On March 28, 2026, over 8 million people took to the streets with No Kings 3.0. From large city marches to small town demonstrations, it was a staggering show of solidarity that spanned social issues that included authoritarianism, war, immigration, inequality, threats to democracy, racism, sexism, anti-queer discrimination, and much more.

History shows that big protests like this have played a role in every single mass movement against dictators and tyrants. History also shows that protests alone are not enough. That’s why it’s exciting that Indivisible and No Kings are calling for millions of people to join with May Day Strong’s nationwide shutdown on May 1st with “no school, no work, no shopping.”

May Day is a traditional day for labor strikes. We saw the power of a statewide shutdown on January 23, 2026, when Minnesota closed 700 businesses to oppose ICE’s violent occupation of Minneapolis. We saw the strength of student organizing the following week when hundreds of high schools held walkouts and over 1000 groups took action as part of the National Shutdown on January 30, 2026 in support of immigrant rights.

Now, it’s time to build our movement muscles by organizing for a national strike on May 1.

It won’t be easy. But it is necessary.

The history of nonviolent movements indicates that nationwide actions—prolonged and disruptive—will be required to halt democratic backsliding and end the authoritarian takeover. The People Power Revolution shut down Manila for three tense days to oust Ferdinand Marcos. The Singing Revolution in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania resisted Soviet re-invasion for over a week. Czechoslovakia’s Velvet Revolution disrupted daily life in intense ways for two weeks, culminating in a decisive 2-hr general strike. The Icelandic Women’s Day Off threw their society into upheaval when women stopped working for a day and led to wage increases, greater gender equity, and the election of first female president of Iceland.

In this time of billionaire power and authoritarian rule, May Day Strong organizers are connecting labor justice to democracy, and economic justice to the many burning issues that we face.  Here’s what they’re demanding:

May 1st won’t fix everything, but it will help us build the necessary organizing skills and strength to do the work that will be needed to successfully resist authoritarianism. Are you ready to build your muscles?

In February 2026, India held an immense 1-day strike with 300 million workers. Some cities shut down entirely. Even if workers wanted to go to work, they couldn’t get there because the buses weren’t running. Mayors and transit authorities put out public service announcements about the strike. Local television and radio stations warned people about its impacts. A nationwide action like this disrupts everything. By helping everyone in your community get ready for it, you can help spread the word . . . even among people who aren’t intending to support it.

We have one month. Many will be naysayers. Many will say it won’t be possible. Many will say it can’t be done. But here’s a secret: history is won by those who try. We won’t pull off a nationwide strike if you (and me and everybody else) quit before we even start. Start talking to your friends, neighbors, family, local businesses, nonprofits, faith groups, and more. Act like it’s possible … and we’ll turn the seemingly impossible into the collective power to achieve our wildest dreams.