Hello Astoria!
First of all, THANK YOU to everyone who came out to our kick-off event on Saturday, March 4th. It was an excellent opportunity for many of our members to meet with each other, get a good idea of what our group is about and its mission, and to energize many of our members. With as stressful as planning this event has been, I know it was certainly energizing for co-organizers to be involved in something that feels so important.
If you didn’t have a chance to attend the event, you can watch the Facebook Live video here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/378084502545009/404463346573791/?notif_t=like¬if_id=1488662605852888
(NOTE: You must be a member of the INCO Facebook group to be able to view.)
Secondly (and this is pretty important)--I realized after our meeting that I did not give appropriate credit where credit was due. In the stress of the event, I completely forgot to acknowledge an incredibly important member of our team that helped to organize the March 4th event: Denise Moore. Denise helped for her grandchildren--which is probably one of the most important things you could say.
Thirdly--as promised, we will be trying to get out these “action” newsletters every week (likely Mondays). The format is a bit different than originally planned, but it turns out it actually works out better anyway to link to the INCO blog for our special Astoria alerts. So, make sure that when you’re reading your Monday INCO newsletter in the future, you look for the Astoria-specific link to the website to catch up on our local community group and actions.
And finally--you will see some calls for volunteers among our actions for this week. A big part of Indivisible is creating an outlet for people to become more personally involved in their local, state, and federal governments. As such, you can be personally effective, and make this group more effective, by getting involved. If you have a great idea for an event, or anything you’d like to see in this newsletter (or a shout out for a particular event)--let us know by emailing AstoriaIndivisible@gmail.com, or bring it up at a future meeting. We don’t have an exact date and time yet--but it’ll be in April 2017.
Without further ado….what’s going on this week?:
FEDERAL
--Postcard Party to Write the White HouseWednesday, March 8, 2017, 6:00 PM-8:00 PM (Clatsop Community College, Columbia Hall 219)
What: President Trump entered the consciousness of many U.S. voters through his signature “You’re Fired!” phrase uttered on the popular NBC show, “The Apprentice.” At this event, come turn the tables on 45 by telling him the exact same thing regarding his presidential performance to this point. This is a casual open house type event where people can come and go as they please. Postcards and light refreshments will be provided. Please come and mingle with others fed up with Trump’s White House shenanigans, and write a postcard to Trump about how you really feel. And make sure that you include full name and a return address on the postcard
--Women’s Strike (A Day Without Women)
Wednesday, March 8, 2017 (ALL DAY)
What: If you’re a woman, you can protest the patriarchy this day by:
- Refrain from working -- both paid and unpaid.
- Refrain from shopping in stores and online (with exceptions for local small businesses and women-owned businesses that are not part of #GrabYourWallet boycott).
- Wearing red--a color of love, revolution, energy, and sacrifice--in solidarity.
Even if you’re a man, you can still participate! Use this day as an opportunity to reflect and advocate for women. Men can meet with their supervisors and urge them to guarantee equal pay and family leave. If you’re a man in a relationship with a woman, reassess your domestic contributions to the relationship.
--Write a Purple DACA Letter
For those who do not know, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an immigration policy borne out of the Obama administration in June 2012. The policy allows some undocumented immigrants in the United States who entered the county as a minor to receive a renewable two-year period of deferred action from deportation and eligibility for a work permit.
Even though Trump has made assurances that he’s not going to deport dreamers, that hasn’t stopped fears among those in the program, and apparently didn’t stop the detention of Seattle-resident Daniel Ramirez Medina from being taken into custody (https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/02/why-was-a-daca-recipient-detained-by-ice/517134/)
This is a big deal--but you can help. Go to this Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/purpleDACAletters/ for more information:
--Write a letter of support about why Trump should not TOUCH DACA.
--E-Mail letter to: purpleDACAletters@gmail.com (It can be in any format you want-scanned, typed or even a picture of your handwritten letter)
Step 4: Oregon DACA Coalition Volunteers will duplicate your letter and mail it to government officials in our signature purple envelopes.
(THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN TRANSCRIBED FROM: http://itstimetofight.weebly.com/things-to-do-week-of-2272017.html)
--Call your MOCs asking for a special prosecutor to be appointed and an independent commission assembled to investigate claims of the Trump administration (particularly AG Jeff Sessions) ties to Russia.
--Call your MOC and demand they speak out against ICE raids, and particularly the deportations of DACA dreamers.
--Call your MOC Suzanne Bonamici (202-225-0855, or 503-469-6010) to fight against H.R. 610. (This is the bill that will call for the distribution of federal funds for elementary and secondary education in the form of vouchers--i.e., “school choice”).
--Call your MOC to ask what they are doing to speak out against Trump’s executive orders (including a new one that is likely to be signed Monday 03/06/2017) to ban Muslims from entering our country.
--Call our Senators Ron Wyden (202-224-5244 or 503-326-7525) and Jeff Merkley (202-224-3753 or 503-326-3386) to VOTE NO on HR 7, the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion and Abortion Full Insurance Act of 2017.” First of all, US taxpayers already don’t pay for abortions. The name of the bill is incredibly misleading. Instead, it essentially will make getting an abortion more difficult for poor women to get, and effectively eliminate private insurance coverage for the procedure. This is an excellent link discussing the bill: http://www.vox.com/identities/2017/1/24/14370748/taxpayer-funded-abortion-house-passed-permanent-hyde-amendment
STATE
--None we’re aware of right now. If you know of a state issue in the legislature right now, please bring it to our attention by emailing us at AstoriaIndivisible@gmail.com
--If you’d be interested in being a researcher on state legislation and would like to contribute to building this section, please email AstoriaIndivisible@gmail.com.
LOCALLY:
--Astoria City Council Meeting
Monday, March 6, 2017, 7:00 PM-9:00 PM (Council Chambers, 1095 Duane St.)
What: The City Council will be voting on a resolution reaffirming the City of Astoria’s Policy of Inclusivity. We’re asking for people to show up to SUPPORT this resolution. It is particularly important for the non-Hispanic community to show support on this particular issue so that City Council members know that this not simply an issue of Hispanic concern.
(For more information on what the resolution means: http://www.dailyastorian.com/Local_News/20170222/astoria-considers-adopting-city-of-inclusivity-resolution)
--Board of Commissioners Meeting (AND A CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS!)
Wednesday, March 8, 2017, 6:00 PM (Judge Guy Boyington Building, 857 Commercial St.)
What: This is a super important local lawmaking body in Astoria. At this meeting, they will have presentations on a universal preschool feasibility study and the Blue Sky North Coast Challenge. They will also discuss support for recreational immunity legislation (whether or not city maintenance workers should be held liable for injury or damage sustained while recreating on public property).
Really what we’d like to see here is an Indivisible member willing to go to these types of meetings regularly and report back to us for the newsletter and meetings if there are issues that should be of broader concern to all of the membership that might require additional support. If all you can do or want to do is go to the meeting--go. If you are willing to share what you learned, please do by emailing AstoriaIndivisible@gmail.com
--Run for Office (DEADLINE IS MARCH 16!)
Do you really want to make a difference? All politics is local, and we can make a big difference on a local level by installing progressives into many of the elected volunteer positions all over Clatsop County. If you’re interested, please check out this link regarding the May 16, 2017 elections: https://www.co.clatsop.or.us/clerk/page/may-16-2017-special-district-election
The Astoria Indivisible Co-Organizers
