This week has been so awesome! No, seriously. I spent my weekend at the Desmond Hotel listening to amazing speakers and hanging out with awesome people at the Justice Works Conference. One week later I saw the Golden State Warriors build a 3-0 lead on the Cleveland Cavaliers, watched Wonderwoman, then hate-watched James Comey spill all of the gossip on Donald Trump.
I am now convinced of three things, Wonderwoman is awesome, Justice Works is the greatest conference of all time, and Donald Trump is the creepy guy who didn’t read the employee handbook. Ok, enough about my week, how was yours? Actually, I already know, and I have the recap to prove it.
-Stanley
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Justice Works Was EPIC! Did you make it to Justice Works this year? I sure hope you did! I can’t believe how much I learned, how many people I met and how much fun I had. Between listening to Glenn Martin speak, having extended conversations about the school to prison pipeline, and attending workshops that gave us the tools to put our anger into action, I am feeling fired up and ready to go! If you weren’t able to make it this year, trust me, you missed one heck of a conference. But don’t worry, there will be another one, and if you let me know, I might be able to get you a scholarship.
Buffalo Parents in Action. On Thursday, June 8, our Western New York chapter joined the Alliance for Quality Education, and the Buffalo Parent-Teacher Organization to bring the voices of the community – parents, teachers, and community leaders – to New York State as they plan on how the Every Student Succeeds Act (aka ESSA) is done in New York State. The new federal education law requires NYS to develop a plan for evaluating schools starting next year.
Reject Trump, Protect our Planet. A week after the burnt Cheeto in Chief decided to get policy advice from Fox News and white guys that use too much hair gel to pull out of the Paris climate deal, area climate and community groups held an emergency rally to protest the President’s move. Along with the Trump protest, we also urged the pay as you go, Democrat, Governor Cuomo to take continued strong action to establish the state as a climate change leader.
BLOGS
Check out this awesome post from Citizen Action Campaign Manager and local rockstar, Blue Carreker. “Leaders like Cuomo tell us that resources are limited; we have a deficit budget, and so modest advancements for the middle class are the most we can expect. But New York’s wealth is vast. New York includes a large percentage of the wealthiest people and companies in America.” Click here for the full text.
IN THE NEWS
WAMC. More than 100 people rallied Thursday evening in downtown Albany, calling for state and local officials to fast-track the switch to 100 percent clean energy, enact a carbon tax and divest public pensions from fossil fuels. Click here for the story.
EVENTS
June 13. New York’s election laws are failing us. Join us on June 13 to demand that our state is a leader in the fight to protect and expand the most important right of all – the right to vote! Click here to RSVP
June 17. Kingston’s 5th Juneteenth Celebration, With Special Tributes to Drew Andrews, Director of Kingston’s Center 4 Community Education, and extraordinary hip hop dancer and teacher. And, Journey Truth who at 105 has been a voice for freedom for close to 90 years. Click here to RSVP
TAKE ACTION!
The federal budget proposed by Donald Trump would destroy the Environmental Protection Agency’s ability to keep the air we breathe and the water we drink safe While we fight the Trump administration every step of the way in D.C., New York must lead on climate change by transitioning to 100% renewable energy. It’s up to Governor Cuomo. Click here to take action.
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