Local Texians spent two hours on a Monday evening building support for Texas independence in Cherokee County, working from a meeting room at Milano’s Pizza to connect with fellow Texans about TEXIT.
The team of six volunteers set up an information table and reached out to approximately 25 people dining at the restaurant, passing out business cards and inviting conversations about Texas independence. Their grassroots approach focused on personal connections rather than formal presentations.
“I spoke with and passed my card out to about 25 people in the restaurant and invited them to come in the meeting room and talk with us,” David Breunig explained. The evening’s work resulted in one new supporter signing up for the independence movement.
Cherokee County represents fertile ground for independence organizing. This rural East Texas county of 51,000 residents tends to be conservative, with many families owning their homes and maintaining traditional values. The county seat of Rusk sits 130 miles southeast of Dallas, positioning Cherokee County in the heart of Texas rather than on the periphery.
The evening’s most encouraging moment came when a previous event attendee brought his wife to learn more about the movement. After their conversation, she decided to join as a supporter, demonstrating how personal relationships drive the independence movement forward.
Breunig and his team documented their organizing work with photos, creating a record of grassroots democracy in action. Their combined 10 hours of volunteer time represents the kind of sustained commitment that builds political movements from the ground up.
Cherokee County officially launched as a TNM county group in June 2025, making it one of the newest additions to the expanding network of county-based organizations. The county’s organizing efforts demonstrate how neighbors can organize neighbors to build political change from the grassroots level.
The team’s approach of meeting people where they are – in restaurants and community spaces – reflects the TNM’s philosophy that real political change happens through personal conversations rather than top-down campaigns. Each business card handed out and each conversation started plants seeds for Texas self-determination.
Ready to join the independence movement in your county? Find upcoming events or connect with organizers through local.tnm.me to start building Texas independence in your community.
