Solidarity Lowell

Financial Literacy Dinner
2019-10-12 17:00 - 19:00 (America/New_York) | MA

Ben Butler Walking Tour
2019-10-12 13:00 - 14:30
Lowell’s Benjamin Butler was a pivotal figure in American history. Best known as a controversial general in the American Civil War, Butler’s story has many other chapters with layers upon layers of complexity. A former governor of Massachusetts and multi-term member of Congress, Butler was one of the foremost lawyers of his time. He owned mills but was also an advocate for the rights of workers. His 1861 decision to treat escaped slaves as “contraband of war” led to the Emancipation Proclamation. As a member of the House of Representatives in 1868, he was the lead prosecutor in the impeachment trial of President Andrew Johnson.
The lessons of Butler’s life and legacy are more relevant today than ever before. To learn more about this fascinating figure and to visit places central to his life, please join this free walking tour led by Bob Forrant and Richard Howe on Saturday, October 12, 2019, at 1pm, departing from Lowell National Historical Park Visitor Center at 246 Market Street.

African Entrepreneur Market
2019-10-12 11:00 - 15:00
We have over a dozen entrepreneurs showcasing their businesses, selling products, and providing information about their organizations.
African Community Center Of Lowell
Arbonne International Inc.
B.E.A.D.S
DKim honey Products
Evill Eye By Maria
Flavor Noire
GoodieKrunch
Humble Home Care Services LLC
Kenya Autism Alliance Corporation
Rosebud Staffing Inc.
Styled by Ola
Taylor Made Communications
The Leap Network, LLC
Vibes hair salon and beauty supply
VisualMag
There will also be a panel featuring three entrepreneurs at the various stages of starting:
HamdAllah Modupe Olona, Founder & CEO of GoodieKrunch
Oye Akintan, Co-founder of Flavor Noire
Carmala Karuri, Owner of Vibe Hair Salon

CBA's 37th Annual Meeting
2019-10-10 17:30 - 20:00
Come join us for our 37th Annual Meeting to celebrate our success and elect new board members!

Immigrant Rights Committee monthly Planning Meeting
2019-10-07 18:30 - 20:00
(Art by Kadir Nelson, So Together, 2016)
Now that Welcoming Week and the Cultural Exchange Poltuck are behind us, we’ll get back to looking at other goals for immigrant rights in Lowell.
Proposed agenda:
– Debrief of potluck event.
– Moving forward with reviewing current status and possible future actions relating to immigrant rights
– more detailed agenda TBD
Bring guests, all are welcome.

Your Lowell Your Vote - Panel Discussion
2019-10-07 18:00 - 20:00
Please join us for a panel discussion featuring experts on each of the two new election system options appearing on the November 5th Municipal Election ballot.
Moderator
Lisa Handley, Ph.D. is a leading expert in voter data analysis and voting patterns, and has published widely in this area. She has advised numerous jurisdictions, both domestically and internationally, on electoral systems and surrounding challenges. Her clients include the U.S. Department of Justice, multiple state and local jurisdictions, and redistricting commissions. She is currently president of Maryland-based Frontier International Electoral Consulting.
Panelists
Howard Fain, Deputy Director of Policy and Research with Voter Choice Massachusetts, a non-profit organization that advocates for the expanded use of Ranked Choice Voting. Mr. Fain has been with Voter Choice MA since its founding in 2016. He was previously co-founder of FairVote, and served on its Board of Directors between 1992-1998. Mr. Fain is a proponent of the Ranked Choice Voting electoral system.
Tanya Ford, Executive Director of the Cambridge Election Commission for the City of Cambridge. Ms. Ford has been with the City of Cambridge for nine years. She was previously Deputy Village Clerk and Village Clerk in Hempstead, New York for approximately eleven years, where she was also responsible for conducting elections. Cambridge’s electoral system is Ranked Choice Voting.
Michael Gallagher, J.D., is a founding partner of Gallagher & Cavanaugh LLP, a Lowell-based law firm. He has received numerous accolades for the practice of law. He has also previously served on the Lowell School Committee and on the board of multiple local committees and organizations. He has recently been recognized as a community leader who is a proponent of the Hybrid (mixture of at-large and district seats) electoral system.
Niko Vangjeli, Assistant City Clerk for the City of Worcester. Mr. Vangjeli was appointed as Worcester’s Election Administrator in June 2014. As Assistant City Clerk , he provides operational and administrative support to the Board of Election Commissioners and is the primary election and voter registration official. Worcester’s electoral system is a Hybrid mixture of at-large and district seats

Mill City Grows' 8th Annual Harvest Festival
2019-09-28 11:00 - 15:00
Celebrate the most bountiful season at Mill City Grows’ 8th Annual Harvest Festival! This FREE family-friendly event showcases our community’s growers and farmers, and brings attendees closer to the harvest season through live food and gardening demos, hands-on craft activities, tours of Mill City Grows’ beautiful North Common Community Garden, local food vendors, and more!
> Share Your Gardening and Cooking Passion!
Do you have a gardening, cooking, or urban sustainability skill that you’d like to share with your community? Come join this year’s Harvest Festival as a Demonstration Presenter! 15-30 minute slots are available from 11:30am-1:30pm. Topics can range from growing specific crops, prepping your garden for winter, irrigation techniques, urban gardening, cooking demos, garden art, and beyond! Click here to share your presentation details for consideration: https://forms.gle/bncjsiHCBHzkp9fo7
> Join the Harvest Festival Volunteer Team!
Lead a craft activity, help with garden tours, greet event guests, and more! Be a part of the Harvest Fest fun and support Lowell’s local food movement by joining Mill City Grows’ Volunteer Team! For volunteer registration and more information, please visit www.millcitygrows.org or email volunteer@millcitygrows.org.
Thank you to our 2019 Annual Event Sponsors:
– Nancy L Donahue
– Whole Foods Market
– Bank of America
– Microdesk
– Target
– Bill Reedy and Darren End
– Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
– Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union
– Align Credit Union
– Circle Health
– Princeton Properties-Apartments in MA, NH and ME
– Enterprise Bank
– Plenus Group / Boston Chowda Company
Thank you to our 2019 Harvest Festival Sponsors:
– Eastern Bank
– Tufts Health Plan
– Wegmans
– Middlesex Community College
– Riverside Glass
– Market Basket
– Votze Butler Associates, Inc.
– UMass Lowell

Public Hearing for We The People Act
2019-09-24 11:00 - 17:00
All hands on deck!
A committee hearing has been scheduled for the We The People Act S.2163/H.3208 which would bring about the 28th Amendment to the US Constitution on Campaign Finance Reform.
We need YOUR help to push the legislation forward in the State House and then over the finish line!
ATTEND the hearing to show your support! Bring your friends and family along to pack the Gardner Auditorium. Any amount of time you can spare will make a difference. Carpooling is available!
SEND written testimony to rickycanavanwagner@gmail.com if you can’t go or contact him for all other inquiries.
RSVP today!

Lowell National Voter Registration Day 2019
2019-09-23 09:00 - 21:00
We’ll be celebrating National Voter Registration Day with tabling, fun, and stickers all across the city, all day! Just let us know if you can help.

TeamTram Service Day - Merrimack River Clean Up
2019-09-22 09:00 - 11:00
Please join Rep. Nguyen for a service event to help clean up the Merrimack River! We are teaming up with the Merrimack River Watershed Council to benefit the community. You don’t need to bring anything special except your friends and family. We will update this description to provide more specific information about where to meet up.
Please let us know if you plan to join us!

2019 Lowell Kinetic Sculpture Race
2019-09-21 09:00 - 16:00
Human-powered, all-terrain sculptures making their way over cobblestones, through a mud pit, and navigating the Merrimack River. Come see all the shenanigans of the costumed teams and the banana marshals. Free for all!!
Join us immediately after the finish for the LKSR Official Afterparty @ Warp and Weft!

African Community Celebration
2019-09-20 17:30 - 21:00
In the Lowell CHC tradition of celebrating our community’s cultural heritage and diversity, this September we will highlight the rich traditions of Africa. Expect festive food, music and fun celebrating Lowell’s vibrant African communities. The celebration will benefit our WrapAround Fund, which pays for vital services not covered by insurance. Tickets only $35 if you register before September 12th!

Celebration of Welcoming Flags
2019-09-20 17:00 - 19:00
Meet the artists behind the beautiful welcoming flags at a reception in the Garden adjacent to Arts League of Lowell. Over 20 handmade artist flags on display, with refreshments. Celebrate the artistic welcome to the newest Lowellians.

Massachusetts Climate Strike
2019-09-20 09:00 - 15:00
On September 20th, 2019, millions of people will strike around the world to demand action on the climate crisis. Join thousands in Boston at City Hall Plaza as we kick off a week of climate actions! This event is youth led and community supported.
#StrikeWithUs #StrikeWithUsBoston #ClimateStrike #ClimateStrikeMA
Our most up to date information and public resources can be found on our website: https://strikewithus.org/boston/
DONATE: bit.ly/strike-donate
**PUBLIC RESOURCES**
Misc Materials:
Flyers/Graphics | bit.ly/flyers_920
Strike One Pager | bit.ly/bos-strike
No Major Assignment Pledge | bit.ly/teacher_pledge
Sports Exemption Pledge | bit.ly/coach_pledge
Toolkits:
Student Ambassador | bit.ly/ambassador-toolkit
Teacher Support | bit.ly/bos-teacher-toolkit
Social Media Guidelines | bit.ly/strike-social
Google Forms:
Student Ambassador | bit.ly/school_outreach
Teacher Support | bit.ly/strike-teacher
Strike Leadership Team | bit.ly/bos-climate-form
Op Ed Guide:
Climate Strike Op Ed Guide (created in collaboration with Sunrise Movement Boston) | bit.ly/strike-op-ed
Please contact @ClimateStrikeMA or mass@youthclimatestrikeus.org with questions.

City Council Preliminary Candidate Forum with Solidarity Lowell
2019-09-19 19:00 - 20:30
Join Solidarity Lowell and MCC for our City Council Candidate Forum.
Moderator: Charlie Smith
Meet the candidates, hear their positions on key issues affecting Lowell today and in the future.
Location: Assembly Room, MCC Federal Building, on Merrimack St.

Annual Potluck Cookout!
2019-09-18 18:00 - 20:00
It’s our annual BYOB, Potluck in the garden area at Western Avenue Lofts. Pass the word! Please RSVP and let us know what you are bringing to share!

Quarterly MA Coalition to Prevent Gun Violence Meeting
2019-09-17 11:00 - 13:00
September Quarterly Meeting

Tuesday, Sept. 17th 11 am-1 pm
Hosted by our partner
More Than Words
242 East Berkeley St., Boston 02118

Please join us for our Fall Quarterly Meeting as we are hosted by our member organization More Than Words.

RSVP Here

2nd Cultural Exchange Potluck
2019-09-15 14:00 - 17:00
Part of Welcoming Week Lowell
Free Food and Live Entertainment from many different cultures
Information about local organizations
Bring the family, special children’s entertainment provided
Rain location: Eliot Presbyterian Church, 273 Summer Street
Check back often for new announcements
If you can contribute food or anything else please sign up here: https://www.mealtrain.com/potlucks/1g5eo6
Please share and invite your friends!

Welcoming Week Walk - Immigrant History Walk with Bob Forrant
2019-09-15 13:00 - 14:30

Freedom Forum: Say Her Name - the life and death of Sandra Bland
2019-09-14 11:30 - 13:30
Mass Action Against Police Brutality is hosting a public screening of Say Her Name: the life and death of Sandra Bland. Sandra Bland was a Black woman who was stopped by a Texas State Trooper on July 13, 2015, falsely arrested on a felony charge, faced a $5,000 bail on a Friday evening, and was dead by Monday, found hanging from a noose.
Hear her story and the ongoing fight for justice for Sandra Bland and all victims of police brutality.

Celebrating Immigrants through Music
2019-09-13 20:00 - 21:30
A variety of music will be performed from Cambodia, Africa and Brazil as well as works by immigrant composers Igor Stravinsky, Max Lifchitz, Jaime León Ferro and Tan Dun who settled in the United States from Russia, Mexico, Colombia and China respectively. MCC faculty members Orlando Cela, flute; Carmen Rodríguez-Peralta, piano; Marcus Santos, pandero; and Anna Ward, soprano will be joined by Sovann Khon, tro sau and the African Fellowship Choir and drummers of Eliot Church.
A Welcoming Week event

Welcoming Week Lowell 2019
2019-09-13 18:00 - 21:00
From September 13-22, 2019, enjoy a week’s worth of engaging events that focus on welcoming and celebrating everyone in the Lowell community – immigrants, refugees, and longtime residents. We can’t wait!

Dinner in the Park with LTC
2019-09-12 18:30 - 21:00
Join us for an evening of delicious food, local wine and brews, music, and conversation at LTC’s biggest annual fundraiser on Thursday, September 12, 2019 from 6:30 to 9:00pm at Kerouac Park in Downtown Lowell.
This event is an elegant evening dinner party featuring dinner courses from five or more of Lowell’s best chefs paired with wine and beer, and live jazz music. It will be held outdoors, under an open-sided tent in Kerouac Park. Dress is cocktail attire. There will be a raffle and a complementary drink of your choice (with cash bar thereafter). For more information and to buy tickets, visit www.LTCDinnerinthePark.com

Bow Mobilization Mass Call
2019-09-12 18:00 - 19:00
As we head towards the mass action at the Merrimack Generating Station on September 28th, we need to share knowledge, get to know one another, and prepare for the action. Each week in September we will host a Mass Call for all who are planning on participating on September 28th.
September 5 – 6PM
September 12 – 6PM
September 19 – 6PM
September 26 – 6PM
These calls will have two tracks: one for those joining for the first time, and those who have already participated in a mass call. There will be opportunities to answer questions about the strategy behind the action, talk through the logistics of the day, get affinity group formation, and get to know the those helping lead this exciting campaign.
PLEASE RSVP HERE: https://actionnetwork.org/events/95-bow-action-mass-call

City Council Candidating 2019
2019-09-12 17:30 - 20:30
Join CBA and Lowell Votes for a chance to meet city council candidates in a fun, friendly environment. Candidates will move from table to table, just like with “speed dating”. You’ll be able to ask your questions so you can decide who to vote for in the preliminary on September 24th.
Spanish and Khmer interpreters, food, drinks, and child care will be available.
Co-sponsored by the Coalition for a Better Acre and Lowell Votes.

GoLowell Kickoff
2019-09-11 18:00 - 20:00
Join us to kickoff the #GoLowell plan!
We want to hear how you get around the City today and what we can do to make it safer and easier.
Translation services and childcare will be provided.
Email Go@LowellMA.gov with any questions

Defund Hate Walk from Boston to Concord
2019-09-11 09:00 - 16:00
Like Paul Revere and William Dawes, we will be going from Boston to Concord to spread the word to #DefundHate and #CloseTheCamps. We will be walking along Massachusetts Avenue carrying prominent signs to draw attention to the issue. This event is just some concerned citizens taking a walk. Join us for the entire walk (15 miles) or part of the walk (we will provide a route and anticipated times to interested people). Combine your need for exercise with your love of resisting – Resistercize!

Gender Marker X Bill Hearing
2019-09-10 10:30 - 13:30
Gender marker X bill hearing is scheduled for Tuesday Sept. 10th at 10:30am in Gardner Auditorium at the Statehouse.
Here’s what you can do now:
Submit testimony: Write a short statement about why you support Massachusetts residents having the option to designate ‘X’ on their IDs rather than ‘Male’ or ‘Female’. Send that to Tre’Andre Valentine at TreAndreValentine@masstpc.org or by snail mail to: MTPC, PO Box 960784, Boston, MA 02196. MTPC will submit a packet of testimonials to the joint committee at the hearing. Please make sure your testimony is in by Monday Sept. 9th by 9pm.
Attend the hearing simply to be counted among those who care about this issue. We need people to show up.
Present oral testimony: Sign up to testify for up to 3 minutes by contacting Rep. Domb’s office at: Mindy.Domb@mahouse.gov or (617) 722-2400 or simply show up to the hearing, sign-in and register the day of.
Contact members of the Joint Committee for State Administration and Regulatory Oversight encouraging them to report the bill favorably out of committee. Joint committees have both senators and representatives, but the priority now is to contact the Representatives on the committee.
https://malegislature.gov/Committees/Detail/J25

Lowell Talks: Memorializing Mill Girls
2019-09-08 14:00 - 15:30
How do we remember the mill girls who worked in Lowell, Mass.? How did they choose to be memorialized in death?
For this community conversation, we will be joined by UMass Lowell English Professor Bridget Marshall. Professor Marshall has conducted extensive research on Lowell mill girls. In addition to examining their literary lives, Prof. Marshall has written about graves and memorials erected in honor of Lowell’s working women.
Free and open to all.
Sunday, September 8, 2-3:30 p.m.
Boott Cotton Mills Museum
115 John St., Lowell, MA

Show Immigrant Solidarity: Drivers' License Community Forum
2019-09-08 13:30 - 15:00
Warm up for Welcoming Week by attending our community forum where we will hear from local and state leaders of the Driving Families Forward campaign on how this will help make roads safer for everyone, while allowing immigrants the ability to own a standard driver’s license, regardless of immigration status.
