1. Trump and Trumpism is an emboldened and public new Fascism - and if not a coherent ideology, it is mobilizing economically disenfranchised whites and consolidating organized hate groups using racist, xenophobic and misogynistic language and promises.
    
2. Where there is a rising fascism there is a moral imperative to oppose and stop it. We do not starve the beast enough by not acting against him and what he represents (and his die hard followers). While actions may embolden him/them, it also emboldens us.
    
3. There are a myriad of strategies and tactics to do this: some are short term, some are medium term, some are long term, some on the ground, some in the air, some with unlikely allies. All should be happening.
    
4. In this moment we cannot win over Trump supporters. Nor can we necessarily win over fence sitters.
    
5. We can consolidate our base and encourage actions, in particular by white people who want to be in solidarity with movements like the movement for Black lives and Not1More, given that Trump is riding a reactionary backlash to these movements (along with other conditions).
    
6. The action in North Carolina was done to a. build on the brave public interruptions of Trump at other rallies led by people of color, b. encourage others in the progressive and social justice space to create more visible and disruptive non-violent interruptions, towards consolidating a base towards action by demonstrating very clear resistance (why else chant "Time to escalate" in the rally?). This led directly into people from that action team supporting the group in St. Louis.
    
7. This is not just about Trump. This is about consolidating a base for long term defeat of Trumpism. To mistake the man for the movement is a mistake, and shortsighted.  
    
8. The Chicago shutdown of Trump on Friday is significant and inspiring. Lead by a coalition of Black people and people of color standing in solidarity with one another, it is an awesome exhibit of the powerful social movements in the U.S. today.

• They performed user research by direct messaging teens on Instagram.
• They built their audience by messaging influencers on Instagram and featuring them in the newsletter.
• They have a 70% open rate. Part of that may be because they feature their readers' Instagram accounts in the emails. It’s a good application of the Hook model to keep readers coming back.

Around the office: We’re on a training spree. We recently led a webinar on how youth organizers can use text messaging for Nellie Mae Education Foundation grantees, and taught Kentuckians for the Commonwealth staff how to use petitions to recruit supporters, get earned media coverage and pressure campaign targets.

Next week we’re leading a webinar for the Funders Collaborative on Youth Organizing to teach youth organizing groups how to use email to move people to action.

If you’d like us to lead a webinar or training for your organization, email Randall at randall@powerlabs.io.