July 9 Meeting Minutes

 Indivisible St. Johnsbury

Full Group Meeting Minutes  

Wednesday, July 09, 2025

Universalist Unitarian Meeting House

St. Johnsbury, Vermont

1. Welcome Welcome and review of the purpose of Indivisible St. Johnsbury  

2. Reading - "Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it. Pass it on.”--Thurgood Marshall

3. Pair Shares 

4. Stories of Resistance 

International Center of Nonviolent Conflict (ICNC) Blog post: Humor: A Subtle Rebellion by Mariam Azeem

5. Highlights from Indivisible St. J Survey - Highlights of the survey results. The online version is still on the website and open. We are looking for additional feedback. The presenter noted all of the creative suggestions that were shared by the membership!  

6. Working: The energy of the group, the meetings, the leadership, the work groups, and the well-organized protests. 

7. ..could be done differently: 

   1. The meeting schedule does not currently accommodate younger people/working individuals which we are so committed to engaging.

   2. The work groups would benefit from improved communication and coordination with one another. 

   3. The current space for meetings has acoustical challenges, seating is cumbersome, etc. 

8. Leadership Announcement - A new structure has been developed in response to the survey and to support the long-term health of the organization. “This is a relay, not a sprint.” The goal is to bring forward the knowledge and skills of the membership with the following new structure:  

   1. Co-facilitators will support the weekly meetings.

   2. The Coordinating Team will handle general organizational functions, including financial reporting, policy development, meeting agendas, and member engagement. This will also involve the co-facilitators of the meetings. (Anyone interested in joining the Coordinating Team should contact the co-facilitators and let us know.) 

   3. The Action Team will comprise a representative from each of the Work Groups (and an Alternate). This will replace the Steering Committee. The group will communicate frequently and meet at least once a month. 

 Warm thanks were expressed for the Steering Committee members who founded and guided the organization along since December, 2024.  

Additional Benefits of the New Structure This is an opportunity to engage in strategic planning —thinking about where we need to be in six months - perhaps mutual aid, etc. It will also involve an increased focus on membership including onboarding new members and determining a schedule to meet the community's needs. 

Important note on context: The new structure is not out of the blue;  it is based on the structure used by another Indivisible group in Vermont and it fits with our needs now. 

7. July Protest: Good Trouble Lives On  Be sure to RSVP through the Indivisible St. J website. This event commemorates the life and work of John Lewis. A shout out to the Communications Work Group for all that they are doing to promote this event with posters, the website, and our social media outlets. (Facebook, Instagram, BlueSky, the new FB group, etc.) 

   1. Staffing: MC, Marshals, 3 medics, a police liason and a lead marshal.  Marshals need to arrive at 4 pm. There will be a dedicated communication channel for these folks. 

   2. Welcome tent: First aid, water, buttons, voter registration, Indivisible St J handouts.  

   3. Performers: The Solidarity Singers, the debut of the new radical Brass Band the Whistle Pig Riot, and one or two other performers. 

   4. Speakers will include Mike Pieciak, State Treasurer and other community members. Speeches are being submitted now to Comms to develop the press releases. Limit 5-10 minutes. Suggested - limit to 5 minutes max. 

   5. Members are asked to: 

      1. attend and bring a friend. 

      2. share the promos widely through social media. We are on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and the new Facebook Group: “Indivisible St. Johnsbury Community” which is not a public FB group.  

   6. Posters for hanging in the community - take one and a PDF version will be posted to the website for sharing and printing. 

   7. Poster Party at Sam’s Listening Bar: Sunday, 7/13, also RSVP on our website. 

   8. Comms will be developing press releases and submitting info ahead of time which will include a notice about the news about Mike Piechiak speaking. 

   9. Recommended: Comms post to Front Porch Forum

8. Stars and Stripes Festival and Parade 

   1. Saturday, 7/19, Band Stand Park Lyndonville, 10 am - 3 pm 

   2. A collaborative event with NEK Indivisible/Burke area

   3. Members interested in staffing the booth (please more) 

      1.  arrive early. 

      2. let us know so we can be sure to have coverage throughout the time slot.

   4. We are setting up a mini-food shelf. (Be sure to bring donations to the Wednesday 7/16 Indivisible meeting so we have a stocked shelf to offer and paperbags) 

9. Meal Train for the St. Johnsbury Shelter is going well and what a great feeling of hope and joy this effort brings for the volunteers as the shelter folks. We are providing wonderful dishes and it is so appreciated! Sign up sheets in the back at each meeting- we provide a meal for 20 people on the last Monday of each month. 

10. Route 91 Overpass Fridays 

    1. This is part of a statewide Indivisible effort all along the 9 overpasses on Fridays and Sundays, 4-6 pm.   

    2. For our area: A couple of members are currently facilitating one on the Mount Pleasant 91 overpass - very safe. Each Fridays, 4-6 pm and Sundays, 4-6 pm. They have one banner - they need more members to attend and at least one additional banner for the other side of the overpass.  

11. Recently spotted: “Common Decency Made Me A Radical.” (love it!) 

12. Next meetings and events: 

    1. Work Group Meeting: Wednesday, 7/16, 11-12, UU Meeting House. 

    2. Full Group Meeting, Wednesday, 7/23, 11- 12, UU Meeting House St. Johnsbury