Event Recap: Families First Joplin Protest and Donation Drive (July 26th, 2025)

Alright, Indivisibles, Here’s the Scoop...

Despite the summer heat, over twenty protesters gathered in front of Rep. Eric Burlison’s Joplin, MO office as part of the national Families First day of action. In response to the passing of the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” they held signs advocating for immigrants and working-class families, cheerily waving at passing cars.

Led by Indivisible Joplin, the activists also collected school supplies to donate to Bright Futures Joplin. “We want to give back to our community and show that we are supportive of families,” said Indivisible Joplin Event Coordinator, Bradley Bos. Many community members donated to the donation drive despite being unable to stay and protest.

...And Here is Jenna's* Two Cents

*Indivisible Joplin's Lead Communicator Extraordinaire and the "voice" behind the keyboard

There is a concern in some circles of activism about whether a protest is still successful if it is smaller than the last.

Here’s your answer (in the form of more questions):

• Did people light up and honk when they saw us?

  • Several.

• Did the protesters feel a sense of community or hope while participating (or after)?

  • I did.

  • I imagine others did as well.

• Did someone who wasn’t paying much attention to politics see our signs and take a moment to learn something new about our political climate?

  • I can’t answer this one for sure, but it’s a real possibility.

We spread hope to the community, we fueled our own fires, and maybe we brought an issue or two to light for others… Sounds like a success to me!

Oh, we also collected an incredible amount of school supplies for local kids...