🍉 You're Invited: IMV Potluck Picnic Tues. July 13th 🍉
2021 Progressive Politics Potluck Picnic
It's time for our annual Progressive Politics Potluck Picnic!
When: Tuesday, July 13th 5:30-7:30 pm
Where: Sherrillbrook (New Hartford Town) Park, on Route 12. We'll be in the pavilion to the immediate right when you enter the park.
Who: Everyone is invited, including pets, partners, families, kids, friends.
What to bring: A dish to share whether main dish, salad, dessert, or otherwise. Please also bring a small package of diapers or some money to donate to Citizen Action's diaper collection.
What will be provided: Water, cups, plates, napkins, utensils. If you’d like to bring your own reusable drink container/drink, plate, utensils that's fine too!
We will have a few minutes for some announcements, but this is mostly a social time to connect with political action friends and make new ones. Plus, we know you won't want to miss this very special guest...
Anthony Brindisi is joining us!
Don't miss out. This is the way to kick summer off right. We can't wait to see you!
Are You Willing to Be on the Hot Seat?
If you ever catch The Hot Seat, Cassandra Harris-Lockwood's show on 95.5 FM The Heat Phoenix Radio (Mon-Thurs, 5-6 pm) then you may have heard Jill Farnham-Us from IMV Steering Committee talking about democracy, anti-racism, and voting rights or Kathy Collett from IMV"s Climate Crisis Workgroup discussing climate justice and climate policy.
Teresa Van Etten has been trying to book an IMV representative twice a month on Wednesdays to talk about a variety of political topics. If you like to "talk politics"--engage in meaningful conversation-- on a particular subject or in general, please consider coming on on the Hot Seat with Cassandra. Just email IndivisibleMV@gmail.com to volunteer, and we'll connect you with Teresa. And be sure to tune in to the show when you get a chance.
Letters to the Editor
Check out My Little Falls, one of the wonderful local newspapers in Herkimer County. Three of our IMV Letter Writing Group members had their letters published recently: Dick Meili (Waterville) wrote about the anti-election, anti-democracy actions of Republicans, Nesecan Balkan (Clinton) wrote about health care, and Regina Sbaraglia Kekis (Rome) wrote about immigration. All the letters were published on July 7 and are great examples of appealing to shared values in the community. Way to go!
The group is not meeting regularly for the next few months, but you can email IndivisibleMV@gmail.com to connect with members, get help with a letter, or seek advice on how to get letters published in local papers.
Justice Works 2021 is Virtual
It's not too late to sign up for Justice Works which will be held remotely next weekend. The registration is just $40 and there are sessions on a wide range of social justice topics and political organizing; excellent speakers, and great music. Here's why should attend:
"On July 17 & 18, 2021, hundreds of New Yorkers who fight for justice will join together virtually. Regardless of the issues you work on, or how you work on them: if you’re an organizer, a volunteer, a door knocker, a blogger, a policy wonk, or all of these things – Justice Works is the conference for you. Too often in our movement for justice, we feel like we are all alone, all working on different issues, all going in different directions. But the fact is, we are all in this together, fighting for a society where we all do better, where government and the economy work for every person, not just the rich, and where justice is something shared by everyone, regardless of the color of our skin, our sexual orientation, our religious beliefs, where we live or how much money we make.
Justice Works is a conference that brings together a cross section of progressive politics and activism in New York State, at a time when our united power, coordination and understanding is essential to beat back the powers of greed and individualism that are succeeding at dismantling our social structures and further tearing down our communities. Together we’ll train, share, network, teach and learn how each of our fights, our campaigns, our efforts, make up the gears that move New York toward justice. Come to be inspired." Register here.
Please show up in solidarity with 1199SEIU
Our local labor ally, 1199SEIU, will be having a press conference on the sidewalks in front of Masonic Care Community (on Bleecker St. in Utica) on July 15th at 2:45 pm. IMV has pledged to support our allies and so we need as many people as possible to show up even if just for a few minutes, and stand with these hard working health care workers. They are undergoing contract negotiations and fighting for better wages, to keep our pension instead of shifting into a 403B (which many of their members wouldn't be able to contribute to with their wages), and health insurance rates for their members. Thank you to those who can attend and add to the numbers on the sidewalk. We want to make clear that IMV stands with workers for fair wages, benefits, and working conditions.
Keep Calling Senators about S1, and we'll see you at the Picnic!
The fight for S1 is big and it's not easy, but it is NOT OVER. If you missed the explainer email from Indivisible co-founder Ezra Levin, you can catch up here (10 minute read). Please, please, keep calling Senators Schumer and Gillibrand and let them know how important #ForThePeopleAct is in the face of the Republican efforts across the country to dismantle free and fair elections, and the Supreme Court's refusal to stand up to big money in elections, gerrymandering, and the assault on voting access and voter rights.
At the same time, it is important to rest, relax, and restore some energy for the fights ahead, and that means enjoying summer. Stop by CariFest (Caribbean fest), Delvin Moody's celebration at Kemble Park on July 16th. Dawn Laguerre will be staffing the IMV table and handing out buttons and flyers. Stand with our 1199SEIU allies. Write a letter to the editor. And then:
Join Anthony Brindisi and IMV for a potluck picnic at New Hartford Town Park this Tuesday. remember to bring your dish to pass and some diapers to donate! We can't wait to see you!
Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.
