This last weekend’s solidarity meeting was inspiring and energizing in many ways. We would like to take the opportunity to thank all who were able to attend and who shared in the celebration and who shared their vision for the upcoming year.
One issue that was brought up at this meeting and that clearly needs to be in the forefront of our organizing efforts right now is our support of the Community Grid for I-81. The draft Environmental Impact Statement could be released in January 2019. This is approaching quickly. Once it is released we have only 40 days to voice public opinion on the project. We are supporting a postcard campaign now so that we will have demonstrable proof of community support for the grid at that time. We are looking for volunteers to take a stack of postcards to talk with their friends and neighbors. Working together on this is crucial, considering the short period of time we have to accomplish it. Please contact 8764598@gmail.com if you would like to have a stack of postcards to help in this worthwhile effort. It is clearly a social justice issue. Also, consider volunteering your time to help stuff the Peace Newsletter on Thursday with community grid leaflets at the Syracuse Peace Council.
For this week’s calendar, in addition to our usual community events, rallies, and organizing, this week we highlight artist Jaleel Campbell, and authors Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, and Starhawk, and hope this adds creative inspiration to your week.
We also support the divestment and reinvest campaigns and appreciate that this week there are two opportunities to learn how to make our investments ethical. There are also two opportunities to learn about going geothermal. Please consider attending these opportunities to clean up our investments and our energy.
And as the holidays approach, we ask you to also consider the kid friendly magic fundraiser for We Rise Above the Streets, the toy drive for The Boys and Girls Club, and to consider supporting the Unchained Christmas giveaway. Being separated from your family is never easy, but the holidays are often especially difficult times for kids in Syracuse with a dad in state prison. Unchained is committed to not only supporting the Speak Out to Dismantle Injustice on Wednesday but committed to helping the kids affected in personal ways.
Now, on to your calendar
COMMUNITY OUTREACH EVENT CALENDAR FOR NOV 13-20
Journalist on Trial – Rodney Sieh, FrontPage Africa
Tuesday November 13th 5 PM – 7 PM @ Newhouse Center for Global Engagement 215 Univ. Ave
Rodney Sieh is the founder of FrontPage Africa in Liberia and long-time Newhouse partner. He was a copy editor at The Post Standard and faced a 5,000 year jail sentence and spent weeks in prison in Liberia for his independent journalism. He will also discuss his new book, Journalist on Trial. To view the 2013 Newhouse faculty and student press freedom campaign “Free Rodney” visit http://freerodney.org.
Miron Room, 303 Newhouse 1. Brought to you by the Tully Center for Free Speech
For more information, or if you require accommodations, please contact Event Coordinator Audrey Burian at aaburian@syr.edu or (315) 444-1930 by Tuesday, Nov. 6. Follow the conversation with #TullyCenterSieh
Town Hall – Incoming County Executive J. Ryan McMahon, II
Tuesday November 13th 7 PM at Onondaga Community College
FOCUS Greater Syracuse and Leadership Greater Syracuse have teamed up to co-host a town hall with the incoming Onondaga County Executive. This event is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
Reinvest CNY ArtRage Gallery Workshop
Tuesday November 13th 7 PM – 9 PM @ ArtRage Gallery 505 Hawley Avenue, Syracuse
Join Reinvest CNY! at our ArtRage Gallery Workshop. Learn what it means to integrate sustainability into your financial life, the steps that you can take, and the impact that it will have in Central New York, nationally, and around the world.
You’ll hear what the Divest, Reinvest, Engage model is, and how everyone in the community can use these tools to advocate for the causes they care most about. Every individual, organization and business can all participate!
Help us to reach out $5,000,000 reinvestment goal by participating in the campaign! We all have the power to influence change. From your spending to your savings, from your investments to your philanthropy, you can be a part of this movement.
Green Party Post-Election Gathering
Tuesday November 13th 7 PM – 9 PM @ Bitternut Homestead 717 Otisco St., Syracuse
Eat, drink, discuss, analyze, plan the future of Green politics and progressive campaigns here in Syracuse and Onondaga County. The gathering is a potluck, but please come even if you don’t have time or resources to prepare a dish, there is always enough food!
Speak Out Across NYS to Dismantle Injustice
Wednesday November 14th 5 PM outside of Justice Center 555 S State St. to join Syr Speak Out
Please join allies in Albany, Buffalo, NYC, the North Country, Rockland, and Syracuse to call for NY to dismantle its injustice system.
The Democrats won the elections to control the NY Senate, Assembly, and Governor’s office. Now is the time for them to pass urgent, necessary, and long-overdue policy changes to transform New York’s incarceration system.
On Nov 14, survivors of incarceration, family members, and a broad cross-section of advocacy groups will call on lawmakers to pass a platform of interconnected policy changes in the upcoming legislative session to: end mass incarceration, promote community empowerment, end state violence and torture, and end structural racism and other forms of intersectional oppression.
Specific legislative demands include (in the order of the stages of the system):
• Marijuana Legalization and Taxation Act, S3040/A3506;
• Bail, S.3579A/A5033A, and Discovery, S.7722/A10135 reform;
• Domestic Violence Survivors Justice Act, S.5116/A.3110;
• HALT Solitary Confinement Act, S.4784A/A.3080B;
• Restoring education access, A.3995/S.3735, and voting rights to people incarcerated & on parole;
• Restoring 7-day prison visits, A.7241/S.6725, and the free prison visiting bus program, A.7016/S.5693, and ensuring technology is not used to restrict family ties for people incarcerated.
• Parole Justice: Elder Parole, A.6354A/S.8581, and A.7546/S.8346; and
• Reparations, A.7274A/S.5624A, and racial & ethnic impact statements, A.7519/S.5921 & A.5851.
Circle Up: Film Screening and Discussion
Wednesday November 14th 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM @ ArtRage Gallery 505 Hawley Ave, Syracuse
Presented as part of The Gifford Foundation “What If…” Film Series.
Circle Up is the story of a grieving mother, the men who murdered her son, and the unexpected relationships they create to prevent more violence.
Followed by a moderated discussion with Linda Malik, ACTS Community Organizer.
CIRCLE UP tells the powerful story of a group of Boston mothers who seek true justice for their sons’ murders. For these women, justice is not about revenge or mass incarceration but about healing, accountability, and community peace.
This documentary speaks to the practice and power of restorative justice. After the brutal slaying of her teenage son, Dorchester mother Janet Connors reached out to her son’s killer to offer a chance for forgiveness. She lobbied the Department of Corrections for a year to become the first person in Massachusetts to hold a Victim-Offender Dialogue. The film opens a rare window into the reconciliation between a murderer and the survivor of his victim. This story is unique in that the perpetrator now works with Janet and other mothers to help prevent further violence. Their form of community-based restorative justice is a welcome alternative in a time when hate and retribution have become state-sanctioned.
Starhawk: Growing Deep Community
Wednesday November 14th 7 PM – 9 PM @ First Unitarian Universalist 109 Waring Rd, Syracuse
Join Starhawk for an evening of wisdom & energy-shifting.
“We live at a crucial moment in history. Yes, the situation is dire, and the timing urgent, but this is no moment to despair. We can regenerate our human and natural communities, and we all have a unique role to play in making the transformation happen. Our activism can move beyond resistance to radical and joyful resurgence. Our resilience and our strength in this journey will spring from connection with one another and to the earth.” – Starhawk
To make a change, we must first envision it. Starhawk inspires us to imagine that better world, and on her decades of activism in peace, justice and environmental movements to offer strategies for creating it.
Starhawk is one of the most respected voices in modern earth-based spirituality. She is a permaculture teacher, a veteran of progressive movements, from anti-war to anti-nukes, and is deeply committed to bringing the techniques and creative power of spirituality to political activism and community organizing.
Starhawk is the author or coauthor of twelve books Her most recent non-fiction book is The Empowerment Manual: A Guide for Collaborative Groups, on group dynamics, power, conflict and communications.
Books will be available for purchase and signing at the reception after the event.
Tickets are $10 advance, $15-35 at the door.
Peace Newsletter Mailing Party
Thursday November 15th 3 PM – 6 PM @ Syracuse Peace Council 2013 E Genesee St
Looking for volunteers: Join peace activists at the Syracuse Peace Council as we stuff and prepare for the mailing of the Peace Newsletter! Many hands make for quick work!
We Rise Above the Streets Magic Fundraiser Show
Thursday November 15th 6 PM – 9 PM @ The Palace Theatre 2384 James St, Syracuse
A thrilling comedy magic show featuring Shaun Robison, Dave & Sarah Sorensen to benefit We Rise Above the Streets. We Rise above the streets is a nonprofit organization that seeks to end homelessness.
Doors will open at 6 pm with magicians doing close up magic until the show starts.
At 7 pm the show on stage opening up with the magic of Shaun Robison. Then Dave& Sarah take over for a bit with an intermission half way through.
Towards the end of the show Sarah will saw Dave in half with a powered circular saw while he’s standing.
HeatSmart CNY Kickoff Workshop
Thursday November 15th 6 PM – 7:30 PM @ South Side Innovation Center 2610 S Salina St, Syracuse
Many Syracuse homes, businesses, and nonprofits are cold and drafty, have aging inefficient furnaces, or are still on expensive oil, propane, or baseboard electric. Brr! HeatSmart CNY is a campaign to address this head-on, spreading the knowledge to help you connect with assessments, incentives, and technologies to make your home or business more comfortable, cost-effective, and better for the environment.
Heating and cooling experts will be available to offer the latest energy efficient technologies, such as geothermal systems, cold climate air source heat pumps, and heat pump water heaters, in addition to insulation and other improvements to stop drafts and heat loss.
We provide:
✔️ Vetted installers
✔️ Home assessments
✔️ Independent experts to answer your questions
✔️ Knowledge of financial incentives and support accessing them
✔️Special incentives for low-to-moderate income households
✔️A community of people to explore new advances in energy efficient heating and cooling together!
Light refreshments will be served.
Please park in the Dunk N’ Bright lot, towards the rear of the SSIC building.
Community Conversations: History of Immmigration in CNY
Friday November 16th 5 PM – 8 PM @ InterFaith Works 1010 James St, Syracuse
InterFaith Works’ Center for New Americans, supported by the New York State Office for New Americans, presents a 90-minute history of immigration and refugee resettlement in the region and provides a comprehensive view of how their resettlement has contributed to the development of Central New York. All are invited. For more information, call 315-449-3552, ext. 118. To quickly RSVP for this free event, go to https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=WGrq75WVyUKszhbekvJDlb8W-Gi0L0xLvBuj4aSvM2NUNEY5OUhTTU5ZT1VPU08zTTdZV1pWME1BNC4u
Reading by author Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Friday November 16th 7 PM – 8:15 PM @ The Downtown Writer’s Center
Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah is from Spring Valley, New York. He graduated from SUNY Albany and went on to receive his MFA from Syracuse University. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in numerous publications, including Guernica, Compose: A Journal of Simply Good Writing, Printer’s Row, Gravel, and The Breakwater Review, where he was selected by ZZ Packer as the winner of the 2nd Annual Breakwater Review Fiction Contest. His first book of stories, “Friday Black”, was named a “most anticipated title” by The Rumpus, Southern Living, and Publisher’s Weekly. For more info, check out the New York Times book review of ‘Friday Black’
Haudenosaunee Arts and Crafts Fair at the Skä·noñh Center
Saturday November 17th 10 AM – 4 PM @ Ska-nonh Center 6680 Onondaga Lake Pkwy, Liverpool
Native American Heritage Month – November – is a time to celebrate rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people. Heritage Month is also an opportune time to educate the general public about nations, to raise a general awareness about the unique challenges Native people have faced both historically and in the present, and the ways in which Native citizens have worked to conquer these challenges.
Join us for these great events at the Skä•noñh – Great Law of Peace Center
November 17th: Haudenosaunee Arts and Crafts Fair at the Skä·noñh Center
Can My Boss Do That?/ Mi Jefe Puede Hacer Eso?
Saturday November 17th 10 AM – 12 PM @ Workers Center 2013 E Genesee St., Syracuse
Do you or someone you know need to take a medical leave from work, but are afraid to tell your boss? Did your manager tell you that you cannot schedule any days off during the Holiday period? If so Come to the Workers’ Center of Central New York to learn about your rights in the workplace. “Can My Boss Do That?” Will be a monthly series were low-wage Urban workers can ask questions they might have about their workplace, learn about their rights, and share with others. Every month we will be focusing on different topics about the workplace with presentations and/or a training. This month of November, Jim Williams Attorney with Legal Services of Central New York, will be presenting on the Family Medical Leave Act. Light refreshments will be provided with interpretation or childcare if needed, but please let us know in advance. We have Arabic, Swahili, Karen, Burmese, English, and Spanish interpretation. The building is fragrance-free, and the first floor is wheel-chair accessible. Open to all workers in the city of Syracuse. Please share with any low wage workers!
Open Mic Night hosted by Jaleel Campbell
Saturday November 17th 6 PM – 9 PM @ Café Sankofa Cooperative 2323 S. Salina St, Syracuse
Syracuse!!! Join us November 17th for a night of music, fun and art as I will be donating one of my pieces to Cafe Sankofa Cooperative . The donation ceremony will be followed by a dope Open Mic night! (Looking for 7 performers to start, the floor will be open for more performers at the actual event.) Come through! Tickets $10 at Eventbrite.
Sunday November 18th 12 PM – 1:30 PM · May Memorial Unitarian Universalist Society 3800 E Genesee
Learn how to incorporate your values & principles into your personal finances which will have an effect at the local, national & global levels. Find out how your financial choices can address issues such as climate change, criminal justice reform, and community reinvestment. By using the Divest-Reinvest-Engagement Model, participants will explore how to have the power to influence change. This event is sponsored by the Green & Social Justice Committee of May Memorial. For more information, contact Peter Cannavo, pcannavo@hamilton.edu 315-471-7530
Sunday November 18th 2 PM – 4:30 PM @ Sunderlin Residence 305 E Genesee St, Fayetteville
Learn about a ground source heat pump (“geothermal”) system firsthand at William Sunderlin’s home in Fayetteville, NY. Installer Matt Dennis with Halco will be there to answer your wildest technical questions!
William’s system is an example of what is possible in a historic home. As an added bonus, you will learn a bit about the fascinating abolitionist history of this house in Fayetteville’s historic district.
Toy Drive – Boys& Girls Club of Syracuse hosted by Fringed Benefits
November 19th – 25th 10 AM – 6 PM @ 6825 E Genesee St, Fayetteville
From November 19th – 25th, Fringed Benefits will be hosting a toy drive for the Boys and Girls Club of Syracuse. Shoppers who bring in a toy will receive a 15% off discount on the day of their donation.
The Club is most in need of the following items: dolls of all skin tones (Baby Alive and Our Generation), Legos, basketballs, footballs, Nerf guns, head phones, boxing gloves, Fur Real animals, and L.O.L. Dolls. Toys should be wrapped and include a label listing the gift’s contents.
Socialist Organizer Training: Organized People Have Power
Tuesday November 20th 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM @ Syracuse DSA
We will conduct a training in one-on-one organizing conversations, a basic building block of organizing in the workplace and in the neighborhood.
We will also train attendees in understanding and applying the bullseye model of organizing.
The training will be based on a workshop developed by DSA National and draw on trainings created by Labor Notes and People’s Action. Attendees will receive copies of training materials.
Please save the date for the upcoming events:
Dec 1-2: Plowshares Craftsfair and Peace Festival. More details here.
Sun, Dec. 2: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5pm, location Bishop Harrison Center. Update on visioning process and discussion of our recent electoral policy.
Sun, Dec.16: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5pm, location TBD. Focus: Update on Immigration issues by organizers of the Workers Center
Sun Jan 6: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting 3-5 pm, location Bishop Harrison.
Semi annual membership meeting and our coordinating committee/board elections. All CNYSC committees invited to attend to share their vision for the upcoming year.
If you would like to add your event or fundraiser to the weekly community outreach event calendar, please email the information in 100 words or less to Marianna.kaufman@gmail.com by Monday mornings.
Volunteers needed:
Interested in helping with the website, data entry? Contact elaine@iammeinteractive.com
Interested in helping to distribute CNYSC brochures? Contact barry@barrygordon.com
Interested in helping to welcome new members? Contact marianna.kaufman@gmail.com