You're Invited: IMV Potluck Picnic on Wednesday

August 19, 2022 Alan Cole

IMV Potluck Picnic Wednesday (Vote Tuesday!)

You're invited to IMV's summer potluck picnic at the Birch Pavilion by the playground at Sherrill Brook, New Hartford's Town Park on Wednesday, August 24th, 5:30-8:00 pm. We'll welcome our 2022 candidates for many of the general election races, thank our primary candidates for running, talk about what's ahead, and enjoy food and fresh air with activist friends.

-Bring food item(s) to share
-Bring your own place setting if you can (but we’ll have some extra disposables if needed)
-We will have water so you can fill your cup, or BYO drink

Our Thank You Message to Chuck Schumer This Week

When you work hard for something, it's important to celebrate when you reach your goal. On Tuesday, Indivisibles from across New York flooded Schumer's offices with calls thanking him for his unwavering and strong leadership of a razor slim senate majority that delivered on the Inflation Reduction Act, an unprecedented package of climate and health care legislation that will hep grow a greener economy and make sure Americans pay less for prescription drugs and other health care over the long term.

Then, Indivisible Mohawk Valley held a rally on Court Street in Utica yesterday afternoon to thank Sen. Schumer and call attention to the new legislation. That's critical, because many people don't yet understand how significant the action on climate and health care will be, or realize that it was Democrats alone who got it done. (We sent a media advisory and press release out, but it's still a good idea for IMVers to write LTEs about this important legislation!)

Finally, last night, Sarah Reeske hosted an Indivisible One NYS zoom that covered many topics related to supporting our groups as we do electoral work this fall, but also featured a celebration of the IRA with Sen. Schumer himself! This was a joyful (even tearful!) zoom meeting in which people shared what Sen. Schumer's persistence and leadership will mean for them, their parents, their children, and their grandchildren. Spread the good news about this bill with your family and your friends. The Inflation Reduction Act:

Lowers costs for working families. Democrats are giving Medicare the power to negotiate lower prescription drug prices. Seniors will pay less for their prescription drugs, and their out-of-pocket prescription drug costs will be capped at $2,000 a year. Despite big drug companies spending millions to beat this law, Democrats prevailed.
Locks in lower health care premiums for millions of families covered by the Affordable Care Act. 13 million Americans will continue to save an average of $800 a year.
Takes the most aggressive action ever in confronting the climate crisis and strengthens our country’s energy security. It will offer working families thousands of dollars in savings by providing rebates for more efficient appliances, weatherizing homes, and tax credits for heat pumps and rooftop solar.

NY22 Unity Rally: You're Invited!

You are invited to a post-primary UNITY EVENT to celebrate the winner of the NY22 Democratic Party Congressional Primary...and to thank the other three candidates for their efforts. The event is Sunday, August 28th, from 2-4 pm at Golub's "Our Farm" in Manlius (1590 Peth Road, Manlius).

All four candidates are attending (Francis Conole, Sarah Klee Hood, Chol Majok, and Sam Roberts). The event is sponsored by Caz Call to Action, a key partner for IMV when we were together as Knit the District. The Dave Novak Trio will be on hand for musical entertainment and refreshments will be provided.

No donation is required to attend, but we hope that those who attend recognize the winner by making a donation at the event or by volunteering to support the winner. WHAT'S MORE IMPORTANT: a big turnout in support of the NY22 Congressional Candidate!

So that the organizers can make sure there are enough seats for attendees, please let them know you are attending by CLICKING HERE to send an email. All are welcome to attend--bring a friend!

Sarah Klee Hood NY22 Campaign News

IMV volunteers continue to mobilize around Sarah Klee Hood's campaign. If you can knock doors today through Tuesday, election day, please contact Matt Brush, her field organizer to get a walk list: matt@sarahkleehood.com. Diane Berry has been knocking doors for Sarah Klee Hood in Utica for a months now, and has said that all she wants for her birthday is for her political activism friends to join her in knocking in Utica this weekend. So if you want to celebrate Diane, political activist extraordinaire, this weekend, please let Matt Brush know that you want to knock doors in Utica!

Both Celeste Friend (Utica Common Council, Ward 3) and Caroline Reale (Oneida County Board of Legislators from New Hartford) have endorsed Sarah Klee Hood. To get involved with Sarah's campaign or make a donation: sarahkleehoodny.com.

Thanks to all who helped on short notice last week for a project to write, label, and stamp 1000 postcards to women who voted in Oneida county towns in the June Dem primary to ask them to vote for Sarah Klee Hood on August 23rd. Cards were also sent to 30 women who registered as Democrats in Oneida County since the Roe v Wade decision was overturned. This was a quick project and volunteers pulled it off!

Matt Castelli in NY21: Update

Thanks, also, to all our IMV activists who continue to support and mobilize for Matt Castelli. He is focused like a laser on unseating Elise Stefanik. Did you know that Matt Castelli:

Is effective on social media? He has more than 72,000 Twitter followers, and his tweets are always on target!
Was featured yesterday during NPR's prime Morning Edition timeslot on WRVO public radio with a segment that played on North Country public radio previously? If you missed it, you need to check it out.
Has put 35,000 miles on his truck since he started campaigning in a 15 country district, and is known by a lot of people as "the hamburger guy" because of all those stops at diners and events where he eats hamburgers and listens to people (while Stefanik hobnobs with big dollar donors and hangs out with insurrectionists in Washington)? Again, for more info, check out this North Country radio segment about his effective campaigning:

We continue to work on our postcard project to ask voters in Herkimer County to vote for Castelli and defeat Stefanik in a very red district. We'll gather in September or October to address and stamp these postcards. To get involved in Matt's campaign directly: castelliforcongress.com.

Virtual LTE Workshops Just in Time to Influence Voters

Sarah Reeske is holding virtual Letter to the Editor trainings on Friday, August, 19th (11 am-12pm) and Thursday, Sept. 8th (6-7 pm). The training is for Indivisible activists who want to learn how to use strategic messaging in letters to the editor to impact the November election. Participants will learn how to merge Indivisible's MAGA Mayhem messaging with race class narrative to create a powerfully written LTE!

This will be a training with lots of collaboration and inspiration from each other using Zoom and Jamboard (no previous experience necessary). Bring a friend. Be sure to register here.

Sarah talked about this training on the Indivisible One NYS last night, and it was super inspiring. Anyone can learn how to write an original letter to the editor that uses Race Class Narrative messaging effectively on any topic. Sign up to get going on your LTE!

Even $10 or $20 Helps: August Fundraising Match

Just a reminder that Indivisible National is matching our fundraising on Act Blue in August--up to $500. We've already raised $325 (thank you!) and just have a little ways to go. Please contribute at the IMV website donation button: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/indivisibleohc421610861.

We also welcome donations mailed directly to IMV in the form of a check, as we can use that money for a wider range of electoral efforts including state and local election work. You can send checks made out to Indivisible Mohawk Valley c/o Deborah Wilson-Allam, 2 Laurelwood Rd, New Hartford, NY 13413.

Early Voting This Weekend, then Election Day!

The Democratic Primary Early Voting continues through Sunday, August 21. Please remind your family and friends to vote, and share the Oneida County voting location and hours information widely. If you are in Madison County, here is your information. In Herkimer County, check here.

Thank you to all our members and friends who work the polls during Early Voting and on Election Day, August 23rd. Please remind your friends and family to go to the polls on Tuesday if they have not done early or absentee ballot voting. They should go to the polling site listed on the Board of Elections card they received in the mail. Currently Democrats are outvoting Republicans in Onondaga and Oneida counties, and it's possible the same is true for early voting in Madison and Herkimer counties, but we must keep it up! Momentum matters!

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