Hello, Kansas Indivisibles!

The Old Shawnee Days parade took place on Saturday. Many candidates and volunteers attended the second largest parade in Kansas to introduce themselves to voters. Moms Demand Action was also out in force, wearing orange and passing out stickers. Also, Swing Left also hosted their second candidate forum for the Third Congressional District this weekend. Whether you're learning about candidates or walking with them, going door-to-door, or fighting for an issue, there's always work to be done and a community ready to do it.

As usual, we've got News, Election Updates, Calls to Action, and Event Announcements.

In the News  

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

• The summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un is back on, after a grinning Trump met with  a high-ranking North Korean official in the oval office this week.
• In the name of national security, Trump went ahead with imposing tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from key allies, including Canada, Mexico, and the EU. Here's why that might make us even less secure.
• Immigration policy was front and center this week - unaccompanied minors have been lost in the system AND children are being removed from their parents at the border. The House may be set to take up immigration soon - get caught up on the various bills here. Once you're caught up, take action below.
• Trump pardoned right-wing troll Dinesh D'Souza, who pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations. Here's one take on why and why it matters (hint: it always comes back to corruption)
• And of course, your weekly update on the latest twists of Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling.

Election 2018

Be ready to elect or reelect officeholders who are working for your values on your issues!

June 1st was the candidate filing deadline for the primaries, which means that all the candidates that will be on primary ballots are now known. Online resources vary by county, but here's how you can get a jump start on looking into your candidates:

1. To get your district information (Ex. Kansas House 17, US House 3), look up your registration here.
2. Go to the Secretary of State's page and load the 2018 Primary list.

Sample ballots will be posted on county election websites as the primary date gets closer.

If you live in Johnson County, you can get your list of candidates here.

The next critical deadline is July 17th - the last date to register to be able to vote in the primary!

Once you find a candidate or two that you're excited to support, go get involved with the campaign. Candidates and their teams are always looking for folks to help make calls, go door to door, or help with office work. It's easy and fun!

"People were genuinely excited to talk about the issues and to hear about registration deadlines and primary dates. It was a beautiful afternoon to be out walking and connecting." - Mark Eisemann

Calls to Action  

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

Want the latest calls to action, sent directly to your phone? Sign up for Indivisible's SMS tools here! You'll get text messages with the latest policy breaking news, ways to take action, and to get involved with Indivisibles your community.

Stand with Planned Parenthood: President Trump is pushing a gag rule that would prevent women from getting birth control and health services at places like Planned Parenthood, and prevent doctors across the country from giving women complete, accurate information about heir healthcare choices. Use this tool from Planned Parenthood Action Fund to contact HHS Secretary Alex Azar and tell him to oppose the gag rule.

Block Unqualified Judges: Herd on the Hill, a DC-based grassroots group, is partnering with StampsLicked to personally hand-deliver your electronic letters. Click here to write a letter to your elected officials to block one or more unqualified judges, and Herd on the Hill will deliver it to your Congresspeople! Start writing now!

End Family Separation: There are a few things for you to do here. First, sign the petition targeting Ivanka Trump - she promised to moderate her father and be a voice for women. She must do exactly that. Then call your MoCs and tell them this policy must stop. They have the power, a co-equal branch of government to stop this cruel practice.

Upcoming Events

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

Saturday, June 9

On June 9th, Mainstream Coalition is hosting Walk the Vote, an event that fundraises for moderate Republican and Democratic candidates. If you followed the news from Topeka this year (and we know you did!), then you already know how close many vital votes were. We must keep up the momentum in 2018 and keep sensible candidates in office. For more information about the event, and to contribute, visit the Walk the Vote website.

Sunday, June 10

Join the Conversation: Rev. Rodney Williams, pastor of  Swope Parkway United Christian Church, will facilitate a discussion on the long-lasting effects of racism, and the work that is being done to undo systemic racism in all its forms. It's Sunday, June 10 at 6:30 PM - 8 PM hosted by The Open Table.

Saturday, June 16th

Join progressive, common-sense candidates at the Matt Ross Community Center at 10:00am. You'll get a chance to meet your candidates and learn about the best way to get involved. For more information, including a full list of attendees, visit the event page.

Later that afternoon, there's another opportunity to learn more about 2018 candidates. The Kansas City Kansas Community College Democrats will be hosting Democratic hopefuls for a forum at 2:00pm. Click here for more information and to RSVP.

Saturday, June 23rd

Join the KS/MO Dream Alliance and other co-hosts from 2:00-4:00pm to reject Kobach and his NRA fundraiser Ted Nugent. "Kris Kobach has proven himself catastrophic at everything he touches." For more information and to spread the word, visit the event page on Facebook.

Ongoing

People from Kansas are joining folks from 38 states to call for a moral revival in our country & carry forward the baton handed to us by Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King to condemn systemic poverty, racism, militarism, and ecological devastation. Learn more about the Poor People's Campaign here, and watch for upcoming events, which involve taking non-violent direct action.

As always, take action in any way you can. Grab an oar, and let's go!

In solidarity -

Indivisible KC