🇺🇸 GENESEE VALLEY GUARDIAN Vol 2, Issue 27 — July 7, 2026
Genesee Valley Guardian
Vol 2, Issue 27 — July 7, 2026
This week — three things to do
- Tonight, 8 PM ET: Join the Good Trouble Lives On mass call — prep for the July 17–19 weekend of action
- Join us Saturday, July 11 in Geneseo — RSVP
- Call Schumer & Gillibrand: Medicaid work requirements take effect July 31
Schumer · Gillibrand
We Are American. We Are the Resistance.
This week, America turned 250. If it felt more like a shrug than a celebration, you weren’t imagining it. Only about half of Americans now say they’re “extremely” or “very” proud to be American — a 25-year low.
Nearly 70% say they’re dissatisfied with where the country is headed. Instead of bringing the country together, the administration used the anniversary to divide it further, with a dark, combative speech at Mount Rushmore warning of enemies within.
That’s not patriotism. Real patriotism was never about fireworks and a flag pin. For 250 years Americans have been arguing about who gets counted, who gets heard, and who gets to belong. Every generation that pushed that argument forward — abolitionists, suffragists, labor organizers, the civil rights movement was accused of being unpatriotic while they did it.
“Democracy is not a state. It is an act.”
— Rep. John Lewis
We’re one week out from Good Trouble Lives On, the national weekend honoring Lewis’s legacy (see below). That’s the patriotism GVI is built on: showing up in Geneseo and Lima, calling Schumer and Gillibrand about Medicaid, training to protect immigrant neighbors, standing at the Wednesday and Friday visibility protests. None of that is despair. It’s the most American thing there is: speaking our voice, and showing up for each other, because no one else is coming to do it for us.
We are American. And we are patriotic in our resistance.
Good Trouble Lives On — July 17–19
Indivisible’s national weekend honors John Lewis’s legacy, with three phases: Friday Teach!, Saturday Reach!, Sunday Preach! Events in Western New York and the Finger Lakes:
Saturday, July 18 · Ovid, NY · 11:00 AM – Noon, Intersection Rtes 96 & 96A · RSVP
Saturday, July 18 · Auburn, NY · 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM, 2 South Street · RSVP
Sunday, July 19 · Batavia, NY · Noon – 2:00 PM, Batavia City Center · RSVP
Sunday, July 19 · Seneca Falls, NY · 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM, Women’s Rights Park · RSVP
Weekly Inspiration
The New York primary is over. Alissa Ellman won decisively, Diana Kastenbaum conceded the same night and endorsed her immediately, and both had pledged before the primary to support the winner. That’s how it works — and it’s the only strategy that can beat Claudia Tenney in November.
Not everyone in the national Democratic establishment got the memo. After grassroots-backed candidates won big in New York — including Indivisible-endorsed Brad Lander and Darializa Avila Chevalier — some establishment figures called for a party “schism.” Ezra Levin, Indivisible’s co-executive director, had a direct answer:
“Support whoever you want in the Democratic primaries. Win or lose, unify behind whichever Dem wins the primary. Crush the fascist bastards in the general. Fight out your disagreements within the Party after the election. This is so straightforward that we might assume it was common sense among professional political types. Unfortunately, that’s not the case.”
— Ezra Levin, Indivisible, June 29, 2026
Stand Up, Fight Back Saturdays
Saturday, July 11 · Noon to 1:00 PM
Elect Alissa Ellman to Congress — Defeat Tenney
Geneseo Gateway Park
Main Street, Geneseo, NY
This event coincides with the Geneseo Festival.
Saturday, July 25 · Noon to 1:00 PM
Elect Alissa Ellman to Congress — Defeat Tenney
Lima Four Corners
Main Street & Rochester Road, Lima, NY
Co-organized with the 5&20 Alliance. Last day of the Hemlock Fair.
Saturday, August 8 · Noon to 1:00 PM
Elect Alissa Ellman to Congress — Defeat Tenney
Traffic Circle at Rtes 36 and 20
Caledonia, NY
This event is on the same day as the Lima Crossroads Festival.
Saturday, August 22 · Noon to 1:00 PM
Elect Alissa Ellman to Congress — Defeat Tenney
Exact location TBA.
Mt. Morris, NY
This event coincides with the Livingston County Summer Fest.
Reach In — Learn, Train, Volunteer
Immigrant Justice Summer — What to Do When ICE Surges
When ICE surges in your community, what does your group do? Indivisible’s new training series gives you a concrete three-step plan: align with immigrant-led organizations, define your group’s role, and build a network ready to respond.
Nationally, Temporary Protected Status (TPS) work authorization for hundreds of thousands of immigrants ended on June 25, 2026. It is urgent that we fix this before they are homeless, food insecure, or forced to leave the US. Locally, ICE is building a new detention center inside the Rochester, NY, Federal Building on State Street. And just this week, we have learned that ICE is expanding the Batavia Detention Center with 100 additional beds.
Learn how we can organize our community to fight back. Indivisible is offering a 5-hour workshop on how to organize. There are 5 one-hour sessions in July and August. Use this button to sign up. (Also, see the GVI Rapid Response Network project in the Local Actions section below.)
Hands Off Our Vote — Election Protection
Trump and Republican state legislators are working to restrict who can register and vote this November. Indivisible’s Hands Off Our Vote program trains volunteers, watches for voter suppression tactics, and makes sure every eligible ballot gets counted.
Get Involved with the Ellman Campaign
The campaign needs volunteers to knock on doors, make calls, attend rallies, and send texts — whatever you can give, wherever you are in the district.
‘Lightworkers’ Film and discussion
Thirty-seven diverse men & women confront the problem of saving their democracy from fascism. Director Bobby Roth interviewed activists and “do-gooders” to find out what motivates them and how they make it happen. Get ready to be inspired and galvanized. This event includes viewing the movie (about 83 minutes), followed by a Q&A and discussion.
- Thursday, July 23 — 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM · First Unitarian Church of Rochester, 220 S Winton Rd, Rochester, NY 14610
RSVP & Connect to Lightworkers Website
Phonebanking Opportunities
Call voters in NY-17 with Citizen Action of New York. Make calls to residents of Rep. Mike Lawler’s Hudson Valley district about federal policy and what’s at stake for them.
Call with the Environmental Voter Project. The project has identified 11.2 million environmentalists who didn’t vote in 2024. They’re working to turn them into consistent voters — a bloc too big for politicians to ignore.
Sign Up — EnvironmentalVoter.org
Become an Election Inspector — November 3 General Election
New York Counties’ Board of Elections need trained inspectors for the November General Election. It’s one of the most direct ways to support a fair election from the inside.
- Sign up — Livingston County
- Sign up — Monroe County
- Sign up — Ontario County
- Sign up — Wyoming County
Outreach — Call or Email Your Representatives
Federal contacts for Livingston County · NYS contacts
Medicaid Work Requirements Take Effect July 31
July 4 marked one year since Trump signed the One Big Beautiful Bill into law. Its Medicaid work requirements take effect July 31. Starting then, enrollees between 18 and 64 must document that they work, volunteer, study, or caregive at least 80 hours a month. Miss that, and they lose their coverage.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates 11.8 million people will lose Medicaid over the next decade. Of those, 4.8 million will lose it not because they stopped working, but because they couldn’t keep up with the paperwork.
Livingston County enrolls a higher share of residents in Medicaid than the state average, with fewer resources to help people comply. Farmers, caregivers, and seasonal workers face the most exposure — not because they don’t qualify, but because a missed form costs them their coverage.
Who to contact: Sen. Chuck Schumer · Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand
Script format: “Medicaid work requirements take effect July 31. These documentation barriers will cause millions of low-income Americans including working people, caregivers, and rural residents to lose their health coverage. Please use every tool available to block implementation and fight for full repeal of these provisions.”
Local Actions
GVI Rapid Response Network — Protect Immigrant Neighbors
GVI is building an Immigrant Rapid Response Network for Livingston County, modeled on Rochester’s RRRN. When ICE operates in the area, network members get emergency alerts and a plan. The first step is completing the online training on July 15.
Rapid Response Training: Wednesday, July 15 · 6–8 PM · Online
You must complete this training to receive alerts. Contact GVI with questions.
Defeat Tenney Yard Signs
Genesee Valley Indivisible, with other Indivisibles and allied groups in NY-24, is putting “Defeat Tenney” yard signs across the district. Email Phil at paj12147@gmail.com to reserve yours. Suggested donation: $7.
Register — or Confirm Your Registration — for November
The general election is November 3. In New York, you must be registered by October 24 (received online or in person) or October 29 (postmarked by mail). If you’ve moved, changed your name, or haven’t voted recently, check now.
Support Alianza AgrĂcola
Learn how local immigrant farmworkers organized a mutual support group and how you can help.
- Become an Ally
- Donate to Alianza AgrĂcola
- Monthly Ally meetings in Geneseo, 3rd Friday of the month — Register
WEEKLY RECURRING EVENTS
Constitutional Crisis Call-Out
Weekly on Wednesday — Noon to 1:30 PM
Federal Building, 100 State St., Rochester, NY
A People’s Action Event
RSVP & Contact Organizer for parking information.
July 8, 1776 is the date that the Constitution of the United States of America was first read publicly to “We the People,” although it was signed on July 4th. On July 8, 2026, join a 250th Anniversary Event! Americans from 50 States, 5 Territories, the District of Columbia and Minor Outlying Islands of the United States will read the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to the public.
GVI Weekly Community Meeting
Summer Meeting Schedule
July & August (7/9 to 8/27) – Regular Meeting time and location.
Details
Thursdays, 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Geneseo, NY
Enter through the red door in the back of the church.
- Welcome. No RSVP required.
- Weather cancellations emailed to all GVI members by 3:00 PM Thursday.
- Address & map
- Join our member email list
Weekly Geneseo Wednesday and Friday Protests
Wednesdays and Fridays — 4:00–5:00 PM
Gateway Corner Park in Geneseo, NY (across from Wegmans)
Join the ‘Geneseo Visibles’ — all are welcome, even if you can only stay for 10 minutes!
Weekly Hemlock Protest
Wednesdays — 4:30–5:30 PM (Summer Schedule)
Southeast Corner of Rt 15A and Rt 20A (aka “Dollar General Corner”)
Organized by Hemlock Rising Indivisible
Livingston Bridge Brigade
Once a week, we raise our signs over Route 390, alternating between the 7 AM morning commute and the 3:45 PM return. It’s safe, it’s fun, and it gets our message in front of the people who need to see it.
We are part of the GVI Artists Group. To join us, send an email to info@GeneseeValleyIndivisible.org with your name, phone number, and email address.
Listen to What’s the Plan? — Weekly Zoom & Podcast
Weekly, national, interactive Zoom with Indivisible co-CEOs Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin.
LOCAL POSTCARD CAMPAIGN
You can pick up postcards to write at home OR write them at GVI’s Thursday meetings. The Artist’s Team is setting up a table to serve as the “postcard station” and can provide pens. Order in advance by Wednesday each week.
SUPPORT GENESEE VALLEY INDIVISIBLE
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