Take the “Cons” out of Conversations
With holiday parties in full swing, many of us face a dilemma. When family members or friends are not on the same page politically, how do we talk to each other? Two things often happen: either we take politics off the conversational menu, or we end up arguing. But what if there’s another way? Our…
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We’re Having a Cooking Oil Challenge!
Maybe you read about this in the Sunday newsletter, or perhaps you heard about it at the November meeting. Still have questions? Read on. In light of increased challenges to food security, a number of local organizations have hosted general food drives. We reached out to Community Action House (CAH) to learn about their specific…
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Exerting Our Economic Power
After our October meeting, one of our volunteers took on the assignment of researching and organizing some thoughts about economic activism (thank you, Joanie!). Economic activism is using economic power to drive systemic change. It leverages our collective financial power, and it empowers us as individual consumers, investors, and workers to use our voices for change. …
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Advocate for Your Neighbors
SNAP Suspension You’ve no doubt heard about the suspension of payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as of November 1. Nearly 30,000 neighbors in Allegan and Ottawa Counties will be affected by this withholding of funds. Congress previously set aside a reserve for situations like this, but the current regime has announced it…
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Urgent need for Public Comments!
Just when you thought it was (still) safe to register to vote… The U.S. Election Assistance Commission is currently collecting public comments as they consider adopting a requirement that voters show a passport or other proof of U.S. citizenship when registering to vote. Comment at Regulations.gov. Didn’t we just go through this with the awfully…
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No Kings II October 18
On June 14, there were No Kings rallies in 2,100 cities across the nation, including every state, as well as in 27 countries. It’s estimated that over 5 million people joined in what is (currently) the third largest protest in our country’s history! There was so much energy that day—It filled our hearts not only…
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Workers over Billionaires Labor Day Action
On Monday, September 1, bring your sign to the Labor Day Truck Parade! The 50501 organization has called for a day of action for Labor Day, with the theme Workers over Billionaires. In addition to coming together on Saturday for a separate Workers Deserve protest, we would like to respectfully hold signs along the Labor…
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letter to the editor: On notice
The following letter to the editor was submitted to the Battle Creek Enquirer, South Haven Tribune, Grand Rapids Press, Holland Sentinel, Commercial Record, and Ottawa News Network by he membership of the Saugatuck Douglas Area Indivisible, Holland Zeeland Indivisible, South Haven Indivisible, and Just Us People Indivisible Battle Creek. Congressman Huizenga, There was a time…
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How Immigration Affects the Social Security Trust Fund
Social Security is a major source of income for most people over age 65. Nearly nine out of ten peopleage 65 and older were receiving a Social Security benefit as of December 31, 2024. According to research using 2015 data, Social Security benefits represent about 31% of the income of people over age 65. Among…
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Why July 17? A John Lewis Primer
On July 17, the U.S. will again take to the sidewalks, the parks, the parking lots, the bridges, and anywhere else that We the People can peacefully protest. This day of resistance is being called “Good Trouble Lives On.” (RSVP for the event in Holland here!) John Lewis coined the phrase “good trouble.” One of…
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PRIDE: A Community Gathers in Support
A beautiful, sunny day, a nice breeze off Lake Macatawa, and live music made the 2025 Holland Pride Festival a delight—and very well attended! Congratulations to Out on the Lakeshore, the organizers of the event! The array of vendors was impressive, from church booths to banks, adoption agencies to food trucks, and arts and crafts vendors…
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Protect Our Right to Vote!
Our fight for democracy is never done. Michigan citizens voted in 2018 to replace partisan gerrymandering with the establishment of a nonpartisan redistricting committee, a step forward in election reform. In 2022, 60 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment to protect the security of elections while making sure that voting was easy for eligible…
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Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates’ Strength in Stories on June 17
Lighthouse Immigrant Advocates (LIA) is in its tenth year of partnering with immigrants, refugees, survivors, asylum seekers, and those with limited or no status to determine remedies, to provide expertise, and to walk alongside their clients as they traverse the tricky landscape of US immigration policy. Strength In Stories is LIA’s annual event honoring the…
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Protest an Immoral Budget
Most of us are in this fight for a democracy that works for everyone because we have a common desire for fairness and equity. Equity is a bit different than equality, in that it focuses on individual circumstances rather than providing the same solution for everyone. Imagine your family wants to rent bikes to ride…
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Memorial Day: A Day for Lament and Action
The beginnings of the Memorial Day holiday in the U.S. are a matter of ongoing study. It has for centuries been a custom for people to decorate their loved ones’ graves with flowers, but most recent scholarship credits a group of women in Columbus, Georgia, with the idea of a national day to decorate the…
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Take Action and Protect SNAP!
This year, the USDA has cut funding for Local Food for Schools program, and has also canceled the Local Food Purchase Assistance (LFPA) program, which funded about $500 million annually for food banks. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, food insecurity is associated with poor dietary quality and an increased risk of diet-related…
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Protect Our Public Broadcasting Services
We value our Public Broadcasting stations for the services they provide. Where else can we find decent children’s programming, all those wonderful shows about nature and the environment, thoughtful news programs, Masterpiece Theatre and Mystery, Antiques Roadshow, and more—all ad-free? With a stroke of his pen, however, the current president has launched an attack against…
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Make a Difference: Work Against Schedule F
What is Schedule F? Schedule F is a rule change proposed by the Trump Administration’s Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that would reclassify as many as 50,000 of the federal government’s 2.5 to 3 million civilian employees from civil servants to political appointees. Civil servants are unelected civilian government employees who are charged to do…
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Vote YES on May 6 Millage Proposal
Matthew is struggling to learn how to read, and his mom wonders if he might have dyslexia. Anna was born with a birth defect that makes it difficult for her to speak and be understood. Jaden’s father was killed in an accident and the resulting trauma is causing disruptive behavior. Such situations can make learning difficult for children, but…
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Supporting Our Neighbors at the CROP Walk
Holland Zeeland Indivisible contributes positively to our community, not only through protesting illegal and harmful government actions, but also by actively helping our neighbors. In support of the food insecure in our community and the agencies that serve them, we will participate in the 46th annual Holland Zeeland CROP Walk on May 18, Sunday afternoon,…
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News you can trust
The members of Holland Zeeland Indivisible have compared notes on where they find trustworthy local, state, and federal news. Local News Sources Ottawa News Network, led by Executive Editor Sarah Leach, was the most recommended for local news. Ottawa News Network publishes digitally, and you can receive articles by email by subscribing at their site.…
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In this together
As Holland Zeeland Indivisible, we encourage people to engage with the groups that feel like the best fit, and we aspire to collaborate with those organizations that share our goal of restoring democracy. These are some of the groups that Indivisible members learn from or participate with: We’ll build this list over the weeks to…
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Holland Zeeland Indivisible 