ICO Newsletter - 3/5/25

Written By Indivisible OH12

Tesla Protests Ramping Up!
This past weekend, 250-300 of us gathered at the Easton Tesla dealership to denounce (f)Elon Musk, DOGE, and the madness coming down from the Trump Whitehouse. The number of people has been almost doubling every week, so we’re looking for a banner turn out this weekend and next! 

Check out:

Ways you can help:

  • Show up, and bring a friend!

  • Print out and cut copies of this two-to-a-page flier to post around town or distribute!

Good to know:
FYI from Indivisible member Todd Fuhrman: “Tesla are not sold through dealerships, they are sold and served through company owned stores. Most cars are sold through private and often locally owned dealerships. Local dealers are known for sponsoring local events and advertising in local media. Tesla sells direct, does not really advertise and I have not seen any local giving. I would feel guilty protesting a local business but Tesla is not that.”

Protest Patrol
The photos above are from TWO protests on Tuesday, March 4. On top: the SB1 protest at OSU. Below: the “No Kings” March for Democracy at the Statehouse. Huge turn outs at both events. It’s great to see more and more people showing up! 

These protests pop up at the last minute so they can be hard to track. We’re working hard to get as many as possible in the “Protests” section (under “Calendar”) on the Indivisible Central Ohio website. If you’re looking to find upcoming protests, that is a good place to start. You can also check the 5050/1 webpage. 

What’s up next? 

Indivisible Central Ohio has a Lot Going On
After our big 2025 Kickoff meeting, Indivisible Central Ohio (ICO) leaders have been busy on many fronts. Here’s a few things we’re working on. 

  • We’re looking to massively upgrade our website to make it a useful and lively place, especially for those who are not on Facebook. If you haven’t been there in a while, go to indivisiblecentralohio.org and check out the calendar section, and keep on checking over the next month or so for additional changes. 

  • We’re working on a town hall idea to hold our AWOL US Senators and Reps accountable. We know this needs to happen asap – we’re just trying to get the necessary pieces in place. 

  • As part of the townhall effort, we want to connect with people who have been affected by DOGE/Trump firings, funding freezes, and the atmosphere of fear. If you or someone you know would be willing to share a story, please reply to this email! (Common Cause Ohio is also looking to connect with people who have these stories. Please share this form with anyone with a story to tell!) 

  • We’re finding new ways to get new members engaged! If you filled out our follow up interest form after the kickoff meeting, hopefully you have heard back from the groups you are interested in working with. If you’re still waiting, reply to this email and we’ll put you in touch. 

  • We’re raising money for CRIS, Community Refugee and Immigration Services, in our own special fundraiser, at this link. 

  • Coming soon: Zoom intake sessions and monthly in person meetings to get more people activated! 

Highway Signs
We have a new highway sign project: tomorrow (Thursday, 3/6) holding “FIRE ELON, NO KINGS” signs over the 315 footbridge. We have the signs for you – just show up and get to work! Sign up HERE. 

Do the ‘Write’ Thing Postcard Alert!
From our letters and postcards leader, Michelle Lerner: 
“Let's help slam that guy in the White House with postcards telling him exactly what we think of him. Pick one or two things that really get your rage going and tell him how wrong he is. Maybe it's how he tried to gaslight Ukrainian President Zelensky, or that he has given Elon Musk carte blanche to slash and burn our government. Maybe it's the blatant disregard for the Constitution, or the elimination of DEI. Really, there are SO many things you could write about!  

Grab a postcard, or two, or ten, and write your message.  Mail it to:
Felon Donald Trump
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington DC 20500

Please send your postcards in time to arrive on March 15th for the Ides of Trump. Need some cards?  Pick them up on the porch at 437 Piedmont Rd.”

You can also write to our AWOL US Senators, asking them to hold town halls to meet with their constituents! Here are the addresses you need:

  • Jon Husted: SR-198 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

  • Bernie Moreno: SR-B33 Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, DC 20510

Extra points if you Carey or Balderson are your Reps and you write to them too! 

  • Mike Carey: 1433 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, DC  20515

  • Troy Balderson: 2429 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Take Action this Week: Oppose these Education Bills

SB 1 / HB 6 – Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act
The Ohio Senate passed Senate Bill 1 – known to us as the Higher Education Destruction Act. It is now being considered in the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee.

Contact these members of the House Workforce and Higher Education Committee:

Also: 

  • Call your State Rep. Find your state rep HERE. 

  • Call the targeted state reps listed on this explainer (even if they don’t represent you!)

  • Contact Governor DeWine AND his top staff (contact sheet here) 

Sample Script:
My name is ______ and I’m calling from [full address if leaving a message]. I want [elected official's name] to know I strongly oppose SB1/HB6. If passed, the law would damage Ohio’s public colleges and universities and the free exchange of ideas in classrooms. It would allow state officials to overrule professional judgments of trained educators, asking them to reject the consensus-based, foundational beliefs of their academic discipline. SB1/HB6 also bans ‘DEI' efforts, but does not define what “diversity, equity, and inclusion” is! Ohio now draws top-notch professors and students from across the nation and the world, but this bill puts our reputation for higher education excellence at risk, and will cause long-lasting damage to Ohio’s economy. Entire departments and majors would be at risk, as would workers' rights, including tenure for professors. I urge you to reject SB1/HB6. Thanks for your consideration.

Learn more:
Watch this short video from Rachel Coyle


SB 113 – Prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Schools
Andrew Brenner (614-466-8086; brenner@ohiosenate.gov) is this bill’s primary sponsor. Also see Ohio Republican state senator wants to ban diversity and inclusion efforts in public schools. SB 113 received a first sponsor hearing on 3/4/25.

What To Do:
Contact these members of the Senate Education Committee:

Sample Script:
My name is ______ and I’m calling from [full address if leaving a message]. We are a very diverse nation, and that’s a fact we should celebrate, especially in our public schools. Students should be able to learn about democracy and the goal of preserving “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” for ALL citizens. Don’t we want our students to understand equity – basic fairness? And shouldn’t teachers include ALL students? Banning diversity, equity and inclusion from our public schools is anti-democratic, and I urge [elected official] to say no to SB 113.

Ideas and Inspirations for You

Upcoming Events (Calendar view) 

Wednesday, 3/5/2025: Voter Registration Training with Indivisible Central Ohio, 7-8pm via Zoom. Learn the ins and outs of registering voters in Ohio, including recent changes to the law. Register HERE. 

Thursday, 3/6/2025: Pride at Home, 8pm, Peace Fellowship, 106 Sturges Ave, Mansfield. Event by Love on a Mission for Pride. ALL ARE WELCOME! This month we will be viewing THERE ARE THINGS TO DO, an award winning documentary about LGBTQ+ activist Urvashi Vaid. The film was part of an American LGBTQ+ Museum special screening in partnership with NewFest New York's LGBTQ+ Film Festival and received the audience award for Best Documentary Short Film. 

Friday, 3/7/2025: Stand Up for Science, noon-3pm, Ohio Statehouse. This Friday, we rally to defend science as a public good and pillar of social, political, and economic progress. We call on policymakers, institutions, and the scientific community to uphold the integrity of science, protect its accessibility, and ensure its benefits serve all people. We will gather on the West Plaza of the Ohio Statehouse grounds to make our voices heard in defense of science and all the good it does. Learn more at the national website. Register HERE. 

Saturday, 3/8/2025: Queen City United, Stand in Solidarity Against White Supremacy, noon, Washington Park, 1230 Elm St, Cincinnati. “Hate has no home here.
Cincinnati is a city of resilience, strength, and above all—love. When white supremacists try to march through our streets, we don’t respond with fear. We respond with unity. We respond with music, with laughter, with art, and with joy. We come together, hand in hand, to show that the Queen City belongs to all of us—not to hate.
Join us for a day of community, where we celebrate the rich diversity that makes our city strong. Bring your voices, your art, your energy. Sing, dance, and stand alongside and connect with your neighbors as we show the world that Cincinnati is a place of love, not division. Let’s drown out hate with joy. Let’s make it clear: white supremacy is not welcome here. Sign up to volunteer HERE. 

Monday, 3/24/2025: Save the Date: An Evening with Loretta Ross, 5-6:30pm. The FREE Center is thrilled to welcome academic, feminist, and activist Loretta Ross. Ross is a cofounder of SisterSong and Women of Color Reproductive Justice Collective, and is one of twelve women credited with coining the phrase and framework “reproductive justice.” Learn more here.

Monday, 3/24/2025: CRIS Good Neighbor Training for Indivisible Central Ohio, 6-8pm, CRIS Office, 4645 Executive Dr., Columbus, OH and virtually via Zoom. The Good Neighbor training covers the basics on the current & historical context of refugees in the US, and why it is important to support our new refugee neighbors. It also details some of the local and national challenges that refugees currently face while working towards self-sufficiency and integration. The mission of the Good Neighbor Training is to increase awareness about the contributions of refugees in Central Ohio and to provide a guide to building relationships with and supporting our new American neighbors in our everyday lives. It is also the first step to becoming a volunteer with CRIS. This session is specifically for Indivisible members! Register HERE.

Sunday, 3/30/2025: Postcard Party for Democracy! 6-8pm, 219 W Dublin Granville Rd, Worthington. Let’s stand up for democracy while building a community via a postcard writing party. We will supply cards, snacks and drinks. Feel free to bring anything to make the postcards more fun to read with stickers or markers. For those who are able, stamps are appreciated. Register HERE. 

Wednesday, 4/2/2025: Voter Registration Training with Indivisible Central Ohio, 7-8pm via Zoom. Learn the ins and outs of registering voters in Ohio, including recent changes to the law. Register HERE. 


Mia for the OHCentral Team

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Find us at our website indivisiblecentralohio.org. Follow us here and on our public and closed Facebook pages to stay current with all our activities. Add our Indivisible Central Ohio Google Calendar so you can follow all our events. You can also follow us on Threads, Instagram, Bluesky, and YouTube. 

Indivisible OH12
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