Hello, fellow Kansans!

Welcome to a belated, but no less appreciated, spring! It was great to see everyone who came out to our Fix the Bill Education Update last week, cosponsored with Education First Shawnee Mission. If you weren't able to make it, catch up on our event blog here and watch the Loud Light School Funding Explainer video here (8:17)

As the weather is getting warmer, campaigns are starting to heat up too. One of the most exciting ways to be an engaged citizen is to get involved with a campaign. It's the best way to to make sure that we're sending the right people to Washington and Topeka to represent us. Not only that, it's easy and can fit into your schedule.

1. Find a Candidate: Maybe there's an incumbent you're eager to replace (or support!). Maybe you're wanting to learn more about a race. Ballotpedia is a good place to find out who's running and for what - but remember, here in Kansas, the registration deadline isn't until June 1, so new candidates may be still joining the race.
2. Learn More: Once you find a candidate or two, learn more about them and their issues on their web page, social media pages, or news articles / profiles. Ideally, they're a good fit with your priorities and get you excited.
3. Reach Out: Many campaigns will have contact information for would-be volunteers on their web pages or social media pages. Remember - your candidate is (hopefully!) very busy, so it may take a couple of contacts before you hear back from the campaign. That's okay.
4. Get Involved: Most campaigns will be looking for help fundraising, making phone calls, or knocking on doors. Whatever you're most comfortable doing, you can usually do it in 1-2 hours, and it's fun to meet like-minded supporters.

In the News  

Keep up with the most impactful stories and be ready to take action on developing stories.

• In Topeka, the House passed a budget this week. The Senate's budget had passed before the close of the regular session. An omnibus update will be going to Senators with everything that's changed budget-wise since then, and it's on its way to the Conference Committee.
• Additionally, the Kansas House passed a fix for the $80 million dollar mistake in their school funding bill. The Senate has not yet taken it up. After passage, the ball will be in the Kansas Supreme Court, to determine if the final numbers meet the court's requirement.
  • For all the news that is news from Topeka, be sure to catch up with Loud Light: Veto Session Week One
• Former Kansas Congressman and former CIA Director Mike Pompeo was confirmed as the new Secretary of State. Gina Haspel has been nominated to be the new CIA Director, and we've got some opinions about that.

Calls to Action  

Take action on your own schedule! Use your phone and computer to make your voice heard.

All session long, we've been demanding of our legislators in Topeka that they fully fund our schools. A school funding bill has passed, and now we wait to hear from the courts about whether it's enough. If it isn't enough, legislators will have very difficult choices to make. Help them represent you by contacting them this week: what compromises and cuts can you stomach? what can you not tolerate? is raising taxes on the table? what should be prioritized? Contact your state legislators and make your voice heard.

Remember January 2017 when we made Congress' phones ring off their hooks to block disastrous nominees? That's the energy we need to block Gina Haspel, Trump's nominee to be the new Director of the CIA. "Gina Haspel personally helped torture detainees in a secret CIA-run prison during the Bush administration. She then made sure the video evidence was destroyed."  Check out Indivisible's one-stop page for everything you need to block Haspel's nomination in its tracks.

Did you call Senator Roberts last week about the Farm Bill? We're putting the pressure on Senator Pat Roberts, the chairman of the Senate Ag Committee. The Senate version must not raise workfare requirements and threaten the Farm Bill.  Ready to bring the heat so that everyone can eat? Click here for the phone numbers and talking points!

Upcoming Events

Take action with others! Build energy and connection among like-purposed people.

Tuesday, May 1

Join the Kansas Choice Alliance Tuesday morning for an important lobbying day at the State Capitol: Voices for Choice. Click here for more information (Facebook) and here to RSVP (Planned Parenthood).

It's hard to find the time and energy some weeks, but if you can take one action, make one phone call, or bring one person along with you, you're helping to resist regressive policies and corrupt practices at every level.

Shoulder to shoulder with you -

Indivisible KC