RESISTING TRUMP IN COCONUT GROVE

    "It gives me hope, being around so many positive people resisting the Trump agenda", is what one woman told me.  She was one of 126 people attending our political action gathering Sunday night. It was a MoveOn meeting sponsored by the Grove's new group, "Progressive Miami".
     Our skate-boarding city commissioner, Ken Russell, got us off to a good start giving a rousing speech. We were there to share ideas on how to deal with the dark days ahead. This Friday we get new President, one so embarrassing he makes Pee Wee Herman look like Lincoln.

   After Ken's speech we broke up into four groups to discuss the Affordable Care Act,

women's rights,







immigration issues, and,

the inexperienced billionaires Trump has chosen for his cabinet.
      
When we re-convened each group shared their issues and ways to resolve them. 
   The road ahead is long but in groups like this, we will be walking -and working- together.
 It was inspiring to be there.

  South Miami Mayor gave us some tips on how to influence politicians.

  
    




At one point I was presented with a "pussy hat", one that I will proudly wear in Saturday's Women's March on Washington. 
 


One of our tremendously talented members, Susan Barimo, knitted it on the way to the meeting. She can apparently make these in less time than it takes to yawn.

   Our Grove group began when I invited seven friends over after  November's election. Looking for answers, we realized most of our country's voters had rejected Trump. We decided to help mobilize these fifty million voters into something positive. Hundreds of other community groups are doing the same thing. National organizations like MoveOn, Indivisible, Wall-of-Us, and the Democratic party are pointing the way.

      Thirty people attended our second meeting at a Grove church and we took our first political action.  Now we have a name, a growing, energetic crowd, and a terrific new Facebook page, "Progressive Miami".

       Come join us if you share our values of truth, tolerance, and dignity. Jump in if you want to work for social and economic justice. Together groups like Progressive Miami will protect our community, defend the country, and help build an America that we can be proud of.
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