- [Leader] One, two, what does democracy looks like?

- [Protestors] This is what democracy looks like!

- [Leader] Show me what democracy looks like!

- [Protestors] This is what democracy looks like!

- [Leader] What does democracy look like?!

- This is what democracy!

- Woo-hoo!

- Yeah!

- All right, you're in Schaumburg, right?

- Yes.

- Are you in Elk Grove Village?

- I'm in Dallas Grove.

- Oh, thank you for coming out.

- [Protestor] Of course, yeah.

- People ask me what I do and it's like, well, I guess I'm an activist.

You've been to our rallies where we had petitions, correct?

- [Protester] This is my first rally to attend.

- Oh, okay- I try to go out and do different things in the community, make people work together.

We're trying to get a health board together, but we need to get it on the ballot.

Democracy means everybody's included.

That means people of color.

That means LGBTQ people, Latinos, Hispanics.

Everybody needs to be included.

- Can you take a picture?

- That's what democracy is about.

Oh, all three, all right?

- In middle.

You are in the middle.

You are the boss.

- Yeah, 'cause I'm the- I'm the short one.

- You are the boss.

(person speaking in Spanish) - [Julee] The people are the ones who are supposed to rule the government.

We elect the people that are gonna best represent us, but that doesn't seem the way it's happening.

This is for the mental health board.

- Oh, okay, should I sign that?

- [Julee] You know, being loud about what's going on and saying, "Wait, this isn't right.

We need to do something about it.

We have to step up."

(protesters speaking Spanish) (horn honking) - I told them to get off the couch, get off their butts and get out and do something, but don't just sit and feel sorry for yourself, 'cause nothing happens.

Let's get 'em on the ballot.

Sometimes I think I could probably do more, but I'm 72 years old and I get tired, so.

(chuckles) Thank you for coming.

- Yeah.

- [Julee] We have older women, most of 'em are grandmas.

- [Julee] You need some water or anything?

I think that's probably the big thing.

The grandkids, what's gonna happen to their grandkids?

(protesters clamoring) (pensive music) - [Julee] Do you want some coffee or anything?

- [Family Member] I would like some.

- I guess I can do that for you, Grandpa.

He just likes it black.

Here, Grandpa, I did something for you.

Hello, how are you?

- Good.

- Good to see you.

I think democracy starts when you're younger.

I had a very democratic upbringing.

My dad was a precinct captain.

He was part of a union.

He worked for the Chicago Park District.

I've always been involved in the election process and that's what I try to pass along to other people.

We need to teach our children democratic values.

Did Warren Township, did they actually have somebody in the school?

- Yeah, I followed them into the school and then when teachers and parents tried to diffuse it, they went and pointed pepper spray at the teachers and the community members.

- Are they doing any kind of protesting or?

- I think so.

There were a couple kids who were going to stuff.

The biggest problem is that they're all high schoolers, so they don't care.

- Some of 'em do.

We did a community event.

It wasn't a protest, but it was just everybody's welcome here.

- [Grandchild] That'd be good for like the school that you have.

- Yeah.

My grandkids, what's gonna happen to them?

They're young, caring, wonderful young men, and I think a lot of us that are my age feel we don't wanna leave this kind of country for our grandchildren.

Yeah, if you guys decide to do some kind of protest or community thing, lemme know.

I'll spread the word or maybe even come out.

Take Declan and Emmett.

(suspenseful music) (bag crackles and thuds) (Julee laughs) You raise your kids and you work.

Okay.

And things kinda change.

You don't really have the time to come out and collect petitions on a Saturday or whatever.

Then after you're retired, you have this time and then you start seeing, "Well, I'd like to see things change."

It's gonna rain on our parade.

First I got involved in a Democratic organization here in Elk Grove Village.

Then I ran for trustee.

I didn't even come close.

(suspenseful music) - All right.

- Thanks, honey.

I love you.

(lips smacking) Later.

- Yep.

- Okay.

Elk Grove Village is a conservative town.

Hello, how are you?

- How are you, honey?

- Hmm.

- There's a lot of progressives in the area and they're coming out more.

Well, thank you for coming.

- I'm so glad to be here.

And the vote, I love the vote.

- I know, I thought- - Those are fantastic.

- So appropriate for today.

(laughs) 2021, I ran for township, and there I was the first Democrat in 20 years to run, and I only lost by 179 votes.

- All right.

Good for you.

- Hello, how are you?

It was getting out, knocking on doors, getting to meet people.

People who at one time didn't think there were other like-minded people in the area.

You know, 52 years ago, we moved in here.

We were like the only ones that had any kind of democratic signs on our lawn.

Each year it gets better.

You get out there, you knock on doors, you let people know.

- You know, I mean, there's some ideas going around.

It's just trying to get re-engagement, is a big thing right now.

Is try to get that youth engaged again.

- [Julee] When I ran for office for Elk Grove Trustee, I was disappointed in some of the people that came out and were not nice.

You know, people know me now.

I come knock on the door.

It's like, "Oh, it must be petition time" or it must be" whatever.

So it's just a friendlier atmosphere.

(people chattering) (pensive music) You get a lot of people that will come out for the general election, like for president and municipal.

No, it's really a sad turnout.

(upbeat band music) (pensive music) People just figure, "Why do I need to vote in a municipal election?"

It's like, because this is your community.

This is your school board.

This is your village board.

This is what makes life easier for you.

This is all important.

I think the government should always work for the people.

- [Announcer] Indivisible Elk Grove!

- Rally together, Indivisible, Elk Grove and Schaumburg!

- Whoo!

- And I think the people should be the ones who decide who runs for that office.

It shouldn't be this organization here and this organization.

It should be the people.

We should make informed voters.

That's what we need to do.

- Oh, we got pieces.

- Don't forget, look down the street.

- You got it.

You got it.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

- I bet, yeah.

- Working out.

Could use the place (indistinct) properly.

- I gotta notarize, but I gotta make sure people are fed first, ah.

(plastic crackling) (pensive music) Come on in, guys.

- Julee.

- Grab something to eat.

I know them kids.

(people chattering) (pensive music) Okay.

Who needs notarizing?

After I ran for Village, we figured it would be better to get a slate more than one person.

After you're done with that, I need your home address.

- Okay.

- Print your name and your signature.

- What is it?

The 20th.

- So we needed the right candidates and we needed younger candidates, because by the time I ran, I was 68 years old.

Yeah, you're the circulator.

Then we were lucky we had four candidates that stood up and decided to run and they won.

When they got elected, it was, we did.

We all worked together.

We did it.

You can do things.

You just gotta get everybody to work together.

- No, that was (indistinct).

- Thank you very much.

- Hi.

- Hi, honey.

How are you?

- Good to see you.

(pensive music) - Okay, we're low budget.

This is our sound system.

(laughs) (tent crackling) (pensive music) - Lift that up.

(poles clicking) - I just hope we don't lose people because of the weather.

Here's Vonda.

- Wheels on that thing.

- Then we have English and Spanish.

Report ICE activities.

ICE started showing up in villages and areas that are close to us.

Now it's affecting our neighbors.

Thank you for coming.

When they did the raid over in Elk Grove Village, there were 20 people that didn't have their papers on them and the owner kept saying, "Everybody has papers.

They had left their papers at home."

I'm Julee.

That's ridiculous.

This is the United States of America.

If people are here legally to work, they shouldn't be harassed.

Good morning, everybody.

So thank you very much.

Appreciate you all coming.

I think we all have to remember that we all come from immigrants.

Those immigrants help make this country.

Never in my lifetime have I ever seen what's going on in the United States of America.

Turning on our neighbors, chasing them down in the streets, feeding them like animals.

Shame on us.

Countrymen turning against countrymen and women.

This is not the America I wanna know.

So we stand up and try to fight the best we can.

But today we're not making this about politics.

We're making this about our community and staying together and helping one another.

- Woo-hoo!

- Hoo!

- [Julee] And it's like, well, this is what we need.

We need to send out information that we care.

We're here for you.

We'll do whatever we can.

- I think we should take the language back to these are our family members, these are our people, these are our neighbors, not illegals.

Let's make sure that we're taking back humanity.

- Yep.

- Let's make sure we're doing that.

Step outta your comfort zone and make sure that you're reaching out to them to let them know that they're cared for because one of the most effective tools that those that will pose us are trying to implement right now is to divide us.

Thank you guys for coming out.

Thank you.

- Woo-hoo!

- Woo!

(group applauding) (vehicle whirring) - Come in and have a seat.

- Wonderful.

- Okay.

Thank you.

(people chattering) - Should we get started?

- Yeah.

I wanted to see if somebody else was coming.

Hi.

Are you looking for Rally Together?

Rally together tries to have meetings every so often and talk to the people and find out what they want.

No, just speak out.

- I'm tired of just standing around or walking around the loop.

I mean, Saturday was just murder, you know?

- Oh, you went on Saturday?

- Yeah.

Yeah.

All those people talk, talk, talk, talk, talk.

Okay.

Can we do something?

(chuckles) So, that's where I am.

- I think that's fine.

- Was there something that, you know, do you... I know a lot of people don't wanna go downtown.

I'm not thrilled with going downtown all the time either, but we can do a lot in our area.

Sometimes you just have to make an event and then see who responds.

- I think we're gonna get to the point with the ICE coming here where there's gonna be a lot of people in need and we can make a difference by helping those people.

But you gotta figure out- - That's a great idea.

I've gotten to know more people over at the township now.

Go to them and say, "Okay, what could we do?

Are there people that can't get out?

Are there people that are afraid to come?"

You know, anytime you get an idea and you think we can do it or we can try to do it, send us a note.

A lot of people will say, (chuckles) "We give you credit for getting out and doing this."

It'll pass- every little bit that anybody does helps a lot.

I can call my elected officials.

Not everybody has to run for office.

I think the main thing there is that people are behind you.

(pensive music) (vehicles whirring) We heard from everybody, "We wanna do an overpass," so we think we found a good spot.

- There's a little gape in the word community.

- [Julee] We have a team.

Vonda is like the right-hand person and she made the sign that we put on the overpass.

Me, I'm more the organizer.

How are you guys?

(horn honks) (vehicle whirring) I'm Julee.

- Julee, I'm Kristen.

Nice to meet you.

- Nice to meet you.

Thank you for coming.

- Yeah.

- Hello again.

How are you?

Thank you for coming back.

Hi, I'm Julee.

- Mike.

- Thank you for coming.

(horns honking) (vehicles whirring) They beep their horns and everybody loves that, if you beep your horn.

(horn honking) (group cheering) Then we know people are noticing us.

(vehicles whirring) And we got a lot of people on the expressway.

Even my grandson said, "We saw you.

We were driving down that way, Grandma, and we saw the De-ICE."

He said, "That was awesome."

(horn honking) - [Participant] Woo!

(Tuco speaking in Spanish) - Tuco Fuentes is an activist.

He uses a lot of social media.

I think Tuco is grateful that we have the rallies because there are so many people that don't support the immigrants.

- Thank you for coming.

- Oh, no.

Thank you, Julee.

I appreciate that.

- We got a couple more that we're gonna try.

- Yeah.

- In like industrial areas or business areas.

We weren't original settlers here.

My grandparents came from Ireland.

Everybody had a hard time when they came in, so we should all remember that.

Thank you.

- No, no.

Thank you.

And I appreciate you.

- All righty.

Buh-bye.

- Buh-bye.

I'm probably hot and sweaty.

- See ya.

- Bye.

- That was pretty good though.

- Yeah, I liked it actually.

It's little bit hot, but I'll take it.

(pensive music) (vehicles whirring) (water spraying) (vehicles whirring) - Good morning.

We're gonna have a small group.

So I don't know where you wanna go.

- Yeah.

- We have a big rally every three months or every two months.

Hello.

And then we try to do things in between.

How are you?

Because there's more than just one issue now.

(horn honks) - Woo-hoo!

- Woo!

- [Julee] Somebody emailed me and said, "Did you cancel this event?"

It's like, "No, why would we cancel?"

The size of the rallies really doesn't matter.

(horn honking) Because if the themes or the issues are important to people.

- That's cool.

- Then we need to rally.

(bell tolling) (pensive music) It's just getting people together.

- [Crowd] Woo!

- Kevin Morrison, how are you?

- Oh, I love your earrings.

- You guys know Kevin?

- How you doing?

I'm Kevin Morrison.

- You know Kevin.

- Knocking doors in Hanover Park here in a short while.

- Oh, okay.

Cool.

- Just in the area.

I saw you guys on the- - Yeah, a little small but mighty today.

- I love it.

I love it.

- We need people to get involved.

Buh-bye.

I'll see you Monday.

It may not be the legislators that get a lot of the stuff done.

It's going to be the people marching, the people rallying, the people writing letters, the people sending postcards to make change, you know, to help the community.

Okay.

I'll just text her and tell her I left them there.

(pensive music) (horns honking) (people chattering) Good morning, I'm trying to keep count and I need to give you a button.

Morning.

Thank you for coming.

Good morning, everybody.

- Thank you so much.

- Hold on.

Here, wait, wait.

Today's event is No Kings.

See, they wanna fly by me.

- Yeah, I know.

- Thank you for coming.

- Of course.

- It's about us standing together, I'm Julee.

- I'm Aubrey.

Nice to meet you.

- Hi.

Hi, how are ya?

Come get a button.

- Woo!

(group cheering) (horn honking) - What does democracy looks like?

- [Crowd] This is what democracy looks like.

- Louder, show me what democracy looks like.

- [Crowd] This is what democracy looks like.

(group cheering) (pensive music) (horns honking) (crowd cheering) - I think there's a lot of people that figure, (gasps) "I can't do anything.

It's just, there's nothing I can do.

What is my one vote do?"

Hi, my name's Julee.

I'm one of the organizers.

Thank you for coming.

- Oh.

- We love seeing young people.

- Oh, I see you post all the time on Indivisible.

- Okay.

All right.

But Rally Together's rallies make a difference because when people come to a rally, it's like they'll come up and say, "This is wonderful.

I've met so many new people.

I've met so many like-minded people."

We hear 'em all over.

So I think that's what, you know, that connection.

Thank you for coming.

- Wonderful job.

We didn't have signs because we just were driving by and decided we- - Oh, good.

- Stand with you guys.

- I'm glad you did.

(people chattering) I'm sorry.

Hi.

I'm Julee, one of the organizers.

Thank you for coming.

- Nice to meet you.

- Love seeing- - You're the organizer.

- I love seeing you guys.

- Thanks for having us.

- We need more young people.

- Oh.

- Julee, you did a fabulous job.

Thank you very much for all of your work.

This is fabulous.

- Thank you for coming.

Good to see you.

Oh, how are you?

- People have been asking us for you.

We said you're here.

I don't give up.

If it takes standing on the corners, if we get more people out, not only just to say what they feel, but to make them feel it's safe.

There's other people that think like me.

There's other people that I need to be with.

(crowd clamoring) (bells tolling) Hi, I'm Julee.

I'm one of the organizers.

Thank you for coming.

- Thank you.

Thank you so much for your service.

- Good job.

- Thank you.

Thank you for coming.

If you didn't come, we wouldn't have a rally.

- Julee, it's a beautiful turnout.

You've done a great job.

It seems like a really positive group.

- Oh yeah.

- Really happy and kind group and a group that's- - That's why we need to get, yeah.

That's why we need to get together.

- [Participant] Thanks, Julee.

(horns honking) - I think we've gotten into that habit, our democracy is so secure, that we really don't have to do anything.

It'll just all bounce back.

Hi.

Thank you for coming.

- Oh, sure.

Of course, of course.

- Hi, guys.

Democracy is not a spectator sport.

It's like get out and get involved.

(group cheering) (horns honking) (group clamoring) (horns honking) (pensive music)