Action Alerts – Week of April 9th – CNY Solidarity Coalition

CNY Solidarity members and supporters:
Please find below the weekly ACTION ALERTS from Indivisible NY24 and our legislative action teams.

In addition to this week’s actions, I wanted to call everyone’s attention to an event scheduled for next week, organized by our state legislative action team (SLAT): Not a Crime: Making Our Case for the Reproductive Health Act, scheduled for Wed., April 18, 7-9pm at ArtRage. While you’re there, you can check out the hauntingly beautiful paintings of Keith Morris Washington, in an unbelievably powerful exhibit focused on the history of lynching in America.

Today (April 9)

One phone call and/or letter to the editor today, plus two public forums/meetings tonight

Follow Up on Town Hall for Our Lives

For those who missed it on Saturday, the student organizers of Town Hall for Our Lives-Syracuse did a fantastic job. They’re still working to include a more diverse array of student voices, a point which multiple speakers emphasized. Congressional candidates Dana Balter, Bill Bass, and Juanita Perez Williams were there, along with an empty chair for John Katko (who declined to attend). If you missed it, we’ve got video of most of the event up on Twitter. Today, let’s follow up by calling Rep. Katko, submitting a letter to the editor, or posting on social media (your choice!) to express your disappointment that he failed to attend. Katko’s number is 202-225-3701, Indivisible’s guide to writing letters to the editor is here, our list of local outlets is here. If you post on social media, please tag @IndivisibleNY24.

Syracuse City School Board Forum

5:30-7pm, Corcoran High School.

Join the discussion and let’s make SCSD better for our children. There will be a brief presentation, followed by an open question and comment period.

Syracuse Lead Prevention Coalition Meeting

Syracuse has one of the nation’s highest rates of lead exposure for children. Our friends at Uplift Syracuse and others are building a coalition to combat this fundamental problem of poverty and inequality. All are welcome. 6-7:30pm, 500 W. Genesee St. More details here.

Tuesday (April 10)

One phone call today, and a public forum in Syracuse tonight

Support a fair and accurate census

From our state legislative action team (SLAT): In response to the U.S. Census Bureau’s plan to include a citizenship question on the 2020 Census, NY State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman joined a coalition of attorneys general in a multistate lawsuit against the Trump administration “to preserve a fair and accurate Census.” Per Mr. Schneiderman: “The Trump Administration’s reckless decision to suddenly abandon nearly 70 years of practice by demanding to know the citizenship status of each resident counted cuts to the heart of this sacred obligation – and will create an environment of fear and distrust in immigrant communities that would make impossible both an accurate Census and the fair distribution of federal tax dollars.” Please call the NYS Attorney General’s office at 800-771-7755 to thank him for spearheading this lawsuit.

Public Meeting: Input on Next Police Chief in Syracuse

5-7:30pm, City Hall Atrium, 201 E. Washington St.

Come demand a police chief from outside the ranks of the SPD who will reform the police force, hold offending police officers accountable and work with the CRB, and institute de-escalation and cultural competency training for all police.

Wednesday (April 11)

Public Meeting: Input on Next Police Chief in Syracuse

5-7:30pm, PEACE, Inc. Eastside Family Resource Center, 202 S. Beech St.

Thursday (April 12)

Support Voter Turnout in Syracuse this Fall

Members of CNY Solidarity, the NAACP, South Side TNT’s Voter Education and Outreach Task Force, FlipNY24, League of Women Voters, and Lambda Kappa Mu Sorority are working together to plan and provide voter education, childcare, and transportation services in Syracuse election districts with histories of low turnout. If you’d like to learn more, please contact emwolf@twcny.rr.com.

Friday (April 13)

Three amazing events tonight—something for everyone!

Poverty in Greater Syracuse: Discerning Our Elephant

The poverty level in Greater Syracuse is unduly high and affects us all. This teach-in will explore many facets of this complex problem, featuring Ocesa Keaton, Director of Greater Syracuse H.O.P.E., and Helen Hudson, President of the Syracuse Common Council. 6:30 snacks, 7:00 presentation, University United Methodist Church, 1085 E. Genesee St.

PUERTO RICO POST MARÍA –205 DAYS

CNY Relief for Puerto Rico Coalition is hosting a teach-in. The crisis that continues to afflict Puerto Rico and that is causing hundreds of thousands to seek refuge in the US mainland, including hundreds of families relocating in Central and Upstate NY, will be discussed tonight, precisely 205 DAYS from the time Hurricane María made landfall last September 20. This vital discussion will take place at La Casita Cultural Center (Lincoln Bldg., 109 Otisco St., Syracuse, NY, 13204) from 6-7:30pm. More details here.

NYCLU’s 2018 Kharas and Seidenberg Awards Dinner

Join our friends at NYCLU for their annual awards dinner. 6-9:30pm, Marriott Syracuse Downtown, 100 E. Onondaga St. More details here. CNY Solidarity is collecting sliding scale donations to support a 10-person table. If you’re able to fund a ticket for yourself and/or others, please contact Marianna.kaufman@gmail.com.

Saturday (April 14)

John Pavlovitz’s “A Bigger Table” Tour

Our friends at Flip NY24 are hosting a talk by John Pavlovitz on how to build better communities in Trump’s America. 10:00-1:00, May Memorial Unitarian Church. Tickets and further details available here.

Central New York Says No to Katko

This morning at 11am, and every Saturday until November, we’re partnering with Indivisible Syracuse, Knit the 24^th, and others to say NO to Katko. We’ll be on the sidewalk outside Wegmans Dewitt, near the traffic light, across from Talbots. More details here.

Seize the Power: Cazenovia Renewable Energy Fair

This fair will bring together local residents, students, business owners, farmers, and industry experts for a hands-on, how-to, afternoon of fun and learning about our community’s renewable energy future. 11:00-4:00, Hubbard Hall, Cazenovia College. All are invited and welcome to “Seize the Power” of renewable energy information. For a full list of exhibitors and presentations, visit www.cazclimatecommittee.org.

Sunday (April 15)

The Trump Administration and the U.S. Constitution

Voices of Women CNY is hosting a talk by Maxwell School Professor (and sender of this action alert email!) Tom Keck. 3pm @ the Fayetteville Free Library, 300 Orchard St. 13066.

Save the date for these upcoming events:

Tue., Apr. 17: Plans are in the works for a tax day action calling for repeal of the #TrumpTax bill. More details as we have them.

Tue., Apr. 17: Public Meeting: Input on Next Police Chief in Syracuse

5-7:30 p.m. at St. Lucy’s Church, 432 Gifford St

Wed., Apr. 18: Our state legislative action team is organizing a public forum on the Reproductive Health Act. 7pm at ArtRage. More details here.

Wed., Apr. 18: The Green Light campaign (calling for expanded access to drivers licenses for immigrants), which CNY Solidarity endorsed last year, is mobilizing supporters to spend the day lobbying in Albany. Please fill out this form to express your interest in going to Albany and let us know how many people you can bring with you!

Fri., Apr. 20: League of Women Voters Annual Legislator Breakfast, 7:45-9:30am, Embassy Suites-Destiny USA, 311 Hiawatha Blvd. $20/person; more info here.

Fri., Apr. 20: Some national gun control advocates have called for a nationwide high school student walkout today. Students at JD, CNS, and several other local high schools have posted their planned walkouts here. If you know students at these schools, please support them.

Sat., Apr. 21: #metoo rally/march. 10am, Clinton Square in Syracuse. More details here.

Sun., Apr. 22, 3-5 pm: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting, location TBD.

Mon., Apr. 23: CNY Solidarity is teaming with StopNYInfrackstructure, 350.org, and others to organize a massive climate rally in Albany today. RSVP and get more info at CuomoWalkTheTalk.org.

Sun. Apr. 29: Plans are in the works for a No IDC action in Syracuse. More details soon.

Sat., May 5, 10am-5pm: Nonviolent Direct Action Training, Lutheran Atonement Church, 116 W Glen Ave, Syracuse 13205. Note the new date. More details here.

Sun., May 6, 3-5pm: CNY Solidarity meeting, Bishop Harrison

Mon., May 14: Plans are in the works for Poor People’s Campaign direct actions in Albany.

Sun., May 20, 3-5pm: CNY Solidarity meeting, location TBD

Jun. 1: NYS voter registration deadline for federal primary.

Jun. 19: Deadline to request absentee ballot by mail for federal primary.

Tue., Jun. 26: Election day (primaries for federal offices).

Aug. 19: NYS voter registration deadline for state primary.

Sept. 6: Deadline to request absentee ballot by mail for state primary.

Thur., Sept. 13: Election day (primaries for state offices). Note the date change; and yes, it’s a Thursday.

Oct. 12: NYS voter registration deadline for general election.

Oct. 30: Deadline to request absentee ballot by mail for general election.

Tue., Nov. 6: Election day (general election for all offices). Click here to add it to your FB calendar.