We’re shifting the focus from outrage to action, and building the blueprint for a democracy that truly works for the people it serves.
Progressives Are Proud Patriots, Too
By Jo-Ann Johnston
Did you know that progressives and moderates and independents can own and fly flags to express our patriotism, to make clear our aspirations for a more perfect union?
That the collection and display of flags are not limited to any one group of voters?
Nobody has a monopoly on the flag.
It’s due time that we take back the flag, and we can’t think of a more perfect time to build on this movement than the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America!
Keep up with our tributes to civic virtues and be inspired!
We Need Whole-Person Health, Not Whole Lots of Barriers
By Alice Bond and Kristen Sheppard
Healthcare is on the verge: becoming more expensive and less accessible, while public health is getting worse. Over the past two decades, depression rates have risen alongside substance abuse disorder, anxiety, loneliness, and suicide. Covid-19 accelerated that decline in wellness dramatically. The resulting combination of exponential demand and lack of political will has created enormous pressure for better policy from clinicians, researchers, advocacy organizations, states, and the public.
Why talk about this now? Because mental health is increasing its prominence in the public mind. According to an American Psychiatric Association’s Healthy Minds Poll conducted December 2025 and published in 2026, more than 1 in 3 Americans (38%) planned to make a mental health-related New Year’s resolution — up 5% from the previous year. And Rula, a national behavioral healthcare company, found in their 2026 State of Mental Health Report that “60% of adults report that mental health has become more important to them.’”
Still, Americans do not register the wider impact of mental illness on physical health. A 2026 National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI)-Ipsos Workplace Poll found that while knowledge of mental illness is growing, grasping the connection with physical illness is another story. “People see mental health as relevant and appropriate to talk about at work, and that’s encouraging. But real barriers persist in the form of stigma and fear of retaliation or lost opportunities,” said Megan Delp, NAMI’s director of workplace mental health.
Medical research and leading clinical evidence agree: mental health is bound inextricably to physical health. The 2026 World Health Organization (WHO) social messaging reinforces its longstanding position: “There is no health without mental health.”
That connection is fundamental to the healthcare system itself. A whole-person approach marks a growing shift in medicine and public policy, edging out the long-accepted notion of a clear separation between mind and body. In January 2026, New Jersey Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown captured that shift when announcing integrated outpatient facilities combining primary care, mental health, and addiction treatment: “Healthcare works best when patients are treated as a whole person, not a collection of separate problems.”
As healthcare nears a perfect storm, it also reveals an opportunity. Whole-person healthcare can reduce burdensome paperwork, high costs, and lack of accessibility by combining physical and mental health into one approach. Project 2029 notes that whole-person health has the potential to transform “our healthcare system from a system oriented toward high-cost and reactive treatment to one that emphasizes prevention, early intervention, and long-term wellbeing.”
Project 2029 is an organization of citizens committed to building “a plan of action for a future that is strong, kind, and prosperous.” Our paper, released March 2026, proposes health policies designed for immediate implementation on “Day One” of a 2029 Presidential administration — including “a policy foundation for eliminating any artificial distinction between physical and mental health coverage by requiring parity.”
For full information:
Invitation: Indivisible Members Everywhere
Project 2029 is attracting new members all the time. People of like minds who want to help rebuild democracy by helping to create sane, sustainable policies that can be put to use immediately by a new presidential administration.
Of course, there is much more to do in restoring our democracy, so we are eager to collaborate with like-minded groups. Together, we can apply our respective areas of expertise to the multiple practical needs of the movements. And we can multiply our people-power resources to bring more public attention and support to our work.
We’ve started working already with Indivisible unit members in Boston Indivisible and Indivisible Nova West (that’s one of the Virginia units) to help promote involvement at Indivisible-sponsored events and activities. Project 2029 also appreciates being able to alert folks — including former federal workers — of opportunities to share their knowledge in policy writing and operations areas here, just to name a couple of options. Project 2029 members all volunteer remotely over all time zones, so collaboration can be on your schedule.
If this sounds good to you individually, your Indivisible chapter, our own Ali Cleveland would love to hear your thoughts. Email: alicqc26@gmail.com with “Outreach and Indivisible” or similar wording in the subject line. If you want help finding Indivisible in your area, visit https://indivisible.org
Why Oct. 27 Should Matter to Some Voters This Year
Voters, we need to talk to you about the U.S. mail, particularly if you:
- work long or unpredictable hours,
- have to travel a lot,
- are disabled,
- live in a rural community,
- are age 65 or older,
- don’t do well standing in lines at voter precincts, or
- are in the military, serving away from home.
You might well be one of the Americans who like to vote by mail, and we applaud you for that.
This year, it could be harder to make sure your vote is counted, unless you know the specific deadlines in your state for getting your ballot into the mail and postmarked.
The postmark determines if a mail-in ballot is received on time, and that, in turn, determines whether the vote is counted or not. Your state sets the rules for that and other election matters. It should be either Election Day (Nov. 3, 2026 for the midterms) or another specific date close to the Election Day.
A recent, important, and subtle change has been made in post office procedures that affects all this. The day you mail an item, be it a completed ballot or a birthday card, may not be the same day the item gets a postmark. Your mail may now go from your local office to a regional processing center to get processed and postmarked – which can be a couple of days after you mailed it.
That means you should mail your ballot earlier than you probably have in the past! Whether it is for a primary election, get it in the mail seven days before Election Day or seven days before your state’s deadline day. Even sooner, if you can.
Some groups, including Vote.org, allow you to research your state’s deadline information online and even let you request an electronic reminder to mail your ballot.
If, for some reason, you end up at a post office or another retail postal operation with your ballot, you may go to the counter and request a manual postmark, for free, according to the Campaign Legal Center. This applies to any post office, and to any retail site, the center said, and should satisfy the rules.
Help Wanted!
As a true grassroots movement, volunteers are critical to our success. Project 2029 is growing quickly, which is great news! That means we need you!
While we are always looking for new volunteers, we currently have some pressing roles we need help filling quickly. All are remote-based.
Critical positions:
- Chief Development Officer
- Recruitment Manager
- Deputy Chief of Policy
- Policy – Manager of HR & Talent Acquisition
- Communications Director
- Webmaster
- Website Designer
- Social Media Manager
- Graphic Designers (multiple)
- Content Creators (multiple)
If the roles above are not a fit for you, that’s OK too! We have many more opportunities available.
Please visit our website to learn more and contact us today!
No time to volunteer? No worries!
You can support Project 2029 in a variety of other ways!
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Your contribution helps us build a transparent and accountable government that truly serves ‘We the people.’
No billionaires here. We’re strictly nonprofit. No political party or corporate PAC is backing us, as we are independent by choice. Our organizers are unpaid. But if you can afford a few bucks, we’d appreciate the help covering expenses.
Thank you for your support!
Project 2029 | Drive Change Together
Project 2029 is an all-volunteer, national grassroots movement committed to disrupting the broken system and redefining what democracy means from the ground up.
We are not affiliated with or supported by any political party or political action group (PAC). We are funded by donations from everyday individuals who support our vision and shared hope for America.
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