Boots on the Ground Midwest

What does Boots on the Ground actually mean?

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:54:57 GMT

When we launched Boots on the Ground Midwest 18 months ago, our goal was to build a huge community of people educated, trained and ready to act to protect democracy. That moment is now and you are the Boots!

The general election on November 3^rd may be our last chance to stand up, speak out and hold the narrow line between democracy and authoritarianism.

If you have attended a Boots on the Ground event, signed up for training, read our newsletter, received our emails, showed up for a rally, donated food and clothing, followed us on social media or connected with us in any other way…you are ready.

We need you to be an active participant in the election. It’s no longer enough to follow along from a distance. If you’re comfortable watching others participate but just don’t think it’s your “thing,” ask yourself how you’ll feel if we fail.

Will you feel like you did enough?

If you still don’t know how to start, ask us. We will connect you with a campaign, an active committee or a specific task that will reinforce our singular goal to preserve democracy. Whether you’ve volunteered with us before or you’re looking to get involved, come to our volunteer meeting at 7 p.m, Wednesday, Sept. 9, in Lenexa to learn how you can help. RSVP required.

So what does Boots on the Ground mean? It means you…showing up and doing the work.

Kansas update

If Ty Masterson is elected Governor, we’ll have a mini-Trump in Topeka.

Scary, right? That’s why we’re all going to WORK HARD to get Sen. Cindy Holscher elected Governor. We can win this.

Masterson is already tying himself to Trump’s coattails, hosting tele-rallies with him. This strategy may not work.
- Disapproval for Trump is growing in Kansas, and now sits at 45%, up from 37% in March. An additional 7% don’t have an opinion either way. (Hard to imagine.) We need to make sure younger Kansans vote. (Data for Kansas from Civiqs.) Here’s why:
  - 59% of voters between 18 and 34 disapprove.
  - 53% of voters between 35 and 49 disapprove.
- A whopping 63% of Independents disapprove of Trump. About 28% of voters in Kansas are unaffiliated.
Masterson has been a vocal supporter of some of the worst bills in Kansas. Use these as talking points with friends and family.
- SB244. The “Bathroom Bill” requires people to use the bathroom that matches their sex at birth and it invalidates their drivers’ license, making Kansas one of the most hostile states for our trans neighbors.
- School vouchers. He’s a vocal proponent of diverting public money to private schools.

✅ This is a winnable race — with your help. Visit Cindy Holscher for Governor’s website to sign up to volunteer or donate. Follow her on social media and repost. And come to our volunteer meting to learn more!

Missouri update

Missouri Supreme Court to Decide What’s on the November Ballot

On Wednesday, September 2, the Missouri Supreme Court will hear two cases that could determine whether voters get to decide two major issues this November. Proposition A would allow voters to accept or reject the Legislature’s new congressional map. Amendment 6 would strengthen Missouri’s initiative and referendum process, making it harder for lawmakers to overturn measures approved directly by voters.

Both measures gathered enough signatures to qualify, but Secretary of State Denny Hoskins blocked them from the ballot, and lower courts upheld those decisions. The Supreme Court must now decide whether voters will have the final say.

With the November ballot deadline just days away on September 8, Wednesday’s rulings could have a major impact on Missouri’s elections and on the power of Missouri voters.

✅ Rally Outside the Supreme Court Wed. | Sept. 2 | 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. | Outside MO Supreme Court | Sign up

JoCo showed up last week to protest voter suppression tactics. The ACLU rallied at the JoCo election office to challenge interim election commissioner Connie Schmidt to re-open the eight early voting locations she unilaterally closed for the primaries.

Take Action - 🗓️🗓️ Mark your calendars

Check out the Boots on the Ground calendar for a list of advocacy events in the area. Some highlights for this week.

➡️ Wed. Sept. 2 | 6 p.m. Johnson County Mutual Aid Meeting. Want to get involved in neighbors supporting neighbors? Email for more information: info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️ Tues - Saturday, Sept. 1 - 5, Boots on the Ground Community Hubs. Join a small group for camaraderie, discussion and hyper local action. OP, Shawnee, NE JoCo, Leawood, Lenexa/OP/Olathe, Waldo, Midtown Calendar – Boots on the Ground Midwest

➡️Sat. Sept. 5, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 💪🏽💪🏽 Democracy Needs You Now!! Protest every Saturday, 75^th & Metcalf, OPKS. Bring canned chicken for Peggy’s Pantry.

➡️Sat. Sept. 5, 12:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. 🪧🪧Rescue Democracy Bring your LET US VOTE signs! Protest Saturday, Mill Creek Park, Country Club Plaza, KCMO

➡️Sat. Sept. 12, 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. 🪧🪧Platte County Democrats - Advocacy Fair Make a difference! Connect your talents with local causes and community issues. Be inspired by local leaders. Sign up here

➡️Thu. Sept. 17, 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. 📖📖BOTG Book Club-Redefining Freedom: Bridging Divides & Renewing the American Promise at 250 This book examines how citizens can heal deep political and social divides, combat civic apathy, and update America's foundational ideals for the 21st century as the nation nears its 250th anniversary. Sign up here

➡️ Mon. Sept. 21 | 6:00 p.m. BOTG Kansas Meet-Up. We will focus on How to Break the Supermajority in the Kansas Legislature. We're inviting candidates from key races to speak about why the supermajority must be unseated, share examples of veto overrides that have negatively affected Kansans, and strategies they are using to win their elections. Sign up here

➡️ Wed. Sept. 23 | 6:00 p.m., BOTG Missouri Meet-Up. Join First Amendment expert Prof. Mark Johnson to discuss what amendments will (and will NOT) be on the ballot November 3rd, the processes the amendments took to get there (or not), how voter suppression tactics are evolving, and how we can stop them. Sign up here

Worth your time.

The good news: There’s so much information to take in. The bad news: There’s so much information to take in. So, we’re trying something new.

Every week, we’ll highlight three to five items we think are worth your time. Articles. Podcasts. Publications. Books. People to follow online.

But, we want YOUR take as well, so please share any you want us to include. Send them to info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

✅ RealTime DemTrends. If you’re looking for a broad perspective on political progress and concerns, check out this SubStack. The weekly update tracks “political accountability across 39 key factors that shape the US democratic system.” RealTime DemTrends | Marcia Mundt | Substack

✅ ACLU Kansas. ACLU Kansas is working overtime to protect our elections and hold our elected officials accountability for voter suppression. Track their progress on their website or social media. Sign up to be a poll watcher.

✅ Happening on-line. Digital Politics with Karen Jagoda highlights the impact of new technologies on the campaign landscape, how expectations of voters are changing, the role of online fundraising, digital and traditional means of persuasion, and getting out the vote. Listen now.

✅ It’s time to volunteer! Want to volunteer for a candidate, but don’t know what to expect? Check out the Solidarity Tech blog, How to Volunteer for a Political Campaign and Make a Real Impact. This quick guide walks you through the whole first-timer experience without a partisan lean: how modern tools work (GPS walk lists for canvassing, auto-dialers for phone banking, text banking from your phone), what a first shift actually looks like, and reassurance that a few hours genuinely matters.

Your $15 can help us reach 50 unaffiliated voters

Today is the last day of August and the last day for Indivisible to match our donations. Our goal — to send thousands of postcards to unaffiliated voters. Those voters are often ignored by party-specific outreach, but they play a critical role in getting people elected.

➡️ With the match, your $15 donation, would mean we can reach about 50 voters.

➡️Your $25 donation, would allow us to reach about 80 voters.

We’re so grateful for any amount you can give. Boots on the Ground is a 501(c)4. We are an all-volunteer group and 100 percent of the donations we receive goes back into efforts to preserve our democracy.

LINK TO DONATE

There’s SO MUCH going on! Pick an event and show up!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro. Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Here’s what’s at stake this November — and how to help.

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:48:42 GMT

Project 2025, the white Christian nationalist plan to take over America, is 55% complete. The extremists’ blueprint to dismantle our democracy by bypassing courts, silencing the opposition and consolidating power is happening, but we can stop it.

We ARE stopping it. Our metro area is activated. There are now meetings, protests, educational forums, volunteer opportunities and more every day of the week. (Check out the calendar at the end of this newsletter.)

As we inch closer to the midterms, the far right is clamping down on the election integrity portion of the playbook. We need to show up IN DROVES. We need a movement so large that if they cry foul (and they will), we’ve already mobilized the masses.

So, if you need a reminder of what’s at stake, take a look at the Project 2025 tracker. Here’s another from The America Project. And, if you’ve got the stomach for it, read Project 2025 here. But, most importantly, let’s get going.

Kansas update

Voter suppression hurts everyone.

Join us Wednesday to make that clear.

Fewer than 1% of voters showed up to each of the two newly-opened early-voting locations in Johnson County this year.

Interim election commissioner Connie Schmidt closed eight early voting sites, all of them in diverse and densely populated areas. She then opened two sites in less-densely populated areas.

The numbers are in: the new site in Spring Hill served 448 voters, .66% of the total. De Soto served 536, .78% of the total. Fewer than 1,000 voters out of the total number of early voters, 68,299.

There’s still time for Schmidt to support voter access in Johnson County. Join us as we support the ACLU of Kansas’ rally Wednesday to commemorate the 63rd anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for racial justice, equity and voting rights. Re-up our concerns about Schmidt’s decision to limit early voting access in a way that disproportionately impacts low-income communities and communities of color. Bring your pro-voting signs and hear from people impacted by the decision.

✅ Wed. Aug. 26 | 4 - 4:30 p.m. | SIGN UP HERE FOR LOCATION AND DETAILS

If Ty Masterson is elected Governor, we’ll have a mini-Trump in Topeka.

Scary, right? That’s why we’re all going to WORK HARD to get Sen. Cindy Holscher elected Governor. We can win this.

Masterson is already tying himself to Trump’s coattails, hosting tele-rallies with him. This strategy may not work.
- Disapproval for Trump is growing in Kansas, and now sits at 45%, up from 37% in March. An additional 7% don’t have an opinion either way. (Hard to imagine.) We need to make sure younger Kansans vote. (Data for Kansas from Civiqs.) Here’s why:
  - 59% of voters between 18 and 34 disapprove.
  - 53% of voters between 35 and 49 disapprove.
- A whopping 63% of Independents disapprove of Trump. About 28% of voters in Kansas are unaffiliated.
Masterson has been a vocal supporter of some of the worst bills in Kansas. Use these as talking points with friends and family.
- SB244. The “Bathroom Bill” requires people to use the bathroom that matches their sex at birth and it invalidates their drivers’ license, making Kansas one of the most hostile states for our trans neighbors.
- School vouchers. He’s a vocal proponent of diverting public money to private schools.

✅ This is a winnable race — with your help. Visit Cindy Holscher for Governor’s website to sign up to volunteer or donate. Follow her on social media and repost. Stay tuned for additional opportunities.

Missouri update

Missourians did their job.

Now the Secretary of State is refusing to do his.

Voters in Missouri worked hard to collect enough signatures to get two measures on the November 2026 ballot. (More than 305,000 signatures!) So why is Denny Hoskins refusing to certify these measures?

1. The initiative proposal from Respect MO Voters, which would be Amendment 6 if it is on the ballot, would limit the power of lawmakers to change laws or constitutional amendments passed by the initiative process.

2. The People Not Politicians referendum seeks a vote on the (gerrymandered) congressional map passed during a 2025 special session.

THIS is what happens when unchecked power at the federal level trickles down to the states. Let your voice be heard and join People Not Politicians.

✅ Wed. Sept. 2 | 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Outside MO Supreme Court | Sign up

They’re trying to take away bodily autonomy. Again.

No on Amendment 3 in Missouri

Abortion Action Missouri’s Erica Flores joined our fast-growing KCMO Meet-Up group. AAM is working tirelessly to educate Missourians on the amendment poised for a near-total abortion ban. This is another feckless attempt by the corrupt legislature to overturn the will of their constituents. The amendment is in direct opposition of the people’s vote in 2024 to keep abortion safe and legal.

✅ Help AAM spread the word. Join the upcoming canvassing event in Eastern Jackson County.

JoCo Mutual Aid assembled sack lunches for our Wyandotte County neighbors who are without electricity.

Take Action

Check out the Boots on the Ground calendar for a list of advocacy events in the area. Some highlights for this week.

Anytime. 🫶🏼🫶🏼 Our neighbors in Wyandotte County are still reeling from the storms. They need a lot of volunteer help, from checking in on neighbors to cleaning debris to providing food. Sign up here.

Wed. Aug. 26 4:00 – 4:30 p.m. 🗳️🗳️ Reinstate Johnson County Advanced Voting Locations. The ACLU is rallying at the JoCo election office. We’ll be there! Join us.

Wed. Aug 26, 7-9 p.m. 🎸🎸 Music Bingo for Mutual Aid. Join us at Servaes Brewery in Shawnee for drinks, bingo – and to raise money for non-profits in JoCo.

Sat. Aug. 29, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. 💪🏽💪🏽 Democracy Needs You Now!! Protest every Saturday, 75^th & Metcalf, OPKS. Bring cans of soup for Peggy’s Pantry.

Sat. Aug. 29, 12 p.m. – 2 p.m. 🪧🪧Rescue Democracy Bring your LET US VOTE signs! Protest Saturday, Mill Creek Park, Country Club Plaza, KCMO

Sat. Aug. 29 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. – 🙅🏽‍♀️🙅🏽‍♀️ NO on 3 Canvass – Eastern Jackson County. Get trained on how to canvass and head out! Reproductive rights are on the line.

Sat. - Sun. Aug. 29-30 – 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. 🧴🧴 Mutual Aid Supply Drive. El Centro and Center of Grace need personal hygiene items and more. You don’t even have to leave your car. Drop off locations around JoCo.

🗓️🗓️ Mark your calendars

➡️➡️ Wed. Sept. 2 | 6 p.m. Johnson County Mutual Aid Meeting. Want to get involved in neighbors supporting neighbors? Email for more information: info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ Tues - Saturday, Sept. 1 - 5, Boots on the Ground Community Hubs. Join a small group for camaraderie, discussion and hyper local action. OP, Shawnee, NE JoCo, Leawood, Lenexa/OP/Olathe, Waldo, Midtown Calendar – Boots on the Ground Midwest

Worth your time.

The good news: There’s so much information to take in. The bad news: There’s so much information to take in. So, we’re trying something new.

Every week, we’ll highlight three to five items we think are worth your time. Articles. Podcasts. Publications. Books. People to follow online.

But, we want YOUR take as well, so please share any you want us to include. Send them to info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

✅ Art imitating life: A novel about fighting for freedom against tyrannical abuses of the law. Sound familiar? UMKC Prof. Drew Bergerson has written Detention, book one of The Trials of the Fastbrækers. If you decompress by delving into other worlds, this is for you. (Some of you may know Prof. Bergerson from our book club.) Detention is a character-driven ensemble blending the band-of-outsiders camaraderie of a found family with the emotional introspection of literary fiction. Find it at your favorite local indie seller like Outland Mercantile, at Barnes & Noble or the ebook on your favorite platform.

✅ The Pentagon’s secret blacklist of journalists. The Intercept is reporting the U.S. Central Command press office has a list of reporters they are to “disregard.” The piece dives into Pete Hegseth’s growing efforts to impose “unconstitutional restrictions” on journalists and should trouble everyone deeply.

✅ We’ll get out of this mess stronger. Read the Center for American Progress’ take on “How Democracies Defend Themselves Against Authoritarianism” and you’ll agree. The piece, published last year, offers a bit of hope on where we are today. As we say in Kansas, ad astra per aspera.

✅ Who’s watching the cameras that are watching us? Last week, we hosted a meet up that examined Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPRs), commonly known as Flock cameras. Watch the replay and hear from an attorney with the Kansas Justice Institute who is suing Wichita over the cameras and a Lenexa resident who recounts his experience with the Lenexa police’s use of ALPRs.

Your $15 can help us reach 50 unaffiliated voters

This month Indivisible is matching our donations. Our goal — to send thousands of postcards to unaffiliated voters. Those voters are often ignored by party-specific outreach, but they play a critical role in getting people elected.

➡️ With the match, your $15 donation, would mean we can reach about 50 voters.

➡️Your $25 donation, would allow us to reach about 80 voters.

The match runs through August. We’re so grateful for any amount you can give. Boots on the Ground is a 501(c)4. We are an all-volunteer group and 100 percent of the donations we receive goes back into efforts to preserve our democracy.

LINK TO DONATE

There’s SO MUCH going on! Pick an event and show up!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro. Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Voting was step one. Here's the rest of the work.

Mon, 17 Aug 2026 20:43:12 GMT

3 actions you can take to beat the extremists in November.

We all know that in November, we ALL need to vote. But, honestly, that’s not going to be enough this year. These are extraordinary times, so they call for more than casting our own ballots. We CAN beat the extremists, but ONLY if we push ourselves.

Boots on the Ground Midwest was founded specifically to motivate people to take action….NOW! So here are your marching orders:

Start talking. Tell everyone you know how important it is to vote in November. Also, know that social pressure gets people to the polls. (A well-known study documented this.) Kansans — stay tuned for information about to join our Voter to Voter team.
1. Oct. 13. Last day to register to vote in Kansas.
2. Oct. 7. Last day to register to vote in Missouri.
Learn who’s running. We focus a lot of attention on federal races — and we should! But the folks we send to the statehouse have a profound impact on our quality of life.
1. In Kansas, all 125 House of Representative seats are up for re-election. See the full list of candidates here. Find out what house district you’re in here.
2. In Missouri, 17 Senate seats and every state Representative seat is up for election. Here’s a list of all candidates. Find out your district here.
Give something. Every candidate needs one of two things from us: our time or our money. Figure out what you can give — then follow through. The stakes have NEVER been higher.

We have 71 days left until the midterms. Let’s look back and feel good about the role we had in changing course!

Take our quick poll about getting involved in the general election.

Olathe and OP: The Halo Act is up for discussion

Two area city councils will discuss whether to codify the Halo Act in their communities this week. The Halo Act, passed last year despite a Gov. Kelly veto, makes it a federal crime to come within 25 feet of a first responder on duty. The law is intended to make it difficult for people responding to ICE raids to record and witness the detainments.

However, the act violates our first amendment right to record law enforcement — and its vague wording creates a messy situation for municipal officers called to enforce the law. (ICE officers can’t arrest U.S. citizens who they allege are violating the act.)

Yes, both of these ordinances are already covered by the Halo Act at the state level. But when cities pass these as standard operating procedures they are normalizing the blatant disregard to our first amendment rights. Contact your city councilperson to voice your opposition. The HALO act does not make our communities safer.

Olathe residents: YOUR City Council is discussing this tomorrow, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. at the Olathe City Hall. Residents can sign up to speak and voice their opposition. Here are the guidelines.

Overland Park residents: YOUR City Council is voting on Ordinance No. POC-3529 tonight 8/17. This formalizes the HALO Act as a City ordinance, not just a state law. Here is the link to the agenda.

🔥🔥🔥Meet-Ups are hot in August!🔥🔥🔥

Kansas - TONIGHT Flocked: Somebody’s watching you.

Across the metro area, some 1,500 cameras track our movements. These Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR), often known as one of the brand names Flock, are installed by municipalities to ostensibly help solve crimes. But, concern is growing about misuse and privacy violations.

Join us to hear from Samuel G. MacRoberts, General Counsel and Litigation Director for the Kansas Justice Institute. He has successfully prosecuted ALPR cases and will share insights into the legal implications. We'll also hear from our Lenexa neighbor who was targeted by Lenexa police through ALPR cameras after writing an op-ed that criticized them. He'll give an overview of how cameras are deployed in our area.

DONATE: Please bring items to donate to Growing Futures Head Start: Diapers and Pull-ups in sizes 4-6, and little one's undies (girls and boys) sizes 4T-5T and up.

✅ TONIGHT Monday, August 17th | 6:00 p.m. | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215 | REGISTER HERE

✅ NOTE: This week marks the National Week of Action Against ALPR’s. The Kansas City Chapter of the DSA is hosting a series of educational forums on the topic. Learn more here.

Missouri - They’re coming for abortion. Again.

Anti-choice advocates are trying to repeal Amendment 3 from 2024, the “Right to Reproductive Freedom” measure Missouri voters already approved. The upcoming Amendment 3 would ban abortion in the state, except to protect the life of the mother, or, up to 12 weeks, in cases of rape and incest.

Join us to learn about Amendment 3 at the August Boots Meet Up KCMO. We will have a speaker from Abortion Action Missouri present information that will be critical to understanding the amendment — and what you can do to support women’s healthcare in Missouri.

DONATE: Please bring non-perishable food for the pantry at South-Broadland Presbyterian Church. Suggested: ready to eat/easy open food, evaporated milk, period products.

✅ Wednesday, August 19th | 6:00 p.m. | South-Broadland Presbyterian | 7850 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO | REGISTER HERE

2 ways to support JoCo Mutual Aid

JoCo Mutual Aid offers no-barrier support to organizations in Johnson County that fill in the gaps, especially with our immigrant community.

Join us at Servaes Brewing Company for music bing. Dress as your favorite era, buy lots of bingo cards ($5 each) and donate baby formula and diapers.

✅ Wed. Aug. 26 | 7 p.m. | Servaes Brewery | 18921 Johnson Drive. | Shawnee

Donate to our supply drive! We’re collecting diapers, formula, underwear and hygiene items for El Centro and Center of Grace. You don’t even have to get out of your car!

✅ Sat. and Sunday | Aug. 29 and 30 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Drop off locations: Saint Andrew Christian Church in Olathe, 13890 W. 127th St.; Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church in Lenexa, 9400 Pflumm; First Lutheran Church in Mission Hills, 6400 State Line Rod.

It’s perfect protest weather. And the company is amazing!

Join the Boots on the Ground protest every Saturday! We also collect food for Peggy’s Pantry, a no-barrier pantry at 8435 Russell St in OP. This week’s item: canned black beans

✅ 75th & Metcalf | 9:30 - 10:30 am | Every Saturday

Matching donation alert!

Help us reach unaffiliated voters.

This month Indivisible is matching our donations. Our goal — to send thousands of postcards to unaffiliated voters. Those voters are often ignored by party-specific outreach but they play a critical role in getting people elected.

➡️ With the match, your $15 donation, would mean we can reach about 50 voters.

➡️Y our $25 donation, would allow us to reach about 80 voters.

LINK TO DONATE

There’s SO MUCH going on! Pick an event and show up!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

This post is public so feel free to share it.

85 days until the election. Let's go!!!!!!!

Mon, 10 Aug 2026 18:28:10 GMT

Primaries are over: What’s next?

Here’s what’s next: Showing up. That’s ALWAYS next. Because showing up — knocking doors, making calls, protesting — is what makes a difference. That’s why both Missouri and Kansas saw huge primary wins. We the People took control of our government and made our voices heard. The work has just begun.

We have 85 days until the next election. Candidates need our help. BUT, both candidates and elected officials need to know we are watching their actions and their words. We WILL hold them accountable and we WILL vote accordingly…in large numbers. Want to help a candidate but not sure how?

Fill out the volunteer form on their website or message them on social media.
Contact your local party headquarters and ask what you can do.

This week, take a look at all the available ways you can connect and participate.

✅ Pick two or three! Send us pics and we’ll share them next week! Tag us on social media or email us at: info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

To protest or not to protest? There isn’t a question!

“But what does protesting really do?”

Ugh. If we had a dime for every time we heard that, we wouldn’t ask for donations. (See link at the bottom of the newsletter.) Here’s what protests do:

Regular protests provide visible reminders to our community that we are NOT OK with what’s going on. (And we are NOT OK.)
They give others permission to join us. That person who’s on the fence? They see us and they realize they can stand up too.
It’s an opportunity to meet like-minded people, express your frustration, and support our community. Here are three weekly protests you can join:

🌻 Kansas:

75th & Metcalf | 9:30 - 10:30 am | Every Saturday - This protest also collects food for Peggy’s Pantry, a no-barrier pantry at 8435 Russell St in OP. This week’s item: canned tuna.
87th & Mauer | 11:00 am - 12:00 pm | Every Saturday - Great community feel!
7011 W. 121st Street, Overland Park | 3:00 p.m. | Every Friday - Roger Marshall’s Office

🫏 Missouri:

4685 Mill Creek Pkwy, Kansas City, MO |12:00 - 2:00 pm | Every Saturday
4110 S Lee’s Summit Road, Independence | 4:00 - 600 pm | Every Friday - Bridge Brigadiers
10111 State Line Rd, KCMO | 3:00 - 4:30 pm | Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday - Tesla Takedown

Want to know more about ICE in our community?

(Yes, you do.)

Being informed, watchful and vocal about the illegal ICE detainments in our community will ultimately be the way we overcome. If you haven’t yet attended an informational training, sign up now! You’ll learn how ICE operates, how they target our neighbors and what you can do to help.

There will also be opportunities to get involved by joining our Mutual Aid group, court watchers and community observers. Location will be provided after sign-up and prior to event.

✅ Tuesday, August 11 | Lenexa, KS | SIGN UP HERE

Show up for your neighbors.

Buy a sign and fund the fight.

Show your support for our immigrant neighbors with this stunning sign — and support two of the most worthy non-profits in our area, El Centro and Center of Grace.

Put the sign in your yard or window. Do you live in an HOA that doesn’t allow signs? You can still buy one and we’ll donate the sign to an Olathe small business. Or just make a donation!

All profits from the $20 sign go to support El Centro and Center of Grace. (A note on the design: The vibrant images overlapping around the border are drawings of the origin countries of many of our neighbors.)

✅ ORDER YARD SIGNS HERE.

🔥🔥🔥Meet-Ups are hot in August!🔥🔥🔥

Kansas - Flocked: Somebody’s watching you.

Across the metro area, some 1,500 cameras track our movements. These Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR), often called Flock, are installed by municipalities to ostensibly help solve crimes. But, concern is growing because data is stored for 30 days and can be accessed by law enforcement through Flock's network, which allows agencies to share information across jurisdictions without a warrant.

DONATE: Please bring items to donate to Growing Futures Head Start: Diapers and Pull-ups in sizes 4-6, and little one's undies (girls and boys) sizes 4T-5T and up.

✅ Monday, August 17th | 6:00 p.m. | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215 | REGISTER HERE

Missouri - They’re coming for abortion. Again.

DONATE: Please bring non-perishable food for the pantry at South-Broadland Presbyterian Church. Suggested: ready to eat/easy open food, evaporated milk, period products.

✅ Wednesday, August 19th | 6:00 p.m. | South-Broadland Presbyterian | 7850 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO | REGISTER HERE

Play Music Bingo + Help Mutual Aid = Good for you!

Join us at Servaes Brewing Company on August 26th at 7:00 p.m. We’ll play some super-rad Music Bingo to support JoCo Mutual Aid.

✅ Dress as your favorite era, buy lots of bingo cards ($5 each) and donate baby formula and diapers.

There’s SO MUCH going on! Pick an event and show up!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Now the REAL work begins.

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:25:42 GMT

Sign outside Fetch in KCMO.

Your job today: TELL PEOPLE TO VOTE.

We’ve got so much on the line, friends, and so far, the early voting numbers are dismal. So let’s get out there TODAY and make sure people know why it’s so important to vote.

In JoCo, there are about 470,000 registered voters. By close-of-business Friday, about 72,000 had cast votes, both in person and advance-by-mail. (About 15 percent.)
In WyCo, there are about 92,000 registered voters and some 4,803 have cast early votes. (About 5 percent)
Note: We couldn’t find public numbers for Jackson County.

Need help convincing someone to vote? Try these:

If you don’t vote, you’re letting everyone else choose who represents you. (Look around. You don’t want that!)
Local elections have an immediate, concrete impact on your day-to-day life, everything from property taxes to potholes.
You pay your legislators’ salaries. You might as well have a say in who they are.
Democracy only survives if we participate in it.

Show them what’s on the line.

Learn more about Missouri’s Amendment 4 and Amendment 5
Learn why to vote NO on the Kansas Supreme Court measure

Make sure they know where to vote on election day.

Also, check out the Kansas City Star’s voting guide — and share it with friends.

We have one day left to fight. Here’s what to do.

Today, it’s all-hands-on-deck for candidates and folks campaigning for NO votes in both Missouri and Kansas. It’s not too late to help.

Find a candidate you support and check their social media channels for last-minute opportunities. Folks will be door knocking, phone banking and more.
Contact your County party leaders and ask what needs to be done.
Knock doors with Kansans United for Impartial Courts to remind voters how important it is to Vote No. Sign up here.
In Missouri - Join Missouri Jobs with Justice for one last phone banking and canvassing push! Phonebank Sign Up Canvassing Sign Up

The best $20 you’ll spend this year!

Show your support for our immigrant neighbors with this stunning sign — and support two of the most worthy non-profits in our area, El Centro and Center of Grace.

Put the sign in your yard or window. Do you live in an HOA that doesn’t allow signs? You can still buy one and we’ll donate to an Olathe small business. Or just make a donation!

✅ ORDER YARD SIGNS HERE.

You’re invited: Boots primary watch party TONIGHT

✅ Tuesday, Aug. 4 | 6:30 - 9 p.m. | Burg and Barrel | Downtown OP

🥳🥳🥳 Mark your calendars for our election night watch party. This will be a low-key gathering with an opportunity to eat, drink and chat local politics.

Doesn’t matter if we’re rooting for different folks in the primary. At the end of the day, we’re all for democracy. And there will be snacks! SIGN UP HERE

Café Corazón is spotlighting our work. We’re humbled.

It’s pretty exciting when your favorite coffee shop asks if they can highlight your work. Every month, the incomparable Café Corazón, the area’s first Latin American and Indigenous coffee house and roastery, spotlights a non-profit.

This month, they’re shining their glorious light on us. (Humbled? Yes. Yes, we are.) We first crossed paths doing Know Your Rights training. Café Corazón is more than a coffee shop. It’s a celebration of Latin American culture.

We highly recommend visiting their Southwest Blvd. location on First Fridays. It’s a party. Music. Dance lessons. Amazing food and drink.

If you’re looking for dink recommendations. The Mocha Sevilla is divine!

Our heartfelt thanks to the good people at Café Corazón.

Come process the primary with us. The company’s great.

Join us at a Community Hub in August to chat about the primary election, hear what others are working on, and most importantly, connect! No single meet-up or action is going to solve our problems, but building strong communities is what will see us through.

August 1 | 10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Waldo | South Broadland Presbyterian | Register Here
August 3 | 1:30 - 3:00 pm | Leawood | Leawood Library | Register Here
August 5 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Merriam Library | NE JoCo | Register Here
August 6 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Shawnee | TBD (check Mobilize for updates) | Register Here
August 6 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Lenexa/Overland Park/Olathe | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Church | Register Here
August 6 | 7:00 - 8:30 pm | NEW! Midtown | Kansas City Oasis | Register Here

ICE agents at an Olathe apartment complex.

Community Defense Training: Learn what ICE is doing in our neighborhoods

Every day, masked and armed agents abduct people from Kansas City and Johnson County streets in broad daylight. Whether or not you want to get involved in the movement to stop ICE, it’s important we all understand what’s happening in our country.

We invite you to join the thousands of people across the metro who have attended a Community Defense Training. Our goal is to educate as many people as possible in the metro about how ICE operates and the impact they have on our immigrant community.

✅ Tuesday, August 11 | 6 p.m. | Lenexa | RSVP here (Required. Address will be sent before event.)

There’s SO MUCH going on! Pick an event and show up!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Speak out. Vote early. Engage often.

Mon, 27 Jul 2026 17:21:07 GMT

Advance voting has started in KS and MO

Have your friends hit the polls yet?

It’s go time, voters.

Only 20 percent of registered voters show up for the primaries in non-presidential years. If you’re reading this, you’re not among the 80 percent who sit the election out.

But you know people who are.

Share these resources! (And if you haven’t voted yet, let’s go!)

MO Absentee Ballot — No Excuses Absentee voting has started!
- Vote NO on Amendment 4 and Amendment 5
- Kansas City Star Voter Guide
KS Advance Voting Locations
Info on KS Dropboxes
- Vote NO on the Kansas Supreme Court measure

Are you an Election Day Voter?

Be sure you know your polling place and set aside time to vote.

Also, check out the Kansas City Star’s voting guide — and share it with friends.

Pop Up Rallies: Let’s remind Missourians to VOTE NO

Join us for two pop-up rallies to remind Missourians to get to the polls and vote NO on Amendments 4 and 5. Here’s why these rallies matter:

They provide proof that voting a certain way — in this case, “no” — has support.
They often persuade “soft” or “unmotivated” voters to get to the polls. (Well, if they can stand on a street corner, I can show up and vote!)
They remind the community to pay attention to our local government.

✅ Tuesday, July 28 | 4:30-6 | Emanuel Cleaver II Blvd & Troost

✅ Wednesday, July 29 | 4:30-6 | Paseo and Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd

Immigrants make our community beautiful

Last week, we partnered with El Centro to host a vigil and rally to support our immigrant neighbors in Olathe as they navigate the fear and pain of escalating ICE raids.

About 130 people heard community leaders talk about the grief our neighbors feel; the beauty our immigrant neighbors bring to our schools; and the need for faith leaders to stand up and be loud about the moral and legal injustices happening in our communities EVERY DAY. (Stay tuned to see the full video on our YouTube page. Here’s the Johnson County Post article.)

Here’s a way we can ALL show support EVERY DAY. Order a yard sign for your home or business.

All proceeds from the $20 sign go to support El Centro and Center of Grace, which provide services for our immigrant neighbors in Olathe. (A note on the design: The vibrant images overlapping around the border are drawings of the countries that many of our neighbors come from. )

✅ ORDER YARD SIGNS HERE. Choose from any message below.

How is your faith leader showing up in the resistance?

One of the most impactful ways we can challenge the rise of white Christian Nationalism, is by engaging faith leaders. Faith leaders from every religion can unite to bring a powerful voice and unwavering image of unity. If you are part of a religious community, start a conversation with your faith leadership. Help them understand why this moment is so important. Here are some tips to start the conversation:

Make an appointment in advance. Don’t try to catch them quickly after a service.
Frame your conversation as an exploration, not a debate. “I’ve been thinking about [an issue in the news] and wondered how our faith’s teachings might frame it.”
Ask what they’re hearing from others in your own community and throughout the faith community as a whole.
Ask them if they would be willing to have more public conversations about the topic.

Here are a few organizations that are working hard to engage faith communities in action:

Kansas Interfaith Action (This group is a force!)
Churches United For Justice
Good Faith Network
Faithful America

Primaries’ watch party for all Boots friends!

✅ Tuesday, Aug. 4 | 6:30 - 9 p.m. | Burg and Barrel | Downtown OP

🥳🥳🥳 Mark your calendars for our election night watch party. Doesn’t matter if we’re rooting for different folks in the primary. At the end of the day, we’re all for democracy. And there will be snacks! SIGN UP HERE

Community Hubs: Connections that count

Last month in Community Hubs we talked about why we keep coming back to these small-group meetings. A few typical responses...

Helps us feel energized
Small size makes it more comfortable to share
Good chance to ask questions or find a mentor

The format of the hubs is always evolving. If you haven’t been in a while, come again to see what we’re up to now. Your participation is what makes BOTG Community Hubs – and our pro-democracy work – truly impactful! Attend whichever hub works for you.

August 1 | 10:30 am - 12:00 pm | Waldo | South Broadland Presbyterian | Register Here
August 3 | 1:30 - 3:00 pm | Leawood | Leawood Library | Register Here
August 5 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Merriam Library | NE JoCo | Register Here
August 6 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Shawnee | TBD (check Mobilize for updates) | Register Here
August 6 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Lenexa/Overland Park/Olathe | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Church | Register Here
August 6 | 7:00 - 8:30 pm | NEW! Midtown | Kansas City Oasis | Register Here

ICE agents at an Olathe apartment complex.

Community Defense Training: Learn what ICE is doing in our neighborhoods

Every day, masked and armed agents abduct people from Kansas City and Johnson County streets in broad daylight.

Neighbors are being detained without due process. They are taken from their cars, workplaces and homes without a warrant and with no opportunity to call a lawyer or their family. They’re then quickly shipped from facility to facility so attorneys and family can’t find them.
These are NOT criminals. These are mothers and fathers who bought into the American dream and moved here to make a better life for their family. (Did you know it’s not a criminal offense to overstay a visa and be here undocumented. It’s a civil offense.) Only 3 percent of people who are detained have committed a felony.
This is not the America we want. We cannot normalize para-military activity in our streets, which is why we must bear witness to what is happening — and call our elected officials and voice our rage.

Join us for a Community Defense Training to learn more about how ICE operates — and how we can stand up for our immigrant neighbors.

✅ Tuesday, August 11 | 6 p.m. | Lenexa | RSVP here (Required. Address will be sent before event.)

Everyday Activist: Five ways to show up for the resistance

We all have different amounts of time and capacity to show up for the resistance. What matters is that we stay in the fight. Our democracy is in serious peril so every action counts.

Here are five to choose from. We’d love to hear what YOU DO this week to show up for our country and our future. Let us know on our socials or email us at: info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org. We’d love to share your stories. (First names only!)

1️⃣ Remind three people to get to the polls. (Or even one person!) To make it easy, share the voting information above. Doesn’t matter if you text, email or call. Just get them there.

2️⃣ Phone bank for a cause. Spend one hour phone banking. Training and support is always provided — and you can do this from your couch. A great place to start?

ACLU of Kansas is sharing voting information this week at 6 p.m. July 28 and July 30. Sign up here.
Kansans United for Impartial Courts is talking about VOTING NO every night this week at 6 p.m.
Find a candidate you support. They’d LOVE the help this week.

3️⃣ Wear your values. Wear a button supporting a cause you’re passionate about. It may start a conversation, get people thinking — or show others they aren’t alone.

4️⃣ Check in on a neighbor. The resistance relies on a strong community network. If you have an isolated or lonely neighbor, check in and see if they need anything.

5️⃣ Support and champion an immigrant-owned business. Sure your local grocery store has cinnamon or cheese. But make your purchase have an impact by supporting an immigrant-owned business. (Bonus points: Leave a positive review.)

What do you want see in this newsletter?

We want to make sure our newsletter continues to deliver. Take our poll.

There’s SO MUCH going on! Pick an event and show up!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Let's honor our immigrant neighbors.

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 19:28:46 GMT

🚨🚨🚨Our immigrant neighbors need us. 🚨🚨🚨

Time to stand up and show your support.

Every day, our immigrant community is afraid someone they know will be abducted off the streets by ICE because of the color of their skin. Imagine that. Imagine wondering if your parent, spouse or child would make it to work. Imagine getting a call that they hadn’t.

It’s not enough for our immigrant community to know we’re against ICE. (And we are.) They need to know we stand WITH THEM.

Please join Boots on the Ground and El Centro for a vigil and rally aimed at offering love and support to the Olathe immigrant community. We’ll celebrate the community while honoring the losses they’ve faced.

Immigrants Make Olathe Beautiful!

Join us to hear speakers and learn other ways you can support the community.
Please bring signs that celebrate our immigrant neighbors.

ICE is using the HALO Act to harass witnesses

Last session, our supermajority Kansas legislators passed the HALO Act, making it a misdemeanor offense to stand within 25 feet of clearly identifiable law enforcement, including federal officers. (Violation of the act is punishable by up to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine.) The goal is to prevent people from filming ICE by creating a buffer zone. It’s being fought across the country and deemed unconstitutional in Indiana and Tennessee.

But we must bear witness to what is happening in our country.

Read the Kansas Reflector’s article on how the law, which went into effect July 1, is being used.
Read the Johnson County Post article about a local ICE agent who is being sued for aggressive force in Maine — and his role in detaining Olathe citizens.

It’s early voting time! Check on your friends!

If you’re reading this, you have a voting plan.

But, do your friends and family?

Believe it or not, not everyone follows local politics the way most of the metro follows the Chiefs. That’s why it’s up to US to encourage them to get out and vote!

As you head to the polls, commit to texting THREE people about voting. That’s it, three. Do they have questions? Do they understand what’s at stake? How can you help? Here’s why:

In 2024, only about 17% of registered voters in Kansas showed up for the primary. Sit with that, for a second. 17%. In 2024, about 22% of Missouri voters showed up. Better. Still terrible.
Harmful amendments are deliberately hidden in the primary because supporters know people don’t show up.
In Kansas, extremists want us to elect our Supreme Court Justices, meaning billionaires would fund anti-choice and anti-public education candidates. In Missouri, extremists want to eradicate the state’s centuries-old initiative process and shift more of the tax burden to middle- and lower-income earners.

Let’s prove them wrong by VOTING NO across the board.

Join us for a Rush Hour Rally. 🚘🚘🚘

Want to meet fun people AND raise awareness of the upcoming MO Primary election and the importance of voting NO on amendments 4 & 5?

✅ THIS Friday | July 24 | 4:30 - 6 p.m. | 63rd and Ward Parkway

We’ll be waving signs at drivers on their way home from work. Please bring your own No on 4 and/or 5 sign to wave if you have one, but we do have limited extras if you need one.

Forward this email: Voting resources

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Early/advance voting began July 18, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026
Learn more about the Kansas Supreme Court amendment. 🚫🚫
Confused about who to vote for in the Governor’s primary? You’re going to want to read these.
💙 Our friends at Six Degrees of Activism compiled a host of resources, including candidate interviews.
💙 Our friends at the Capitol Bee broke down who’s funding the top Democratic Governor races —- and it’s definitely worth a look.

✅ Key voting dates: Missouri

Early/absentee voting began June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026
Learn about Missouri’s Amendment 4 and Amendment 5. 🚫🚫

🚨🚨 Tonight: Voter suppression tactics are on the rise.

Learn how to stay ahead of them.

Kansas Meet-Up: Join Prof. Mark Johnson, a leading expert on First Amendment and voting rights, for a look into how voter suppression tactics are evolving, and how we can stop them. Johnson has worked with the Kansas ACLU on a range of voter-related cases, including declaring the proof-of-citizenship case unconstitutional.

✅ TONIGHT Monday, July 20 | 6:00pm-7:30pm CDT | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215 | Sign up here.

Our non-profit spotlight is El Centro. We’re collecting diapers and baby formula. Bring if you’re able.

The truth behind the Missouri amendments 4 and 5. 🚫🚫

Missouri Meet Up: Missouri voters will decide two constitutional amendments that could have lasting effects on how the state is governed and how it raises revenue. We’ll welcome Representative Pattie Mansur, MO HD25 and Jessica Ann from the MO Budget Project to provide a clear overview of Amendments 4 and 5, explaining what each proposal would change, why it was placed on the ballot and the potential impacts on Missouri’s future. You’ll leave with a better understanding of what these amendments could mean for your voice in state government and for Missouri’s tax system. Our non-profit spotlight will feature Sunrise Movement/KC Bus Riders Union. Donations of non-parishable food will be accepted at the meet-up.

✅ Wed, Jul 22 | 6:00pm-7:30pm CDT | South-Broadland Presbyterian | 7850 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO 64131 | Sign up here.

Get out your calendar! 📆📆📆

✅ Saturday July 25 | Morning | Sign up here!
👋👋👋Let’s talk to voters at the OP Market! Join us as we share voting information with folks on their way to getting some peaches! Training and a t-shirt provided. Grab a friend and make a BIG impact on voter turnout this year.

✅ Saturday July 25 | 9:30 am | 75th and Metcalf
🪧🪧🪧Democracy needs you NOW weekly protest!! Join our fun group of dedicated Boots friends for a little rabble rousing! You’ll have a great time and meet some new people…while you relieve a little stress! We’re collecting cereal for Peggy’s Pantry, a no-barrier food pantry in Overland Park.

✅ Tuesday, Aug. 4 | 6:30 - 9 p.m. | Burg and Barrel | Downtown OP

✅ Tuesday, July 28 - Aug. 1 | Times vary | Johnson County Fairgrounds | Sign up here.

Sign up to join us at the Johnson County fair where we’ll talk to voters about the importance of VOTING NO on the Supreme Court Amendment — and how critical it is that we vote our values. You’ll be paired up with a BOTG board member — and you’ll be indoors in the AC. Plus, corndogs!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Against the will of the people!

Mon, 13 Jul 2026 21:34:45 GMT

Why amendments and why primaries?

Kansas and Missouri have critical amendments on the ballot August 4th. These amendments have a lot in common…both state legislatures are trying to usurp the will of the people.

Both have used craftily worded and confusing language. Both have placed the amendments on the primary ballot, which has historically low voter turnout. Both are trying to overturn decisions already made by THE PEOPLE and put it squarely in the hands of politicians and big-money PACs. And both state legislatures want you to believe their sinister claims of expanding democracy and defending voters.

In Kansas, their amendment wants to take over the Supreme Court in order to eradicate, among other things, our right to choice.

In Missouri, they want to eradicate the state’s centuries-old initiative process and shift more of the tax burden to middle- and lower-income earners.

The only way to defend ourselves against the blatant power grabs of overstuffed politicians is take back our own power by voting. Educate yourself, tell your friends and family members and make sure they all vote on August 4th.

Find out more for Kansas
Find out more for Missouri - Amendment 4 and Amendment 5

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 18, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates: Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026 ⚠️
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

Read on to learn:

👋Meet-Up in Kansas and Missouri

🚨ICE kidnappings are daily in Kansas City. Don’t look away!

🎒 JoCo Mutual Aid is filling backpacks!

🎡See you at the Fair!

🥐Postcards and Patries

Voter suppression tactics are evolving.

Let’s stay ahead of them.

Kansas Meet-Up: Join Prof. Mark Jounson, a leading expert on First Amendment and voting rights, for a look into how voter suppression tactics are evolving, and how we can stop them. Johnson has worked with the Kansas ACLU on a range of voter-related cases, including the case declaring the proof-of-citizenship case unconstitutional.

✅ Monday, July 20 | 6:00pm-7:30pm CDT | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa, KS 66215 | Sign up here.

The truth behind the Missouri amendments 4 and 5.

✅ Wed, Jul 22 | 6:00pm-7:30pm CDT | South-Broadland Presbyterian | 7850 Holmes Rd, Kansas City, MO 64131 | Sign up here.

We are Houston. We have a problem.

Every day in the Kansas City area there are horrific and devastating ICE kidnappings (KCUR article). You generally don’t see them or hear about them, but they are happening in staggering numbers (see above graphic from ICEOUT.ORG). It’s hard to fathom we live in a country where innocent people are brutally and unlawfully detained, and even killed! We all want to look away, but we can’t. We need to be aware, involved and vocal.

If you want to know more and want to protect our community, attend a Community Defense Training. If you’ve already attended a training, come back for a refresher…a lot has changed! You’ll learn:

How ICE operates in our community NOW.
The truth about being in the country undocumented.
What you can do to protect your neighbors and yourself.

✅ Wed. July 15 | 6 p.m. | North Overland Park | Must RSVP for address

✅ If you have been to a training, but haven’t yet engaged — or, if you want to host a free community training — reach out. info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org.

✅ Call your elected officials and let them know you oppose ICE terrorizing our community. It’s imperative they understand our outrage.

➡️➡️ Common Cause will give you contact info for all of your state and federal elected officials here. Just input your address.

🎬 🎬🎬🎬 Four actions this week!

✅ Friday July 17 | 5:30 p.m.
Friday Night Flyering - Come make some new friends and do some Friday night flyering with us to help get out the vote for the Missouri Primary on August 4th. Let’s make sure everyone knows about the important amendments on the upcoming ballot and to VOTE NO on 4 & 5. First time flyering? No problem. We’ll work in groups.

➡️➡️➡️ For meet-up details and to get answers to any questions please fill out this form.

✅ Saturday July 18 | Morning
Meet us at the Market! Our “Boots in the Wild” team is meeting voters in their everyday lives: at farmer’s markets, concerts, festivals and the county fair. We need your help. These are quick, easy conversations about voting basics. Training and a t-shirt provided. Grab a friend and make a BIG impact on voter turnout this year.

➡️➡️➡️ Sign up here!

✅ Saturday July 18 | 9:30 am
Democracy needs you NOW weekly protest!! Join our fun group of dedicated Boots friends for a little rabble rousing! You’ll have a great time and meet some new people…while you relieve a little stress! Every week, we collect food for Peggy’s Pantry, a no-barrier food pantry in Overland Park. This week, we’re collecting canned chicken.

✅ Sun. July 19 | 10 - noon | First Lutheran Church | 6400 State Line | Mission Hills

Let’s fill some backpacks! JoCo Mutual Aid is joining forces with the amazing folks at Center of Grace in Olathe to fill backpacks for students heading back to school next month. Center of Grace offers no-barrier support to Olathe neighbors in need. Drop off supplies and/or backpacks!

➡️➡️ The Olathe student school supply list is here. Donate directly to the COG back-to-school fund here.

Tired of preaching to the choir?

If you join Boots events on a regular basis, you are meeting amazing members of our community and connecting with like-minded new friends. But if you’re ready to actually reach beyond our comfortable circle and want to live the purpose of Boots on the Ground…this is your chance.

To make a real difference, we need to talk to people who don’t know us and should! Tabling is an easy and comfortable way to meet people where they are and the Johnson County Fair will be a whole new community!

Sign up with a friend and get paired with Boots Board Members and frequent volunteers! You won’t be on your own and you’ll have a great time while making new connections. Choose your shift…or a few! We can’t wait to see you at the Fair! Added bonus…FAIR FOOD!

Johnson County Fair - Sign up here.
Questions? Email: meredith@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

For Missouri Opportunities email: erin@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

📮📮Make your snacks count - Pastries and Postcards!

Join our friends at MailStorm KC for a postcard writing party complete with mimosas and pastries! You’ll meet a great group of people and make a difference as you write postcards to educate votes on the upcoming elections. 🥂🥂

✅ Saturday, July 18 | 9:00 - 11:00 am | Hue Creative Studio | 7327 W. 79th St, Overland Park

“Action is the antidote to anxiety.” We’re not the first to say it, but we definitely live it!

This week alone, hundreds of BOTG members:

Showed up for immigrants across the metro in multiple ways, including sharing Know Your Rights info with at-risk neighborhoods
Canvassed with Kansas United for Impartial Courts
Met up at 5 different community hubs to re-energize, learn and make plans
Coordinated to obtain and distribute MO Vote No signs, buttons and bumper stickers
Shared KS Vote No info with voters at the Overland Park Farmer’s Market
Recruited KCMO businesses to post voting info in their store windows
Wrote hundreds of postcards to raise awareness about KS Vote No
Hosted a voter information session for residents of an Olathe senior center
Collected carloads of school supplies for Center of Grace
Rallied at our 56th Saturday morning protest

Thank you to everyone who shows up for this important work! And if you’re feeling down about the state of democracy -- or overwhelmed and unsure where to start -- pick one action and join us!

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

That's exactly what they want.

Mon, 06 Jul 2026 21:43:27 GMT

Fear? Intimidation? We’re not falling for it.

Special Counsel Jack Smith, the lead investigator into Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election, recently sat down for a rare interview. It’s fascinating, terrifying — and deeply inspiring. (Credit to Robert Hubbell for highlighting this.)

In the interview, Smith said any effort to scare him with threats of indictment was a “grave miscalculation.”

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There is no way I'm going to be intimidated. -- Jack Smith, Special Counsel

Because that’s exactly what they want. It’s what they’ve always wanted. As Hubbell points out, from the suffragettes to the Civil War activists, people choosing not to be intimidated is the only way our country has ever made real change.

We see this courage every day. When people show up to our community hubs to plan pro-democracy actions. When they gather in Olathe on a holiday weekend to canvass over 1,000 apartments to protect our immigrant neighbors. When they stand at 75th and Metcalf every Saturday at 9 a.m. When they respond to ICE abductions and record agents. When they share voting information at the Overland Park Farmers Market or on the streetcar in KCMO.

That’s what it looks like to NOT be intimidated.

If you’ve been standing on the sidelines of the activist world, we get it. That first step is hard. But if you ever wanted to act, now is the time. We need everyone — truly, everyone — to help us change course.

Remember, dissent can be the most patriotic act of all.

Read on to learn:

🗳️Make your plan to vote

📮Got $15 to spare? We’re sending postcards!

🚨ICE is surging in KC. Get activated.

🍩 Donuts for democracy. Heck yes!

🎒 JoCo Mutual Aid is filling backpacks!

🗳️Make your plan to vote - then tell your friends!

The clock is ticking down to August 4th. Our surest way to save democracy is to show up. That’s our job as Americans. But it’s not our only job. We have to commit to getting our friends and family to show up, too.

So, accept our challenge. Find five people this week and talk to them about creating a voting plan! Deadlines for registering and requesting mail-in ballots are fast approaching.

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 18, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates: Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026 ⚠️
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

📮 Can you buy 25 stamps?

We’re cutting through the noise with handwritten postcards encouraging people to vote against the harmful amendments on the ballot in both Kansas and Missouri this August.

We bought the postcards. We’ve secured the volunteers. (Thank you!) But now we need stamps! We are a 100% volunteer-run group that puts 100% of all donations into our efforts. (Yes, we agitate for free.)

Your $15(ish) donation will pay for 25 stamps targeting unaffiliated voters who may be unaware of what’s on the ballot August 4th. (Not everyone doom scrolls like us.)

Thanks in advance for your support!

Donate to help purchase postage!

Three Olathe brothers came home to an empty house.

The boys had been at a soccer party, celebrating a successful season for the oldest brother, a middle-schooler. Their parents had to work, so family friends took them to the party, then dropped them back home. When they arrived, the house was empty.

Later, they learned both parents had been abducted by ICE while on their way to work. As is often the case, the parents were pulled over by ICE for “driving while brown.” (It’s a roll of the dice for the agents.) The mom, who is not a citizen but has all her legal paperwork, including a driver’s license, was eventually released with an ankle monitor. (More on that trend in a future newsletter.) No one can locate the father, who was in the process of securing citizenship. Calls to detention facilities show no record of him. Relatives in their home country haven’t heard from him.

That story is not an aberration. Abductions like that are happening multiple times a day in the Kansas City metro area. It’s critical we all educate ourselves on what’s happening. If you haven’t been to a free Community Defense Training, we strongly encourage you to do so. You’ll learn:

How ICE operates in our community.
The truth about being in the country undocumented.
What you can do to protect your neighbors.

✅ Wed. July 15 | 6 p.m. | North Overland Park | Must RSVP for address

✅ If you have been to a training, but haven’t yet engaged — or, if you want to host a free community training — reach out. info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org.

✅ Call your elected officials and let them know you oppose ICE terrorizing our community. It’s imperative they understand our outrage.

➡️➡️ Common Cause will give you contact info for all of your state and federal elected officials here. Just input your address.

Have you seen the cost of school supplies?

Let’s fill some backpacks!

JoCo Mutual Aid is joining forces with the amazing folks at Center of Grace in Olathe to fill backpacks for students heading back to school next month. Center of Grace offers no-barrier support to Olathe neighbors in need.

Drop off supplies and/or backpacks!

✅ Wed. July 8 | 5 - 7 p.m. | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm | Lenexa

✅ Sun. July 19 | 10 - noon | First Lutheran Church | 6400 State Line | Mission Hills

➡️➡️ The Olathe student school supply list is here.

➡️➡️ Donate directly to the COG back-to-school fund here.

Donuts + door knocking = democracy.

Join Boots on the Ground THIS Saturday to canvass for the Vote No initiative with Kansans United for Impartial Courts. We’ll meet for donuts and coffee, get trained and buddied up — then head out! Perfect action item for new or experienced canvassers.

✅ Sat. July 11 | 9:30 a.m. - noon | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm | Lenexa

✅ OR, phone bank with KUIC to get the word out about why working Kansans need to VOTE NO. Training provided. Sign up here. Lots of scheduling options.

Want to make good trouble with good people? (sure you do)

We’re getting out and meeting voters where they’re at: Buying rhubarb. Riding ferris wheels. Running errands. Volunteers receive training and information to hand out to voters about why and how to show up at the polls this August.

Overland Park Farmer’s Market - Sign up here.
Johnson County Fair - Sign up here.
Questions? Email: meredith@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

For Missouri Opportunities email: erin@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

📮📮Make your snacks count - Pastries and Postcards!

✅ Saturday, July 18 | 9:00 - 11:00 am | Hue Creative Studio | 7327 W. 79th St, Overland Park

Feel better in a small group?

Make a difference in your own backyard!

Each month we host five Community Hubs in the KC area. Every meeting includes time to chat with like-minded friends, plus info about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities. This month at the Kansas hubs, we’ll also be writing postcards to voters. Waldo: Stay tuned for info about our guest speaker. Attend whichever location works for you. Plus, coming soon: A midtown hub starting in August at the KC Oasis facility!

✅ Leawood | Monday, July 6 | 1:30 - 3:00 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ NE JoCo | Wednesday, July 8 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ Shawnee | Thursday, July 9 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ Lenexa/Overland Park/Olathe | Thursday, July 9 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ Waldo | Saturday, July 11 | 10:30 - 11:30 am | REGISTER HERE

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

The Power of Connections

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 19:53:28 GMT

Meaningful change starts small. Rarely, with a rally, a campaign, or even a vote. It starts with connection. A conversation over coffee, meeting someone new while volunteering — or just chatting with a neighbor. Every relationship we build strengthens our community and expands what's possible. (And, wow, do we need that!)

So let’s lean into the Fourth of July weekend by building community. Make July the month you connect with someone new or strengthen an existing connection. Grab someone and head to one of the many events we have listed here. Read on to find out!

🗳️Make your plan to vote

📮Help us show up in mailboxes

👎 Vote no: Hear what the judges had to say

🗓️ Do you have two hours to save the Kansas Supreme Court?

🚨ICE is surging in KC. Get activated.

🎒 JoCo Mutual Aid is filling backpacks!

𖣑 The rural-urban divide is real. Learn how we can bridge the gap.

🗳️Make your plan to vote - then tell your friends!

So, accept our challenge. Find five people this week and talk to them about creating a voting plan! Deadlines for registering and requesting mail-in ballots are fast approaching.

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates: Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026 ⚠️
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

📮 Help us send more postcards!

Boots on the Ground Midwest is hitting the streets with one of our biggest postcard campaigns yet! Volunteers are handwriting thousands of personalized postcards to voters across Johnson County, reminding them to cast their ballots and encouraging them to VOTE NO on the Supreme Court amendment.

Every postcard is a personal conversation, and every stamp helps us reach another voter. Will you chip in to help us cover the cost of postage and get these important messages into mailboxes across the county?

We are an all-volunteer group that puts 100% of all donations into our work. In other words, your money will be put to GOOD USE! Thanks in advance.

Donate to help purchase postage!

VOTE NO: Hear what the judges have to say

Last week, Chief Judge Karen Arnold Burger and David L. Stutzman, former District Judge, offered first-person insights into the potential impact of SCR1611, the attempt to move Kansas toward electing its Supreme Court justices. (We do not want political justices. 👎👎👎)

Watch the entire panel here.

(Quick review of SCR1611: The amendment on the Aug. 4 ballot seeks to change the way Kansas elects Supreme Court justices. Currently, a non-partisan commission of laypeople and lawyers from across the state pare down applications to three potential justices. The governor at the time selects the final justice. We, the people, then vote to retain — or boot them. IF this amendment were to pass, we’d see money from out-of-state billionaires pouring into Kansas in an attempt to “buy” justices who would push their agenda. Supreme Court judges should NOT be politicians.)

If you’re curious what the current system looks like, the entire process is recorded and posted online. (No smoke-filled rooms, like they’re claiming!)

Your Kansas Judges (For past evaluations past. New ones will be posted in August)
Supreme Court Nominating Commission - KS Courts
Supreme Court Nominating Commission - Initial Procedural Continued Meeting
Supreme Court Nominating Commission Meeting/Interviews 5-21-26 (PM)

Take action: Phone bank, canvass. Join us!

Join Kansans United for Impartial Courts to get the word out about why working Kansans need to VOTE NO August 4. Training provided. Sign up here for all dates.

✅ BOTG is hosting a SPECIAL canvass with KUIC. Join us at 9:30 Saturday, July 11, for donuts and coffee, followed by canvassing!

🚨🚨🚨ICE is surging in the KC area.

Just because you don’t see it, doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Your immigrant friends and neighbors are being abducted without cause or due process — every day in our community.

ICE abductions have greatly increased in the past two weeks. They are very targeted and sporadic, so they aren’t causing a spectacle like Minneapolis or Portland. That’s intentional. Without the wall-to-wall media splash, ICE is getting away with horrific human rights violations while the rest of us go about our daily lives.

ICEOUT.org provides daily reports, submitted by community members. Thank you to @peopleoverpapers for creating this tool. Please report any ICE activity through this website.

✅ Want to learn more about how to protect our community, reach out to our team at info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org. We’d be happy to host a free community training for your group.

Have you seen the cost of school supplies?

Let’s fill some backpacks!

JoCo Mutual Aid is joining forces with the amazing folks at Center of Grace in Olathe to fill backpacks for students heading back to school next month. Last year, COG served some 30,000 people in the area with a range of services, including ELL classes, computer literacy — and, of course, the Boys and Girls Club.

Help us fill backpacks to hand out at their summer celebration. (The average family spends more than $800 to send kids back to school with clothing, supplies and electronics.)

Drop off supplies and/or backpacks!

✅ Wed. July 8 | 5 - 7 p.m. | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm

➡️➡️ The Olathe student school supply list is here.

➡️➡️ Donate directly to the COG back-to-school fund here.

We’re reaching out to young, new and unaffiliated voters.

Join us!

If you vote regularly, you’re probably bombarded with mailers, texts, calls and canvassers. But not everyone is receiving all this election information. Campaigns usually target their limited outreach dollars on likely voters, leaving infrequent voters -- including young, new and unaffiliated voters -- stuck in a low-information loop.

Our “Boots in the Wild” team is tackling this by meeting voters in their everyday lives: at farmers’, markets, concerts, festivals and the county fair. We need your help!

Make a big impact by having quick, easy conversations about voting basics. Training, a t-shirt and amazing company provided!

Volunteer Opportunities in Kansas

Overland Park Farmer’s Market - Sign up here.
Johnson County Fair - Sign up here.
Questions? Email: meredith@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

For Missouri Opportunities email: erin@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

Young Voter Outreach (Led by young voters!)

Opportunities for young voters to volunteer at events and on our social media campaign
Email: meredith@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org to be connected with this team

Constructing Resistance Forum: Building resistance with our rural neighbors

In both Missouri and Kansas, more than one-third of the population is defined as “rural.” How do we bridge the divide between rural and urban values to build a united coalition? Hear from three highly respected speakers who will talk about specific strategies to close that gap and join together in state-wide resistance. Join IN PERSON or LIVE on ZOOM

Suzanne Mettler is an American political scientist and co-author of Rural VS Urban: The Growing Divide That Threatens Democracy. Suzanne is known for her research about the way Americans view and respond to the government.
Jessica Piper ran for the Democrat Party for election to the Missouri House of Representatives to represent District 1. She hosts the popular podcast Dirt Road Democrat.
Don Coover, a Democrat and political newcomer, is challenging incumbent Republican Derek Schmidt, for KS-District 2. Don is a West Point grad, army veteran, rancher, veterinarian and small business owner.

You must register here to receive the zoom link

✅ Monday, July 6 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | Trailside Center | 9901 Holmes Rd, KCMO

Feel better in a small group?

Make a difference in your own backyard!

✅ Leawood | Monday, July 6 | 1:30 - 3:00 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ NE JoCo | Wednesday, July 8 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ Shawnee | Thursday, July 9 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ Lenexa/Overland Park/Olathe | Thursday, July 9 | 6:00 - 7:30 pm | REGISTER HERE

✅ Waldo | Saturday, July 11 | 10:30 - 11:30 am | REGISTER HERE

Checks and ‘imbalances’: Voting no matters

Join Kansas Interfaith Action to discuss the importance for people of faith and conscience to support the campaign to protect Kansas’ Supreme Court. Learn more about how you can use your voice to advocate for our communities and our rights.

✅ Tuesday | July 14 | 6:30 p.m. | St. Paul’s United Methodist Church | 7740 Lackman Road, Lenexa

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.or

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

43 days until the primaries.

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:47:49 GMT

43 days is not a lot of time — but it’s enough time.

Enough time to make sure working families don’t foot the bill for someone else’s tax break. Enough time to keep Missouri citizens in the driver’s seat of their own democracy. Enough time to protect a Kansas Supreme Court that works for all of us — not just the people who can afford to buy one.

But only if we do it together.

Here’s the ask. And it’s simple!

Talk to five people about what’s on the ballot. Not strangers — your people. The ones who trust you.
Bring a friend to one event. Show them it’s worth showing up for.
If you’ve never been to an in-person event, make this your month. Canvass, phone bank, have a conversation at your front door. You might surprise yourself.

You already know why this matters. The next 43 days are just about putting that out there! We’re here for you. Need a buddy to show up with you? We’ve got you! Tell us what you’re doing and when, and we’ll show up — WITH YOU. Just email us: info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

Read ahead to learn:

We need you to help keep our polls open in JoCo! 🗳️🗳️
Hear what judges have to say about billionaires buying the Kansas Supreme Court. 👩🏽‍⚖️👨‍⚖️
Show Up Missouri campaign kick off! Learn how to talk to your neighbors about Voting NO in MO. 🚫🚫
Health care workers: Learn from Minneapolis healthcare workers on how to support the immigrant community seeking care. ⚕️⚕️
Countdown to primaries. ⌛⌛

Help keep our polls open! We NEED you!

The closing of eight early voting sites in Johnson County will no doubt cause confusion among voters. Join us as we help voters understand where they CAN vote — and gather signatures to re-open those closed sites for the general election.

Read the JoCo Post article about 21 local elected officials imploring the Election Commissioner to re-open sites for the general.

✅ Training and a t-shirt provided! Grab a friend and make a BIG impact on voter access this year! LOTS OF TIME SLOTS AVAILABLE. Sign up here. Questions about what’s involved? Email: meredith@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

✅ In the meantime, sign our petition to demand the polls be re-opened for the general election! It takes less than 15 seconds! Sign the petition! We’ll deliver it to the election office.

Kansas judges speak on the Supreme Court amendment

In August, Supreme Court impartiality is on the line and the outcome of this amendment could impact Kansans for DECADES to come.

Everything is on the line: public school funding, reproductive freedom, voter rights and equitable laws for all.

Come hear from two judges who understand the full impact this amendment would have on the functioning of an impartial court. Grab a friend — especially one who’s still on the fence — and come hear from Chief Judge Karen Arnold Burger, Kansas Court of Appeals, and David L. Stutzman, former District Judge.

✅ Wednesday, June 24 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa | Register Here

Take action: Phone bank, canvass. Join us!

Join Kansans United for Impartial Courts to get the word out about why working Kansans need to VOTE NO August 4. Training provided. Sign up here for all dates.

✅ BOTG is hosting a SPECIAL canvass with KUIC. Join us at 9:30 Saturday, July 11, for donuts and coffee, followed by canvassing!

Your neighbors need to know.

Get trained on how to talk about VOTING NO in MO.

The Missouri legislature wants to make it harder to pass citizen-initiated ballots by replacing a simple statewide majority vote with the requirement that a ballot win in all eight Congressional districts. (Amendment 4.)

They also want to allow lawmakers to expand sales taxes to transactions not currently taxed AND use the new revenue to make cuts to the top state income tax rate (currently 4.7%). (Amendment 5.)

That’s definitely information your neighbors want to know. Join Show Up Missouri for a canvassing campaign kick-off and learn how to educate voters on both amendments.

✅ Sat. June 27 | 10 a.m. and Noon | KCMO (location shared w/ registration) | Sign up

City Government: Prioritizing people

Holmeswood Church offers an amazing Cultivate Speaker Series. Next up: KC Councilmember Johnathan Duncan with a presentation on Prioritizing People in City Government. Part of Holmeswood Church’s Cultivate series exploring community, justice, and civic engagement.

✅ Wednesday, June 24 | 6:15 - 7:15 pm | Holmeswood Church | 9700 Holmes Rd, KCMO

Healthcare worker training on immigrant rights

Join Minneapolis healthcare workers to learn about immigrant rights and best practices to keep patients, colleagues and community safe. Healthcare providers are often among the first trusted professionals immigrant families turn to in a crisis.

Participants will learn how to respond appropriately if immigration enforcement actions affect their workplace, understand legal protections for patients, communicate effectively with vulnerable communities, and develop policies that help ensure every patient can seek medical care without unnecessary fear. Whether you work in a hospital, clinic, community health center, or private practice, this training provides actionable tools to protect patient trust while maintaining high-quality, compassionate care for everyone.

✅ Saturday | June 27 | 10 a.m. - noon | KCMO | Register Here

Let’s support our immigrant neighbors.

Join Abide in Love to help local families facing immigration-related challenges keep food on the table, utilities connected, and basic needs covered. Abide in Love is a consortium of KC-wide groups that support our immigrant community.

Donate at this link and MAKE SURE TO ADD THE NOTE: JUNE AID REQUESTS so it goes to the right place.

🚨🚨Countdown to primaries: Help spread the word!

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

IF you live on either side of state line in the KC metro area and typically get a mail-in ballot because you don’t have access to transportation or have mobility issues, please reach out to info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org. Put Election Ride in the subject line and we’ll get in touch.

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Vote your values. (But make sure your poll is still open. )

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:51:11 GMT

Voting is a right for all American citizens — but that doesn’t mean it’s easy for everyone to vote. In fact, between gerrymandering and closing polls, voter suppression is thriving in our country. That’s why it is SO CRITICAL to:

Educate yourself on voter rights
Defend everyone’s right to vote — and poll access.
Encourage everyone you know to not only vote — but vote their values. crisis of democracy.

Read ahead to learn:

Sign the petition against the closing of 8 early-voting sites in JoCo! 🗳️🗳️
Get involved, show up and Do Something! 👋👋
How will real Kansans be impacted if billionaires take over our courts? Sign up for our Meet Up. 💰💰
Our first Missouri Meet Up: A look into the DSA 🌹🌹
Volunteer for or attend our Mutual Aid Fair! 🫶🫶
Save our impartial courts! Hear from the judges themselves! 👩‍⚖️👨‍⚖️
Countdown to primaries. ⌛⌛

More voter suppression tactics in JoCo

Another week and another new tactic to suppress votes in JoCo. The latest wrinkle is a change in requirements for election works. If you want to work early voting, you are required to commit to working all day for EVERY early voting day. Let’s do the math…that’s 14 consecutive days for twelve hours a day!! And what does that equal? Exhausted workers, longer lines because of fewer locations and more voters disenfranchised. Why make it easy…right, Commissioner Schmidt?

What you can do:

Request an audit! Johnson County taxes pay the Election Commission’s budget. The polls that were closed were funded. Let’s see where all the money went! You can request an audit: Submit Audit Ideas | Johnson County Kansas
Sign our petition to demand transparency and accountability from our County-paid election commissioner! Sign the petition! We’ll deliver it to the election office.
Make an appointment to meet with Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt: (913) 715-6800. She works for us and needs to hear from her constituents.
Send Connie Schmidt a letter or email: 2101 E Kansas City Rd, Olathe, KS 66061 or registration@jocoelection.org.
The Election Office is open Monday - Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm to answer your questions. 2101 E Kansas City Rd, Olathe, KS 66061

As a reminder, Commissioner Connie Schmidt closed eight early voting locations IN SPITE OF HAVING FULL FUNDING from the County Commissioners. These advanced voting locations will not be open:

Central Resource Library
Oak Park Library
Leawood City Hall
Tomahawk Ridge Community Center
JCCC
Westwood City Hall
Olathe Downtown Library
Johnson County Sunset Offices

The polling places slated for closure serve some of the county’s most diverse, densely populated, and lower-income communities…areas that also tend to vote Democratic.

The highest Latino population in the County resides in 66061 and 66062, which the Olathe Downtown Library serves.

Westwood City Hall serves what’s known as the “Democratic belt of JoCo,” where voters in Fairway, Roeland Park, Westwood and other reliably blue cities vote.
Johnson County Sunset Offices in Mission serves residents in the 66202 zip code, one of the lowest socioeconomic areas of the county.
JCCC serves the highest concentration of young voters.
Oh, and the busiest transit lines in the County travel the corridor from the Sunset Offices by the Oak Park Library and over to JCCC.

Do the math, folks!

Ready to Do Something?

Boots on the Ground Midwest has so many opportunities to participate and feel like you’re making a difference. We have options for all skill sets, time availability and personality types! Here are some ways for you to jump in now:

Join our Midterms Strategy Teams: If you’re interested in getting more involved with the upcoming Midterms, but don’t know where to start…START HERE! We have three committees that all need your help: Get Out the Vote, Vote Your Values and Election Security. Want to learn more? Sign up here.
Boots is in search of a grant writer for a couple hours a month. Interested? Email mary@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org
Want to have a direct impact on folks in our community who are systemically marginalized? Join the Mutual Aid Group. This effort provides lots of opportunities to help when and how you can. volunteer@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org
Haven’t found your spot yet? Email us and we can plug you in and get you started! Email us: Volunteer@BootsOnTheGroundMidwest.org. If you have reached out in the past, and didn’t get a response, we’re so sorry! We did get swamped, so feel free to reach out again!
League of Women Voters is writing postcards for the primaries! We did a great job last week, but we are still behind. If you are available, here are the details:
- 6/16 Leawood Pioneer Library 9:30-11:30. Click here.
- 6/20 Monticello Library 9:30-11:30. Click here.
- 6/22 Merriam Library 5:30-7:30 Click here.

Impact panel: What happens if billionaires can buy Supreme Court elections?

Join us for a candid look at the impact on Kansans if we lose the Aug. 4 amendment and our impartial courts become politicized. Our panelists will discuss the day-to-day challenges real Kansans will face if billionaires control our Supreme Court.

Stacey Knoell, Kansas Black Leadership Council; Claire Reagan, public education advocate; Hazel Krebs, LGTBQIA+ activist; Taylor Morton, Planned Parenthood; Anamarie Rebori-Simmons, Kansans United for Impartial Courts, moderator.

➡️ Please bring donation of non-perishable food!

Other ways to take action:

✅ Virtual phone banks with Kansans United for Impartial Courts (training provided)

Tuesdays in June from 6 - 8:30. Sign up here for any Tuesday.
Thursdays in June from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sign up here for any Thursday.
Saturday in June from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Sign up here for any Saturday.

✅ Canvassing in Johnson County with Kansans United for Impartial Courts (training provided)

Saturdays in June at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Address provided with sign up.

KCMO meet up: The rise of the DSA - and why young voters are joining their ranks

If you’re in KCMO and you want to get more involved, we’re launching our first KCMO monthly meet up. Join us to learn more about why the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) is growing rapidly — especially among young voters. Drew Sorenson, co-chair of the KC chapter, will offer an overview of the DSA: what they stand for, how they build community — and why they’re attracting new members at a rapid rate.

Our featured non-profit this month is The Prospect KC, which provides culinary training, food access and wraparound services for Kansas Citians in need.

➡️➡️ We’ll be collecting canned goods, bus passes and kids’ snacks for The Prospect, which serves about 400 people a day. DEFINITE need for bus passes.

✅ Wed. June 17 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Immanuel Lutheran Church | 1700 Westport Rd. SIGN UP HERE

JoCo Mutual Aid - Free to all!

Neighbors support neighbors! The JoCo Mutual Aid group is having a fair to show support to the Olathe community, particularly those community members who have been hit hard by ICE raids. Spread the word about our free brake light clinic! (See above!)

👩‍⚖️👩‍⚖️Want Impartial Courts - Ask the Judges!

Join a panel session and Q&A with Chief Judge Karen Arnold Burger, Kansas Court of Appeals and David L. Stutzman, former District Judge. They will discuss how the process of appointing Supreme Court Justices currently works and has worked for decades.

During the August primary election, judicial impartiality will be on the line. Proposed amendment SCR 1611 would make the Supreme Court political and undercut the entire idea of checks and balances. Changing to an elected court would involve participation by sources of Big Money who seek to influence the outcomes of the cases in directions advantageous to their interests. (sound familiar?)

✅ Wednesday, June 24 | 6:30 - 7:30 pm | Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church | 9400 Pflumm Rd, Lenexa | Register Here

🚨🚨Countdown to primaries: Help spread the word!

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

We are underreacting.

Mon, 08 Jun 2026 19:03:05 GMT

As a collective, we may be underreacting to the chaos going on. But not you all! You’ve opened this newsletter to find ways to fight authoritarianism and preserve democracy! Let’s go.

Read ahead to learn:

Sign the petition against the closing of 8 early-voting sites in JoCo! 🗳️🗳️
Next No King’s Day. 🚫👑
Sneaky bills: Billions for ICE. Integrating our military with a foreign power. 🚫🚫
How will real Kansans be impacted if billionaires take over our courts? Sign up for our Meet Up. 💰💰
Our first Missouri meet up: A look into the DSA and how they’re growing. 🌹🌹
A night of music to support the Cross Border Network. ♫♫
Seeking gently-used kids’ items! 💗💗
Countdown to primaries. ⌛⌛

JoCo closes 8 early voting locations — even though they’re fully funded.

Johnson County is closing eight early-voting voting locations this year, including some in highly trafficked areas such as Central Resource Library, JCCC and downtown Olathe. (Read JoCo Post article here.)

About 80 people protested at the Election Commission office last week. In addition, Mike Kelley, chair of the Board of County Commissioners, expressed concern that the Board wasn’t notified — this after FULLY funding all early-voting locations. Many other public figures have spoken out against this action including Rep. Sharice Davids, Johnson County Community College officials, ACLU Kansas, several JoCo County Commission members and multiple elected officials.

Do you have questions? Great! Election Commissioner Connie Schmidt has long been scheduled to speak at The Tuesday Project tomorrow, June 9, 5:30 to 9 at Chicken and Pickle 5901 W 135th St, Overland Park, KS 66223. (This goes without saying, but, please be respectful. Chicken and Pickle has been a generous partner to The Tuesday Project.)

Can’t attend? Sign the petition! We’ll deliver it to the election office.

All about the next No Kings Day.

When is the next NKD? On June 14th, national No Kings Day organizers are hosting a concert for the First Amendment, Rise Up. Sing Out, which you can stream here.

No protest? That’s it? Yes and no, but first, a hot take. We’re OK with that. Big protests take an ENORMOUS amount of resources and, like most all-volunteer organizations, that means we can’t work on other things. (Like training community members to resist ICE or educating people on Vote No. The list is long.) So, no protest, BUT, Boots has two events that same weekend that need YOU. If you were GOING to attend a No Kings Day protest, consider joining us.

✅ ONE: Attend Community Defense training. Learn how to be an effective ICE witness in this free community training!

Sunday | June 14 | 1 to 2:30 p.m. | Midtown | Must RSVP for address

✅ TWO: Canvass business and apartments with Know Your Rights info! We will meet up for snacks, training, then go as a group. No experience required!

Let’s support and prepare our neighbors in Shawnee and Merriam before increased ICE presence during the World Cup. Training provided!

Wednesday, June 10 from 9-11 am | Sunday, June 14 from 1-3 pm | SIGN UP HERE; meeting spot shared with respondents.

Do you have two minutes? Call your U.S. Rep. and Senator

Honestly, we’re under reacting, friends. We know it’s overwhelming. (That is their strategy!) But if you have two spare minutes a day, please call your U.S. Rep and Senator. Using 5 Calls helps track the volume of calls, which is helpful. Here are two topics that need attention.

Oppose the ICE and CBP budget reconciliation funding bill.

The Senate voted Friday to give $70B MORE to ICE and Border Patrol. It is now up to the House to block the measure.
As we face cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, education, behavioral health access, parks — and so much more, the administration wants to give $70B MORE to ICE so they can continue to kidnap residents. More than 70 percent of detainees do NOT have a criminal conviction. Of those who do have a conviction, the most common are: traffic violations, illegal entry to the country and DUI.
Use 5 calls or call your Rep, Dem or Republican, directly Find them here.

Oppose Section 224 of the drafted National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)

The administration is trying to push a $1.5T — yes, trillion with a “T” — Pentagon budget that is FULL of nonsense and dangerous provisions. (Read more here.) Specifically:
Section 224, titled the United States-Israel Defense Technology Cooperation Initiative: This provision would give Israel unprecedented access to American military technology, while forcing the U.S. to integrate Israeli defense systems into our own supply chain. (5Calls) The U.S. should not be integrating defense systems with ANY foreign power. FULL STOP.
The House debates next so call your Rep, Dem or Republican, via 5Calls or find yours directly here. Derek Schmidt is on the House Armed Services Committee. So, Second District folks, taken note.

Impact panel: What happens if billionaires can buy Supreme Court elections?

➡️ Please bring donation of non-perishable food!

Other ways to take action:

✅ Virtual phone banks with Kansans United for Impartial Courts (training provided)

Tuesdays in June from 6 - 8:30. Sign up here for any Tuesday.
Thursdays in June from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sign up here for any Thursday.
Saturday in June from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Sign up here for any Saturday.

✅ Canvassing in Johnson County with Kansans United for Impartial Courts (training provided)

Saturdays in June at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Address provided with sign up.

KCMO meet up: The rise of the DSA - and why young voters are joining their ranks

NEW!!! We’re launching our first KCMO monthly meet up. Join us to learn more about why the DSA (Democratic Socialists of America) is growing rapidly — especially among young voters. Drew Sorenson, co-chair of the KC chapter, will offer an overview of the DSA: what they stand for, how they build community — and why they’re attracting new members at a rapid rate.

Our featured non-profit this month is The Prospect KC, which provides culinary training, food access and wraparound services for Kansas Citians in need. We’ll be collecting canned goods, bus passes and kids’ snacks for The Prospect, which serves about 400 people a day.

✅ Wed. June 17 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Immanuel Lutheran Church | 1700 Westport Rd. SIGN UP HERE

A night of music to support the Cross-Border Network

If EVER we needed a night of community and music, it’s now. Join us to hear the extraordinary Ensemble Iberica for a concert to support the Cross-Border Network’s Bienvenido fund, which supports legal and USCIS fees and bail for our immigrant neighbors. This incredible group performs the music of Ibéria (Spain and Portugal) and the colonial Americas.

JoCo Mutual Aid fair seeking gently-used kids’ stuff

Do you have gently-used kids’ stuff to donate? Donation drop times: Sat., June 13th, from 9 to 11 a.m First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd., OR from 1 to 3 p.m. at Shawnee Mission Unitarian Universalist Church (SMUUCH) (parking lot in the back), 9400 Pflumm; Wed. June 17 from 5 to 7 p.m. also at SMUUCH. OR email us for a pick up at info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org!
You can also bring goods to either of our meet ups — see above!

🚨🚨Countdown to primaries: Help spread the word!

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

Voices

Do something: How A 90-year-old started a resistance group

Our co-founder Martha Lawrence talks politics with her 90-year-old mom all the time. So, Martha wasn’t surprised when she learned her mom wanted to start a resistance group in her retirement community. Need some inspiration? Read how she did it.

We love centering voices that are often ignored. Have an idea for a Voices column? Reach out: info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through here. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Happy Pride Month!

Mon, 01 Jun 2026 19:32:51 GMT

Preserve voting rights!

The upcoming primary and general elections are the most important way for us to preserve democracy. Participating in the process is our right and our obligation. But you can do more…spread the word, educate your friends, protect your neighbors! There are lots of ways to get involved and we have a whole list below. Voting is more than just pushing a button, it’s standing up and speaking out together! Join us!

Read ahead to learn:

Eliminating 8 early-voting sites in JoCo! Join our Protest for the Polls TOMORROW! 🗳️🗳️
Countdown to primaries. ⌛⌛
Vote No - Be part of the midterms team!✊🏽✊🏽
Community Hubs in Kansas and Missouri! 🙌🏼🙌🏼
3 ways to help support our immigrant community. 3️⃣
Meet-Ups in Kansas and Missouri! 🙌🏼🙌🏼

Protect our polls! Join our peaceful protest TOMORROW!

Last week, the Johnson County Election Commission announced it was closing eight early-voting sites — in spite of receiving FULL funding from the County Commission. (OUR taxpayer dollars!) This decision was announced without explanation. No data. No transparency.

Join us for a peaceful protest tomorrow to DEMAND the Election Commission re-open the eight voting sites, most of them in densely populated areas like Mission and Olathe. Ask yourself: Who benefits when election sites are closed?

Can’t attend? Sign the petition! We’ll deliver it to the Election Office.

🚨🚨Countdown to primaries: Help spread the word!

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Register to vote by July 14, 2026 ⚠️
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

VOTE NO to stop billionaires from buying Kansas’ Supreme Court

On Aug. 4, we MUST stop billionaire political donors from turning our impartial justices into politicians for sale by VOTING NO.

Out-of-state political donors want to overhaul the Kansas Supreme Court so they can rubber-stamp their agenda – including gutting abortion rights.

Training provided!

✅ Virtual phone banks

Tuesdays in June from 6 - 8:30. Sign up here for any Tuesday.
Thursdays in June from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Sign up here for any Thursday.
Saturday in June from 1 - 2:30 p.m. Sign up here for any Saturday.

✅ Canvassing in Johnson County

Saturdays in June at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Address provided with sign up.

Find canvass launch dates for Lawrence, Topeka and Wichita here.

Pizza + VOTE NO signs = FUN!

Join Boots on the Ground to help us put together Vote No signs and plan ways to support Kansans United for Impartial Courts. Pizza provided.

✅ RSVP here. JoCo address provided to respondents. (Kindly respond ONLY if you plan to attend since we’ll be buying food.) Who says fighting fascists can’t be fun?

Find your people and find your purpose: Community Hubs

✅ Each month we host six Community Hubs in the KC area. Join us in June to meet new friends, get involved in making the midterm elections a success, and learn about upcoming opportunities to protect democracy! Attend whichever hub works for you.

June 1 - Leawood at Congregation Beth Torah (New location for June only) RSVP HERE
June 2 - Olathe at Redemption Church RSVP HERE
June 3 - NE JoCo at Merriam Library RSVP HERE
June 4 - Shawnee at Shawnee Library RSVP HERE
June 4 - Lenexa/Overland Park at SMUUCH RSVP HERE
June 6 - Waldo at South Broadland Presbyterian -- RSVP HERE Please bring non-perishable food donations for the little pantry. Also: Amy Slaybaugh from Respect Mo Voters will explain how we can protect the citizen initiative process in Missouri—beginning with a NO vote on Amendment 4 in the August 4th election.

3 ways to help support our immigrant community.

FIFA = Increased ICE presence.

When the World Cup games gear up, so will ICE. Support our immigrant community by spreading the word.

✅ ONE: Attend Community Defense training. Learn how to be an effective ICE witness in this free community training!

Sunday | June 14 | 1 to 2:30 p.m. | Midtown | Must RSVP for address

✅ TWO: Canvass business and apartments with Know Your Rights info! We will meet up for snacks, training, then go as a group. No experience required!

Let’s support and prepare our neighbors in Shawnee and Merriam before increased ICE presence during the World Cup.

Wednesday, June 10 from 9-11 am | Sunday, June 14 from 1-3 pm |SIGN UP HERE

✅ THREE: DACA recipients are under siege. Call your Reps and Senators TODAY!!!!

The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program is under serious legal threat. This 2012 federal program protects young immigrants brought here as children from deportation. For most, this is the only country they know and they’re fully vested in their communities and careers. Some 15,000 Dreamers call Kansas and Missouri home.

The current administration is deliberately delaying renewal applications as a federal case against Dreamers winds through the courts.

PLEASE take two minutes to call your U.S. Representative and Senator and tell them to support the DREAM Act.

➡️ Find your U.S. Representative and Senator’s contact info here. (Then put it in your contacts and call them daily.)

“Hi, my name is [NAME] and I’m a constituent from [CITY], [STATE], zip code [ZIP].

I’m calling to urge [Representative/Senator NAME] to support permanent protection for DACA recipients — the nearly 500,000 Dreamers who have lived, worked, and contributed to this country for most of their lives.

DACA is under serious legal threat right now and these young people deserve certainty. I’m asking [him/her/them] to co-sponsor and vote YES on the Dream Act.

These are our neighbors, coworkers, teachers, and community members. They deserve a permanent path forward — not an endless cycle of legal uncertainty.

Can you tell me the Representative’s/Senator’s current position on the Dream Act?”

KCMO HERE WE COME!

NEW!!! We are launching our first KCMO Meet-Up on June 17th!

We’ll have more info soon on speakers and agenda. Mark your calendars and register now!

✅ SIGN UP HERE

Kansas Supreme Courts are on the Line!

What is the real impact if the Kansas Supreme Court is bought and paid for by billionaires?

Join us for a panel discussion on what would happen to real Kansans if billionaires get control of our state Supreme Court. Our panelists include:

Stacey Knoell - Johnson County Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Coalition
Hazel Krebs - LGBTQ+ Activist
Taylor Morton - Planned Parenthood
Claire Reagan - Olathe School Board
Anamarie Rebori-Simmons (Moderator) - Kansas United for Impartial Courts

➡️ Please bring donation of non-perishable food!

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Your Community. Your Ballot. Your Power.

Tue, 26 May 2026 17:21:06 GMT

Now is the time…

We have time before the primaries on August 4th. There is time to register to vote. Time to talk to friends and neighbors about ballot issues. And time to take action. If you don’t have time to figure out where to go, how to do all of this and what you need to know…we’ve done all the legwork!

Check out our long list of ways to get involved and have conversations. Need more info or want to chat? Reach out to us directly and we’ll find a way for you to get involved! info@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

Read ahead to learn:

Make your voting plan and tell your friends! 🗳️🗳️
Be part of the midterms team!✊🏽✊🏽
Meet Ups in Kansas and Missouri! 🙌🏼🙌🏼
Bring your kids and talk about peace! ☮️☮️
Come to the BOTG Midterm Kickoff Meeting — and learn how to make an impact. 🔥🔥

🚨🚨Get ready to vote and spread the word! 🚨🚨

Make sure you are registered!

🗳️🗳️Kansas voter lookup

🗳️🗳️Missouri voter registration lookup

Understand the issues on the Aug. 4th ballot:

Kansas - Kansas Supreme Court. Extremists and billionaire donors want to influence who serves on the Kansas Supreme Court, which is why it’s critical we VOTE NO on August 4.
Missouri - Missouri Gov. Kehoe just announced ballot initiatives for the August Primary. Included are sales tax for state parks, election of county assessors, changing the threshold for constitutional amendment petitions, and eliminating state income tax. These are critical issues with potentially devastating consequences. Learn more and be prepared! Read More Here

Have a plan and vote…bring friends!

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Change party affiliation by June 1, 2026 ⚠️
Register to vote by July 14, 2026
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

✅ Key voting dates Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026
Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)
“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026
Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

Join BOTG for a Midterm Kickoff Meeting

Want to do something to make a huge impact in August? (Yes, you do!) We’ve got you covered. Join us for a working meeting on how we can WIN at the polls this August, whether you live in Kansas or Missouri.

This is an action-focused meeting. We’ll break into different working groups and start mapping out plans to get people to tune in, show up and VOTE this August. Grab a friend, come alone — but either way and join us!

Plus, we’ll have snacks!

Where’s Roger? (Not supporting us.)

Florida resident and Kansas Senator Roger Marshall has been MIA at Town Halls and public events for a suspiciously long time. Thousands of people across Kansas, from nearly every county, signed a petition started by Prairie Progress demanding Senator Marshall hold a fully public town hall and face the communities he represents. Be a part of the message and join a peaceful and impactful petition delivery at Senator Marshall’s office.

✅ Friday, May 29 | 10 a.m. | 7011 W 121st St, Leawood, KS 66209

AND, the night before, attend a virtual Candidate Forum with the Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County where you’ll have the opportunity to hear from three candidates hoping to replace him, including: Ann Parelkar, Jason Hart and Eric Murray.

✅ Thursday, May 28th | 6 p.m. | Zoom link here

Peace Parade for the Whole Family

Enjoy some family time with a purpose! Bring your kids, bring a picnic and hang out in the park on a beautiful Midwest Saturday.

✅ Sunday, May 31st | 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Loose Park Shelter and Lawn, 5200 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO 64112

KCMO HERE WE COME!

NEW!!! We are launching our first KCMO Meet-Up on June 17th!

We’ll have more info soon on speakers and agenda. Mark your calendars and register now!

Kansas Supreme Courts are on the Line!

What is the real impact if the Kansas Supreme Court is bought and paid for by billionaires?

Join us for a panel discussion on what would happen to real Kansans if billionaires get control of our state Supreme Court. Our panel will include area leaders from education, queer rights, healthcare and more.

Please bring donation of non-perishable food!

Want to meet like-minded people? Build community? Take action to protect democracy? Attend a Community Hub meeting in June!

We host six Community Hubs throughout the KC area. Each month we connect with our neighbors and make plans to take action together. Attend whichever hub works for you.

June 1 - Leawood at Congregation Beth Torah (New location for June only) Sign Up

June 2 - Olathe at Redemption Church Sign Up

June 3 - NE JoCo at Merriam Library Sign Up

June 4 - Shawnee at Shawnee Library Sign Up

June 4 - Lenexa/Overland Park at SMUUCH Sign Up

June 6 - Waldo at South Broadland Presbyterian -- Please bring non-perishable food donations for the little pantry. Sign Up

If you identify as Christian: A look at your faith and justice

We understand and respect that we are from many beliefs and walks of life. That’s why we’re always looking for opportunities to understand other views. The Justice Team at St. Andrew’s Christian Church shared this series discussing racial justice in the context of Christianity. If you identify as Christian or want to have an informed conversation about current events with a Christian, this series might be helpful. Watch Here

Raise your hand for democracy!

Make your voice heard and meet your neighbors!

Get involved in your community by becoming a precinct committee person for your political party. It’s a great way to rally your neighbors and impact the system. As a Committee Person you can shape the party from the inside. Register here.

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

78 days until the primaries. What's your plan?

Mon, 18 May 2026 14:09:13 GMT

Buckle up. We’ve got work to do.

In 78 days, we hit the polls for the start of what will likely be the most consequential midterm election cycle in our lifetimes. We must send a referendum to the Trump regime on Aug. 4 primaries with mass showings at the polls. That gives us 78 days.

They know they’re vulnerable. That’s why they’re trying to make it hard for everyone to vote, especially Black and minority voters. Last week, the Supreme Court killed part of the Voting Rights Act that required states to draw districts where Black and minority voters could elect representatives of their choice, a protection that’s been law since 1965.

🚨🚨Now Republican legislatures are racing to eliminate majority-Black congressional districts. (This could wipe out up to 19 Dem House seats currently held by Black reps.)

🚨🚨It gets worse: The same ruling applies to state legislatures, city councils, school boards and judgeships. So, any minority political power built over the last 60 years – at every level of government – is being systematically dismantled.

We’ve got work to do, but we’re here to connect you to opportunities that will make a difference.

Read ahead to learn:

How and why you should make sure you’re still registered to vote.
What’s at stake in the Kansas and Missouri Aug. 4th primaries.
Have a voting plan. Do you know how many people DO NOT vote in the midterms? It’s dismal.
Come to the BOTG Midterm Kickoff Meeting — and learn how to make an impact.

Step one: Check your voter registration

Make sure you’re still registered to vote. (Yes, you read that right.)

Missouri removed some 240,000 voters from the state’s voter rolls last year. To be fair, about 72,000 were deceased. However, that leaves about 168,000 removals because people have been inactive voters, moved or just purged because of a technical error. Kansas isn’t being as forthright with numbers but, trust us, they’re purging.

Tell everyone you know to check theirs as well.

🗳️🗳️Kansas voter lookup

🗳️🗳️Missouri voter registration lookup

Step two: Understand what’s at stake in the primaries.

Here’s what’s at stake in the Kansas Aug. 4th primary:

The integrity of the Kansas Supreme Court. Extremists and billionaire donors want to influence who serves on the Kansas Supreme Court, which is why it’s critical we VOTE NO on August 4.
- Our current system works! A nominating commission selects candidates based on merit, sending three nominees to the Governor, who then makes the final selection. Kansans then vote in retention elections to hold justices accountable.
- Billionaires and outsiders want to overhaul our courts so justices are elected. Why? So they can use money to influence campaigns – and their agenda.(In Wisconsin, they spent $100 million last year to buy judges!)
- If we elect our Supreme Court justices, we’re letting outsiders with the deepest pockets pick our court. Kansans:. Keep billionaires out of our business!
An opportunity to dump Roger. Will Floridian Roger Marshall win the Republican primary Aug. 4? Yes. BUT, the more people show up to vote in the Democratic primary, the more vulnerable he’ll seem to Republican party leaders and big-dollar donors who will have to decide where to spend their resources in the general election. Let’s show them that supporting Roger is a waste of time.

Here’s what’s at stake in the Missouri Aug. 4th primary:

Gov. Kehoe gets to decide which measures go to the low-turnout August primary — where fewer than 2 in 10 eligible adults vote — versus the higher-turnout November general election. That choice alone can determine whether something passes or fails.

So far, here’s what folks are saying may be on the Aug. 4th ballot:

Income Tax Elimination / Sales Tax Expansion Amendment. Far-right legislators want to direct future legislatures to cut rates as revenue grows, with the long-term goal of elimination.
- The stakes are massive. Missouri currently gets about 65% of its state revenue from income tax and about 22% from sales tax. To replace income tax revenue without expanding the sales tax coverage would require raising the sales tax rate by as much as 8.5%.
- Guess who this benefits? NOT workers. NOT seniors. NOT people eyeing their bank balance every day. It’s Kehoe’s top legislative priority so that tells you all you need to know.

Step three: Have a voting plan

They’re counting on apathy in August. Help prove them wrong.

Across the country, an estimated average of 18 - 25% of eligible adults vote in the midterm primaries. That means, in a room of 10 people, maybe two are showing up to weigh in on whether we have access to abortion, fair wages, healthcare and more.

Two out of 10. At most.

That’s why our state legislatures hide important amendments in the August primaries.

In Kansas, about 18 to 22% of eligible adults show up in the primaries in a typical year. (For hot-button years like the abortion vote in 2022, we saw closer to 36%)

In Missouri, the number is lower — about 10 - 14% of eligible adults vote in the August primary.

THIS is the year to annoy everyone you know about getting registered to vote and showing up at the polls in August.

✅ Key voting dates: Kansas

Change party affiliation by June 1, 2026 ⚠️
Register to vote by July 14, 2026
Early/advance voting begins July 15, 2026
Request mail ballot now - through July 28⚠️⚠️
Primary Election Day August 4, 2026

⚠️ Kansas has closed primary elections, meaning you can only vote in the primary that aligns with your declared party. So, if you’re still a RINO, you have until June 1 to change. Unaffiliated voters CAN vote in the Democratic primary, no questions asked. You can vote in the Republican primary IF you declare party affiliation on the spot.

⚠️⚠️ In Kansas, all mail-in ballots MUST be received by 7 p.m. on election day, so Aug. 4. The legislature eliminated the three-day grace period for mail-in ballots. Ballots won’t be mailed until about July 15 so the turn-around time is TIGHT. Drop your ballot at the election office or drop box near you! Contact your county election office here.

✅ Key voting dates Missouri

Register to vote by July 8, 2026

Early/absentee voting begins June 23, 2026 (6 weeks before election)

“No excuse” in-person absentee July 21 – Aug. 3, 2026

Primary Election Day: August 4, 2026

Step four: Join BOTG for a Midterm Kickoff Meeting

Plus, we’ll have snacks!

TONIGHT: The Separation of Church and State is Crumbling

Come to Our Monthly Meet Up to Learn More

Every month Boots hosts a great speaker, talks about community and gives action items to help you make a difference. If you haven’t attended a Monthly Meet-Up, join us! This month we’ll hear from Laurel Burchfield from Mainstream. She’ll talk about the rise of Christian Nationalism and the erosion of our separation between church and state.

We’ll also learn about the recently launched metro-wide Mutual Aid effort.

✅ Snacks for the Boys and Girls Club! We will be collecting individually, pre-packaged, kid-friendly snacks for Center of Grace, which runs the Olathe Boys and Girls Club. (Examples: apple sauce pouches, granola bars, fruit snacks, trail mix, chips, etc.)

ICE is still here, kidnapping people, tearing families apart

If you haven’t received community defense training, now is your time! We expect INCREASED ICE presence during the World Cup. This 90-minute training will teach you how to keep your neighborhood safe from ICE.

Thursday, May 21 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Lenexa | RSVP here.

Raise your hand for democracy!

Make your voice heard and meet your neighbors!

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Action is Power. So, Let's Go! 5.12

Tue, 12 May 2026 17:36:23 GMT

It’s May. May we all show up to support our neighbors. May we find the courage to continue to fight fascism. May we see the progress we’ve already made. May we find our community and the hope we all need.

We Need You! Take back our voting rights and protect our elections.

Legacy media would have us believe two recent court rulings – the U.S. Supreme Court in Callais v. Louisiana and the Virginia Supreme Court on redistricting – spell doom for democracy.

This is far from the truth. These decisions make our job harder, but the midterms still hinge, as they always have, on voter turnout.

Read the articles below to understand what the courts just did and how we fight back. Then, mark your calendar for our midterm kickoff meeting on May 28th. This will be a working meeting where we’ll break off into committees, assign tasks and create a calendar. Snacks provided! Please sign up here.

Committees will include:

✅Get Out the Vote – High voter turnout is the #1 way we can turn the tide.
💯Vote Your Values Scorecard – Join this team if you want to tie candidates to their records and lift up those candidates who make a positive impact.
🔏Election Integrity/Security – This proactive team will make sure we have ample poll workers and poll watchers.

Fill out this volunteer form to let us know your area of interest.

A state-by-state guide to the redistricting fight,” PBS News

The Contrarian

Callais Is Not the Last Word

In a span of less than two weeks, the U.S. Supreme Court (contravening the text and intent of the post-Civil War amendments and decades of court precedent) and the Virginia State Supreme Court (overturning the will of Virginia voters and inventing a new definition of “election”) have bulldozed through the electoral landscape to slant the 2026 midterm pl…

4 months ago · 1039 likes · 164 comments · Jennifer Rubin

Civil Discourse with Joyce Vance

What the Court Did in Callais—And Why It Matters

Absentee-by-mail voting was already underway in Louisiana’s primary elections when the Supreme Court handed down its decision in the Callais case on Wednesday. Polling places were preparing for in-person early voting to start on Saturday. But today, Louisiana’s Governor…

4 months ago · 1626 likes · 193 comments · Joyce Vance

If not you, then who?

There are several uncontested and highly “flippable” State House races in Johnson County and we need good people willing to step up and beat the supermajority. If you’ve ever considered running for office, found yourself wondering why “someone” doesn’t do more, or simply feel like you can’t stay on the sidelines any longer, this is your moment. No official Democratic candidates have filed for HD 39 nor HD 117

You don’t need to have all the answers to get started. We can help connect you with the right people, resources, and support to launch a successful campaign. Reach out to Boots, and we’ll help you take the next step.

Running for office isn’t rocket science…it takes committed people who genuinely care about the future of our community and are willing to lead. The deadline to file as a candidate is June 1st!

Read books and bring snacks!

✅ BOTG Book Club: Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis and the Next, by Dean Spade

Wed. May 13 | 6:30 – 8 pm | First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS | RSVP

UMKC professor Drew Bergerson will lead a critical discussion about the practical opportunities and challenges for cultivating mutual aid in our life today. Author Dean Spade is a lawyer, transgender activist and professor of law who outlines not only the nature of mutual aid but many of the pitfalls that activists encounter when trying to implement it.

💙💙 We will be collecting individually, pre-packaged, kid-friendly snacks for Center of Grace. (Examples: apple sauce pouches, granola bars, fruit snacks, trail mix, chips, etc.)

The Separation of Church and State is Crumbling

Come to Our Monthly Meet Up to Learn More

The White House recently sent a letter to Kansas Senate President and Gubernatorial candidate Ty Masterson and House Speaker and Insurance Commissioner candidate Dan Hawkins to congratulate them on advancing the Trump administration’s Christian nationalist agenda. (WHAT???) While we focus on electing a U.S. Senator to represent the values of Kansans, we cannot forget the importance of state races, including the Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, and the entire KS House of Representatives.

We’ll also learn about the recently launched metro-wide Mutual Aid effort.

✅ Snacks for the Boys and Girls Club! We will be collecting individually, pre-packaged, kid-friendly snacks for Center of Grace, which runs the Olathe Boys and Girls Club.. (Examples: apple sauce pouches, granola bars, fruit snacks, trail mix, chips, etc.)

Want to Raise Little Activists? (Of Course You Do!!!)

Looking for a fun activity that also models the peace we all need in our world? Join Moms Rage for a Peace Parade, kids’ activities and a way to learn more about area activist groups! (We’ll be there!)

✅ Sunday, May 31st | 1 to 4 p.m. | Loose Park | KCMO

Moms Rage is a creative and motivated group of caregivers, aunties, sisters, moms shes/theys/gays. Their events are full of joy and community. Find out more!

Friends don’t let friends skip elections

If you really want to make a difference in the midterms, this is your event. The Voter 2 Voter program uses a simple peer-to-peer online tool proven to increase voter turnout in Kansas significantly.

Join us for the Boots on the Ground Voter 2 Voter team. We’ll learn how to use the tool, get tips on how to talk with friends about voting – and meet amazing people.

Mark Your Calendar for These Election Deadlines

2026 Primary Election

Kansas

June 1 - 12:00 p.m. Deadline to file as a candidate. Deadline for Kansans to change party affiliation. Check your voter registration.

July 14 - Deadline to register to vote or update your voter registration. Check your voter registration.

July 15 - First day of advance voting. Advance ballots by mail are transmitted. In-person advance voting may begin.

July 28 - In-person advance voting must begin for all counties.

August 4 - PRIMARY ELECTION (All ballots must be received by close of polls on Election Day.)

Missouri

Now - July 8^th - Visit voteroutreach.sos.mo.gov to check your existing registration, re-register if you’ve moved recently, or register for the first time.

July 25 - August 3 - Early Voting

August 4 – PRIMARY ELECTION - Polls are open until 7pm - find your polling location at

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

Let's go! This week's actions with Boots. 5.4

Mon, 04 May 2026 18:02:39 GMT

Spring is in the air and so is change. We are seeing so much engagement, motivation and upward progress. If you’re still feeling out in the cold, show up and join the community of people DOING SOMETHING. There are so many ways to engage. And we promise…you will feel so much better!

How did we get here? A look at the forces driving us toward fascism

Mark your calendars for this fascinating look at how our country is moving toward fascism with Les Leopold, author of Wall Street’s War on Workers, and David N. Smith, author of The Anger Comes: Who Voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and Why?

✅ TONIGHT! Mon. May 4 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes, KCMO

The event is free but donations are always welcome to the Cross-Border Network for Justice and Solidarity’s Bienvenido Fund, which helps immigrants with legal fees and bail.

Midterms are coming…we need you!

Now’s your time to take action! Midterms are right around the corner, so we’re creating committees to get the word out and get people to the polls! (Midterms are notoriously low-turnout.) Join us for a kick off meeting on May 28th. This will be a working meeting where we’ll break off into committees, assign tasks and create a calendar. Please sign up here.

Committees will include:

✅Get Out the Vote – High voter turnout is the #1 way we can turn the tide.
💯Vote Your Values Scorecard – Join this team if you want to tie candidates to their records and lift up those candidates who make a positive impact.
🔏Election Integrity/Security – This proactive team will make sure we have ample poll workers and poll watchers.

Fill out this volunteer form to let us know your area of interest.

The Department of Energy will be holding a public hearing about the pending plutonium pits in Kansas City. We have the opportunity to speak out. On May 6th you can join a coalition of peace-focused groups like PeaceWorks KC to hear from experts and learn how you can give public comment.

✅ May 6th, 7:00 pm | All Souls Church, 4501 Walnut St, KCMO 64111 | More info

Support our Immigrant Neighbors

Boots on the Ground Midwest has partnered with El Centro to raise funds in support of immigrant families. The Floreciendo Futuros Legacy Fund is used to cover partial rent payments, utility assistance, and more. If every person gave $10, think how powerful that could be - please donate today!

Donate here.

Have kids? Looking for a fun activity that also models the peace we all need in our world? Join Moms Rage on Sunday, May 31st from 1-4 for a Peace Parade! Moms Rage is a creative and motivated group of caregivers, aunties, sisters, moms shes/theys/gays. Their events are full of joy and community. Find out more!

Friends don’t let friends skip elections

If you really want to make a difference in the midterms, this is your event. The Voter 2 Voter program uses a simple peer-to-peer online tool proven to increase voter turnout in Kansas significantly.

Join us at one of our kick-off events for the Boots on the Ground Voter 2 Voter team. We’ll learn how to use the tool, get tips on how to talk with friends about voting – and meet amazing people.

Backing our Neighbors

Backpacks & basic supplies are needed to meet the immediate needs of immigration detainees upon their release from detention facilities. YOU can be a part of providing these! Please see the graphic for needed items. 💙

Drop off: Dark Horse Coffee, Blue Springs, MO | 5/4-5/9

Community is Power

Want to meet like-minded people? Build community? Take action to protect democracy? Attend a Community Hub meeting in May!

We host six Community Hubs throughout the KC area. Each month we connect with our neighbors and make plans to take action together. Attend whichever hub works for you. May focus: Preparing for the midterm elections!

May 5 - Olathe - New Location!

May 6 - Merriam/NE JoCo

May 7 - Shawnee

May 7 - Lenexa/Overland Park

✅ BOTG Book Club: Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis and the Next, by Dean Spade

UMKC professor Drew Bergerson will lead a critical discussion about the practical opportunities and challenges for cultivating mutual aid in our life today. Author Dean Spade is a lawyer, transgender activist and professor of law who outlines inot only the nature of mutual aid but many of the pitfalls that activists encounter when trying to implement it.

Wed. May 13 | 6:30 – 8 pm | First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS | RSVP

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

This Week: Choose Your Activist Adventure 4.27

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 20:10:11 GMT

💪💪💪There is so much going on this week…you can find a place to plug in no matter what you care about most. Choose your cause, choose your action, choose your community and make a difference!💪💪💪

💪Disrupt the System

May Day General Strike: No work. No shopping. No school.

Friday, May 1, is a nation-wide General Strike in response to the current administration’s increasingly erratic and authoritarian acts. It’s imperative that we not only participate in this strike, but we tell others about it as well. (Not everyone’s as plugged in as you are, friend.)

🚫 No shopping. 🚫 No working. 🚫 No school. Mass rally and march.

✅ Join the metro-wide mass rally!

Fri, 5.1 | 5:30 p.m. | Washington Square Park | 100 E. Pershing Rd. KCMO

➡️ BOTG will meet at the Southwest Corner of the park. Join us!

💪More on May Day:

Veterans for Peace Chapter 97 and allies will gather and hold a press conference May 1st @ 9am in Linwood Green Park outside the KCVA hospital to support VA workers, raise our voices against the privatization of VA healthcare, and say no more wars.

💪Master the Midterms

As midterm elections approach, we have created primary and general election committees to help us regain peace, prosperity and equality. Here’s how you can help:

✅Get Out the Vote – High voter turnout is the #1 way we can turn the tide.
💯Vote Your Values Scorecard – Join this team if you want to tie candidates to their records and lift up those candidates who make a positive impact.
🔏Election Integrity/Security – This proactive team will make sure we have ample poll workers and poll watchers.

Fill out this form and we’ll reach out.

💪Support our Immigrant Neighbors

Link to donate: https://webpayment.arvest.com/ebpp/ElCentro/Login/Index

💪VOTG!

If you really want to make a difference in the midterms, this is your event. The Voter 2 Voter program uses a simple peer-to-peer online tool proven to increase voter turnout in Kansas significantly.

💪Rock with a Purpose!

BOTG is partnering with COLORS for their inaugural event featuring Latin rock icon and Panama native Enrique Chi of Making Movies and electronic jazz pioneer Alber. The event is at In The Lowest Ferns. Join us April 30th at 8pm for a night of LIVE music. ALL proceeds from this event will be donated to Entre Nos KC.

Tickets | $12.46 | Apr 30 @ IN THE LOWEST FERNS by NOMADA, Kansas City | DICE

💪Community is Power

Want to meet like-minded people? Build community? Take action to protect democracy? Attend a Community Hub meeting in May!

May 2 - Waldo - This month only: Meet at Waldo Library

May 5 - Olathe - New Location!

May 6 - Merriam/NE JoCo

May 7 - Shawnee

May 7 - Lenexa/Overland Park

💪Rally for Immigrants

Join Kansas Interfaith Action for a powerful gathering that brings together people of faith and conscience to use our privilege to protect the most vulnerable among us. Join and tell your friends and family!

April 30th | 6:30 pm | Asbury United Methodist Church | 5400 W. 75th | Prairie Village KS

✅ BOTG Book Club: Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis and the Next, by Dean Spade

UMKC professor Drew Bergerson will lead a critical discussion about the practical opportunities and challenges for cultivating mutual aid in our life today. Author Dean Spade is a lawyer, transgender activist and professor of law who outlines inot only the nature of mutual aid but many of the pitfalls that activists encounter when trying to implement it.

Wed. May 13 | 6:30 – 8 pm | First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS | RSVP

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.

How are you resisting this week? ✊🏼✊🏼 Boots on the Ground 4.21

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 17:10:29 GMT

No work. No shopping. No school.

Our only option: Disrupt the system.

🚫 No shopping. 🚫 No working. 🚫 No school. 💪🏽 💪🏻 Mass rally and march.

Demands:

✊ Tax the rich so our families come first – not their fortunes. (This article on Inequality.org highlights 20 companies at the heart of our affordability crisis.)
✊ No ICE. (This report by the American Immigration Council details ICE’s expanding and increasingly unaccountable detention system.)
✊ No war. No army serving authoritarian power. (The independent, nonpartisan Center for American Progress outlines the human and environmental costs of the war. )
✊ Expand democracy. Hands off our vote. (The Southern Poverty Law Center offers an overview of voter suppression efforts across the country.)

✅ Join the metro-wide mass rally!!!! 🚶✊🪧

Fri, 5.1 | 5:30 p.m. | Washington Square Park | 100 E. Pershing Rd. KCMO

➡️➡️➡️ BOTG will meet at the Southwest Corner of the park! Join us!!!

Why do Kansans think one way and vote another?

Join us for the second part of our series exploring why, in Kansas, partisanship counts more than voters’ opinions on the issues.

The Gulf Between Popular Opinion and Political Reality in Kansas

Wed. April 22 | 6:30 - 7:30 p.m. | Virtual | Must RSVP

Results of a statewide public opinion survey from The Docking Institute of Public Affairs at Fort Hays State suggest that Kansas voters are much more progressive on issues than their party label indicates.

Hear from the survey’s authors: Professor Brett Zollinger, Fort Hays State; Professor Michael Smith, Emporia State; and Professor Alexandra Middlewood, Wichita State University. They’ll discuss Kansans’ views on: sin taxes, marijuana, minimum wage, elder care, water conservation and gun ownership. Q&A follows.

Friends Don’t Let Friends Skip Elections

If you really want to make a difference in the midterms, this is your event. The Voter 2 Voter program uses a simple peer-to-peer online tool proven to increase voter turnout in Kansas significantly. In fact, the program has found that sporadic voters are 10 times more likely to vote if a friend asks them.

Space is limited. Please sign up only if you plan to attend. We understand things can come up at the last minute, but we’ll consider your reservation a commitment to join us. RSVP to attend. Links below.

Mon., April 27 | 6 - 7: 30 p.m. | JoCo Central Resource Library | 9875 W. 87th | OPKS

Thurs., May 14 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | JoCo Central Resource Library | 9875 W. 87th | OPKS

Who runs the KS Supreme Court if judges are elected?

We’ll give you a hint: Whoever has the most 💰💰💰💰💰.

This August, judicial impartiality will be on the line. Proposed amendment SCR 1611 would make the Supreme Court political and undercut the entire idea of checks and balances. Learn why it’s critical to VOTE NO on this amendment by attending these panel discussions. Keep cash out of our courts!

✅ Elected vs Appointed: Inform Your Vote, sponsored by the Voter Rights Network of Wyandotte County. Confirmed panelists include: Professor Steve Leben, UMKC Law School and former appellate court judge; Clay Wirestone, Opinion Editor, KS Reflector; and Teresa Woody, former founding Litigation Director at Kansas Appleseed

Sat. April 25 | 11 a.m. - 1 p.m | | West Wyandotte Public Library - Auditorium | 1737 N 82 St, Kansas City, KS 66112

✅ Who Will Control Supreme Court Judges if They’re Elected?, hosted by Boots on the Ground Midwest. Chief Judge Karen Arnold Burger, Kansas Court of Appeals, and David L. Stutzman, former District Judge, will discuss how the process of appointing Supreme Court Justices currently works and has worked for decades.

How did we get here? (Excellent question)

A look at the forces driving us toward fascism

Mon. May 4 | 6 - 7:30 p.m. | Trailside Center, 9901 Holmes, KCMO

The event is free but donations are always welcome to the Cross-Border Network for Justice and Solidarity’s Bienvenido Fund, which helps immigrants with legal fees and bail.

Frustrated by local politics?

Help shape your party from the ground up

Precinct Committee Leaders represent their political party within a specific geographic area, called precincts. These are important positions but they’re often empty because people don’t file to run. Each precinct has two representatives for each political party, Republican and Democrat. It’s one of the most accessible ways to participate meaningfully in the political process and build leadership experience within your party. As a PCL, you:

Bring your community’s priorities to the table in broader party decisions
Influence candidate selection
Make sure voters have the information they need to get to the polls
Meet party leaders

Here’s how to run for PCL:

File as a candidate with your county election office before the deadline (typically June 1 at noon in election years):

Filing is typically simple, with no fee required, making PCL one of the most accessible elected roles for getting involved in local politics.

Take note: Mark your calendars for these events

Here are three outstanding opportunities to learn more about what’s happening in our world today.

✅ Socialism 101: What is Capitalism?

Join the DSA for the first of a three-part series on the foundations of socialism. The first session will provide core insights and concepts to help prepare for subsequent sessions! RSVP to receive an email with reading materials. HYBRID

✅ Say NO to New Nuclear Bombs: The KC chapter of Peace Works

Plutonium pits are the radioactive cores or triggers of nuclear weapons. The U.S. hasn’t mass produced these since 1989 and we have about 15K stockpiled. Still, the National Nuclear Security Administration is pushing to ramp up production. A public hearing will be scheduled HERE in KC. Why? Because 80 percent of the mechanical and electromagnetic (non-nuclear) parts to U.S. nuclear bombs are made here at the Kansas City National Security Campus on Botts Road.

Thurs. May 7 | 5:30 - 8 p.m. | Hillcrest Community Center | 10401 Hillcrest Rd.| KCMO

✅ BOTG Book Club: Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis and the Next, by Dean Spade

UMKC professor Drew Bergerson will lead a critical discussion about the practical opportunities and challenges for cultivating mutual aid in our life today. Author Dean Spade is a lawyer, transgender activist and professor of law who outlines inot only the nature of mutual aid but many of the pitfalls that activists encounter when trying to implement it.

Wed. May 13 | 6:30 – 8 pm | First Lutheran Church, 6400 State Line Rd, Mission Hills, KS | RSVP

Choose an action, grab a friend and get out there.

The Boots on the Ground calendar offers a curated list of action items in Kansas and the KCMO metro.

Please submit items for the calendar to: calendar@bootsonthegroundmidwest.org

➡️➡️ ➡️ Want to support our work? We could use it!

First, thanks for being part of the resistance. We need every one of you!

We keep our work free because we want everyone to have access to information and resources aimed at preserving democracy and fighting authoritarianism.

You can support through Substack by opting for a paid subscription. Or, you can donate through ActBlue. Thank you so much!

This post is public so feel free to share it.