Quote of the Week
Peter Sagal: “He posts a picture of himself as Jesus healing the sick. And when he was criticized for this, he insisted – and this is true – oh, he’s not supposed to be Jesus in the picture, don’t you see? He’s a doctor. That’s what he said. Because whose doctor doesn’t wear flowing white robes and treat you with glowing beams of light emanating from his hand?”
Alonzo Bodden: “Well, that’s the Republican health plan they’ve been working on.”
Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me, NPR, April 18, 2026
Action of the week: Commit to Participating in May Day Strong
Sign the May Day 2026 pledge to record your commitment. Following up on our massive No Kings mobilizations, May 1st marks the next phase in forging solidarity and flexing economic power: a nationwide general strike, “no work, no school, no shopping,” backed by Indivisible and hundreds of labor and clergy groups.
Visit May Day Strong to learn more and find a nearby location to experience solidarity. May Day originated in 1889 to commemorate the 1886 Haymarket affair in Chicago, where police clashed with labor activists striking for an eight-hour workday. It is now a public holiday in many nations.
Join us for Lessons from Minneapolis: Organizing micro-neighborhood groups
On Wednesday, May 6th, 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. via Zoom, learn from two longtime Minneapolis residents who have been part of Minneapolis’ now-famous micro-neighborhood groups. We’ll explore the nuts and bolts of setting up and managing such groups and identify transferable lessons we can apply to establish or strengthen groups in our communities. The session will be structured around questions submitted in advance by participants.
Please register for the event now and submit your questions. This event is Newton Indivisible’s member meeting for this month and brought to you in collaboration with Indivisible Waltham, Indivisible Weston, and Indivisible LAB.
Citizens for Newton to resist ICE lawlessness
We asked opponents of ICE to wear yellow, and the Public Safety and Transportation Committee meeting last week was a sea of yellow, in the chamber, on the balcony, and on Zoom. Thanks to all the supporters, many wearing Newton Indivisible bandanas, who came to the hearing. About forty people addressed the committee, the vast majority in favor of putting more safeguards in place, and the high school students who spoke were especially impressive.
Although the Mayor’s Executive Order affirms that Newton is a Welcoming City, we need more clarification of protections for all residents, workers, and visitors. See this article on our website for Talking Points and Questions, and reach out to him directly at mlaredo@newtonma.gov
The pressure of concerned citizens across the country is working: Minneapolis issued the first arrest warrant for an ICE agent’s lawlessness, and the ICE Director submitted his resignation.
Profile in Courage: Aliya Rahman will not back down
On her way to a doctor’s appointment, Aliyah Rahman, a disabled autistic Minneapolis resident, was violently detained by ICE officers and denied medical care. Rahman eventually fell unconscious and woke up at a hospital. She testified to Congress about this experience. Later, as a guest of her representative at the State of the Union, Rahman stood silently in protest. And for that, she was physically removed and jailed. Rahman was never charged with any crime.
On Thursday, Rahman filed a federal tort claim against the DHS for the use of excessive force and violation of her rights. “My hope is that Americans can see that we have an option that might someday make mass acts of racial violence seem too expensive for these folks, even if they don’t share our values,” says Rahman. Watch this video to hear her speak.
Newton Bridge Brigade Action Team
Sign up to help us reach our nationwide goal of messaging from 1,000 overpasses on D-Day Democracy Day (June 6th). We especially invite veterans and artists to contribute and participate. This will be the biggest Visibility Brigade nationwide action yet. We will engage millions while honoring those who fought fascism long ago on the beaches of Normandy.
We are out at several locations weekly. Visit the Bridge Brigade Action Team page for groups, dates, locations, and how to join one of the local Signal chats to stay up to date on these actions.
Elections Action Team
This week, we are calling voters in Georgia in support of Indivisible-endorsed candidate Jasmine Clark for Congress. We are also joining MassDems in making calls from home to recruit volunteers and to turn out voters for House Democrats. For complete details and registration links, and other ways to get involved, visit our Elections Action Team web page.
On Wednesday, April 8th, a group of two dozen volunteers from Newton Indivisible and FUUSN gathered to write letters to voters in Georgia ahead of that state’s May primary election. The letters include key information about ID requirements to help voters be prepared and eligible to cast a ballot. A total of 227 letters were written!
Commonwealth Advocacy Team
This week, we are focused on data protection and surveillance. On Tuesday, April 21st, 7:00 to 9:00 p.m., listen to the ACLU discuss Privacy, Power and Democracy.
Massachusetts residents now live in a world of constant surveillance, where our personal information is packaged and sold with almost no meaningful limits. H.3755 and H.4746 would finally give residents enforceable privacy rights. But these reforms face intense resistance from powerful industry interests that profit from our data. Contact your legislators and demand that Massachusetts lead on privacy protection. Reject data disclosure requirements disguised as protection of children!
Last week, the Massachusetts House advanced H.5366, an amendment to S.2581 that would ban minors from social media and require everyone to provide identity verification before use. Requiring everyone to verify that they live in our state and are over the age of 16 before using any social media is extreme. Let your legislators know that across-the-board bans on social media and mandated identity verification are not the solution!
Rallies Action Team
On Saturday, April 25th, our standout in Newton Centre will be in solidarity with the Communities Not Cages National Day of Action, a coordinated mobilization to protest the warehousing of immigrants in industrial spaces, demanding community safety and the cessation of mass detention. Join Indivisible, Detention Watch Network, and Disappeared in America to protest this inhumane initiative.
This will be our 58th RESIST standout in Newton Centre Green at the intersection of Beacon and Center Streets from noon to 1:00 p.m. We request that photographers introduce themselves before taking any pictures. Bring your own signs. Check out The Big List of Protest Signs for ideas. Contact us at rallies@newton-indivisible.org for more information or register for this event (optional).
Interfaith Action Team
The Newton Indivisible Interfaith Action Team is excited to report that we have successfully engaged with clergy and members of Jewish, Protestant, Islamic, and Baha’i congregations. Politics aside, those whom we have met have expressed their desire to contribute to building a just and peaceful world where all people are treated with dignity and respect.
To help us build our network, please complete this form. Doing so will enable us to engage with faith leaders and congregational members so we can share insights, actions, needs and ideas on how to address the erosion of democratic and moral principles in our country. In the long run, we hope to develop a community of “Neighboring” similar to the model that arose in Minnesota. In the face of unforeseen emergencies (such as a surge of ICE or an environmental crisis) we believe that a cohesive faith-based community could provide valuable leadership by standing up for a world where moral values guide our actions and democracy is preserved.
More opportunities to take action
Visit our Opportunities to Take Action page for a listing of important ongoing initiatives. The list is updated weekly along with our newsletter.
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This weekly newsletter is brought to you by the Newton Indivisible Executive Committee: Kia, Rachael, Larry, Pat, Erica, Karen, and David. To send a message to the leadership team, use our Contact Form or email info@newton-indivisible.org.