Let's honor our immigrant neighbors.

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!

✅ THIS THURSDAY | July 23 | 3 - 4:30 p.m. | Johnson County Square | Downtown Olathe | RSVP here

• Join us to hear speakers and learn other ways you can support the community.

• Please bring signs that celebrate our immigrant neighbors.

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.

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.

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.

✅ 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. 🚫🚫

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.

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.

✅ 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

🥳🥳🥳 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

✅ 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

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.

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