IL-9 Action Newsletter 4/25/18
5 Ways to Stay Involved in the Resistance
This weekly post, at is currently looks, is going on hiatus. But that doesn’t mean the work of the resistance is done! Use these resources to keep on top of issues in the IL-9, Illinois, and the nation, and hold yourself accountable for continuing to stand for progressive values in our country.
If You’re Focused on Local Resistance
Local Indivisible groups are a great resource for staying aware of and involved in issues relevant in our immediate community. Visit and sign up for Indivisible Chicago and/or Indivisible Evanston to keep abreast of the goings on in and around the IL-9.
If You’re Focused on Illinois Resistance
A number of great Illinois organizations are committed to keeping Illinois residents informed of upcoming, ongoing, and pending issues relevant to our state. Sign up for any or all that speak to you, including Citizen Action/Illinois; ACLU of Illinois; and the Illinois Democratic County Chairman’s Association.
If You’re Focused on Nationwide Resistance
Action Alliance is a network of resistance websites and apps, all of which send subscribers free action ideas on the regular. Their comprehensive list of great action organizations includes those that send daily or weekly emails; apps and text bots; and social media profiles you can follow on your own schedule. Try a bunch and subscribe to your favorites for larger national resistance ideas.
If You’re Committed to Specific Issues
If you’re a resister who prefers to channel your energies into work on a specific issue that’s important to you, by all means devote your time and attention to that issue. Great resources to track if you’re looking for a central issue include the Movement for Black Lives; Planned Parenthood Action Fund; and the Southern Poverty Law Center.
If You’re Committed to Staying Informed (And We All Should Be)
Subscribe to journalism that is reputable and provides you the information you need. This one should be a no-brainer, but in a landscape where so much that seems like news is available for free online, we often overlook the value that subscription journalism can provide to our lives and understanding of the world. Think about the news sources you tend toward now. Are any of them local? If you only subscribe to the New York Times and Washington Post, for example, you’re going to miss out on news stories relevant to Illinois and Chicago in favor of broader national stories. Are any of your go-to sources in-depth journalism? The benefit of resources like ProPublica is that they do in-depth reporting that gets at both the news and analysis of what’s going on, providing deeper context necessary for understanding current events in a meaningful way. Finally, are your go-to sources reflecting only a single viewpoint? Regardless of the beliefs and values you personally hold, it’s worthwhile to hear from a wider range of perspectives in order to better understand them and have a chance at moving conversations forward productively. So review your news sources, subscribe to your local paper or news radio, check out some in-depth reporting, and diversify what you read regularly. Responsible resisters stay informed.