3.5% - Action Alert April 28, 2025

The 3.5% Rule: Showing Up & Speaking Out

Tomorrow (April 29, 2025) marks the first 100 Days of the second Trump administration. This period has been appropriately described as "among the most destabilizing in American history, a blitz of power grabs, strategic shifts, and direct attacks that have left opponents, global counterparts, and even many supporters stunned." He used Executive Orders to hobble government agencies and waged war against institutions that touch every aspect of our lives: universities, the media, the legal community, and the arts. He quickly delivered on campaign promises to pardon those convicted of attacking the Capitol on January 6th, engage in mass deportations of immigrants without due process, and exact revenge on his perceived enemies, including those who faithfully served in his first administration. His on-and-off-again tariffs upended the economy at home and abroad.

But these actions --- and the failure of Congress to fulfill its Constitutional responsibilities --- have not gone unanswered. They have produced a groundswell of citizen opposition across red and blue communities alike, locally and nationwide. Nonviolent rallies, protests, boycotts, citizen-organized town halls, and similar actions are a wake-up call to both elected officials and disengaged citizens. Trump's polling numbers have tanked, and both GOP and Democratic stalwarts are getting nervous. The continued success of these strategies, however, depends on our willingness to grow the resistance and keep showing up and speaking out. Need evidence? Consider the findings of a study on movements worldwide by researcher Erica Chenoweth: peaceful protests by ordinary citizens are twice as likely to succeed as violent conflicts, and this success is virtually guaranteed when they involve at least 3.5% of the population. Keep fighting back. Stay involved. Grow the movement. Our democracy depends on us. Here are some ways you can show up and speak out this week:

100 Days. 100 Ways.

Equal Ground is hosting a virtual community hearing on April 30th at 6 p.m. 100 Days. 100 Ways: Exposing the Harm of Trump's Presidency on Black & Working Class People is part of a multifaceted campaign to show how decisions by the administration are impacting communities in Florida. To register, text Equal Ground to 52886. The organization is also collecting stories from people affected by administration actions, including loss of employment, voting barriers, cuts to DEI in schools or workplaces, and immigration policies. Contact the campaign at info@Equal-Ground.com if you or someone you know has a story to share.

Rally May 1 for International Workers' Day

The Jacksonville Community Action Committee (JCAC) and more than 20 local advocacy organizations --- including BAM --- are sponsoring a rally on Thursday, May 1st to call attention to mass layoffs in the federal workforce, and workers' and immigrants' rights. The rally will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Duval County Courthouse (501 West Adams Street, downtown). Join us for this intersectional event --- and look for our table.  We'll be helping people register to vote, renew their vote-by-mail requests, and encouraging them to support Medicaid expansion in Florida.

Our Federal Workers: A New Reality

What’s really happening to federal workers today? Join Indivisible Mandarin on May 5th at 6 p.m. at the Mandarin Library (3330 Kori Road) and hear guest speaker and former DOD Senior Director Bill Slupski as he unpacks the myths vs. reality, takes a hard look at what DEI truly means in federal spaces, explores the impacts of DOGE, and more. RSVP here. Contact us if you'd like to carpool!

Signs for Democracy! New Resource

Volunteer activist Barbara Taylor has posted great sign graphics for May Day and other issues that you can print and assemble at home!  Click here for information, instructions, and links if you're looking for ideas.

Advocate Against the Dirty Dozen

We're joining with a coalition of local advocacy partners in urging our state legislators to vote against the "Dirty Dozen," the 12 worst bills of the session, before the end of the regular session on May 2. While we expect extra sessions will be required to pass the state budget, given internal GOP acrimony and sidebar scandals, we can use this last week to stop these terrible bills. They represent serious threats to our rights, our schools, our environment, and our communities. Click on the link above to learn more and take action today. Reach Rep. Kiyan Michael at (850) 717-5016 or Kiyan.Michael@flhouse.gov, and Sen. Clay Yarborough at (850) 487-5004 or Yarborough.Clay.web@flsenate.gov. Let’s flood Tallahassee with calls and emails this week and do everything we can to stop these bills from becoming law.  

Disbar Bondi

In a 9-0 decision, the Supreme Court ruled the administration must "facilitate and effectuate" the return of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, an immigrant who was forcibly and wrongly deported without due process. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, formerly Florida's top attorney, responded to the ruling with a shrug. If this doesn't sit well with you, consider joining an effort to file complaints against Bondi with the Florida Bar for defying the nation's highest court.  Find an online form here.  Bondi's Florida Bar number is 886440. Her mailing address is 950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20530-0009, phone: (202) 800-5620. We deserve better from the country's top law enforcement officer. Hold her accountable.

Save the Date! Next BAM Meeting is May 8th

Stop the Cuts!

BAM joined area Indivisible groups last week outside the Jacksonville offices of U.S. Senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody to protest likely cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, and other critical programs that everyday Americans depend on. Scott and Moody return to DC this week to begin work on the budget, which targets cuts in these and other services to pay for billionaire tax breaks. Keep up the pressure! Call Scott's local office at (904) 479-7227, and Moody's at (904) 354-4300, and tell them Stop the Cuts! No Tax Breaks for Billionaires!

Arts in the Park

We had a great time seeing old friends --- and meeting new ones--- at Arts in the Park last weekend! We helped a new voter register, gave out information about the importance of renewing Vote-by-Mail requests, signed up folks for the weekly newsletter, and collected a slew of petitions to put Medicaid expansion on the ballot in 2026. Thanks to all our volunteers, and a special shout-out to Brenda Rivera for her handiwork in creating a special BAM t-shirt for our drawing.