Ordinary Rebels and Everyday Resistance: A Deep Water Literary Festival Preview

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The Deep Water Literary Festival returns to Narrowsburg in just two weeks, and this year’s lineup promises timely conversations. Among the highlights is a panel titled “Ordinary Rebels,” which explores the quiet courage behind everyday acts of resistance.

The conversation brings together three acclaimed writers—Suzanne Cope, Rebecca Donner, and Peter Pomerantsev—for a powerful exploration of what it means to stand up to authoritarianism not through grand, heroic gestures, but in the small choices that can spark lasting change.

Bethel-based author and journalist Suzanne Cope joined us in the studio for a preview of the panel and its themes. Cope’s book Women of War uncovers the untold stories of Italian women partisans during World War II—civilians who smuggled weapons across mountains, hid explosives under their coats, and organized behind the scenes to fight fascism.

“These women weren’t seen as threats,” Cope said. “They were underestimated—and that was their power.”

The panel’s central question—when does an ordinary citizen become a rebel?—resonates strongly in today’s political landscape, as concerns over rising authoritarianism grow both in the U.S. and globally.

Cope says resistance doesn’t always begin with confrontation—it can start with sharing information, reading up, talking to neighbors. “It’s often a small choice that anyone can make,” she said. “And one person supporting another becomes a network, and then a movement.”

That sentiment echoes throughout Cope’s research. During WWII, resistance efforts often relied on countless unseen supporters. “One person on the front lines might’ve needed 15 people behind the scenes—cooking, hiding, feeding, organizing. It was collective power,” she explained.

The “Ordinary Rebels” panel aims to highlight those unsung heroes—then and now. Alongside Cope will be Rebecca Donner, whose book All the Frequent Troubles of Our Days tells the story of Mildred Harnack, an American student who ran Berlin’s largest underground resistance cell. “She was a teacher. I’m a teacher. And I appreciate how she anchored everything in political education,” Cope noted.

Peter Pomerantsev, known for his work on propaganda and disinformation, rounds out the panel. Together, the trio brings personal, historical, and global perspectives to the theme of resistance through story.

Cope hopes that audiences walk away from the discussion feeling empowered, not overwhelmed.

“Everyone has something to bring to the table,” she said. “Even if it’s just talking to a friend or doing some reading. That’s how change begins.”

The “Ordinary Rebels” panel takes place Friday, June 21 at 4:30 p.m. at the Tusten Theatre as part of the Deep Water Literary Festival. For more details and the full festival lineup, visit deepwaterfestival.com.

Radio Catskill is a media partner of the Deep Water Literary Festival. Learn more about Suzanne Cope’s work at suzannecope.com.