I am so glad that you’re here. Building this community of inspired, clear-eyed, and democracy loving Americans living in Portugal is what will get us through the daily barrage of inhumanity that we’re living through.   

The Executive Committee has been behind the scenes, working on getting our required certifications, dusting off old programs, and formulating some bold new plans focused on how we can fight an oligarchic regime effectively. Our new Executive is working diligently on plans that will help us navigate the next couple of years with clarity and purpose. As I watch the chaos and performative cruelty of this deeply unqualified administration, I know that organized and effective resistance is imperative. Our response will be informed by past civil disobedience campaigns like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and current movements like the Youth Demand in the UK for tactical and emotional inspiration as we head down this uncertain and ever-changing path. We will not give up our rights or our democracy without a fight.

The Executive team is assembling at an in-person work session at the end of May, where we will put our final plans in place. Expect an announcement regarding organizational structure, resistance, outreach, and community-building plans. We will be casting a huge net to find the people who are anxious for action locally and will put out specific calls for volunteers to make this DA Portugal oligarchy-fighting machine a reality. You can help us get started in the meantime by taking this volunteer survey to help us understand who and how many are out there to make all of this happen. Please respond to our Volunteer survey now. 

In truth, to make our bold actions a reality, we need you. We need planners, doers, researchers, social media amplifiers…. and folks who are ready to roll up their sleeves. First, find us, friend us, and engage with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky. And most importantly, let us know if you are going to join us as fighters for democracy. The volunteer base is expanding, and we hope that you all play a part. We need:

• Fundraising lead - if you’ve got experience building relationships, organizing events, and/or generating creative ideas to raise funds, we want you!
• Comms/Marketing - this is the most important division that we have. All creatives, please consider joining us. If you have experience in marketing, that’s even better.
• Creative Director - if you have creative marketing experience, we could really use your help. We are working out an ad campaign that will be unique to DA Portugal - we will roll it out, and if we have some impact, we will share more broadly with DA Global.
• Project Managers - if you just love to organize and keep the train running on time, please join our team.
• Graphic Designers - we are always on the lookout for creatives who are comfortable with Canva/Power Point/and other creative platforms to help us build ads, event announcements, presentations, etc.
• Social Media Posters - If you’re active and comfortable on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, BlueSky or Substack), please join the small team that will share existing videos or memes with a caption and tag DA.
• Content Creators - Are you comfortable opening up your camera and taking short videos, whether you’re at an event or talking to the camera directly about issues that are important to you? If you are, please reach out to us.
• Social Media Amplifiers - Some things never change, and that includes how things get amplified on social media. If you want to join the DAPT Fight Squad, please consider joining this comms team, which will go to a post and like/comment/share across platforms - this is the only way for us to grow our membership and reach potential voters.
• Hub Leaders - In the coming months, you’re going to see a lot of messaging from us about creating regional hubs and off-line events. If you are willing to become a local organizer, please reach out to us. We are specifically looking in Cascais, Coimbra, Tomar, Braga and Northern Portugal, Madeira, and areas throughout the Algarve from Lagos to Tavira.

 To finish up, we’d like to hear from you about where you get your political news, and where you want to get it if you’re not engaging with it currently. We really want to understand the best ways to reach the most people. Thank you for taking this quick survey. 

Finally, I’ve been receiving a lot of messages of concern, support, frustration, and enthusiasm - asking, “What can I do?” I’m inspired by your commitment and willingness to be a part of something bigger. We are truly in this together, and there is much more to come. 

In Solidarity,

Lynnette Shaw

Chair, Democrats Abroad Portugal

DA Portugal
https://www.democratsabroad.org/