, and Jessica Craven).
This newsletter will cover various events over the weekend and on Monday, February 17. If I missed an event, please add it in the comments section!
Outdoor Events:
NYC Region
Join Rise and Resist and other activists in Union Square to mark Presidents Day. This day we resist the current Trump administration, the GOP Congress, and the unelected oligarchs. Make no mistake, this is a coup and we are not going to submit quietly. We are not going back.
This is a non-violent and peaceful demonstration, bring signs, banners, acoustic instruments, and your friends. We’re calling for a NATIONAL DAY OF PROTEST on Presidents Day, so please tell your friends across the US!
WHAT: Gather in Union Square NYC at 1PM and make some noise. We have singers and performers who will lead some chants, invited groups (Rude Mechanical Orchestra, Resistance Revival Chorus, and others) will sing and resist, then we’ll march to Washington Square Park and do it again.
Long Island Region
On February 14:
On February 17:
Members from Assemble Long Island, Engage Long Island, Long Island Network for Change (LINC), Show Up Long Island (SULI), Suffolk Progressives, and 50501 Movement are joining together for a rally outside Congressman LaLota's office on Monday, February 17th at 2 PM. We realize it is a holiday and do not expect Congressman LaLota to actually be there, but still want to bring the community together.
A Mobilize link for sign up is coming soon but please plan to join us!! I’ve included a screenshot with more details below:
Southern Tier Region
"Not My President's Day" Protest
TIME: Monday February 17, 2025 @ NOON SHARP
LOCATION: Kennedy Park, 86 Chenango Street, Binghamton NY 13901 (intersection of Chenango St and Henry St in downtown Binghamton)
Sponsored by Indivisible Binghamton, Citizen Action & Tompkins Indivisible
DRESS WARMLY, BRING SIGNS. Suggested messages for signs:
"JFK is our President"
"Obama is our President"
"Musk is NOT our President"
"Trump is NOT my President”
On Monday, February 17th, at noon, concerned citizens of Broome County and beyond will gather to increase awareness and question the current administration’s illegal invasion into citizens’ private and personal financial records.
Capital Region
Westchester Region
Protest at Schumer’s office in Peekskill from 2-3pm on the 17th. Hudson Valley Strong is organizing. RSVP here.
Watertown, NY
Rochester Region:
President's Day pro-democracy picketing:
Stand with us to protest Elon Musk and the direction of Trump's agenda. We will be standing on sidewalks at the corner of the intersection of Main Street (route 5&20) and Rochester Street (Route15A) in the Village of Lima. We will provide signs with a variety messages along with American flags. Participants are free to bring their own signs. After the event we will socialize at a local coffee shop.
Indoor/Virtual Events:
Postcarding & Political Conversation
This event is co-hosted by Markers For Democracy, Downtown Nasty Women Social Group, and Team Min.
We strive to build community, educate voters, and use our Sharpies to write to save democracy together. Join us from 10am-12pm ET to write postcards, talk about the races, and hear from candidates and political leaders.
Please answer the registration questions accurately and completely. If this is your first time joining this group, please sign on by 10:15am ET. Compliance with these requests will facilitate admission to our Zoom meeting.
If you need help getting started with postcarding, please visit our FAQ.
OK, thanks all! Enjoy your weekend.
Lydia & Jess
Perhaps in addition to taking to the streets we need tools to effectively protest online. E-commerce protests could be very impactful. By that I mean alternatives to Google, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, etc. The tools the tRump oligarchs have created are addictive-it is difficult to find alternatives that work as easily. A guide to how to transition away from these tools by February 17th or 28th would amplify the impact of street protests.
Many of us have taken one step - deleted twitter accounts, moved to Bluesky, etc. A complete guide with options (what can I use instead of Gmail, etc.), could be helpful.
I can’t actively participate in in person protests as I’m quite pregnant- but I did print some flyers to put up around my town. Can I confirm these protests are all being held by vetted groups? Specifically asking about the Capitol Region event.