Local

Demonstrate, Drink, and Discuss – April

Friday, April 27th, 6:30-8:30pm, Ladd and Whitney Memorial, 309 Merrimack Street, Lowell, and UnChARTed, 103 Market Street, Lowell

Join us for Solidarity Lowell’s monthly visibility event! At 6:30pm, join us at the island in front of City Hall to protest against the atrocities of the Trump administration. Please bring signs! Then at 7:30pm, after the demonstration, come to UnChARTed to have some food and/or drinks and discuss the events of the week! All are welcome!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/234603980439420/

Postcards for Progress – Spring Edition

Saturday, April 28, 10am-12pm, Coffee and Cotton, Mill No. 5, 4th Floor, 250 Jackson Street, Lowell

We’ll be writing to our elected officials and directly to voters! Open to all who want to help with progressive causes. A list of suggested topics, progressive but non-partisan, will be provided, but people are of course welcome to bring their own ideas.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/234948983718026/

1st Canal Cleaning of the Season – Ecumenical Plaza

Saturday, April 28, 9am-12pm, 282 Suffolk Street, Lowell

Please join us for our first canal cleanup of the season at Ecumenical Plaza on Suffolk St. between St Patrick’s church and Holy Trinity Church, Saturday April 28th 9 am till noon as we clean up in preparation for the Points of Light Celebration later in the day. Last year’s event was a huge success, attended by over a thousand people, who watched nearly a thousand lanterns released to float down the canal. We urge any of our Canalwaters Cleaners to attend this free event to experience what is possible with clean canals, we hope to see you at the cleanup and the Lantern Celebration! We’ll have plenty of tools, but don’t forget to bring gloves.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/1994164797515172/

2nd Annual Points of Light Lantern Festival

Saturday, April 28, 6-10pm, 282 Suffolk Street, Lowell

A spring celebration of unity and renewal that brings together the food, music, and traditions of Lowell’s diverse cultures. For 2018, we’re adding more space for people to view their lanterns; providing more opportunities beforehand for our community to personalize lanterns with their wishes, remembrances, and creative expressions; and working with Lowell’s diverse communities, artists, and organizations to add special touches to a magical night. We’ll be keeping the elements we heard the community liked, including performances from youth groups and professionals, displaying all the creative and inspiring lanterns prior to their launch, and working toward keeping the event as close to zero-waste as possible.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/399160493878875/

Immigrant Rights Subcommittee Meeting

Monday, April 30th, 6:30-8pm, Eliot Presbyterian Church, 273 Summer Street, Lowell

For members who signed up for the trust act subcommittee (getting a Trust Act passed in Lowell) or anyone else who wants to learn more. We are continuing with outreach and planning. Agenda includes: Follow up on action items from the last meeting, a report on meeting with Leena from MVP, a report on the Sanctuary Volunteer Training at CCU, clarify our overall objective, based on discussions in the last two meetings, and learning how to proceed with a new City Manager and a new Chief of Police coming in. Bring guests, all are welcome.

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/192147404901201/

May Day 2018 – International Workers Day Resist Deportations!

Tuesday, May 1, 5-8pm, Boston Common, Charles St, Boston, Massachusetts 02108

Rally on the Boston Common, Parkman Bandstand at 5pm, followed by a 6:30pm march to Copley Square. Join us on International Workers Day, standing for immediate permanent legal residence for all undocumented migrants, and permanent residence for all DACA and TPS recipients!

More information: https://www.facebook.com/events/149039005781560/

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

UMass Lowell Congressional Candidate Debate

Sunday, April 29, 1pm, Durgin Hall, 54 Wilder St. Lowell

UMass Lowell and the university’s Center for Public Opinion will host debates for Democratic primary candidates running in the Massachusetts 3rd Congressional District to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Niki Tsongas. Two 90-minute debates will be held at noon and 2 p.m. on the university’s South Campus. Two debates are scheduled because of the large number of Democrats, more than a dozen, in that primary. (Currently, only one Republican candidate is running so there is no need for a Republican primary debate.)

More information: https://www.uml.edu/News/press-releases/2018/CongressionaldebatereleaseMarch2018.aspx

Mass Coalition Against Gun Violence State House Action Day

Monday, April 30, 11:00am-1:00pm, Massachusetts Statehouse, 24 Beacon Street, 3rd floor, Wolcott Statue, Boston

Join us to promote H.3610, the Extreme Risk Protection Order. Speakers include Chief Steve Wojnar, President of the MA Chiefs of Police Association; Rep. Marjorie Decker; John Rosenthal, Stop Handgun Violence; and Janet Goldenberg, MA Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence. Come together for the final push to enact this important Gun Violence Prevention legislation!

More information: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1iZPq2UzN5BbyDAVrx-ztUF_AusUv8aSg5tTEFbPc1bU/viewform?edit_requested=true

Support Climate Policy Solutions

Please contact your state representative and state senator (find yours here https://malegislature.gov/Search/FindMyLegislator):
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. James Lyons 617-722-2460

Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m _______, from _______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. Please support and pass the following science-based bills: S.2302: An Act for a Clean Energy Future and H.2913: An Act relative to environmental justice and toxics reduction in the Commonwealth. We need these bills because: S.2302 helps build our clean energy economy by increasing how much renewable energy our utilities must purchase every year (the Renewable Energy Portfolio standard), and helps break our over-reliance on fossil fuels and curb our emissions by banning taxpayer subsidies for new fossil fuel infrastructure. H.2913 promotes environmental justice and eliminate disparities by forcing government agencies to implement Article 97 of the MA constitution. Thank you!”

More information: https://marchforscienceboston.betterfutureproject.org/call_rep_4232018?utm_campaign=battlefortruth&utm_medium=email&utm_source=betterfutureproject

Oppose MA Budget Amendments that Limit Civil Liberties

Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from ______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. Please oppose these amendments and urge colleagues to do the same: Amendments 113 (Rep. Lombardo), 227 (Rep. Diehl), and 347 (Rep. Lyons), which would would create broader authority for police to detain immigrants or punish the 31 cities and towns that have adopted measures to limit police participation in immigration enforcement, and Amendment 508 (Rep. Jones), which would attempt to pass Governor Baker’s proposal to overturn the Lunn decision via the budget. Instead, the House should include provisions to bar police from asking people about immigration status; ensure that immigrants in custody know their legal rights; and end collaboration agreements with ICE. Thank you!”

More information: https://mailchi.mp/9fccebadbf98/minuteman-muster-apr-24-514587?e=d7418dc73a

Support the Funding Our Communities Deserve

Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m _______ from _______. Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. Please support the following amendments:

Amendment 54 (Livingstone), which would provide funding for the Resolve to Stop the Violence Program,
Amendment 219 (Livingstone), which increases funding for community-based re-entry programs from $3 million to $5 million
Amendment 243 (Balser), which increases funding for the Massachusetts Legal Services Corporation (MLAC)
Amendment 801 (Khan), which increases the funding for Juvenile Court Clinics
Amendment 156 (Higgins), which would provide much-needed funding for public colleges and universities
Amendment 952 (Ultrino) / 977 (Coppinger), which would increase charter school tuition reimbursements for sending public school districts
Amendment 864 (Walsh, Chris), which increases the funding for the Department of Environmental Protection’s hazardous waste clean-up program
Amendment 269 (Connolly), which would increase housing voucher rent caps to current fair market rents
Amendment 640 (Ferrante), which increases funding for the Massachusetts Emergency Food Assistance Program
Amendment 743 (Peake), which would increase funding for Regional Transportation Agencies
Amendment 867 (Garlick), which would boost funding for Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Prevention services
Amendment 889 (Provost), which freezes the income tax at 5.1 percent.
Amendment 950 (Koczera), which would increase funding for adult education and English classes

Thank you!”

More information: https://www.progressivemass.com/fy2019_house_budget?utm_campaign=housebudget2018&utm_medium=email&utm_source=progressivemass

Stop Battery Cages

Sen. Michael Barrett 617-722-1572

The King amendment to the 2018 Farm Bill (H.R. 4879) means Massachusetts could be forced to allow the sale of eggs from hens locked in cramped battery cages, despite an overwhelming public vote to prohibit the sale of these products. Battery cages are so small that the birds kept inside can barely move and eggs from battery cage facilities have higher rates of salmonella.

Sample Script: “Hello, I’m ______ from ______, Massachusetts and Solidarity Lowell. Please reject the King Amendment to the Farm Bill. This amendment would overturn MA’s decisive public vote to prohibit the sale of battery cages, forcing MA to permit them. Please listen to MA voters and reject this amendment. Thank you.”

More information: https://secure.humanesociety.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=7451

SOLIDARITY LOWELL RAPID RESPONSE TEAM ACTION LIST FOR 4/26/18

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