Solidarity Lowell Events and Actions

Solidarity Lowell Hybrid Meeting THIS SUNDAY!

Sunday, June 25, 5:30-7pm
In person at Christ Church United, 10 Arlington St, Dracut
Online link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85667935413?pwd=Uk9iT0FBUlNjaU15MU92dld6NkUvZz09
Meeting ID: 856 6793 5413
Passcode: 963164

Our main speaker will be Jon Grossman from 350 MA of Greater Lowell, giving an update on the local fight against climate change. We will also hear about Lowell Forward, the City of Lowell’s Comprehensive Master Plan update.

Support for Asylum-Seeker Marius

Marius is an asylum-seeker from Togo who we have assisted since he arrived here in 2018.

He and Lillian, an asylum-seeker from the Dominican Republic, had a baby last year and need assistance. Gift cards are appreciated. These can be given to Marissa Dupont. Email marissa@solidaritylowell.com to coordinate drop-off.

Cash donations may be made through GoFundMe.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/47gvz-marius

New Unpacking Whiteness Dialogue Group Forming

Individuals committed to exploring their own racial biases are invited to participate in the Unpacking Whiteness Dialogue Group. Engage in supportive, structured dialogues to explore whiteness in contemporary society, especially to better understand the legacy and impact of white supremacy, white privilege, explicit and implicit bias, systemic racism, and microaggressions.

Dialogue group is five sessions, capped at 10 people.

After attending the Dialogue Group, attendees are invited to join the ongoing group.

The ongoing group meets once a month, alternating between discussing a book or watching a film.

If you have questions, email Marissa Dupont: marissa@solidaritylowell.com.

Lowell Events & Actions

Next City Council Meeting

Tuesday, June 20 at 6:30pm, at City Hall and online (Special meeting on the budget)
Next regular meeting (the usual motions, and motion responses) will be June 27.

Meetings are held bi-weekly in Council Chamber during the summer, Tuesdays at 6:30pm with public welcome. Attend in person or by using remote participation as follows: Members of the public may view the meeting via LTC.Org (Online; Live Streaming; Or Local Cable Channel 99). There will be a special session on June 20 to address the budget.

See agenda for details:
https://www.lowellma.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_06202023-2760?html=true

To speak, you must register by 4pm the day of the meeting. Those wishing to speak regarding a specific agenda item must register to speak in advance of the meeting by sending an email to the City Clerk indicating the agenda item and a phone number to call so that you may be issued a Zoom link to the meeting if you wish to speak remotely. Email Address is MGEARY@LOWELLMA.GOV. If you have no access to email you may contact the City Clerk at 978-674-4161.

To contact any City Councilor, or the City Manager, by email, use this webform
https://www.lowellma.gov/formcenter/contact-the-city-council-5/city-council-contact-form-45
and check off who you’re writing to.

Public Workshop – Vision and Growth Strategies

Wednesday, June 21, 6:30pm – 8:00pm
Location: Lowell Senior Center
Sponsor: Lowell Forward

Hear about the City’s plans and share your ideas for the future of Lowell.

Lowell Litter Krewe

LLK is in the running for an award from the We Share a Common Thread Foundation. Once a quarter, the Foundation donates $1500 to a worthy area non-profit as voted by the community. Whoever receives the most votes via their Give a Click site wins. Please vote, once, before June 30.
https://www.jdcu.org/community-about/our-foundation/give-a-click/?#gf_33

Meanwhile, the LLK continues with their regular cleanups.
To connect with them: https://linktr.ee/lowelllitterkrewe
Sign up to volunteer, check out their schedule and more.

Next events

Saturday, June 24, 9am-12pm: Ecumenical Park Cleanup
w/ Canalwaters and NLHP
Prior to Points of Light
Meet at 62 Lewis Street

SUNDAY, June 25, Spring Cleanup and Concert (rescheduled)
Armory Park, 46 Westford St
With Like Lowell and Eco-Friendly Home Services
10:0am-12:00pm Neighborhood cleanup
1:00-4:00pm Bad Boyz Band
w/Jasper Crystal Wizard and Saexia

Lowell Fall Election

Solidarity Lowell’s Election Subcommittee gearing up

If you are interested in helping to elect/re-elect progressive candidates for Lowell City Council and School Committee, please email Lisa Arnold (likarnold @ gmail.com) or Dee Halzack (dee.halz @ ix.netcom.com)
(delete spaces when using emails cited)

Campaigns have started up

The election schedule for the municipal election has been set. Tuesday, June 6 was the first day nominating papers could be pulled. Some candidates have already announced.

Campaign events have been announced. Here is what we have found so far: Fru Nkimbeng, District 7 (Tuesday, June 29, Olympia Restaurant); Vesna Nuon, at large (Thursday, June 22, 5:30pm, Warp and Weft); Daniel Rourke, District 1 (Thursday, June 22, 5:30-8:00, Lowell Firefighters Club).

The last day to submit nominating papers is Tuesday, July 18. At some point after July 18, when the slate of candidates is finalized, Solidarity Lowell will follow their process for endorsing candidates. Once we have selected endorsees, we will begin organizing canvassing events for our endorsees. Want to be a part of that? Contact Lisa or Dee as noted above. Among other things, we will be drawing up a list of questions we want prospective endorsees to answer.

If there is a preliminary election (there must be at least 3 candidates for a district, or 7 at large), which we’ll know on July 19, early voting begins August 23. That’s a little over a month to work for our progressive candidates, so we need to be ready to hit the ground running by then.

Other Events

Great Economy Project

Wednesdays, June 21 – July 5, 5:30-6:30pm
Register: https://americanagenda.com/online

A series of five webinars that will detail exactly how the economy is rigged against working people and in favor of the rich. Each expert presentation will be followed by a lively discussion about how to fix it. Each Great Economy Project online session will last no more than one hour. You are welcome to participate in all of the sessions or pick and choose the ones you are most interested in. The full schedule is:

June 21st — Best and Worst of Working in America
June 28th — Taxes Taxes Taxes (Everything Else is BS!) with Morris Pearl of Patriotic Millionaires
July 5th — The Cost of Billionaire Philanthropy

Progressive Massachusetts Activist Sundays

Sundays, 3:30-5:00pm next: June 25 and July 9
RSVP: https://www.mobilize.us/progressivemassachusetts/event/566422/

Focusing on the Transfer Fee bill, which would allow cities and towns to levy a small fee on high-end real estate transactions to provide much-needed funding for affordable housing.

Care Bill Lobby Day

Tuesday, June 27, 2023, 10:30am – 12:30pm
Location: State House
Sponsor: Coalition for Anti-Racism and Equity

Hosting a Lobby Day to push for the passing of the Racially Inclusive Curriculum Bill. The bill is important to ensure that everyone is able to get the full picture of history and to see themselves in the Curriculum. Representation is so important. Sign up at BIT.LY/3MNSPIP.

State Level Actions

Massachusetts needs to pass the Location Shield Act (H.357|S.148)

Thank you ACLU for this item.

Every day, unregulated data brokers buy and sell personal location data from apps on our cellphones, revealing where we live, work, play, and more. Some of that data, since it relates to healthcare locations, is a threat to bodily autonomy, as well as to those who provide healthcare to people from other states. To protect our privacy, safety, access to abortion and other essential health care, Massachusetts needs to ban this practice now by passing the act.

Write your state legislators via this handy form:
https://action.aclu.org/send-message/ma-location-shield-act

Contact your state senator about facial recognition legislation

Another ACLU request. See form for information and script.
https://mobilize.aclum.org/a/face-surveillance-senate-co-sponsor

Support Women in MCI-Framingham

https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vRG8uwrlI9kHbctO3yTsanGyrxzN2T5R1YH6GSbQ4tex9HoJIBDFa4AFNu-xx_BqejnB4QI5xaUIi5h/pub

Women are experiencing retaliation for speaking up for themselves. The Department of Corrections needs to know that people are watching and care about these prisoners.

To Contact the Governor

Governor’s Office of Constituent Services (617) 725-4005
Call between 9am and 5pm and leave a message.

Or email the governor, using this form: https://www.mass.gov/info-details/email-the-governors-office#email-the-governor-using-this-form-

Our State Legislators’ Info

Speaker Ronald Mariano Ronald.Mariano@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2500 | Rm 356
Senate President Karen Spilka Karen.Spilka@masenate.gov | 617-722-1500 | Rm 332
Rep. Rodney Elliott Rodney.Elliott@ma.house.gov | 617-722-2000 x7313 | Rm B1
Rep. Vanna Howard Vanna.Howard@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2060 | Rm 33
Local office: 25 Central Street, ground floor, Lowell
Rep. Rady Mom Rady.Mom@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2637 | Rm 544
Rep. Colleen Garry Colleen.Garry@mahouse.gov | 617-722-2380 | Rm 238
Senator Edward Kennedy edward.kennedy@masenate.gov | 617-722-1630 | Rm 109-E
Senator Michael Barrett Mike.Barrett@masenate.gov | 617-722-1572 | Rm 109-D
Senator Jamie Eldridge James.Eldridge@masenate.gov | 617-722-1120 | Rm 511-C
Senator Barry Finegold Barry.Finegold@masenate.gov | 617-722-1612 | Rm 511A
(… or find yours here: https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator)

Massachusetts State House, 24 Beacon St, Boston, MA 02133

National Actions

Our Advocacy is needed on Hunger Now Too

This action requisition comes to us from Lowell’s Hunger & Homelessness Commission. (H/T Dan).

In keeping with other Republican attempts to reduce the deficit by cutting social services on which our resource-challenged siblings depend, they have included cuts to food aid programs like SNAP in the current budget discussions. Food is a basic necessity. At a time when inflation means even food costs more and skyrocketing housing costs leave less money for food, cutting food aid is unconscionable.

Reach out to your Member of Congress to speak out against their proposals – in mainstream media, social media, public events.

The Food Research & Action Center (FRAC) would like to get 100% of the MA Delegation as co-sponsors to Rep Barbara Lee’s bill to END the harsh SNAP time limits, House Bill 1510. 7 MA members have signed on H.R. 1510 – but not Congress members Richie Neal and Katherine Clark. PLEASE reach out to ALL of the Delegation – use this easy FRAC form HERE. https://p2a.co/0z1i9sa

You can amend the text in the online portal to thank the members who have signed on, and if you are a constituent, you can ask Reps Neal and Clark to join their colleagues and sign on!

More background in this release from FRAC:
WASHINGTON, June 15, 2023 — The Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Agriculture Appropriations bill, which cleared the House Appropriations Committee, would slash critical federal nutrition programs that help keep hunger at bay for people across the country, resulting in the lowest funding allocation since 2006. FRAC strongly opposes this cruel and punitive legislation that would only deepen America’s hunger crisis.

The bill continues the assault on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nation’s first line of defense against hunger that helps people keep food on the table and supports local economies. It would inflict further harm and increase food insecurity by arbitrarily throwing people off SNAP by increasing the age of those unemployed and underemployed adults who face arbitrary three-month time limits on SNAP eligibility, from 18 to 56, unless they document sufficient monthly work hours. The bill also would undermine states’ flexibility to use accumulated time-limit exemptions in future years.

The bill also would restrict SNAP consumers’ food choices. This will create a standard that will undermine dignity, increase stigma, and cause confusion and complications for shoppers, retailers, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to implement. This would particularly burden smaller retailers in rural and urban markets.

The committee’s effort to further squeeze participation and benefits for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a threat to the health and well-being of millions of babies and young children, and their mothers.

It’s unfathomable that some in Congress want to gut WIC’s program benefits that would impact 5 million pregnant women, new moms, and young children, along with slashing the program’s essential fruit and vegetable benefits. This should not happen at any time, but especially not during a time of rising food costs.

Hunger in this country would be far worse if not for programs like SNAP and WIC. Reducing funding for these programs will increase hunger, malnutrition, and poverty and worsen family security, child and adult health, employment, and other outcomes.

We urge Congress to reject the FY 2024 House Agriculture Appropriations bill and instead pass a spending bill that protects, invests in, and strengthens programs that ensure people have access to the nutrition they need. Hungry people can’t wait.

Looking for groups working on gun safety?

We know that the level of gun violence in this country is horrible (#1 killer of children!) and that it won’t change until lax gun laws change. Since our state is already doing a fairly good job (though there’s room for improvement) and guns do not understand borders, it makes sense to work with organizations that seek to elect officials in other states who will implement saner gun policies. Gun Sense Voter is one of those.

https://gunsensevoter.org/

Our Federal Legislators’ Info

Representative Lori Trahan
https://trahan.house.gov/contact/write-your-rep.htm
2439 Rayburn HOB | Washington, DC 20515 | 202-225-3411
126 John Street | Lowell, MA 01852 | 978-459-0101

Representative Seth Moulton
https://moulton.house.gov/contact
202-225-8020 | 978-531-1669

Solidarity Lowell Meeting Sunday!