SOLIDARITY LOWELL RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ACTION LIST FOR 5/17/18

Local

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 including how to build a coalition for progressive causes, Raise Up petitions, a postcard action, and more! All are welcome!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/218192872100942/

 

Meet with Rady Mom about Raise Up!

Tuesday, May 22, 3:30pm, Rady Mom’s office, 2 Pine Street, Lowell

Merrimack Valley Project and partners have confirmed this meeting and are hoping to bring a handful of leaders from his home district. Currently, Representative Mom is not as supportive as we need him to be on the economic justice issues of paid family and medical leave and an increased minimum wage so we are hoping to use next Tuesday’s meeting to put public pressure on him to commit to those issues.

Please RSVP to marissa@solidaritylowell.com

 

Public Meeting: Election Lawsuit Listening Session

Wednesday, May 23, 6-8:30pm, Lowell Senior Center, 276 Broadway Street, Lowell

The Lowell City Council Ad-Hoc Sub-Committee on Election Laws (City Councilors Vesna Nuon, Edward Kennedy, and John Leahy) is holding a public meeting to listen to the thoughts, ideas, concerns of residents with the current election laws and process in the City, in light of the public lawsuit which is currently pending.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/246363005920339/

 

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 four 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 connect the person you’re speaking with 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

 

 

Stand Up for Our Immigrant Communities

Please contact your state senator (find yours here https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator):

Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572
Sen. Barbara L’Italien 617-722-1612
Sen. Jamie Eldridge 617-722-1120

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from _______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. Please co-sponsor Senate Budget Amendment #1147 (Eldridge) to safeguard the rights of immigrant residents in Massachusetts and please oppose Amendment #1136 (Fattman). Amendment #1147 would ensure that police do not ask about immigration status in routine interactions, inform people about their basic rights regarding immigration enforcement – including the right to talk with a lawyer, prohibit “287(g)” agreements between sheriffs and ICE, and say no to any discriminatory registry based on religion or national origin. Thank you!”

More information: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/stand-our-immigrant-communities

Federal

Restore Net Neutrality Protections

Niki Tsongas: 978-459-0101

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from _______ and Solidarity Lowell. I urge you to use the Congressional Review Act to reverse the Federal Communication Commission’s decision to dismantle net neutrality. Four out of five Americans want net neutrality protections. Rolling back net neutrality favors major corporations’ interests over the will of the people – and our free speech rights. The Senate has already voted to protect net neutrality. Now, it’s up to the House to stand with the people, too. I call on you to represent your constituents and use the Congressional Review Act to save our free, fair, and open internet. Thank you!”

More information: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/save-net-neutrality

 

Stand with Families at the Mexican Border

Elizabeth Warren: 617-565-3170
Edward Markey: 617-565-8519
Niki Tsongas: 978-459-0101

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from ______ and Solidarity Lowell. I am outraged at the inhumane practice of separating children from parents at the border—including those legally seeking asylum protection. Please do everything in your power to stop this practice that hurts children. Thank you!”

More information: https://action.aclu.org/petition/separating-families