Reading · Boots on the Ground Midwest

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.

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. ⌛⌛

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

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!)

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!

✅ 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.

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

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.

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

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