We recently supported an excellent event brought to Pittsburgh by 1Hood—Empire City Live featuring the host of the award-winning podcast Empire City, Dr. , and our very own Congresswoman Summer Lee. After the on-stage conversation, community members broke into small groups to reflect and connect. Pittsburgh Women for Democracy led one of these sessions focused on how parents and families are meeting this particular moment in history.

Here is some of what we heard:

Risk is driving parents out of participation (and they feel guilty about it)

Gone are the days when, for some types of people (ahem, middle and upper middle class white people), attending a protest—with or without your children—functioned as a relatively low-risk performance of citizenship. And, in the before times, if one chose to bring children along, it doubled as a civics lesson: “See kids? This is your right. This is what participation looks like. First, we make a sign…”

Now, the decision to participate in a protest, demonstration, visibility event or to serve as a legal observer feels fraught—attending these events as a parent, especially a solo or single parent, comes along with the question: what will happen to my children if I’m arrested, injured or killed at one of these events?

But parents acknowledge another sort of risk too—the risk that if parents choose to stay at home, children won’t see what democratic participation looks like and as a result, they won’t learn how to exercise their own rights.

In the trade-off between immediate safety (or perception of safety) versus modeling future civic engagement, safety feels like a necessary choice.

Values alignment must be seen to be believed

Many parents understand the ask: find allies and work together to build and demand the kind of community and country you want to see. The problem is that they can’t easily identify who shares their values.

Parents are relying on visible signals—bumper stickers, yard signs and buttons—as a shorthand for values alignment, but in places where one especially Trumpy neighbor (you know the one— they are flying Don’t Tread On Me, Back the Blue and three Trump flags from their flagpole) dominates the visual landscape, neighbors who might otherwise display a Hate Has No Home Here yard sign decide it is safer not to.

The same dynamic plays out in local and hyper-local online spaces. People witness racist and toxic behavior going unchecked making these forums feel unsafe or unreliable as places to identify allies or organize.

The result? Neighbors with connections built on safe, surface-level topics, like soccer and school plays rather than a shared vision for their community.

Advocacy is not being named or practiced

Parents demonstrated an acute awareness of current conditions, a far less defined vision of what they hoped to see instead, and no clear pathway between the two. Just moments earlier, Congresswoman Summer Lee had reminded the audience that “power concedes nothing without a demand.” Yet parents were not granting themselves permission to make that demand.

This hesitation appeared to stem from several factors:

1. They lacked language to describe advocacy or to see it as a practice in its own right.

2. They were unsure who, specifically, to hold accountable for the inequities they identified.

3. They felt they lacked expertise in the “process.”

4. They were uncertain what, exactly, to ask for.

With conversation and light provocation, parents were able to articulate several concrete steps they could take. However, their reactions to identifying these often carried a note of self-consciousness, more “duh” than “ah-ha!”

So, what does all this mean?

It is important to acknowledge that this was a small group of white-appearing parents with the flexibility to attend a weeknight event. Only a handful of parents joined the breakout session and participated in this discussion.

And still.

What emerged possibly points to something larger—these parents weren’t unaware or apathetic but they are living in a kind of isolation: Actions they would have previously taken now seem unsafe, issues are visible but allies are invisible and no clear path or permission to move forward. They may be socially connected to those around them, but they aren’t existing in communities that feel safe, aligned, organized or can be mobilized to fight injustice.

We walked away with a few thought starters from this conversation that we’re going to keep exploring in our Action Teams.

People need to see the full menu of resistance actions they can take as individuals and as families. For some, it feels like protest is the only synonym for resistance but it need not be. There are a range of ways that families can be involved in resistance activities—from research to storytelling to education to documentation.

Advocacy needs to be made visible and practiced as part of daily life. We (in the grassroots community) can uplift examples, model advocacy, share educational materials and create pathways for advocates and emerging advocates. Our shared goal should be to brand advocacy as a set of intuitive, accessible, everyday practices so more people feel permission to jump into the democratic process.

We’re missing low-stakes, real-life ways to find our people. We need places and spaces where neighbors can show up, unmask themselves to each other and start building real community that can be mobilized for change.

And finally: just put up the damn yard sign. Your neighbor down the street will thank you.

Dear Sen McCormick,

We’ve included a point-by-point rebuttal to your video. While we share some of the goals you mentioned, this bill consistently puts pressure on the powerless to fix the problems, instead of asking more from the powerful. We question whether even you and your staff truly know what is in the bill, due to the rapid pace. This unnecessary rush to comply with a false deadline shows how little independence any members of the Republican caucus maintain. Read more about how it will affect us in PA, and please come to your own conclusion. The pace also reflects how unpopular this legislation is; the more people learn about this, the more they hate it.

You said: “Republicans have only used reconciliation 5 times in the last 100 years”

PolitiFact disputes this in a 2010 article.

You said: “Delivering on campaign promises which the American people voted for”

1. You do not work for Donald Trump. You work for us. You were elected as a member of a co-equal branch, not as an employee of the executive.

2. Donald Trump’s margins were slim. Less than 1% more people voted for Trump than voted for an alternative candidate in PA. Your job is to listen and to represent all of us by making independent judgements, not continuing to be a rubber stamp for the executive.

You mentioned avoiding raising taxes.

1. There is a simple way to do this without all of the other cuts: keep tax cuts for those making less than $400,000 while not continuing to subsidize millionaires and billionaires.

2. Your framing is disingenuous. This is not a binary choice between tax increases and this particular bill; there are many alternatives to keep taxes low for those who need it.

You mentioned Border Control support.

1. Given the wasted money on political stunts like national guard deployments that local safety officers say were unnecessary, we question the wastefulness of border enforcement in this context. Congress had a bipartisan bill to support border patrol, and Elon Musk and Donald Trump chose to kill it last fall. Spare us the theatrics about funding now.

2. Numerous reports cite improper arrests, mistakes, and civil rights violations by ICE and Homeland Security. This is not efficiency; this is aggression and misdirection. The majority of Americans support a path to citizenship for people who have been long-term residents. Focusing on overall deportation numbers takes effort away from deporting people who pose a real threat.

You mentioned cutting the deficit.

1. If this bill truly cuts the deficit – which no independent agency has confirmed, the CBO demonstrates is false, and several of your Republican colleagues openly dispute – why is it asking for a $4 trillion increase in borrowing?

2. If we need to cut the deficit, why allow the top earners in the country to keep so much more money, instead of funding IRS enforcement to make sure that they and corporations actually pay the taxes according to laws already on the books?

You mentioned eliminating waste, fraud and abuse.

1. Examples of actual methods to fight this:

   1. There were experts called Inspectors General whose job this was, and President Trump fired them en masse.

   2. CFPB brought in more money than it cost, and it was on the chopping block.

   3. IRS enforcement, as mentioned above, recouped its costs through ensuring that people pay their fair share. Funding is now decreased.

2. Examples of waste, fraud, and abuse by the executive:

   1. Accepting a plane from a foreign government that will now have to be retrofitted at great expense to be a suitable Air Force One, while there was already a fleet in production that had been paid for.

   2. Paying and rehiring necessary staff cut by DOGE; putting people on paid leave or rehiring experts back while losing all of that time doing actual work.

   3. Paying for constant golf holidays for President Trump and his retinue.

   4. Accepting direct contributions from people under investigation to obtain reprieve, along with unnamed individuals, to businesses owned by the Trump family, such as the Trump coin.

   5. Accepting fundraising in exchange for pardons.

   6. Paying tens of millions of dollars for a military parade.

3. Cutting energy projects already in motion in favor of coal subsidies is not cutting waste. Encouraging fossil fuel production not only costs more now, but will cost more in climate-related disasters and health effects for our children. Watchdogs estimate eliminating these energy projects could raise energy billions of dollars for Americans while setting us back in the race for renewable technologies. This is especially impactful in PA!

You said: “Medicaid has grown too much “

1. Medicaid has grown because our healthcare system is broken, and people are desperate. Again, you present a disingenuous, false binary. There are alternatives to cutting people from the rolls:

   1. Demand lower drug costs

   2. Eliminate the role of pharmacy benefit managers and other middlemen

   3. In short, put pressure upward on the large corporations and industry groups, not downward on people who will struggle to complete more onerous paperwork so that they can go to the doctor.

2. Adding more paperwork means more government time and energy dedicated to the process, which decreases efficiency. GAO evaluation of Medicaid paperwork requirements in 5 states show increased state costs and no increase in employment.*

3. Rural hospitals that are already struggling will not be able to stay open if these cuts go through. That means many people in PA, even if they have insurance they can afford, will not be able to find providers.

*Data presented by Miranda Yaver, PhD Health Policy and Management

In short, this bill will increase costs for the vast majority of Americans over the next few years. We know this means:

• Increased energy costs (due to lost projects currently underway and research into new ones)

• Increased healthcare costs (even for those who are privately insured, due to less access and federal support for hospitals and providers) and worse healthcare access for those still able to afford care

• Increased educational costs (due to decrease in federal support programs)

• Worse outcomes from natural disasters (due to lost weather reporting technology and research)

And this is just the beginning… we were able to track this information down through our own research and attention to details. It seems that you and your staff should do the same. The secret is that no one knows all the details of the effects of this bill because it has been rushed through Congress so quickly. But the details will come out, and those devastating effects will be the legacy of each and every cowardly enabler in Congress who chose to betray their constituents because of fear and greed. Pennsylvania and Pennsylvanians will be worse off because we have Dave McCormick as our senator.

I hear it a lot: “This is the worst timeline.” I’ve said it myself, fueled by a mix of indignation, resentment, and self-pity. At its core, this “why me?” sensation hides two beliefs: 1) that this is categorically worse than most other events befalling others in different time periods and 2) that I am fundamentally unequipped to handle this moment.

I reject both. I will not cosplay historian and attempt to list worse times in history. However, it does not take much imagination (or historical knowledge) to reflect on how average people might have internalized the shocking horror of Auschwitz, or the desperation of the masses during the many plagues throughout history. But that understanding is little comfort to our own unique (and yet familiar), slow-moving (and yet exhaustingly rapid) disaster.

So let’s examine the second belief: that I cannot handle this; in other words, I am not enough.

I am a survivor of abuse. And one of the things you learn when recovering from trauma is that survivors tend to minimize their experience – to downplay what they endured and the threat they lived under – because accepting the reality of what someone can do is almost as bad as living through it.

Simultaneously, you downplay the enormous strength that it takes to survive and rebuild your life. Part of working through trauma is fully realizing both truths: that was truly horrific, and, also, I am truly strong to have survived it.

Today, we cannot allow the horror of the truth to obscure the evidence of our eyes. Yes, this is happening, and yes, it is that bad. As Heather McGhee said recently, everyone needs to realize what time it is.

While that recognition is naturally overwhelming, the ensuing – and perfectly normal – fear often blots out the simultaneous truth: you have been prepared for this by your entire life experience.

Whether you carry a trauma like mine or another, each of us has overcome. Each of us has been belittled, struggled through illness, lost a loved one, or felt deep failure. Each of us has had moments of despair, whether these moments lasted hours or years. And as sure as I am that you have overcome, I am also sure that you have hope, because you are here, reading. And why are you reading, if not to find justification – any justification, however thin, however desperate – for a hope that you seek to nourish?

So do not believe the fear when it lies to you, saying that you have given up, that you are not enough. Fear in this moment does not see all the moments that have gone before: all the ways you have been forged and tested; all the times you have been destroyed and yet still stand. This is not the worst timeline, because this is our timeline, yours and mine. This is the timeline in which I was bruised and hollowed out only to be filled with more love than I thought possible. This is the timeline in which our institutions may lie in ruins, but we also have the chance to rebuild from a wiser foundation; our future is informed as much by our loss as our hope.

The pain, the fear, the loss, the grief is all real, and it will come in waves, as any grief does. But do not allow present moments of weakness to conceal the strength in your story. This is not the worst timeline; this is our timeline. And we are here to take it back.

We are so thankful to Megan for putting these thoughts down on paper for all of us—we are inspired but more than that we are taking action. If you’d like to join us, send an email to pittsburghwomenfordemocracy@gmail.com or fill out this form to get involved.

A friend tagged me the other day in a post asking about things people can do IRL to oppose the regime. I wrote a lengthy reply, and it occurred to me it might be helpful to repost it for anyone looking to do what they can to stop our country’s fast slide into fascism. If you find it useful, please feel free to share this:

Here’s what I’ve done/been doing or recommend others do:

1. Make calls Every Single Day to your Senators and Representative. Pick a different topic every day and tell them why this issue matters to you personally and what you expect them to do about it, even if it’s simply to speak out against the regime.
   
   This is HUGELY important and the first thing any progressive organizer will tell you to do. The app 5 Calls is incredibly helpful. I use it.
   

2. Join LOCAL resistance orgs. You can find them through, for one, the Indivisible website. I did and joined Pittsburgh Women for Democracy and have, through them, joined an artist collective to make art bearing witness to this moment in history. I’ve also joined their advocacy team and am meeting with others and helping to decide on actions we’ll be taking to further democracy.

3. Even if you don’t join a local organization, you can still take action in your own backyard. Through Indivisible and others orgs like 50501, you can find local actions you can take including:

   1. Attending protests and marches!! The upcoming one on April 5th is INCREDIBLY important and Matt and I will be protesting in Pittsburgh. We marched in the freezing cold on Presidents’ Day and it was so inspiring.

   2. We also found a Pittsburgh Political Potluck through Indivisible and attended it and will attend the next one in 2 weeks. The idea is you find out good info about actions you can take and then begin holding your own potlucks to get people you know involved and to spread activism this way. We all need to engage everyone we know! (Matt and I have committed to holding our own potluck in May).

   3. Attend town halls and, if your U.S. senators or reps won’t hold them (like our AWFUL senators here in PA), attend or organize an Empty Chair Town Hall without them. We attended one without our turncoat Senator Fetterman and it was amazing. So much energy.

   4. There are also weekly protests against Musk at Tesla dealerships in cities across the country (you can find out more at the Tesla Takedown website). I haven’t joined one yet but it’s on my to do list.

4. Volunteer for local progressive candidates - I’m writing copy for a friend who’s running for the school board and have attended a couple of local Democratic meet the candidates events.

5. STAY INFORMED. So important and I don’t mean necessarily by watching mainstream media, which mostly isn’t telling the whole (or even much of) the truth. Follow lights like historian Heather Cox Richardson, who breaks down regime actions every day, and Robert Reich. I follow them on social media and subscribe to their Substacks. (FYI, I hear FB is now censoring HCR by erasing some of her latest posts.)

   Rather than spending an hour watching CNN or whatever, spend 10 min reading a daily breakdown of events. The heroes at the Alt National Park Service are GREAT too.

   That said, I think everyone should support and subscribe to The Atlantic, the magazine that broke the story about the fucking morons who waged war through Signal and accidentally invited an Atlantic editor along for the ride.

6. If you still know supporters of the regime and can talk to them without losing it, do so. Tell them about the horrors that are being perpetrated every day on so many levels AND HOW IT WILL AFFECT THEM…they honestly may not know because they sure aren’t going to hear it on Fox. I actually can’t do this - I’m too angry, but Matt has actually reached out to our regime-supporting neighbor.

7. Donate if you can to any good progressive organization, the ACLU, SPLC, Earthjustice (love them), Planned Parenthood, etc. etc. if you can’t spare the cash don’t beat yourself up. Contribute to the Revolution in other ways.

8. Support and see art and theatre, read books, especially by marginalized groups including POC, LGBTQ+ folx, women, etc. etc. and for GOD’S SAKE, get a library card and use it. Donate to libraries, museums, theaters, etc. etc. Art of all kinds is more important than ever (artists have long been at the forefront of revolutionary movements) and they’re coming for it, including our precious libraries. Buy as many physical books as you can afford. Seriously. Especially books you know the fascists are/will be banning. It may become very very difficult to access them in this country soon.

9. Boycott fascist supporters and their companies. Stopping using X, if you somehow still are. Stop using Amazon…I mean, we all know Bezos is a POS, so why put $ in his pocket? Buy local and at minority-owned companies whenever possible. Farmers’ markets are a great option! But remember, progress, not perfection - if you can’t afford to cut out shopping entirely at someplace like Walmart, just do what you can. Hell, Matt and I still shop there for some things.

10. TAKE BREAKS. This is so crucial. Take a hike. Watch a movie. Read a book. Plant a garden. Go to a spa if you can afford it. Fuck, I’ve been buying myself nice shoes lately because while I know we should be saving that cash, I also know I need to treat myself and if the fuckers blow up the world tomorrow, at least I’ll be wearing a killer pair of shoes when they do it.

Power to the People!!

—

Jill Gleeson is a travel journalist and memoirist based in the hills of western Pennsylvania. She has written for websites and publications including The Pioneer Woman, Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Woman's Day, Washingtonian, Trip Savvy, Gothamist, Canadian Traveller, and EDGE Media Network. Read more of Jill’s writing on her site, Gleeson Reboots.

Last night we went to bed with Senator Cory Booker standing at a podium on the floor of the Senate, obstructing business and delaying planned votes. As we woke up, drove to work, sat at our desks and stood in front of our classrooms, drove home, made dinner and put our kids to bed, Senator Booker was still standing at that podium reading from his binder of notes, speaking extemporaneously and reminding us all to make Good Trouble.

Then, we saw the two special elections in Florida’s House Districts 1 and 6 go to the Republican candidates but unlike in November when the Republican candidates won both seats by about 30 points each, this time they won by half of that—about 15 points each. The big victory of the night came in the race for control of the Wisconsin State Supreme Court. One of the most expensive judicial elections in U.S. history, candidates, state parties, and outside groups and donors spent nearly $100 million. One of those donors was Elon Musk, who dropped a cool $25 million on the race and graced Wisconsinites with a two-hour performance at a rally over the weekend, where he conducted himself with his usual gravitas—wearing a hat shaped like a wedge of cheese and handing out giant Publisher’s Clearing House-esque checks. With this win, Susan Crawford becomes the deciding vote (4-to-3 majority) on crucial cases like a state abortion ban and congressional redistricting. In total, today’s election results signal that the US electorate is waking up to the reality of this iteration of President Donald Trump and all that comes with it.

Fighting back against the power grab

Tonight, citizens in both Florida and Wisconsin signaled after only two months and a few days of this Trump administration they are (once again) dissatisfied and disillusioned with MAGA-in-action. This weekend, the rest of us will have an opportunity to make our voices heard, standing united against Trump and Musk with a powerful message: “hands off our government!” during a nationwide mobilization on April 5th.

The Hands Off! demonstrations will be united by three primary demands:

1. End the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration.

2. End the slashing of federal funds for Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs working people rely on.

3. End the attacks on immigrants, trans people, and other marginalized communities.

Saying “Hands Off!” in the Pittsburgh area

On April 5th in Pittsburgh, there will be several localized demonstrations, giving you the chance to stand alongside your own community members to show the Trump administration that this is a call for change from every neighborhood and street corner across the country. Here’s a list of those events:

• Pittsburgh’s 50501 Group invites demonstrators to join them in Schenley Plaza in the Oakland neighborhood from 12pm-3pm.

• Indivisible Pittsburgh invites demonstrators to join them Downtown at the City-County Building from 12:30pm-2pm.

• Indivisible Shadyside invites demonstrators to join them at the corner of Fifth and Shady from 5pm-6pm

• In addition to Pittsburgh, there will be Hands Off! demonstrations in several other communities in our region. Here are direct links to a few of those:

  • Washington, PA

  • Westmoreland County

  • Beaver County

  • Butler County

  • Indiana, PA

  • Grove City

  • Wheeling, WV

Want to go but don’t want to go alone? No worries! Drop us a line at pittsburghwomenfordemocracy@gmail.com, and we’ll try to connect you with others in your community. We’ll also have speakers from our group at the Schenley Plaza event, so be sure to come by and say hi!

Good Trouble

With these events, each of us has the power that Senator Booker demonstrated tonight: the power to stand against the unchecked influence of billionaires like Elon Musk in our government and to reject policies that harm our communities. Together, we can show that this country doesn’t belong to billionaires—it belongs to us, the people.

On April 5th, make your voice heard with a clear message: Hands Off! It’s our time to let the Trump administration know that we are united and resolute in our fight for a fair, just, and equitable future. Whether you're at Schenley Plaza, the City-County Building, or any of the other rallies, your presence will send a message: we demand a government that works hard for US.

We all want to protect our kids. But do we protect our kids by staying away from such events, or do we protect them by joining in and speaking out? And as the next generation who will inherit today’s decisions, what should their role be in shaping the conversation?

Evidence suggests kids can benefit greatly from civic participation through demonstrations.

Involvement can:

• Build their sense of community

• Encourage them to speak up for their beliefs

• Demonstrate democracy in action, connecting formal education and real-world experience

• Enhance their sense of autonomy and self-confidence

While there are many resources for attending marches and protests with kids, here are some of the basics:

Bringing children to a demonstration involves much of the same preparation as any event where kids are among large groups of people. While there’s always risk, proper planning, situational awareness, and adaptability can make demonstrating with kids successful and rewarding.

Start by Picking the Right Event:

• Verify that the groups organizing the event are dedicated to peaceful activities; choose reputable organizations.

• Avoid demonstrations likely to attract counter-protesters. These can more easily escalate.

• Ensure that you will be able to leave before dark, factoring in extra time to return to parked cars or wait at transit stops.

In short, the right event is one where you and your family feel safe while making your voices heard. You can always reach out to event coordinators for more information!

Next, Prepare Together:

• Review the issues with your child so that they know why they are out there. Videos or even mock protests in the neighborhood may help prepare them for what to expect.

• Get them involved! From painting their own signs to making bead bracelets, every craft is an opportunity for them to express themselves and take ownership of their participation.

• Bring everything you normally do for a day out: snacks, water, weather-appropriate gear, basic first aid kit, stroller/cart, diaper bag, etc. Consider packing something extra special, like a treat or small new toy, as a last resort in case of delays or unexpected situations.

Safety Tips

• Before the protest, establish a codeword that anyone can use in case of emergency. This is an unusual, memorable word that anyone in the group can use to indicate that everyone needs to gather and leave immediately.

• On the protest day, take a photo of your child in their outfit. Consider coordinating hats, signs, or other gear so that you are easier to spot as a group. Also consider some identification tag, especially for younger children. This can be as simple as a conference tag flipped inside their jacket. (However, make sure this is not openly visible, in case they are caught in photos.)

• Scope out the event beforehand. If you are driving, you may be able to go past it before choosing to park nearby and attend.

• Establish an easily identifiable gathering place within walking distance but away from the main protest area in case you become separated.

• Point out locations of Police, if they are present. While in most cases, police are there only to monitor, it’s also important to be aware of changes in law enforcement presence (e.g. the arrival of new Police vehicle or escalation of engagement with officers).

• Establish an exit strategy, considering the location of your vehicle or transit stops and alternative routes.

• Ensure the children see and understand event boundaries, including staying within barricades, remaining on the sidewalk or within the group.

• Lastly and most importantly, trust your gut. Be mindful of the event as it progresses. If anything feels off (e.g., the tone becomes more aggressive, police presence increases, counter-protesters arrive, etc.), do not hesitate to leave.

For more information, feel free to reach out to our group! We are working to provide support for caregivers interested in activism – whether that’s out in the streets, on the phone, or any other way you’d like to be involved!

A note from the Advocacy Action Team: Pittsburgh Women for Democracy is co-sponsoring a demonstration this weekend with Indivisible Pittsburgh. We’ll be there, so please come find us and say “hello!”

We will gather on Sunday, March 16th from 12:30-1:30 in Schenley Plaza to demonstrate our opposition to the current administration’s policies harming our schools, from K-12 through our universities, and all of us living in the Greater Pittsburgh area. From attacks on DEIA to the defunding of USAID and NIH, these policies are dangerous to ALL of us.

We will have speakers from some of the communities most directly impacted, opportunities to register to vote, and we will collect letters to our Senators and Congresspeople.

WHAT TO BRING:

Letters to your federal elected senators and Congressperson. We will collect and deliver them.

A friend or friends.

A sign. But please come even if you don't have one.

For more information on this event, please see the facebook event or this mobilize link.

Join chat

How to get started

1. Get the Substack app by clicking this link or the button below. New chat threads won’t be sent sent via email, so turn on push notifications so you don’t miss conversation as it happens. You can also access chat on the web.

Get app

2. Open the app and tap the Chat icon. It looks like two bubbles in the bottom bar, and you’ll see a row for my chat inside.

3. That’s it! Jump into the thread to say hi, and if you have any issues, check out Substack’s FAQ.

So, let’s catch up!

How we got here

Back in July, when it was clear that VP Harris was going to be the candidate, I wanted to try to help in whatever way I could—I knew my way around social media (sort of) and felt like I might be able to do an okay job organizing people and building enthusiasm for our new candidate and for active participation in the 107-day campaign season.

From there, Pittsburgh Women for Harris quickly grew from an Instagram page into a larger Facebook group, connecting new and returning volunteers to all aspects of the campaign. It was incredible to see women encouraging each other, training each other, and joyfully participating in our democracy. And, of course, we all know what happened next.

During the campaign, I had listed our group as an “action team” on Indivisible’s website, not realizing the connection would persist after the election. Suddenly, my inbox started filling with people asking to join and wondering: What’s next?

Truthfully, I was asking the same question. I didn’t (and, in many ways, still don’t) have the answer.

But, I wasn’t alone.

I connected with a group of hardworking, thoughtful people I had met at the East Liberty Harris-Walz campaign office. Together, we put our heads together to figure out a way forward. I had some ideas for what Pittsburgh Women for Harris could become, and this group—serving as a braintrust—helped refine that vision. The result? Pittsburgh Women for Democracy.

What’s Next?

We envision Pittsburgh Women for Democracy as a coalition of engaged citizens working to foster an inclusive, informed, and active community—one that advances democracy, equity, and justice. Our goal is to build a Pittsburgh and Southwestern PA region where community members are at the forefront of progressive political, social, and civic leadership.

Our work will be organized into four Action Teams:

Education

This team will focus on sharing timely, relevant information on civics and the political process, developing materials to educate and counter misinformation. Led by Sophia (educationpw4d@gmail.com).

Advocacy

This team will amplify the interests of women and advocate for the issues that shape their lives—healthcare, education, economic opportunity, reproductive rights, and more. The team will also build relationships with like-minded organizations and mobilize members to support key initiatives. Led by Andrea (advocacypw4d@gmail.com).

Resistance (Leader TBD)

The Resistance Action Team will keep the organization informed about changes to accepted norms, injustices, and civil rights encroachments. This team will understand different forms of resistance, assess associated risks, and be ready to take action.

Election & Campaign Support (Leader TBD)

This team will assist regionally relevant candidates by providing knowledgeable, capable, and well-connected volunteers. They will also develop expectations for candidates who seek our support and strategize for both primary and general elections.

If you’re interested in leading (or co-leading) the Resistance or Election & Campaign Support teams, email pittsburghwomenfordemocracy@gmail.com.

What’s happening NOW?

We’ve already begun organizing the Education and Advocacy teams.

• The Advocacy Team participated in a demonstration in Squirrel Hill on February 23rd and held an initial planning meeting.

• The Education Team is scheduling its first meeting, likely in April.

We’re also launching an Artists & Writers Collective—a space to build an an active practice of hope and bear witness to this moment in history. If you’d like to participate, let us know here.

This Substack newsletter will serve as a hub for updates on our coalition’s work, Action Team initiatives, upcoming events, opportunities to get involved, and ways to show up. While we’ll continue to have a presence on platforms like Facebook and Instagram, we’re centralizing our communication through this newsletter to keep everyone informed and engaged.

Meanwhile, many of us continue daily calls, emails, faxes, postcards and visits to our elected leaders. New marches, rallies, and demonstrations are being planned almost daily. While it’s unclear exactly how each of us will be called to serve in the coming years, we have the opportunity—together—to educate and support one another, to hold space for truth, and to prepare for what’s ahead.

That’s what these Action Teams, and more broadly, this coalition, is organized to do.

How you can help

1. Get on the list: If you’d like to get involved, let us know here. If you’re already on the list and would like to be more involved, email pittsburghwomenfordemocracy@gmail.com and share your thoughts.

2. Show up: If you are an Action Team member and an Action Team lead invites you to a meeting, make the effort to be there. If you get a request to take a poll or join a Signal group, do it! If a rally or a demonstration crosses your radar screen and you think, “I should go to that,” go to that! This is an “If not us, then who? If not now, then when?” moment. These moments require active participation.

3. Share ideas: Have an idea related to advocacy or education? Reach out to Andrea or Sophia. Have a general idea? Reach out to me. If you feel strongly about an issue and want to rally our membership behind it, let me know. The Artists & Writers Collective came to life because a member had an idea, and now we’re making it happen.

The Road Ahead

There really is no course charted for the next four years. We have a fuzzy vision for what we hope we’ll see at the end of this journey, but there are no experts, no seasoned veterans in the field of what to do next. In other words, your ideas for action are just as valuable and valid as those of your elected leaders, policy experts, or longtime activists. The path forward isn’t predetermined—it will be shaped by those who step up, speak out, and take action. That means you. Your voice, creativity, and determination matter just as much as anyone else’s in shaping what comes next.

As a great president once said, “if we have a shared belief in democracy, then anything is possible — anything.”

Until next time,
Megan

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