Local
Say No to New Pipelines! Welcome National Grid to the Environmental Subcommittee
Tuesday, May 15, 5:30-6:45pm, City Council Chambers, City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street, Lowell
National Grid will be presenting their “justifications” for the pipeline expansion to Lowell´s Environmental Subcommittee, and we need to show up in large numbers to tell them NO. Let´s pack the room and tell National Grid they aren’t welcome here. The presentation begins at 5:30pm. Come at 5:15 to grab a sign, or bring your own!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/956278617882757/
Solidarity! We Welcome the Marcellus Shale Community
Wednesday, May 16, 7-9pm, LTC, 246 Market Street, Lowell
80% of the natural gas that National Grid sells us is fracked gas. You are invited to an evening with community leaders from the Marcellus Shale region of Pennsylvania, at the other end of the fracked gas pipelines that connect to Massachusetts. Families, landowners, and whole communities there have been deeply impacted by intensive development of fracking wells and facilities, and their struggle connects directly with our use of fossil fuels in the Northeast.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/164972047670363/
Demonstrate, Drink, and Discuss: Raise Up!
Friday, May 18th, 6:30-8:30pm, The Ladd and Whitney Memorial, 309 Merrimack Street, Lowell
Join us for Solidarity Lowell’s monthly visibility event! Our theme this month is Raise Up Massachusetts’ ballot questions for $15/hour minimum wage and paid family/medical leave! We will have signs for you to hold, or bring your own! We will also have the petitions for people to sign to help get these questions on the November ballot. At 6:30pm, join us at the island in front of City Hall to rally in support of $15 minimum wage and paid family/medical leave. Then at 7:30pm, come to Sizzling Kitchen (478 Merrimack Street) to have some food and/or drinks and discuss the events of the week! All are welcome!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/151094442400936/
Solidarity Lowell May Meeting
Sunday, May 20th, 5:30-7pm, Christ Church United (UCC), 1 Bartlett Street, Lowell
The monthly general meeting for members of Solidarity Lowell. On the agenda this month: an update from Immigrant Rights subcommittee, Marisa Shea speaking about a coalition against the Lowell natural gas pipeline, a followup to the Incorruptibles training, Raise Up petitions, a postcard action, and more! All are welcome!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/218192872100942/
A Rapid Response Rally if Mueller is Fired
If the firing happens before 2pm, the event will be held at 5pm the same day. If it happens after 2pm, the event will be held at noon the following day. Ladd and Whitney Memorial (the island outside City Hall), 309 Merrimack Street, Lowell
Nobody is above the law! Donald Trump is publicly considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller. This would be a constitutional crisis for our country. Our response in the minutes and hours following a power grab will dictate what happens next, which is why an immediate response is imperative.
Sign up to be notified: https://act.moveon.org/event/mueller-firing-rapid-response-events/14830
Help with Sanctuary
Assisting our immigrant community is one of the most important things you can possibly do. If you are interested in helping out with local sanctuary efforts, please email marissa@solidaritylowell.com. Training is provided. You can also donate to the cause here: http://www.merrimackvalleyproject.org/donate-1/ (please write “sanctuary” in the “special notes” part of the donation form).
More information and to sign up for training: marissa@solidaritylowell.com
State
Support the Poor People’s Campaign at the State House
Every Monday for the next five weeks
The Poor People’s Campaign is launching 40 days of action that will include rallies, education and organizing, cultural arts events, nonviolent civil disobedience, and fusion coalition building in at least forty-one states. There will be five Monday actions at the State House in Boston each with a different theme. Monday actions will begin at 2 pm with a rally followed by optional non-violent direct action.
RSVP here: https://actionnetwork.org/events/may-14-boston
Progressive Mass Statewide HubDialer Days
Every Thursday, 6:30pm, from home
Make calls on behalf of Raise Up Massachusetts for our campaigns for Paid Family and Medical Leave and a $15 Minimum Wage! We are calling people who signed our petitions for these issues and likely voters, offering to patch them through to their legislators. That means that while you’re on the phone, you can offer to patch the person you’re speaking with through directly to their legislator’s office so that they can ask them to support and prioritize these important pieces of legislation. HubDialer includes a script, a place to record the caller’s response, as well as a button to patch them through!
Sign up here: http://action.raiseupma.org/page/s/hubdialer
Oppose the House Farm Bill
Please contact your state representative and state senator (find yours here https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator):
Rep. Thomas Golden 617-722-2263
Rep. David Nangle 617-722-2520
Rep. Rady Mom 617-722-2460
Rep. Colleen Garry 617-722-2380
Rep. James Lyons 617-722-2460
Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572
Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from ______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. I am calling to urge you to vote No on H.R. 2, the House farm bill, which would make it harder for struggling Americans to put food on the table. This bill would take food assistance from millions of people, including seniors, children, and people with disabilities; please reject it. Thank you!”
More information: https://www.indivisible.org/resource/republicans-trying-sneak-cuts-food-assistance/#CallScript
Support the Environmental Justice Act
Please contact your state representative and state senator (find yours here https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator):
Rep. Thomas Golden 617-722-2263
Rep. David Nangle 617-722-2520
Rep. Rady Mom 617-722-2460
Rep. Colleen Garry 617-722-2380
Rep. James Lyons 617-722-2460
Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572
Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from _______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. All people have a right to be protected from environmental pollution and to live in and enjoy a clean and healthful environment––but low-income communities and communities of color are most likely to be in the shadows of a dirty power plant or next to a busy polluting highway. Environmental Justice is the equal protection and meaningful involvement of all people with respect to the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws. Please support the Environmental Justice Act, H2913/S426. Thank you!”
Pass the Social Media Privacy Act (H.158/S.2320)
Please contact your state representative and state senator (find yours here https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator):
Rep. Thomas Golden 617-722-2263
Rep. David Nangle 617-722-2520
Rep. Rady Mom 617-722-2460
Rep. Colleen Garry 617-722-2380
Rep. James Lyons 617-722-2460
Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572
Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from _______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. Please urge House leadership to bring up the Social Media Privacy Act (H.158/S.2320) for a vote before the end of the session. The Social Media Privacy Act would establish basic privacy protections under state law in employment and educational settings, with reasonable and limited exceptions. Twenty-six other states have passed equivalent legislation. We should be next. Please urge Speaker DeLeo and Chairman Sanchez to advance the Social Media Privacy Act as soon as possible. Thank you!”