NEWSLETTER and CALENDAR JUNE 2020
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INDIVISIBLE SUMMER WEBINAR SERIES
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There’s a lot of new content available on the web now that we are spending so much time at home.
In fact, Indivisible’s Organizing and Training Department has a series of webinars to engage and inform you all summer long. Join in for some meaningful conversations about leadership, team-building, and inclusivity. We’ve got a webinar for you.
- Making a Recruitment Plan
Recruiting a strong team is not only crucial to winning in November, but also crucial to all your other organizing goals. Wednesday, June 17th at 2:00PM RSVP HEREor
- Building Inclusive Groups
Training framed for white Indivisible Group Leaders who are ready to do the necessary work of undoing racism in day-to-day organizing, though all Indivisibles are welcome to attend.
- Payback Project: Planning a Virtual Town Hall
Learn how to plan virtual town halls in the time of COVID. Hear from Indivisible Groups who have successfully held virtual events during the pandemic and brainstorm ways to make your townhall successful. Wednesday, June 24th at 7:00PM RSVP HEREHear from People’s Action, RuralOrganizing.org and Indivisible’s own rural caucus about the power of the rural electorate, how to build your rural coalitions, and rural relational organizing in the time of COVID-19. Saturday, June 27th from 10:00AM – 4:30PM EST RSVP HEREWe hope you’re as excited as we are to kick-off our summer webinar series. We can’t wait to see you there!
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Peaceful Protest for Racial Justice!
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Almost all our NWSOFA-Indivisible members have been involved in the active peaceful protests that were sparked by the police killing of George Floyd.
See the photos and videos submitted by our members at:
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WILL “DEFUND THE POLICE” DIVIDE INDIVISIBLE?
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The Black Lives Matters organization has adopted the phrase “Defund the Police” as one of their rallying cries and a central slogan for their worthwhile effort to achieve equal treatment for persons of color in the criminal justice system. While these objectives are long overdue there is currently a dust up in the Indivisible organization as to whether to adopt that phrase because of its perceived negative connotation by many of the non-ethnic members of Indivisible.
The actual concept and eventual implementation of “defunding the police” is much more complicated than the simple three word phase implies. Each person interprets the words using their background and experiences. Blacks who have been the subjects of racial discrimination see a much different view than priveledged whites who have not.
The phrase “Defund the Police” may be a dog whistle for conservatives who continue to divide our policies into simple white and black, right and wrong memes. It may be used as a wedge to further divide rather than unite our citizens much like pro-life vs pro-choice,
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UPCOMING SCHEDULED EVENTS FOR JUNE 2020
- JUNE 16 – NWSOFA Indivisible Fiscal Monthly Virtual Meeting 7 – 9 PM
- JUNE 17 – NWSOFA Indivisible Restore Our Democracy (ROD) Team Meeting 7 – 9 PM
- JUNE 18 – NWSOFA Indivisible Gun Violence prevention Issues Team Planning Meeting 7:00 PM
- JUNE 23 – NWSOFA Indivisible Climate Change June Meeting 7 – 9 PM
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“Coffee & Conversation” with NWSOFA every weekday @ 9 AM in JUNE
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Start your mornings off with Coffee and Conversations with the Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action – An Indivisible Chapter. Join us, bring your favorite coffee, tea and /or snack and your smile. There will be no agenda so we will use the time to reconnect .. Open Mic .. all are welcome
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR! June 5, 12, 19, 26 @ 5:00 PM
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JUST FOR FUN, join us every Friday at 5:00 PM for our weekly “Friday Happy Hour”. Join us, bring your favorite beverage and your smile. There will be no agenda so we will use the time to reconnect and refresh.
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NWSOFA Indivisible Fiscal Monthly Virtual Meeting 7 – 9 PM
June 16 @ 7 – 9 PM
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Hi All,
We are looking forward to seeing you virtually on Tuesday evening at 7 p.m. . David and I have been working on the presentation and should have at least a draft out by Monday morning. Some things that make this month more interesting:
- Surprising me, the May Employment report showed job gains and a decrease in the unemployment rate. At the same time, the BLS admitted to a classification error in the unemployment numbers. We have been working to figure out what happened and then how to present it on Tuesday. At this point our bottom line is likely to be that there was some improvement between April and May, but that the May unemployment rate is understated and the jobs number is misleading.
- I was wrong. Contrary to my near certain predictions at the beginning of the year that the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) would not declare a recession before the election, they did just that. My prediction was based on their historical slowness in declaring recessions. For example, they first declared on December 1, 2008 that the Great Recession had begun almost a year earlier in December 2007. But I was wrong about this one, their fastest recession call ever. https://www.nber.org/cycles/june2020.html
- David is planning to present some information on the economic disparities by race, a timely topic.
- While Illinois passed a budget last month and Governor Pritzker signed it recently, we don’t plan to dive into this topic until our July meeting. If you want to read something about the budget that was just enacted so you know more than me, State Senator Heather Steans has some information at http://www.senatorsteans.com/news/press-releases/447-state-budget-preserves-vital-services
- We do plan to briefly discuss the proposed Fair Tax Amendment on the ballot in November. As we get closer to the election we will cover this issue in more detail.
So turn on your computers (or phones) on Tuesday evening and join us.
Alternatively you can connect by phone at 408-418-9388. Our meeting number is 295083889#
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE Restore Our Democracy Team Meeting
JUNE 17 @ 7 – 9 PM
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Join us for a follow up on our VBM webinar!
We will start with a review of what we had hoped the legislation would have included then explain what SB1863 includes.
We will talk about plans for the next 5 months which is to educate voters followed by working on a bill that includes everything we would like to have in a VBM Illinois.
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE
JUNE 18 @ 7:00 pm
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There are no words to adequately respond to the tragic death of George Floyd and to the 1000 other individuals who have lost their lives to police violence within the last year.
As a Gun Violence Prevention Issues Team, we stand in solidarity with those peacefully protesting and calling for an end to police violence and calling for comprehensive police reform and an end to systemic racism.
And just like the public health crisis of Covid-19, we know that racism and gun violence are at epidemic levels in the U.S. and all intersect in a space where our individual and collective voices of protest and action can make a difference to bring a change in our laws to ensure that equality, justice and peace is experienced by everyone.
So – because of Newtown in 2012 and Parkland in 2018 – and now because of the worldwide protests to end police violence and dismantle systemic racism, the NWSOFA GVP Issues group, currently in its seventh year, has re-committed itself to become even more relentless advocates of change and action.
We are determined to change the conversation surrounding gun violence in America no matter where it occurs, change the hearts of people we encounter through a spirit of volunteerism and kindness and take action to change the laws to create safer communities for every family in America.
The GVP Issue team educates by having periodic informational meetings, collaborates with coalition non-partisan groups, such as local faith communities and Moms Demand Action and takes action by supporting the efforts of our youth and March for Our Lives and by recruiting legislators to build support for commonsense gun violence prevention legislation.
In addition, our GVP Team celebrates the success that has been achieved in America – because of Parkland – in changing the conversation around gun violence prevention. We also celebrate the fact that Gov. Pritzker signed, in January 2019, the law that requires a certification process for gun dealers in Illinois. We know from the research that this law will definitely help to save lives, including the lives of our police officers everywhere – the majority of whom we acknowledge conduct themselves with a spirit of honor, dedication and service to their communities.
And we continue to work to strengthen background checks and raise community awareness through hosting vigils, using social media, writing letters to the editor and handing out fliers.
Until our days of social distancing are over, we will hold one hour video conference meetings on the 3rd Thursday of the month. Registration is required to receive a link and password to join the meeting since the “seating” on Zoom is limited to 100.
Please join us! We know that by uniting and working together we can make a difference.
As Charlie Beck, the author of the April 15, 2020, Tribune article, “Unite to end gun violence as you have united to slow the coronovirus,” said, we can end “gun violence in the same way…..flatten the curve.” And in the process of doing that, we will be addressing one of the underlying issues of systemic racism and helping to create safer and more equitable communities for all Americans.
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NWSOFA Inivisible Climate Change June Meeting
Guest Speaker Chris Knopf,
Executive Director of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area
JUNE 23 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
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Why what happens in the Minnesota Boundary Waters affects us.
Chris Knopf, Executive Director of the Friends of the Boundary Waters Wilderness, avid kayaker, canoer and backpacker will give a presentation on the current threats to the Boundary Waters National Wilderness Area, i.e. two mining projects – Poly Met and Twin Metals and why this should concern us.
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE STAND WITH WOMEN
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Mission:
“OFA is working to advance women’s economic opportunities and to protect women’s rights. NWSOFA Stand With Women continues to fight for our economic security, for women’s leadership, and for our ability to make our own health decisions no matter where we live.”
Terri Klowden Co-Lead
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE
NWSOFA YouTube Channel
Update on Continuing Efforts
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE
Flipboard Magazines
Update on Continuing Efforts
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NWSOFA Flipboard Magazines
NWSOFA 9 “on-line” Flipboard Magazines are available on social justice, bigotry, gun violence prevention, climate change, healthcare, immigration, gerrymandering, fiscal & economics, social justice reform, stand with women, I’ll send post it on the newsletter.
Check out NWSOFA Progressive magazines and follow me on Flipboard for more stories.
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NWSOFA – INDIVISIBLE REMINDER!
THE CENSUS CONTINUES! Fill out your 2020 Questionair:
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- The count has been delayed but we can catch up.
- It’s quick, safe, secure, and confidential.
- Help us collect the federal funds our schools, roads, and public need & Save our Congressional seats.
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We now have an ACT BLUE account
So you can quickly and easily DONATE to NWSOFA-Indivisible
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IN THE BOOKS-RECENT EVENTS
- May 7 NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: ILGVP Digital Day of Action and Rally in Place
- May 11 – May 31 NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Action: JOIN OUR #VoteGunSafety2020 TEAM
- May 14 NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: Reforming Democracy in the Age of Covid-19 with Prof. Lawrence Lessig
- May 14 – NWSOFA Partner Event: The NWCC Sierra Club group and League of Women Voters presents “Pollution Solutions!”
- MAY 8, 15, 22 & 29 – NWSOFA Indivisible FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR
- MAY 19 – NWSOFA Indivisible Restore Our Democracy Vote by Mail Presentation
- MAY 19 – NWSOFA Indivisible Fiscal Monthly Virtual Meeting
- MAY 20 -NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: National Safe Gun Storage Forum
- MAY 21 – Gun Violence Prevention Monthly Meeting
- May 26 – NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: Dr. Keeling’s Curve Video Presentation
- JUNE 5, 6, 7 – NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: #wearorange Weekend
- JUNE 5, 12, 19 & 26 – NWSOFA Indivisible HAPPY HOUR 5 PM
- JUNE 6 – NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: Peaceful Protest for Racial Justice
- JUNE 7 – NWSOFA Indivisible Partner Event: We are in the BG Pride Drive 2020
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Notice: These are public meeting(s) / event(s)
NWSOFA is a 501(c)4, non-partisan organization.
All opinions are solely those of NWSOFA
NWSOFA ORGANIZATION CHART NWSOFA Issue Leads 2019
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