Welcome to Organizer’s Corner — a (free) newsletter from your friends at Get Pod Local! Because we can help you stay inform — but then what?
Enter in your weekly Call To Actions (CTA!) from our Resident Precinct Chair, Joey Cade!
This is a wild and painful time we’re living through.
A time of overt misogyny, white supremacy, Christian nationalism, authoritarianism, and aggressive racism. It’s disorienting. It’s exhausting. It’s a roller coaster none of us asked to be on.
This morning, I spoke with a friend of Latino descent who told me she’s become deeply fearful to leave her house. She’s a spunky professional with a family —someone I’ve never known to carry fear, even while enduring racism and oppression throughout her life because of her global majority skin. Now, she doesn’t go anywhere without her passport. She drives under the speed limit. She never forgets a turn signal. She limits leaving home to work, school drop-offs, and groceries. Otherwise, they live in hiding.
Think about how many millions of Americans are living like this right now.
Thank you for being here. Thank you for recognizing that resisting this authoritarian takeover isn’t abstract— it’s personal. And it’s up to each of us.
As painful as this moment is, we have to keep reminding ourselves of something essential: we know the way out.
The way out is community.
When we make new friends and deepen relationships built on trust, we’re preparing for what’s next. When we weave a tighter web of connection, we increase our ability to keep one another safe. It’s become abundantly clear that we can’t wait to be protected—we have to protect each other.
This weekend, I helped with an organizer training, and it felt like medicine. Sitting in a room with friends — new and old — learning, strategizing, and doing the sometimes-unglamorous admin work it takes to activate our neighbors reminded me why this matters. I’ll share more about what we learned next week, but for now I just want to say: I hope you’ll join me at the next one. Collaborating together in the resistance movement changes everything.
And there’s more light breaking through…
On Saturday, Taylor Rehmet flipped a Republican-held seat in a special election — huge news for Texas. That win shifted real power in the Texas Legislature. The Republican candidate was endorsed by Mango Mussolini, and the district voted for him decidedly last year—yet the swing was massive. A full 31%. That doesn’t happen by accident. It happened because the winning coalition was clear: a strong candidate who is a union worker and veteran with the endorsements of Vote Vets and the unions.
And the support of his county party, organizers, and Texas Democrats. Everyone I know was organizing to get out the vote in that election. And it worked, big time. Taylor will serve in the TX Senate as an unapologetically working class, people-focused leader.
I’m sure the White House walls were surely sprayed with ketchup.
And Christian Menefee’s big win—as a community organizer, civil rights attorney, and committed progressive—also tells us something important about where the Texas Democratic electorate is headed.
Add to that the release of Liam Ramos and his parent from detention, following sustained organizing and advocacy led by Rep. Castro and Rep. Crockett.
Add the release of the Epstein files1, which are deeply damning of Mango Mussolini. These are not small things.
So yes — I woke up feeling more sunshiny than I have in a long time.
Then I went to the weekly protest in my neighborhood. Every Sunday from noon to one, rain or shine, my friend Beth leads the effort. They’re coming up on a full year of showing up. This weekend was the biggest turnout yet — over 130 people. Folks came from East Texas, from Colorado, from right down the block. We had our regular horseback rider and guitar playing organizer. And this week, Moira Rose was honored, as well, following the sudden loss of Catherine O’Hara.
The turnout was big — but what struck me even more was the response.
Constant honks.
Waves. Thumbs-up.
A massive 18-wheeler leaned on its horn so long it rattled our chests and had us cheering.
This is what we do during authoritarianism: we lean into community, and we deliberately add joy into our daily practice. Music, dancing, laughter, shared purpose—these are not distractions. They are sustenance. They are how we survive and keep going. I hope you have places in your life where your spirit is being lifted, because we need that light.
And when we get even a single ray of hope during authoritarianism, we build on it. We amplify it, savor it, and use it as fuel to do one more act of service to our community.
With the arrival of Black History Month, we have so much to celebrate and lift up. Black joy, Black excellence, Black art, and Black resistance have always shown us how to endure - and how to win. At GPL we study and celebrate Black History every month, but this year the designation deserves more appreciation and spotlight than usual. Truly, we’d be lost without the light, resilience, ART, and patience of Black America. I know I would be at least.
What can we do this week? Just keep going. And feel good about it.
Take action IRL
Join me for a FEDDs Solidarity & Community event at 6:30 on Tuesday, to learn about the Judges on our ballot and a whistle kit crafting program with our friends at El Movimiento.
Register to take this quick, free program with me on Feb 9th to become a voter registrar in TWO counties at once. March to the Polls offers great multi-county certifications.
Take action solo
Make your plan to VOTE in the primary NOW. It is surprisingly complicated…
Print and share our election flyer.
Watch The Wiz this week for some beautiful Black joy. Immerse yourself in the sumptuous color, music, and performance. Let it fill you back up.2
Support independent journalism — Don Lemon, Georgia Fort, Get Pod Local , Joy-Ann Reid, Elizabeth Booker Houston, and others telling the truth and keeping you informed, even when it’s unsafe.
This is how we resist.
This is how we care for one another.
This is how we win—together.
Hugs and high fives,
Joey
Read: You Don’t Just Find Community by Taylor Redd
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Organizer’s Corner is a Newsletter brought to you by our very own, Joey Cade. Lots of folks have ideas of what can help / what you should do — and while no one has all the answers, we (specifically Joey) do have some. Okay, a lot. Joey is not just a co-host of Get Pod Local …she’s also the Precinct Chair for Dallas’ Precinct 1052.
More Moments Of Zen
Primaries Are Coming Up! Are You Ready?
Check your voter registration leading up to this election!
Other GPL Goodies
Get Pod Local The Podcast: Season 2 with Jalon and Joey
Joey and Jalon sit down with Politicians, Community Leaders, and movers and shakers making a difference. And almost every episode, the Dallas Mayor catches a stray. He deserves it. It’s fine. Episodes drop every Tuesday! Coming Soon!
GPL Presents: New Newsletter with Jalon Nichols
Every Friday, Jalon catches you up on what is going on out here, who is doing it, how does that impact your everyday life, and what everyone is saying about. We are based in Texas, so we have a lot of Texas news, but we cover the whole wide world. There is a LOT of stuff going on everyday, and no one can keep up with it all, but we attempt to….for you. (Clap for us).
GPL Presents: Organizers Corner w/ Joey Cade
Every Sunday night, Joey Cade, our Resident Precinct Chair, lays out our Call To Actions for the week. Because knowing what’s going on is one thing. But doing something about it is another. Let’s do both!
GPL Presents: Water Cooler with Jalon and Joey
Every morning, Jalon D’na and Joey Cade check in and talk about something we read or saw on slack. Videos drop some Thursday! (We are very busy…but we try our best!)
GPL Presents: Daily Briefs with Jalon Nichols
Everyday, Jalon reads you the headlines of the day — just to keep you in the know. Think NPR at the top of each hour, with a lot of shade some jokes and levity.
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Our News Briefs are now everywhere you get your podcasts! So you can take me on your commute, in the gym, or when I like to listen to podcast, while you’re washing dishes.
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These are NOT all the Epstein Files either. They must ALL be released, per the law signed by the POTUS himself. Release ALL the Epstein Files.
When it happens — Jalon D'na will be blasting A Brand New Day from this movie.