Dear Activists,
We have an exciting week of action coming up. The Fight for $15 is joining with the Poor People’s Campaign on the 50th anniversary of the Memphis sanitation workers strike, criminal justice reform advocates are hosting town halls around the state to bring attention to our broken bail system, and Citizen Action chapters in Kingston and Rochester are planning Valentine’s Day actions. Let’s keep this momentum going through February!
– Ravi
AROUND THE STATE
On Tuesday, over a hundred parents, educators, and child care providers flooded the State Capitol to advocate for fair funding for child care. Governor Cuomo’s budget falls well short of the funding needed to make quality care accessible to all parents. Assembly members Crystal Peoples-Stokes and Ellen Jaffee spoke out in support of increased funding for child care.
In honor of Black History Month, the A.J. Williams-Myers African Roots Library in Kingston hosted a panel on the past, present, and future of Black organizing in the United States. Citizen Action organizers Callie Jayne and Stanley Fritz participated in the event.
IN THE NEWS
Lisa Tyson, Director of the Long Island Progressive Coalition, published a letter in the New York Times on the urgent need for carbon pricing.
“NY Renews, a coalition of 140 environmental, labor and community groups across New York State, has been developing a proposal — likely to be introduced in Albany this year — to invest in job-creating clean energy and resiliency projects for coastal communities, using revenue from a polluter fee.” READ HERE
THIS WEEK IN ACTIVISM HISTORY
On February 4th, 1913, civil rights icon Rosa Parks was born in Tuskegee, Alabama. While she is best known for the Montgomery bus boycott, Parks was a tireless advocate for housing justice throughout her lifetime.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Schenectady – Saturday, February 10th at 4 pm – Everything for Andrew Kearse – Andrew Kearse lost his life in the back of a police car. Community members will be holding a vigil and march to demand justice for Andrew. RSVP on Facebook
Albany – Monday, February 12th at 12 pm & 5:30 pm – Fight for $15 Day of Action – The Fight for $15 is joining with the new Poor People’s Campaign to push back against racial and economic oppression. RSVP on Facebook
Rochester – Monday, February 12th at 4:30 pm – Fight for $15 and Poor People’s Campaign March – The Fight for $15 is joining with the new Poor People’s Campaign to push back against racial and economic oppression. RSVP on Facebook
Kingston – Wednesday, February 14th at 5 pm – Have a Heart Rally – Parents and children are calling on State Senator George Amedore to fully fund public education. RSVP on Facebook
Buffalo – Thursday, February 15th at 6 pm – #FREEnewyork Town Hall – Learn how mass incarceration devastates communities and what we can do to fix it. RSVP on Facebook
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