May 28 Update — For the past several days, federal agents in masks from ICE and CBP have attacked and pepper-sprayed protesters — including a US Senator — organizing against brutal conditions at Delaney Hall immigrant detention center in New Jersey.
This is just one of the many detention centers nationwide where activists and local organizers have been protesting. Vermonters took our protest to federal buildings used by ICE and CBP in St Albans earlier this month. But Delaney Hall has been drawing extra scrutiny because conditions are so bad that people inside have begun a hunger strike.
And all this is happening as Congress grinds to a halt on the question of additional funding for Trump’s fossil fueled fascist deportation and war machines; And as Vermont lawmakers stumble and comply in advance with the regime’s plans for state-sponsored terror.
Since January (and long before), Vermonters have been organizing to destabilize the regime and push ICE Out of Vermont. Again and again, our brave little state has defied the odds and fought back. And we’ve won some important victories along the way. But can this kind of organizing, protest, non-cooperation, and non-compliance work? How can we secure our democracy, freedom, and unity for the long haul?
If you’d like to learn more, and plug in to the national network for anti- fossil fueled fascist organizers: Join us for a free, interactive training that will leave you with a clearer sense of strategy, a stronger community, and practical ways to take action.
May 20 —When tyrants seize power for themselves, ordinary people step in to take it back.
From Serbia to Chile to Poland, movements brought down authoritarian regimes by making them impossible to run, through strikes, boycotts, refusal, and millions of ordinary people deciding they wouldn’t help harm each other. But they didn’t wake up one morning and know how. Showing up to get trained is part of that tradition.
Here in Vermont, we’ve been doing plenty to fight back: From protesting ICE to advancing first-in-the-nation climate and clean energy laws to combat the climate crisis.
With the 2026 elections approaching, the next threat is clear: Trump wants to seize and hold power by keeping people from voting and controlling who counts. This is a moment to get ready: to build skills, expand our networks, and mean it when we say: Hands off our vote!
This training will cover:
- The authoritarian playbook, and how to disrupt it
- Pillars of support: why power depends on everyday participation
- Real-world stories of movements that won
- What’s ahead in 2026 and how we can protect our vote
- Concrete next steps to plug into local organizing
This training is free and open to everyone ready to build real power to defend our communities and our vote, whether you’re brand new or have been organizing for years. It’s part of the national Protest: Respect It, Defend It, Use It book tour, and led by Nadine Bloch, Training Director at Beautiful Trouble and co-founder of Freedom Trainers. Join the more than 1 million people who have participated in these trainings nationwide.
Space is limited. Register early and forward to anyone who should be there.
PS – Get inspired the night before for a Protest book talk on Friday, June 5, at Patagonia Burlington, then come ready to build skills and take action.
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