Marius is a Togolese asylum-seeker, who has recently moved to Lowell to fight for asylum in the Boston federal immigration courts. Marius comes from a family of political dissidents fighting for greater democracy, and was forced to flee his country after his parents were murdered by the government. He has been threatened everywhere he's tried to rebuild his life, and last year decided to journey across South and North America to seek asylum in the United States. But Marius cannot do it alone. The Merrimack Valley Interfaith Sanctuary Network is providing housing for him, but he also needs funds for legal, medical and living expenses. We need to raise $500/month for his living expenses, plus at least $2000 in lawyer’s fees so any amount you can donate is greatly appreciated.

May

2023

RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ACTION LIST FOR MAY 23, 2023

Solidarity Lowell Events and Actions

Next Solidarity Lowell Hybrid Meeting

Sunday, June 25, 5:30-7pm
In person at Christ Church United, 10 Arlington St, Dracut
Online link: to be announced

Hear the latest news regarding our petition for better treatment of Lowell’s unhoused population, which was presented to the City Council at the April 11 meeting. Speaker to be announced.

Support for Asylum-Seeker Marius

Marius is an asylum-seeker from Togo who we have assisted since he arrived here in 2018.

He and Lillian, an asylum-seeker from the Dominican Republic, had a baby last year and need assistance. Gift cards are appreciated. These can be given to Marissa Dupont. Email marissa@solidaritylowell.com to coordinate drop-off.

Cash donations may be made through GoFundMe.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/47gvz-marius

New Unpacking Whiteness Dialogue Group Forming

Individuals committed to exploring their own racial biases are invited to participate in the Unpacking Whiteness Dialogue Group. Engage in supportive, structured dialogues to explore whiteness in contemporary society, especially to better understand the legacy and impact of white supremacy, white privilege, explicit and implicit bias, systemic racism, and microaggressions.

Dialogue group is five sessions, capped at 10 people.

After attending the Dialogue Group, attendees are invited to join the ongoing group.

The ongoing group meets once a month, alternating between discussing a book or watching a film.

If you have questions, email Marissa Dupont: marissa@solidaritylowell.com.

Lowell Events & Actions

Next City Council Meeting

Tuesday, May 23 at 6:30pm, at City Hall and online

Meetings are held weekly in Council Chamber Tuesdays at 6:30pm with public welcome. Attend in person or by using remote participation as follows: Members of the public may view the meeting via LTC.Org (Online; Live Streaming; Or Local Cable Channel 99).

See agenda for details:
https://www.lowellma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_05232023-2740?html=true

Items of interest

4.2 Informational Items
Update on Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Municipality Equality Index (MEI)
https://www.lowellma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Item/24104?fileID=49223

Motions

7.2. C. Robinson/C. Gitschier – Req. City Mgr. Draft A Letter On Behalf Of The City Council And Community Stakeholders To Be Sent To State Department Of Housing Newly Appointed Secretary, As Well As, Sheriff Kotoujian, Sen. Cindy Friedman And The “Restoration Center” Team To Explore Feasibility Of Creating A Pilot Program Utilizing The Former Superior Courthouse To Address The Mental Health, Substance Abuse, Homelessness And Housing Crisis Impacting Our Community.

7.3 C. Robinson – Req. Mayor Create A Restorative Center Ad Hoc Committee Focused On Exploration On Utilizing The Superior Courthouse Property.

7.4. C. Robinson – Req. City Mgr. Have DPD Provide GIS Mapped Report On Potential Number, As Well As, Locations Of ADUs If Proposed Change Were To Be Adopted.

To speak, you must register by 4pm the day of the meeting. Those wishing to speak regarding a specific agenda item must register to speak in advance of the meeting by sending an email to the City Clerk indicating the agenda item and a phone number to call so that you may be issued a Zoom link to the meeting if you wish to speak remotely. Email Address is MGEARY@LOWELLMA.GOV. If you have no access to email you may contact the City Clerk at 978-674-4161.

To contact any City Councilor, or the City Manager, by email, use this webform
https://www.lowellma.gov/formcenter/contact-the-city-council-5/city-council-contact-form-45
and check off who you’re writing to.

Be prepared: Narcan Administration & Overdose Awareness (Narcan Included)

May 24, May 31 6:00-7:30pm
Life Connections Center, 192 Appleton Street

Substance Abuse Community Forum

Thursday, June 1, 6pm
Lowell High School Auditorium

Special Guest Speaker: Chris Herren, former NBA Player and Substance Abuse Speaker

Lowell Litter Krewe

LLK is in the running for an award from the We Share a Common Thread Foundation.
Once a quarter, the Foundation donates $1500 to a worthy area non-profit as voted by the community. Whoever receives the most votes via their Give a Click site wins. Please vote, once, before June 30.
https://www.jdcu.org/community-about/our-foundation/give-a-click/?#gf_33

Meanwhile, the LLK has begun their regular cleanups.
To connect with them: https://linktr.ee/lowelllitterkrewe
Sign up to volunteer, check out their schedule and more.

Next events – Spring Cleanup and Concert Series

(Note: No event Memorial Day weekend)

Saturday, June 3, 9:00am-12:00pm
Armory Park
46 Westford St, Lowell
1:00-4:00pm Bad Boyz Band with Jasper Crystal Wizard and Saexia

Lowell Fall Election

Solidarity Lowell’s Election Subcommittee gearing up

If you are interested in helping to elect/re-elect progressive candidates for Lowell City CouncilCouncl and School Committee, please email Lisa Arnold (likarnold @ gmail.com) or Dee Halzack (dee.halz @ ix.netcom.com) (delete spaces when using emails cited)

The election schedule for the municipal election has been set. While some candidates have already announced, Tuesday June 6 is the first day nominating papers can be pulled. The last day to submit nominating papers is Tuesday, July 18. At some point after July 18, when the slate of candidates is finalized, Solidarity Lowell will follow their process for endorsing candidates. Once we have selected endorsees, we will begin organizing canvassing events for our endorsees. Want to be a part of that? Contact Lisa or Dee as noted above.

If there is a preliminary election (there must be at least 3 candidates for a district, or 7 at large), which we’ll know on July 19, early voting begins August 23. That’s a little over a month to work for our progressive candidates, so we need to be ready to hit the ground running by then.

Other Events

Grassroots Training Academy

5 sessions left, select Mondays and Wednesdays from May 24 – June 14
Organizer: Mass Alliance

Mass legislature, messaging, campaign planning, social media, press, lobbying, fundraising and more. For more details, and to apply to attend, see http://tinyurl.com/2023AdvocacyTrainingSeries

Thrive Act Advocacy Day

Wednesday, May 24, 9:30am-2:30pm
The Boston Society of the New Jerusalem (Church on the Hill),140 Bowdoin Street, Boston, MA

RSVP: https://actionnetwork.org/events/thrive-act-advocacy-day?link_id=9&can_id=ee66e076545e936b45bdb6f0eeb2b2ad&source=email-celebrate-teacher-appreciation-week-by-supporting-the-thrive-act&email_referrer=email_1908492&email_subject=celebrate-teacher-appreciation-week-by-supporting-the-thrive-act

Healthy Youth Act Lobby Day

Tuesday, May 30, 10 am
State House
RSVP: https://www.weareplannedparenthoodaction.org/a/healthy-youth-act-lobby-day-2023

An Act relative to healthy youth (S.268/H.544) is a common sense bill that reflects the consensus of the vast majority of MA residents. The bill’s core provision is simple: it will require any public school that already chooses to teach sex ed to provide a medically accurate, age-appropriate, comprehensive sexual health education.

Homes for All Rent Control and Foreclosure Prevention Lobby Day

Wednesday, June 1, 10 am
State House
No RSVP link yet

Legislative briefing (10 am) + rally (11 am) + grassroots lobbying (12 noon)

Transfer Fee Coalition Lobby Day

Tuesday, June 6, 11 am – 12pm
State House
RSVP: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSesSbaBBThWz6ETbvybWZ71OVM2jN3HR3uKI2VBr5IC1ZmVtQ/viewform

Join the Local Option for Housing Affordability (LOHA) Coalition for a briefing and day of action in support of Rep. Connolly and Sen. Comerford’s H.2747/S.1771 establishing a local option transfer fee to fund affordable housing. Speakers will include advocates, municipal officials, impacted people and housing experts from across the Commonwealth.

State Level Actions

There are several asks here. You might want to combine them in one call. Or do each one on separate days.

1) More budget contact with your senator–Vote this week!

Call their office (contact info at end of this section) and just say “Please co-sponsor Amendments #819, #856, and #941 to the Senate budget this week. These amendments would protect the Fair Share victory, build on past progress on juvenile justice reform, and strengthen No Cost Calls language.”

Email them: https://actionnetwork.org/letters/senate-budget-fy2024/

2) Contact your senator to support Budget Amendment #363 re: food insecurity

Call their office (contact info at end of this section) and just say “Please co-sponsor Amendment #363 to the Senate budget this week. This amendment would restore basic nutrition and cash benefits for legally present Massachusetts immigrants, addressing food insecurity among this population.”

3) Invite Your Legislator to the June 6 Legislative Briefing

The Make Polluters Pay and Put Gas in the Past Campaigns, two top priorities of the Mass Power Forward Coalition, are joining for a double-header Legislative Briefing on June 6th. Use this toolkit and call on your legislator to join us!

https://docs.google.com/document/d/13b-_uKuNY2HIcowBUY6Oz6iTzMLHhXNe5S23DFS8pSs/edit

Want to stay up to date on the campaign? Follow @polluterspayma on twitter.

To Contact the Governor

Governor’s Office of Constituent Services (617) 725-4005
Call between 9am and 5pm and leave a message.

Or email the governor, using this form: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/email-the-governors-office#email-the-governor-using-this-form-

Our State Legislators’ Info

Speaker Ronald Mariano Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2500 | Rm 356
Senate President Karen Spilka Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov | 617-722-1500 | Rm 332
Rep. Rodney Elliott Rodney.Elliott@ma.house.gov | 617-722-2000 x7313 | Rm B1
Rep. Vanna Howard Vanna.Howard@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2060 | Rm 33
Local office: 25 Central Street, ground floor, Lowell
Rep. Rady Mom Rady.Mom@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2637 | Rm 544
Rep. Colleen Garry Colleen.Garry@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2380 | Rm 238
Senator Edward Kennedy edward.kennedy@masenate.gov | 617-722-1630 | Rm 109-E
Senator Michael Barrett Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov | 617-722-1572 | Rm 109-D
Senator Jamie Eldridge James.Eldridge@masenate.gov | 617-722-1120 | Rm 511-C
Senator Barry Finegold Barry.Finegold@masenate.gov | 617-722-1612 | Rm 511A
(… or find yours here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator)

Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133

National Actions

Our Federal Legislators’ Info

Representative Lori Trahan
https://trahan.house.gov/contact/write-your-rep.htm
2439 Rayburn HOB | Washington, DC 20515 | 202-225-3411
126 John Street | Lowell, MA 01852 | 978-459-0101

Representative Seth Moulton
https://moulton.house.gov/contact
202-225-8020 | 978-531-1669

SOLIDARITY LOWEL ANNOUNCES STATE REP ENDORSEMENTS (Reposted)

The Primary will be held this upcoming TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 6th! Remember to vote! Solidarity Lowell announces endorsements in four State Representative races, by vote of their members. All four endorseesContinue reading →

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Help Marius Cover His Lawyer's Fees and Stay in the Country

From the Rapid Response Team