Sunburnt & Stubborn: Weekly Activism Roundup | Mar 16 - Mar 22

Welcome back. If the administration is counting on Arizonans to get tired and go home, this week's calendar suggests they are going to be waiting a long time. From Yuma to Flagstaff, the organizing is relentless: city councils, lobby days, a congressional town hall, a high school student in Surprise who sat down with Paul Gosar's staff and refused to be dismissed ... it is a good week to show up!

Civic Engagement & Democracy

Monday, March 16 | Arizona Capitol Tour & Legislative Deep Dive | 10:15 AM | Phoenix: Tempe Rising Indivisible has secured a guided tour of the Arizona Capitol Museum followed by a briefing on the legislative process in the House or Senate public galleries. Meet at Brick Road Coffee in Tempe at 10:15 AM to carpool, or go directly to the Capitol Museum entrance at 10:45 AM. Punctuality matters, tours are scheduled consecutively and the group cannot afford to lose its slot.

Monday, March 16 | AZ Legislative Recap and Next Steps | 6:00 PM | Virtual:
Common Cause Arizona is hosting an interactive webinar breaking down what is moving at the Capitol on voting rights, what to expect with ICE enforcement at polling locations, and what communities can do to protect elections. Open to everyone across the state.

Tuesday, March 18 | Arizona LD29 Dems Monthly Meeting: Protect Our Elections | 5:30 PM | Goodyear: The LD29 Democrats are dedicating their March meeting entirely to election protection; covering paid election worker opportunities through the Maricopa County Recorder's office and volunteer poll observer roles for the Voter Protection team. MCDP Chair Patti O'Neil leads the discussion at the Georgia T. Lord Library, 1900 Civic Center Square, Goodyear.

Wednesday, March 18 | Ask Melinda & Cathy Anything — CEBV Virtual Event | 6:30 PM | Virtual: CEBV co-founders Melinda Iyer and Cathy Sigmon are hosting an open AMA! Ask them how Melinda tracks thousands of bills each year, test Cathy's encyclopedic knowledge of local government, and get a behind-the-scenes look at how the CEBV Weekly gets made.

Thursday, March 19 | Media Literacy Virtual Training | 6:30 PM | Virtual: Civic Engagement Beyond Voting is hosting a free virtual training on how to identify misinformation, find reliable news sources, and navigate a rapidly changing media landscape. Plenty of time for questions.

Thursday, March 19 | Testimony 101 | 6:00 PM | Online: Our Voice Our Vote Arizona is hosting a hands-on training on how to deliver effective testimony at the Arizona Legislature — walking participants through the legislative process, how to structure a powerful statement, and how to connect personal experience to policy. No prior experience required. Light bites and beverages provided.

Lobbying & Advocacy

Tuesday, March 17 | ACLU of Arizona Lobby Day | 9:00 AM | Phoenix:
The ACLU of Arizona is taking advocates directly to the Capitol to meet with lawmakers on the organization's priority issues. This is a hands-on opportunity to learn how to engage your representatives and see the legislative process up close.

Friday, March 20 | Progress for the People Town Hall | 6:00 PM | North-Central Phoenix: The Progressive Caucus Action Fund is bringing a congressional town hall to Phoenix with U.S. Reps. Yassamin Ansari (AZ-03), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-07), Sara Jacobs (CA-51), and Emily Randall (WA-06). Topics include working families, immigration enforcement, climate rollbacks, and corporate accountability. Spanish-English interpretation and ASL provided. Valid photo ID required. Specific location shared upon RSVP.

Immigration

Monday, March 16 | Mesa City Council Meeting: End the 287(g) Agreement | 5:45 PM | Mesa
Indivisible Mesa is organizing community members to attend Mesa City Council and demand the city withdraw from its 287(g) agreement with ICE — an agreement in place since 2009 that gives Mesa PD immigration enforcement authority. If you want to speak, arrive by 4:30 PM and fill out the comment form at the kiosk. If you'd rather just show up in support, submit a written comment via QR code or online.

Wednesday, March 18 | Know Your Rights: Protest Safety Training | 5:00 PM | Virtual: The ACLU is leading a virtual training on constitutional protest rights and best safety practices for anyone planning to attend the No Kings Day mobilization on March 28.

Saturday, March 21 | ICE Out of Home Depot — Phoenix Protest | 9:00 AM | Phoenix: ICE has been targeting day laborers and workers at Home Depot locations across the country, including the store at 36th and Thomas in Phoenix, where agents recently detained several workers. The National Day Laborer Organizing Network is calling for a protest outside that location to demand Home Depot publicly condemn the raids and take action to protect workers and customers on its properties.

Saturday, March 21 | Protest ICE Deportations & AROCC Detention Center | 9:00 AM | Mesa:
Mesa Valley Indivisible is continuing its fight to end ICE deportation flights and close the AROCC detention facility at Mesa Gateway Airport. Following the major win of ending Avelo Airlines' deportation contract, the focus now shifts to ending all ICE operations at the airport.

Protests

Monday, March 16 | CD1 Protest at Schweikert's Office | 8:00 AM | Scottsdale:
Indivisible Arizona is back outside Rep. David Schweikert's office for another consecutive Monday of peaceful accountability. Bring a sign focused on healthcare, jobs, education, or SNAP. Consider bringing non-perishable food or personal care items for the MoveOn food drive — over three tons donated to the Scottsdale Foodbank so far. Park on the street or in the Kohl's lot half a block east on Raintree Rd.

Monday, March 16 | Daily Courthouse Protest | 7:30 AM | Yuma
One Yuma Indivisible member has been showing up outside the federal courthouse every single day it is open (45 consecutive weeks!!) with protest signs and one-on-one conversations with court employees and potential jurors. Show up any day, any time the court is open.

Tuesday, March 17 | LD4 Dems Letter Writing & Protest Sign Making | 11:00 AM | Online: LD4 Democrats meet every Tuesday to write letters to Rep. Schweikert and make protest signs for the ongoing accountability rallies at his office.

Wednesday, March 18 | Rio Rico Protest & Protect Visibility Event | 4:00 PM | Rio Rico: Nogales Santa Cruz County Indivisible is holding a peaceful visibility protest in Rio Rico standing against the administration's ongoing rollbacks on healthcare, education, reproductive freedom, and voting rights. Bring signs and your voice.

Thursday, March 20 | No Kings Sign-Making — Nogales | 4:00 PM | Nogales:
Nogales Santa Cruz County Indivisible is hosting a sign-making session ahead of No Kings Day March 28. Bring supplies if you have them — some paints and markers available.

Saturday, March 21 | Peaceful Resistance to Fascism Rally | 12:00 PM | Phoenix:
Weekly peaceful rally at 4th Ave & 16th St every Saturday and Wednesday at noon. Show up when you can.

Saturday, March 21 | Green Valley Freedom Rally | 9:00 AM | Green Valley:
Green Valley Democrats hold Freedom Rallies the first and third Saturday of every month. Bring water, sunscreen, and a hat. Signs and t-shirts available. Donations to the Sahuarita Food Bank welcome.

Energy & Climate

Thursday, March 19 | SRP Clean Energy District 8 Virtual Phone Bank | 5:00 PM | Virtual: The SRP District 8 Clean Energy Team is calling voters every Thursday in March to make sure they are registered for the April 7 SRP Board election and know their candidates. Scripts and voter info provided. Virtual link shared after RSVP.

Community & Mutual Aid

Monday, March 16 | Songs That Write Wrongs Open Jam Night | 6:30 PM | Phoenix: Fuerte Arts Movement hosts bi-weekly open jam sessions at Testal centered on poetry, music, and storytelling. Each gathering includes a short popular education teaching moment on a rotating theme — immigration, housing, climate, healthcare — followed by creative expression. Food provided on a first-come basis. Bring your voice, your instruments, and your creative spirit.

Thursday, March 19 | Mesa Community Garden Volunteer Day | 8:00 AM | Mesa:
Local First Arizona needs volunteers to prepare 28 garden beds for the growing season at their Mesa community garden. Bring water, sun protection, and gloves if you have them. Park in the lot behind the El Rancho Del Sol apartments or on Ashland off Main Street.

Thursday, March 19 | Compassion Bags Training | 11:15 AM | Online:
LD3 Democrats are partnering with HOMELESS MATters AZ to train volunteers to make pillows for people living on the streets. Supplies provided to take home and make on your own time.

Thursday, March 19 | Fuerte Arts BINGO Calling Party | 5:00 PM | Online:
Fuerte Arts Movement is turning voter and volunteer outreach into a Bingo game — prizes, mini challenges, and step-by-step guidance for first-time callers.

Friday, March 20 | Vente A Latte Community Meetup | 12:00 PM | White Mountains: Navajo County Indivisible Community is hosting an informal coffee meetup to vent about recent events and connect with neighbors. Address shared upon RSVP.

Saturday, March 21 | Heart & Soil People's Garden Volunteer Day | 8:00 AM | Phoenix:
Local First Arizona needs volunteers at the Heart & Soil People's Garden in Central Phoenix — a community space dedicated to uplifting women growers. Help with watering, weeding, planting, harvesting, and garden infrastructure. Bring water, sun protection, and gloves. Street parking along Durango Street.

Sunday, March 22 | Flagstaff Community Meeting on Affordability | 2:00 PM | Flagstaff
Organizing to Fight Oligarchy is hosting a community conversation on the rising cost of housing, healthcare, food, and childcare in Flagstaff — and what residents can do about it together.

• Cali Overs, Student Body VP at Dysart High School in Surprise, met with Congressman Paul Gosar's staff this week to propose a three-mile safety buffer zone between the planned ICE detention facility and nearby schools. When she raised student safety concerns, his staff told her "you can't go off of what if's" — and advised students to simply accommodate their lives around the detention center. Cali is asking people to call Gosar's office and demand federal legislation for the buffer zone. Read her full account of the meeting and sign the petition, then call. We are well past "what if's." Gosar's office: (623) 707-0530 Petition & full account: https://www.change.org/p/keep-ice-detention-centers-away-from-our-schools-mandate-a-3-mile-safety-buffer-zone-3780a5f4-c081-4a52-bda0-435591b0fb65/u/34373732
• Tell your members of Congress: No ICE warehouses. DHS is spending millions converting warehouses into ICE detention mega-centers holding up to 10,000 people each.
  • Email Tool: https://act.indivisible.org/sign/reject-the-deportation-and-detention-agenda/
  • Call your senators: https://indivisible.org/actions/deportation-detention-agenda-senate/
  • Call your representative: https://indivisible.org/actions/deportation-detention-agenda-house/
• Find your No Kings Day event — March 28. Nearly 2,000 events registered nationwide. If nothing is within an hour of you, host your own. Find your event: https://www.nokings.org/?SQF_SOURCE=indivisible#map
• Tempe Rising Indivisible is building a Handmaids Army for No Kings Day. They're marching from Cole Park Bridge heading north — at the head of the line. RSVP and someone will reach out with details: https://www.mobilize.us/temperisingindivisible/event/909234
• Volunteer to collect signatures for the Protect Education Act. A coalition of Arizona families and educators is pushing a ballot measure to reform the $1 billion ESA voucher program. Virtual circulator trainings available Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays: https://www.mobilize.us/protecteducationaccountabilitynow/event/917131
• Arizona's 2026 Primary Election date has changed. Governor Hobbs signed a bipartisan bill moving the primary from the first Tuesday in August to July 21, 2026. Update your calendar and check updated deadlines at Calendar.Maricopa.Vote. 

Sunburnt & Stubborn is produced by June @ Arizona Advocacy Hub.