Bans Off Our Bodies Utica March Saturday, May 14th 12-2pm

May 11, 2022 Alan Cole

#BansOffOurBodies Utica March Saturday, May 14

No politicians, no bans, and no court ruling should interfere with any woman's ability to access abortion. Your body is your own. We have to fight back. Join us in Utica to take to the streets!  At 9:30 pm on Thursday we have 184 people registered! We can't all park at the Y. Please consider parking along the route and join us as we head for the Nurses' Candlelight Park. We will be walking from 12:15 to 1 pm.

#BansOffOurBodies Utica March
Saturday, May 14th, 12-2 pm
YWCA Mohawk Valley (310 Rutger Street) marching to Nurses' Candlelight Park (1425 Genesee Street)

Parking: At the YWCA park at the large office parking lot on Seymour Ave. No parking allowed at the private mansion, Or park on the street on Genesee Street, or park behind Munson Williams Proctor Institute (closer to the endpoint).

Signs and symbols: Per our affiliation with The Women's March national event, no coat hanger images and no Handmaid's Tale reference, please. These images are problematic and triggering. Thank you for your cooperation.

Getting ready:  Bring a sign or come prepared to hold one of the amazing signs that the Sign making groups have prepared.

Bring: Water. You'll be doing a lot of chanting!  Comfortable shoes if you’re walking the route.  A mask for health and safety. Outdoors is pretty safe, but you may be within six feet of other people.

Sign up now: Register for the event:  https://www.mobilize.us/womensmarch/event/459250/
It's important to register so you'll get notified of any last minute updates, as well as reminders about where to go and what to bring.

Don't stay home and feel angry and terrified and hopeless alone. Let's join together and be strong and loud and build a world in which all people have access to abortion care, and make decisions about their own bodies, health, and futures. Register for the Utica March HERE.

School Board Election Recommendations

Please vote in your local school board election/budget referendum on May 17th! IMV recommends the following ig you live in the districts where we have active members running for office and/or volunteering for campaigns. Especially when the radical right is attempting to take over school boards across America on the basis of manufactured issues and attacks, we must elect people who share our values.

Clinton Central School District: Please vote for Lisa Magnarelli and Erica Shaw. Then write in a name for the third candidate, or don't vote for a third. There are MAGA candidates on the ballot, so this is critical. Share your planned vote with everyone you know in Clinton so they don't make a mistake at the polls.

Utica City School District: Bullet vote for IMV activist James Paul. "Bullet voting" means that you vote for only one candidate, and it's James Paul. This maximizes the chances that James will win.

Holland Patent School District: Vote for IMV member Colt Brumm. Do you know people who live in the HP district? Share your recommendation of Colt, and encourage everyone you know to vote for him.

Help James Paul Win a Seat on the Utica School Board

Please volunteer for James Paul for Utica School Board. Here's the request from Sarah Reeske, James' campaign manager:

"I’m looking for people with day time availability who can call absentee voters to make sure they got their ballot and know how to make their vote count. I can send you a list and script to print.
We need 12 people on Monday, May 16th at 5-8 pm to put our door hangers as well as Tuesday the 17th at 9 am to put out more. This would get our 1000 door hangers covered."

Please check your IMV email on Friday morning for more volunteer opportunities.

Remember, lawn signs don't vote. The candidate who talks to the most voters wins.

Save the Date for our Next IMV Meeting:
Tuesday, June 7th, 6:30-8:00 pm

By then we will know our district lines for Congress and State Senate. We will know the official dates of primaries (June, August, or both). And we will work to build progressive power in the Mohawk Valley and WIN.

Abortion Justice: We Can't Go Back

On Mother's Day, a few young first time rally organizers were thrilled when 85 protesters showed up at Oneida Square to stand against the SCOTUS attack on Roe v. Wade. Energy was high! Here was the WKTV coverage from the 11 pm news. Yay!

The same activists have called for a rally at 10 am tomorrow, Wednesday at the County Building, 200 Elizabeth Street in Utica. Please join and support them if you can!

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Bans Off Our Bodies Utica March Saturday, May 14th 12-2pm