Please join us for our 27th consecutive community rally to Defend Democracy in beautiful downtown Bethel. While our overall theme is Defending Democracy, each week we pick a specific focus. On Saturday September 6th, 11am -12:30pm, our focus will be: Youth Activism & Resistance "One child, one teacher, one book, and one pen can change the world" — Malala Yousafzai. Youth activism is the active participation of young people (typically aged 15-25) in community organizing and advocacy for social change, focusing on issues like climate change, racial justice, and gun violence. Youth activism has become an increasingly influential force in driving social change across the globe, with young people actively challenging social, political, and environmental injustices. In the digital age, youth activism has expanded beyond traditional forms of protest, leveraging social media and digital platforms to amplify voices, mobilize communities, and hold governments and corporations accountable. Examples of Youth-Led Initiatives: Climate Activism Organizations like the Sunrise Movement (led by youth) advocate for policies to address climate change. Gun Violence Prevention Groups like March for Our Lives were formed by young people to demand stricter gun control measures. The American Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s saw the active participation of young individuals who played pivotal roles in sit-ins, freedom rides, and voter registration drives. Figures such as John Lewis, who was a leader in the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), exemplified the courage and resilience of youth in the fight against systemic racism and segregation. Their involvement not only challenged discriminatory laws but also inspired other young people to join the movement, amplifying its impact and reach. Similarly, in recent years, climate change activism has been spearheaded by young leaders such as Greta Thunberg, who galvanized millions of people worldwide to demand urgent action on the climate crisis. These examples illustrate how youth activism transcends generations and geographical boundaries, uniting people around shared goals and values We have two fantastic speakers this week: Back by popular demand, Jeremy Klein Farrell , one of the leaders of Justice Southbury, will talk about apathy and youth engagement. Jeremy will speak about his efforts trying to get other young people invested and involved in politics. Jeremy Farrell is a queer, autistic, Jewish activist. He is an admin for Not Just Us, which holds rallies around the state in response to hateful literature drops, cruel legislation, and more. He also organized against LGBTQ+ Book Banning efforts that swept Connecticut including his hometown of Brookfield. Jeremy is also the rally coordinator and one of the lead organizers of Justice Southbury, a grassroots social justice group that has been holding rallies in public, rain or shine for over 275 consecutive weeks. CT Students for a Dream (C4D) A member of C4D, the only undocumented youth-led statewide organization in CT that fights and builds power for the rights and dignity of immigrants and communities of color, will speak at our rally. They organize, empower, and advocate with undocumented young people and those impacted by the immigration systems so that together they can win lasting change for our communities. We are thankful that Lorraine Behrens McGuire is back again. A local talent, some of you have heard her before, right here at our rallies or at area restaurants. In fact, you can catch her Thursday, Sept 11th at Chuck’s Steakhouse. Lorraine's love of singing started at an early age including a love of musical theatre. In college years, she mastered touring NY city schools performing with the Oswego State Singers. In CT, she was Karaoke State champion twice. The rally is non-partisan. What this means is that like-minded people from diverse backgrounds are participating and are vital to our rallies. Defending Democracy crosses party lines: we have registered Republicans, Unaffiliated, Democrats, and non-voters, all coming together to fight for the rights of “We the People” to determine the type of society we want to live in. Never miss information about upcoming rallies by registering for our rally newsletter, bit.ly/BethelRalliesNewsletter (case sensitive). You can also provide feedback on what you'd like to see at future rallies. Questions and feedback are also always welcome anytime at: [email protected]. We have created a Bethel Rally website that houses all our videos and pictures from the rallies. BethelRallies.org A sign-making table and an information table will also be available. Note: Rally is rain or shine. There are 2 small benches at the square and we will have a limited number of camping chairs. Please bring your own lawn or camping chair if you'd like. Approximate Rally Schedule: 11:00 - 11:15 Assemble and rally at curb (You are welcome to arrive prior to 11:00 for extra curb time) 11:15 - 11:45 Program 11:45 - Noon Rally at curb with chant leader Noon - 12:20 March with chant leader 12:20 Closing Song 12:30 Disperse We also collect a non-perishable food item for our local food pantry each week. The food pantry greatly appreciates the donations! Anything you want to contribute is welcome, but an updated list of current needs are: Gravy, condensed soup, any jam or jelly flavor other than grape, baking mixes, and jello. Jello can either be the box mix or predone cups. Empty egg cartons- Any style, so long as they're clean. SMALL empty detergent bottles We ask that attendees refrain from sign holding or chanting at the curb during our speaking portion of the rally. We have had issues with speakers being heard because of the increased honking. It also is a courtesy to the speakers who are often discussing serious and sensitive topics. We are sharing a small square so we need your help to make the rallies comfortable for everyone. We have tried to arrange the rallies so there is a little something for everyone: chanting, marching, themes with speakers, live music, fun trinkets, sign making. We appreciate every one of you that attends and we are working hard to bring all of us together to voice our frustrations, build community and also hopefully learn a little something from experts or your fellow neighbors experiences. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation. ❤️ We also ask that you park at one of the four public parking lots. The lot that is very close to the rally location, PT Barnum Square, is behind the municipal center. Although all street parking is public, we ask that you please not park in the limited parking spots in front of our local businesses, but definitely enjoy our beautiful towns restaurants and shops after the rally! Bring your voice, your spirit, and your friends. Let’s make change visible. 💥 Because democracy doesn’t take the summer off. Thank you 😊 A core principle behind all Indivisible events is a commitment to nonviolent action. We expect all participants to seek to de-escalate any potential confrontation with those who disagree with our values.