Hi there! Welcome to Easy A–Your go-to source for quick and easy actions you can take in five minutes or less about the issues you care about.
Are you a busy mom? Or maybe your work is so hectic you can’t think about anything else during the day? A lot of us are also taking care of parents or other loved ones too, leaving little time for anything else.
The good news is that these are things you can do while you’re waiting in the school pick up line, on your lunch break, or even at your kid’s soccer practice – anywhere you happen to be! And you can easily share Easy A with your friends so they can be in the know, too! We’ll send you a new action to take every week–just one, we promise –and it will always be something you can do in five minutes or less. Ready to get started? Let’s go!
Watch This: Modern Day Voter Suppression in America
America has a long history of voter suppression. While the tactics may have changed over time, the reason remains the same — extremists know that their positions are unpopular and that the only way they can win elections is if they keep people from voting.
We talked about the different types of modern day voter suppression laws last week, and unfortunately, we have a perfect example of a voter ID bill looming over us all right now.
The SAVE Act is a huge voter suppression bill, and Speaker Mike Johnson made sure it passed the U.S. House of Representatives this session. Watch here where he was recently caught on a hot mic proving our point — extremists want low voter turnout in elections.
This is why it’s important to vote in every election, and to make sure our friends and family do, too. It’s also important to keep using our voice with our elected representatives.
Fortunately, the SAVE Act has not passed in the U.S. Senate yet, so next week, we’ll give you a way to tell your senators how you feel about this awful bill!
Read This: The Problem with School Vouchers
School vouchers sound fairly innocent, don’t they? But did you know that school vouchers take taxpayer funds away from public schools and direct it to religious and private institutions that are not held to the same standards of education, equity and opportunity?
Proponents of school vouchers like to call this “school choice” — implying that vouchers are giving parents more options in their children’s education. But in reality, the actual choice is with the schools. Private institutions — even if they’re receiving public funds through voucher programs — are not required to admit students and can deny entrance to anyone. This means students with learning disabilities, students of color and students from lower socio-economic backgrounds often get left behind. All while these funds are diverted from public schools, making it harder for them to serve everyone.
So if school vouchers don’t give all students more choice in education, what’s the point? The real reason behind school voucher programs is to defund public education. It’s one step in a plan to eventually privatize education in the United States. We can’t let that happen. All students deserve access to well-funded public schools that provide equitable opportunities to learn and succeed.
Do This: It’s Survey Time. We Want to Hear From You!
Happy New Year! ? Red Wine & Blue is committed to listening to the people who make up our sisterhood – people like you! That’s why we want to hear from you.
We want to make sure we never lose sight of what our women care about – because that tells us what Red Wine & Blue can and should do. That means finding out from you whether you are finding the work we are doing – and the way we do it – valuable.
With that mission in mind, we are hoping that you’ll take a few minutes out of your day to complete our 2023 Red Wine & Blue Survey!
Take It One Step Further: Look Back on 2023, Look Ahead to 2024
There’s just a few days left of 2023 and we want to celebrate with you! Not gonna lie, it was a busy year. We accomplished SO MUCH and we did it together, as a community of badass superheroes. Check out our 2023 Year in Review now:
We are so proud of our wins – You should be proud too! – And looking ahead, we know that 2024 is going to be an even bigger year. And we could really use your help.
There are so many different ways to get involved with RWB and making a year-end donation is one of them. It’s an easy way to invest in the future of our fight against extremism. If you make a donation this week, your gift will be doubled thanks to a generous matching gift donor! That means $10 becomes $20, $25 becomes $50! If you’re a first time donor, your gift will even be tripled!
Are you ready to take the next step and help us continue our fight against extremism in 2024? Click here to make a donation and become a Red Wine & Blue superhero!
Oh, and one more thing: Happy New Year! ?
Do This: Become a Troublemaker!
Wow, what a year! We accomplished a ton in 2023. Thank you for being a part of our community – We couldn’t have done it without you.
Here are some other amazing things that happened this year: 
- Over 20,000 people attended Red Wine & Blue events.
- 110 members of our community ran for office.
- RWB members in Ohio collected 57,000 signatures to help put Reproductive Freedom on the ballot. And then they passed the ballot measure enshrining repro rights in their state constitution!
- TroubleNation (our national distributed organizing program) started in the fall and already has 112 grassroots groups in 37 states, with 38,000 mostly female members!
- Across multiple states we stopped extremists from winning seats on school boards.
- Over 14,000 people attended an RWB training in 2023. Were you one of them? If not, now’s your chance!
Are you ready to level up in 2024? How about making it one of your New Year’s resolutions to cause a little good trouble next year? We can help you get started with one of our upcoming Troublemaker Trainings. These trainings are super easy to fit into your schedule – They are entirely online, so you can do them from anywhere, and they’re only about one hour long. You’ll learn how to be a Troublemaker and meet like-minded women. You might even make a new friend! So are you ready to take the next step? Sign up now for a Troublemaker Training this January!
Watch This: We’ve Got a Theme Song!
One of the amazing things about the Red Wine & Blue community is all the unbelievably talented women it includes. We’ve got actors and singers, writers and artists, teachers and organizers. And we love seeing the creativity that our members bring to their activism.
In fact, one of our members, Mariama Whyte, even wrote a song for us! It’s called “We Came to Make a Change,” and it’s guaranteed to get you feeling fired up. Check it out now. And sorry, not sorry for getting this ear worm stuck in your head!
We’re gearing up to make some major change in 2024 with the support of everyday superheroes like you. Together, we will protect reproductive freedom, push back on book bans, defeat extremism in our communities, and stand up for democratic values. Click here to supercharge our work in 2024. Thanks so much for your support!
Read This: Meet the Superheroes of Black Voters Matter!
Happy December! All this month, we are celebrating the Everyday Superheroes that are making a difference in our communities. And as part of that celebration, we have joined forces with another superpowered group: Black Voters Matter (BVM)! 
Black voters turn out at the ballot box at the second highest rate in the nation, but extremists are using racial gerrymandering and terrible voter suppression laws to make it harder for Black Americans to vote. BVM is fighting back! Since 2018, BVM has been at the forefront of initiatives to protect voting rights and get the vote out where it’s most difficult.
We’re super inspired by the work of Black Voters Matter, and we think you will be too! So today, if you give to Red Wine & Blue, half of every dollar will go to support their amazing voting rights work.
Suppression of the Black vote doesn’t just stop at gerrymandering. States like North Carolina, Georgia, and Michigan have implemented strict voter ID laws, taken away Sunday voting, removed polling places in predominantly Black areas, and reduced early voting – all policies proven to reduce Black turnout.
Black Voters Matter has stood up for their rights in a BIG way. They organized a nine-day “Freedom Ride for Voting Rights” bus tour to garner grassroots support for voting legislation. They have sued Florida and Georgia to challenge restrictive provisions. They held clinics to help people get the correct ID to vote. They organized sending 69 million text messages to inform people of their rights.
We are going to need Black Voters Matter at full power to help turn out the vote in 2024, and you can make a real difference for them.
Thanks for being a superhero for Black Voters Matter and Red Wine & Blue! ??
Do This: Ask Your Friends to Join Us in Standing Up for LGBTQ+ Kids
Have you had enough with extremists trying to pass anti-trans legislation? Are you tired of the fear mongering that surrounds trans kids and their participation in sports? Do you wish people would just focus on real issues in education instead of these made up issues? Then you’re in the right place! And you probably have some friends who feel the same way.
Click below to help spread the word on social and invite your friends to join us. Let’s come together and work for all of our kids. Empathy is our superpower!
Watch This: Anti-Trans Bills Are Harming LGBTQ+ Kids
Last week, we started talking about right-wing extremist attacks on LGBTQ+ kids, so this week, we’re taking it one step further to dig into gender affirming care–what exactly is it and why it is so important. It’s actually very simple.
Gender affirming care helps kids feel safe in their own body, in their homes, and in their school. Critics who attack gender affirming care use fear-mongering and inaccurate information to manipulate us. But take it from trans activist Alejandra Caraballo, as she explains just how important gender affirming care is to kids, and why these attacks on the trans community are so dangerous.
Want to learn more? You can listen to our full podcast about Anti-Trans Bills and the harm they are causing our LGBTQ+ youth on our website or anywhere you listen to your favorite pods.
One more thing! Next Thursday is a holiday, so we won’t have a new post that day. We’ll see you again on November 30th. Take care!
Read This: Anti-Trans Bills Are Harming LGBTQ+ Kids
Reproductive freedom has been making headlines a lot this year, but did you know that the same groups that fought to get Roe overturned are also the ones behind all the anti-trans legislation exploding across the country? This year alone, 586 anti-trans bills have been introduced in state houses across the nation. This number grows so often, that we’ve had to update our stats while writing and researching about this topic. By the time you read this, it could be even more.
So what are these anti-trans laws about? It’s usually targeting things like which bathroom kids can use, what sports teams they can play on, and whether or not they’re allowed to choose their own pronouns at
school. And now some states have moved beyond trying to control trans students in the classroom, and are banning gender-affirming care.
Okay, so what is that exactly? Gender-affirming care is as simple as allowing a child to wear their hair in a style they feel better suits them, choosing clothes they feel comfortable in, or picking a name that better represents them. Gender affirming care is simply validating how the child feels, and it goes a long way towards making them feel safe and accepted.
Extremists like to hide behind the slogan “protect the children,” but in reality it’s about controlling children and teaching them that there is only one ‘right’ way to be. The fact is these anti-trans bills are causing a lot of harm to LGBTQ+ kids. Studies have shown that anti-trans bills increase depression, anxiety and even thoughts of suicide in kids and teens. And LGBTQ+ youth are already at an increased risk of depression and suicide. That’s really heartbreaking.
As parents, educators, and community members, it’s up to all of us to ensure every kid grows up feeling safe, valued, and loved. We don’t have to sit on the sidelines – We can help. We know that all students benefit from a safe learning environment, so we can be an advocate for schools that are accepting of all students. And we can be an ally and a safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. Stay tuned for more info over the next couple of weeks on easy actions you can take to help.
We Interrupt Your Regularly Scheduled Programming: Time to Vote! Election Day Is Tuesday, Nov. 7th
Wow, this year is flying by – Election Day is just a few days away! Are you ready to be the difference between winning and losing an election? Yes, you really do have that power!
From school boards to mayoral races to state legislatures, local and state races are often won by just a handful of votes–and there are thousands of seats across the country that are on the ballot this November. And because it’s not a presidential election year, many people don’t have them on their radar.
And you know what’s really wild? These are the elections that affect our communities the most! Even though they don’t usually make national headlines, the results will be felt in our schools, our towns, and our homes. You can have a huge impact simply by voting and reminding your friends and family to vote.
Your Easy Action for this week…Take a few seconds to tell us how you plan to vote! ??????
