June 21st heralds the beginning of Summer for 2015 and at NWSOFA the best way to describe our NWSOFA Teams is ACTION, as we hold our Chapter meeting on June 16th, our GVP Team on the June 18th, Fiscal & Economics meeting June 23rd, and will be featuring our new College Outreach Team at the June 16th Chapter Meeting and the Minority Outreach Team on June 27th. Then to toss a few options we have partner events during the month on Climate Change, rallies to protest Gun Shops near schools and the continuing conversation on TPP. As we said, ACTION!!
We will try to cover all the excitement that surrounds the NWSOFA Progressive Community as we present Junes’ Events and cover this past Mays’ Events. Our results are measured by what we do and say every day, week, and month.
We are the voice & energy of many that can move public opinion and shape politician’s opinion
Stop arguing with the radio or TV and add your voices to NWSOFA
As Jim Messina, OFA Chairman of the Board stated recently, “OFA is not a political campaign. We’re a built-to-last movement that’s not going anywhere. When the polls close and elections end, we’re the ones still here, fighting for the principles we believe in.” “We are and will continue to be the sum of millions of grassroots voices calling for change.”
For this Spring, OFA has announced two (2) new initiatives: 1) Outreaches to the youth at the college and university level and 2) Outreach to the minorities in our areas, while continuing to work harder to win the hearts and minds of those that voted for: Marriage Equality, ACA Healthcare reform, Climate Change, Minimum Wage, Gun Violence Prevention, Equal Pay for Equal Work for Women, and Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
If you like to work on a team for these two new important initiatives or on any or all issues please let us know.
Join the NWSOFA Team
as we continue to move our social issues forward this Spring … Sara & Bill
NWSOFA is Action..
in 2013 We Found our Voices
in 2014 We Amplified our Voices
In 2015 We are Adding More Voices to our Community for Social Change
We Sometimes FORGET how Powerful a Force We are
and that Creating Social Change is a PROCESS not a Destination!!
NWSOFA June 2015, Events and Meetings
Tuesday, June 2 has been declared
National Gun Violence Awareness Day
NWSOFA Gun Violence Prevention Team is pleased to support and join the Brady Campaign, The American Academy of Pediatrics, Amnesty International, Moms Demand Action, MoveOn, and a number of other organizations are asking people to wear orange on Tuesday to promote awareness of the damage that guns are causing in America.
Orange is the color of safety clothing worn by hunters so that other hunters will not mistakenly shoot them. It is also worn by construction workers and is used to mark safety zones on road construction.
People in the Chicago area are also invited to a Peace Party on Tuesday from 3:30 until 8:00 p.m. at Harold Washington Park, 53 & Hyde Park Blvd. Tuesday would have been Hadiya Pendleton’s 18th birthday. She was shot to death in 2013 a week after marching with her high school band in President Obama’s second inaugural parade.
When: Saturday June 6th at 10 AM. T-shirts, signs, and coffee provided.
Where: Chuck’s Gun Shop, 14310 S Indiana Ave, Riverdale, IL 60827
On Saturday, June 6 at 10:00 a.m., NWSOFA is participating with a coalition including The Brady Campaign, Father Michael Pfleger, and Rev. Jesse Jackson will demonstrate outside of Chuck’s Gun Shop at 14310 S. Indiana, Riverdale, Illinois. Chuck’s is one of the largest suppliers of guns that are used in crimes in the Chicago area.
Brady is organizing the effort and NWSOFA GVP (Gun Violence Prevention) Team wants it’s membership to get into Action this Saturday. The press will be there, as well as a film crew from Katy Couric, who is filming a documentary on the issue of guns.
It’s important that NWSOFA & the Chicago North GVP attends in numbers to show that we won’t tolerate this any longer. Brady is willing to provide bus transportation form the north side, so it would be great if you could get people to attend. Here is the event to share on Facebook: https://www. facebook.com/events/ 679149778880570/
University & College Outreach Team Listening Event
Tuesday, June 16th @ the Schaumburg Library 7:00 -9:00 pm
Invitation for Young People and Everyone Who Cares About Young People :
Hey, What Are Your Issues???
College tuition? College loans? Penalties for not having health insurance? Marijuana laws? Gun violence on campus? Campus assaults on women? Money in politics?
Students and Parents, we want to hear from you!
The University & College Outreach Team has planned a short listening and planning meeting focusing on the issues that are important to recent high school graduates and college students. We want to hear the voices of students and parents on the issues as well as share information and successes.
Parents, bring your students…. Students, bring your parents and get in on the ground floor of this exciting project. Join us as we learn about and take action on the issues.
Members of the NWSOFA Chapter are invited to attend and interact in the discussions as all issue teams will present their current activities with a specific focus on the Youth Issue Advocates… Light refreshments will be served.
Deep Dives into what makes our Economy tick and Enjoy Some Great Discussions and Difference of Opinion
Into the Facts about
the US Economic Recovery
and Illinois Proposed Budget..
Junes’ BLS Report will be presented and examine on the May 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 June, 2015 report on the May 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
Attend the NWSOFA Fiscal & Economic Discussions (held monthly) and be the most informed on your block or your discussion group!
Taste of Diversity .. Outdoor Event
Join NWSOFA for a “Taste of Diversity”
At the
Minority
Outreach
Team’s
“Fulfilling The Promise”
National Day of Action
Saturday, June 27th ….
time and location TBA.
JOIN US for Good Food, Music and Conversation at the Minority Outreach Team’s Fulfilling The Promise National Day of Action “Taste Of Diversity”.
EVERYONE IS WELCOME, all cultures and religious affiliations.
We are excited about the cultural diversity in the Northwest Suburbs and we all may share some of the same issues. We want to hear from you. Join us and share the concerns surrounding the issues in your communities.
There are many issues, Pay-Equity-Income Disparities, Educational – Secondary and Elementary School disparity in the NW Suburban Schools, State budget cuts in Social Services, Gun Violence, Affordable Health Care, Elderly funding for Nursing Homes, Climate Change, Immigration Reform, Women’s Issues just to name a few.
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:
Upcoming June Events & Issue Information From our Friends & Partners
People for a Safer Society is opposing the opening of a gun shop and range in Niles, near five schools and other community centers for children. NWSOFA is Supporting our Partners Action.. Please Attend if at all Possible.
When the Village of Niles granted the business a special use permit, People for a Safer Society filed a lawsuit in Chancery Court; The Village of Niles is fighting us, and filed a motion to dismiss.
We have an oral hearing on the motion scheduled for June 11 at the Daley Center. If you and other NWSOFA Or Chicago North or OFA GVP supporters would like to attend in support, please do!
The May GVP Planning meeting had a great turnout, new faces, fresh ideas, and great discussions! Here are some highlights:
The May GVP Planning meeting had a great turnout, new faces, fresh ideas, and great discussions! Here are some highlights:
During the past month, some of our team members have spoken with leaders the North Chicago GVP team (Eileen Soderstrom) and People for Safer Communities (Denyse Stoneback). We are working on plans for meeting with each of these groups in the near future.
New ideas for speakers for our Fall presentation were discussed. These possibilities include several local leaders who have worked to promote gun violence prevention.
Upcoming Events we are encouraging people to participate in:
A screening of the documentary Grassroots Chicago, directed by Steve James, was held. In the third event of our Organizing Works series, we looked 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.
Afterwards we had a riviting 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.
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:
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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
Click to Follow us on Twitter
Follow us @NWSOFA’s Website
Click to Link to WebSite
Follow us Facebook
Click to Link to Facebook
May Events .. NWSOFA in Photos
NWSOFA Fun Violence Prevention Team Meeting May 28th
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
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.
We will be in touch with you shortly.
Time to Get Involved
We have a training Film and Discussion on How the OFA Snowflake Model works… Coming Soon.
Just click the Sign Up button and fill out the NWSOFA Comment log.
Fight for Progress in Style:
Click the Above Image to go to the Store
Do you have a few dollars to spare to support our Progressive movement @NWSOFA Supplies, Newsletters, Databases, etc?
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.
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
Illinois Budget Cuts / Increased
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.
