Community Resistance and Noncooperation October 16 th , 2025 [Zoom Invite Incoming] DAAO Book Club Background Indivisible is making the case that mass noncooperation is a necessary and effective strategy to resist Trump's attempt at authoritarianism . It created a toolkit we could adapt and use to have discussions about coordinated noncooperation within our workplace. Other Resources Blueprint for Revolution Srdja Popovic Simple Sabotage Field Manual US Office of Strategic Services, 17 January 1944 There are Realistic Alternatives the Albert Einstein Institution The Methods of Nonviolent Action ( Summary ) Gene Sharp On Nonviolent Action the Albert Einstein Institution Joyful Opening Let’s take a second to celebrate that we’re here! This is a place that’s only built when people who feel a sense of trust with one another want to do an act of love and courage Before we meet up, do we want to have with a collection of things that inspire us when things get hard?. [Feel free to add them to the next slides] [Template slide] Becca’s Song [Redwood Musical] Growing up in the Bay You learn nature can bring dangerous things Like wildfires and earthquakes That come without a warning And leave people struggling When I was 10, the fires came We lost our house that day But my mom kept calm And told me the story of Tikun Olam My mom said we must look for light The glistening shards in this dark night 'Cause from the ashes comes rebirth It's up to us to heal the Earth My dad said, "Listen, hon You can't let tragedies define who you become“ They said We'll rise just as the phoenix does, oh We'll fight to hold on to the things we love We'll rebuild our home in the days to come The hardest work has just begun But we're gonna be the ones to get it done I'ma get it done That night left a mark on me I was no longer carefree Had dreams about burning trees 'Til I heard about something called forestry And in a flash, my path was clear The shining truth of why I'm here Working hard to save the trees It's my responsibility, I know what I must do I gotta leave the world better than the one I came into So I'll stand for redwoods when they're wronged, oh I'll fight in service of the trees I love I'll repair and help them to overcome The hardest work has just begun But I'm gonna be the one to get it done Now I gotta be outspoken To fix this world that is broken I won't stop until we've won I'm gonna be that someone Who gets it done Breakthrough Authoritarianism What Authoritarians Do Direct investigations against critics Give license to lawbreaking Regulatory retaliation Deploy military domestically Federal law enforcement overreach Refuse to cede office after term Can we agree... We are in a moment of authoritarian breakthrough. This is a short window in which a would - be authoritarian regime attempts to rapidly consolidate power. This is worse than it was in the first Trump administration, and we can't wait for elections to prevent things from getting worse Donald Trump did not write the authoritarian playbook. What he does may make our democracy unsteady, but it’s not a completely new invention. Authoritarians around the world have used these tactics to try to hold onto power. Authoritarianism in the US did not begin with Donald Trump, and will not end with him. But we also have a playbook for defeating it We can learn tactics and strategies from other parts of the globe who have fought and won against authoritarians. Researchers analyzed 35 cases of democratic backsliding that took place between 1991 to 2021. They found that democracies without a civil resistance movement had a 7.5% success rate of stopping the backslide, and democracies with a civil resistance movement had a 51.7% of stopping the backslide. People power matters. The least successful tactics in these movements were verbal protests, with a 33% success rate. The most successful tactics were non - cooperation, with a success rate of approximately 67%. - Free DC Project Every regime depends on the support of institutions: media, business, education, civil servants, faith, labor, and more. When some of the people inside these pillars stop complying — the system wobbles. When lots of people stop complying, the system can abruptly fall What pillars am I part of? In those pillars, w hat kind of defiance is already happening? What could more look like? How are those pillars upholding the regime? Who are key decision - makers in those pillars? How could we influence them? Coordinated Noncooperation Can we agree... Noncooperation is the act of refusing to cooperate or comply with requests, demands, or orders. We get to decide what noncooperation we want to do, both as individuals and as a team We each have the responsibility of citizens, but also the right to live a fulfilling, happy, and safe life. We each are entering this space with different priorities, values, and ability to take on risk. We are safer and more powerful when we are well - coordinated [Anything else to add] ? Risk Adverse Risk Tolerant High Life Disruption Low Life Disruptio n Aaron Bushnell Sophie Scholl Martin Luther King Jr. Frances Oldham Kelsey Ralph Lazo Rosa Parks Claudette Colvin I want to be defined by this I want to focus on my life Betty White Risk Adverse Risk Tolerant High Life Disruption Low Life Disruption Aaron Bushnell Sophie Scholl Martin Luther King Jr. Frances Oldham Kelsey Ralph Lazo Rosa Parks Claudette Clovin I want to be defined by this I want to focus on my life When taking stock of your responsibilities, privileges, values, assets, etc., remember: • There are successful strategies in every quadrant. • There are thousands of people whose names and stories we don’t know, whose small collective actions turned the tide. • Generally, the more people who are engaged, the less risk we have to take on. Fear is real. But it’s not the end. When it comes to fear, Raqib was clear: “Fear is a tool of the authoritarians. Even the threat of punishment makes people comply before it’s even used .” Her advice? “Pick methods that reduce risk. Boycotts, stay - at - home actions — these are powerful, and they don’t invite the same repression .” Bergeå added that community is key: “Some of us take more risk than others. But no one should have to feel alone, even if they’re in jail. Support groups are a powerful tool .” - How to resist Authoritarianism without burning out Our Experienc e Our Role Can we agree... Right now, there are already people who are taking risks in their noncooperation, like federal workers, business owners, and more. This is where resistance spreads quietly but powerfully 1) Who in your circle who has already been risking and noncooperating? 2) Who in your circle who may be given orders that they might have to defy or not cooperate with? 3) Who in your life could take action if they were nudged or supported ? 4) Who might you have already given up on, but maybe as things deteriorate, they might reconsider?