Maybe you’re someone who would rather have a tooth extracted than knock on a stranger’s door to talk about the election. Perhaps you tell yourself that enough people are already helping — or that going door-to-door doesn’t actually drive change. A reluctant canvasser myself, I’ve made all the arguments above (and more!) to justify not hitting the turf, instead focusing on my postcard-writing parties. (Postcard writing is a powerful tool in voter outreach, absolutely, but it’s just one strategy.) > Canvassing isn’t for everyone, but so much is on the line this midterm election. Maybe this is your year to stretch that comfort zone so you can help move the needle. Bring a friend! It makes it easier and more fun. ### **Why canvass?** Canvassing is by far the most effective way to get out the vote. Don’t just take it from me. Consider what Bill Mengebier has to say. In the 1970s, Bill knocked on his first doors as a congressional aide, and he’s been canvassing consistently since 2018. A resident of the Northwest Side’s Mayfair neighborhood and a member of ICNW, Bill is Indivisible Chicago’s Elections Committee co-chair and is leading our canvassing efforts in Michigan, a critical swing state. Regarding the impact of different voter outreach strategies, he explained: > “One in seven canvassing conversations results in a vote. Phone banking is the next most effective: one in 35. Postcards, one or two in 100.” He is quick to add that “all forms of voter contact are valuable. It’s not an either/or proposition. We need people to make calls, send postcards and text voters. It’s just that canvassing is far and away the most effective.” He concedes it can be a heavy lift. “It’s a long day. It’s a lot of driving and walking,” Bill said. “You have to commit ahead of time so that organizers can include you in their planning. Sometimes it rains. Only 20% to 25% of residents open their door to you.” But canvassing delivers the vote like nothing else. Indivisible Chicago makes it easy for anyone who’s interested. “We organize carpools from Chicago to our canvasses and provide training for everyone — we do an overview on-site before heading out, and you can sign up for a more comprehensive session ahead of time,” Bill said. (The next one is Oct. 7. Register here.) “For those who are new, out of practice or uncertain, we always send you out with a veteran canvasser.” Bill has accompanied more new door-knockers than he can count, and nearly every time, after a few houses, they turn to him and say, “That’s not as tough as I thought! Let’s divide the block so we can cover twice as much ground.” He stressed: “We always canvass in pairs and maintain visual contact with each other at all times.” > "I love to canvass because of all the people I get to meet. Indivisible sends us to areas where impact will be sky high and every time I leave I feel like I've made a difference in the upcoming election." – Alan B., ICNW member, Wicker Park ### Overcoming Canvassing Barriers I asked Bill what some of the most common barriers are to canvassing and how to overcome them. Regarding barriers, he listed the three C’s: conflict avoidance, complacency and combat fatigue. **Conflict avoidance**. Here are common concerns: _Someone is going to yell “get off my lawn!” I’m going to get into an argument with a rabid MAGA supporter. I’m not going to have enough information and will come across as ill-informed_. “The hardest part is that first door,” Bill said. “After that, most people realize there’s no need to be so nervous, saying, ‘It’s just a conversation like you’d have with a neighbor.’ And then they knock on another door and have another conversation.” Indivisible canvassers in Southwest Michigan August 2026 Indivisible supplies canvassers with candidate and issue information, but in most interactions, they don’t even need it. “Conversations at the door don’t get too deep into policy wonk stuff,” Bill said. “It’s more about talking with the voter and finding out how they are feeling.” Indivisible Chicago Alliance has recently adopted an approach to early season canvassing that comes from our sibling organization Swing Left. It’s called Ground Truth, and it’s all about listening. “We ask questions and let the voter talk,” Bill said. “It totally changes the dynamic at the door,” whether the person leans red or blue. Speaking of those red doors, Bill reported that Republican canvassers are a rare sighting in the deeply purple districts in Wisconsin and Michigan where Indivisible Chicago is focusing. That works to our advantage. “Sometimes we are the only people approaching the voter, and when we ask them questions and actually listen, it’s incredibly powerful. They feel heard, often for the first time.” Check out MS Now's coverage of Indivisible Ground Truth Michigan Canvassing: **Complacency.** Here are some ways people talk themselves out of canvassing: _There’s a big blue wave_ — _this time, it’s in the bag! They don’t need me because there are tons of people who are better at this who are already canvassing._ We’ve all been devastated before by what we thought was a blue shoo-in. Here’s something to keep in mind — elections in swing-state districts are won by as few as two to three votes per precinct. Two to three votes! With these excruciatingly tight margins, every door can make a difference. **Combat fatigue.** This is what it sounds like: _We’ve been dealing with Trump for a decade, and it’s exhausting. I’m tired and more than a little hopeless. Nothing I do is going to make a difference_. “We’ve all felt like this at one time — or many — over the past 10 years,” Bill said. “Canvassing is a great antidote to apathy and anxiety. Taking action. Knowing we are having an impact, no matter how small, helps us feel more powerful. And people are often surprised to find it’s actually fun!” Indivisible Chicago has a great team of canvassers, but more volunteers are needed. The most powerful reason to canvass? Quoting a colleague of his, Bill said: > “Close your eyes and think about the worst this regime can still do. Open your eyes, and it’s November. 4, the day after the election, and we’ve fallen short. Maybe just by a few votes in some districts. Won’t you wish you could turn the clock back to do everything in our power to get our country back on track?” ### Read More Why local elections are so critical in an interview with ICNW's Political Analyst Enrique Morales ### **Make a difference** Now until the election, Indivisible Chicago is canvassing in Wisconsin most Saturdays and in Michigan most Sundays (both are about a 90-minute drive). SIGN UP FOR OCTOBER 7 VIRTUAL CANVASS TRAINING, 5 to 7 p.m. Michigan canvass: In a tight U.S. House race, Michigan state Sen. Sean McCann is working to defeat a MAGA incumbent in the 4th Congressional District, which includes Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, South Haven, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph and Holland, and help flip Michigan blue. Wisconsin canvass: The focus is on Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District, which includes Kenosha, Racine, Janesville, Beloit, Franklin, Milwaukee and Oak Creek. Mitch Berman, a progressive Democrat, has a good shot at unseating a Republican incumbent. ### **More opportunities to get involved** If you can’t canvass, you can make a difference in other ways. Phone banking, texting and postcards often reach voters canvassing cannot — rural voters, people who don’t open their doors and younger voters. Click below for more information. Northwest Side chapter events (once linked, scroll down to sign up for current midterm actions) Phone banking Text banking Postcards, voter protection and more! ###

Get tickets at The Athenaeum Theater box office. _Original story posted on June 7, 2026._ When was the last time you heard a true story told live and in person, rather than played on a screen or device? A story spoken aloud in a moment where you could feel the emotion vibrate, hear the storyteller’s breath, and feel the weight of their words hanging in the air. Creator Craig Duff simply wanted to gather people in a room to experience stories in real life. Enter “Sanctuary Stories," a journalism play. Or perhaps it’s better described as a _living documentary_. **_“_** Sanctuary Stories** _”_** is a powerful production that starts with the true words of people interviewed by Craig’s creative partner, veteran journalist and foreign correspondent Stephen Franklin. Steve reached out to nearly 100 people to collect a range of stories from Dreamers, activists, clergy, politicians and immigrants from around the world. The stories are read on stage by a cast of talented actors and punctuated by film and live music. Award-winning sound designer Petter Wahlback lent his talents to the production, along with an original song, “I Come From the World” by Flo Estes. The result is an emotional experience that is nothing short of transformative. ### **WORLDS COLLIDE, STORIES UNFOLD** To achieve this vision, Craig’s worlds needed to collide, something he’d been contemplating for some time. If Craig were a cartoon, he would be that guy wearing a stack of hats reaching all the way to the moon. Craig’s accomplishments are numerous. He is a professor at Northwestern University, an award-winning documentary filmmaker, a journalist, a foreign correspondent, a Fulbright Specialist, a theater director and, more recently, an actor, which is what he really wanted to be when he grew up. All of these roles came together in “Sanctuary Stories.” When asked why he felt the stage was the best place to tell these stories, he said, “It was the best way for _me_ to help tell these stories.” He wasn’t sure how it would all play out until he looked out into the audience during an actual performance and saw the emotion on people’s faces. He knew then that they had created something truly special, something powerful. The stories shared in this production relay the full tapestry of the plight of immigrants in our welcoming city of Chicago: those targeted, those detained and the activists trying to help. It all continues to be so heartbreakingly relevant. ### **WHY NOW?** When asked about the motivation for creating “Sanctuary Stories,” Craig recalled a quote from Daniel Biss, the mayor of Evanston, a candidate for Illinois’ 9th Congressional District and a figure featured in the play. Mayor Biss, who was on the frontlines of ICE protests at Broadview, relayed being taken aback by the brutal violence against protesters juxtaposed with the care and solidarity of fellow activists. > He said simply, “**It felt like we were presented with a choice about what kind of people we want to be.** ” In all its empathy and honesty, “Sanctuary Stories” __ makes it clear what kind of person Craig Duff wants to be. At the very heart of this production is something as old as humanity—gathering to tell stories. In Craig’s words: > **“It’s crucial that we, as human beings, get back to our campfire and tell our tales. Together.”** **STAY TUNED FOR MORE** _“Sanctuary Stories” was mounted at a sold-out run in January, 2026, at Windy City Playhouse 3014 W. Irving Park Road on the Northwest Side. In April 2026, five of the stories were performed for more than 400 students and faculty at John F. Kennedy High School in Garfield Ridge. Plans are in the works to take “Sanctuary Stories” to venues throughout Chicago and the suburbs and possibly adapt the production for another city._ ### UPDATE: Sanctuary Stories is returning to Chicago October 9-18, 2026 at the Anthenaeum Theater. Don't miss it! Get tickets Follow Sanctuary Stories Chicago on Instagram for real-time updates. https://www.instagram.com/sanctuarystorieschicago/ Learn more at sanctuarystories.org https://sanctuarystories.org “I Come From the World” video is here: https://vimeo.com/1102249915?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci

If you don’t love music, talk to DJ Tom Jackson. Tom has been a Radio DJ for over 30 years, and it would be impossible to come away from a conversation with him without being converted to the belief that music is one of the coolest things on the planet. Even before he started playing music on the radio, Tom believed in its power to make a difference. He speaks passionately about its role in his life growing up: “I am of the generation in the ’60s where we thought music could change your life and change the world and all this. Well, it was rather naive.” He laughed. “However, I do think music can change people, and it can change the world, because music can affect an individual who then affects change at some point.” He recalled his introduction to protest music, hearing the song “Ohio” for the first time as a high school senior about to attend college. Tom’s mother, who was a child of Irish immigrants, always had albums by the Irish singing group The Clancy Brothers around the house while he was growing up. It was an early lesson that in times of unrest or grief, people in cultures everywhere will turn to music to heal the pain. Tom has always immersed himself in music, from his personal collection — “I’ve always spent a lot on music” — to his pre-radio career as a wedding DJ. He even met his wife, Suzy, at the Chicago Blues Festival. As for making music, he dabbled in piano, autoharp and banjo when he was younger but eventually found sharing music as his true calling. “I don’t like to practice,” he joked. “I can play two turntables, and that’s about it.” He hosts two hours of radio on the Loyola University station WLUW 88.7 FM on Saturday mornings, where he curates playlists and interviews local artists for his show “Somebody Else’s Troubles,” named for a song by legendary Chicago musician Steve Goodman. His other hour is dedicated to New Orleans music, a culture he described as very dear to his heart. He stated how important it is to him to feature a diverse array of voices on his show in an industry that can be oriented toward white male artists. “I've had musicians I know on Facebook or whatever commenting that it's hard to get airplay as a woman,” he said. “It's something I'm passionate about and I care about, so why not do it as part of the radio station?” He is just as thoughtful about the music he sources for his broadcast playlists surrounding events such as No Kings protests and holidays like Juneteeth. “I'm looking for things that have a certain message that I want to convey.” As for what he hopes people get from his music sharing, he said, “Someone hears that, gets inspired, and changes the way they think and feel.” > _That’s how music has the power to change the world, one human at a time._ When I ask if he’s ever gotten backlash for political messaging on his shows, he said he really hasn’t, but he has gotten positive responses and has spurred a discussion or two. And I must admit it would be hard to react negatively to the joy and compassion threaded through everything Tom says about music. The spirit of the ’60s truly lives on in his philosophy about music as a mind-changer. As we wrapped up, he lamented the lack of emphasis on music education in schools. “One of the things about music,” he said, “it's very democratic. Anybody can do it. Anybody can sing, and everybody can play some kind of instrument, whether it's banging two sticks together or whatever.” I suspect if someone wanted to appear on Tom’s show and talk about how much they love banging sticks together and hearing the sound, he’d be just as excited as the myriad of musicians, singer-songwriters and activists he currently interviews live in the studio. To enjoy his playlists, follow Tom Jackson on Facebook and listen in on WLUW.org or 88.7 FM on most Saturdays 11 am – 1 pm CT. If you don’t love music, talk to Tom Jackson. He’ll bring you around. And if you do love music, talk to Tom Jackson. He’s always ready for a great conversation. You can listen to Tom's full radio shows on SoundCloud and playlists with songs only on Spotify. Here are two examples: NO KINGS show https://on.soundcloud.com/k9XfchzxYwFznDuZqQ Kent State playlist https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4ghThYQyLhOJvmRdEAlf7M?si=FCMqNeVDStWz-vQ8U_HJAg

Joel began to understand the potential of protest songs when he was only 4 years old. “My mom had the three-LP Woodstock set from the concert,” Joel said, “and we would listen sometimes. Country Joe McDonald, of course, had his famous F-U-C-K cheer, in the song about Vietnam. I could hear the anger in Country Joe's voice and the emotion in the delivery of it. So I think I started to connect that you could have this upsetness in music.” In high school, he started listening more closely to Bob Dylan. This was during the development of the movie “Hurricane,” based on Dylan’s song about the falsely imprisoned boxer Rubin "Hurricane" Carter. The song, written in 1976 during a retrial of Carter, infused the issue of his innocence into the news, and helped generate the outcry that ultimately led to his release. Ani DiFranco was a strong influence as well, in the late 1990s. “I think I learned about the power of words from her. She was in the press all the time then. There was a lot of anger and a lot of things to be angry about – and she started so incredibly young. I think she put out her first record at 19. I thought, ‘My God, how does somebody around my age do this?’” Joel recalls writing his own first protest song around 2002 about George W. Bush’s invasion of Iraq. “It was like, I can't write a pop song right now. If I'm going to sit down with my guitar, this is the only thing I could write.” In the last decade, Joel has made protest songs a larger part of his practice. One of his most recent is titled “Morgan Wallen,” and has generated a lot of attention on YouTube. The Indivisible Chicago Northwest (ICNW) chapter was a key catalyst for the tune. In April 2025, only a couple of months after the chapter was founded, ICNW held a town hall at the Logan Square Arts Center. Hannah, one of the founders of Amplify, invited him to come. It was near his house, so he walked over. “It was very powerful,” Joel explained. “There were hundreds of people there to listen to the speakers. One of the things Kevin, the leader of the chapter, said was, ‘At every point in history, if you can get 3% of the population to engage in protest – out marching on the streets, active – you can inspire social change. This is true in cultures around the world. You see it over and over.’” This was before the first No Kings rally. “Kevin said, ‘If every person that was involved, you people here included, brought two people to the next protest, we'd be at 3%.’ And I thought, that's so actionable. It's a very powerful thing.” People at the gathering started asking questions, one of them about ICE. This was prior to ICE’s invasion of Chicago, but its impact was already becoming clear. “What I started to think of on the walk home,” Joel said, “is what if this keeps going to its logical end, and the administration just takes everybody away? And what if Kid Rock – I don't know why I went there – what if there's no one left to go to Kid Rock's shitty bar in Nashville, which I'd been to? I considered the famous Niemöller quote: First they came for the socialists, then they came for the Jews, then they came for whatever, and then they came for me and nobody said anything. I thought about that in this context of why it's important for us to be involved and be more active, and I decided I wanted to be more active that night.” By the time he got home, Joel had written the ending to the song. “What if no one says or does anything? Then they will come even for the people who don't think they would ever come for them. And of course, I thought, well, that would probably be the people who would go to Kid Rock's bar. But Kid Rock doesn't really rhyme well or sing well. So I thought, who else could be that person? And Morgan Wallen was who I arrived at.” The video was another story altogether. “The medium of songwriting inherently requires a listener,” Joel continued. “It just does. So even one person, I think that's enough.” He wasn’t performing much at that point, so he wondered what visual imagery could be incorporated to amplify the song’s message. “I started to see the articles about Alligator Alcatraz,” Joel said, “and I thought, nah, it's a joke. But it wasn't a joke. I looked it up, and there were the pictures and the signs, and I thought, what if I just went and did it there?” He called a friend who had recently filmed a project with him in Santa Fe. They both flew in separately. “Within two hours, maybe three tops, we had driven out to Alligator Alcatraz. There were signs on the way in, maybe three or four signs saying, “Alligator Alcatraz this way”. But as you drive up to the entrance, you could see they'd put up these huge fences. And there were police cars staggered back because they're trying to protect the place. So I'm sure people knew that I was there.” “We drove past the facility – it used to be an airport – flipped around and set up a camera. My buddy held up a remote boom mic, and I played the song maybe eight times because we kept getting honked at. At one point, Monty, the videographer asked, ‘Do you think those are friendly honks or not-friendly honks?’ And I said, ‘You know, I don't think they're friendly honks.’ It was very scary.” The video has garnered a good deal of attention, both positive and negative, drawing more comments than anything he’s been involved in. It made some people angry. “It's the first time I've ever gotten negative comments about anything music-related – which doesn’t mean people weren’t thinking it!” Joel added. “Some people didn't get it; a lot of people did. I'm sure my name is on a list somewhere. This does make me feel a little more vulnerable as a consequence.” “But putting that aside,” Joel added, “I've now met people in Chicago who have been brutalized by ICE, had bones in their faces literally broken, their teeth chipped, been hit in the head or the body with rubber bullets. We've all seen the images. People are dead now all over the country. So, I'm not saying this song has done nothing. Certainly, it's just a drop in the bucket. But maybe enough songs can mean something? And I think it's better to have done something than not done anything." An Amplify for ICNW Series

In February 2025, soon after the second inauguration of Donald Trump, Kate Downey was feeling motivated to do something, as were many Chicagoans. She attended the kickoff for the Indivisible Chicago Northwest chapter at Gracie O’Malleys and thought, “This is awesome.” But at the time, she had a 3-year-old and was pregnant with her second child, and the Indivisible events were often scheduled at times that made it difficult for families to attend. > “I felt a little left out,” she said. “I wanted to participate in the rallies but wasn’t sure I could manage it with my kids, and honestly, I was a little afraid.” She figured she wasn’t the only parent feeling this way, so she reached out to Kevin Naglich, the founder of the Northwest Side chapter. He suggested, “Let’s just have an event in the park on Saturday.” This was in April 2025. Alison Anselmo was one of the 10 or 12 people who came to that first small gathering of parents in Jefferson Park, along with Kate. “Kate and I have a very similar origin story,” Alison said. “I also went to the Gracie O’Malley’s event and reached out to Kevin to say I was interested in getting involved. At that meeting in the park, Kate and I were both looking to volunteer, and I think we kind of locked eyes.” And just like that, Kate and Alison formed the ICNW Parent Group. “There was a lot of momentum across the whole city,” Alison said. “That was the perfect moment to create something for families.” Chalk the Walk The Parent Group’s core model and crowning achievement came soon after, in the weeks before the first No Kings: Chalk the Walk. “Alison was really the brains behind Chalk the Walk,” Kate explained. “A family event to coincide with the No Kings march. Sidewalk chalk, bubbles, face paint, sign-making — and holding it right by a Blue Line station so people who want to go downtown for the big event could head out from there. I don’t know exactly how many people came to that first one, but it was hundreds—an incredible turnout.” “It was funny,” Alison continued. “We were trying to set a goal. I said, ‘Kate, let’s aim for 100,’ and she was hesitant. Two weeks before the event, we had about 20 or 30. And then the RSVPs just started flying. We were frantically texting each other ‘Oh my gosh, we’re at 100.’ Then 200. Then 300. It took on a life of its own. We had to figure out permitting, get a larger permit, order extra supplies, staff the event, coordinate marshals. It all came together in about two weeks.” The overwhelming feedback was one of gratitude. Parents thanked them for their work and for giving them an opportunity to teach their kids about activism. “This was the perfect way for us to get involved,” Kate added. “It was a great way to introduce people to the chapter.” ### **Building a Family-friendly Movement** Chalk the Walk**** events are usually about an hour and a half long and take place around once a month when the weather is nice. The first hour is for chalking, sign-making, sometimes puppet-making, face painting, and more. Children can play at the playground while parents connect with one another. At a set time, the organizers gather everyone for a parade along a planned route. When the gathering coincides with a larger No Kings event, as it has three times already, they wrap up by sending off those participating in the bigger gathering. There are also smaller events**** that are more intimate, usually 20 to 30 people—a nice touchpoint for the community and just as fun. For Kevin and the ICNW leadership, of which Kate and Alison are a part, the goal is for this to be an onramp to other forms of activism and to make activism accessible. “And something really cool,” Kate said. “Other groups completely unconnected to us have adopted the Chalk the Walk name. We’ve seen other Indivisible chapters, Moms for Democracy groups, and others essentially replicate the structure. It’s spread to other states too.” “People are using Chalk the Walk and running with it,” Alison said. “Kate and I would love to see a Chalk the Walk in every park across the country. It gives people an easy-to-follow blueprint, something they can say, ‘I can replicate this.’” ### Making it Happen People often ask Kate and Alison if their contributions to the cause take a lot of their time. They say no, it actually doesn’t. “We have a template. We’ve got it down to a science,” Alison said. “This is something I want to amplify: how easy it actually is to do something, small or big. A lot of people worry about their commitment level. But if you can do it once and learn from it, you can do it again and again. Even that first time, when we were learning, it wasn’t a huge time commitment. Kevin and the rest of the leadership team are hugely supportive, so we’re not on our own. We didn’t have any special sauce—we just decided we would, and we did.” On a personal level, the experience has been amazing for them both. “I now have Kate as a great friend,” Alison said, “and I’ve gotten to meet so many other parents. It was a catalyst for me to get more involved in everything. I have a first grader, and I helped launch a school safety patrol at his school during the height of the Midway Blitz. Now we’re turning it into a progressive parent group and pushing for issues related to inclusivity, equality and support for all students at the school. Kate and I have organized other family events together, whistle-packing events. This is the most connected I’ve ever felt to my community. It’s lit a fire in me. I always knew I wanted to do something but didn’t know how. It’s been the most rewarding thing I’ve ever done, hands down.” Many of the touchpoints that connected people in the past— going to church, commuting downtown together — aren’t as present anymore. More people are working from home and are more connected online than in person. “This group has created so many opportunities to meet people who live here and care about the same things,” Kate said. “It’s really expanded my in-person network and built my connection to the city.” The events have also been a great way for others to make connections. “Even if you don’t make a new best friend, you at least have a group where before you were feeling alone, and now you have people to talk to.” “At our last event,” Alison added, “a few parents left their kids with a spouse or partner and formed their own little collective to go to the rally together. People are definitely starting to build those connections, which is exactly what we were hoping for. For more information about the ICNW Parents Group, reach out to kevin@indivisiblechicagonw.org. You can explore the range of ICNW's upcoming events at https://indivisiblechicagonw.org/#events.

Remember last fall when we naively thought ICE might spare places like schools and hospitals during Operation Midway Blitz? We underestimated how truly ruthless they are. Remember last fall when ICE naively thought their swagger, intimidation and law enforcement costumes could scare a city into submission? _They_ underestimated how truly tough and caring Chicagoans are. We rise up to take care of each other. The 2025-26 academic year is finally drawing to a close. It’s been a school year unlike any other and hopefully one we’ll never experience again. ### **Unity in Community** Candace has two children who attend a Northwest Side elementary school. (That is not her real name. We are keeping her identity confidential and omitting the name of the school due to the dangers posed by ICE.) She recalls how, at the start of the school year, her neighbors anticipated what was coming. “When Homeland Security told us they were coming to Chicago, no one knew quite what would happen, but we saw (what happened in) LA and D.C. and figured it would be similar. We tried to learn from them.” In Candace’s neighborhood, people know each other. Even before the ICE raids, there already were the beginnings of an organized community. That proved crucial. She and her neighbors were able to hit the ground running when crisis came. “We had built relationships among parents and kids, through our neighborhood’s independent political organization. Lots of door knocking over the years, so we already knew one another, at least a little, and had a way to connect with each other,” Candace said. Based on what other cities had experienced, a handful of neighbors brainstormed how they might reduce risk if people became afraid to leave their homes. Before Labor Day weekend, they started a Signal chat so they would be ready to communicate at the first sign of federal detentions. > “We are proudly a community of immigrants,” Candace said, “and we knew people would be vulnerable. We wanted to make sure we could take care of our neighbors, particularly children.” She reached out to neighbors and told them that friends were available to walk their children to school if they felt unsafe — and asked them to spread the word. ### **Parental Patrols** At first, following rapid response training, concerned neighbors conducted safety walks, mainly before and after school. “We were looking for suspicious cars, but even more, we wanted a baseline understanding of what a normal day looked like. We saw the patterns — the same trucks, pedestrians, deliveries — from day to day. This made it easier for us to notice when something was off,” Candace said. One morning, as Candace was headed out the door to school, her phone rang. “A neighbor called,” she said. “I could hear her daughter sobbing, terrified her mother would be abducted, refusing to go to school. Her mother asked if I could walk her, said the girl might be willing to go if someone else took her. A neighbor was there within five minutes.” ### **Fast-Acting Compassion** They didn’t know it then, but that morning marked the beginning of their “walking school bus” — like a regular school bus with an assigned route that makes stops to pick up or drop off kids. A few weeks later, a neighborhood parent was detained by ICE after dropping kids off at school. “That shifted everything into high gear,” Candace recalled. “People were afraid to pick their kids up when school let out. The principal knew about our group of volunteers and called to ask if we could help. > Within two hours, 15 neighbors showed up and helped walk all the children home. The following school day, nearly 100 kids stayed home. Our walking school bus rapidly grew from a casual group of half dozen or so students to 100.” Around the same time, elected officials including Illinois State Senator Graciela Guzmán and 33rd Ward Alder Rossana Rodríguez Sánchez shared signups for volunteers to patrol corners near schools all across the Northwest Side, particularly in neighborhoods with large Spanish-speaking and immigrant populations. “Between their efforts and word of mouth,” Candace said, “our walking school bus grew to more than 100 people willing to help!” This was quite an operation. “We had separate routes, two adults for every route, with as many as 10 students per route. We had dispatchers. We navigated a maze of afterschool programs and pickup and drop-off times. We had to fill 50 volunteer slots every day for months.” ### **After the Storm** Finally, around Thanksgiving, Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino and many of his agents left Chicago. The walking school bus continued for a few weeks, but after winter break, Candace’s neighbors started to feel more comfortable taking their children to school, and the community rolled back to corner patrols. > During the two-month onslaught in the Chicago area, it is estimated that ICE and Border Patrol detained 3,800 people and deported 2,500, most of whom had no criminal record. Five parents from Candace’s school were separated from their children. ### **Resistance Starts with Knowing Your Neighbors** Looking back, Candace echoes the opinions of many of the parents involved. “It was a scary, awful time, and yet despite the atrocities, kids will still be kids — they would cartwheel down the street, show off their new mittens. It was such a treat to be able to laugh for a moment. We developed such close relationships with families we may have only known by name and face before.” When asked what made their school support so effective, Candace is emphatic. “A strong community! It’s block parties and soccer during good times — it’s life support when things get bad. Having each other’s contact information, knowing who we could turn to, made it so much easier to be ready to protect one another.” > Her advice is simple: “Really take the time to get to know your neighbors.” And their work continues. “ICE is already back. Looks like they are hitting the airports and courts this time,” Candace said. “We are prepared.” In the meantime, Candace’s neighbors continue to show up for each other — raising money for families trying to pay ICE-related legal and mental health fees, sharing childcare, helping with groceries, buying diapers when money is tight. “That’s what neighbors do for each other,” she said. “That’s what community means.” ### Amplify Immigration Resources **_Hear more neighborhood stories of resistance, enjoy a restorative walk in the woods and take part in a fun scavenger hunt. Come to ICNW's family-friendly Forest Preserve Picnic at Bunker Hill June 7. Details and registration_** HERE

Some heroes ride in on white stallions to save the day. Others arrive on two wheels. Rick Rosales felt shocked and helpless as the violence and injustice escalated in his community from ICE raids during the Trump administration’s Operation Midway Blitz. He watched as his terrified neighbors were driven into hiding. Then the text came: “What are we gonna do about this?” Following that question from his fellow co-founder and cycling enthusiast Erin Ludwig, the collective known as cyclingxsolidarity (CXS) devised a plan. “The street food vendors in our neighborhood are a treasure and part of what makes our Chicago neighborhoods great,” Rick said. Sadly, neighborhood food vendors are among the people most vulnerable to ICE. Fear of being detained by ICE has kept many vendors inside and deprived of a living, and that includes those who are asylum seekers and citizens. Few want to take chances with federal agents’ approach of “detain first, ask questions later.” ## **A Cause Worth Riding For** The plight of street vendors gave Rick and his posse of cyclists focus. They were already uniquely suited to help. Rick and Erin as well as Rick’s wife, Alexis Rosales, also a co-founder of cyclingxsolidarity, had a framework for how this could work thanks to delivering burritos to people experiencing homelessness through the Burrito Brigade over the past four years. Their new mission would be to patronize the vendors in large bike outings, which would allow the vendors to sell out and go home to be with their families without sacrificing income. During these vendor bike tours, participants would enjoy some of the delicious food, and the group would distribute the rest to shelters and encampments. It was a beautiful plan. ## **Taking It To The Streets** For their very first vendor bike tour, they chose Little Village due to the high concentration of food vendors. Rick wasn’t sure what to expect — what kind of response they’d get. It turned into a joyous community event that inspired people to ride, enjoy the food or both. The group extended their efforts to other neighborhoods such as Hermosa and Pilsen on the last Saturday of every month from May through October. Rick’s team also collaborated closely with the Street Vendors Association in a separate initiative to buy out food vendors who were already housebound. Spanish-speaking volunteers coordinated rides to homes to purchase the food to be distributed. ## **Riding a Wave of Mutual Aid** What started with good intentions and hyperlocal actions has grown into a global movement thanks to social media. Rick has been beyond grateful for the organic response and huge number of shares, even from channels they don’t use, and in many places where they have no official presence. Their story has been featured in news media in Spanish, Italian, German and other languages. Replicating their model, other programs have sprung up in New York and the Bay Area — from an idea born in sweet home Chicago, driven by friends with big hearts who like to ride bikes and spread joy together. Beyond the social media attention and support from around the world, Rick said success has come in smaller, personal ways. > He said he’ll always remember when a regular vendor in their program told him, “You guys saved my life.” The vendor was referring to the day he was sent home and ICE raided the block where he typically set up. ## **Standing (and rolling) in Solidarity** cyclingxsolidarity will continue their good work in mutual aid. They’ll be ramping up the Street Vendor Bike Tour Series again on the last Saturday this May and continuing on the last Saturday of each month through October. They ride year-round and gather for many other fun social activities, such as Bikes & Bonfires on the lakefront, and other important initiatives, such as Cycles of Support, which offers a support group for those who are unemployed. If you like to ride bikes and spread joy, you’ll fit right in. Even if you don’t ride bikes, your help is welcome. The best way to support CxS or get involved is to keep an eye on the **cyclingxsolidarity Instagram page** for real-time updates. You can also learn more on their website cyclingxsolidarity.com. While it’s been a terrifying time for immigrants on the Northwest Side and all over Chicago, cyclingxsolidarity is a lifesaving cavalry riding in on two wheels.

Kevin Naglich founded Indivisible Chicago Northwest following the 2024 election, after his wife got tired of his moping. "I don't think I even wanted to talk to anyone for at least a week or so afterward," he says. "Sulking. Just feeling down on myself. My wife finally was just like, well, you can complain about it, or you can try to do something about it." He began researching organized groups focused on threats to democracy and discovered Indivisible. "It started with this guide a couple of staffers created back in the first Trump term — guidance on how to fight back, how to use the levers of power available to you in Congress. It was inspiring because it was just very logical, very actionable. I thought, OK, maybe there are some things we can do." Since no chapter existed on the Northwest Side, Kevin set out to start one. He figured he could leverage his background and skills in cyber security, tech sales and online business, and he was at a point financially where he could take a break from working and go all in. Full-time. "I felt that 30 years from now, if someone asks me what I did when all this happened, there would be no way I could answer that question with 'nothing.' It had to be that I fought and gave it everything I could." ICNW — Indivisible Chicago Northwest — took a distinctive approach from the start, particularly its focus on community, which allowed it to grow rapidly to nearly 5,000 members. The chapter went light on formal meetings and procedures and concentrated instead on building friendships. "You're far more likely to take political action if you're able to do it with other people you know," Kevin says. "You're far more likely to go protest if you get to go with two or three friends than if you're just going by yourself. I kind of joked at the beginning that if people confused our chapter with a social club, that would be a good thing." > _Even if none of the political stuff we do is effective, there's already been so much positivity in building these community bonds: just seeing other people who have become really good friends that wouldn't necessarily have met each other otherwise._ — Kevin The first ICNW event — a happy hour promoted through neighborhood Facebook groups, Nextdoor, and an Indivisible Chicago Alliance email blast — drew over 300 people to Gracie O'Malley's about a month after the presidential inauguration. It also brought Kevin in touch with some of the individuals who became the core leadership team, including Kristen Vandawalker. "Right after the election, I thought, that's it," Kristen says. "I'm doing something in the real world this time." An independent consultant specializing in school accountability and nonprofit grant evaluation, she received an Indivisible text and was connected to the Northwest Side chapter. "I don't even think the chapter had a website when I first met Kevin. We had an introductory call about a week before that first event. By the end of the conversation, he asked if I wanted to be the political action director. I hesitated a bit, but he basically walked away from that meeting with me on board." Jess Jorsch is another key member of the leadership team. Jess had been involved in election work and activism for years with groups like Vote Save America, NextGen America and the Women's March. "I'd heard of Indivisible, and the Northwest Side chapter was hosting one of the first local Chicago events I found outside of the big protests. Kevin reached out after I signed up for a pre-rally event, and the rest is history." Kevin and the ICNW leadership team intentionally decided to let people contribute based on their own skills and interests rather than feeling like merely a "body" at a protest. Kevin explains it this way. "People would say, 'Hey, I want to get involved. What do you need me to do?' And I would just flip the question back to them. 'What are you interested in doing? What are you good at? What is meaningful to you?'" That philosophy gave rise to one of the chapter's most successful initiatives: the parents group. A mom messaged Kevin asking if he'd considered family-focused events. He told her he'd love to have a parent lead this effort. "This was Kate and Alison," Kevin says. "They're the brains behind our Chalk the Walk events. We've had 500-plus people show up to many of these. They're always family-friendly, like puppet making for No Kings. It's a perfect example of someone with a really specific interest creating one of our most successful subgroups." Amplify, ICNW’s storytelling initiative, followed a similar path. "I knew we needed some form of information-based activism. I didn't know it would turn into Amplify the way it did. That's largely due to Hannah and her vision — telling the stories of real people in our community being impacted, to reach those who maybe weren't thinking of taking action. Because they realize that this is happening here in our neighborhoods.” The chapter also made a conscious effort to engage younger members through “Zillennial” programming. Started by Kevin's friend Devan, and now run by Audrey, the group has built real momentum. "We just had an event last night," Kevin says, "a happy hour for the under-40 crew — and more than 30 people showed up. It was great energy. People connected to mutual aid groups, election work, postcard-writing and news boosting. There's a lot of excitement to see where it goes." Geography shapes the chapter's diversity, too. "Our chapter's geographic area is huge," Jess says, "riding the blue line from Wicker Park up to Edison Park. Meaning we represent an amazingly diverse mix of people, lifestyles and neighborhoods. I was and still am drawn to ICNW's focus on two underserved communities who often feel left out of political and activism opportunities — young people and working families." This multigenerational quality is part of what makes ICNW work. "When we looked at the demographics of who's typically involved in Indivisible organizing, it skews older and very white," Kevin notes. "That's not to say we don't need older people or white people — we need everybody. But we also wanted to involve groups that are typically less represented. For example, what Alison and Kate have been able to do for parents is create accessible opportunities that aren't huge commitments and are typically at places parents are already going to be anyway. Our Chalk the Walks are always on a Saturday morning at a park. That's where parents usually are." Kristen puts it simply: "The whole point of Indivisible is that chapters are hyperlocal and have their own personalities. Our chapter has a broader age range and a lot of working-age members." > _In high school and college, I was very politically active. Over time — marriage, work, kids — that part of me got pushed aside. Now I feel that energy again. I can take anger or frustration and turn it into something constructive. It’s also reconnected me with my creative side. I make posters, buttons, bracelets and other small things for protests. I love giving handmade items to people — it feels very neighborly._ — Kristen As political action director, Kristen liaises across several subgroups. Government Relations is led by Enrique who is "very connected locally and deeply familiar with the Chicago political landscape." Another initiative is One Million Rising, which develops strategies to influence key institutions, such as legal services and the media. Individual members have launched their own projects, too. Christine, an expert rally goer, led a monthly visibility action from scratch in support of federal workers and those supported by Social Security, organized her own micro group of neighborhood activists, and now tracks national Indivisible calls so others don't have to. Jess leads the Growth division, growing and supporting the membership. “We focus on making new folks aware of Indivisible and our chapter and acting as their "onramp to activism," to learn about the ways they can channel their skills, interests and passions into action that makes a difference. There are so many subgroups, and that is kind of the point! A few big areas are Zillennial, Parents, Local Neighborhood Ambassadors, High School Ambassadors, ICE Watch, Broadview Coordination, etc., etc." The chapter also works to build relationships with schools, local businesses and neighborhood groups. "Our philosophy is to keep a big tent," Kristen says. "If we want to win politically, we need both the infrastructure of traditional politics and the energy of grassroots activism." Now past the one-year mark, Kevin has no plans to slow down. But what makes ICNW sustainable is the team around him. "Without them, this chapter would not be nearly what it is today. The amount of work they do while having full-time jobs is incredible." The highlights of year one? "Chalk the Walk," says Kristen. "Hundreds of people showed up, and media outlets covered it. It was exactly what we hoped for: social, accessible, family-friendly and connected to a larger protest happening downtown." Jess adds, "What we didn't anticipate is that it became a desirable option for anyone looking for an accessible way to take action, no matter who they are." On the communications front: "Our weekly newsletter, _the Playbook_ , has about a 60% open rate, which is very high,” Kristen explains. “But the biggest success for me is seeing people become what I call 'super fans.' They start attending events regularly, bring friends or partners and get deeply involved. Before long, they're organizing projects themselves." The personal cost is real. "This work takes up A LOT of time," Jess says, "and you never know when the next breaking news event is going to turn our work upside down. It can be really hard to balance work and life. But it's worth it to feel like you're making a difference and meeting a ton of passionate, like-minded friends along the way. We'll get through this together." For Kevin, the past year has been transformative in another way. "It's honestly been really good for my mental health. When you're back in that state of being alone and depressed, and you feel hopeless — that's not a great place to be. Seeing all the people who have stepped up and all the people building connections in the community has shifted my long-term outlook from 'we're screwed, and we're never going to win' to confidence. Like, yeah, of course we're going to win. Of course, we're going to defend our democracy and still have a bright future for this country. It's just a matter of time, right?"

This presidency has been arduous and long – and we aren’t even halfway through yet! Naysayers claim protests aren’t effective, that they are performative. But time and again, from coast to coast, in small towns and metropolises, people show up in droves. Some 200,000 protesters took to Grant Park yesterday for the No Kings rally and march--an estimated eight million nationwide at more than 3,300 events. What drives them? Indivisibles and friends from Chicago’s Northwest Side tell us why they continue to turn out for demonstrations and what it means to them. ### Amy L. I protest because in times when I feel hopeless and powerless, protesting with likeminded people makes me feel more hopeful and powerful. I can’t sit idly by and do nothing. It gives me such a wonderful feeling of community and positivity. Oh, and there’s the moments of hysterical laughter at such creativity in some of the signs people come up with! ### Kelly F. I march to make sure this terrible President doesn’t make the world a horrible place for my grandkids! Everyday is another affront to our democratic values…I can only hope and pray that we can stop him before too much damage can occur. ### Tracy S. The Boston Tea Party, Civil Rights and Arab Spring. Protests work. Lately, I am inspired to show up because the world is watching. We must demonstrate massive U.S. resistance to our “leadership”–prove we aren’t quietly complicit in this atrocity. ### Suzy J. I march not because I believe that it will have some immediate, magical consequence, but because the solidarity and strength in numbers makes me feel hopeful. It’s a great outlet for our collective outrage. A gathering of that many like-minded people is powerful in a demonstrative way that even the naysayers can’t deny. ### Anonymous We march to speak when our leaders are not speaking for us. We march when elections are taken as false mandates. We march when our resources are benefiting the few over the many. We march to highlight corruption. We march for camaraderie with our city, our country, and the world to speak as one. ### Susan Z. I marched today because our democracy is at risk and we the people have the right and the responsibility to take it back. Public protest is one of the ways we can begin to exercise our right. > **"Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence." Leonardo da Vinci** What drives YOU to continue to march? Let us know**** here and we'll share your inspiration with others. Protesting is one way we show up to demand change. Call your electeds. Chalk the Walk. Write postcards. Canvass. Phone bank. Help your neighbors. Mobilize your friends. ### **Rise Up. Resist. Rinse and repeat.** Check out all the ways you can get involved with ICNW**** here**.** **Access ICNW's linktree resources at:** https://linktr.ee/indivisiblechicagonw (if it doesn't open directly from the link, you can copy and paste the link to your browser or right-click the link and select "open in new tab") **There is something for everyone, and if you have an idea you'd like our community to join in, you can** create a member-led event. In Solidarity, The Amplify with ICNW Team

Sofia wants to bring into the light what life is like these days for Venezuelans in Chicago, in order to help her neighbors, whose lived experiences differ from hers, better understand Venezuelans’ plight. (Note: We are using a pseudonym out of respect for her wishes.) Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans like Sofia and her family have fled their impoverished and violent homeland over the past four years, leaving behind everything they’ve known and risking their lives to seek asylum in the U.S. Asylum, an internationally recognized status, is legal to pursue here, but asylum seekers from Venezuela have become a persistent target of the Trump administration. Sofia and her family surrendered their passports after crossing the border in compliance with the asylum process. Along with tens of thousands of other Venezuelans, they were bused from a border state to Chicago as part of a political stunt because of our status as a sanctuary city. They have done their best to start a new life here, navigating shelters and a complicated and expensive legal system. Due to the conditions in their country, they were granted Temporary Protected Status (TPS), which allowed them to get work permits and IDs, but one of Trump’s first executive orders in his second term was to remove TPS for people from Venezuela and a handful of other countries. Then came the ICE raids. And the malicious, false portrayal of all Venezuelans as violent gang members. ### **CHAOS IN HER HOME COUNTRY** For Sofia, the U.S. capture of deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro has only led to more uncertainty. She is more determined than ever to stay in the U.S. with her family. Her two young daughters love Chicago and their new school. Her mom and sister remain in Venezuela. > “My mom and sister tell me it is more intense than ever at home,” Sofia says in Spanish that has been translated. “My sister has trouble getting paid in her teaching job. (A government position.) The same people have the power. My sister was on the bus, and the police came on and took everyone’s phones. If anyone had (social media) posts celebrating Maduro’s capture or expressing agreement, they were arrested and punished. Many people have confirmed it. That is the truth of what is happening there.” In the weeks since Maduro’s ousting by the U.S. military, hundreds of dissenters have been arrested and remain behind bars, and thousands of dissidents face criminal charges for opposing Maduro's authoritarian regime. As for the political prisoners incarcerated during Maduro’s reign, only 41 of over 800 people had been released as of January 12, in the wake of U.S. intervention, NPR reported. Back here in Chicago, despite her many financial and emotional struggles, Sofia is committed to working hard and staying positive for her daughters. She works long hours on even the coldest days, doing work very few people would want to do for extremely low pay. She often comes up short on rent and is barely getting by. She pays taxes on her income, although she receives no benefits. Alejandro Cartagena 🇲🇽🏳‍🌈 /Unsplash ### **THE COLD THAT HURTS** A typical day for Sofia and her girls starts very early. She has had many different jobs, usually far away. Public transportation takes two hours each way. Her partner helps care for the girls and shuttles them to school and activities. Her oldest daughter plays the violin in the school orchestra. Sofia works in a warehouse and delivers packages even on the snowiest or most frigid Chicago days. She tells me her hands and cheeks are raw and cracked. Coming here was a massive change from the climate in Venezuela, but she and her girls manage and don't complain. At least not much. (Just like the rest of us Chicagoans.) The cold that cuts to the bone, though, is delivered by the ICE raids and the constant fear. Many of Sofia’s friends from different countries have been detained and even deported. “None of them have crimes on their record,” Sofia tells me. “Some of them have been here many years waiting for their court dates. I don’t understand why America doesn’t want us anymore.” They have seen ICE on their street and at nearby apartment buildings. ICE was even at the girls’ public grade school one day, and their emergency phone tree warned Sofia and her partner not to come to the school to pick up the girls. A social worker picked up her daughters that day. Another day, they were getting groceries when they saw ICE activity on the street. Sofia shuffled the girls onto a CTA bus to avoid them. “We are safe for today,” she says. “We have to keep things normal and cheerful for the girls.” Every day is a new challenge. This is life for Sofia in Chicago, a city she loves. * * * **Resource for Venezuelans in Chicago:** **Panas en Chicago -** information and community for Venezuelans living in Chicago. _https://panasenchicago.org/_ * * * **Want to help refugees?** Immigration resources on Amplify ICNW has a **Mutual Aid signal thread** that routinely rallies support for Refugee Support Chicago (RSC). Ask to join from the main ICNW thread. Or reach out to **Refugee Community Connection** on Facebook. _World Relief Chicagoland_: Offers "Good Neighbor Teams" where volunteers partner with families for 4-6 months to help with housing and integration. _Chicago Refugee Coalition_: Focuses on year-round food security and distributing critical supplies, often highlighting events like the Day of Dignity. * * * **2026 Refugee Support Events** * _RefugeeOne Annual Benefit_: Scheduled for April 23, 2026, at Artifact Events, featuring food, culture and a program to support newcomer stability. * _World Refugee Day Chicago_ (WRDC): (June 14, 2026) A major annual event featuring a picnic, soccer tournament, performances and a resource fair to celebrate and support local refugees.

Local families rely on food pantries, community support or go hungry in the wake of federal cuts

Neighbors Respond to "What is Bringing You Hope" Survey

How the North Side has snapped to it to address food insecurity

The National Veterans Art Museum in Portage Park offers solace, insight and beauty on the Northwest Side

If you lost your Medicaid or can no longer afford health insurance due to federal cuts, we hope you can find the care you need using the resources below. Amplify with ICNW does not have any affiliation with the resources listed.

Trump policies are having a brutal impact on health care for veterans

Federal cuts and ICE ambush America’s veterans

Nine stories from our neighbors who went to protest

Spotlight on a Community Health Center serving the Northwest Side

A tale of two neighbors on Medicaid

Support neighborhood theaters and artists by participating in advocacy, donating your time and money, and going out to enjoy a show with friends.

There are some excellent organizations in Chicago that help local theaters and artists in a myriad of ways, including through funding and monetary support, professional development opportunities for artists and more.

How can you help fight the federal cuts to the arts? See a show!

Distressed but defiant, Northwest Side theater braces for impact as Trump decimates support for arts and culture