Voices of the 8th: What’s Next?
“I have a little cry, dust myself off, pick myself up, and keep going! The show must go on!”
-Chilli Heeler
Well, the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” passed, and Gabe Evans voted for it.
So, what can we do?
We Can Fight for Joy!
Feelings of defeat are normal, but we cannot succumb to despair. There are tons of actionable things we can do to protect our communities, keep putting pressure on our elected officials, and work to educate others about where our elected representatives’ loyalties lie.
Losing momentum, feeling hopeless, giving up– this is what they want. We need to do the work to fight this radical agenda.
That said, it’s important not to burn out. It’s a long road until the 2026 midterms, and an even longer one until the 2028 election, where we can oust Trump and his tyrannical allies for good.
Make sure you are taking time to rest, recharge, and enjoy life.
Fighting for joy is just as important as fighting against hate and fear.
We Can Fight for Community!
Mass deportation of non-violent immigrants is as economically catastrophic as it is morally reprehensible.
We know that claims of “safety” are racist and xenophobic, and the consequences are devastating. The MAGA budget bill made ICE the most funded law enforcement agency in the nation.
This is unacceptable.
There are things we can do.
Immigration Court Assistance:
From our friends at the Colorado Rapid Response Network (CORRN), several volunteer options are available.
- CORRN Related Volunteering
Rapid response includes several key roles, including documenter, confirmer, dispatcher, and legal observer. You can sign up to be contacted for any of those roles here.
- The Accompaniment Network
The Accompaniment Network is dedicated to accompanying specific people who request accompaniment to check-ins and court hearings (criminal, traffic, immigration). To volunteer in the Denver Metro, send an email to jgarcia(at)afsc.org*, and to volunteer in the Boulder County area, click here.
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- Court watch
Court watch is dedicated to monitoring the hearings and the presence of ICE at court. There are roles for English, Spanish, and people who speak other languages as well (French, Mandarin, Creole, Arabic). Roles include observing the exterior and distributing flyers to those entering, as well as observing inside the hallways and courtrooms. Shifts are 2 hours long and occur between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 1981 Stout Street in downtown Denver. If you are interested, fill out the Colorado Court Watch Interest Form, and someone will follow up with you.
ICEBlock:
Do you have an iPhone?
If so, ICEBlock is an app that allows you to report any ICE sightings and receive notifications that ICE is nearby.
Know your rights:
Even if you are a citizen, you should have a working knowledge of the rights afforded to all people and the tactics used by law enforcement to try to circumvent them.
These resources are a great place to start:
https://immigrantjustice.org/for-immigrants/know-your-rights/ice-encounter/
https://www.aclu-co.org/sites/default/files/FINAL-ICE-KYR-1.pdf
https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas
https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/red_cards-how_to-culture_strike_illustrated_0.pdf
https://www.wehaverights.us/spanish
These masked goons are cowards, terrified to even show their faces. Time and time again, when they face peaceable opposition, they scatter.
Remember, seeking asylum is a protected right, and America is a nation of immigrants.
American immigration restriction has a shameful history – implemented for the first time after WWI, largely to limit the influx of Jewish people fleeing the Holocaust. The “right way” to immigrate, touted to shame undocumented immigrants, turned boats of families fleeing genocide away from the safety of American borders and into death camps.
We need to be better.
Undocumented immigrants have a right to be in this country, and they contribute to making communities and economies stronger.
Let’s work together to protect everyone.
We Can Fight for Education!
In a recent poll, 48% of Americans stated that they had no knowledge of the Budget Reconciliation Act, and only about 8% could cite Medicaid cuts as an issue in the bill.
We don’t need to tell you why this is a huge problem. A majority of Americans oppose these cuts, but can’t vote in accordance with their morals if they don’t have the facts.
We need to inform people exactly what Gabe Evans voted for so that we can ensure his defeat in 2026. The state of Colorado released this analysis based on the original House version of the bill, and the final version is even worse.
BBC also published this article outlining the bill in a way that is both factual and nonpartisan.
We need to know the facts.
We need to spread awareness.
We need to have conversations with friends and family, to post on social media, to tack flyers on community boards. Grassroots education works, and we need to mobilize.
Reply to this email to share how you are spreading the word about exactly what our elected official voted for and who he voted against!
We Can Fight for Democracy!
Every Friday, concerned citizens protest outside of Gabe Evans’ Northglenn office.
This Friday specifically, we are working with multiple organizing groups to send a message: Gabe Evans FAILED his constituents, and we will NOT forget!
If you haven’t been to one of these protests yet, we really hope you stop by this Friday. The dedication of the weekly protesters is inspiring, and it is truly uplifting to see how many passionate people are doing the work to hold Evans accountable.
We hope to see you there!
Join us Friday, July 11th, 11:00 to 1:00 at 10701 Melody Drive, Northglenn, Colorado 80234
We Can Fight LOCAL!
Backyard Oligarch Martin Lind is using YOUR tax dollars to fund an overpriced, ill-advised rec center that threatens to bankrupt Greeley!
Greeley residents are working to collect 6,000 signatures to get this wasteful project on the ballot.
The GOOD NEWS is we just received word that you no longer have to be a Greeley resident to circulate petitions. ANYONE can help fight this devastating billionaire pet project.
Contact Mary Monahan or reply to this email to receive additional information and training materials!
monahan.mmaymo(at)gmail.com*
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From Our Community:
If you attended our town hall, you remember Rachel Sanchez. Her powerful speech conveyed her experiences as a cancer survivor and how Medicaid saved her life.
She will be walking for both herself and her family in the Northern Colorado Relay for Life on July 19th from 4:00 to midnight.
She invited us all to participate and donate as we are able. If you want to sponsor her, you can search for “Rachel Sanchez” or “Courage of the Sanchez Family”
Let’s join her in supporting this amazing cause, especially as patient care is at stake!
We are working to bring actionable steps and relevant events to your inbox every Wednesday. If you have an upcoming event or cause you’d like us to cover, please reply directly to this email, and we will follow up with you.
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We also have a new events calendar on our website. Please check there for not only our events, but also others that align with our values. Please let us know of any events you think would be good candidates at info(at)voicesofthe8th.org* or by replying directly to this email.
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Thanks!
Voices of the 8th
