Sunburnt & Stubborn: Arizona's Weekly Activism Roundup | May 18-24, 2026

Welcome to Arizona Advocacy Hub - your weekly roundup of civic events, action alerts, and ways to get involved across Arizona!

Two things to flag right away this week: Monday is a big day at the Arizona Corporation Commission, with two separate rallies opposing APS's proposed 14% electricity rate increase: 9 AM with Sierra Club and 6 PM with Chispa AZ and Poder in Action. The ACC's final hearing is the same day. And following an ICE arrest directly outside a North Phoenix elementary school, Borderlands Initiative is offering a free community training Monday evening on how to build an immigration enforcement safety plan for your school.

Browse the events below, find what works for your schedule, and take a look at the action alerts before you close the tab. Everything is linked.

Climate & Environment

May 18 | Rally Against Higher Electric Bills and Dirtier Energy | Sierra Club Grand Canyon Chapter | 9:00 AM | Arizona Corporation Commission, Phoenix. APS is requesting a 14% rate increase (its third hike in five years) while backing off clean energy commitments and planning to extend the dirty Four Corners Power Plant beyond its 2031 retirement date. Rally at 9 AM, then go in and provide public comment at 10 AM. Register and Sierra Club will send talking points and details.

May 18 | Unplug the Rate Hike! — Rally at the ACC People's Forum | Chispa AZ / Poder in Action | 6:00 PM | Arizona Corporation Commission, Phoenix. Evening rally at the ACC's People's Forum to oppose APS's proposed rate increase. APS's parent company made $600 million in profit last year. Show up to let commissioners know directly how you feel about constant rate increases. Bring your voice and your neighbors.

May 19 | Talking Climate Action Party — Virtual | Climate Action Now | 7:00 PM ET / 4:00 PM MT | Online. Virtual action party focused on climate communication as a tool for change. Features Dr. Katharine Hayhoe on her values-based approach to opening minds across political divides, and Bernadette Woods Placky on bringing climate discussions to everyday audiences. Moderated by Jessica Craven of the Chop Wood, Carry Water Substack.

May 20 | Maryvale Climate Town Hall / Foro Comunitario de Maryvale | Rumbo AZ / AZ AANHPI | 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Maryvale, Phoenix. Bilingual (English/Spanish) community town hall focused on heat and cost of living. Phoenix District 4 City Council candidates will attend to answer questions and share their plans for addressing extreme heat impacts and affordability. Snacks provided. Interpretation available in additional languages upon advance request.

Civic Engagement & Democracy

May 19 | Tempe City Council General (Runoff) Election — Last Day to Return Ballot | City of Tempe / Tempe Rising Indivisible | Polls close 7:00 PM | Tempe. Two seats, four candidates: Jennifer Adams, Berdetta Hodge, Bobby Nichols, and Brooke St. George. All registered Tempe voters received ballots by mail April 22. Drop off in person at secure locations listed at Locations.Maricopa.Vote — ballots must be received by 7 PM.

May 19 | Civics Series: AZ Politics — An Incomplete History | Civic Engagement Beyond Voting | 6:30 PM | Online. Virtual training on Arizona's political history and roots. Ever asked yourself why Arizona politics is like this? This is the training. Free; $5–$10 donation appreciated after registering.

May 19 | CD5 Congressional Candidate Forum | Chandler Gilbert Indivisible / Common Defense / East Valley Moms Demand Action / coalition | 7:00 PM | Southeast Regional Library, Shakespeare Room, 775 N. Greenfield Rd., Gilbert. In-person candidate forum for Arizona Congressional District 5 ahead of the July 21 primary. Confirmed candidates: Elizabeth Lee, Brian Hualde, and Chris James. Attendees can submit questions in advance.

May 20 | Redistricting Action Monthly Volunteer Virtual Meeting | Redistricting Action | Online. Monthly virtual volunteer meeting for the Redistricting Action coalition. Check the link for time and details.

May 20 | Building Your Personal Political Power | Civic Engagement Beyond Voting / Changing Hands Bookstore | 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM | Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe. Monthly co-sponsored series equipping participants for meaningful civic action. May features Alex Gulotta of All Voting is Local on how voting works in Arizona and what communities can do to protect against disruption ahead of the July 21 primary.

Immigration & ICE

May 18 | School Immigration Safety Training | Borderlands Initiative | 5:30 PM | Online. Free community training for parents, teachers, and school administrators on how to build an immigration enforcement safety plan for their school. Prompted by an ICE arrest directly outside a North Phoenix elementary school. Join online — link provided upon registration at the Borderlands Initiative website.

Protests & Visibility

May 22 | White Mountains Weekly Rally | Navajo County Indivisible Community | 4:00 PM – 4:30 PM | Location provided upon sign-up. Weekly 30-minute Friday protest in the White Mountains. Bring signs. Location sent after registration.

May 23 | Peaceful Resistance to Fascism Rally | Yuma Indivisible | 10:00 AM | 4th Ave & 16th St, Yuma. Recurring Saturday rally in Yuma. Show up when you can, stay as long as you can. Nonviolent — all participants expected to de-escalate any potential confrontation.

May 23 | Rio Rico Protest & Protect Visibility Event | Nogales Santa Cruz County AZ Indivisible | 4:00 PM | Rio Rico. Peaceful visibility demonstration in Rio Rico. Bring signs and voices. Focused on healthcare, education, reproductive freedom, fair wages, and voting rights.

• Sign the Mesa Gateway ICE facility petition and call the Airport Authority. The ICE detention camp at Mesa Gateway Airport is under scrutiny for overcrowded and inhumane conditions. The Airport Authority owns the land and has oversight responsibility. If you live in Mesa, Apache Junction, Queen Creek, Gilbert, or the Gila River Indian Community, your city government is accountable. Sign the petition and call Community Relations at 480-988-7618.
• Oppose the APS 14% Electricity Rate Hike — Submit Public Comment. APS is requesting a 14% rate increase — its fourth hike since 2017 — despite reporting over $616 million in profit in 2025. AG Kris Mayes filed testimony showing the increase could be reduced to just 3%. Submit public comment via the ACC e-filing portal or request to speak at the May 18 hearing.
• Contact Congress: Halt ICE Terror Now. Following an ICE arrest directly outside a North Phoenix elementary school and ongoing enforcement actions in communities across the state, Indivisible is calling on constituents to contact Congress and demand an end to ICE enforcement in schools and neighborhoods.
• Write to the Dept of Labor: Block private equity and crypto from 401(k) plans. The Dept of Labor proposed a rule allowing private equity firms and cryptocurrency into 401(k) retirement plans. Private equity has a documented record of extracting wealth and cutting jobs while walking away with profits. Use the action template to submit a comment before the deadline.
• Send a Sex Ed guide to your local school board. Use the action tool to send a comprehensive sex education guide directly to your local Arizona school board members. With federal and state policies increasingly restricting reproductive health information, this action makes it easy to advocate for evidence-based, inclusive sex ed in your district.
• Protect Education Act — Sign or Circulate Petitions. 49 days remain to collect signatures to put the Protect Education Act on the November ballot. The initiative would reform Arizona's $1 billion ESA voucher program and return unused funds to public schools. Pick up petitions at a depot near you or sign at an upcoming event listed at protectedaz.com.

Thanks for being here and I'll see you next week, patriots!

Sunburnt & Stubborn is produced by June @ Arizona Advocacy Hub. All politics is local. So is the resistance.