A Report from DC
In the days following the powerful Dec 13 rally delivering the People’s Indictment of Donald Trump and surrounding the White House with crime scene tape, Refuse Fascism volunteers and supporters have come together in many wonderful ways to gather socially and to raise funds for hitting the ground running in January. People have donated at the various events and street outings and online through phone-banking outreach, amounting to hundreds of dollars. We are working to further involve many more in active fundraising themselves.
In Greenbelt, MD a leader in Refuse Fascism DMV worked closely with a member of Greenbelt Resistance Network (GRN) to organize a social gathering and fundraiser the day after the rally. The two had collaborated on a local anti-ICE event and the GRN member was inspired to assist after attending the RF national webinar. At the gathering, Refuse Fascism volunteers who had been running hard for weeks relaxed and talked with each other and supporters and met members of GRN who came to support and learn more. Over Salvadoran pupusas and Jewish latkes people talked about big questions of identifying and defeating Trump fascism and also socialized and danced. They heard from Andy Zee about moving forward in this struggle, and from a volunteer who told a moving personal story about what their Jewish family was subjected to in Nazi Germany. He gave a powerful appeal to recognize the leap to fascism happening here and to fund the organization that the people of Germany did not have and that gives the people here a chance to win: Refuse Fascism. Members of GRN led everyone in a singing of Bella Ciao, the anti-fascist anthem from Italy, and introduced their organization and its local work and expressed support for the Refuse Fascism mission.
A few days later, a small LGBTQ+ service organization opened their doors to host a second fundraiser, a small gathering of supporters some of whom had already donated on previous occasions. Over wine and snacks, people got to know one another. After everyone gathered to hear a few words from Refuse Fascism organizers and a welcome from the host organization, everyone wanted to stay gathered together to talk as a group about some of the big questions that are up: especially the question of how to break through on bringing forward the decent people to act in their millions to drive out this regime. This included some discussion of why the midterms can’t stop this fascism, and the blinders many people have up that won’t let them see the fascism and hoping the midterms will solve this. It also included ways adherence to the status quo drives some to attack the unity Refuse Fascism is fighting to build, but the significance of fighting through to build that unity, and urgently, in the face of the bigger attacks coming from the fascists. The representative from the host organization gave their heartfelt support for the mission and work of Refuse Fascism in the face of the repression already hitting the LGBTQ+ community and especially trans people.
The other really fun fundraising effort has been street caroling with Trump Must Go Now carols: a form of outreach and resistance that is joyful and inspiring and has moved people to donate. Refuse Fascism volunteers helped rewrite the lyrics to well-known Christmas carols and went out to holiday markets wearing Trump Must Go Now t-shirts and Santa hats to sing to people. Lyrics to the tune of “Santa Claus is coming to town” like “You better wake up, It’s time to defy! You better rise up! I’m telling you why: Fascism is tearing up this town,” moved many people to express support and film and even sometimes join in singing themselves as well as donating on the spot. We had visuals from the People’s Indictment of Donald Trump and distributed hundreds of copies of the indictment, calling on people to read and spread this themselves.
Finally, volunteers made phone calls to donors and to people who newly signed up at the Dec 13 rally wanting to get more actively involved. Many were very inspired by the rally and the people’s indictment and eager to see this crucial understanding take hold and call forward the millions needed to have a chance to drive the fascists out of power. Several people donated and some agreed to spread the people’s indictment and the fundraising campaign to their networks.
