Day of Defiance - Action Alert June 9, 2025

June 14th: No Kings! Duval Day of Defiance

Join BAM and other NE Florida Indivisible groups in a peaceful, sign-waving protest Saturday, June 14th, from 9:00 am - 10:30 am at the intersection of Beaches Blvd. and Hodges Blvd. This demonstration --- one of 1,600+ events around the country --- kicks off the Duval Day of Defiance, which includes a courthouse rally at 11:00 a.m., a book signing, and other community outreach activities.  The WAKE UP! rally is a response to the Trump administration’s ongoing attacks on democratic

principles and the rule of law.  As President Trump spends taxpayer dollars on a lavish parade in Washington, D.C., we'll join citizens across the country in standing together to say: No thrones. No crowns. No kings!

Find more information about each of the Duval Day of Defiance events here, and make plans to bring a friend, and demonstrate your outrage!

Get Ready for No Kings! Sign-Making Party

& Protest Art Show

If your old rally signs are looking a little dog-eared or if this is your first protest, join us for a sign-making party at 7 pm on Thursday, June 12th at Adele Grage Community Center as we put marker

s to poster board and get ready for Saturday. Beach artists and activists Kris Matson and Lyn Lazarus will help us create statement signs guaranteed to stop traffic!  They will also share some of the protest signs they have created over the years!  Bring poster board (check out the dollar stores for inexpensive options), your best ideas, and gather with friends as we get ready for No Kings! on June 14th. RSVP here.

Ole! There Ain't No Kings in the USA

For those of us who have been yearning for a protest song to energize the crowd at rallies, we have an official No Kings! song thanks to national Indivisible!  Check it out on Facebook, Spotify, or YouTube.  Warning: explicit (but spot on!) lyrics.

Poison Pills & Public Education: The Budget(s)

While we're getting ready to crash Trump's birthday party, lawmakers in both DC and Tallahassee continue to work this week on their respective budgets. Reconciliation --- per Congressional rules --- is supposed to focus solely on funding from taxes, spending, or the debt limit. Yet, the MAGA-led U.S. House just handed the Senate a budget bill loaded with non-budgetary, policy-focused poison pills, impacting nonprofits, public education, and clean energy, among other things. FL Sen. Ashley Moody faces voters in 2026 --- let's turn up the heat on her this week and focus on stopping cuts to Medicaid, SNAP, and the most egregious sneaky provisions hidden in the budget bill. Email or reach her by phone (202.224.3041 or 904.354-4300).

Meanwhile, state legislators are in final negotiations over the 2025-26 budget --- the House and Senate ended the regular session about $4 billion apart. As lawmakers resolve key differences, we urge you to support efforts by Families for Strong Public Schools to secure full funding for acceleration programs (AP, IB, Dual Enrollment, Industry Certifications), and real funding increases for teacher pay raises and addressing growing student needs. Take action here. Legislative leaders expect a vote on the state budget by June 16th.

Help BAM Raise Match $$$ in June!

During June, National Indivisible is offering to match any funds BAM raises, up to $500.  BAM does not do fundraising events per se, but we do rely on our members' annual dues to cover basic expenses such as our meeting costs, and the fees for our website, email account and PO box. Beyond those fixed costs, financial support also covers the costs of our postcard campaigns, tables at rallies, boosting our social media presence, and other voter outreach.  Please consider joining BAM as a dues-paying member -- only $30 a year! -- or donating in June. Support our collective efforts in the Jacksonville area to fight for democracy!  

Join Us! BAM June Meeting

RSVP Here