Fall is here! Football is back, Hockey is starting and the Chicago Cubs are in the Playoffs. Sara and myself were talking after the September Chapter Meeting last week – We were actually so proud of what our organization is accomplishing that we started to compare ourselves to what has made the Chicago Cubs so amazingly this year. In Two words, we summed it up “TEAMWORK” & the work our 14 Issue and Chapter Leaders provide. As you read past what WILL happen in October, take a look at what Did Happen and was accomplished as a team by NWSOFA in September. It’s awesome! Every team, team Lead and Co-Lead 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 winning team. The Cubs know that in at NWSOFA we do too!
The NWSOFA Chapter, had 7 events / meetings in September and we are planning 9 for October (so far). We have a huge tent and all who enters join the fight for equality. We are the voice & energy of many that can move public opinion and shape politician’s opinion. .
This year, NWSOFA has added two (2) new initiatives: 1) Outreaches to the youth at the college and university level and 2) Outreach to the minorities in the Northwest Suburbs, 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.
Join the NWSOFA Team as we continue to move our social issues forward this Fall…
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!!
“Upcoming October Events”
NWSOFA Climate Change Team Planning & Phone Bank Meeting with Sierra Club
Planning Meeting October 8 @ 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Countryside Church Unitarian Universalist
1025 N Smith St.
Palatine, IL 60067
We will be doing some sign-making at this meeting in preparation for the October 14th Day of Action Vigil and March in Arlington Heights
All are welcome to the Justice Summit where we will learn, teach and begin to organize north suburban residents to affirm the Principles of the Welcoming Community and work to achieve them.
NWSOFA Global Day of Action with NWS Coalition on Climate Change
Downtown Arlington Heights Event
October 14th Event
Together with the
Northwest Suburbs Climate Change Coalition
In the NW Suburbs there are several climate change events in September and October and a few are listed below. As many of you already know many environmental groups and faith organizations are partnering in the NW Suburbs so our collective voice can be heard.
These groups include Organizing from Action, Sierra Northwest Cook County Group, Northwest Suburban Interfaith Environmental Group, Faith in Place, Community Renewal Society, Congregations of Faith, Climate Reality Project, Cool Cities, Illinois Solar Energy Association, Go Green Northbrook, as well as others.
NWS Coalition Group leaders plan: Global Day of Action
Wednesday October 14 partnership event in downtown Arlington Heights
Building a Better Future NW Cook Suburbs Climate March and Rally
Starting location: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church (1234 N Arlington Heights Rd, Arlington Heights, IL)
Sponsoring Organizations: Buffalo Grove Environmental Action Team, Climate Reality Project, Cool Cities Arlington Heights, Illinois Solar Energy Association, Interfaith Greens, NW Suburbs OFA, Sierra Club, Streamwood High School Eco Club.
6:30 pm Rally @ Our Savior’s Lutheran Church featuring music and speakers
7:00 pm March to a nearby park
7:30 pm closing vigil at Park in Downtown Arlington Heights (corner of Arlington Heights Road and Northwest Highway
Oct. 14 is going to be big: in cities and towns all across the country people and organizations are coming together to demand that our leaders #ActOnClimate.
“The War within the US – 45 Campus Shooting – 235 Mass Shooting YTD 2015”
Meeting October 15th, Thursday night
Natelie Warren Keep the Meeting on Target
October 15th, @ The Corner Bakery Café, Northpoint Shopping Center, 470 East Rand Road, Arlington Heights
6:30 pm – 8:00 pm
The GVP Issues Team has been working for the past two years to keep the conversation about gun violence prevention going forward 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 60 to 90 minute meetings typically (some exceptions) on the third 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.
New Folks .. Direction on Meeting with Mayors
We will continue to have our on-going discussion about the economic costs of gun violence for our society along side of tragedy of loss of life and the moment people’s lives are altered forever at our monthly meetings. These human and economic costs are very high, billions and billions of dollars a year. Several groups that we have partnered with are beginning to talk about this issue. It is sad to say but sometimes it’s the economic costs that gain more traction than other arguments.
“NWSOFA & OFA stands with women-from expanding women’s leadership and economic security to protecting health care choices.”
The organization August meeting had a well organized agenda focused on the key SWW Issues this last month. For the month of September, Among the key topics: Economic Security, Equal Pay, Raising the Minimum Wage, Paid Leave and the conservatives attack on Planned Parenthood.
The gap between white men and everybody else in tech starts in high school. Teens of all stripes are glued to their smartphones, but, per a new study .. click on the title above to see the rest of the story.
October Planning Meeting TBD
NWSOFA Diversity Outreach and Immigration Reform Team
Is Hosting a
DACA / DAPA Training Event
a
October 17th 1 pm to 3 pm @ TBD (Elgin / Barrington Area)
Combined with the OFA Greater Chicago Immigration Reform Team and the
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Last November, President Obama took executive action to provide administrative relief to millions of immigrants by expanding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and creating a new Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) program for certain immigrants.
Both programs would offer immigrants the opportunity to get protection from deportation and authorization to work if they pass background checks and meet other criteria. In response, ICIRR rolled out the Illinois is Ready campaign, a collaboration with Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Senator Durbin, Congressman Gutierrez, and a broad network of community-serving allies to push accurate information regarding DACA and DAPA into the community and to ensure immigrant serving organizations have the training and resources to assist immigrants with the application process.
NWSOFA GVP Issue Team will join MOM’s Demand Action at an all day card decorating and brunch at a private residence in Arlington Heights on Saturday.
We start at 10 and continue until the 50 cards are decorated. The cards are sent out by Moms Demand Action and Everytown, and go to families who have lost loved ones to gun violence. Our hope is to get women to come together in my Northwest suburban home from different Gun Violence Prevention groups, different churches, and from other Chicago areas. We have all needed materials and the cards are easy to decorate.
More information will be provided after the receipt of your RSVP.
NWSOFA’s Fiscal and Economic Issues Discussion Group
Meeting
Monday Night, 10/19 @ Schaumburg Library
7 pm – 9 pm
2nd Floor
Conference
Room – to the right when you get off the elevator
Click on Image for Larger View
Deep Dives into the BLS Jobs reports, the US Budget and Illinois Jobs and stalled Budget.
The discussion will be centered around everything that is (NOT) going on with our state budget negotiations for the fiscal year that began July 1st, and short term resolution / progress on the federal appropriations for the fiscal year beginning October 1st.
Click on Image for Larger View
As always, we had a detailed update on the September US jobs sent out October 2nd, Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS) and the August IL numbers published late last month. As most of you probably saw, the second quarter GDP growth was revised up to a 3.7% annual rate. When we have new participants we did some deep dives into the BLS report on the unemployment 5.1% rate and the U-6 10% rate and the number of people that represents.
Key items to be discussed at the 10/19 meeting are:
Great September NWSOFA Chapter Meeting Focusing on
“America’s Greatness ..
Built by A Nation of Immigrants”
Combined with the OFA Greater Chicago Immigration Reform Team and the
Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Schaumburg, IL – On Monday, September 28, 2015 Northwest Suburbs Organizing for Action (NWSOFA) held its monthly chapter meeting at the Schaumburg Library and the Diversity Outreach and Comprehensive Immigration Reform Teams updated all attendees on the current status of Immigration Reform and presented facts, not broad attacks, about this important American Heritage.
“My family is a family of immigrants. I am an immigrant. My family came to America when I was 7-years old. I grew up with friends who were undocumented. I became an American by doing a lot of the legwork myself and then I sought the sponsorship of Rep. Luis Gutierrez.”
This statement was just some of what was shared when NWSOFA combined their monthly chapter meeting with the OFA Greater Chicago
Immigration Reform Team and the Illinois Coalition for Immigration and Refugee Rights. The event was anchored with presentations by experts in the areas of diversity and immigration reform. The event was well attended by progressives who came to hear the presentations, but left empowered, engaged, and ready to take action!
The expert presentations were emotional, enlightening, enthusiastic, and quite frankly, excellent! There were tears, gasps, applause, and bows. Notes were being taken, questions composed, photos taken, words captured, tweets sent, and plans made for future actions. A newly appointed Illinois State Senator stopped by, after attending a meeting down the hall, and stated that democracy was in full force in Schaumburg that night. She was right!
Following the expert presentations, the NWSOFA Chapter Co-Leads, Bill Davis and Sara Horan, lead the group through the Snowflake model. Each of the nine NWSOFA Progressive Issue team leads spoke about the updates within their issue team and invited participants at the meeting to join NWSOFA.
As always, getting everyone involved is key to effective community organizing. Each of the event attendees then shared a bit about themselves, why they were there, and what they thought their next step would be in the progressive movement. For so many, their responses were: “How can I choose just one issue team? I want to be on them all!”
It was a night that all organizers seek to have…engagement, enthusiasm, and action!
You can find the biographies for our speakers in our last weeks newsletter:
Be a part of the Change! Join NWSOFA!
NWSOFA GVP, Gun Violence Prevention
Meet this last Thursday night
Natelie Warren Keep the Meeting on Target
September 17th, @ The Corner Bakery Café (Arlington Heights, IL)
The GVP Issues Team has been working for the past two years to keep the conversation about gun violence prevention going forward 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 60 to 90 minute meetings typically (some exceptions) on the third 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.
New Folks .. Direction on Meeting with Mayors
At the last meeting (Sept) everyone attending also got a packet of information and a short training session about ways to plan and conduct meetings with local elected officials to seek support for this legislation. At this meeting we reviewed the materials/training information and make plans to contact and meet with mayors and other elected officials.It is very exciting to see a path to action taking shape!
We will continue to have our on-going discussion about the economic costs of gun violence for our society along side of tragedy of loss of life and the moment people’s lives are altered forever at our monthly meetings. These human and economic costs are very high, billions and billions of dollars a year. Several groups that we have partnered with are beginning to talk about this issue. It is sad to say but sometimes it’s the economic costs that gain more traction than other arguments.
A huge THANK YOU to Joan for hosting and feeding us delicious food. For those members who couldn’t attend, we missed you very much.
What a fantastic meeting. The progress reports were amazing. The plans for the future are exciting. The possibilities for publicity and sharing information and news are growing. The instant information the computers and phones brought to us about people, dates, and answers to questions was extraordinarily helpful. Please visit this page to see all the information Bill has posted for our team. http://www.nwsofa.org/ resources/college-outreach/
Progress reports:
Faith prepared a fantastic animated introduction to any NWSOFA college outreach video or for Bill to put in the newsletter. She also informed us about details of the Harper Promise program…who can apply for it, requirements to stay in it, and benefits of it.
Khirsti prepared extensive packets of information for all of us about scholarships and grants, which we can put out at all the team meetings.
Kym told us about her exciting acquaintance with 2 young women, Rocio and Cindy, who want to get involved with us, and also bring voter registration to Northeastern.
Bill showed us Flipboard, an online magazine which collects links to articles on topics. He has set up a College Outreach page, and we should post articles. He reported on how many people click on links in the newsletter. He offered for us to use his portable pop-up booth as needed.
Renee reported that she talked to Harper College Director of Communications Phil Burdick who would be glad to speak at a chapter meeting about the Harper Promise Program, and that we are confirmed to receive an invitation to the volunteer fair.
Kathy has been posting articles on our social media pages.
Emil posted a short review of the documentary “Ivory Tower” on the College Outreach Facebook page
NWSOFA’s Fiscal and Economic Issues Discussion Group
This last Month’s, Thursday Night the Group meet at the AHML
Click on Image for Larger View
As always, we had a detailed update on the August US jobs
numbers that came out last Friday from the Bureau of Labor Statics (BLS) and the July IL numbers published late last month. As most of you probably saw, the second quarter GDP growth was revised up to a 3.7% annual rate.
Some new participants attended so we did some deep dives into the BLS report on the unemployment 5.1% rate and the U-6 10% rate and the number of people that represents.
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.
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.
Thanks for stopping and hope you’ll stay and join us.
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September Events ..
NWSOFA in Photos
NWSOFA “Americ’s Greatness – Build by a Nation of Immigrants” Chapter Meeting on September 28th
NWSOFA Diversity Outreach & CIR Planning Meeting on September 18th
NWSOFA Gun Viollence Prevention Team (GVP) Meetging on September 17th
NWSOFA College Outreach Team (CO) Meetging on September 15th
NWSOFA Fiscal & Economics Discussion Group Meeting September 10th
NWSOFA SWW Holds Organizing Meeting August 4th
“Partner October Events”
Current Event Discussion Groups
For those that like Politics
Schaumburg Library..
Second Tuesday of every Month 10 am to 12 noon
THE CURRENT EVENTS DISCUSSION GROUP WILL MEET THIS
TUESDAY, SEPT. 13, 2015 AT THE SCHAUMBURG LIBRARY AT 10 A.M. TO NOON. Second Floor Rasmussen Meeting Rooms.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
6:30-9:00 pm
Barrington Village Hall, 200 S. Hough Street, Barrington IL.
NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, Barrington Area is excited to host Patricia Doyle, President/Founder of Vision For Change who will speak on Police Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) strategies and how
families and thecommunity can work with the police before, during and after a mental health crisis call.
Pat has trained over 2,000 first responders. During her tenure as the Education Director at NAMI DuPage she and her team created education programs that resulted in local, state and national recognition.
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.
Just Click on the Photo to link the NWSOFA e-magazines daily & archived articles
Downtown Arlington Heights Event
(NWSOFA) held its monthly chapter meeting at the Schaumburg Library and the Diversity Outreach and Comprehensive Immigration Reform Teams updated all attendees on the current status of Immigration Reform and presented facts, not broad attacks, about this important American Heritage.
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.
