Our Meeting Sunday 3-5 pm: Packed Agenda!

IMV is thrilled that our main speaker for our February 2022 meeting is Farah Tanis, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Director of Black Women's Blueprint. She's going to tell us about Restore Forward, a holistic Reconciliation Center her group is building in Ava, NY (outside Rome), with a focus on healing and social, economic, and environmental justice.  We've been wondering for a while how we can support this innovative project that aligns with our values.  Farah Tanis is a "Can't Miss" speaker for IMV--so....don't miss her!

Our meeting will also include some updates about candidates and districts for the 2022 election ahead.  Yes, we know the district lines changing just before candidate petition season is crazy!  It will help to have Bill Thickstun walk us through Oneida County details, and Betsy Briggs will fill in on the Herkimer county candidates.  Our very good NY22 (that's former NY22) friend, Jon Lipe, will share his insights on activism and how we can be most effective in the new electoral landscape. 

We are asking everyone to register in advance so that we can ensure a safe Zoom environment, but if you end up registering last minute or even once the meeting starts, we'll be monitoring our IMV email, and we'll get you in the "room where it's happening!  See you Sunday at 3 pm!  
 

Last Night's Indivisible State Lege Conference

We hope you were able to join with Indivisible group members from across the state last night to hear from Sen. Majority Leader Andrea Steward Cousins as we head into these next six weeks of state legislative and budget activity. We love how Shannon Stagman of Empire State Indivisible handles these elected officials on a big Zoom call! We were also enlightened by Nina Luo of NYWFP, who explained the goals for progressive electoral and legislative action in 2022 and beyond. Sum up: we have the potential to elect more progressive Assembly members in the coming year, and then push forward on climate, health care, and many other priorities.

Finally, Becky Saletan presented on the Invest in Our New York campaign for 2022. We are ready to push forward on our progressive budget priorities--from housing and childcare to health care and transportation, to climate and public banking and more! One thing Becky stressed is that the most important work we can do locally is understand and track how state dollars enter our county and local governments, and the areas that we want funded better and more equitably right here in the Mohawk Valley.

Our state budget is a moral document. Who does it value? Who does it currently leave out? We don't have to accept a world where child care, elder care, and health care are unaffordable for New Yorkers. We can change our budget priorities so we have investments in climate justice rather than billionaire boondoggles. We could fully fund schools and low income housing instead of billionaire tax breaks. And WE are the ones who can make that change happen.

Don't get distracted by national politics every day, or worse politics in other states, all which we have very little ability to control. Instead, take action by calling your state legislators on a daily basis. Get involved in campaigns for progressive state leg candidates. And be sure to join us in the coming weeks as we meet with our state legislators in small group virtual office visits to lobby for the CCIA and other top IMV budget priorities.

Meet and Greet for NY19 Congressman Delgado

If you live in the new NY19 (includes Utica, New Hartford, Kirkland, Marshall, Paris, Augusta, and Sangerfield in Oneida County), you are lucky that you're going to have an amazing progressive Democrat representing you. He still needs to win re-election in 2022, and to do that, he needs to get to know his new Democratic constituents! Anthony Brindisi is hosting a meet and greet event for him. Please sign up and then drop by tomorrow 5-7 pm at the Delta Hotel, 200 Genesee Street, however briefly, just to make sure that he has a warm welcome from IMV members, whether you live in the new NY19 district or not

Climate Crisis Workgroup Info (Hint: Also Make Your Calls!)

Please join us for Climate Crisis Working Group Meeting, February 28th @ 6:30pm hear about the Draft Scoping Plan and how we can make our voices heard, NY Renews March 8th Rally and legislation that supports CLCPA such as the CCIA. 

On March 8th join NY Renews coalition in Albany for a Rally to demand "$15B Before it is Too Late" to fund the CLCPA. If you are interested in attending and need transportation e-mail Maggie Reilly at Margaret_reilly@mac.com or email IndivisibleMV.org. 

Save the Date: March 23rd when NY Renews and other climate activists roll out how we can comment on the Draft Scoping Plan.

This week we are asking that you continue to call New York State leadership to tell them that CLIMATE CAN'T WAIT! (Climate Can’t Wait) is the name for 12 climate bills that NYS should pass this year to help ensure a healthy future for all.)
Governor Kathy Hochul at 518 474-8390
Senate Majority Stewart-Cousins at (518) 455-258
Assembly Speaker Heastie at 518-455-3791

Sample script:

“Hi,  my name is ____ and I live in ____, zip code ____. I’m calling to urge you to pass all 12 bills in the Climate Can’t Wait policy package for a livable future, with a renewable, green jobs economy that works for all. New York State must take sweeping, meaningful climate action NOW, dedicating $15 Billion in funding to implement the CLCPA. Please, be the climate champion that history needs and urge NYSDEC to uphold the air permit denial of Danskammer.

Keeping Warm with Cold Climate Air Source Heat Pumps (Virtual Tour)

Join Maggie & John Reilly of New York Mills as they give a virtual tour of their whole house heat pump system and solar PV array! Listen first hand to their path to not only clean heating and cooling but also how they transitioned off fossil fuels to clean energy/renewables. They have made a concerted effort to move away from fossil fuels by also using an air source heat pump hot water heater, charging their electric vehicle, and using battery powered landscape equipment, including a lawn mower, chainsaw, and hedge trimmer.

The virtual tour will start with a brief introduction about the campaign and available rebates and grants, and feature an overview of the locally-installed heat pump system, with the owners discussing the system, their motivations, and results. The installers will be present to discuss technical aspects of the system. This is an interactive event, please ask questions! Co-sponsored by HeatSmart CNY and HeatSmart Mohawk Valley.

Sunday, February 27th at 2PM: RSVP | Facebook

Register here: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwsd-ivrD0sHtV-FFX4MNNv-4eAgMu4USKO
 

IMV's First 2022 Postcard Project Starts Today!

It's time to start writing postcards for our first 2022 postcard project!  These postcards are large and colorful, and encourage targeted voters in key areas to notice how President Biden's infrastructure bill will positively impact their lives by improving rural broadband.  It's a "thank you, Democrats!" message that we can all embrace, following four years of the Trumpy Republican death cult approach to politics.  

You can pick up postcards (and a sample message so you know what to write) starting today (Friday, Feb. 18th) in packs of 100 at the following addresses:
8 Lyndon Road, Whitesboro
2 Laurelwood, New Hartford
19 Proctor Ave., Clinton
If you want to pick up in Rome, email Jennifer at jgeiger777@gmail.com to arrange to pick up postcards.  Thanks for writing postcards to our Mohawk Valley neighbors to remind them of the positive results of being voters!
 

Letters to the Editor

IMV's LTE Work group reports that there are many LtEs in the works. Perhaps you've got one in draft form? You can email IndivisibleMV@gmail.com if you want a second set of eyes on it, or just mail it in to your local newspaper! Two letters were published in the Utica OD on Sunday, Feb. 13. Jen DeWeerth's letter introduced Sen. Rachel May to constituents of her new district. Nesecan Balkan's letter reminded readers of the importance of passing the NY Health Act. Her letter was also published in the Rome Sentinel.

What do you want to write about? Letters to the Editor shape public opinion, give credibility to our progressive candidates and policies, and call attention to views that represent our values.

Why Be a Spectator When You Can Be an Activist?

As always, we say, "Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport." Take action; show up. We're here to help you do it. Here's a to-do list for the week:

1. Make a call today for health care to Senate Leader Cousins as a follow up to last night. It's a one click tool with a script so CALL NOW.
2. Call Sens. Schumer and Gillibrand in support of Indivisible's brand new Let's Go, Joe campaign to get the President to take meaningful and impactful executive actions.
3. Make your Climate Crisis calls in support of the CCIA(see phone numbers and script above!) (If you need peer support to make all these calls, stop by CAFE Friday this morning!)
4. Attend the event to welcome Antonio Delgado at the Delta Hotel tomorrow, Feb. 19th, 5-7 pm. 200 Genesee Street, Utica. Register at the link. Anthony and Erica Brindisi are hosting this event, since Rep. Delgado will now be representing many residents of Oneida County in the new NY19!
5. Pick up postcards and start writing! You can do it on your own, or pull together a few friends and have a postcard writing party.
6. Block off time on your calendar in March for going door to door with candidate petitions. Yes, it's not fun in the cold, snowy, weather. But while many of our neighbors think names appear on ballots by magic, we know that it takes hours of volunteer time to get each one of those names to appear. Nothing is more important to democracy than voting, and it can't happen without the work we do to get signatures.
7. Join IMV for our meeting on Sunday, Feb. 20, 3-5 pm. Register right now. We can't wait to see everyone!

Follow us on Twitter using @indivisiblemv and of course our Facebook page and IMV Activism Group.