Solidarity Lowell Events and Actions

Solidarity Lowell Endorsed Candidate Showcase

Sunday, October 24, 5:00pm – 7:00pm (NOTE EARLY START TIME!)

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89699168519?pwd=SDZTOFJkc1BmOUE5WTYxYmpnam1jUT09

For our October General Meeting, join us for an interview-style showcase of all Solidarity Lowell’s endorsed candidates for City Council and School Committee. Attendees will be able to submit questions during the event.

Learn why these progressive candidates deserve your vote!

Support Our Slate of Endorsed Candidates

City Council
At Large: Vesna Nuon (https://www.facebook.com/vesnaforlowell) *
District 2: Corey Robinson (https://www.coreyforlowell.com/)
District 4: Wayne Jenness (https://district4lowell.com)
District 5: Tooch Van (https://www.votetooch.com/home) **
District 6: Justin Ford (https://justinford.nationbuilder.com/) ****

School Committee
At Large: Jackie Doherty (https://www.facebook.com/electjackiedoherty/)
District 1: Stacey Thompson (https://www.staceyforlowell.com/) ***
District 2: Hilary Clark (https://www.clarkforprogress.com/)
District 3: Susie Chhoun (http://www.susieforlowellschools.com/)

All of the campaigns can use help with canvassing. Knocking on doors is one of the most effective ways to get out the vote. Get some exercise while helping to elect progressives! Canvassing a little too much exercise? Try standouts, holding a sign and waving to passing motorists for an hour or more. Some campaigns are also doing phonebanking and textbanking. And if you own property that would be great for sign placement, that can help too. Contact the campaigns directly to volunteer.

And, of course, there are fundraisers to support. Signs and fliers cost money. See Local Events (below) for more information on those.

If we want real change in Lowell, we need to help get more progressives elected.

* Vesna Nuon campaign volunteer opportunities
Standouts for visibility
Wednesday 10/20 4:40 to 6:30 – Nesmith and Andover Streets, Chelmsford and Stevens Streets
Friday 10/22 4:40 to 6:30 – Nesmith and Andover Streets, Fletcher and Broadway Streets

Volunteers also needed for poll locations.

Canvassing door-to-door on Saturdays and Sundays beginning at 10:00am. Anyone interested in helping can contact Judith Durant: judithdurant1@comcast.net or 508.667.9230.

** Tooch Van District 5 City Council campaign volunteer opportunities
Monday, October 18
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm: Visibility (Gorham St and Moore St)

Tuesday, October 19
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm: Visibility ( Plain St in front of Target )

Wednesday, October 20
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm: Visibility ( Plain St in front of Target)

Thursday, October 21
5:30 pm to 7:00 pm: Visibility (Mahoneys’ Gas 88-120 Plain St )

Friday, October 22
4:00 pm to 5:00 pm: Visibility ( Butler Middle School 1140 Gorham Street)

Saturday, October 23
10:00 am: Breakfast at Butler Middle School 1140 Gorham Street or Olympic Restaurant 454 Chelmsford Street (to be determined)
11:00 am: Canvassing in Sacred Heart & South Lowell Neighborhood in District 5

Sunday, October 24
10:00 am: Breakfast at Butler Middle School 1140 Gorham Street or Olympic Restaurant 454 Chelmsford Street (to be determined)
11:00 am: Canvassing in Sacred Heart & South Lowell Neighborhood in District 5

Also phonebanking and postcard writing opportunities. For more information go to http://votetooch.com

*** Stacey Thompson campaign volunteer opportunities
The campaign is looking especially for folks to hold signs, phonebank, or host yard signs.
Email staceyforthestudents@gmail.com for details.

Urgent Support Needed for Asylum-Seeker Marius

Marius has a new apartment and needs urgent assistance with rent money. If you are able to contribute, please send donations to Marissa Dupont.

Donations via:
CashApp – $gollygee17
Venmo – @owlnerd
Please put “Marius” in the notes.

Local Events and Actions

**** Justin Ford City Council District 6 Fundraiser

Wednesday, October 20, 6:00-9:00pm
Mount Pleasant Golf Club, 141 Staples St, Lowell

* Vesna Nuon for City Councilor Final Fundraiser

Thursday October 21 5:30pm-8:00pm
At Panela, 7 Hanover Street, Lowell

** G.O.T.V. and Eggrolls / Tooch for District 5

Friday, October 22, 5:30-7:30pm
Olympic Restaurant, 454 Chelmsford St, Lowell

General Election

Vote by Mail
You’ve still got time to apply to vote by mail, but don’t wait too long. The mail is slower now.

Deadline to apply to vote by mail in municipal general election
Wednesday, October 27, 5:00pm

Due to slower mail after October 20, you would be well advised to drop it off at City Hall directly. The USPS recommends allowing 7 days each way.

You can also download an application at http://lowellma.gov/votebymail and submit it by email (to elections@lowellma.gov) if you have the capability of completing a PDF file electronically.

If you can’t do it electronically, it is possible to complete a form in person at City Hall.

Elections & Census Office
375 Merrimack Street
Basement, Room 5
Lowell, MA 01852
978-674-4046

If you are voting by mail, once you’ve received your ballot, the U.S. Postal Service recommends allowing up to 7 days for ballot delivery.

Early Voting
Early Voting in person begins October 20

Absentee Ballot
Deadline to apply for in-person absentee ballots is Monday, November 1, 12:00pm

For all the rules, including who qualifies for an absentee ballot, visit:
https://www.lowellma.gov/408/Absentee-Voting

Lowell Votes Election Guides

For information on all candidates, in English, Khmer, or Spanish.
https://www.lowellvotes.org/2021guides/

Help Lowell Votes Get Out the Vote

Lots of our neighbors do not understand the new electoral system yet. They need to be educated and encouraged to vote. Some may even need help registering to vote.

1) Please consider signing up to participate in nonpartisan voter registration tabling and voter education at your site or at events in the City: http://www.tinyurl.com/2021LowellCitywideGOTV

Lowell Votes will provide you with a voter registration and education toolkit and you can choose what materials from here you would either like printed or to donate here.
http://www.tinyurl.com/LV2021MaterialsforPrint
http://www.lowellvotes.org/donate/

2) Upcoming phone banks, canvasses, and other volunteer opportunities: Lowell Votes needs 3-5 more people for every session and always welcome different language capacities:

There will be phonebanking on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:30-7:30 going forward until the election (except for Indigenous Peoples Day) and Saturday morning canvasses will begin on September 25.

Candidate Forums

Organized by Solidarity Lowell for Endorsed Candidates
Sunday, October 24, 5:00 – 7:00 pm
Zoom link above

City Council
At Large: Vesna Nuon
District 2: Corey Robinson
District 4: Wayne Jenness
District 5: Tooch Van
District 6: Justin Ford

School Committee
At Large: Jackie Doherty
District 1: Stacey Thompson
District 2: Hilary Clark
District 3: Susie Chhoun

Organized by LTC, The Lowell Sun, Lowell Votes, and KhmerPostUSA
Search for LTCLowell MA Candidates 2021 on Youtube to see video of all the candidate forums they hosted.

DEI Consortium Candidate Spotlight

Watch any Spotlights you missed on the YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb7O-ece-ZaiKDGVxvWTJ8w

State-level Actions

Support MA Indigenous Legislative Agenda: H.3191/S.2027 An Act Establishing an Indigenous Peoples Day

ACTION ALERT:
Go to the Action Network link https://bit.ly/IPDMA2021 and you will find the text of the bill, a template letter that you can personalize and send to legislators, and also information about how to send your own letter if you do not want to use the automated Action Network letter. Please plan to modify the Action Network letter to tell the legislators why this bill is so important to you — personalization helps a lot! Sending this will only take a few minutes of your time.

Please go to the website http://MAIndigenousAgenda.org for information about all 5 indigenous legislative priorities this session, including eliminating Native American mascots, honoring Indigenous People’s Day, celebrating and teaching Native American culture & history, protecting Native American heritage, and supporting the education and futures of Native youth.

Via Daniele Skopek/ Christine Brown Indivisible Acton Area – News-Magic Team (edited)

Support new bill addressing racism through education

Racism has existed for hundreds of years in our society. If we want to fight racism at its fundamental level, we must educate our children early.

MA bills S365 and H584: “An Act relative to anti-racism, equity, and justice in education” were proposed to address the incomplete education in our public school system that perpetuates historical racial inequities which have profoundly harmed the physical and mental health of BIPOC communities and threaten our democracy. To advance the bills, we need a majority of the 160 state representatives and of the 40 state senators in the MA State Legislature to vote yes in this legislative session.

Send written testimony to support the bill: https://tinyurl.com/wsnfss46

Please take a few seconds to simply send a pre-written email to your legislator to ask him/her to support these bills today. You can personalize the email.

Urge your legislator to support the bill: Click here to email your legislator Ethnic studies and Anti-Racism in K-12 Education – Action Network

For a summary of the bills, please read: Summary Fact Sheet of bill

Please follow bill sponsors on Facebook: fb.com/care4aapi. Email: coalition.care.aapi@gmail.com to stay informed on this issue.

H/t Shaw Yang Indivisible Acton – News Magic Team (edited)

Pay Our Interns Campaign

Write your legislators asking them to see that interns are paid for their work. Some states already do that. It is classist not to. How many of you could afford to work for free when you were in college? https://tinyurl.com/kr3jms2y

Fight evictions: Contact your legislators in support of the COVID Housing Equity Bill

Everything you need to take action is at the link. https://tinyurl.com/ywb25nra

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Contact your state representative and state senator (email preferable at the moment)
(Find yours here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator)

House Speaker Ronald Mariano: Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov 617-722-2500
Senate President: Karen E. Spilka: Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov 617-722-1500
Rep. Thomas Golden Thomas.Golden@mahouse.gov 617-722-2263
Rep. Vanna Howard Vanna.Howard@mahouse.gov 617-722-2800 x7302 / Google Voice: 978-272-9078
Rep. Rady Mom Rady.Mom@mahouse.gov 617-722-2460
Rep. Colleen Garry Colleen.Garry@mahouse.gov 617-722-2380
Rep. Tram Nguyen tram.nguyen@mahouse.gov 617-722-2425
Sen. Edward Kennedy edward.kennedy@masenate.gov 617-722-1630
Sen. Michael Barrett Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov 617-722-1572
Sen. Jamie Eldridge James.Eldridge@masenate.gov 617-722-1120
Sen. Barry Finegold Barry.Finegold@masenate.gov 617-722-1612

Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133ylowell.com.

Solidarity Lowell is a volunteer group of community members of Greater Lowell working toward social justice by defending the human rights, dignity, and equality of all persons against all forms of hate and discrimination.

Visit the Solidarity Lowell website: http://solidaritylowell.com

For more events not listed here, visit the full Events calendar: https://solidaritylowell.com/events/

To join our postcarding efforts to write to legislators on issues of interest , please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/h2V7gJ1e2WbY9dKU9

For volunteer opportunities, visit our Volunteer page: https://solidaritylowell.com/volunteer-opportunities/

For positive news visit Solidarity Lowell Upbeat on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/326202548419687

September meeting notes https://docs.google.com/document/d/1S0Avt3s5c6eWvXD73O4P0xeWjO5ZAj7GfyapGnPLEMs/edit?usp=sharing

September meeting recording https://youtu.be/akgldM3rz-4

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Solidarity Lowell is a chapter of Progressive Massachusetts. Click here to join: https://www.progressivemass.com/contribute

RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ACTION LIST FOR OCTOBER 18, 2021