Let this radicalize you
Food, mutual aid, November actions, and more.
Let this radicalize you rather than lead you to despair - Mariame Kaba
If you are feeling overwhelming grief, rage, and despair — you are not alone. If you find yourself crying at random moments, or with a shorter fuse, or simply over it — you are not alone. Maybe you feel helpless, hopeless, or such a conflicting spiral of emotions, it’s hard to pin down what’s what. You are not alone.
It’s Halloween and also day 31 of the government shutdown. MAGA lawmakers aren’t even at work. Instead, they’re in the media and online trying to blame everything on “Democrats”. They’re focused on making these escalating crises a partisan issue. Instead of, y’know, doing their jobs and taking care of our communities.
Open enrollment starts tomorrow, and millions of people will see their premiums double and triple. Some of those increases have already gone into effect.
More than 40 million people won’t receive their SNAP benefits tomorrow.
Our neighbors are still being ripped from their homes by unidentified masked men.
Our streets are still being militarized.
And, not for nothing, the President of the United States of America publicly called a cognitive test for dementia a “very hard” IQ test.
Learn more about what’s going on: https://www.ifwedonteat.com
This authoritarian regime is taking a wrecking ball to the very few safety nets we had in this country, so they can give their billionaire friends tax breaks (and try to make us forget they were buying and selling children on private islands, and now are hiding the files).
The regime would rather we go hungry. They would rather we not receive health care. They would rather the people in this country die than for them to do the right thing.
Everyone deserves food, health care, housing, water, and so much more. These are basic needs and human rights.
The idea that anyone doesn’t deserve these basic human rights is mind-bogglingly hateful, and creating policy that turns those hateful ideas into reality? That’s violent. It is violence by way of policy instead of fists or guns, but it’s still violence.
This regime is making us suffer because they don’t care about us.
We aren’t giving up on each other. We need each other. We have always needed each other, though capitalism and white supremacy have taught us otherwise.
Find & Give Support
We are continuing to update resources for food, health care, housing, mutual aid, and more as we verify them. Find them here 👉 linktr.ee/50501sc
November Actions
Nov 1: Protest for Gaza with Carolina Peace. Every Saturday 11am-noon at the State House in Columbia. Until the killing stops.
Nov 1+2: Join or host Disappeared in America Weekend of Action events to protect immigrants
Nov 2: “Full Plates Over Politics” Food Drive at 144 Leisure Lane, Columbia. Collecting non perishable food and meals, cooking oils, spices, baby formula, diapers, manual can openers, and pet supplies. Cash donations also accepted. Hosted by Soda City Dems
Nov 3 + 4: VOTE. Dozens of municipal elections in SC are happening next week. Find your local election info here, make a plan, tell your friends and neighbors, and go vote
Nov 8: Fall Mutual Aid Fair hosted by Food Not Bombs Midlands. 1-5pm at MLK Park, Columbia
Nov 9: Join the pop-up protests hosted by Silence Is Not An Option (SINO). Join 50501 Charleston on E.Bay at Broad from 2-3pm. Info here. There is a parking garage nearby at 25 Prioleau St.
Nov 11: Join or host Vets Say No | No Oaths to Trump Overpass Banner actions
Nov 13: Ahead of SC’s 7th scheduled death penalty execution in just 13 months, join South Carolinians For Alternatives To The Death Penalty at the State House in Columbia to deliver a petition asking Governor Henry McMaster to commute the sentences of South Carolina’s death row prisoners to life in prison without parole.
Nov 15: Drop in at the SMASHGIVING 2025 Food + Supply Drive in Piedmont | hosted by 50501 SC and Indivisible Upstate
Nov 18: 50501 SC is joining Palmetto State Abortion Fund for a Rally for Reproductive Justice at the State House in Columbia. The SC Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee plans to reconvene to debate S.323, the extreme abortion ban currently under consideration. During this hearing, legislators will discuss amendments and vote on whether to move the bill forward. While public testimony will not be heard, the public is allowed to be present — and we intend to make sure they see and feel the power of our collective voice. The Rally is from 1-5pm, with speakers from 3-4pm. If you’re able, please consider joining us to take a stand for reproductive justice.
Nov 20-22: Join Remove the Regime in DC to rally, directly lobby for the removal of this regime, and march for a better future. There is a bus going from the Upstate. Info & sign-up here.
Nov 25-Dec 5: Blackout The System. Join the largest economic boycott in U.S. history to hit the billionaires where it hurts — their wallets
Ongoing:
Join the 2025 Virtual Fund Drive for Lowcountry Food Bank, hosted by the SC Labor Party and encourage our representatives to donate their paychecks to keep our emergency food services operational.
Participate in strategic boycotts. Start here
Find weekly action items via the No Kings Alliance
We’ll keep updating here on Substack too!
You are not alone
Last night, Working Families Power, Popular Democracy, SEIU, 50501, and many more hosted a mass call:
“We’re being asked to choose between food and no health care. And no health care, and maybe food. This is the choice. 42 million people, 16 million kids, during the month of Thanksgiving. How does this make sense?”
- DaMareo Cooper, Co-Executive Director, Popular Democracy
It doesn’t make sense. This call was a jolt of solidarity and a powerful call to action for all of us. Watch below:
We keep us safe.
And remember — if you see someone stealing food, baby supplies, hygiene items, etc? No you didn’t.
In solidarity,
50501 SC