Join IMV for Utica PRIDE Celebration Tomorrow

June 24, 2022 Alan Cole

Utica Pride Celebration Saturday

In honor of Pride Month and to support the LGBTQ+ community, a celebration is planned in the heart of Utica on Saturday, June 25th, 11 am-4 pm. There will be live music and dancing, activities, vendors, face painting and fun for all.

Pride is celebrated around the world every June to commemorate the years that the LGBTQ+ community fought for civil rights and celebrate the powerful progress of the community today. Together, we stand in solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community this Pride Month and every day as we carry out our value of championing people.

WHAT: Utica Pride Celebration
WHO: Indivisible Mohawk Valley, The Compound along with co-sponsoring organizations.
WHEN: Saturday, June 25. 11-4 pm
WHERE: The Compound, 106 Genesee St, Utica & Handshake City, 26 Whitesboro St, Utica

The event includes appearances from our co-sponsoring organizations which include the Interfaith Coalition of Greater Utica, the Oneida County Democratic Party, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Utica, the Q Center at ACR Health and Utica Coffee Roasting Company. Bring all your family and friends!

SCOTUS Decision Decimating Roe v Wade Expected Soon: Contingent Rally Planed in Utica

We're now pretty sure that the SCOTUS decision repealing Roe v. Wade will happen either today or (more likely) on Monday. There's a slim chance it will come out after that, but those are the two most likely dates.

On whatever day that decision is announced, IMV will host a rally at 5:00 PM
Where? In front of Rep. Tenney's office (430 Court Street, Utica (that's the new AAA building, where Rep. Brindisi had his office as well).
Goal: We will demand that Congress pass new legislation immediately to protect reproductive rights.

So, it's a contingent rally--we can't say what day it will be but it will happen. Be prepared, and tell everyone you know to prepare. Make sure that everyone knows where to go and when to go on the day that SCOTUS decides the Dobbs case.

Will You Train as a Phonebank Captain to Keep Congress Blue?

Do you:
*Want to keep the House blue?
*Want to increase Democratic voter turnout?
*Have one or two Monday evenings available each month this summer and fall?
*Know the importance of phone banking for winning elections, especially in competitive districts in New York?

Then raise your hand to become a phone bank captain for our upcoming Tour NY Phone Bank starting in July. Sign up with a friend if it makes it more fun and manageable for you. The training is Thursday, June 30th at 7pm. Please email sarahr@indivisible.org if you want to attend the amazing training and co-captain virtual phone banks starting in July one to two times per month. Thanks!

Two Easy Action Items from the Climate Crisis Working Group

1. This is the final week for public comments on New York’s draft scoping plan, the blueprint for how our state plans to implement the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA). Please submit a one click comment on each sector of the scoping plan! It doesn’t matter if you’ve already submitted—you can submit as many times as you’d like. The more comments we submit, the closer we are to a renewable energy future for all New Yorkers.
Public comments close July 1st. Together, we can make it clear that we want a state that prioritizes climate, care, jobs, and justice in the decades to come.

2. Continue to call Governor Hochul- 518-474-8390 and tell her to sign the cryptomining moratorium bill and deny Greenidge air permits now!
Governor Hochul has said she supports the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLPA), but if she does, she must prove it by immediately signing the cryptomining moratorium bill and deny Greenidge Generation air permits. Hochul is being lobbied heavily by the crypto industry and NYC Mayor Eric Adams to veto the Cryptocurrency Moratorium bill, which would halt fossil fuel power plants that are built for Bitcoin mining.

Suggested script:
"If Governor Hochul is actually committed to protecting the environment and upholding the nation-leading Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, she must immediately sign the cryptomining moratorium bill and deny Greenidge Generation's air permits. This bill does not ban crypto mining, nor does it prevent anyone from buying, selling, trading or holding crypto currencies. Across the state, wealthy out-of-state speculators are invading our communities to destroy our natural resources, kneecap local businesses, and set us back in our fight against climate change, just to make a few rich people even richer. Governor Hochul: put New Yorkers first, not big money, crypto billionaires."

Looking Ahead

IMV faces a challenging situation in 2022 when it comes to "flipping the district."

1. We are not just one district. Most of our members are in NY22 (Oneida County with Madison and Onondaga County) but some are in NY21. Our current Member of Congress is not even relevant to us when we look toward the 2022 election since she is carpetbagging another district.
2. NY 22 has a Democratic primary in August with four candidates. The Oneida County Democratic Committee has endorsed Francis Conole but IMV has not met with all the candidates or had a forum with them. We are looking to do so in July, perhaps as a public event so that everyone we know has a chance to see these candidates and hear from them. More to come.
3. That all means that we are not yet a unified grassroots group talking to voters about why we need to elect a Democrat in our district. NY21 and NY22 grassroots coalitions are still forming to support Matt Castelli (NY21) to challenge Stefanik, and (NY22) to activate behind the winner of the August primary.

Conclusion: No matter where we live, we will have to hit the ground running after August 23. That means door knocking, phone banking, fund raising, letters to the editor, text banking, writing postcards, and much more. So block off your calendars now for September and October. When the candidates are ready for us, we need to be ready to support them. Please read your emails every week so you know when we are meeting candidates this summer. Dates for July and August IMV meetings are coming soon!