Earth Day is today and every day:  Take these actions today!

1. Submit Comments on the Draft Scoping Plan

The Climate Crisis Working Group (CCWG) is making a plea to the entire IMV membership to comment on the CLCPA Draft Scoping Plan. Thousands of comments will be needed advocating for the CLCPA implementation and against false solutions. It really takes just one minute to fill in your name and email and submit a public comment on the Land Use and Local Government Sector of NY’s Draft Scoping Plan.

 If you missed commenting on one of the earlier sections, you can do so here.

2. It’s not too late to join fellow Indivisible members at a rally at the hearing on the CAC Draft Scoping Plan on Tuesday, April 26th, 4pm in  Syracuse. WE NEED EVERYONE TO JOIN OUTSIDE TO MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD 

Note: This replaces our Climate Crisis Working Group meeting for April. For more information or to carpool, email  indivisiblemv@gmail.com

3. CALLS MATTER:

Now that the budget is passed it’s time to push our representatives to pass bills that will slow and mitigate the effects of climate change and keep corporations from sneaking in false solutions. Corporations are lobbying every day for policies that will enrich them; we need to advocate for policies that will create a just and sustainable future.

Governor Kathy Hochul at (518) 474-8390

Senate Majority Leader Stewart-Cousins at (518) 455-2585 

Assembly Speaker Heastie at (518) 455-3791

And of course, call your own state senator and assembly member with the same message. Altogether, that's five calls for climate on Earth Day!  

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 https://climatecantwait.org/bills  policy package.

4.  Finally, we have this request from Indivisible National: 
Click here to write a letter to the editor telling President Biden we need him to broadly invoke the Defense Production Act and declare a climate emergency.   This week, newspapers around the country will be publishing letters to the editor reflecting how local readers feel about the state of the planet. Write a letter to the editor explaining why President Biden must declare a national climate emergency and mobilize our nation’s resources on a massive scale to transition to clean renewable energy and create millions of good-paying, green jobs.

Celebrate this 52nd Earth Day by taking action, and don't forget to breathe the air outside, an touch the ground!
 

Next IMV Meeting 3-5 pm May 1st

Please mark your calendar for our combined April-May IMV meeting on May Day (International Workers' Day). We will finally be coming together again IN PERSON! Meet up at the Jewish Community Center, 2310 Oneida Street, Utica on May 1st, 3-5 pm.

We will have a huge cake to celebrate the confirmation of Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson to the SCOTUS, cover some ground on issues and electoral work, and then spend some time volunteering with door knocking (or for those who prefer, postcard prep) for James Paul who is on the ballot for Utica School Board May 17th. Celebrate and Take Action, Together!

Join Team James Paul This Week

It's all hands on deck to help with direct voter contact for James Paul for Utica School Board!
Tuesday night phone banks. As we know, it's critical to talk with voters early and often in order to make sure not a single vote is left on the table. Please sign up to phone bank on Tuesday nights 6-7:30 pm: April 26; May 3rd; May 10th; and May 17th.

Please join Team James Paul to knock doors--it's just a couple hours on a weekend. The candidate whose team talks to the most voters is most likely to win.

Saturday, April 23rd, Noon-2:00 pm. Meet at the Adirondack Bank at 2817 Genesee Street, Utica to knock on doors in south Utica (ward 3).  

Sunday, April 24th, 2-4pm. Meet at Donovan Middle School parking lot at 1701 Noyes Street, Utica to knock on doors in west Utica (ward 2).

Finally, please make sure that you follow the James Paul for Utica School Board Facebook page and check out his webpage where you can see a lot more information on James, his positions, what's going on with the district, and even make a much needed campaign donation. Just over three weeks to go. It's time to elect James Paul to the Utica School Board!

Indivisible Will Match Your Contribution to IMV 

During the months of April and May, Indivisible national is once again offering a $500 match for all contributions made to IMV.  Your donation will be doubled!  As an all volunteer group committed to making progressive political action local, bite-size and fun, we don't need huge contributions, but we do have some expenses including room rental fees for our meetings, our Zoom account, and stamps and mailings that help us connect with voters on our values.  Please make your contribution to our Act Blue account HERE to get a match in the coming month. 

As always, we accept donations by cash or check that can be used for a wider set of purposes including our efforts to write letters and postcards to encourage support of our candidates at every level. Just send a check to Indivisible Mohawk Valley, 19 Proctor Ave, Clinton, NY 13323.
 

ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)

At “A Voteless People is a Hopeless People,” voter education event in downtown Utica earlier this week, Utica Common Councilwoman Celeste Friend explained the purpose of government, why she is a Democrat, and why voting matters LIKE A BOSS. It's 10 minutes, and worth your time to watch.

ICYMI Take 2
Democratic & Race Class Narrative Messaging Queen, Anat Shankar-Osorio, was interviewed on The Ezra Klein Show Podcast this week. You can also catch another recent podcast where she focused on why we need to talk about freedom in our messaging to turn out voters in 2022. Her own podcast is called "Words to Win By." She argues that the debate in progressive messaging between "Democrats are awesome" vs "Republicans are terrible" should give way to a third option: "voter agency" because vote is a verb.

Below are a few examples of Anat's real time messaging from her conversation with Ezra Klein on a variety of topics (see how she ticks the boxes on the Race Class Narrative Messaging Checklist).

"In 2018 and 2020 we turned out in record numbers to stand with and for each other for an America in which freedom is for everyone, not just for the wealthy and powerful few. But today MAGA Republicans want to turn us against each other, hoping we'll shame & blame new immigrants (OR act out against trans youth OR overturn our very basic right to decide whether and when to have children)."

"Together we struck a blow against fascism, but we didn't knock it out. We need to keep going because all of us value our freedom to vote, (OR the freedom to choose whether and when to have families, the freedom for our kids to thrive with excellent public education, the freedom of every person, especially children, to be themselves and grow up healthy and safe)"

You can find messaging guides on many topics from climate crisis to CRT here and here. Try it out in a letter to the editor or a conversation with a friend!

ICYMI Take 3
Michigan State Senator Mallory McMorrow. ENOUGH SAID. (Note how she follows the RCN message that has worked in Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan by explaining how certain Republicans blame and shame and point the finger in the wrong direction in order to distract from the fact they are doing nothing to improve people's lives.) You've probably watched the video a few times already, but ICYMI, click here.

ICYMI Take 4
Hopefully you joined Sarah Reeske's awesome OneNYS Convening on Zoom last night with Indivisible activists from across New York. We covered a lot of ground as we prepare for 2022 elections, especially key congressional races like NY19 and NY21. Everyone, even those who couldn't make it, got this Goodie Bag at the end of the evening. Please open your goodie bag today!

We look forward to seeing everyone on May 1st, and hopefully, even sooner, at one of the many events listed below. Take action--democracy is not a spectator sport!

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