CNY Solidarity members and supporters:
Please find below the weekly ACTION ALERTS from Indivisible NY24 and our legislative action teams.
We hope everyone is staying safe and healthy, practicing social distancing, and reaching out to anyone you know who may be in need of assistance or connection. Over the weekend, County Executive Ryan McMahon issued a statement encouraging folks to stay at home as much as possible by limiting essential errands and visits to county parks to alternate days. If your birth year is an even number (e.g., 1970), try to limit your errands to Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays; if an odd number, then Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Sundays will alternate, starting with even years on April 12. More details here.
If you’re looking for productive things to do while confined to your home, we’ll continue trying to list appropriate actions in these weekly alerts. In Albany, all eyes are on Gov. Cuomo’s response to the COVID-19 crisis, but it’s also budget season. Our state constitution explicitly places control of the budget process firmly in the hands of the Governor. In order to change this, we would need to amend our state constitution to make the legislature an equal branch of government when it comes to writing and passing the state budget. For more details about New York’s budget process and this year’s budget check out these new posts from State Sen. Biaggi and State Sen. Gounardes. Also in the news, both locally and nationally, is how best to conduct elections safely in the midst of a pandemic and how best to minimize the chances of autocratic state or federal officials using the pandemic as an excuse to undermine free and fair elections. Our member David Driesen has this recent op-ed.
And now, on to the action alerts, which feature several new online training opportunities offered by Indivisible nationally.
Today (April 6)
One phone-calling action today, and one online training tonight
Support Equitable Online Learning
From our friends in the SCSD advocacy community, please call one or more of your state or federal representatives with the following message: “I am calling as a parent/teacher/friend/neighbor of students in the Syracuse Public Schools. It is concerning to me in a time where students are learning from home that 30-40% of students in our school district do not have internet and/or tablets to work online. This is a similar problem occurring throughout the nation creating gross inequality. Please prioritize immediate funding to ensure that all K-12 students have access to tablets and internet as they are being asked to work from home.”
- U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer’s Syracuse office – (315) 423-5471
- U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand’s Syracuse office – (315) 448-0470
- NY State Senator Rachel May’s Syracuse office- 315-478-8745
- NY Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli’s Syracuse office – 315-428-9651
- NY Assemblywoman Pamela Hunter’s Syracuse office – 315-449-9536
Indivisible Training: Using Social Media to Build Community and Take Action
8pm via Zoom. More details and sign up here.
Tuesday (April 7)
One phone-calling action and one opportunity to help local healthcare workers from home
Demand a People’s Bailout
Use Indivisible’s script to tell Rep. Katko that he should center people before profits and prioritize a People’s Bailout in response to the coronavirus crisis. Ahead of the next coronavirus relief package, we need to do our part to flood the phone lines of our MoCs and make sure they know that their constituents are demanding a people-first bailout. As always, Katko’s numbers are 315-423-5657 (Syracuse), 315-253-4068 (Auburn), or 202-225-3701 (DC).
Team Dana Sews Masks for Healthcare Workers
Our frontline healthcare workers are putting themselves at tremendous risk because they don’t have enough personal protective equipment (PPE) to be safe while caring for COVID-19 patients. Workers in many other settings–nursing homes, shelters, and social service organizations–need protection as well. The Balter for Congress campaign is going to help by making face masks for them. As the CDC indicates, these are a last resort option because no homemade masks are as effective as medical grade equipment. But we have to do what we can for our workers as long as there is a shortage of PPE. If you have a sewing machine and would like to help, please sign up here.
Wednesday (April 8)
Indivisible Training: Using Social Media to Build Community and Take Action
3pm via Zoom. More details here.
Thursday (April 9)
Sign Up for Indivisible’s New Voter Contact Program
Indivisible has launched a new voter contact program that everyone can do from home. Click here to sign up, then you can start writing letters to targeted voters. You’ll save up your letters, then send them shortly before Nov. 2020.
Friday-Sunday (April 10-12)
No actions at this time. Please continue to practice social distancing, as recommended by local, state, and federal public health authorities.
Save the date for these upcoming events
April 13: Indivisible Training: How to Facilitate Online Spaces that Work. 8pm via Zoom. More details here.
April 15: Indivisible Training: How to Facilitate Online Spaces that Work. 3pm via Zoom. More details here.
Sun. Apr 19 CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5pm via Zoom video conference app. Special event with BWAM: Pat Hyne: Can We Save the Planet without Taking on the Pentagon has been postponed until further notice.
April 20: Indivisible Training: Structural Inequalities that led to COVID-19. 8pm via Zoom. More details here.
April 22: Indivisible Training: Structural Inequalities that led to COVID-19. 3pm via Zoom. More details here.
April 27: Indivisible Training: Deep Canvassing While Social Distancing. 8pm via Zoom. More details here.
April 29: Indivisible Training: Deep Canvassing While Social Distancing. 3pm via Zoom. More details here.
Sun. May 3: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5 pm Location TBD. We will likely continue to use Zoom as long as needed.
Sun. May 17: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5 pm Location TBD. We will likely continue to use Zoom as long as needed.
Sun. May 31. CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5 pm Location TBD. We will likely continue to use Zoom as long as needed.
Tue, Jun 23: Election Day: Democratic presidential primary (rescheduled from April), NY-24 congressional primary, and state and local primaries will all take place today. Polls open noon to 9pm.
Sun. Jun 28: CNY Solidarity Coalition meeting. 3-5 pm Location TBD. We will likely continue to use Zoom as long as needed.
Oct 24-Nov 1: Early voting for general election. Details TBA.
Tue, Nov 3: Election day. Polls open 6:00am-9:00pm.
Today and every day, be sure to follow us online and on social media. Check out ourWebsiteandour Instagram. Follow us on Twitter: @CNYSolidarity and @IndivisibleNY24 and Facebook: www.facebook.com/cnysolidarity/ and www.facebook.com/groups/IndivisibleNY24
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
Support the CNY Solidarity Coalition by making a donation online to help us cover technology, printing and other expenses. Thank you. *Donations are not tax deductible.
In Solidarity,
Tom—