Weekly Saludarity Meetup

Salud-arity #

We were formed in 2025 as a weekly brainstorming group motivating each other to say no, building people-powered resistance to authoritarianism. We meet every Wednesday at 7pm at Garth's Brew Bar in Madison Wisconsin, one block north of Trader Joe's.

Our meetup #

Our group meets once a week to plan, learn, and take action together. We’re creating a space to turn our anger, fear, and frustration into focused work that makes a real difference. w the meeting goes:

1. We check in, each introducing ourselves and sharing recent stories of what we have done to say No to the administration
2. We brainstorm next possible actions to do, based on news of the week. We have to stay sustainable, so the actions can be small and frequent or large and infrequent.

Action: Say No #

Everything we do is intended to say No to this administration.

The cancelling, and reinstatement of the Jimmy Kimmel Show is an example of this approach.

Details #

Every Wednesday at Garth's Brew Bar 1726 Monroe Street, Madison Wisconsin 53711

Things to brainstorm #

• picket
• dance-party flash mobs
• sign-hold
• distribute sign holding lists
• chalking
• hash-tag
• art show
• prank
• zine
• how to have conversations across party lines
• how to talk to family members
• watch parties with your motivated but so far innocent friends: Resistance Lab, and What's the Plan can be watched together
• dinner parties
• make messages and stickers
• lawn sign lending library of unique signs
• fake flyers, with tear offs
• make zines
• distribute existing zines made by other folks
• sell the 29 page Indivisible Plan pdf (for cost of printing)
• Training booth for how to make a call to a 5 calls target for people who have never called
• Don't reinvent the wheel: spread and riff on existing campaigns
• do any of the above while wearing a banana costume

The news #

Many of us belong to other groups. Share out on what your other group is doing.

Bring a news item to brainstorm around: arrive with a news item, leave with a potentially impactful or at least funny action. Come back next week and report how it's going. This work is both slow and fast work - you might have the same action week after week or on to a new thing.

Theory of action #

Surface area #

An authoritarian has a small primary surface area but a large, soft secondary surface area. They historically have thrived only when key groups—like media, churches, businesses, universities, and government workers—continued to support them. Organized actions such as picketing, chalking messages, street theater, public dance parties, hashtag campaigns, funny memes, and holding home meetings all weaken those pillars.

Conversations #

Talking to strangers and friends is a direct action.

We work to gently move people one step at a time away from helping the authoritarian, whether they’re MAGA voters, conservatives, non-voters, liberals, or active resisters. Thoughtful, respectful conversation is a realistic way that can move someone one step along that continuum.

Theory #

Pramila Jayapal Resistance Lab. monthly virtual classes
Indivisible's 2016 white paper has been revised for Trump 2.0
Book: Rules for Resistance: Advice from Around the Globe for the Age of Trump
Book: Beautiful Trouble
Weekly call: Indivisible's What's the Plan
National umbrella org for the 2000+ local Indivisibles

Democracies can fall in a matter of months, which makes this an immediate and urgent moment—so we’re coming together now to strengthen our capacity to resist. No Kings and Hands Off events are important starting points. We aim to take the next steps after No Kings.

How to join #

We have a Signal group chat. Nothing else.

Principles #

• All events and actions will be nonviolent. Our signs are chalk and tape, not wheatpaste nor paint. We do not destroy private or public property.
• We are here to remake our democracy. We recognize our democracy was rigged from the start in favor of the white and wealthy. We actively work to realize a shared vision of a real democracy — of, by, and for the people.
• We are not a party but we will promote candidates and solicit their support of our values.
• We model inclusion, respect, and fairness in all of our actions.
• We partner with Indivisible and other anti-authoritarian, pro-democracy groups on advocacy, elections, and national Indivisible campaigns.
• We build a strong and strategic movement. We focus our efforts to maximize our impact, winning progressive policy victories and taking power at the local, state, and federal level.

Staying focused #

Focus: our actions are ways to push back on authoritarianism.

Here are some examples and counterexamples.

Sign holdings #

Bit of a tangent but re-posting here for convenience some ongoing sign honk-and-holds around Madison. Some of these are listed on Mobilize.us but some not.

Last checked on November 4, 2025:

Tuesday (2nd and 4th of the month) 4-5: Monona Defends the Constitution (Monona Dr. & Nichols)
Tuesdays University and Farley (near the VA, near Dykman's Time Shop) 8AM
Wednesdays 3-5:30: The Bridge Brigade (Foot Bridge over E. Wash near HWY 30)
Thursdays 4:30-5:30: Vigil for Palestine and Beyond (E. Wilson at John Nolan Dr.
Fridays 4-5: Hold the WI GOP Accountable (148 E. Johnson)
Saturdays 9am: Bridge Brigade: (Foot Bridge over E. Wash near HWY 30)

• Previous: Messaging Around No Kings Protests