We’re so damn proud of you ✊
And mark your calendars!
We haven’t seen a final tally yet, but at last check, more than 4 million people showed up around the country this weekend for the national day of action.
And here in Rock Hill, more than 500 of you joined us downtown — we’ve seen some estimates up to 900 🥳. We’re so damn proud of this community for showing up and getting loud. And the media is paying attention now too: The Rock Hill Herald, Charlotte Observer, Yahoo Top Stories, CBS News, Rachel Maddow, Getty Images, and Alt National Parks all covered or mentioned Rock Hill. The incredible bunny below definitely turned some heads!
Whether you showed up in person or supported online, we are so grateful.
Lots of new folks today, so quick FAQ:
Who is York County Rising? We’re a group of concerned neighbors united in the fight against fascism and oligarchy. We are unaffiliated but we partner with national organizations like 50501, Working Families, MoveOn, and dozens more. We also partner with local organizations as we work toward building a local coalition of organizations supporting each other and rowing in the same direction.
What does York County Rising do? We put on regular, bi-weekly days of action (every other Saturday on Dave Lyle) as well as other days of action as we’re able. We also host a monthly Community Meeting where we meet in person to discuss upcoming issues, actions, and where we want to direct our time. And we host a Community Calendar with events from various organizations.
Why am I receiving this newsletter? You either signed up at the event Saturday or through Mobilize.
How often will you email me? We aim for one newsletter a week. On weeks with an action, you may receive one or two extras with quick reminders.
Are you going to ask me for money? Nope. We don’t handle money other than cash donations when folks want to contribute to purchasing water, sign materials, etc.
I don’t want this newsletter. No problem! You can unsubscribe at the bottom.
Mark Your Calendars
MAY 3! The next national day of action is MAY DAY, in coordination with MayDayStrong, 50501, MoveOn, Working Families, and many more. It’s a little tricky because May 1 is May Day, but also a Thursday. We’ve heard repeatedly that Saturdays are best for folks, so we’re doing Saturday May 3, with the full backing of the partner coalition. If you see folks talking about May 1, that’s why. You don’t have to register to attend, but it does help us know how many waters to buy. Here’s the link: https://www.mobilize.us/mayday/event/775297/
Our next Community Meeting is this coming Friday evening, April 25 at 6:30pm. We’re going to meet on Zoom this month, and we’ll put the Zoom link to join in the Community Calendar later this week.
Get Involved
Our volunteer teams are growing!
Our Comms Team is currently closed as Jess gets folks trained and integrated. We anticipate opening it back up for more volunteers this summer.
Our Events Team needs a few more volunteers we can call on for events, including demonstrations. Volunteers attend a training which includes protest safety and de-escalation, arrive an hour early to set up, and stay to help with clean up. During the action, volunteers help distribute water and information, answer questions, lead chants, and more.
Our Outreach Team could use a few more folks working with Brian to build relationships with other local organizations and community members.
[NEW] Rapid Intervention Teams: These teams will work with Eric to respond to state legislative, school board, county and city council meetings, and more.
[NEW] LGBTQIA+ Alliance: It’s clear to all of us that LGBTQIA+ rights are in a very delicate situation. There are a variety of ways we can celebrate and defend our rights, from planning actions to volunteering at Pride to creating fun community events. Right now, we’re working on Pride Prom for June! 😍
If you are interested in joining any of these teams, please email Organizers@YorkCoRising.com.
Recommended Actions:
Daily actions you can take are listed on our Resources page
As always, you can find our Community Calendar here
Email info@YorkCoRising.com with any questions. See you soon!