IMV Meeting Tues. Aug 17th 6:30-8:00 pm

August 13, 2021 Alan Cole

Making 2021 Local Elections Bite Sized & Fun

The 2021 local elections are approaching fast. We all know that building the bench locally is a necessity to our long term ability to hold power and make it easy to make the laws that lead to a more just, equitable, and sustainable future. As in 2017 and 2019, IMV will use its people power to help elect candidates who reflect IMV’s progressive values. This year, we’d like to choose regular days and times that IMV members will work together to canvass or do lit drops or postcards. We may help a different candidate each week, but always as a group. The goal is to have fun together AND help progressive candidates get elected! (We know some candidates have already organized specific canvassing nights, and we will try to pick other times that won’t conflict.)

Please indicate on the attached survey, times and activities that are good for you. These are weekly activities starting after Labor Day and going until Election Day. At our meeting on Tuesday, we’ll work on fine tuning the plan based on everyone’s responses. Please remember that drivers and silent partners are needed for canvassing. Please fill out the s urvey now!

We'll talk more about our plans at our monthly IMV meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 17th, 6:30-8:00 pm. We'll be outside under the Pavilion at Cherrywood, (1 Cherrywood Circle, Clinton, just off Route 5) and taking the added Delta precaution of wearing masks. We have brief updates about the re-districting process, For the People Act and the local social & racial justice projects we support. We can't wait to see you Tuesday!

For the People Act: Keep Calling

This week, Sen Schumer asked the Senate to begin debate on multiple voting rights bills, including the For The People Act. Republican Senator Ted Cruz blocked debate on every single bill, and Sen. Schumer said that these democracy bills will be his priority after the August recess.

It's more important than ever that we keep making the calls, talking to our neighbors, writing letters to the editor, and promoting the dire need to protect and expand our democracy. At our meeting on Tuesday, Sarah Reeske will give us an update about the push for S1 in some other key states, but New Yorkers are counting on Senator Schumer to pass a law that contains all the critical elements of the For The People Act, including public campaign financing. Indeed, over summer recess, they will continue to negotiate a final bill.

Make a call to Senator Schumer today and tell him to keep fighting like hell to get this done. It takes just a minute to make the call--and you can leave a message for Sen. Gillibrand as well.

You're Invited: La Abundancia Celebration

The Mohawk Valley Latino Association and the School For Ecosystem Advocacy are happy to invite you to the presentation of our participants' designs for La Abundancia Community Garden & Space. Come and join us for a joyful afternoon on Sunday, August 15 at 2 p.m. at 28 Scott Street in Utica.

Since the beginning of the summer, the project participants have been working tirelessly, studying the property, and paying attention to the ecosystem and all the creatures that live and thrive in it. They have now designed their own versions of our future community garden and space that we hope we can make into a reality.

La Abundania's participants Louis, Jenny, Thaw, and Cristian will be happy to see you there and show you the amazing work they've been doing this summer. Raising funds for La Abundancia was one of IMV's social justice projects this past year, along with the Peace Garden at Proctor Park and Rebuilding the Village in Cornhill.

Call for Letters to the Editor: For the People Act

Thanks to all our IMV letter writers who have been crafting letters in recent months about democracy. Jackie Leisos got fired up, wrote a "call to action" letter, and sent it to nine local newspapers! So far it has been published by My Little Falls - 8/5, the Rome Sentinel - 8/5 & the OD - 8/8.

It is critical that more of us write similar letters so that our community understands what is at stake on S1 and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act: not only voter suppression but what experts consider even more of a threat to majority rule democracy: voter subversion (Republicans gerrymandering for permanent minority role, or just setting up a system where results they don't like can simply be overturned.)

The Rome Sentinel also published excellent letters by David Kobernuss, "Tenney dead wrong when it comes to CDC Mask Recommendation," and Katy Timpano's letter about sexual harassment and bodily autonomy which was carefully crafted to appeal to a broad audience. Keep up the letter writing!

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Activism friends: Today is the anniversary of IMV's largest and most successful rallies ever---our #EpicProtest of the Tenney-Trump fundraiser in downtown Utica. Remember Aug. 13, 2018? Our crowd of 2000 protesters (to their 300 or 400) lined both sides of the streets for blocks and blocks. We lifted up democracy. economic justice, and health care for all. We called out the corruption, the tax cuts for the rich, the cruelty and racism of Tenney-Trumpism. We had a giant blow up chicken, a stage and sound system, and even porta potties for the three hour long protest.

There was so much energy! We turned that energy into door knocking in the coming months, and flipped the district, ousting Tenney and electing Anthony Brindisi as our representative in Congress.

That's the power of people making politics local, bite-sized and fun. Remember to fill out the IMV Local Election Interest Survey, and we'll see everyone on Tuesday evening!