📫 Genesee Valley Guardian Vol 2, Issue 15 – April 14, 2026
Genesee Valley Guardian
Vol 2, Issue 15 — April 14, 2026
RALLY REPORT — APRIL 11, 2026
A small contingent of Genesee Valley Indivisible members assisted a group of ReSisters from Albany in their march and rally at the Buffalo Federal Detention Center in Batavia, NY. The ReSisters were all dressed as Handmaids, inspired by a book by Margaret Atwood and TV series on Hulu. They were very vocal in their anger at ICE and CBP, as well as the system of abusive detention centers these agencies control.
Photo Credits: Mark Gutman, Batavia Daily News
The GVI members attending were mostly Safety Marshals: Pam White (Lead Marshal), Gary Koplun, Pam Wallum, Paula Smith, Mike Patterson (WyCoNY Indivisible), and David “Oscar” Mayer (Knowledge and Action Rochester). This was a great marshaling crew that turned out on short notice and with scant advance information from the organizers. There were no incidents and the Handmaids were able to get their point across. A BIG shoutout to these dedicated marshals!
We cannot forget that the march and rally were dedicated to the memory of Nurul Amin Shah Alam. He is the blind and elderly Buffalo resident who was released from wrongful detention in freezing temperatures and active snow storm. Nurul was found dead five days later. While we learn the names of protesters killed on streaming video, Nurul is one of the more than 45 detainees who have died in custody whose stories we have not heard. When we think of the crimes of ICE and CBP, Nurul helps us think about all of the unrecognized victims.
KEEP THE MOMENTUM GOING
“Stand up, Fight Back” Saturday with Wyoming County Indivisible
Saturday, April 18 · Noon
County Courthouse
143 N. Main St, Warsaw, NY
Join WyCoNy at the next “Stand up, Fight back” rally in Warsaw.
VOTER ENGAGEMENT
GVI is forming a Voter Engagement Squad. If you’ve been waiting for us to move into this phase of 2026 actions, the time is now!
Ready to join the first campaign?
Check Your Voter Registration Status
Visit Vote.org to confirm your current status or register to vote in New York State.
We will share more information about this project in the coming weeks.
GENESEE VALLEY VOICES
From Timothy Snyder’s No Kings 3.0 speech in Cincinnati:
Now, when we say No Kings, we’re saying what we’re against and I’m loving the t-shirts and I’m loving the signs. We’re talking about holding something back, hindering it, slowing, blocking it. That’s the beginning, that’s the resistance. But when we say No Kings, we also have to be thinking about what we want.
We cannot go back. Not to 1776, not to 4 years ago, we cannot go back. We can only go forward. Everything is a beginning. We are beginning to work together towards freedom. And we do it by being together, by marching together. We do it by organizing together when the march is over. We do it by mass actions and mass protests. We do it by supporting one another day by day, especially those of us who are most vulnerable. And we do it by winning elections!
Genesee Valley Voices is taking inspiration from Tim Snyder. Going forward, we would like quotes, anecdotes, and stories that highlight what you want going forward. What does our world after the mid-terms (with a Democratic majority in Congress) look like? What does our world look like in January 2029 when we swear in the next Democratic president?
Let us hear your voice! Put your contribution in the Contact Form on the GVI website.
UPCOMING EVENTS
GVI Weekly Community Meeting
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.
- New Format: Agenda arrives in member email inboxes on Thursday mornings.
- Weather cancellations emailed to all GVI members by 3:00 PM Thursday.
- Address & map
- Join our member email list
Candidate Forum — NY Congressional District 24
Tuesday, April 14 · 6:30 PM
Little Finger Lakes Center
4705 S Main St, Hemlock, NY 14466
Organized by Hemlock Rising Indivisible
OneNYS Indivisible Statewide Call
Tuesday, April 14 · 6:30–7:30 PM · Zoom
Join Indivisibles from across New York State for a statewide strategy call.
Agenda:
- “What is Ground Truth” — with Caitlin from the NY19 coalition
- A fighter score rubric to measure your candidates against each other — with Kathy from NW Bronx Indivisible
- “How to Assemble an Activist” book discussion — with Saul, Brooklyn Resisters group leader
- Climate priorities in the budget — with Kamran from Indivisible ADK/Saratoga
- General discussion
Constitutional Crisis Call-Out — 1 Year Anniversary
Wednesday, April 29 · Noon
Federal Building
100 State St., Rochester, NY 14614
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 — 3:30–4:30 PM (Winter Schedule)
Southeast Corner of Rt 15A and Rt 20A (aka “Dollar General Corner”)
Organized by Hemlock Rising Indivisible (hemlockrise8@gmail.com)
Listen to What’s the Plan? — Weekly Zoom & Podcast
Weekly, national, interactive Zoom with Indivisible co-CEOs Leah Greenberg and Ezra Levin.
MAY DAY — NATIONAL GENERAL STRIKE
A national call to action. Support “Workers Over Billionaires,” Fair Wage, Tax The Rich, and ICE Out.
Friday, May 1st Events
Finger Lakes Rally and March
Women’s Rights National Park, Geneva, NY
Friday, May 1 · Noon
“Workers Have the Power to Defeat Trump’s Agenda”
Organized by FLX ROAR
Geneseo Gateway Corner Park Action
Gateway Corner Park, Geneseo, NY
Friday, May 1 · 4:00–5:00 PM
Organized by Genesee Valley Citizens for Peace
Rochester March
Washington Square Park, Rochester, NY
Friday, May 1 · 5:30 PM
Marching to Austin Steward Plaza (approx. 1 mile)
Host: Rochester Labor Council; Organizer: May Day Coalition
Pine Tavern Intersection Action
Routes 20A & 39, Between Leicester and Perry, NY
Friday, May 1 · 5:30–7:00 PM
Co-hosts: Wyoming County NY Indivisible & Genesee Valley Indivisible
Parking: Public gravel lot available; roadside parking outside the white line
Saturday, May 2nd Events
Geneseo Village Park Rally
South St. (Rte. 20A) and Main St. (Rte. 39), Geneseo, NY
Saturday, May 2 · 1:00 PM
Rally and Speeches for International Labor Day
Organized by the SUNY Geneseo Youth Democratic Socialists of America Chapter
Hemlock’s “Dollar General Corner”
Southeast Corner of Rt 15A and Rt 20A, Hemlock, NY
Saturday, May 2 · 1:00 PM
Organized by Hemlock Rising Indivisible
Canandaigua Peaceful Protest
659 S. Main Street (Routes 5 & 20), Canandaigua, NY
Saturday, May 2 · 1:00–3:00 PM
Together We Stand — Peaceful Protest
Organized by We Dissent (Canandaigua) and FLX ROAR
GVI BOOK CLUB’S THIRD CHAPTER
Lessons from Bobby: Ten Reasons Robert F. Kennedy Matters
by Chris Matthews
Synopsis, Review & About the Author from Goodreads
Discussion Session #1: April 16th, 5:30 PM (before the weekly community meeting)
- Borrow (owwl.org)
- Rent Audiobook (Audible)
- Buy: ThriftBooks; BookShop.org; Sundance Books (106 Main St., Geneseo, NY)
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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