5 Things Friday
Let Stacey Abrams school you on voter suppression, tune into a master class on activism, and do your part to ditch Columbus Day for good.
25. That’s how many days there are left in this election. We say “left” because if you haven’t noticed, it’s well underway. If you’re in California, ballots have probably already landed in your mailbox (Track them from election office to you and back again using BallotTrax). And if you’re in Texas, your governor is busy committing emergency voter suppression by significantly reducing the number of ballot drop-offs for millions of Democrats. Yikes. Don’t despair, do 5 Things now.
READ THIS Take a little breather from the incessant updates about our COVID-ravaged, roid-raging, tax-dodging pres and dig into these feel-good stories instead: Mike Nicholls is the founder of UMBER, a graphic journal created by and for Black and Brown self-professed geeks; Rachel and Keba Konte are the power couple behind the beloved Red Bay Coffee, OwlnWood, and All Power to The People. They are activists, entrepreneurs...and relationship goals. Happy Friday!
WATCH THIS That new Stacey Abrams movie—I know you heard about it. ALL IN: THE FIGHT FOR DEMOCRACY dropped on Amazon last month and examines the issue of voter suppression in the U.S. The film interweaves personal experiences with activism and historical insight to expose a problem that has corrupted our country from the beginning. With the expertise of the amazing Stacey Abrams, the film offers an insider’s look into the barriers to voting. Watch it, then...
DO THIS Vote. I have to be honest, all this "Did you remember to vote?" "Are you registered?" usually makes me respond with, "Yes, duh. Who HASN'T gotten the message by now?" Then I talked to 2 close, grown-ass friends in Southern California and when I brought up the election, it turns out THEY HAVE NEVER VOTED IN THEIR LIVES. So, I grabbed a laptop and made them register. One of them even signed up on the spot to be a poll worker (bc I told him maybe he would get assigned to the Staples Center, but whatever works). The moral of the story? Even if you think you exist in a little politically active bubble, there are likely folks you know who have been sitting on the sidelines.
ATTEND THIS This virtual event is a little over a week out (October 17 and 18), but it's a big deal, so we're telling you about it now. The Freedom Side: People’s Tribunal and Congress is part of a radical reimagining of the political, economic, and moral direction of our communities and country. In the tradition of international tribunals against state terror, cases will be made against corrupt government officials, greedy corporations, and actors of white supremacist and patriarchal violence accountable for the terror our communities face. Jurors including legendary activist Angela Davis, author and human rights activist Arundhati Roy, and Black transgender leader Raquel Willis will be receiving testimonies from communities across the country and making meaning of the moment. Tune in for a serious master class in changing the world....literally.
ADVOCATE FOR THIS Monday is Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Well, at least it is in California. Berkeley officially ditched Columbus Day back in 1992, and since then, 12 states, plus Washington, D.C., have declared the switch from Columbus Day to Native American Day or Indigenous Peoples’ Day (California offically made the switch last year). However, Columbus Day remains a widely celebrated holiday in the U.S. that glorifies a false narrative of America’s founding and erases the genocide of Native peoples. Learn how to advocate for the celebration of Indigenous Peoples’ Day by downloading the Activist’s Guide for Supporting Indigenous Peoples’ Day Toolkit. Then get to work!