SOLIDARITY LOWELL RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ACTION LIST FOR 4/11/19

Local

14th Annual Lowell Take Back the Night

Thursday, April 11th, 6-9pm, Lowell City Hall, 375 Merrimack Street, Lowell

Take Back The Night represents a 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/

 

 

UML CASA Presents: Khmer New Year 2019

Saturday, April 13th, 6-10pm, University Crossing at UMass Lowell, 220 Pawtucket St, Lowell

The Cambodian-American Student Association at University of Massachusetts Lowell proudly presents to you our BIGGEST event of the year, our annual Khmer New Year celebration! Khmer New Year marks the end of the harvesting season and is a special time where farmers can celebrate all of their hard work and efforts. We invite you, your friends, and family to come join us in the celebration of the new year! This year, we will be celebrating the year of the Pig. There will be countless traditional and modern performances as well as delicious Cambodian food to satisfy your cravings, as part of your admissions fee! Join us for a memorable night filled with traditions and culture!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/322947691897300/

 

 

Demonstrate, Dine, and Discuss!

Friday, April 19th, 6:30-9pm, The Ladd and Whitney Memorial, 309 Merrimack Street, Lowell

Join us for Solidarity Lowell’s monthly fun social visibility event! At 6:30pm, join us at the island in front of City Hall to stand in solidarity peacefully and joyfully. Bring signs! We will also have some sign-making supplies if you’d like to make one. Then at 7:30pm, we’ll head down to Lao’De Cafe (108 Merrimack St, Lowell) to have some delicious food and/or beverages, and get to enjoy each other’s company! All are welcome! Bring along a partner, friend, neighbor, and/or a local student!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/428742667929246/

 

 

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 SLCC 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

Jericho Walk at Burlington ICE Office

Tuesday, April 16th, 1-2pm, 1000 District Ave, Burlington

Join us for our monthly Jericho Walk at the ICE office in Burlington, MA. 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/1152620201611726/

Our Taxes, Our Choices: Tax Day Demonstration

Wednesday, April 17th, 4:30-8pm, Upham’s Corner Health Center, 415 Columbia Rd, Boston

Wars, military spending and tax cuts for the rich are hurting our communities and destroying the planet! At least 60% of annual US “Discretionary Spending” goes directly to the Pentagon to finance wars and military spending; the Trump tax cuts overwhelmingly favor the wealthy and corporations while limiting potential spending that will benefit our communities. We say: NO to excessive military spending, NO to tax cuts for the rich, NO to nuclear weapons, NO to military bases all over the world, and NO to war. We say YES to HOUSING, YES to EDUCATION, YES to HEALTH CARE, YES to JOBS, and YES to COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/254096648829154/