by Mandy Katz

“What Next?” was the theme of a community meeting sponsored by Indivisible Waterfront at the Southwest Branch Library on January 11. The event brought together longtime and new political activists disappointed in the outcome of November’s elections and pondering how—for some, even if—the grassroots can organize effectively under a Republican-controlled government. 

A capacity crowd of forty members of Indivisible Waterfront spent two hours unpacking their responses to the “MAGA” victory and planning activities to soften its impact while supporting Democratic party renewal in the year to come. Attendees left the meeting with renewed commitment and feelings of enhanced solidarity and confidence that activism makes a difference.

Formed by Southwest residents shortly after Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential win, Indivisible Waterfront (IW) mobilizes strategic personal and small-group action to advance progressive policies and candidates at the local, state and national levels. The group, which always welcomes new members (www.swingleft.org/group/indivisible-waterfront), works independently and with national organizations like SwingLeft to support Democratic causes and candidates, through letter-writing, donations, voter registration, poll monitoring and myriad forms of canvassing. 

The January gathering at the library differed from the group’s typical meetings in both format and content. Moderated by IW organizer Bobbie Friedman, a longtime Southwest resident, it featured breakouts for discussion and brainstorming after which each small group presented their thoughts to the larger assembly. Attendees were asked at the outset to jot down their post-election state of mind in a few words on a Post-It. These were affixed to a wall of comments. When read aloud early in the meeting, they portrayed a range of feelings in the room from disappointment, numbness, anger and fear to hope and renewed commitment.

The space soon filled with a friendly buzz and occasional laughter as participants ranging in age from twenty- to eighty-something, many already acquainted and others new to the group, moved the next phase: Using paper and markers provided to record their ideas, they talked and connected about how they are navigating the current political reality and girding themselves for new work on issues that concern them. One spokesperson from each table then presented their collective ideas to the group. Strategies mentioned included focusing on music, art and meditation, being with friends, exercising, and strategically limiting exposure to a firehose of news.

In addition to coping mechanisms, participants pooled their ideas for how they planned or hoped to focus their efforts productively in the year to come. Pending special elections for judgeships (in Wisconsin, for example), various state ballot initiatives, and Virginia’s 2025 election cycle all were mentioned, along with issues of DC policy, Democratic party reform, and specific congressional initiatives. In Virginia, participants hope to help Democrats expand their narrow House of Delegates majority, and enthusiasm ran high for supporting the candidacy of former House Member Abigail Spanberger as the likely Democratic candidate for governor. 

In these projects as in every past campaign, Indivisible Waterfront strives to work smart. In other words, working where given capacity, participants can have an impact.  Would you like to join the conversation or learn more?  Participants will reconvene February 8. For more information, contact getinfo.iw@gmail.com.

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