Dear Indivisibles,

Last week, a shooting at Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, took the lives of 17 people, including students and teachers.

In 2018 alone, there has been more than one school shooting per week in the United States. And 19 years after Columbine, there have been more than 130 shootings at elementary, middle, and high schools, and 58 more shootings at colleges and universities.

We’ve watched in awe over the last week and a half as the students of Stoneman Douglas have stepped up, organized, and turned their sorrow into a movement. They’ve bravely challenged their community, their elected officials, and the NRA (face-to-face!) to make one simple demand: that they and their classmates can go to school without the fear of gun violence.

Their activism has mobilized thousands to action. Their activism has Republicans like Marco Rubio and Donald Trump and Rick Scott suggesting they’re open to possible legislation. Their activism has forced not one, not two, but nearly a dozen (it could be more by the time you read this!) corporations to end their relationships with the NRA.

These students aren’t letting apathy and cynicism sink in… and neither will we. They’ve breathed new life into the movement to end gun violence and we’re so grateful for their leadership.

There’s a lot of work needed to make sure inaction is no longer an option by either pressuring our MoCs to take action… or voting them out in November. We must let our members of Congress (MoCs) know we demand more than thoughts and prayers. We demand action. Here’s what you can do right now:

1. Tell your MoCs: don’t pass the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act (a bill that makes mass shootings easier). While our nation reels with the aftermath of Parkland, the Senate is actually considering a bill that is a top priority of the NRA. This bill would require states to recognize the gun laws of other states, essentially forcing them to accept lower standards than their own. That means that gun owners from states with minimal restrictions like Florida’s would be able to legally carry their weapons anywhere, whether or not they travel to a state that would normally have prohibited them from carrying a gun. This bill has already passed the House, and the Senate is expected to bring it up this year. Read our resource on the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act and use our call scripts to contact your Senators before this bill comes up for a vote!
   
   
2. Pressure your state legislators to prevent gun violence. States can go beyond federal laws to pass common sense gun laws. Read our latest resource to find out about your state’s gun laws, what states can do to prevent violence, and how you can take action.
   
   
3. Commit to #VoteThemOut. The only fail-safe way to make sure Congress takes up legislation to is to kick out the MoCs who vote on behalf of the NRA instead of their constituents. MoCs have received $31,399,341 from the gun lobby since Columbine, with more than $5,900,000 coming in 2016 alone. Watch and share this video on social media and commit to #VoteThemOut in November.

Indivisibles across the country worked in solidarity with student leaders over the last week to host actions, support walkouts, and provide support. We’re so inspired by your solidarity with this youth-led movement and how quickly so many of you jumped into this fight.

And in the next few weeks, several events have been planned by the Women’s March Youth EMPOWER (school walkouts on March 14), the students of Parkland (a march in Washington, DC with sister marches across the country on March 24), and a national network of high school students (nationwide student walkouts on April 20, the anniversary of Columbine).

The Indivisible Project is in conversation, and supporting, all three marches and organizations. We deeply encourage you to work with local students taking the lead of this movement. If there isn’t a local march or solidarity action near you, we’ll be in touch soon with ways Indivisibles across the country can stand in solidarity in this powerful, bold, youth-led movement!

The next (few) week(s) on Capitol Hill

While the nation continues to mourn the events in Parkland and move to action on preventing gun violence, Congress comes back to DC this week. Here’s what’s on their agenda this week, and in the early part of March:

• One of the Senate committees in charge of infrastructure will hold its first hearing on the Trump plan. On March 1, the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works will hold a hearing on “The Administration’s Framework for Rebuilding Infrastructure in America.” Congress is beginning to move on Trump’s infrastructure plan, and we know enough to say that this is yet another scam. 
• The DACA cliff is approaching. On March 5, the number of DACA recipients who lose their protections (and therefore their jobs, drivers’ licenses, and protection from deportation) will rise from 122 per day to over 1,200 per day. There will be immigrant-led actions around the country that day to send the message that there is no more time on the clock -- we need a #DreamActNow.
• Republicans (and some Democrats) will vote to repeal key parts of Dodd-Frank. The week of March 5, the Senate is expected to vote on S. 2155, a bill that would drastically reduce oversight of big banks such as Deutsche Bank and Santander and roll back key consumer protections. You can use our explainer and call script to learn more, and tell your Senator to vote no on S. 2155.
• Congress will have the chance to end Trump’s illegal war in Yemen. A bipartisan group of senators is planning to use a procedure under the War Powers Resolution to force a vote on the Senate floor to stop Trump’s war in Yemen. We will have a resource coming out soon that will explain more and provide a call script, but the bottom line is that your senator should vote for this resolution to end Trump’s illegal, inhumane war in Yemen.

This week’s #TrumpThreatLevel

Mike Pence botched a chance at diplomacy with North Korea while at the Olympics. Senator Jim Risch of Idaho said that Trump is prepared to start a “very, very brief” war with North Korea to prevent them from developing the ability to attack the United States with nuclear weapons. This must be avoided at all costs. And there’s no end in sight to the war with Syria. 

Be sure to read our running list of all the ways Trump is making us less safe and keep up-to-date on the #TrumpThreatLevel.

255 days until the blue wave

As each day passes, we get closer and closer to the midterm elections and the big blue wave that’ll take back the House (and maybe the Senate! Annnnd maybe some Governor’s mansions!).

We know it seems early to start thinking about the election, but here are two things you can do to get started:

→ Make sure you’re registered to vote! This is so, so, so important. We’ve set up a tool on our website to make it super easy to get registered. Once you’re done registering, make sure all your family and friends are registered, too!

→ Find your local Indivisible Group now. Building power starts on your home turf. Get connected to your local Indivisible leaders to get engaged and get ready to take back Congress on November 6!

There’s a tremendous opportunity for this movement to show just what we’re capable of in a few months. When (not if!) there is a big blue wave of progressives winning in up and down the ballot, it will be because Indivisibles have put in the long hours and elbow grease to make it happen.

So stay engaged, get connected to your local group, and let’s do the work!

In solidarity,
The Indivisible Team