Just like you, there are many people in this country who want to save our democracy. And if we organize, we can,
Many of us in the United States are asking hard questions for the first time: Will we lose our democracy? Is there still time to save it? How can we make sure we can vote? Will our votes be counted? And what do we do if, when we try to vote, we are stopped by armed men?
How, if we have to, can we stop a coup?
These are not hypotheticals. We have a president who denies election results and has already ordered a thousand Department of Justice monitors to flood voting places this November, and who has said he will not rule out sending military troops or ICE officers to the polls.
The good news is we are not alone when we ask these questions. And many of us are working together to create solutions. Because like you, there are many people in this country who want to save our democracy. And you can, too.
Many of us are connected through May Day Strong, a coalition which combines the power of community organizations with the strength of organized labor to defend our democracy, and also demand that our democracy improve the lives of working people. People’s Action is a leading member of this coalition, which has united more than 500 organizations under the banner of “Workers Over Billionaires,” and already helped organize more than five thousand actions across the country on May 1.
This Labor Day, we are taking the next step with our partners in May Day Strong, launching “Solidarity Schools” all across the country, so communities large and small can prepare to defend elections and our neighbors from assaults on civil liberties. We’re hosting local trainings and actions all across the country, as well as virtual trainings you can attend from home. And we’re even freely sharing all the materials you might need to host your own event or training where you live, or for your own organization!
We are also connected through the Organizing Revival Networks coalition, an alliance which brought together more than a thousand senior organizers from hundreds of organizations in DC last year for a “Pro-Democracy Bootcamp,” to explore how we can organize effectively under an authoritarian regime. Then in November, we launched our call to boycott corporations like AT&T who profit from federal agencies that no longer respect civil liberties, then May Day Strong hosted its inaugural “Solidarity School” in Chicago.
Since then, through both coalitions, hundreds of local organizations have hosted trainings to share and practice the fundamental skills and strategy we need to defend democracy together.
We know, from history, that once democracy is lost, it can take generations to recover. We also know that if organized people take action quickly to preserve democracy, it can be saved.
So how do we stop a coup? We build alliances, we bring together all of the different strengths that make each of our organizations strong, so we can be stronger together. Then together we train, strategize and prepare to defend each other and our right to vote, peacefully and fully rejecting violence.
From history we know nonviolent noncompliance can be a powerful tool. When a growing number of people refuse to comply with unjust and inhumane orders, and disrupt economic activity in key moments, they invite all sectors of society to come over to the Freedom Side and join us in a just cause. This is where the coalition between community groups and organized labor is essential.
One powerful example of this is South Korea. In December of 2024, the country’s president, Yuun Suk Yeol, abruptly declared martial law, citing vague threats. He suspended democracy and ordered the military to occupy the National Assembly.
Within hours, South Korea’s citizens, elected officials and organized labor took action together to preserve their democracy. The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions quickly called for a general strike, and tens of thousands of protesters flooded into the streets. Lawmakers defied the military occupation of the National Assembly, climbing over fences to enter the chamber for a late-night vote. 190 legislators voted unanimously to overturn the president’s order of martial law.
Within six hours, the coup was over.
What was the key to this success? Quick, decisive and coordinated nonviolent action by a broad coalition of organized people, united in their commitment to defend democracy. That’s what People’s Action, the Organizing Revival Networks and May Day Strong are working hard to build in this country, right now.
So this Labor Day, sign up for one of May Day Strong’s virtual or in-person training, or even better, host your own!
Because when we stand together, we grow stronger. Together, our voices will be heard. And when we organize, together, we can win.
