TODAY’S NEWSLETTER INCLUDES:

1. TONIGHT! HATE HAS NO HOME HERE
2. WAKE UP AMERICA TO FASCISM
3. MAY DAY SONOMA VALLEY - SHOP LOCAL - ROB BONTA LAWSUIT AGAINST AMAZON
4. BOOK REVIEW - THE SCHEME
5. THANK YOU MONITORS! WE LOVE YOU!

TONIGHT!!
LAST CHANCE FOR TICKETS!

FIRESIDE CHAT WITH SALLY KOHN

We’re bringing Sally Kohn to the Sebastiani Theatre from NYC for a conversation about how we move forward in these times - together. Conversations like this work so much better when the room is full.

So, we ask - if you can buy a ticket, please do. That support allows us to keep doing this work, and also every ticket purchase supports Sebastiani Theatre.

If cost is a barrier, just come to the door. We will make space. No one turned away due to lack of funds. We just want you in the room to show up for Sally.

Mention the name of her book, Opposite of Hate to get free entry.

Doors 5:00 PM | Event 5:30 PM

TICKET LINK: Fireside Chat with Sally Kohn - No Hate | Press Democrat News Group
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FRED GLASS, EXPERT ON AMERICAN FASCISM IS COMING SOON - A CRITICAL FREE COMMUNITY TALK
Another moment that you will WANT to be in the room. His talk is unforgettable, riveting and can give some guidance to us as we enter ever more deeply into a state of war, chaos, and uncertainty.
This is a timely moment to come together in Solidarity to hear the very important perspective of expert Fred Glass. What exactly IS American Fascism and WHAT can we do about it? Join us for this important moment and see what other groups in the region are doing as well.
American Fascism: What It Is & What To Do About It
Wake UP Sonoma’s Community Conversation with Fred Glass
MAY 2, 2026 - 11:00 - 1:00 -
FREE RSVP LINK: COMMUNITY CONVERSATION WITH FRED GLASS — Wake UP Sonoma
Tables on display at the talk: NBRRN, Sonoma Valley Democrats, Working Families Party, Wake UP Sonoma, North Bay Local. Hoping for a few more to come.
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WAKE UP SONOMA STUMPS FOR LOCAL BUSINESSES
By Daniel Johnson - daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com

Wake Up Sonoma is urging Sonoma Valley residents to sign a pledge, attend a rally and take other actions on Friday, May 1, to strengthen solidarity in support of local businesses.

These efforts are part of the nationwide May Day Strong movement, which is building on the successful No Kings rallies on March 28, 2026. Unions, community organizations and families across the country are planning actions on May 1 to draw attention to billionaires and corporations that pay little in taxes but drive up costs for everyone else.

The movement emphasizes nonviolent participation, with organizers requesting attendees to avoid weapons and de-escalate conflicts.

“On May 1, we ask you to join Americans across the nation in rejecting the online oligarch retailers and keep your buying local by supporting our many local businesses in Sonoma Valley,” said Lisa Storment, president of Wake Up Sonoma, in a news release.

May 1 has been a platform for workers’ demands and protests since May 1, 1886, when workers in industrial cities around the country demanded implementation of an eight-hour workday.

The pledge, which can be accessed at May Day Pledge — Wake UP Sonoma is to shop local; support local businesses; skip Amazon, Prime and the big-box stores; buy less gas on May 1 (if possible); and show up at the Tuesday Night Market in Sonoma on May 1 to put money into the local economy.

Wake Up Sonoma also encourages people to gather on the sidewalk on Napa Street in front of Sonoma Plaza from 5 to 6 p.m. on May 1 to “make your voice heard.”

“While it’s true that these actions will not immediately change the current political situation, they are an immediate way to make a difference,” Storment said. “It also helps form the required network and solidarity for what one day could be a very necessary national strike—think election tampering, worsening inflation, more widespread ICE deployment and deportation.”

She cited the defeat of former Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orban, an authoritarian populist, on April 12, 2026, as an example of the power of solidarity. She noted that dedicated efforts by the people of Hungary led to a big turnout for the vote that defeated Orban and elected Peter Magyar and his Tisza Party.

“Fascism was finally defeated,” Storment said. “The lesson here should not be lost on Americans. Organizing, protesting and voting works. That’s why Wake Up Sonoma, Indivisible, Sonoma Valley Democrats and other pro-democracy groups are holding a May Day Strong event this May 1.” Sent from my iPhone
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AS IF YOU NEED MORE REASONS - ATTORNEY GENERAL ROB BONTA
Tells us more about why we should boycott: AMAZON, Target, Walmart, Chewy, Best Buy, Home Depot, Wayfair, and others
Taken from newsletter put out by Attorney General Rob Bonta

“At a moment when families everywhere are stretching their dollars and wondering when the affordability crisis will end, Amazon has been working behind the scenes to make your life more expensive.

 What Amazon is doing is called price fixing — a practice that’s not only unethical and unfair for consumers, but illegal. 

We’re fighting to put a stop to Amazon’s illegal price fixing and collusion by taking them to court, and now we’re making the evidence in the case public so Americans can see exactly what’s happening behind closed doors.

So let’s name names. Target, Walmart, Chewy, Best Buy, Home Depot, Wayfair, and others — these are some of the competing retailers and vendors that Amazon has been colluding with to raise prices across the market. As a result, consumers have nowhere else to turn to for lower prices, and Amazon continues to rake in profits. 

t all starts with Amazon demanding that vendors “fix,” “correct,” “increase,” “raise,” or “look into” the prices of their products on other retailers’ websites. If they don’t comply, then Amazon threatens to pull their products, restrict their advertising, or demand financial compensation.

Levi's and Walmart agreed to raise the price of khaki pants. Allergan and Walmart raised the price of eye drops. Hanes and Target raised the price of apparel. And pet treat vendors jacked up prices on Chewy. The list goes on, spanning years and product lines. The result is that you pay more on everything, no matter where you purchase it.

Price fixing is illegal, and that’s why we're taking them to court.

In February, I filed for a preliminary injunction to halt Amazon's illegal conduct while our lawsuit proceeds. The injunction hearing is set for July, and this case goes to trial in January 2027.

The Trump administration won't lift a finger to hold Amazon accountable or tackle our affordability crisis. But I will — and I am.

The evidence is clear as day: Amazon is working to make your life more unaffordable — and now we’ll see them in court. “

BOOK REVIEWS NOW ON OUR BLOG PAGE
THE SCHEME
How the Right Wing Used Dark Money to Capture the Supreme Court
Reviewed by Thomas Miley
Authors: Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Jennifer Mueller

To Read the full review, use this link: The Scheme

Review Summary: Anyone who has watched the Supreme Court shift steadily to the right over the past decades should read The Scheme. It is a sobering, law-laden book, but an important one. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse argues that a coordinated network of corporations, wealthy donors, and political operatives has deliberately taken control of the nation’s highest court—reshaping it into a tool for rolling back democratic protections, expanding corporate power, and advancing a far-right social agenda.

The evidence he presents is hard to ignore. Appendix A lists 80 cases decided between 2005 and 2019, all by a divided court—5-4 or 6-3—where the bloc Whitehouse calls the “Roberts Five” (Justices Roberts, Alito, Kennedy, Thomas, and Scalia or Gorsuch) ruled consistently in favor of corporate or right-wing interests. He argues this pattern has no precedent in the Court’s history, (and the appointments of Kavanaugh and Barrett have only deepened it). The consequences include gutted voting rights, unlimited dark money in elections, and the dismantling of civil rights protections that have stood for half a century.

The book’s format mirrors a court case: Whitehouse presents motives, players, means, co-conspirators, methods, victims, and results, some of which we summarize here. My own interest is less in whether he has proven a conspiracy and more in what the Court’s rulings have actually done to American society. On that front, the record he assembles is damning—whatever one concludes about conspiratorial intent.

THANKS GO OUT TO THE MONITORS FOR NO KINGS 3!!

Last night we had an impromptu thank you pizza and a toast to Activism at BUCKS. Being a monitor is a difficult job, but these people showed up, worked hard, and …. look, they are still smiling!! We are so, so grateful to this crew of 30 for keeping our protest space safe and visible. WE LOVE YOU MONITORS!! (not all monitors were able to attend, and we send our love to them as well). Some pictures below - apologies for the quality.

If you want to be a volunteer monitor for our next protest, fill out this form. Training provided
https://www.wakeupsonoma.org/monitors

Our Vision: To foster a vibrant, just, respectful and welcoming Sonoma Valley community.

OUR MISSION IS TO:
EDUCATE - by providing resources to Sonoma Valley residents to be informed and engaged.
ADVOCATE - for local diversity, equity, inclusion, civic and corporate transparency.
ACTIVATE - by promoting democracy and providing opportunities for local engagement.

We Educate. Advocate. Activate.
on issues related, but not limited to:
- LGBTQIA+ safety and visibility
- Protection of our immigrant population
- Defense against Christian Nationalism
- Transparency in large corporate investment and responsible development
- Active local civic engagement