Monday's items: "When the music is strong, the movement is strong."

Julia Smith

02 Feb 2026 — 1 min read

Hello! I needed some winter time outside of this space: family holidays + caregiving + lots of being in motion out in the world, taking cues from local organizers, weaving and building. But it's February now. I learned from my pal Susan that yesterday was Brigid's Day, or St. Brigid's Day. A little pagan ancestral reassurance that spring is upon us turned out to be a welcome counterpoint to the groundhog's pronouncement this morning. I'll try to be here more regularly, and hope you've been staying warm and safe, huddling around (real or metaphorical) firelight with your favorite people. -jcs

Today's action items are inspired by the quote in the title of this post, which is from Harry Belafonte via Resistance Revival Chorus.

Item 1: From Bad Bunny to the ballot box

Last night a bunch of artists used their red carpet and/or Grammys stage time to speak out against ICE. adrienne maree brown shared that montage of video clips, as well as this Hollywood Reporter article that explains how organizers from Working Families Power, the ACLU, Domestic Workers Party, and Maremoto have built the ICE Out pins campaign over the last few weeks, starting with the Jan. 11 Golden Globes and building to a Grammys crescendo.

If you've got $10/month to invest ➡️ Join me as a card-carrying Working Families Party member.

Item 2: Our own bodies, our own voices

The Twin Cities chapter of Singing Resistance serenaded ICE agents outside of their hotel windows. Can you watch this video without getting goosebumps? (If you aren't on Instagram or just want to learn more, here's a Minnesota Star Tribune article about both Singing Resistance and Brass Solidarity.)

In New York? ➡️ The legendary Resistance Revival Chorus will teach you songs of resistance to ICE at their sing-in this Wednesday night!

Anywhere else? ➡️ Singing Resistance is releasing a songbook and toolkit sometime today or very soon. I can't find a website to recommend, so you can follow them on Instagram or I'll share it in a follow-up post.

Screenshot from the Spotify Unwrapped site w/ 3 calls to action: Get Downloadables, Post Unwrapped to Social Media, & Cancel Your Spotify Subscription

Friday's one thing + a weekend wish

Item 1. Ditch Spotify Because it's the time of year when Spotify users create their year-in-review "wrapped" playlists, there are several campaigns underway that tie the individual boycott – which might feel tedious, pointless, weirdly emotional, or all three – to a rewarding collective action. Here are a

Wednesday's one thing

Item 1. Deepa Iyer workshop I suspect that most people who read these emails are already well aware of 1) the role(s) you can and will play in movement/justice/grassroots/political work, and 2) your home base(s) for doing so (work, place of worship, collective, community space)

Tuesday's artist spotlight: "Don't let the bastards grind you down."

Item 1. Read and listen to Alice Wong The activist, writer, editor, community organizer, 2024 MacArthur Genius, and founder/director of the Disability Visibility Project died a few days ago. Some things to read: ➡️ Her memoir. With your book club if you have one. ➡️ Remembrances from Steven W. Thrasher (LitHub)

Mark-your-calendar Monday is very short today.

Item 1. TONIGHT Emergency call: Keep ICE Out of Childcare Centers and Schools. Related reading: Kyle Kingsbury's I want you to understand Chicago and Kelly Hayes's In Chicago, We Run Toward Danger Together and this Instagram slideshow.