ICO Newsletter - 6/11/25
Celebrate & Protest at Stonewall Pride!
This coming weekend’s Pride Parade is an opportunity to bring our pro-diversity, anti-fascist, anti-Trump, NO KINGS message to literally hundreds of thousands of people who might not ever have considered attending a protest.
Float construction got underway this past weekend and it’s going to be spectacular! We have 200 folks signed up to march with our float, and hundreds of supporters along the parade route who will be holding “No Kings!” signs. You can join us!
SLOTS FOR MARCHERS ARE COMPLETELY FULL, but we want as many folks lining the parade route with “No Kings” signs as possible! You can make and use your own signs (on any topic) but if you want one of our printed ones, come get one from the porch at 437 Piedmont Rd between 1-7pm on Thursday, 6/12. If you plan to be at the parade, please register via Mobilize.
More signs along the parade route = More impact!
Register with NO KINGS to boost the national tally
Did you know that if you register for a No Kings event it will add to the national tally of how many people were Mobilized against Trump? If you plan to show up at Pride at all, please register for our NO KINGS IN THE WHITE HOUSE event, or another one you find on the nokings.org website. There are lots to choose from, including many in Central Ohio. You can also check for additional events on this map.
Fracking our state parks to pay for tax breaks for the wealthy
The new budget proposed by the Senate Finance committee cuts income taxes for residents of Ohio making >$100,000 per year. The resulting overall budget shortfall is more than $1 billion. The Ohio Department of Natural Resources’ Parks and Watercraft budget will be cut in half, with the difference expected to be made up with royalties from oil and gas companies that frack our state parks.
“It’s moving the royalties generated from fracking on public lands, which are, by the way, public lands,” Finance Chair Jerry Cirino said. “They don’t belong to ODNR. They belong to the people of the state of Ohio.” Cirino seems to have forgotten that comments on proposals to frack our state parks and wildlife areas regularly run 98% opposed.
Send a letter now telling Tell Jerry Cirino not to frack our state parks to fund tax cuts for the rich!
Spread the Word – Hold Signs above the Highway!
A fun and easy entry to anti-Trump activism is to join our crew as we hold signs over the highways. Upcoming dates are 6/11, 6/13, 6/17, 6/20 and more – all 4:30-6pm. Details, directions and sign up are HERE. Bookmark that location as we add dates every week. We have the signs and flags. You bring the manpower!
Featured Rally: Ohio Working Families
Next Tuesday, 6/17 at noon, join child and family advocates from across the state to urge lawmakers to prioritize Ohio’s youngest children in the Ohio budget.
GOP-led State Senate rolled out their priorities for the future of Ohio. Instead of tax relief for working families and solutions to make childcare more affordable, they are proposing more tax cuts for the wealthy.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
We have a real opportunity to make life better for parents and kids in Central Ohio—but only if we show up and speak out. Save the date for June 17 at noon and click here to RSVP.
Together, we will call for solutions to lower costs for childcare and provide tax relief to help parents deal with rising costs. We need your help to urge lawmakers to take two critical actions as they finalize Ohio’s budget:
Provide tax relief to families by changing to tax code to support families with young children (a $1,000 refundable child tax credit).
Make childcare more affordable so more families can get the care they need.
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, 6/11/2025: Weekly Wednesday’s at Bernie’s, 12pm, Bricker Federal Building, 200 N. High Street. Let's hold Moreno accountable to the people and taxpayers of Ohio. We demand to be seen AND heard - just like his rich donors. More info and register HERE.
Friday, 6/13/2025: No Kings, 4 PM to 7 PM, Ohio Statehouse, 1 Capital Square. Join 50501 and DSA as we protest those trying to take away our democracy.
Saturday, 6/14/2025: Weekly Protest in Delaware, noon to 1 PM. Let’s protest together and let folks know that we are tired of all the shenanigans.
Saturday, 6/14/2025: Weekly Tesla Protest! 4:30-5:30 PM, Easton Tesla Dealership. Join the weekly Tesla Takedown protest! Even driving by and giving us a supportive honk is appreciated!
Tuesday, 6/17/2025: Weekly Rush Hour Rallies, 4:30-5:30pm,
Eastside, Support Veterans: Chalmers P. Wylie Ambulatory Care Center, 420 N James Rd, Columbus. Come out to support our veterans! Registration & more info HERE.
Worthington: Join us to deliver our message of resistance to commuters at the intersection of Route 161 and High St. in Worthington. Organized by the Worthington Area Democratic Club and Westerville Progressive Alliance. Signup & parking info HERE.
Calling Postcard Writers
Postcards to Swing States is back with cards to rally Pennsylvania Democrats to vote in their November 4th election. We have 5,000 cards to write, so if you love writing postcards we have plenty of them! Cards are bundled in sets of 25 with directions and addresses and are available on the porch at 437 Piedmont Rd. We are asking that all cards be returned back to the porch to be held for the mailing date in mid-October. We especially love it when the postcards come back stamped and ready to go!
Questions? Please contact Michelle at mlerner5@gmail.com or 740-258-8343.
Billboards. Brought to you by ICO
ICO is partnering with Buckeye State Rural, and we have already raised the funds to put up two large billboards in rural parts of the district OH15 with heavy traffic. Want to see billboards like these in other flippable Ohio congressional districts? You can help us reach thousands of voters, over and over again by donating to the billboard fund! CLICK HERE to help us extend the time they're up and expand the number of billboards.
TAKE ACTION THIS WEEK
1. OPPOSE SB 172 – Specify Persons Unlawfully Present Are Not Privileged from Arrest
This bill would specify that persons who are unlawfully present in the United States are not “privileged” from arrest. SB 172 will receive a third proponent/ opponent/ interested party hearing on Weds., June 11, 2:30 p.m. (or after session), South Hearing Room. Possible VOTE!
What can you do now?
Contact these members of the Senate Armed Services, Veterans Affairs and Public Safety Committee:
Terry Johnson, chair - 614-466-8082; johnson@ohiosenate.gov
Steve Wilson, vice chair - 614-466-9737; wilson@ohiosenate.gov
Casey Weinstein, ranking member - 614-466-7041; weinstein@ohiosenate.gov
Sample call script:
Hi. My name is __________, and I live [full address if leaving a message]. I’m calling to ask [elected official] to oppose SB 172. This bill would allow an arrest or detention to happen anywhere in Ohio under any circumstances, regardless of the law that extends a “privilege” from arrest in certain cases. Federal, state, or local law enforcement agencies or officers could arrest people, with or without a warrant, whether for an administrative, civil, or criminal reason. There are very good reasons to allow “privilege” exceptions, especially in certain public spaces. For example, the court has a responsibility to ensure due process, which is hard to do when victims, witnesses, and defendants won’t come to the courthouse to testify and participate in cases because they fear arrest. Trial fairness is jeopardized, which hurts citizens as well as non-citizens. As we have seen recently, undocumented people have good reason to fear showing up in court, since a number of them have been denied due process or have been mistakenly deported or sent to notorious prisons. I urge [elected official] to say NO to SB 172. Thanks for your consideration.
Want to know more?
See this Ohio Capitol Journal article and this analysis.
2. OPPOSE SB 63 – Prohibit Use of Ranked Choice Voting; Withhold Funding for Use
What it does: SB 63 would generally prohibit the use of ranked choice voting and to withhold Local Government Fund distributions from a municipality or chartered county that uses ranked choice voting and to withhold Local Government Fund distributions from a municipality or chartered county that uses ranked choice voting.
What’s new: SB 63 passed the full Senate on 5/14/25. It received a second proponent hearing in the House General Government Committee on 6/10/25. Opponent testimony is expected to be heard June 17.
What you can do now:
Contact your state representative
Contact these members of the House General Government Committee:
Sharon Ray, chair - 614-466-8140; rep66@ohiohouse.gov
Jeff LaRe, vice chair – 614-466-8100; rep73@ohiohouse.gov
Juanita Brent, ranking member – 614-466-1408; rep18@ohiohouse.gov
Sample script:
My name is and I’m calling from [your address if leaving a message]. Banning ranked choice voting prevents localities from making elections freer and fairer. Ohioans are losing faith in democracy because it limits voter choices and does not require a majority to win. When Ranked Choice Voting is used, candidates can win with support from a majority of voters and rewards more positive, issues-focused campaigning. Local governments should be able to make decisions based on their needs, and not on a voting approach dictated by state government. I urge [elected official] to say no to SB 63. Thanks for your consideration.
Want to know more?
Check out Stop the Ban and this from the Ohio Capital Journal
June is Pride month! To celebrate and support Pride, Indivisible Central Ohio has identified two local organizations that provide support to LGBTQ+ folks across the age spectrum.
First, Stonewall Columbus with a mission to increase visibility, inclusion, and connection for the LGBTQ+ community for adults and older adults. Please support their work at this link.
Second, Kaleidoscope Youth Center, the largest and longest standing organization in Ohio solely dedicated to serving and supporting LGBTQ+ youth. Support them HERE.
Summer Signature Collection!
Summer is a great time to collect signatures, and the Columbus Safety Collective is a great cause to support.
If the CSC initiative gets on the ballot, it is likely to pass–and YOUR petition booklets can make all the difference.
Get booklets and training:
ICO Office hours: Mondays, 5:30-6:30pm, Global Gallery, 3535 N High St.
CSC Office hours: Thurs, 6-7pm & Sats, 10:30am-noon), Old First Presbyterian Church, 1101 Brydon Road.
Find places to collect signatures:
More sign ups at this Mobilize link
For info or materials outside of regular office hours contact Jackie Bird (jackieoep@gmail.com) or Cheryl Grossman (cherylrsgrossman@gmail.com).
Get Connected with the Anti-SB1 Signature Campaign!
A huge grassroots effort is underway to get a referendum on the ballot in November to give voters the chance to overturn SB1, the “Ohio Education Destruction” bill. Here are some useful links so you can get connected. Let’s show our grassroots power!
Ideas and Inspirations for You
Upcoming Events (Calendar view)
Local Pride Events: Celebrations of Pride are happening across Central Ohio. Check out events HERE. These are great places to do voter registration, collect petition signatures, and hand out ICO business cards!
Wednesday, 6/11/2025: Buckeye Environmental Network Letter to the Editor Workshop, 6:30pm, via Zoom. Join BEN for a Letter To the Editor Workshop where we'll go over the basics of why and how to write an LTE, how to increase your chances of getting published, and help you select a news story to respond to and get started on writing your own LTE! This workshop will be focused on environmental justice issues in Ohio, but what you learn can be applied to other topics! Register HERE.
Thursday, 6/12/2025: Project 2025: Where We Are, Where We May Be Going, gather at 5:30, event begins at 6pm, Bob Crane Community Center, 3200 Tremont Rd, Upper Arlington. Join UAPA for a talk by Brian Rothenberg and David Pepper covering Project 2025 actions taken by our maladministration already and what further horrors we may expect and what we may want to do about it. Please register for free HERE and consider a donation to help offset the costs.
Tuesday, 6/17/2025: How Things Work at the Ohio Statehouse Advocacy Training, 7pm via Zoom. Join the Zoom and learn how a bill becomes a law in Ohio and how YOU can impact state laws and policies! Register HERE.
Tuesday, 6/17/2025: Understanding Executive Orders and Their Impact, 7:30pm, virtual. Join Red Wine & Blue and Kathryn Wiley as she breaks down what executive orders actually do, how they’re being used right now, and why they matter. Register HERE.
Tuesday, 6/17/2025: Postcard Party, 6-8pm, La Matraca Mexican Grill & Cantina 5000 Gender Rd, Canal Winchester. Join Testifyin' Tuesdays! With Southeast Progressives of Franklin County for a monthly social/political dinner, where we write to legislators or voters, or plot and plan more events, about issues we care about! Register HERE.
Tuesday, 6/24/2025: Indivisible Central Ohio Social Hour, 6-7pm, Land Grant Brewery, 424 W Town St, Columbus. Join other Indivisibles for a drink and conversation! Look for our table and people in Indivisible gear! No RSVP needed.
Wednesday, 6/25/2025: Indivisible Central Ohio In Person Member Meeting, 6:30-8pm, 1st Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W Weisheimer Rd. Join us as we restart monthly member meetings! We will meet on the fourth Wednesday of every month. Register HERE.
Sunday, 6/29/2025: A Musical Tribute to Peter Paul and Mary, 4pm, Columbus Mennonite Church, 35 Oakland Park Avenue. Bill Cohen, Joanne Blum, and Joe Lambert will sing and strum the most beloved songs of Peter Paul and Mary and recall the group’s history of linking music and activism. Free parking will be available on nearby streets and in lots owned by the North Broadway Methodist Church. $15 donations per person are suggested at the door, but all donations will be welcome. Half of the proceeds will go to the Clintonville Community Resource Center, which helps low-income, homeless, and older residents of the area.
Sunday, 6/29/2025: Postcard Party! 6-8pm, 219 W Dublin Granville Rd, Worthington, OH 43085. Join us while we stand up for democracy while building a community via a postcard writing party. We will supply cards, snacks and drinks. Register HERE.
Mia & Linda for the Indivisible Central Ohio Team
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