Who we are: We are a resistance group formed in the Ozarks with the goal of sharing personal stories (primarily/preferably via video) of locals who have been/will be impacted by the administration's threats to our democracy. Let's connect our community on a human level. Speak Up to make a change.

What we do: We're an organization formed in Springfield, MO as a direct result of the political changes our country has been experiencing since the 2024 election. While we are in the initial stages or our existence, our main goal is to collect stories, primarily via video, of our neighbors in the Ozarks who have been or will potentially be severely impacted by the current administration. Sharing these stories on social media, we want people to look into the eyes and hear the words of someone from their own community and understand how devastating these impacts have been or will soon be. We are hoping to connect our community on a human level. We hope to change people's minds about the way they voted, to inspire the 36% who did not vote to come to the polls next time, and to grow the nationwide movement's numbers. We aim to be a part of the change that will reverse the trajectory our country is on. We want to give local people a voice to Speak Up against the threat to our democracy.

What we’ve accomplished: In the past 60 days, we've formed a weekly sort of board meeting where we discuss how we can collect our stories. We're planning an event (details in the works), where the community can come prepared to record their stories as well as connect with like-minded individuals. Sort of a call-to-action event. We're also planning on having a booth at the farmers’ market where we can get the word out about our cause and even record stories on site if any passers-by would like to share. We've created a FB page, a YouTube channel, and a TikTok account; albeit with no content quite yet. We're confident there are troves of stories to delve into once that well begins to flow. We've been working on our own stories within our group. We know that to ask anyone else to share, we ourselves will have to be willing to be the first to take that step. We've discussed opening a monthly meeting to the public to gather stories and support each other. We may have guest speakers at these meetings from different organizations (Planned Parenthood, Ozarks Food Harvest, The League of Women's Voters, etc.) to share how we as a community can support local causes where there's now a larger need due to the cuts that have been implemented. We also serve to support other local resistance groups by getting the word out and being involved in protests, rallies and meetings. 

How can a community member get involved? Speak Up. We know it's an extremely vulnerable thing to ask of anyone. Some may feel they're not eloquent/confident/significant enough to share their story. But we would disagree. Your story is important. And we're at a juncture in our nation where it is incredibly important to share it. Even if it's a 90 second TikTok or a 10-minute YouTube video, getting your face in front of your neighbor's feed is going to make an impact. They cannot deny your experience as a human, and we tend to listen to/respect our own community members more than we would from complete strangers. As an added benefit, I'm sure it will be cathartic and feel good to be a small part of this huge movement. YOUR part. YOUR story. You could connect with someone who voted for this president on a HUMAN level. That is a powerful thing. You can share your story tonight, if you're ready. We'll be out front ready to record. We welcome anyone to reach out via email (speakupozarks@gmail.com) to set up a time to come record. The more content we have, the bigger the reach for our overall movement will be. How has this administration devastated you? How will these cuts impact your family?

Don't listen to your insecurities, NOW is the time to share, if there ever was one. Now is the time to get emotional; to get LOUD. Now is the time to SPEAK UP.