Hello Citizen Action, we’re back at it again with another week of the Activist Check-in. This week there is only one thing you need to know: the Mighty Morphin’ Power Rangers movie just released images of the ranger suits (enjoy the magic of CGI and a Hollywood budget here), which means, It’s.About.To.Go.Down! Oh, and Donald Trump locked up the Republican nomination for national bigot President. I am very excited about this year’s election. Power Rangers and Donald Trump talk aside, here is what the good old team at Citizen Action of New York has been up to this week.
-Stanley
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Disrupting Hedge Funders with the Hedge Clippers Campaign. On Wednesday, May 4, the Hedge Clippers were at Lincoln Center Plaza in New York City to tell hedge fund billionaires that investing in fossil fuels causes cancer. Avengers star and awesome activist, Mark Ruffalo, joined us with some pretty cool drive by activism (see photo above), handing out flyers and participating in chants. The hedge funders, as you might assume, are used to living in a world where no one calls them out so this action ruffled quite a few rich feathers. I’m sure they were able to clean up any spilled milk with one of their spare hundred dollar bills. Click here to check out some video footage from the action.
Reflecting on This Year’s Budget. On Saturday, April 30, the Long Island Progressive Coalition hosted their New York State budget debrief. We discussed some of our biggest victories like Paid Family Leave and began to plan next steps so that we could move forward in our quest for a $15 minimum wage for all New Yorkers. For photos from the event, you can check out LIPC’s facebook page by clicking this link.
Sticking with Verizon Workers. Our sisters and brothers at Verizon are now well into the third week of their strike. 39,000 hard working women and men are fighting for fair pay and good benefits while Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam refuses to negotiate despite the company’s breathtaking $1.8 billion in monthly profits. On Thursday, May 5, Verizon workers rallied and marched in a national day of action. Thousands of Verizon Wireless stores were targeted. You can check out our timeline for photos and videos from across the state. Click here for images and videos.
Upcoming Events
On Saturday, May 14, thousands will converge in Albany to demand that our world break free from fossil fuels and that we protect the residents of Albany’s south end from bomb trains and a new boiler facility. Click here to learn more.
On Wednesday, May 18, the members in the Southern Tier will march to demand an end to the incarceration and profiteering of our children of color. Click here if you’re in the area and would like to attend.
Job Alert!
Citizen Action, PPEF and the New York Civic Engagement Table have a number of positions open across the state, including Organizer, Lead Organizer, and Regional Coordinator. Click here for more details.
Metro Justice is looking for a Fundraiser and Membership Director.
From the Blog
Earlier this week, residents in the City of Buffalo shook things up by electing new members to their school board. Citizen Action Organizing Director, Rosemary Rivera, gave us a great recap of what happened and why it matters for Buffalo’s children. Click here to read the blog.
In the News
Albany Times Union. Op-Ed: Reform Should Be at the Top fo Lawmakers’ To-Do List
IBTimes. Climate Activists Say Sohn Conference Hedge Fund Managers Fund Cancer
Take Action!
By the time you read this, almost 40,000 Verizon workers will be marching into their fourth week of a mass worker strike for good jobs and a strong economy. Verizon brings in $1.8 billion a month in profits – they could easily compensate these workers fairly. Sign our petition to Verizon CEO Lowell McAdam demanding that he treat his workers fairly. Click here to sign!
Want daily updates and live footage of our events and actions? We can make that happen (I know a guy). Click here to follow us on Twitter and get real-time updates. If you’re looking for cool articles, memes, and a little conversation, like our Facebook page here.