Local
Demonstrate, Drink, and Discuss: Diversity in Lowell Hiring
Friday, February 15th, 6:30-9pm, The Ladd and Whitney Memorial, 309 Merrimack Street, Lowell
Join us for Solidarity Lowell’s monthly fun social visibility event! Special theme: Advancing diversity in hiring in the city of Lowell! Diversity makes us all stronger. At 6:30pm, join us at the island in front of City Hall to rally and celebrate peacefully and make a positive imprint on the community. Bring warm hats, gloves, and signs! After the rally, at 7:30pm, we’ll walk to Big Poke (96 Merrimack Street) to have some food and/or beverages, and get to enjoy each other’s company! All are welcome! Bring a friend, neighbor, and/or a local student!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/313074082652480/
Improve Your City in 5 Simple Steps
Thursdays from February 21st through March 14th, 6-8:30pm, Christ Church United, 1 Bartlett Street, Lowell
The Incorruptibles’ mission is to fill all levels of government with unwavering politicians who fight for economic, racial, social, and environmental justice. Using a model that can be adapted to thousands of cities across America, we’ll show you how to elect multiple great candidates every election, filling local, then state, then national government. Organized in coordination with Solidarity Lowell, Progressive Democrats of Lowell, and Progressive Billerica, this program is free and open to the (progressive) public!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/259518168279577
Help Organize Take Back the Night
Thursday, February 21st, 5:30-7pm, The Center for Hope and Healing, 21 George Street 4th Floor, Lowell
In a community effort toward organizing a Taking Back the Night event (April 11th), we are hosting an open house for anyone and everyone who wants to get involved in the Take Back the Night rally, march, and speak out! Every year we come together to show survivors that we see them, hear them, and believe them. Join us to help build a community free from sexual violence. Volunteer opportunities include: leading a rally team, making posters, conducting surveys at the rally, entertainment, registration desk, handing out T-shirts, set-up and break down, outreach and marketing prior to event (and a free T-shirt!). Please attend to learn more and to sign up.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/323542541595326/permalink/335666290382951/
SAVE THE DATE: Solidarity Lowell February Meeting
Sunday, February 24th, 5:30-7pm, Christ Church United, 1 Bartlett St, Lowell
Join us for the monthly general meeting of Solidarity Lowell, featuring Mary Tauras presenting a discussion about how to have difficult conversations, Jonathan Cohn of Progressive Mass speaking about how the state legislature works, group updates and announcements, an update from the Immigrant Rights subcommittee…and more! All are welcome! Hope to see you there!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/2161628877484513/
Develop Your Leadership Skills and Make Your Community a Better Place
By February 22nd
Empower: Building Leaders, Strengthening Communities is an interactive nine-week workshop series presented by Lowell Alliance and Coalition for a Better Acre that provides participants with the knowledge, skills, and resources to help them create and lead change at the grassroots level. Workshops are Thursday evenings for nine weeks starting in March. This program is free to Lowell residents.
More information: https://www.lowellalliance.org/empower-leadership-program
Chelms-FED Up Postcarding
Every Tuesday, 9:30-11:30am, The Java Room, 14 Littleton Rd, Chelmsford
Fed up in Chelmsford? Come join us to write postcards to voters and to our elected officials! Information, addresses, and supplies provided, but feel free to bring your own supplies and info as well. See you there!
For more information, contact Hope at hope@solidaritylowell.com
Thursday Postcarding
Every Thursday, 9-11am, Panera Bread, 2 Cornerstone Square, Westford
Celebrate the election wins and shake off the losses with your postcarding friends from Solidarity Lowell and Indivisible Westford Progressive Massachusetts!
For more information, contact Hope at hope@solidaritylowell.com
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, either with accompaniment, food, laundry, or otherwise, please email marissa@solidaritylowell.com. Training is provided and there is a session coming up in March. 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
Solitary Confinement Regulation Hearing
Tuesday, February 19th, 10am, Ashburton Cafe Function Room, 1 Ashburton Place, Boston
The DOC has changed their regulations in response to the criminal justice bill. However, while they appear to make an attempt to follow the letter of the law, they flout the spirit of the law entirely. It is clear from the regulations that they have no intention of releasing people from solitary confinement and they have turned the law requiring prisoners to be released at least two hours a day as an opportunity to torment them by designing “desks”, which can only be described as torture devices, that they are shackled to for several hours a day so they can not move and with nothing to do since the “programming” they provide is useless. Please come support family members and friends of prisoners who are being tortured through the overuse of solitary confinement in the DOC so we can end this inhumane, barbaric practice in the state of Massachusetts. Meet at Ashburton Place behind State House!
February Jericho Walk at Burlington ICE Office
Tuesday, February 19th, 1-2pm, 1000 District Ave, Burlington
Please join us for a monthly Jericho Walk at the Burlington MA ICE office. The Jericho Walk is a silent interfaith prayer and act of solidarity. The walk draws inspiration from the Battle of Jericho, in which the community marched around the city of Jericho seven times, causing the city walls to fall. The Jericho Walk of today is a silent, peaceful, and prayerful walk to bring down the walls of our unjust immigration system and is open to people of all or no faiths. Please bring signs calling for just treatment of those who are caught in our broken immigration system.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1983978208570235/
Tell Trahan: No Boots, No Beds, No Wall
Representative Lori Trahan: (978) 453-3200
Sample Script: “Hello, I’m [Name] from [ZIP] and Solidarity Lowell. I’m calling to thank you for standing strong against Trump’s demands for wall funding. I’m asking you to support a conference agreement only if it has no new money for the wall, detention beds, or ICE agents. Please oppose any conference agreement that has new funding for those items, and instead support a clean, year-long CR. Thank you!”