Dear Activists,
Mother’s Day is on Sunday, and while it’s a day of celebration for many families, it’s also a stark reminder of the daily struggles facing working mothers. The majority of low-wage workers are women, and one-third of them are mothers. This means that they’re more likely to be without paid sick days, more likely to be paid the tipped minimum, and almost certainly dedicating a huge share of their income to child care. Justice for workers is justice for mothers.
– Ravi
AROUND THE STATE
Upon hearing word that Sheriff David Clarke would be speaking in Albany, our Capital District chapter began circulating a petition to urge the NYS Association of Chiefs of Police to rescind their invitation to Clarke, who is notorious for his hateful rhetoric and extremist views (he once wrote an opinion piece titled “This is a War, and Black Lives Matter is the Enemy”). When the Chiefs chose to stand by Clarke, Citizen Action and its allies organized a protest and rally outside the NYSACOP event.
Our Hudson Valley chapter announced its endorsement of Antonio Delgado for Congress at a press conference in Kingston. Delgado is running in a competitive primary for the opportunity to unseat Trump Republican John Faso.
Activists in Binghamton, Glens Falls, and Kingston called on their Congressional representatives–Tenney, Stefanik, and Faso–to reject any bill that includes cuts to SNAP. The SNAP program has kept millions of children, seniors, and people with disabilities from going hungry and spiraling deeper into poverty.
THIS WEEK IN ACTIVISM HISTORY
On May 4th, 1926, the British General Strike began. Nearly 2 million workers joined the nine day strike in opposition to wage cuts and worsening conditions for British coal miners.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Albany – Wednesday, May 16th at 11 am – Let NY Vote Albany Action Day – Statewide day of action to demand voting rights reform. RSVP on Eventbrite
Long Island – Wednesday, May 16th at 6 pm – Movie Night with Long Island Progressive Coalition – LIPC interns have been hard at work creating a series of short films. RSVP on Facebook
New York City – Thursday, May 17th at 6:45 pm – Men Working to End Sexism – Part of a series of workshops to dismantle systems that oppress women. RSVP on Facebook
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