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Sarah van Gelder

@sarahvangelder.bsky.social
983 followers 2.3K following 83 posts

Lifelong activist and founding editor of YES! Magazine, writing about "How We Rise" at howwerise.substack.com Also a mom, author of The Revolution Where You Live, keynote speaker, and strategic facilitator.

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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 11/09/2026
41 senators could stop the 2027 NDAA — a $1.5T bill that extends the Iran war, greenlights new nuclear and AI weapons, and merges US/Israeli weapons development. Read what's at stake and what Democrats could do about it.
commondreams.org
How 41 Senators Could End the Iran War and Rein In Defense Spending | Common Dreams
​Forty-one is the number of senators needed to stop the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act—a massive bill that sets defense policies and authorities—and push for key modifications.
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Prem Thakker ツ @premthakker.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
The US Presbyterian Church has just voted to divest from Palantir & GE Aerospace; recognize the genocide in Gaza; and call for an arms embargo and boycott of genocide-complicit Israeli companies. Cites Palantir & GE's tech being used by human rights violators like ICE, Israel, and Saudi Arabia.
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Votes to Divest from Palantir Technologies and GE Aerospace, Recognize the Genocide in Gaza, and Call for an Arms Embargo and Boycott of Israeli Products
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 01/07/2026
As the U.S. marks 250 years, what if we told the truth about the stolen land and enslaved labor that built this country—and found a path toward repair? What if our pride rested on honesty, healing, and justice for all? My new zine, Community Reckoning, offers a path. FREE. Link in bio/first comment.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 24/05/2026
The Midterms will be made or lost in our local communities. Here’s what that means for how we organize. My latest piece www.commondreams.org/opinion/loca... #midterms #PeoplePower #LocalPolitics @indivisible.org @workingfamilies.org @demsocialists.bsky.social
commondreams.org
Washington Won't Save Us; Our Neighbors Might | Common Dreams
​Why the midterms will be won or lost at the community level—and what that means for how we organize now.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
I just signed a @theactionnetwork.bsky.social petition: Fix It, FedEx: Help Undo the Harm Your Money Helped Cause. Sign here: actionnetwork.org/petitions/fi...
actionnetwork.org
Fix It, FedEx: Help Undo the Harm Your Money Helped Cause
FedEx bought the politicians. The politicians drew the Jim Crow map. In eight months, Tennessee dismantled four institutions of Memphis self-governance: federal agents deployed in September, the Memp...
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Mrs. Betty Bowers @mrsbettybowers.bsky.social · 04/05/2026
Which is the backwards country now, United States?
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 05/05/2026
Soil, not oil. Fertilizer shocks from the Iran War are exposing a fragile food system. My new piece argues we can build resilience thru #RegenerativeAg, and restore soil health, cut emissions, and strengthen rural economies. www.commondreams.org/opinion/free... #ClimateResilience #FoodSecurity
commondreams.org
Soil, Not Oil | Common Dreams
​Petrochemical fertilizers built modern agriculture. The Iran War may be what finally breaks it—and opens the door to something better.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 28/04/2026
We’re stronger together!
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
What form of power do we need to survive hard times, build belonging, and resist authoritarian overreach? Inspired by #GraceLeeBoggs, #indigenous economics, and the history of African American #MutualAid, my latest column in "How We Rise” is live on Substack. Link in bio.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 12/04/2026
Trump's #war is disrupting fertilizer supplies. Added to energy prices, drought & tariffs, it threatens to spread hunger and hardship in the U.S. and beyond. What can we do? #Solidarity helps in times of crisis — and builds power to resist #fascism. @truthout.org truthout.org/articles/wha...
truthout.org
What Do Authoritarians Fear Most? People Who Stick Up for Each Other.
The most reliable form of resilience is not individual wealth or distant institutions, but solidarity.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 29/03/2026
Millions showed up today—we made history! The question now is how we sustain this. I made a free zine — 10 practices for groups doing the long work together. Free download, no sign-up, Creative Commons. howwerise.substack.com/p/community-...
Five scenes spread out for viewing. Community as Strategy. Free to download. https://howwerise.substack.com/p/community-as-strategy-10-ways-to
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 11/03/2026
How did Iran become our enemy? Few Americans know about when the U.S. claimed Iran's petroleum wealth for itself and crushed a democratic government that sought to make life better for ordinary people. Here’s the story, and what it means to stand up for #peace. #Iran #WarofChoice
commondreams.org
The Price of Not Knowing: Iran, Corporate Interests, and America's Cycle of Violence | Common Dreams
​Why did the United States help topple a democratic government in Iran some 70 years ago—and how did that decision create the conditions we’re seeing today?
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Jake Grumbach @jakemgrumbach.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Painful to read this and think about the 2021 coup attempt, which was as blatant as it gets. An utter failure of US elites to seize the moment when everybody saw the threat right in front of their eyes. If we have history books in the future, they will be unkind.
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Elana Levin @levin.bsky.social · 24/02/2026
Here’s #SOTU counter programming! Rep @summerlee.bsky.social is awesome
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 23/02/2026
Congress needs to act now to stop expansion of ICE detention camps. Stop the deaths, abuse, and jailing of kids. 📞 Call senators and reps via the Capitol Switchboard: (202) 224-3121 Details 👉 www.commondreams.org/opinion/trum... #HumanRights #ICE #EndDetention #CallYourRep #DefundICE
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Jodi Jacobson @jljacobson.bsky.social · 04/02/2026
“We know enough.” Three words that are worth 10 million.
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Detention Watch Network @detentionwatchnetwork.org · 27/01/2026
We demand an immediate halt in all funding for these deadly operations until the violence, abuses, and deaths in American communities and in immigration detention centers stop. @unitedwedream.org @the-ilrc.bsky.social @nilc.org @surj.org @seiu.org Read the full letter: bit.ly/NoFundsforIC...
bit.ly
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Detention Watch Network @detentionwatchnetwork.org · 27/01/2026
Today, in a massive show of support, 1,025 organizations, including immigrant justice, human rights, civil rights, faith, and labor organizations, sent a letter to members of Congress to express horror, outrage & deep grief about the recent shooting deaths by federal agents in Minneapolis.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
How can we end the ICE nightmare? My “guest rant” in @thestranger.com Yes, Wash. Senator @murray.senate.gov has a huge role to play. But we’ll need @schumer.senate.gov and other Senate Dems, who have the power to act, with or without Republicans, to stay strong. www.thestranger.com/guest-editor...
thestranger.com
Guest Rant: It’s Not Too Late to Defund ICE
There are limited tools to ensure constitutional rights are respected by ICE and the private detention corporations they contract with. But Congress holds the most powerful card: the power of the purs...
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Ezra Levin ❌👑 @ezralevin.bsky.social · 26/01/2026
Love me some Jesse Welles.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Finally! Chuck Schumer is standing up. Better late than never. No funding for DHS, No funding for ICE, No Funding for Border Patrol. #ICEoutforGood Stop the Trump retribution.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
Senator @murray.senate.gov and @cantwell.senate.gov Please vote no on funding this violent out-of-control federal police force. You have the power to put a halt to the “retribution” Trump is unleashing in U.S. cities. VOTE NO Tell your senators to rein in ICE NOW act.indivisible.org/sign/ice-out...
act.indivisible.org
Tell your senators to rein in ICE NOW
On Wednesday, January 7, Renee Good was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Then, on January 24, Border Patrol killed Alex Pretti. These deaths were a direct...
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
After the Devastation of Trump’s First Year, These Popular Rebellions Offer Hope — my take on what’s possible now. truthout.org/articles/aft...
truthout.org
After the Devastation of Trump’s First Year, These Popular Rebellions Offer Hope
Elections, labor, mutual aid, and local organizing wins in 2025 point to strategies that can work in the coming year.
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Lizzie O'Leary @lizzieohreally.bsky.social · 24/01/2026
genuinely stunning image

Thousands of protesters shut down parts of Minneapolis and St. Paul on Friday as hundreds of businesses closed their doors. David Guttenfelder/The New York Times
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Elizabeth Cronise McLaughlin @ecmclaughlin.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
From a follower in Minneapolis: "Today is our big day here. Currently -20 and -45 windchill. Frost bite can occur in 10 minutes and it is a decent walk from Portland Ave to the Target Center. So those who cannot risk attending and to the rest of the country we are asking for your help."
iceoutforgood.org
ICE Out for Good
On January 23, people across the country are taking action in solidarity with Minnesota to demand ICE out of our communities. Join the day of action.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 16/01/2026
ICE CAN BE STOPPED 41 Democratic senators can block ICE funding this month. All that's missing is the political will. Here’s how it works: www.commondreams.org/opinion/cong... Share and call your senators today! indivisible.org/ice-out-senate #immigration #ICE #ICEoutforGood
commondreams.org
We Are Not Powerless to Stop ICE—But We Must Act Now | Common Dreams
​We taxpayers fund ICE, the Border Patrol, and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s salary (and her two jets). Without congressional action by the end of January, funding for ICE will lapse.
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Ezra Levin ❌👑 @ezralevin.bsky.social · 09/01/2026
Please stop and read this statement from Renee Good's wife.
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Indivisible ❌👑 @indivisible.org · 12/01/2026
Good news: Your organizing has grounded “ICE Air.”
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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 06/01/2026
Never forget. 🇺🇸
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
Trump told us what the attack was about. Not drugs. Not democracy. Not threats against the U.S. Like Iraq, it’s about “our oil.” Also, he wants control over the whole western hemisphere. Spreading violence and tyranny, and provoking war would be disastrous for everyone. Even the oil companies.
Photos from overpass protest in Gig Harbor, WA. Sign reads: No Blood for Oil. Hands Off VenezuelaPhotos from overpass protest in Gig Harbor, WA.Photos from overpass protest in Gig Harbor, WA. Sign reads: No War 4 Oil.Photos from overpass protest in Gig Harbor, WA. Sign reads: $$ for jobs and education NOT war and occupation.
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Scott Clement @sfcpoll.bsky.social · 05/01/2026
One of the most lopsided results you'll ever see in a poll, from our weekend Washington Post poll www.washingtonpost.com/politics/int...
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 31/12/2025
WHERE DID YOU FIND COURAGE IN 2025? As we look forward to 2026, how can we encourage each other for the hard work ahead? What stories of courage can we share that will strengthen hearts and spirits? What did you notice in 2025 that we can build on in 2026? Leave a comment below or DM me.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Do you find yourself having “bunker envy” when you see what billionaires are building to survive the coming collapse? Me neither. I wrote this about a better idea … how about billionaires stop destroying the Earth? open.substack.com/pub/howweris...
open.substack.com
Dear Billionaires: There’s something even better than an over-priced hole in the ground
An open letter, written as billionaire wealth increased by $2 trillion this year -- and the new “must have" is a luxury bunker
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Dianne Woodward @diannewoodward.bsky.social · 07/12/2025
Albanese is dangerous to the establishment not because she is a politician using slogans, but because she wields the unassailable, technical weapon of International Law against a propaganda machine built on lies. www.counterpunch.org/2025/12/05/w...
counterpunch.org
Witch Hunt: The Heretic and the Inquisition: Why the West Fears Francesca Albanese
Francesca Albanese, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, represents
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Nelini Stamp 🐺 @nelini.bsky.social · 03/12/2025
Want to show love to your artists while also calling out Spotify for airing I.C.E. ads? Welcome to Spotify Unwrapped, get your downloadables here: spotifyunwrapped.net
Spotify Unwrapped instructions

Get your unwrapped shareables at link in text. 

Post on socials and tag 4 of your friends and Spotify 

Don't forget to cancel Spotify
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
In Bremerton, Washington, a navy city, veterans say no!
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 05/11/2025
“No longer will we have to open the history books for proof that Democrats can be great!” Zohran Mamdani won, with 104,000 volunteers, building on years of work by the Working Families Party and Democratic Socialists of America. Standing up for working people works! youtu.be/kOQT_4A1eb8?...
youtu.be
FULL SPEECH: Zohran Mamdani's victory speech following historic NYC mayoral win
YouTube video by ABC News
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Democracy Labs @demlabs.bsky.social · 22/10/2025
How Trump’s $40 billion handout for failed Argentinian dictator could be better spent in America thedemlabs.org/2025/10/22/t...
How Trump’s $40 billion handout for failed Argentinian dictator could be better spent in America
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
GALVANIZING POWER THROUGH JOYFUL, LOCAL ACTION What life would look like if we centered love and interdependence as the sources of power. Honored to be featured on @Nonviolence Radio this week. You can find the transcript at my Substack, How We Rise open.substack.com/pub/howweris...
open.substack.com
Galvanizing power through joyful, local action
What life would look like if we centered love and interdependence as the sources of power.
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Get Free @getfree-mvmt.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
When we organize together, we win. This fight has always been about more than one comedian, it’s about contesting fascist control of media & their white supremacist demands to take away our freedom of speech and silence anyone who doesn't look, live, or love like them from speaking truth to power.
Image text:

Movement victory

This fight has always been about more than one comedian, it’s about contesting fascist control of media and their white supremacist demands to take away our freedom of speech and silence anyone who doesn't look, live, or love like them from speaking truth to power.

When we come together across race and place to organize for equality, we can and we will win

Join Project Fulcrum through the link in our bio
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 28/09/2025
They are soooo hoping for a protester to get “violent” so they can justify their invasion of our cities. Stay safe and peaceful everyone! ❤️ www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/0...
oregonlive.com
Federal cops ‘instigating’ confrontations with protesters outside ICE building, Portland police official says in court
Assistant Chief Craig Dobson said federal officers were “causing some of the ruckus” at the ongoing protests.
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50501: The People’s Movement ❌👑 @50501movement.bsky.social · 18/09/2025
Here’s all the ways you can take action against Disney, ABC, Sinclair, and Nexstar for silencing Jimmy Kimmel and attacking free speech. Share WIDELY. #BOYCOTTDISNEYABC
docs.google.com
TAKE ACTION AGAINST DISNEY-ABC STOP BENDING TO THE ADMIN
DISNEY-ABC STOP BENDING TO AUTHORITARIAN PRESSURE. ACTION RESOURCE LIST WE HAVE FRIENDS EVERYWHERE On September 17th, Disney-ABC yanked Jimmy Kimmel Live off the air—just hours after the FCC Chair Bre...
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 22/08/2025
How did GOP voter manipulation result in a Trump win in 2024? How can we avoid a 2026 repeat? Thanks to @thom_hartmann for the latest in his Democracy series, excerpted here on “How We Rise” open.substack.com/pub/howweris...
open.substack.com
The Heist of Democracy
How America’s voting rights were stolen in 2024 and how we can prevent the same fate in 2026, with Thom Hartmann
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 02/08/2025
Unpacking after beautiful days of paddling in this year’s tribal canoe journey in spite of tsunami warnings and some tough wind and chop. www.facebook.com/share/16uVVy...
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
I’m excited to share what’s next for YES! Magazine! Details are here: howwerise.substack.com/p/yes-magazi...
howwerise.substack.com
YES! Magazine’s Next Era
The big news is that it looks like there will actually be a next era!
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 25/06/2025
Wow, #ZohranMamdani a true progressive, just finished first in #NewYork primary. Establishment Democrats: Take notice! www.newsweek.com/zohran-mamda...
newsweek.com
Cuomo concedes NYC mayoral primary as Zohran Mamdani eyes finish line
Andrew Cuomo congratulated Zohran Mamdani for running a "really smart" campaign in New York City's Democratic mayoral race.
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Sarah van Gelder @sarahvangelder.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
Well here’s some good news.
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Senator Alex Padilla @padilla.senate.gov · 12/06/2025
If this is how this administration responds to a Senator with a question, you can only imagine what they're doing to farmworkers, to cooks, and to day laborers throughout California and across the country. We will hold this administration accountable.
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Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."  -Dwight D. Eisenhower, 1953
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