“Look What’s Happening this Week in the Northwest Suburbs” Week of May 24th – May 30st, 2015

Have a Great Memorial Day, 2015 Weekend 

NWSOFA GVP Team @ April’s Meeting
Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action
 
Gun Violence Prevention

May

Meeting 
Thursday, May 28th
6:30 pm – 7:30 pm
Corner Bakery Cafe, Northpoint Shopping Center, 470 E. Rand Rd., Arlington Heights
Discussion & Actions:
Topics to be covered at the May’s GVP Planning meeting include the following:
  • Planning a program for later this year focusing on the prevention of pediatric injuries involving guns.
  • Status of Gun Safety Bills in the Illinois House
  • Forming a stronger partnership with Mom’s Demand Action and Mayors Against Illegal Guns , Everytown for Gun Safety

“Look What’s Happening this Week in the Northwest Suburbs”
Week of
May 24th – May 30th

NWSOFA May Events and Meetings

Downtown @ OFA HQ .. A COI Series Event
 
UPCOMING EVENTS

 

We are celebrating that Organizing Works during the month of May!

 

May 28  –  Grassroots Chicago
Join us for a screening of the documentary Grassroots Chicago, directed by Steve James. In the third event of our Organizing Works series, we look at the successes and challenges of community organizing through the lens of history. This 30-minute film from 1991 tells the story of the vibrancy of grassroots organizing in Chicago and how community groups in the city work for social change.
The screening will be followed by an in-depth conversation with a panel of Chicago organizers – Mariela Estrada from Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Judy Hertz of Midwest Academy, Katelyn Johnson from Action Now, and Chris Percy, most recently from Summers for Chicago.
Join us as they give real talk on community organizing!

NWSOFA Updates on Issue Teams & Happenings

For five years Republicans have been clamoring for repeal of the Affordable Care Act. With Republicans gaining control of both houses of Congress in 2014, it is now conceivable that they could actually get repeal legislation–or repeal and replace legislation–to the President’s desk… But what changes would they seek, and what effect would those changes have? What proposals have the Republicans offered for replacing the law, and how would those proposals affect progress that has been made so far in achieving the goals of the ACA?

Immigration Reform
(CIR)
in the News
Would you like to get involved with other like minded Progressives and join our Comprehensive Immigration Reform Team …..   then:
Please Call Tuly, Sara or Bill 
@ 224-241-2012
Did You Know?
Clinton’s Immigration Game Changer

On Tuesday, speaking to a group of DREAMers-unauthorized kids brought to the country as children-at a Nevada high school, she gave the same full-throated support to comprehensive immigration reform, going beyond President Obama-and activist expectations-to endorse changes to the immigration detention system, a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, protections for children brought to the country illegally, and an expansion of the president’s executive order, meant to keep millions of unauthorized immigrants from deportation and give millions more the right to apply for work permits and other documentation. …

 

Want to Get Involved with Immigration Reform.. 

Stand With Women
 Gains Momentum
Here’s How Top Female Executives End Up Getting Paid Less Than Men

A new study examines the root of the pay gap 

between men and women at the top of the corporate ladder

Even top female workers can’t catch a break when it comes to pay inequality.

A researcher at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and colleagues in academia are out with a new paper on gender differences in compensation for executives. They analyzed pay for chairs/chief executive officers, vice chairs, presidents, chief financial officers and chief operating officers, and here’s what they found:

Female executives get less incentive pay compared to their male counterparts

Some 93 percent of the difference in total pay between male and female executives is rooted in incentive pay, particularly the value of stock options and grants, the researchers found.

 

“In the Books” May Events 

This Last Tuesday 5/19 Progressive Leaders from around Chicago-land had an opportunity to hear four great Speakers at the OFA Downtown HQ COI offices on:
Downtown @ OFA HQ .. A COI Series Event
 
 
UPCOMING EVENTS

 

We are celebrating that Organizing Works during the month of May!

 

May 28  –  Grassroots Chicago
Join us for a screening of the documentary Grassroots Chicago, directed by Steve James. In the third event of our Organizing Works series, we look at the successes and challenges of community organizing through the lens of history. This 30-minute film from 1991 tells the story of the vibrancy of grassroots organizing in Chicago and how community groups in the city work for social change.
The screening will be followed by an in-depth conversation with a panel of Chicago organizers – Mariela Estrada from Brighton Park Neighborhood Council, Judy Hertz of Midwest Academy, Katelyn Johnson from Action Now, and Chris Percy, most recently from Summers for Chicago.
Join us as they give real talk on community organizing!

 
Illinois Budget Cuts / Increased
Revenues Saturday Rally
Saturday’s State Budget Rally (May 16th) at the Clock Tower Park, Arlington Heights

 

Illinois Budget Cuts and Additional Revenues

  • May 16-Community Renewal Society (CRS) Event in Arlington Heights-
  • Well Attended by NWSOFA, Local CRS Church Groups and State Political Leaders
  • Coverage by WGN TV

Last Wednesday, May 13th
May 13th Meeting -New Format
The NWSOFA Fiscal & Economic Discussion Group
Met
We had Great Deep Dives and Have Some Great Discussions and Difference of Opinion
Into the Facts about

the Economic Recovery

and Illinois Proposed Budget..
This meeting was a special update of the economy, both jobs and GDP (US & IL). Plus we will continue our discussions of the economic recovery and policy issues that affect the recovery. The discussion was be based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics May, 2015 report on the April Jobs Report.
Key Points from May report on April Jobs from the May BLS Report:

Over three (3) million jobs added in the last 12 months

233,000 jobs added in April 2015;

Unemployment rate nationally at 5.4% in April

Down 1.3% in the last 12 month

 

To View Bloombergs’ Article Click Here: U.S. Unemployment Falls to Lowest Level Since May 2008

Attend the NWSOFA Fiscal & Economic Discussions (held monthly) and be the most informed on your block or your discussion group!

TPA / TPP a Night of Understanding
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP)
“A Very Complex Opportunity for Understanding”
Kathy Carter offered her house on this last Thursday Evening so a group of the NWSOFA members could explore the issues surrounding the Presidents TPP, Tran-Pacific Partnership. We reviewed articles that were for and against the TPP and the background and future of the US competing in the International Markets.
We had a special National OFA Conference Call with several representatives of the USTR that took questions from across the country and explained in great detail what the history and concerns were that they were fixing in the TPP and why it was important to the US to have its manufactures and labor force competitive in the world marketplaces and how it would increase our jobs and the quality and pay for those jobs.
What we learned was that while a lot of positions have been taken on the TPP, that since the Agreement has not been finalized there are more emotions than facts swirling around the Presidents plan to make the US manufactured goods more competitive in the world, and that while many consider it another NAFTA, it is designed to replace it and solve the problems that were inherent in NAFTA.
Everyone agreed we needed more discussions as this TPA / TPP evolves and that NWSOFA will stand ready to have all sides explored.

University & College Outreach

 Team Meeting
Was Held Wednesday, May 6, 2015
@ Harper College
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Feeling the call to work with
 the young adults at college and University levels to engage them in Progressive Issue Engagement.. 
Kym Garnett
Renee Gladstone
NWSOFA announces:
 
Kym Garnett
Renee Gladstone, 
University & College Outreach
Team Co-Leads
Our Newly Formed College Outreach Team met at Harper College and agreed on a Mission statement and Issues to work with the local Advisors and students.
Among those were Jobs, Student Loan interest rates, Future Organizers program for involvement in social issues.
Please contact Renee at rrgladstone@aol.com or Kim at kim.garnett18@gmail.com

First Meeting of the Minority Outreach May 7th
  NWSOFA Minority Outreach
Holds Inaugural Meeting
May 7th
New Initiative for 2015 Announced by OFA
 
You Can Make a Difference in Under-Served Communities
NWSOFA announces the Minority Outreach Team Leads;
Antualia (Tuly) Rodriguez, 

Minority Outreach Team Co-Lead
Kym Garnett, Minority Outreach Team Co-Lead
Organizing for Action has a strong commitment to providing easy points of entry for everyday Americans who want to have their voices heard and make a difference in their communities.
PURPOSE: To ensure that Organizing for Action is providing training, leadership development, team building, and issue advocacy opportunities to communities and people who do not have ready access to the internet, reliable transportation, etc. We will focus specifically in communities of color and   historically underserved areas, which tend to have less financial means. The Fulfilling the Promise program will ensure that our organization and the progressive community at large is comprised of a diverse group of talented organizers who are representative of all of the communities that make up our country.

Or If This Outreach resonates with you, Please Call Kym or Tuly @ 224-241-2012

About NWSOFA
QuickView-A49F6DCE9425D079601D1793F2D88B8A In January 2013 we started as a gathering of friends and neighbors from the NW Suburbs who wanted to continue to have impact on the progressive issues we voted for in 2012.This grassroots, bottom up movement spread across the country and sparked the creation of Organizing for Action, OFA National which now has  Chapters all over the country. This is a non-partisan, volunteer organization that focuses on progressive issues we are committed to taking Action on to make a difference locally, statewide and nationally.
NWSOFA’s 1st Issue Team was  right after the tragedy at Sandy Hook. The Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) team felt we needed accurate information and facts, events to teach others and actions we could take to make a difference on pushing for common sense gun violence prevention. That has been our basic format as new issues arose and team developed. We now have the GVP, ACA/Obamacare, Climate Change,Fiscal Issues and Stand with Women Issue Teams.Check out their individual pages to see all the events they have scheduled and to join the teams you want to make a difference with. Other teams are developing such as for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
OFA National coordinates “Days of Action” that Chapters across the country will all do on the same day. Each team also has local events and may work with affiliate organizations i.e. Sierra Club, Al Gore Reality Project, etc. to combine like-minded groups on a local, state or national event.
In this type of organization there are numerous ways you can be involved with the teams and in other roles.We were looking for ways to get our events out and now have  a Twitter Master, Kathy,and Press Lead, Kym.
Two new initiatives were introduced in January 2015 from OFA. The first one is to get more young people involved in progressives issues. We prioritized working with colleges to  reach out to them. One of the major benefits of joining us is learning to be a community organizer. These skills can be beneficial for a lifetime. The second initiative is working with under served populations that traditionally have not a voice on issues that are crucial for them. If either of these sound like something you would be interested in helping to develop, please let us know.
Maybe you have a special skill we haven’t even thought about give us a call we’re always open to new ideas and teams.
Thanks for stopping and hope you’ll stay and join us.
In This Issue

 About NWSOFA 
QuickView-A49F6DCE9425D079601D1793F2D88B8A
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.

 

All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.

We invite you to join us!

Follow NWSOFA on Social Media 
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Follow us @NWSOFA’s Website

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May Events .. NWSOFA in Photos

NWSOFA Participates at the OFA COI HQ Downtown Event .. How Organizations Develop Activists 5/19

NWSOFA Participates in CRS Illinois Raise the Revenue Budget Rally

NWSOFA Fiscal & Economics
May 13th Meeting

Karl Reviewing Yearly Deficit & GDP
Presentation then Discussion

Discussion @ the After Hours Meeting: Joe, Harold and Keith
Mark & Bill After a long Discussion

NWSOFA TPA/TPP Discussion May 7th


NWSOFA College Outreach May 6th


NWSOFA Minority Outreach April 30th


Downtown OFA HQ COI Event 5/6


Please Observe Memorial Day May 25th

   NWSOFA
To leave a message or Sign up for an Issue Team .. Just click the Sign Up button and fill out the NWSOFA Comment log.
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Notice: This is a public meeting / event(s) 
 NWSOFA is a 501(c)4,  non-partisan organization. 
All opinions are solely those of NWSOFA
It’s time to Act .. It Is Time To Get Involved
Over the years the American Citizens have lost their voices, believing that we can not make a difference.  We have been beat down by the constant droning noise of the conservative right. This onslaught has made us like sheep .. afraid to express our views.  Not anymore!  OFA gives us back our voices and by working together we are making change one issue at a time. Together we can and will make a difference.
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2015

Just Click on the Photo to link the NWSOFA e-magazines daily & archived articles 

Contact Information
NWSOFA Co-Leaders Sara Horan & Bill Davis
Phone: 224-241-2012
email: nws.ofa@gmail.com
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