Letter from Katal’s Co-Presidents
No Kings, No Nazis, No Oligarchs: Coming Together to Fight Back
Dear Friends,
We’re reaching out with some reflections about what’s happening in our country, to lift up how people are fighting back, and share ways we can all get involved.
Earlier this month, we wrote that what was unfolding barely two weeks into the new administration in Washington, DC, was “not normal.” A week later, The New York Times quoted leading U.S. legal scholars about how Trump’s “systematic unconstitutional and illegal acts” have “created a constitutional crisis.”
Over the weekend, Adam Serwer wrote powerfully for The Atlantic about how the administration’s attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are aimed at reversing the gains of the civil rights movement. Serwer dubs this “the Great Resegregation”:
For all the big talk about putting an end to “social engineering,” the Great Resegregation is itself a radical attempt to socially engineer America to be poorer, whiter, less equal, and less democratic. Much as the old Jim Crow measures kept many southern white people impoverished and disenfranchised alongside the Black southerners they targeted, the Great Resegregation will leave wealthy white elites with a firmer grip on power and the working classes with fewer opportunities and a weakened social safety net. The only people left with more will be those who already had more than they needed to begin with.
This week, Trump 2.0 had its first cabinet meeting. Historian Heather Cox Richardson, in her insightful daily newsletter Letters from an American, observed:
A photograph of the meeting in which (Elon) Musk, wearing a Make America Great Again ball cap and a T-shirt that said “Tech Support,” appears to be holding court while Trump appears to be sleeping reinforced the idea that it is Musk rather than Trump who is running the government. When Trump did speak, CNN fact checker Daniel Dale noted, his remarks were full of false claims.
As we face these crises, people across the political spectrum are coming together to fight back and say No kings, No Nazis, No oligarchs. Some notable examples:
Calling Congress: Along with many other groups, we’ve encouraged the people in Katal’s network to call their elected officials in DC and at their local offices, to express their views. The New York Times reported that “In the three weeks since President Trump took office and gave Elon Musk free rein inside the federal government, millions of calls have poured in to members of Congress, jamming the system.” Find and call your congressional representatives by going to www.5calls.org.
Town Halls and Meetings with Congressional Reps: Members of Congress holding town hall meetings in their districts have heard from angry constituents demanding answers. House Republicans have instructed their members to stop holding town halls. But you can still request a meeting with your representatives (of whatever party), which is a great way to make your voice heard. Indivisible, a national organization, has detailed resources for emailing, calling, and meeting your reps to hold them accountable.
Protests at Tesla Dealerships: Throughout the country, people are resisting Elon Musk’s takeover of the government. Musk, the CEO of Tesla, is the target of growing grassroots protests called #TeslaTakedown. More than 100 protests at local Tesla dealerships have already taken place and the company’s stock has dropped since Musk’s Nazi salute on the day of Trump’s inauguration. More protests are being scheduled around the country every day, including this Saturday 3/1 in Manhattan, this Sunday 3/2 in Brooklyn, and on Saturday 3/14, in Stamford, Connecticut.
Fighting Back Against the Trump–Adams Alliance: Even if you’re not in New York City, you probably know that Mayor Eric Adams, in a shameless bid to get his federal corruption charges dropped in a quid pro quo with the Trump administration, agreed earlier this month to target immigrants in NYC. We immediately called out Adams for selling out immigrants and all New Yorkers. We issued a statement with immigrant rights groups, rejecting Adams’s plan to once again flout the law and reopen the ICE office on Rikers Island. Along with allies, we’ve organized and joined actions in Manhattan at Governor Kathy Hochul’s office including co-leading a civil disobedience, at the Tweed Courthouse, at City Hall, and yesterday at Foley Square. We’ve also rallied outside the Brooklyn office of House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to demand that he do more to stop the coup.
These are just a few of the many examples of people fighting back. Cumulatively, it’s building movement energy that will continue to grow.
Upcoming Actions/Meetings: We’ve got a lot of online and in-person events, actions, and gatherings taking place in the coming weeks – some focused on the constitutional crisis, others on our local campaign work in Connecticut and New York. Here’s a few examples – we invite you to join us!
Wednesday, March 5, from noon to 12:45 p.m. EST via Zoom: We’ll start our weekly Pro-Democracy Phone Zaps! Every Wednesday in March, from noon to 12:45, we’re gathering on Zoom to call our elected officials (March 5, 12, 19, 26). We’ll start by calling congressional representatives and tell them to take action to stop the coup, then we’ll call local reps. It’s fun to be with a group doing this! Register here!
Sunday, March 9, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET in Hartford: Growing Power ’25. Join us in person as we gather to network, share skills, and get trained up in farming and organizing – we’d love to see you! Kids invited and very welcome! Read more and register here.
Thursday, March 13, at noon ET: New York Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call: Join us to hear about efforts across New York to end mass incarceration and make our communities safer. Register here.
Thursday, March 20, at 11 a.m. ET: Connecticut Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call: Join us to hear about efforts across Connecticut to end mass incarceration and make our communities safer. Register here.
And there’s more to come, including some exciting news we’ll be sharing next week. Remember that you’re not alone in this – and that we’re all stronger when we take action together.
In solidarity,
gabriel and Lorenzo
Co-Presidents
Katal Center for Equity, Health, and Justice
Please consider making a contribution to support this work.
