Our Only year-end fundraising ask
Dear Friend,
This is our only fundraising email of the year—so we hope you’ll read it, even though it’s a bit long because we think it’s a bit uplifting!
We officially began Troublemakers just about exactly a year ago–and what a year it’s been!
First, a group of elders stopped the sale and logging of a truly special patch of legacy forest in February by removing its survey flagging—a forest that remains unlogged to this day. There’s good reason to hope that the delay caused by our action will result in permanent protection of the parcel, and thus a lot more hope for its many creatures, and a little more hope for all of us.
Troublemakers delivering flagging they removed from "Carrot," a forest earmarked for sale by DNR
Next, we shut down all the employee entrances to Amazon Headquarters in March, in order to protest its association with a disastrous pipeline expansion...and a few months later, won again, as Amazon dropped its plans to buy fracked gas from the GTN XPress expansion.
Photo of Troublemakers blockade of Amazon HQ over plans to purchase fracked gas
In April, we joined actions disrupting the American Gas Association conference: engaging in a picket with union members, doing a projection on the building, joining a "Fun Run" for attendees while wearing "Gas Stinks" t-shirts, and taking part in political theatre to disrupt the keynote speech.
Photo by Oil and Gas Action Network of the AGA protests
We weren’t done with Amazon, so in July, we joined with Stand to shut down 6th Ave in front of Amazon HQ, demanding it “deliver change” and stop being a “prime polluter.” Our police liaison did get arrested at this action but we’re hopeful he won’t be prosecuted.
Photo by Alex Garland of the Amazon Prime Day Action
In August, we joined with Third Act and Stop the Money Pipeline in a sit-in at Costco’s HQ to protest the local company’s affiliation with Citibank, the world’s #1 funder of fossil fuel projects….and in October, we secured a meeting with the CEO; conversations continue!
Photo by Patty Tang of protest at Costco Headquarters; Troublemakers and Third Actors arrested
Also in August, we did our best to save another legacy forest: Unit 5 of the Doc Holliday timber sale. Sadly, this one was auctioned the following week, but there is some reason to hope that DNR may cancel this contract when new Lands Commissioner Dave Upthegrove begins in January.
Troublemakers outside DNR after delivering flagging removed from the "Doc Holliday" forest
We’re in this for the long haul, and we know it’s essential to build community power by holding a space for communication, friendship, and learning–a space that people can tap into and out of as their lives and their well-being allows.
So…we also held multiple trainings, like Know Your Rights to De-escalation to Light Projections to political theatre, hosted over a dozen social events (hikes, bike rides, brewpub meetups, practice-Spanish-gatherings, and more), and gathered often to make art for our actions. Our Community thread allowed Troublemakers to connect with each other and join in on many actions that we ourselves didn’t organize.
We think this is a pretty good start from about a dozen people in a room in early fall 2023!
And now, of course, we’re going to need each other more than ever—and more than ever need to show up for each other, for those who are vulnerable, and for the chance of a thriving future. This is how we build the world we need—by giving people a place to connect in their desire to make change.
Without staff or an office, we’re about as lean as it’s possible to be, but the system we’re sending you this email on does cost money, as do art supplies, food for gatherings, and other assorted infrastructure. Please donate what you can, and join us in our fight for a just and living world.
Much love ❤️, the Troublemakers Coordinating Team (Alice, Cindy, Ellen, Emily, Jim, John, Margo, Scott, Val)
