Whether you are a party planner or a community organizer, you know that since the pandemic, it has been REALLY hard to get folks out of the house. It makes sense: the news is depressing, our screen-based scrolling culture is alienating, and our politics are polarizing to the point where a casual conversation can easily escalate to throwing hands. That being said, this month has been different! In response to Trump 2.0, we’re seeing an uprising of activism in the streets, with millions of Americans participating in Hands Off protests and other actions to fight back against Trump’s attacks on everything from migrant rights to Medicaid. What’s behind this second wave of Trump resistance? As per usual, it’s a lot of ordinary people deciding they can’t wait any longer for change. On today’s episode, I’m talking to the leaders taking action in my local Texas community to get some perspective on Resistance 2.0 and why it’s all kicking off right now!

In this episode, Gillian talks with her favorite new activists from Indivisible Coastal Bend, the local Indivisible chapter in Corpus Christi, Texas. Ashley, Misty, and Stacie have always been concerned with politics, but the latest developments of the 2nd Trump Administration prompted them to take their concern to the streets and start organizing! Now these women are local leaders in the national uprising happening right now across the US, fighting against cuts to Medicaid and social security, the elimination of DEI, and the overall assault on Democracy. You can read more about the incredible work they’ve been doing here and here!

This is an important moment for all of us in the healthcare justice movement to get together with our allies in the streets to stand up for our public healthcare and demand that we move forward toward universal healthcare, not backward, leaving even more folks out in the cold. So make sure to sign up for our Healthcare Now HEAT (Health Emergency Action Team) to get alerts about rapid response actions you can take to defend Medicaid, Medicare, the VA, reproductive healthcare, gender-affirming care, vaccines, the rights of healthcare workers, and more! Join the team here!

Don’t forget to like this episode and subscribe to The Medicare for All Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, or your favorite podcast platform! This show is a project of the Healthcare NOW Education Fund!

This show is a project of the Healthcare-NOW Education Fund! If you want to support our work, you can donate at our website, healthcare-now.org.