ICO Newsletter - 4/30/25

Written By Indivisible OH12

Indivisible Central Ohio Supports Teachers & Public Education
There’s a big rally at the Statehouse tomorrow – Thursday, May 1, 4:30-7pm. You can register HERE, but the important thing is to show up! 

Indivisible Central Ohio members are meeting in front of the stairs on the State Street (south) side of the statehouse around 4:30pm and then we’ll walk around to the other side of the Statehouse to join the educators and support them on this National Day of Action in the Fight for Public Education. 

Let's show up and show our strength as a group! We’ll have some cool rally signs for you to hold – first come first served! 

Next Big Rally Set for May 10 – Statewide!
In honor of Mother's Day weekend, we invite mothers and others to join us in standing up and speaking out against fascism. We say: NOT ON OUR WATCH!

On Saturday, May 10, concerned citizens will gather in communities across Ohio to say NO to the bullies and billionaires who are threatening our freedoms and disappearing residents from our streets. Join us and make your voice heard! Register HERE. 

The Columbus rally will be at Bicentennial Park! We will have music, speakers, sign language interpreters and a really great sound system so everyone can follow what's going on. We’re hoping to partner with Pint Size Protesters for a meaningfully Family Friendly event. 

Not Just in Columbus – Please sign up to host in your community
We would love for there to be MANY May 10 rallies across the state, to keep the momentum going and build towards the 3.5 %. If you are thinking about organizing a rally yourself, please jump in! It's easy to register your event HERE and then please join a call tonight at 7:30pm for event organizers across the state. Register for the call HERE. 

Indivisible Central Ohio Onboarding for New Members.

Join us May 5 at 6pm for the Indivisible Central Ohio Onboarding for New Members, via Zoom. Specifically, we will discuss: ICO’s goals; our tactics and strategies; our areas of focus; how to connect with ICO and get involved; where your help is needed right now; upcoming events. Let’s get to work doing everything we can to fight the fascist takeover of our government and our country. This is a great way to get connected and get active!

RALLIES & PROTESTS
Every week there are rallies and protests all over central Ohio! You can follow what’s happening in the Events section of our website, indivisible central ohio.org.

Wednesday, 4/30/2025: Weekly Wednesday’s at Bernie’s, 12pm, Bricker Federal Building, 200 N. High Street. TODAY IS A SPECIAL PROTEST. Join us today, April 30, at noon for a constituent town hall. We are inviting attendees up to an open mic to share 100 ways that Bernie has failed us in the first 100 days of the Trump regime. Bring a sign and a thought to share with the group. More info and register HERE. 

5/2 & 5/6/2025: Weekly Hold Highway Signs! 4:30-6pm, over 71 and 315 (details in the sign up).  Every week we have a new highway sign project. Bookmark this Sign Up Genius and join the team! (We have the signs. You bring the manpower.) 

Saturday, 5/3/2025: Weekly Tesla Protest! 4:30-5:30, Easton Tesla Dealership. Join the weekly Tesla Takedown protest! Please make sure to ignore any counterprotesters and annoying drivers. Any fighting or fuss just looks bad on us. Even driving by and giving us a supportive honk is appreciated! 

Tuesday, 5/6/2025: Weekly Rush Hour Rallies, 4:30-5:30pm, now in TWO LOCATIONS. Join our two Rush-Hour Resistance Rallies! 

  • Eastside, Support Veterans: Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center, 420 N James Rd, Columbus. This huge facility, serving veterans from a wide area, is on James Road just south of the Columbus Airport. Thousands of cars pass this location during rush hour every weekday afternoon, making this the perfect place to inform people about the crippling cuts that Trump and DOGE are making to our federal government. Registration (plus more info about the location & parking) HERE. 

  • Worthington: We’re expanding our Rush-Hour Rallies to a new high-visibility location. Join us Tuesday, May 6, to deliver our message of resistance to commuters at the intersection of Route 161 and High St. in Worthington. Concerned about proposed cuts to Social Security services? Appalled by the abduction and renditioning of legal immigrants? Outraged by the theft of our private information? Generally dumbfounded by the chaotic combination of evil and incompetence coming from the White House? Make up a sign and let people know! Organized by the Worthington Area Democratic Club and Westerville Progressive Alliance. Signup & parking info HERE.

Saturday, 5/10/2025: Protest Husted and Moreno, 4:30-7:30pm, Hilton Columbus Downtown, 402 N High S, Columbus. Meet us at the Hilton from 4:30 to 7:00 pm after either the Ohio Mothers and Others Against Fascism rally (~1-3:30 pm) or the Easton Tesla Takedown protest (4:30-5:30 pm) to tell the Senators that all Ohioans will be heard! Join us to let Senators Husted & Moreno know that they have been busted for attending the Center for Christian Virtue gala at the Hilton Columbus Downtown. Bring your signs and your voices! Note: CCV has been designated as an anti-LGBTQ hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Silent Protest Place a candle in your window as a quiet signal of a shared belief that we are not giving up on this country. We love this country and still believe in decency, truth, and the idea that America can be better when we care for one another. 

TAKE ACTION THIS WEEK

1. OPPOSE SB 153 – Require Citizenship Verification Before an Elector May Vote

What does it do? The bill would require verification of an elector's citizenship before the elector may vote and to modify procedures regarding voter registration, voter roll maintenance, absentee voting, and election petitions. SB 153 was referred to the Senate General Government Committee. It received a second proponent hearing on Tues., Apr. 29. (HB 233 is the House version of this bill.)

What to do: Take action with the ACLU.

Tell these members of the Senate General Government Committee you OPPOSE SB 153:

Ask your senator to say no to SB 153, and ask your representative to reject HB 233. Write a letter to the editor in support of your local BOE. See this LTE toolkit.

Sample script:
Hi. My name is __________ and I’m calling from [full address if leaving a message]. I’m calling to urge [elected official] to reject SB 153. This bill attacks the citizen initiative process and threatens voters with potential prosecution. It would disenfranchise eligible voters and shrink the electorate. Even though lawmakers have said there is no need for more big changes in election law, SB 153 represents a huge overhaul. We need to slow down and allow time for implementation of other recently passed election bills. Our boards of election are already under-resourced and overburdened. Adding bureaucratic and financial burdens without providing additional resources is unfair to Board of Elections staff. I expect [elected official] to say NO to SB 153 and its companion bill, HB 233.

Want to know more? The Ohio Voter Rights Coalition provides a one-page summary of the major impact of SB 153 and a list of the unfunded mandates included in SB 153
Republic playbook mirrors Trump's union busting and attacks on voters and education. 


2. OPPOSE SB 113 – Prohibit Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Schools
The House version of this bill is HB 155.

What it does: SB 113 would prohibit public schools from supporting any diversity, equity and inclusion with K – 12 students. However, the bill does not define “DEI,” and because it does not specify which programs would be affected, it could impact students and educators with disabilities, students with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), students and families with language barriers, etc.

What to do:
Join a sponsored call to action email, email your state senator and the Senate Education Committee members.

Tell these members of the Senate Education Committee to vote NO on SB 113.

Sample script:
Hi. My name is ________ and I’m calling from [give full address if leaving a message]. I urge [elected official] to oppose SB 113. This bill defies the core belief that every child should feel welcome and safe in the classroom by banning diversity and inclusion in our public schools. The bill fails to define ”DEI” and does not specify which programs would be affected. This means it could impact students and educators with disabilities, students with IEPs, students and families with language barriers, and others. Diversity is one of our biggest strengths. This bill would set our current and future students up for failure in navigating the real world. Please say NO to SB 113. Thanks for your consideration.

Want to know more? Resource from Honesty for Education. Ohio republican senator wants to ban diversity and inclusion efforts in public schools.


3. REJECT HB 170 – Establish Process To Regulate Carbon Capture, Storage Technology

What's new: HB 170 will receive a second proponent hearing on Weds., Apr. 30, 9 a.m., Room 116. 

What we need to know about HB 170: According to The Buckeye Environmental Network:

  • The bill would also give ODNR exclusive authority to regulate carbon injection wells, taking away the rights of local governments to decide whether and how they want carbon injection to occur in their communities. 

  • A new push to inject massive, unprecedented volumes of industrial carbon dioxide (CO₂) beneath our homes and communities using carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) poses serious risks to human health and the environment and raises questions about economic viability. 

  • Carbon storage is unpredictable, largely untested, and unsafe. Ohio’s potential carbon storage reservoirs are overlaid by tens of thousands of abandoned oil & gas wells, which could be conduits for CO2 to leak and migrate. Earthquakes are also a risk.

  • H.B. 170 would allow companies to store dangerous, acidic carbon dioxide underneath Ohioans’ property without their consent. It allows companies to only obtain 70% of land owners' consent before CO2 injection, allowing them to use "force pooling" to require other landowners to have CO2 underneath their land. 

  • H.B. 170 would let carbon storage developers off the hook for long-term responsibility over their projects with a “liability transfer” clause. The clause allows developers to walk away from projects and any long-term consequences or emergency response mandates, incentivizing companies to cut corners on well construction, maintenance, and monitoring.

Want to know more? What you should know about HB170

What to do: Contact these members of the House Natural Resources Committee:

Sample call script:
Hi. My name is _________, and I’m calling from [give full address if leaving a message]. I urge [elected official] to reject HB 170. This bill would allow companies to store dangerous, acidic carbon dioxide beneath Ohioans’ property without their consent. Also, a liability transfer clause in the bill would let developers walk away from responsibility for long-term consequences, increasing the likelihood that companies would cut corners on well construction, maintenance, and monitoring. Because the Ohio Department of Natural Resources would have exclusive authority to regulate carbon injection wells, local governments would not get to decide whether and how they want to allow carbon injection in their communities. Carbon storage is unpredictable, largely untested, and unsafe, and is not worth the cost in lives and potential environmental disasters. Please say NO to HB 170. Thanks for your consideration.   

Indivisible Central Ohio is filled with the most amazingly generous people! Whenever we ask for help, the ICO community steps up! For example: last week we posted about raising funds to buy an inexpensive used minivan for the Congolese family we are partnered with through CRIS. You responded, and the minivan purchase is fully funded! Thank you so much.

We are committed to having a positive impact in our local community! Every week under the “ICO Gives Back” banner, you will find a suggestion for somewhere that your contribution can make a real difference. This week we are asking for donations to this gofundme page for Ta'Kiya Young's family.  

Ta'Kiya Young was the young, pregnant Black woman shot and killed by a Blendon police officer in 2023 in a Kroger parking lot. Her children, grandmother and brother are in need of safe new housing. Their current home has electrical and water issues and is unsafe with gun violence in the area. This fundraiser would help them with the deposit and rent on a new & safe place to live. Our contributions can make an immediate and meaningful impact right now. Donate HERE. Thank you!

Collect Signatures Outside Weilands’ Market 
Indivisible Central Ohio is helping collect signatures for the Columbus Safety Collective (CSC), the campaign for public safety reform that advocates for an independent non-police emergency response program. 

BREAKING NEWS: ICO was given special permission to collect in the parking lot outside Weilands Market. The owner asks us not to block the door & to be polite with customers. Weilands will be a great place to get signatures! Sign up for a slot HERE. 

Petitions can be signed out from (& returned to) CSC during their office hours (Thurs, 6-7pm & Sats, 10:30am-noon) at Old First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Brydon Road from now through JUNE 26 – and they’ll train you there as well. If you collected signatures for Repro and/or redistricting, you are well trained to get started!

Indivisible will also have Office Hours at Global Gallery, 3535 N High St, MONDAYS from 5:30-7pm, where you can pick up and drop off booklets and get trained, starting next week. Contact Jackie Bird at jackieoep@gmail.com or Cheryl Grossman at cherylrsgrossman@gmail.com for info or if you need materials and can't make it to the regular office hours times.

You can also sign up to collect at many other places and events around town. Go to this Mobilize link and find something that works for you. 

Remember that ONLY CITY OF COLUMBUS RESIDENTS can sign this petition.

Thank you for helping ensure this important issue is on our ballots this November!

Attend a Commission Meeting to Discuss Fracking in 3 Wildlife Areas

Please join Save Ohio Parks at 1PM on Monday, May 5 at the Ohio Department of Public Safety, Charles D. Shipley Building, 1970 W, Broad St, Columbus,for a meeting of the Oil and Gas Land Management Commission.

On the agenda is a presentation from the Ohio Attorney General's office (we don't know about what), as well as consideration of six nominations to frack public land:

  • 24-DNR-0010 - Valley Run Wildlife Area - 3.64 acres in Carroll County

  • 24-DNR-0011 - Egypt Valley Wildlife Area - 4,360 acres in Belmont County

  • 24-DNR-0012 - Jockey Hollow Wildlife Area - 382 acres in Belmont and Harrison Counties

  • 24-DOT-0013 - ROW Along SR 151 in Harrison County

  • 24-DOT-0014 - ROW Along SR7 in Belmont County

  • 24-DOT-0015 - ROW Along SR 821 in Guernsey County

Attend if you can! We need to demonstrate that the people own this land and do not want it to be fracked. Please register here so that we can keep you apprised of any changes. If you can't make it in person on Monday, the meeting will be livestreamed from this webpage.

Ideas and Inspirations for You

Upcoming Events (Calendar view) 

Saturday and Sunday, 5/3/2025 and 5/4/2025: Spend some time at the Central Ohio Folk Festival and register voters or collect signatures for the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign. Note: If you want to collect signatures, you will need to get petitions. Petitions can be signed out from (& returned to) CSC during their office hours (Thurs, 6-7pm & Sats, 10:30am-noon) at Old First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Brydon Road from now through JUNE 26 – and they’ll train you there as well. If you collected signatures for Repro and/or redistricting, you are well trained to get started!

Sunday, 5/4/2025: Join the Columbus Safety Collective Campaign to collect signatures during the last day of early voting at the Franklin County Board of Elections. *Please note: make sure you have picked up blank petitions at the office at Old First Presbyterian Church before heading to the event. The office is open Thursdays from 6-7PM and Saturdays from 10:30AM-12PM. If neither of those times work for you, please contact hshorr@workingfamilies.org. Register here.

Monday, 5/5/2025: Indivisible Central Ohio Onboarding for New Members, 6pm, via Zoom. Join us for this online onboarding and training session! Specifically, we will discuss: ICO’s goals; Our tactics and strategies; Our areas of focus; How to connect with ICO and get involved; Where your help is needed right now. 

Wednesday, 5/7/2025: Organizing For Local Action, 6:30pm, via Zoom. This workshop on strategic organizing will give you some of the fundamental tools you need to build community power for the mid- and long-term. After the workshop, you will be able to
1) discern the difference between advocacy and organizing,
2) understand the importance of building lasting power to create change,
3) know how to identify winnable campaigns and decide on strategies, and
4) develop a long-haul strategy to win campaigns.
Depending on interest, an intensive hands-on workshop will be held at a later date at the Columbus Garden School. Budget-friendly workshop fee $5-20; no one turned away for lack of funds. (Just drop us a note.) Register HERE. 


Mia & Linda for the Indivisible Central Ohio Team

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Find us at our website indivisiblecentralohio.org. Check out our Linktree! 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, YouTube, Reddit, and Discord. Get involved by filling out our “Join us” interest form!

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