Sara Horan and Bill Davis – NWSOFA Chapter Co-Leads
It’s a New Year, Scary to Most due to the Elections, but our Progressive Resolutions remains the same,
The Northwest Suburbs, Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) remain committed to our Issues of Progressive Change. It’s a New year and time for looking at our 2016 resolutions faired and putting out our 2017 resolutions for everyone to see.
“Hope is not blind optimism. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.” Barack Obama
The Northwest Suburbs, Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) remains committed to our Issues of Progressive Change. It’s a New year .. we are not just fighting for future change but to protect those advances we made over the last 4-8 years as these issues will be under fire from the new administration.
NWSOFA is a “big tent” of Progressive Issues.. Take a look. You can be a advocate of one, many or all! Many of our members are also members of single source progressive groups.. that’s great, because we partner with most other groups on common cause events. Folks are stepping up .. since the election every team has reported overflowing attendance and people that want to get involved.
As you see all the events what WILL happen in January .. make sure to take a look at what Did Happen over the last month and what was accomplished as a Chapter by NWSOFA in December. It’s awesome! Every team, team Lead and Co-Lead has surrounded themselves with highly dedicated team-mates. The results are captured in the photograph’s, the Tweets and the “Energy”. It’s fun to be part of ACTION on behalf of the progressive movement.
It’s Time to Get up, off the Couch or the Easy Chair and Stop yelling at the TV and Make a Difference.
Join the NWSOFA Team as we protect the gains we made
over the last 8 years and move our
Progressive social issues forward in 2017 … Sara & Bill
(Private Meeting Room is on the left when you enter)
Planning for 2017 actions. Discussion of UN report on “missing rights” of American Women. Discussion of countries around the world actions that led to improved equal rights for women. Details of Million Women March, January 21, 2017- Chicago branch to coincide with Washington DC and other USA cities.
OFA is joining with partners across the country to defend Obamacare and the millions who have benefited from its coverage and provisions from the dangerous and irresponsible gambit of repeal. We want to make our voices heard in January and February and will be discussing the plan moving forward..
We are back in Arlington Heights in January to discuss the Illinois and US economies and their respective fiscal situations.
On our agenda:
1. R. Kent Kirkwood is looking to start an issue group focusing on wealth and income inequality and will be making a 30 minute presentation on these issues at our meeting. I look forward to hearing Kent’s ideas.
2. A new member, David Doney, will present some slides diving into the employment data by race, age, gender, education, etc. This should provide some additional insights regarding the employment data we see from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Nationally job growth continues to be strong with 2.25 million jobs added in the last 12 months (through November). November job growth was reported as 178,000 jobs added. Incomes are also up this year. The fiscal situation is relatively stable with overall spending levels set through FY 2017 and a continuing resolution funding spending into April.
Real GDP growth in the 3rd quarter has been revised up to 3.5% (from 2.9% initially). 1st quarter GDP growth was 0.8%. 2nd quarter GDP growth was 1.4%. We will be discussing these numbers at our meeting next Tuesday.
On the other hand, Illinois is not doing as well. We operated without a budget in FY 2016 (ended June 30th) and have been operating with only a partial budget since the beginning of the fiscal year in July. That partial budget is only through December 31st, so we will again be operating without a budget beginning on January 1st.
This situation does not look like it will be resolved soon. Please bring your ideas for how we can help move this impasse to resolution.
The good news is that Illinois’ economy is still growing, with 51,400 jobs added in 2015 (vs. 88,000 in 2014). Illinois now has more jobs than before the Great Recession.2014 and 2015 Illinois job numbers have been significantly revised by the BLS, with 2014 job growth now reported at +88,000 and 2015 job growth now reported at 51,400. Job growth for the first eleven months of 2016 was reported at 51,300.
We have the library until about 9:30 pm. After the “official” meeting we will be heading over to Eddie’s on NW Highway to continue informal discussions. There the discussions can be more political. We encourage these political discussions outside of official OFA events.
December job numbers will come out Friday, January 6th so we will be also discussing those numbers.
We’re looking forward to a good group and some interesting discussions.
OFA is joining with partners across the country to defend Obamacare and the millions who have benefited from its coverage. We want to make our voices heard, starting with a national day of action on January 15.
(Private Meeting Room is on the left when entering)
If you are interested in making a difference:
JOIN US as we discuss direction of climate initiatives and events since our last meeting in November.
HELP US as we schedule the showing of This Changes Everything (the documentary based on Naomi Klein’s book of the same name ….now at some local libraries) later in January and and February.
MOVE THE EARTH WITH US as we review major events and changes which affect climate, including the Standing Rock efforts and results. We will be discussing various action possibilities, especially with other climate issue organizations.
Click on the above image for larger individual photos
THURSDAY January 19
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
The Meeting location is to be announced.
When you RSVP, you will receive an acknowledgement and location for the meeting upon our receiving your RSVP.
If you are interested in great coffee and lively conversation and want to learn how you can take action now – to honor all victims of gun violence and make our communities safer – then come to our monthly Gun Violence Prevention Planning Meeting. The GVP Issues Team has been working for over 3 years to keep conversation going about gun violence prevention and to take action to change our laws with the goal of creating safer communities for everyone in our state and our nation. We hold 90 minute planning meetings typically (with some exceptions) on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:30 pm. If you are interested in working to reduce gun violence in America, we invite you to join us at our next meeting. SINCE SEATING IS LIMITED, REGISTRATION IN ADVANCE IN REQUESTED. Come and join us in building safe communities here in the northwest suburbs and all across America!
Immigration March and Rally for Resistance, Unity and Respect for All!
Join ICIRR members and allies on January 14th for a mobilization of immigrant and labor communities to resist the anti-immigrant attacks and harmful policies of the incoming administration.
Mobilizations will be held across the country to build community, celebrate immigrant heritage and defiantly pledge to protect immigrants, Muslims and refugees from hateful attacks and policies expected to come under the upcoming administration.
This event is part of a series national mobilizations taking place across the country on January 14th in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, Charlotte, Philadelphia and over 20 other cities.
Discussion was on the the facts about the economic recovery nationally and the status of ongoing appropriations challenges at both the state and national level.
We have added about 2.35 million jobs in the last 12 months. The November jobs report will come out Friday, December 2nd. In October the (U-3) unemployment rate was at 4.9%, while the U-6 rate was 9.5%. While down from a high of 17.1% during the downturn, this rate is still higher than the 8.4% in the fall of 2007 before the Great Recession of December 2007 to June 2009.
Illinois is now operating with partial (six month) appropriations through December 2016. The revised jobs report for Illinois shows job gains for 2015 of 51,400. Job gains in 2016 through October are 48,400.
Articles and other topics for some exciting discussions.
Then continued discussions at Lou Malnati’s after 9:30 pm. While OFA may not be political, we can discuss the politics of what happened in the general election at Lou’s.
NWSOFA Climate Issues Planning Meeting
Click Image above to see event photos.
Met Wed, NOVEMBER 17th
6:00 pm – 8:00 PM
@ The Corner Bakery
Our Discussion was on:
Planned a showing of the movie This Changes Everything (thoughtful, compelling and beautifully put together) at multiple venues
Discussed the effects that the recent American election will have on climate issues
Discussed Standing Rock, the environmental implications, legal issues, possible outcomes, coordination of various environmental groups, and possible eventual continuation of the pipeline into Illinois, passing close to Springfield
SANDY HOOK VIGIL
Click on the above image to see individual larger photos
Was Held on
Wednesday, DECEMBER 7th
Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action partnered with a local, non-denominational, religious community, to stage an interfaith, candlelight vigil to #EndGunViolence in commemoration of the fourth anniversary of the Sandy Hook School tragedy, as well as the 120,000 American victims of gun violence who have been killed since December 2012.
The vigil was part of a nationwide tribute also in partnership with the Newtown Foundation, Faiths United to Prevent Gun Violence and Everytown Survivor Engagement Network.
Your presence at the vigil gave a voice to the tens of thousands of victims and survivors of gun violence and allowed you to play a vital part to help #EndGunViolence across our nation.
Light refreshments were served following the vigil.
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 EVENTS PLANNED FOR JANUARY
Click on the Calendar for more information
SAVE THE DATES
in FEBRUARY!
STANDING WITH WOMEN – TUE 7
FISCAL – TUE 21
GVP – THUR 19
iIn The Books our June Event
NWSOFA is Action..
Hope is not blind optimism. Hope is that thing inside us that insists, despite all evidence to the contrary, that something better awaits us if we have the courage to reach for it, and to work for it, and to fight for it.
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2015
Click on the above Image to see each lead and the issues they work on .._
