Isaacson explores the origins of the second sentence of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.” • He breaks down the historical context, showing how Jefferson drafted it and Franklin and Adams edited it. • The book highlights how those words shaped the American Dream and remain relevant in today’s polarized times.
Let’s be honest: this year has been a bit of a dumpster fire. Here at Red Wine & Blue, we’ve been hearing women in our community say they’re not sure how to make a difference — at least, not without totally losing their shit.
So we decided to tackle that question head-on with a brand-new podcast. It’s simply called How To Not Lose Your Sh!t and it’s hosted by our very own Katie Paris and LaFonda Cousin.
Katie, our founder, has worked in political organizing for most of her career. LaFonda, our Chief People Officer, is a wellness expert and yoga teacher on a mission to reimagine self-care. Every week, they’ll talk to experts and everyday women who are getting involved, building community, and feeling better in the process.
You can listen to our first episode with special guest Heather Cox Richardson on October 1st, with new episodes every Wednesday after that. If you’re already subscribed to the Red Wine & Blue podcast in your podcast player, you’ll automatically see new episodes each week here in your feed.
There are a lot of political podcasts out there already, and a lot of mental health and self-care shows too. What we want to do is reject that binary and explore how getting involved can actually be a form of not only caring for your community, but also yourself. We can’t wait for you to join us on a journey through self-care, politics, community, and tackling this difficult moment… together.
A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community By Adam Russell Taylor Recommended by: Bob Publisher: Broadleaf Books
Thinking about alternatives is an important part of the One Million Rising training. In the words of the president of Sojourners, Adam Russell Taylor, whom I heard speak recently, to build a “more perfect union,” we need to be focusing on three priorities: Blocking, Bridging, and Building. We are focused a lot on Blocking bad things happening, but have little power to do that. In the future, we can work on Bridging, but that will take a very long time and will entail millions of one-on-one relationships.
If there’s one universally accepted truth in the modern age, it’s that sequels suck. And Trump 2.0 will be no exception. Trump, Vance, and their MAGA minions feel vindicated by the victory of their bigoted, fascistic clown show of a presidential campaign. Trump takes office with a plan to institute the worst parts of Project 2025. He’ll be enabled by a judiciary packed with right-wing ideologues and a congressional majority stacked with MAGA foot soldiers. And he’s assembled a bloc of corporations and billionaires eager to do his bidding in exchange for tax cuts and corrupt favors. But he has no mandate for the staggeringly harmful agenda he’s about to unleash on the country. And together, we have the power to fight back — and win.
Recommended by: Bob B. – “A nonprofit working to create large collaborative projects to promote consensus policies frameworks with details that could be enacted by Congress on the basis of broad acceptance within the country from Democrats, Republicans, and Independents.”
In a recent YouGov poll, 83% of citizens wanted lawmakers from both parties to make our package of 39 life-enhancing reforms “a priority.”
These reforms would significantly advance citizens’ long-thwarted aspirations for:
Greater economic opportunity and growth
Schools that enable kids to reach their potential
Effective & affordable healthcare
Curbing the national debt
Reliable, clean & affordable energy
Fairer, simpler tax code
Congress organized to resolve our differences
Among the reforms that voters across the spectrum support, all but two have been around for years.
Congress has enacted NONE
The reason: Lawmakers win reelection over 90% of the time by blaming the other party for our critical problems and offering sound bites as remedies.
To overcome these dysfunctions, the Grand Bargain includes three reforms that would reward lawmakers who make major progress on our long-term ills — while those who stood in the way would be likely to lose their seats.
Hear Vinay Orekondy from the Grand Bargain Project talk passionately about our project at EarthX 2025 as part of a Rotaract Club spotlight.
The current Grand Bargain would produce vastly more benefits to society than the major legislation of this century, while shrinking the debt as a percentage of GDP.
For Independents, it’s not about reinventing the entire legislative process – it’s about re-designing the incentives and the system so that they work to benefit the American people.
Generation Z – adults aged 18-29 – represented by far the lowest turnout in the 2024 election, with only around 20 million voting despite more than double that number being eligible.
When communities struggle, the economy weakens, workforce shortages increase, and political divides deepen. If leaders continue to ignore these issues, the long-term consequences will be severe.
America, much like our universe, has always been a nation in motion. It has weathered crises, conflicts, and economic upheavals, yet through the lens of history, the country maintains a sense of forward momentum.
In a recent conversation with Lura Forcum, President at the Independent Center, it became clear just how much thought and purpose is driving this quiet movement. From voter education to future electoral influence, the Independent Center is carving out space for independents to belong and lead.
Recommended by: Bob B. – “Builders Movement, was launched by Starts With Us, and supported by Kind founder, Daniel Lubetsky.”
Our mission is to overcome “us vs. them” thinking and solve problems together. We equip people to uncover hidden common ground and build on it – with lasting solutions that reflect the will of the people.
Find Common Ground and Build Real Solutions Together
If enough people adopt a Builders Mindset, we can replace our toxic “us vs. them” culture with one of curiosity, compassion, courage, and creative innovation.
It won’t be easy. The incentives in our media, social algorithms, and politics reward and amplify the conflict entrepreneurs working overtime to divide, diminish, and destroy.
Our approach is to reach and teach people at scale with powerful content, equip them with new skills and innovative tools, and mobilize the growing Builders movement with grassroots civic programs to hold political leaders accountable for being Builders.
Practicing the 4Cs Daily
The Builders mindset is rooted in the 4Cs: curiosity, compassion, courage, and creativity. By adopting these values as daily habits, we promote flexible thinking, constructive problem solving, and respecting the dignity of all people.
How a politically diverse group of ordinary Wisconsin citizens turned a kitchen-table idea into the law of the land — and made their state the 49th to guarantee a full year of postpartum Medicaid coverage. When Governor Tony Evers stepped to the podium at a Wisconsin children’s hospital last Wednesday to sign legislation extending postpartum… The post Builders Like You Just Scored a Huge Legislative Victory for New Moms appeared first on Builders.
Gallup Poll Finds New High of 45% in U.S. Identify as Political Independents — Here’s What That Means for the Future of Politics American politics can feel like a constant tug-of-war. Red versus blue. Left versus right. Us versus them. The rope has been pulled so hard for so long that a record number of… The post Nearly Half of Americans Now Identify as Political Independents appeared first on Builders.
The Lone Star State Has Allocated $20 Billion to Solving Its Water Crisis. Some Experts Warn It’s Not Nearly Enough. Texas is a state built on growth. More people, more businesses, more cities rising from open land. For generations that growth felt almost limitless. But one resource may ultimately decide how far that growth can… The post Is Texas Running Out of Water? appeared first on Builders.
How to stay grounded in reality — and humanity When the Iran War broke out, the public conversation escalated almost as quickly as the conflict itself. Within minutes, timelines filled with hot takes, sweeping claims, and people suddenly confident they solved Middle Eastern geopolitics between lunch and their third cup of coffee. But the Iran… The post What We Keep Getting Wrong About the Iran War appeared first on Builders.
My name is Lucy, and I’ve been living in Israel for the past four and a half years. I work as a full-time scriptwriter for Builders of the Middle East, where I write content that amplifies the voices of real people across the region, especially those living in some of its most complex and conflicted… The post Humanity Is the One Thing War Can’t Take: Life in Israel During the Iran War appeared first on Builders.
Primaries used to be the sad side salad of American democracy — technically part of the meal, but largely ignored. Now everyone wants a bite. And that shift could change everything about who ends up on your November ballot. Election season kicked off this week with the Texas, North Carolina, and Arkansas Primary Elections on… The post The Tides Are Turning This Election Season appeared first on Builders.
Following the mass shooting in Downtown Austin this morning and the outbreak of war in the Middle East, Builders Movement is postponing its Texas Independence Day event scheduled for tomorrow, March 2, at the State Capitol until further notice. Monday’s event was intended to celebrate independence and civic participation ahead of Tuesday’s Primary Election. Out… The post Our Capitol Event on 3/2 Has Been Postponed Until Further Notice appeared first on Builders.
By Sharon McMahon I am a person who has read the Minnesota state constitution for fun. I realize this makes me unusual. But when I ask most people what they could do this week to strengthen American democracy, they either go big — vote, protest, run for office — or they go nowhere, because nothing… The post What If It’s Simpler Than You Think? appeared first on Builders.
Every election cycle, a fresh wave of misinformation sweeps through Texas — on social media, in group chats, and sometimes even on the news. These myths don’t just spread confusion. They actively discourage people from voting. As we approach the Texas primary election on March 3, let’s set the record straight on six of the… The post 6 Texas Voting Myths, Debunked appeared first on Builders.
The first question every voter should ask when evaluating a candidate By Brian Hamilton My dad never graduated from high school. He used to tell me: “Brian, talking ain’t doing.” Despite not having the fancy degrees that many of us hold, my father instinctively knew the importance of action. One of our better presidents, Teddy… The post Have They Ever Built Anything? appeared first on Builders.
We’re Launching a Get-Out-The-Vote Campaign Inspired by Texas’s Strangest and Most Beloved Mascot: The Armadillo In Texas, we have a state mammal that tells the whole story. When threatened, the armadillo rolls up into a tight little ball. Head down. Feet tucked in. Wait it out. It’s exactly what too many Texans do every primary… The post Don’t Roll Over, Texas appeared first on Builders.
Voting based on who will actually govern effectively is hard. It requires asking questions that go deeper than party labels, campaign slogans, and who “won” the last debate. If you’re tired of representatives who perform for their base instead of solving problems, here are five questions to ask before you cast your vote. These aren’t… The post 5 Questions to Ask Before You Vote appeared first on Builders.
A Message from Galvanize Action about a huge block of persuadable voters!
“White women are the largest voting bloc in this country and will be for decades to come. They account for 38% of the national vote share and 43% of the vote share across Galvanize Action’s priority states. Within this voting bloc, we’ve identified 44,093,812 moderate women who are not ideologically entrenched, meaning they are open to new ideas and perspectives and movable on key issues such as reproductive freedom, healthcare, gender equity, climate, and the economy.”
Galvanize Action has a fabulous interactive messaging worksheet we can all use!
Galvanize Action says, “We’ll share with you exactly how to create a message that meets people at their values and how to turn those into an effective ad. Our interactive worksheet will guide you through the process with prompts about your target audience and the issue you want to move them on. You’ll walk away with customized advice!”
Using Convergent Facilitation to Reach Breakthrough Collaborative Decisions
by Miki Kashtan
Miki introduces a novel decision-making process called Convergent Facilitation that builds trust from the beginning, surfaces concerns and addresses them, and turns conflicts into creative dilemmas that groups feel energized to solve together. This highly effective process has been used successfully around the world to resolve problems and teach people how to collaborate without sacrificing productivity.
We’re a grassroots movement of thousands of local Indivisible groups with a mission to elect progressive leaders, rebuild our democracy, and defeat the Trump agenda.
Defeating a multi-decade right-wing takeover of American government ain’t easy. But we’re here to win, and we have a plan. Here’s how we’re doing it:
We Are Indivisible. Our opponents depend on a divide-and-conquer strategy, so we treat an attack on one like an attack on all. We show up for each other, and particularly for those facing the brunt of right-wing ideologues’ attacks – often immigrants, people of color, and low-income people. We share a vision: a real democracy, of, by, and for everyone.
Strong Leaders, Strong Groups, Strong Movement. We build and sustain our movement’s power by helping individuals take leadership. They grow and lead local Indivisible groups, take independent action, and coordinate with their fellow local leaders. As a movement, our power comes from coordinated national campaigns where we act together, indivisible.
Inside/Outside Strategy. We understand systems of power – like how Congress operates – and we work inside them to get results. That complements our outside strategy of locally-based constituent pressure to demand elected leaders, regardless of political party, work for our democracy.
A Virtuous Cycle of Advocacy and Elections. We show up to advocate for policy wins in off-years and get out the vote in election years. These efforts reinforce each other to ensure our democracy works for all of us and that the people in power do too – or we will replace them with electeds who will.
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. …We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
Indivisible No Kings Spot: A Weak, Failing Wannabe-King.
On March 28, we rise up in nonviolent protest all across the country. Join us: https://www.nokings.org/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible —– Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today! website: https://indivisible.org/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indivisibleguide/ …
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. …We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
Hell yeah it's No Kings 3 — here's how to make it massive
March 28th. 3000+ protests. No Kings 3. Leah breaks down the strategic logic — why Trump fears mass protest, what we can actually accomplish, and what comes next. Ezra shares a dead-simple ‘tripling’ tactic to get your friends, family, and neighbors off the couch and into the streets. Plus: live Q&A, including why the single best message against Trump is that he doesn’t give two flying fucks about you. 0:00 – Start 16:57 – Q&A —– About What’s the Plan: The onslaught of news, the chaos …
March 28th. 3000+ protests. No Kings 3. Leah breaks down the strategic logic — why Trump fears mass protest, what we can actually accomplish, and what comes next. Ezra shares …a dead-simple ‘tripling’ tactic to get your friends, family, and neighbors off the couch and into the streets. Plus: live Q&A, including why the single best message against Trump is that he doesn’t give two flying fucks about you.
0:00 – Start
16:57 – Q&A
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About What’s the Plan:
The onslaught of news, the chaos coming out of the White House – it’s all meant to overwhelm us. It’s a deliberate strategy to sow confusion and make us believe we are powerless to fight back.
The antidote: Coming together in community to process what’s happening, to sift through what’s important and what’s just noise, and coalesce around strategies for fighting back.
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.
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
On March 28, millions of us are rising again to show the world: the power belongs to the people. We don’t do kings in America. Our nonviolent movement is only growing. Join our Kickoff Call to learn more about the vision, urgency, and strategy behind this national day of action. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned organizer, the time to act is now! You’ll hear from movement leaders about the strategic and moral imperative behind the next No Kings mobilization. —– Join up, get to work, …
On March 28, millions of us are rising again to show the world: the power belongs to the people. We don’t do kings in America. Our nonviolent movement is only …growing. Join our Kickoff Call to learn more about the vision, urgency, and strategy behind this national day of action. Whether you’re brand new or a seasoned organizer, the time to act is now! You’ll hear from movement leaders about the strategic and moral imperative behind the next No Kings mobilization.
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
We the People reject Trump’s brutality at home and abroad. Let’s show up on March 28 to say in one voice: No wars of aggression. No terrorizing our communities or yours. No tyrants, no conquests, no kings. nokings.org —– Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel …
We the People reject Trump’s brutality at home and abroad. Let’s show up on March 28 to say in one voice: No wars of aggression. No terrorizing our communities or …yours. No tyrants, no conquests, no kings. nokings.org
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Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
Crypto, AI, AIPAC, and other fascism funders are spending millions of dollars to buy as many Democratic politicians as they can. The Illinois primaries showed us how we can organize to fight back. —– Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today! website: …
Crypto, AI, AIPAC, and other fascism funders are spending millions of dollars to buy as many Democratic politicians as they can. The Illinois primaries showed us how we can organize …to fight back.
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Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
March 28 will be the largest protest in American history. Please join us in the streets again for No Kings Day: https://www.nokings.org/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible
What does the largest protest in American history look like two weeks out from the big day? We give a sneak peek at the planning and next steps for No Kings III. Then we welcome Sara Haghdoosti, foreign policy expert and MoveOn Chief of Program Officer, to discuss Trump’s war with Iran, what congress can do about it, and what we all can do to change what happens next. 0:00 Intro 11:17 Sara Haghdoosti 35:23 Q&A —– About What’s the Plan: The onslaught of news, the chaos coming out of the …
What does the largest protest in American history look like two weeks out from the big day? We give a sneak peek at the planning and next steps for No …Kings III. Then we welcome Sara Haghdoosti, foreign policy expert and MoveOn Chief of Program Officer, to discuss Trump’s war with Iran, what congress can do about it, and what we all can do to change what happens next.
0:00 Intro
11:17 Sara Haghdoosti
35:23 Q&A
—–
About What’s the Plan:
The onslaught of news, the chaos coming out of the White House – it’s all meant to overwhelm us. It’s a deliberate strategy to sow confusion and make us believe we are powerless to fight back.
The antidote: Coming together in community to process what’s happening, to sift through what’s important and what’s just noise, and coalesce around strategies for fighting back.
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.
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
ICE Off Campus: Alumni & Higher Education Organizing Call
Since Trump’s return to office, higher education has been under attack – with schools facing pressure from the administration to curtail free speech and academic freedom, eliminate DEI policies as part of admissions, and limit the number of international students. And now colleges and universities are facing yet another pressing threat: ICE enforcement on campus. We’ve seen ICE terrorize our communities, use intimidation tactics on innocent bystanders, and deploy chemical weapons at schools …
Since Trump’s return to office, higher education has been under attack – with schools facing pressure from the administration to curtail free speech and academic freedom, eliminate DEI policies as …part of admissions, and limit the number of international students. And now colleges and universities are facing yet another pressing threat: ICE enforcement on campus. We’ve seen ICE terrorize our communities, use intimidation tactics on innocent bystanders, and deploy chemical weapons at schools – this dangerous agency has no place on our campuses.
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Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
The next No Kings Day will be the largest protest in American history: https://www.nokings.org/ —– Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today! website: https://indivisible.org/ facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indivisibleguide/ threads: …
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have …hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
Yes, we get to celebrate Kristi Noem getting shitcanned. Pressure works, the regime is weak, joy and celebration are beautiful acts of defiance. Leah covers Trump’s illegal war with Iran and the live fight within the Democratic caucus on whether to fund it. We remember that both No Kings III and our anniversary are this month. And always, lots of live Q&A. 0:00 Intro 17:19 Q&A —– About What’s the Plan: The onslaught of news, the chaos coming out of the White House – it’s all meant to …
Yes, we get to celebrate Kristi Noem getting shitcanned. Pressure works, the regime is weak, joy and celebration are beautiful acts of defiance. Leah covers Trump’s illegal war with Iran …and the live fight within the Democratic caucus on whether to fund it. We remember that both No Kings III and our anniversary are this month. And always, lots of live Q&A.
0:00 Intro
17:19 Q&A
—–
About What’s the Plan:
The onslaught of news, the chaos coming out of the White House – it’s all meant to overwhelm us. It’s a deliberate strategy to sow confusion and make us believe we are powerless to fight back.
The antidote: Coming together in community to process what’s happening, to sift through what’s important and what’s just noise, and coalesce around strategies for fighting back.
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.
Indivisible is a national grassroots movement dedicated to building progressive power and fixing our democracy. We have hundreds of groups around the country fighting for D.C. statehood, court reform, racial justice, climate justice, and more. Subscribe to our channel today!
The first year of the second Trump administration was defined by horrifying authoritarian abuses from an unpopular regime that were met again and again by courageous resistance from everyday Americans…and cowardice or complicity from elites of every stripe. Despite genuine efforts from a handful of Democrats in congress, their ability to advance real, leave-it-all-on-the-field opposition strategy was repeatedly upended by the feckless leadership of Senate Democrats — and none were more feckless than Leader Chuck Schumer.Senator Schumer isn’t responsible for all of the Democrats’ problems, but in 2025 he became emblematic of the party’s failed status quo: a poor communicator who is out-of-touch […]
By Leah Greenberg, Indivisible Co-Founder and Co-Executive DirectorScreengrab via Democracy Now!Martin Luther King Jr. Day arrives this year amid a deliberate effort to rewrite American history and a wholesale assault on civil rights in America.It has been one year since Donald Trump was inaugurated on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It felt cruel and grotesque that a man who represents so much of what Dr. King stood against could rise to power on a day meant to honor the struggle for racial justice and democracy.Over the last year, we have seen a devastating, sustained attack on nearly every facet of the […]
Over Thanksgiving weekend, tens of thousands of people across the country came together to say “We Ain’t Buying It!” to companies that have capitulated to Trump.From Thanksgiving Day through Cyber Monday, they participated in a shopping pause at Target, Home Depot, and Amazon, in protest of those retailers completely caving to the Trump administration and going along with their harmful, authoritarian policies.Target rolled back their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policiesHome Depot has done nothing to protect immigrants in their stores as ICE continues to conduct violent raids on their property.Amazon has funded the Trump administration through donations and significantly discounted government […]
It’s time to turn the page in the Democratic Party.Since his election in 2016, Indivisible has been dedicated to the defeat of Donald Trump and his authoritarian political project. Winning this fight is existential for our country and our communities, and the struggle in 2025 is as stark as it has ever been. Donald Trump rules as a wannabe king, dismantling our democracy with a league of sycophantic enablers at his side. Empowered by techno-fascists, corrupt self-dealing billionaires and corporate cowards, this regime is killing the American experiment with a death by a thousand cuts.We have secret police forces and federal […]
By Sarah Dohl, Indivisible Chief Campaigns OfficerRemember the night Trump’s first reconciliation bill failed and we saved the Affordable Care Act?I do. It was July 28, 2017.After months of nonstop calls, packed town halls, and rallies in blistering Arizona heat, every sign pointed to defeat. Republicans appeared to have the votes to kill Obamacare, and we had our “we lost” email written, proofed, and ready to send. But we should have known better.Because in those months, weeks, and days leading up to that vote, Indivisibles never stopped fighting.Activists like you showed up at Susan Collins’ Fourth of July parades with signs and bullhorns. […]
By Leah Greenberg, Indivisible Co-Founder and Co-Executive DirectorOver the last six weeks, we’ve gotten the occasional question about why Indivisible, together with our coalition of incredible partners, called for No Kings Day on June 14.Why another protest? What is it going to accomplish? Shouldn’t we be [insert alternate tactic] instead?These are good-faith questions, and they stem from very reasonable concerns. The speed, scope, and scale of the MAGA assault — on our rights, our neighbors, our democracy — is staggering. The stakes are enormous. There are days when nothing we’re doing feels sufficient to the magnitude of the horrors we face.Protest is a tactic. And with any […]
via Indivisible Twin Cities on BlueskyWe are in the midst of a full-blown constitutional crisis.That statement has been true nearly every day since January 20, as the administration has usurped the powers of Congress by illegally freezing funds, declared fake emergencies to grant itself more power, and skirted judicial rulings.But Trump’s brazen defiance of a Supreme Court order to facilitate the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from a Salvadoran torture prison is truly a watershed moment for our teetering democracy.To recap:The Trump administration has sent over 238 people (likely far more) to a torture prison in El Salvador without due process. Mounting […]
Yesterday was a bad day for Elon Musk and Donald Trump and a good day for democracy. Even after Musk spent more than $20 MILLION to buy a seat on Wisconsin’s top court, Susan Crawford won — and the liberal majority on Wisconsin’s Supreme Court is safe!This isn’t just a loss for Trump, Musk, and their lapdog Brad Schimel; it’s a wholesale rejection of oligarchy. The people of this country don’t want their courts stacked with bought-and-paid-for judges who’ll do the bidding of Musk and his billionaire friends. The vote results convey that loud and clear.And this isn’t just a victory for Susan Crawford […]
screengrab via KHOUToday, Donald Trump signed an executive order that aims to eliminate the Department of Education. Emphasis on “aims to.” Trump cannot unilaterally abolish a federal department created by Congress.Let’s be clear about what this executive order will do: it instructs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to facilitate the department’s closure while playing legal tricks to avoid a court making them stop. This approach indicates that the executive order is a preliminary step toward dismantling the department, setting the stage for further actions rather than causing an immediate shutdown.Trump’s goal here is to weaken the department (and thus public education), […]
When Republicans first introduced their partisan funding bill to keep the government open — full of extreme cuts, attacks on basic rights, and provisions to give even more authority to Trump and Musk to continue dismantling the federal government — it was clear that the fight to stop it would require Democrats to operate with real unity.Federal employee unions, litigators fighting Trump in court, outside advocates, House Democrats, many Democratic party insiders, and Indivisible were all in lockstep that passing this bill would be worse than a government shutdown. The GOP funding bill would give Trump and Musk carte blanche to continue their administrative coup, […]
Recommended by: Bob B. – “Convergence Center for Policy Resolution, provides services and training for those wishing to transform conflict into collaboration.”
In a country marred by deep conflict, city, county, and state officials face mounting pressure to engage diverse stakeholders in resolving contentious and complex public policy issues. The Convergence Learning Lab’s training and consultation services empower leaders with the necessary skills to bridge these divides resulting in more productive public meetings, more constructive community engagement, and, ultimately, better outcomes for constituents.
Lab services are built on our unique, evidence-based collaborative problem-solving methodology which has been used to successfully address seemingly intractable political, social, organizational, and community-based issues.
Our process has proven consistently successful at producing the kinds of results that drive impact.
Convergence’s success offers a beacon of hope for the majorities of Americans frustrated by divisiveness that change is not only possible, but that we have the tools and the knowledge to bridge even the starkest divides with consistency. In addition, our success highlights the rich set of tools, practices, and resources that others can use to achieve similar successes.
We select issues that are ripe and amenable for Convergence and stakeholder-participants to collaboratively “unstick,” and frame a discussion-onramp to the issue that is both crucial and disarming.
We convene diverse tables of participant leaders and doers, many of whom oppose each other so stridently they never thought they could talk to one another.
We facilitate participants to build trust, find common ground. Participants abide by a set of ground rules including honoring all points of view, respecting the confidentiality of the conversation, and listening carefully when others speak.
We generate consensus solutions collaboratively among dialogue participants through establishing guiding principles that create a framework for the policy discussions to come. Once stakeholders are aligned on a bigger vision, they are ready to work together to produce new ideas and solutions.
We deliver societal impact and on-the-ground implementation of the solutions. By design, a Convergence project strives to engage stakeholders to take action on their ideas after the dialogue stage is completed, or in some instances, even while the dialogue is going on. Convergence itself does not formally endorse stakeholders’ proposals – it remains policy neutral – but often plays a stewarding role to maximize the impact stakeholders can achieve.
Bringing people together across divides to tackle today’s toughest challenges
Recommended by: Bob B. – “(NCDD), a nonprofit membership organization that maintains a database of collaborative organizations around the world.”
What We’re All About
The National Coalition for Dialogue & Deliberation (NCDD) is a network of innovators who bring people together across divides to discuss, decide, and take action together effectively on today’s toughest issues. NCDD serves as a gathering place, a resource center, a news source, and a facilitative leader for this vital community of practice.
Dialogue and deliberation are innovative processes that help people come together across differences to tackle our most challenging problems. In a time when we are increasingly told how divided we are in so many ways in our nation and in our world, teaching, spreading, and supporting the skills of dialogue and deliberation are vital.
The NCDD website is a clearinghouse for literally thousands of resources and best practices, and our highly participatory national and regional conferences have brought together more nearly 3,000 practitioners, community leaders, public administrators, researchers, activists, teachers and students since 2002. We keep in touch monthly with 28,000 people involved in public engagement and conflict resolution work.
Above all, NCDD provides opportunities for members of the broadly-defined dialogue and deliberation (“D&D”) community to share knowledge, inspire one another, build collaborative relationships, and have a greater collective impact.
Below you’ll find our contact info, mission, details about our membership, and more. You can also read the full story of NCDD’s beginnings and learn about the NCDD team. And, of course, if this resonates with you, please consider becoming a member or making a donation to NCDD!
Why did the Coalition form?
NCDD exists to support the growing “dialogue and deliberation community” — a broadly-defined community of practice involving practitioners, scholars, activists, public officials, nonprofit leaders, process geeks, students, and others who engage and mobilize people to come together and strengthen understanding of each other and issues in ways that supports community-building and collaborative problem-solving.NCDD was formed in 2002 in response to a clear need for an infrastructure for learning and collaboration among those who approach D&D from a variety of disciplines, including public policy, social work, communication, education, social justice, social activism, and organizational development. The Coalition was a result of the first National Conference on Dialogue & Deliberation, held near Washington, DC in October 2002.
NCDD is an educational organization and a Community of Practice. Communities of practice are formed by people who engage in a process of collective learning in a shared domain or topic area. In other words, communities of practice are groups of people who share a concern or a passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as they interact regularly.
Our members make up the core of our community of practice. As of January 2021, the Coalition’s membership has grown to include 700 organizations and individuals. Our website visitors, social media group members, conference attendees, and over
28,000 newsletter subscribers are also part of this ever-growing community of practice.
This article is a comprehensive strategic framework for nonviolent revolution, combining historical case studies, practical organizing guidance, and theoretical insights about movement building.
A Strategic Framework Describing The Eight Stages of Successful Social Movements
by Bill Moyer
Publisher: History Is A Weapon
Recommended by: BruceR
Within a few years after achieving the goals of “take-off”, every major social movement of the past twenty years has undergone a significant collapse, in which activists believed that their movements had failed, the power institutions were too powerful, and their own efforts were futile. This has happened even when movements were actually progressing reasonably well along the normal path taken by past successful movements!
The Movement Action Plan (MAP) was first published as the Fall 1986 edition of the Dandelion. Twelve-thousand copies were published and distributed. This is a revised edition of that article. People are invited to participate in the continuing development of MAP and help spread it to local groups.
