Local
First Planning Meeting for Cultural Exchange Potluck 2019
Monday, April 8th, 6:30-8pm, Eliot Presbyterian Church, 273 Summer Street, Lowell
Join the Solidarity Lowell Immigrant Rights Committee to help plan this year’s Cultural Exchange Potluck, part of Welcoming Week in Lowell. Feel free to bring guests!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/424543331631612/
My Humility/Our Humanity: Overcoming Obstacles at the Welcoming Table
Sunday, April 7th, 3-6:30pm, First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, 2 Westford St, Chelmsford
Join the Greater Lowell Interfaith Leadership Alliance (GLILA) at their annual interfaith gathering against violence. At 3pm, gather to share stories and participate in activities and discussion. Then at 4:45pm, join in celebration, song, prayer, and reflection. Refreshments to follow.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/573299936498753/
Lowell Naturalization Ceremony: Help Register New Citizens
Tuesday, April 9th, 9:30am-1:30pm, Lowell Memorial Auditorium, 50 E Merrimack Street, Lowell
Come join the League of Women Voters and friends, and help up to 1000 new American citizens register to vote. It’s a very rewarding experience!
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/275085066743553/
14th Annual Lowell Take Back the Night
Thursday, April 11th, 6-9pm, Lowell City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street, Lowell
Take Back The Night represents the earliest world-wide stand against sexual violence, especially violence against women. Take Back The Night events have been documented in over 36 countries, in over 800 communities, with more locations taking a stand every year. We have reached over 30 million people with our message of strength and support, and our commitment to ending sexual violence. Take Back the Night will begin at Lowell City Hall at 6:00 PM for a rally and speakers. From Lowell City Hall, we will embrace our voices and take to the streets to march from City Hall to The Middlesex Community College Library. At the library, there will be a closed-room speak-out and open mic for survivors to be able to share their stories.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/323542541595326/
Unpacking Whiteness Workshop Series
Date and location TBD
Solidarity Lowell is organizing an Unpacking Whiteness workshop to help our white members understand how to confront white supremacy and their own personal biases, and learn how to be better global citizens. This six-week workshop is presented by Felicia Sullivan. Sign up using the link below to help us decide on which night of the week this will be held.
Sign up here: https://forms.gle/tPp98rQY9y9ztg4R8
SAVE THE DATE: Solidarity Lowell April Meeting and Coordinating Committee Election
Sunday, April 28th, 5:30-7pm, Christ Church United (UCC), 1 Bartlett Street, Lowell
Join us for the monthly general meeting of Solidarity Lowell, featuring the Solidarity Lowell Coordinating Committee election. Four people are up for re-election, and there is one open seat. We encourage anyone who is interested to come and either nominate themselves or be nominated. Note: you must be a member in good standing (have attended at least three meetings) and not be currently running for Lowell City Council in order to be nominated. We’ll also take a look back at where we’ve been and discuss where we want to go in the coming year.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1129620467219536/
Chelms-FED Up Postcarding
Every Tuesday, 9:30-11:30am, The Java Room, 14 Littleton Rd, Chelmsford
Fed up in Chelmsford? Come join us at The Java Room! We will be writing postcards for upcoming municipal elections! 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
Join your postcarding friends from Indivisible Westford Progressive Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell to write issue-based postcards to our reps and write directly to voters for an upcoming election! Join us every Thursday!
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. Solidarity Lowell is part of the Merrimack Valley Interfaith Sanctuary Network, which helps provide a place to stay for immigrants at immediate risk of deportation. If you are interested in helping out with local sanctuary efforts, either with accompaniment, food, laundry, or otherwise, please email Solidarity Lowell’s Volunteer Coordinator at 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). Also, since the sanctuary space was empty for so long, the MVISN decided to open it up to asylum-seekers, and we have a guest there currently. If you’d like to help with his living expenses, please donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/help-marius-stay-and-fight-for-asylum-in-the-usa?fbclid=IwAR3LDRCxbnncLMXBTul7dhAS73nc7mQHoNSMxrh8FfkYVdKlqs2Kp129liU
More information and to sign up for training: marissa@solidaritylowell.com
State
Bill Hearing for the Fair Share Amendment
Thursday, April 11th, 10:30am-1pm, Gardner Auditorium, State House, 24 Beacon Street, Boston
The Fair Share Amendment is a proposal to amend the Massachusetts Constitution, creating an additional tax of four percentage points on the portion of a person’s annual income above $1 million. With the the new revenue, Massachusetts will be able to invest in vital improvements to our education and transportation systems. Right now the highest 1% of income earners in the state are paying a smaller share of their income in taxes than any other income group. This tax will bring in new revenue and reinvest it into public schools for our children, affordable public higher education, and green and accessible public transportation for all.
More information: https://action.raiseupma.org/page/s/fsa-hearing
Take Action for Safer Communities
Please contact your state representative and state senator (find yours herehttps://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator):
House Speaker Robert DeLeo: 617-722-2500
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. Tram Nguyen 617-722-2425
Sen. Edward Kennedy 617-722-1630
Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572
Sen. Barry Finegold 617-722-1612
Sen. Jamie Eldridge 617-722-1120
A new Safe Communities Act (H.2573/S.1401) is before the state legislature. This bill would help restore community trust in law enforcement by disentangling local law enforcement from federal immigration matters and protecting due process for everybody.
Sample Script: “Hi, this is [Name] from [Address] and Solidarity Lowell. As your constituent, I urge you to protect immigrants across our state and increase public safety for all by supporting the new Safe Communities Act (H.3573/S.1401). The Safe Communities Act will protect everyone in our communities by focusing resources on public safety, rather than enforcing federal anti-immigrant policies. Massachusetts should join other states, such as California, Illinois and Connecticut, which have already taken similar action. Please urge the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security to advance the SCA and begin building a safer community for all Massachusetts residents. Thank you!”
More information: https://action.aclu.org/send-message/ma-safe-communities?ms_aff=MA&initms_aff=MA&ms=190401_Immigration_MA&initms=190401_Immigration_MA&ms_chan=eml&initms_chan=eml