GT Newsletter, 11 July 2021

Dear Greylock Together,

Last week was the Fourth of July.  It is celebrated by some as a day of patriotism and American values, and that makes some progressives uncomfortable.  What is there to celebrate, they wonder, in a country that was built on stolen land by enslaved people?  They ask, justifiably, When we look at the country and the world today, what are the American ideals we would dare to celebrate?  Don’t Frederick Douglas’ words still ring true today, when he asks,  “What, to the American slave, is your 4th of July? I answer: a day that reveals to him, more than all other days in the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim.”

America’s reach has always exceeded her grasp.  The Declaration of Independence was written and signed by men who had been privileged by a society of slavers, and yet it stated with succinct power the absolute truth of human equality.  As Lincoln once noted, the “great principle” upon which America was founded “was not the mere matter of the separation of the Colonies from the motherland.”  Instead, it was “that sentiment in the Declaration of Independence which gave liberty, not alone to the people of this country, but, I hope, to the world, for all future time.”  America has stretched towards this ideal by fits and starts, finding again and again that the promise of liberty has new meaning to every generation.

Progressives shouldn’t see the Fourth of July as a day of jingoism or delusion.  They should see it as a reminder that the work of freedom didn’t end with the Declaration, or with Emancipation, or with Seneca Falls, or with Selma, or at the Stonewall Inn.  The work of freedom remains with us still.  Underserved communities are struggling in a sea of inequality. Women worry, generation after generation, about their right to control their own bodies. People of color fight for their right to vote –– or simply their right to live!

When we fight for each other, we are working to fulfill the promise that we still have not met. We are engaging in the highest form of patriotism, since the promise of Independence Day wasn’t just freedom from a king.  It was a promise “that in due time the weight would be lifted from the shoulders of all [people].”


Meeting Today.  Please join us today at 3 on ZOOM to talk about how to take action at this critical moment when our freedoms are in jeopardy. Link to join is here: 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81853905895?pwd=Z1Z0NXBIdTdRM0dtenVUVXczME5yUT09
Meeting ID: 818 5390 5895    Passcode: 960259

Agenda:

  1. What is on your mind?
  2. CALL TO ACTION: S1 For The People Act-  Postcard, Phonebank, call Senator Markey
  3. Racial Justice updates
  4. North Adams Mayoral race updates
  5. Announcements/happenings


Postcarding For the People.  We’re joining with Swing Blue Alliance in partnership with Common Cause in their massive effort to send 150K postcards to voters in targeted states to lobby their Senators in support of passing the For The People Act. The postcards include a phone number provided by Common Cause where recipients can contact their senator(s) to urge them to eliminate the filibuster and pass S1.

Postcard packets contain 50 postcards, 50 pre-printed address labels, and instructions for a SHORT handwritten message. We appreciate if you can provide your own 35-cent postcard stamps. Postcards will be available for self-serve pickup from Sarah C’s porch in Williamstown. Email sarah.clader@gmail.com to sign up!

We also welcome donations to Greylock Together to help cover the cost of postcarding materials—thank you!

Watch Senator Elizabeth Warren on the critical urgency of S1 – The For People Act.


More Help for Local Family.  Bridget passes on word about further help needed for a local family.  Last time GT came through in amazing style — let’s keep it going!

A Williamstown family’s 3-year-old son Richard, a WES Side-by-Side student, has been at Boston Children’s Hospital for the past two months, where he is now receiving chemotherapy and awaiting a bone marrow transplant.  While Richard’s mother accompanies him at the hospital, his father has been in Williamstown working at his job and caring for their three other children, including one child with special needs. Please help support this family:

1. GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-richards-family-during-his-hospitalization.  *To make an anonymous donation to Richard’s family, please contact Bridget Spann: organizer@firstchurchwilliamstown.org

2. Donate blood on Wednesday, August 11 at First Congregational Church Williamstown in honor of Richard, who has so far needed 10 blood transfusions.  At this time, elective surgeries are sometimes delayed due to a limited supply of blood, so please consider donating.  To schedule an appointment, please contact Chris Amuso at Berkshire Health Systems (camuso@bhs1.org) or (413) 447-2597 x 2.

3. Assist with picking up older siblings after camp at Williamstown Elementary School / Williamstown Youth Center and walking/driving them to a nearby friend’s house.  *Please contact Bridget Spann if interested: organizer@firstchurchwilliamstown.org

4. Assist with weekend playtime at the Williamstown Elementary School playground while the father is at work. *Please contact Bridget Spann if interested: organizer@firstchurchwilliamstown.org

5. If you prefer to make a tax-deductible donation, please support the First Congregational Church Williamstown Immigrant Family Support Fund, which is utilized to respond to the emergency needs of several local immigrant families: https://firstchurchwilliamstown.org/support-first-church/ or via check sent to FCC, Immigrant Family Support Fund, 906 Main St. Williamstown, MA 01267.
6. Drive family to Boston when necessary for appointments if available on dates needed. *Please contact Bridget Spann if interested: organizer@firstchurchwilliamstown.org


Stay Informed.  Jess recommends:


Vote Forward.  We’ve just launched a summer of Vote Forward letter writing. Are you ready to write?

Starting today, and through the fall, we’ll be writing and stockpiling 1.5 million letters to voters in Virginia in advance of the general elections on November 2. Virginia’s off-year elections tend to serve as a bellwether for the midterm elections, so boosting turnout is crucial.  We’ll start with a “vote by mail” letter wave, and stockpile those letters until we mail on Saturday, September 18, right when absentee and early in-person voting begin.

We have 1.5 million letters to write this summer, so why not start today? Click here to “adopt” your first Virginia voters.


Know Your Rights.  From Indivisible Pittsfield:

We have been offered another free online workshop to “Know Your Rights,” courtesy of the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) – Mass Chapter’s Street Law Clinic program. The workshop will be on Monday, July 12, 2021, from 6:30pm – 8:30pm (EDT).   It’s part lecture, part Q&A, that educates folks about their rights and effective tactics if they happen to have an encounter with law enforcement.

The clinic covers First Amendment rights, Fourth Amendment, Fifth Amendment rights, FBI questioning, police encounters for immigrants, and more. The program is run by NLG attorneys and law students who are experienced in these areas of law, and will feature Mason Kortz, a Massachusetts attorney with civil rights experience. You can get more information about the National Lawyers Guild Mass Chapter by visiting their website HERE

For the workshop itself, on Monday, July 12th (mark your calendar!) the Zoom link is HERE. Password: 393739.   If you would like more information, you can contact the NLG directly at this email address – nlgmassslc@gmail.com


Check out more news from this week at Muckraker Farm.


CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
    Alexander

GT Newsletter, 23 June 2021

Dear Greylock Together,

Every day, we lose Americans to gun violence.  It’s monstrous and entirely preventable, as the record of the Australian gun buyback shows.  And gun control starts with gun knowledge.  If we’re going to get these weapons off of our streets, then we need to understand them.  To help with that, GT is teaming up with Indivisible Pittsfield for a presentation from our allies in the Falmouth Gun Safety Committee.

Gun violence continues to take a horrible toll in the USA, but it doesn’t have to be this way! Most gun owners favor gun safety legislation. The Falmouth Coalition hopes to raise awareness that gun violence is a public health issue. 

You are invited to a Zoom presentation from 7 – 8 PM on Tuesday, June 29. Please email falmouthgunsafetycoalition@gmail.com if you are interested in attending, and they will provide you with a Zoom link to the June 29th session. The information provided is critical in having more intelligent conversations when discussing the role of weapons in gun violence prevention. Here’s a brief description:

Want to be ready with fast facts when the conversation turns to guns?  The Falmouth Gun Safety Coalition can help!

We will present a brief, action-packed discussion ranging from gun basics to gun-related public health issues, plus current legislative bills in the works, and networking tips.

We demonstrate the loading and firing of 3 guns, representing 3 distinct classes, using correct terminology and describing the mechanisms of each.  We make clear the dangers of the semi-automatic mechanism. We describe trends in the manufacture and sale of weapons, and include time for questions and discussion.

We really appreciate our allies being willing to share with us their expertise on this issue. Knowledge is power. So, June 29th, 7 to 8 pm, in the comfort of your home, and free!

Just send an email to – falmouthgunsafetycoalition@gmail.com – and you’ll get the Zoom link. – If you have any questions about this presentation, please send them to the Falmouth email address, as well.  Also, please do not post this information PUBLICLY on Facebook or any other social media platform. Safety first.

 

Fair Share Amendment.  The state legislature voted by a margin of 159- 41 to put the Fair Share Amendment on the November 2022 ballot. The Fair Share Amendment to the State Constitution will add 4% to the state income tax starting with the second million dollars of Massachusetts income, raising approximately $2 billion per year, with all the money going to education and transportation.

The Raise Up Massachusetts Coalition, which IMC members voted to join earlier this year, is working hard to organize supporters since opponents have already begun making their case. Members of the Coalition spoke at this week’s Statewide call, and this toolkit, which we shared during the call, lists a variety of ways you can get involved including attending events across the state this month.
 

Texting for the People’s House Campaign.  Indivisible Mass Coalition is proud to be partnering with Act on Mass for The People’s House campaign. Join us at these fun and effective weekly texting events to build the movement for State House reform.  Sign up for any of the events HERE.

Tuesdays & Wednesdays, 5:30 – 7:30 PM  – Texting Voters 

*Please note* Training for newcomers is at 5:30 PM.  The text bank begins at 6:00 PM.

Wednesdays, 6:00 – 7:30 PM – Friend Banking  

Who says texting your friends isn’t activism? If you want a break from texting strangers about the campaign, this is the event for you! Reach out by texting your friends and networks about the broken State House.


Protect Voters with Texting.  A lot of texting opportunities this time around, and from the look of my phone, a lot of you folks seem to like that!  From Swing Blue Alliance/Swing Left Greater Boston…

Here are some opportunities to support voter protection via text … several don’t even use your own phone number!


Check out more news from this week at Muckraker Farm.


CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
    Alexander

GT Newsletter, 5 June 2021

Dear Greylock Together,

It’s been a crazy time, but we’re going to get started gearing up again.  We’re beginning to meet in person again soon, and we’re going to throw a community picnic, and we’re going to begin to organize again.  And it’s important that we get going.  It’s not just because the country is back on the upswing, with ANWAR leases getting canceled and actual competence in the White House.  It’s also because we want to keep the momentum going.  We’ve had a good, long rest.  But America is opening back up, and so we need to open back up, too.

In 2008, Barack Obama was elected as President of the United States, and a lot of people were very relieved.  Finally, they thought, things will be okay again.  And they just sort of… stopped paying attention.  After all, Obama was president and Democrats held Congress and Jersey Shore was on.

But in 2010, Republicans won the midterm election, and that was the end of a Democratic Congress.  Democrats wouldn’t win control of both chambers for another decade.

It’s going to be an strange election in 2022, one unlike any we’ve ever seen.  Ending of a pandemic, reorienting of work, boom in teenage employment, a favorable Senate map — it’s going to be weird.  That’s good, since it means that we have a shot at escaping another 2010.  Let’s make that happen.

Time for activism, folks.


We Need Help with Postcarding!  Swing Blue Alliance is launching a major new postcarding campaign on June 7 in support of the critical voting rights bill S1, the For The People Act. In partnership with Common Cause they aim to send 150K postcards over June and July to targeted voters in ME, NH, and NV to lobby their Senators in support of passing S1. Greylock Together made a huge impact with postcards and letters this fall. To do it again, we need an intrepid volunteer (or two) to step up as S1 Postcarding Captain! This person would keep track of interested volunteers, order postcards from Swing Blue Alliance, and arrange the logistics of postcard pick-up. (Sarah C can share tips and tricks!) 

**We need YOU! Interested? This can be a terrific summer project from home…please help the team! Respond to this email to let us know. You can also contact Sarah (GT’s fall postcarding captain) at sarah.clader@gmail.comwith questions.
 

Bee Friendly Native Plant Sale.  ONE DAY ONLY — June 5, 9 – 1 pm at the Williamstown Farmers Market.  Pesticide-free, pollinator-friendly native plants, grown at Wing and a Prayer Nursery by Amy Pulley of Cummington. Landscape plugs, an economical option for both small gardens and for planting large areas, and small potted perennials will be available. beefriendlywilliamstown.org for more info.


Newsletter Contact News.  This summer, Jess is grateful to be passing her role to Sarah C. for a necessary summer deep breath! PLEASE SEND ALL ITEMS for newsletter consideration directly to greylocktogether@gmail.com(instead of to Jess and Alexander’s personal email addresses). THANK YOU!!


Williamstown Elections/Committees.  As you saw last time, congratulations are due to new Select Board members Jeff Johnson and Wade Hasty.  Keep the civic energy of the election moving forward by coming to Annual Town Meeting in Williamstown on Tuesday, June 8 at 6:00 PM at the Weston Athletic Complex!

Thanks are also due to Bilal Ansari, Gina Coleman, Aruna D’Souza, Drea Finley, and Mohammed Memfis, five members of Williamstown’s DIRE (Diversity, Inclusion, and Racial Equity) Committee who are departing from the committee. Williamstown owes a debt of gratitude to these community members for their selfless service. The town’s first majority-BIPOC committee is losing five of its six inaugural members of color; many members mentioned how the last ten months have been extremely difficult, in part because of the lack of recognition and respect afforded to the committee and its labor.   If you are interested in supporting this sort of work, you might consider subscribing to the WRJPR newsletter.  That organization focuses specifically on issues of racial justice and equity in Williamstown.


HR1 Phonebanking.  Join our friends at Indivisible Northampton and Common Cause for weekly phonebanks, Thursdays from 6-8 pm, to get this critical legislation over the finish line and passed into law. As a phonebank volunteer, you’ll call voters in specific districts, ask them to call their Senator, and patch them through on-the-spot. Right now we’re focused on Joe Manchin (D-WV). It’s simple, fun, and super effective. No experience needed, all training provided, ALL are welcome and needed! Sign up for one or more Thursdays here.


Williamstown Cares.  The town is embarking on a research project to better understand safety and wellbeing in our town.  They want to hear from as many community members as possible, and especially from those who feel unsafe, unwelcome, or excluded in our town.  If we want to live in a community where everyone feels safe, welcome, and included, we need to know what is preventing that from being true right now. They also need to hear from people who do feel safe, welcome, and included, so they can understand both what is working and what is not. Residents will be getting a mailer with more info, or you can sign up here to be interviewed:  https://williamstownma.gov/community-research/   All interviews will be confidential.

Filibuster Fight.  The fight over the filibuster is getting more and more real now, as it goes from theoretical to real votes.  Schumer is looking to push the issue to try to make the point.  Here‘s a good rundown from the NYT.
 

2021 Grassroot Reboot.  Swing Left Greater Boston and a bunch of cosponsors have put together a grassroots conference: 2021 Grassroots Reboot.  It’s June 5, 10am-12pm. The event is free to everyone. Register now or learn more about the event and its agenda on our website.

 

Williamstown Farms.   Local farmland is facing unprecedented development pressure right now. The Agricultural Commission produced this 10-minute Info film to gain support for farmland preservation: “Farms for the Future: A Conversation about Farmland in Williamstown”: https://vimeo.com/552596026 

The film explains the hardship of farming in a place with high property values and development pressure, such as Williamstown. Please contact the Ag Commission for more information or with any questions, concerns, ideas, or if you would like us to speak to your group or organization. agcom@williamstownma.gov 

 

 Redistricting Fund.  Join Force Multiplier MA next Thursday, June 10, 7:00 – 8:00 pm ET to hear as AG Eric H. Holder, Kelly Ward Burton, Saumya Narechania will speak about the National Redistricting Action Fund’s work to ensure that we have fair maps and that every person’s vote counts equally.  Register Here: https://www.forcemultiplierma.org/events


Check out more news from this week at Muckraker Farm.


CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
    Alexander

 
 

GT Newsletter, 24 May 2021

 

Please join the community tomorrow (Tuesday) for a vigil marking the one-year anniversary of George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police. All are welcome. The students of Buxton School will be participants.

The names of people who have been killed by police in the US this year will be read. *We will hold silence together for 9 minutes and 29 seconds. Signs are encouraged!

 “We honor George’s life by coming together and recommitting to the fight for Black liberation, for a world where Black Lives Matter.” #BLMGlobalNetwork

Join us in solidarity.
5:00 pm – Field Park (rotary), Williamstown

*Please consider whether this will be triggering for you and take good care of yourself.

REMINDER: BLM vigils are hosted every week, Fridays from 5:00 – 5:30 pm at Field Park by Williamstown Racial Justice & Police Reform, First Congregational Church of Williamstown and Greylock Together. 
 

GT Newsletter, 2 May 2021

 

Dear Greylock Together,

WILLIAMSTOWN TOWN ELECTION is TuesdayMay 11
Please VOTE and spread the word! (7 am to 8 pm at Williamstown Elementary School) or Download your ballot application right now and drop it off at Town Hall by May 5th.

Know your candidates! Candidate forum links are below. We will send out a special edition newsletter with candidate responses to our survey in the coming week. 

(Other non-Williamstown election items included below as well…scroll down!)

Greylock Together Williamstown Candidate Forum—watch here
Videos of League of Women Voters forum:
1 years select board seat
3 year select board seat
Planning board seat
WilliNet Meet the Candidates:
Housing Authority

Thank you WilliNet!

Update from Wade Hasty, Candidate for Select Board one-year seat:
We all benefit the most when voters have a chance to engage with candidates. If you’re on the fence about me, disinterested in politics/voting, or plan to vote for someone else; I challenge you to reach out and contact me, or hopefully spare some time to meet at one of the planned locations. Regardless of the election results, I would welcome a chance to meet my neighbors.

1-year is left, 1-year to last, 0-people left out 

Bringing value to the community by working with our Public Safety on planned initiatives that supports their voiced needs. Emplace a lasting structure for accountability and transparency that serves to augment our town strengths while simultaneously preventing future rifts. Reinvigorate the Select Board by being an example of effective presence, setting a tone of caring and professional leadership that outpaces community concerns. 

TEAMWORK NEEDED:
Every donation helps! For signs and mailers!

Visibility matters: For Wade Hasty yard signscontact: wadehasty4selectboard@gmail.com; 413-672-1525

Update from Jeff Johnson for Select Board three-year seat: 
We are in the home stretch!!! Below is a list of a few things I have been up to the past week:
4/26:  DIRE & Select Board meetings
4/27:  I met with a few privately and discussed items related to affordable housing needs and opportunities in our town.
4/28:  I spent the afternoon with Lizzy Beck meeting with students at Buxton School to discuss the structure of our town government.
4/29:  I attended a fabulous RJPR sponsored Community Circle meeting!!!
5/1:  I spent the day at the transfer station meeting people and discussing my campaign platform!
Just 9 more days until the election, please VOTE on MAY 11!
I am sincerely asking you for your vote so WE can work TOGETHER to heal our town!

Still Two Sundays Left to Meet Jeff Johnson!
For Jeff Johnson yard signs contact: jeffjohnson4selectboard@gmail.com



VOLUNTEERS NEEDED: ELECTION STANDOUTS ARE CRITICAL – BRING A SIGN AND JOIN IN!
JEFF JOHNSON standouts
– location is at Corner of Cole Ave. & Main St.
WADE HASTY standouts  – location is at the rotary at Field Park
**BOTH SIGNS WELCOME AT BOTH LOCATIONS!!
ALL DATES AND TIMES BELOW ARE THE SAME

FRIDAY MAY 7 – 12 pm    
SATURDAY MAY 8 –  BOTH AT TRANSFER STATION – 10 am – 12 pm 
SATURDAY MAY 8 – 12 pm 
(Sunday, none)
MONDAY, MAY 10 – 12 pm
MONDAY MAY 10 – 4:30 pm 
ELECTION DAY, MAY 11BOTH AT THE YOUTH CENTER, SCHOOL ST.Please sign up for one or two hour shifts between 7 am and 8 pm.
Please sign up for a shift (it takes a village…seeing many faces really helps!). CONTACT:
jeffjohnson4selectboard@gmail.com  
wadehasty4selectboard@gmail.comTHE FIRST 100 DAYS! 
Much work ahead, but much to highlight and celebrate.
Thanks to Jim Mahon for sharing this terrific resource:
Joe Biden at 100 days: A Resource GuideFROM TEAM INDIVISIBLE:

Check out our For the People Project page to learn more about our plans and find ways to take action.  If we are going to remake our democracy into one that works for the people and achieve all of our progressive priorities—like affordable healthcare, a green new deal, a pathway to citizenship for all immigrants, and economic and racial justice—we need our members of Congress to use the majority that we built to defend our democracy. Watch the video

This is urgent given the 81 anti-protest bills being proposed by Republicans

Opinion | States should be listening to protesters. Instead they’re shutting them up.

Oklahoma Governor Signs Law Granting Immunity for Drivers Who Kill Protesters
 

Immigrants’ Day at the State House!

Every year the MIRA Coalition convenes hundreds of immigrant and refugee constituents from across the Commonwealth to meet with their legislators to advocate for legislative and budget priorities including the Safe Communities Act and the Work and Family Mobility Act.

This year’s speaking program runs from 11 to 11:40am, and will feature comments from Boston Mayor Kim Janey, Senator William N. Brownsberger, Senate President Pro Tempore, and SCA lead sponsor Representative Ruth B. Balser, House Second Division Chair, as well as Dalida Rocha, Political Director of SEIU 32BJ and Gabriel Camacho, Political Director of UFCW Local 1445.

This program will be followed at 11:45am by Regional Roundtables hosted jointly by legislators and member organizations for an informal exchange—an opportunity to advocate for the bills.

IMC and several local Indivisible groups are members of the Safe Communities Act Coalition. We hope you’ll join us on Tuesday, May 4 to advocate for this and other legislation to support immigrants. Register HERE

DRAWING DEMOCRACY:
If you want to ensure that underrepresented communities have the opportunity to elect candidates of their choice who best reflect their needs and interests, check out Drawing Democracy, a coalition of community organizations, civil rights lawyers, public policy advocates, data and mapping experts, and political scientists working on this issue. You can find resources about redistricting, sign up for their newsletter, or volunteer to help. 

STOP GUN VIOLENCE: An Act To Prevent Mass Shootings

Bill H.D. 4192 & Bill S.D. 2588: On Tuesday April 20, State Representatives Marjorie Decker (D-Cambridge) and Frank Moran (D-Lawrence) filed legislation, co-sponsored by Senator Cynthia Creem (D-Newton) and Rep. Bud Williams (D-Springfield), that would prohibit the in-state manufacture of assault weapons that are banned in Massachusetts. The text of the bill can be found here

Massachusetts law prohibits the sale, transfer or possession of assault style weapons and large capacity feeding devices with 10 or more rounds. Yet, companies located in our state continue to manufacture, possess, transport and export assault weapons that are prohibited in the Commonwealth – contributing to gun violence, injuries and deaths in other states. The legislation would prohibit these weapons from being manufactured in the Commonwealth.

John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence: “Our duty extends beyond our State borders. Thousands of military style assault weapons are manufactured in Massachusetts that can’t even be sold in the Commonwealth because of our permanent assault weapons ban. There is a mass shooting of four or more people every single day in America and many of the assault weapons used by mass shooters are made right here in the Commonwealth. If these weapons of war can’t be owned here, why should they be able to be made here and then used to massacre people in other states? We must do everything we can to prevent their manufacture in Massachusetts for distribution across the United States.”

LOCAL ACTION: Call and write to our State Reps and Senators.
They need to cosponsor this critical legislation and they need to hear from us! 
Senator Adam Hinds
Representative John Barrett

GOOD NEWS:  – Both Senators Markey and Warren are cosponsors of federal legislation S.736 – Assault Weapons Ban of 2021. Be sure to thank them! (And yes, this actually matters.)

VOLUNTEER DRIVER NEEDED…it takes a village!

Helper needed! One of the Berkshire Immigrant Center‘s clients in Williamstown is scheduled for her naturalization ceremony on Friday May 7th in Springfield at the District Court, 300 State St. She has no transportation. Congratulations to this neighbor!

BIC is looking for a volunteer driver. Please contact Charles Bonenti ASAP for details if you can assist. This client is vaccinated and needs to be there at 12:15 pm.  volunteer@berkshireic.org or 413-458-4886. THANK YOU!!!

FOOD SECURITY: From Morgan Ovitsky

At the last North Berkshire Food Access Collaborative meeting, many were eager to continue the planning and implementation of a “Food Hub”. During the Community Food Assessment process this group prioritized and set the goal of: 

  • Goal 1: A Food Hub provides farmers and community food security organizations with increased food preparation and distribution infrastructure and services.

If you are interested in continuing this conversation, please let me know your availability by responding to this doodle poll

Check out more news from this week at Muckraker Farm.

Events (GCal,iCal)

United Against Racism – BLM Weekly Vigils Fridays @ 5 PM, Field Park, Williamstown 



Gender Identity Series: Mondays May 3, 10 & 17 @ 7 pm, hosted by FCC (First Congregational Church), Williamstown

  • May 3 – documentary film screening and discussion of The Trans List
  • May 10 – book discussion of Becoming Nicole: The Transformation of an American Family by Amy Ellis Nutt (please order a copy from the library today!)
  • May 17 – Conversation with Mx Chris Paige (pronouns they/them) author of OtherWise Christian: A Guidebook for Transgender Liberation

CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
Wendy, Jess, Alexander

GT Newsletter, 14 April 2021

 

 

Dear Greylock Together,

It’s kind of crazy how much is going on.  Maybe it’s not, though?  There’s a lot of things to do and people to help, after all.  Check out some of the links below and remember that it’s important to be an active activist!  Try to do something each week, if you can!

This Sunday there’s a panel event for Williamstown candidates for the Select Board and Planning Board.  If you’re on of our Williamstown members, we hope to see you there; you will have a chance to submit questions through the moderator for them!  It will also be recorded, for those who can’t watch live.
 

Daunte Wright BLM Vigil.   Williamstown Racial Justice & Police Reform, Greylock Together, and First Church are sponsoring a vigil for the recently slain Daunte Wright.  Join us at Field Park on Friday, April 16, 5:00 PM to mourn and honor him.

All are welcome. Please wear a mask, practice social distancing, and bring your friends and family. Daunte Wright should be alive today. But police terror and white supremacy took his life. Enough is enough. We must all do more to end white supremacy and police brutality and support Black freedom and survival.  Please spread the word!  Questions? Contact Rachel Payne at 617-309-0186 or rachel.r.payne@gmail.com
 

Williamstown votes.  Williamstownees (-towners?), you’ll be casting your vote on May 11th.  Our candidate forum is Sunday, April 18th, 3:00 – 4:30 pm, for Select Board and Planning Board Candidates.  It will be recorded and shared on WilliNet post-event.  Here is the Zoom link (ID:891 2624 9165 Passcode: 905196).  Thanks to WilliNet Community TV for “Meet The Candidate” links below.

Thus far, only Select Board candidate Albert Cummings has declined to attend the panel.

  Select Board (One-Year):

Select Board (Three-Year):

Planning Board:

There are other races as well!  Housing Authority:  Steve Dew Joan Diver; Library Trustee: Charles Bonenti ; and Northern Berkshire Vocational Regional School District: Laila Boucher.

Jeff Johnson has also sent along links to more chances to meet him and discuss the race; see the times and details here.

Spring Cleanup North Adams.  Join GreeNA for this year’s Earth Day cleanupin the fight against #plasticpollution by participating in community trash cleanup in YOUR North Adams neighborhood in honor of #EarthDay2021. Whether it’s a lot or a little, every piece of litter picked up makes a cleaner, greener city for ALL of us to enjoy. So get outside on your lunch break or before or after work or school, bring a trash bag and gloves, and don’t forget to SNAP A PICTURE and use #northadamscleanup2021 to inspire others and show us the good work YOU are doing for YOUR community. Remember: Always use safety measures and caution on busy roadways and avoid sharp objects or needles.
 

Spring Cleanup Williamstown.  Please join us for a spring Litter Cleanup Action Day at Field Park on Saturday, April 17th, from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm! Volunteers are needed to pick up trash along roadways, parks, and riverbanks all across Williamstown. Check-in at Field Park anytime between 9 am and noon for instructions and a yellow trash bag. Please wear bright clothes and appropriate shoes and work gloves. Come for an hour or more. Kids are welcome! Covid protocols apply. Contact: Anne O’Connor aoconnor@williamstownma.gov


Ossoff Matters.  It’s worth stopping to appreciate how much this work matters.  We haven’t just helped change control of our government — we’ve also helped put some good new leaders in place.  Matt Stoller recently shared one anecdote of how Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff quietly and competently helped solve a significant issue for Georgia industry and green technology.  Check it out.


Hinds Hate Crime Bill.  Our state senator, Adam Hinds, has joined with state rep Tram Nguyen and MA Attorney-General Maura Healey to introduce a new bill focused on combatting on hate crimes, SD.972.  We should always be skeptical of new bills which strengthen penalties for crime, since it’s too-often a one-way ratchet.  “Tough on crime” gets applause, “weak on crime” gets a primary challenger.  But the bill seems reasonable and also cleans up some existing text in a way that clarifies some confusion.  Take a look at it.  Healey had this comment on the bill:“Hate crimes have increased in this country. From anti-Asian violence, attacks against immigrants, Black, indigenous and people of color, racist graffiti and slurs, anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia – what we’ve seen happening in our communities is unacceptable and cannot be tolerated. We CANNOT make excuses for this violence – for white supremacy, terrorism, and hate. That’s why I partnered with Senator Adam Hinds and Representative Tram Nguyen to reform our hate crimes laws. And it’s why we will continue to fight for a holistic approach to stop hate, including listening to and supporting affected communities, addressing systemic racism and inequity, and driving change in our culture that will prevent hate before it happens.”And thanks to Rep. Barrett and Senator Hinds for signing onto the  VOTES Actin Massachusetts, which will make it easier to register and vote here in MA, now has a majority of co-sponsors in both the House and the Senate!
 

Williamstown COOL Committee Zoom.  Join a Zoom Conversation with the COOL Committee on a Net-Zero Williamstown on Tuesday, April 20, 7:00 – 8:00 pm.

 

Scars of Colonialism Talk.  Join Heather Bruegl, Cultural Affairs Director of the Stockbridge Munsee Community of the Mohican people, the first nation of what we know as the Berkshires, Thursday, April 22 at 6 pm via Zoom to hear her discuss “The Scars and Costs of Colonialism.”  Find out more info from sponsor First Church.
 

Racial Justice Seminar. There will be a seminar discussing racial justice hosted by Community Legal Aid next month.  Thanks to Carrie Love for sharing: she was a GT featured guest in 2018 as an advocate for her legal work with immigrant families as we championed ending family separation!  The seminar will be May 13, from 5:00 – 7:00pm.  Direct link for pre-registration here:  https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcpc-igqDkuHNzKlWhPXOIGBcGbMSv82QhI


Wheels for Wellness.  One of the great injustices in our community is widely unequal access to transportation, especially for health-related activities. This new program connects volunteer drivers with neighbors who need a ride to health-related activities, including vaccination. Volunteering is open to anyone between 55 and 80 years of age once they’re fully vaccinated for COVID. Riders can be of any age. Masks will be required until the pandemic is officially deemed to be over. Mileage reimbursement is available for those who want it. The more drivers the better. Connect with new people in our community! To learn more or to sign up, prospective drivers can call (413) 395-0109.

 
There’s an opportunity to phonebank for a candidate in New Orleans, passed along to us by Markey organizer Kristen Elechko (Ed Markey organizer).  If elected, Karen Carter Peterson, LA-02 will be the first Black woman to represent Louisiana. She is the fighter in this race, backing the Green New Deal, along with many other progressive priorities.  Help Karen by joining a phonebank with Nina Turner on Friday, April 16, 6:30-8:30 PM. Here is the Mobilize link
 

Greylock Together Book Group: Thursday, April 15 at 7 PM. Reminder: we’re participating in Berkshire County’s second “One Book, One Community” county-wide read during . This year’s book is Stop Telling Women to Smile: Stories of Street Harassment and How We’re Taking Back Our Power by author, street artist and activist Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. All welcome…join in via zoom! Counselors from the Elizabeth Freeman Center will lead our conversation. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85314237325?pwd=akpmS0VWVzVxTWYvaitzUUJIYitGZz09, Meeting ID: 853 1423 7325, Passcode: 794497
 

GT Spotlight! GT was featured in this week’s Indivisible MA newsletter as a SPOTLIGHT! We’re proud of our team and all of you for having an impact in so many ways.


Check out more news from this week at Muckraker Farm.


CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
    Alexander

 
 

GT Newsletter, For the People, 30 March 2021

Dear Greylock Together,

Thanks to ALL who were able to attend our membership meeting on Sunday—we had over 40 participants!  With the calculated and unveiled attacks on voting rights across the country, NOW is our civil rights era. Stay alert, stay engaged, keep showing up and remember…your community, both locally and nationally, needs your participation. Enjoy the sunshine, stay safe, get vaccinated!

SAVE THE DATE for our next meeting, 3 PM April 18 via zoom, when we hope to hear from more local candidates. 

Highlights from Sunday: 

GUN CONTROL:

Our new friend and Williamstown neighbor and advocate/activist for Mom Demands Action and Gun Sense Action Network, Patrie Sardo, joined us and shared helpful resources as we continue to highlight the critical work around gun reform.

Learn more, sign up, volunteer:
Sign up here: https://forms.everytown.org/a/gsan-signup
Or Text VOLUNTEER to 644-33
Want to connect with Patrie? patriesardo@gmail.com or call (310) 880-6052
Massachusetts Moms Demand Action Advocacy Day – April 25!!


RELATED READS:

Mass shootings soared with COVID, Black Lives Matter fears in 2020 

Gun-control activists gird for tough national fight in wake of deadly rampages: ‘We’re playing the long game’

Abby recommends: Why Some Politicians Are More Dangerous Than Others“This research tracks violent death—homicide and suicide—over the past 100 years. It shows that the most effective way to decrease violent death (read gun violence) is by having Democratic administrations and policies.”
 

WILLIAMSTOWN SELECTBOARD CANDIDATE GUESTS—VOTE MAY 11!

Thanks to Jeff Johnson, candidate for the three-year Select Board seat in Williamstown, for joining us on Sunday. 

Catch Jeff on “Top Left Corner,” on Radio Free Berkshires, on Wed., March 31, at 10 AMListen:  Radio Free Berkshires: Home 13

Jeff Johnson’s Zoom “Meet the Candidate” events:  APRIL 4 THRU MAY 9 – every Sunday from 7-8:30 pm

Feel free to reach out to me at:jeffjohnson4selectboard@gmail.com if you have any questions, or thoughts on ideas on how to help our town. I am here for ALL the people of Williamstown!!!”

Picking Up ButchJeff’s friend from his days at Middlebury College

Get your Jeff Johnson yard sign! Email: ackirsch@c4.net

Also, you can learn more about Select Board Candidates for the one-year seat:  Wade Hasty, Barbara Rosenthal, and Niko White. Each of them has reached out to Greylock Together to share their platform. 
 

MASS MOCA UNIONIZATION

Thanks to Amanda Tobin for joining us. There are many ways to support the MASS MoCA Union as part of our larger community of artists, Berkshire residents, museum members, cultural workers, former MASS MoCA interns or employees, and friends. Read more and connect through these links and support the Mass MoCA Union:

Union vote nears at Mass MoCA; museum pledges not to oppose campaign

Show Your Support for the MASS MoCA Union

Instagram page: @massmocaunion
 

COOL COMMITTEE – WILLIAMSTOWN FOR NET ZERO!
Thanks to Wendy, Nancy and Stephanie for joining us to present this exciting initiative toward a Net Zero community…find out more here!

Williamstown COOL Committee

After a veto, Baker signs landmark climate bill

Link to Slide Presentation

“Williamstown will be asked at the June Town Meeting to adopt a net zero emissions resolution proposing the Town of Williamstown pursue a Net Zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goal consistent with the GHG limits established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.”
 

HR-1: FOR THE PEOPLE ACT!
PHONEBANK: Join the GT team—Wednesdays through mid-May, starting this week, March 31, 4:00 – 6:00 pm

Sign up with captain and GT leader Sarah C and directly here. Hosted by friends at Indivisible-RISE Newburyport.
Training provided, no experience required! You know what to do… join in and bring a friend (virtually!).

**Please use your energy, advocacy and activism to promote, support, demand and educate around this critical voting rights bill. 

ACCESSIBLE HOUSING:

GT member, Jonathan Swartz, reminds us of Clark Biscuit, a mixed-use housing residence in North Adams. Individuals usually have to meet a maximum income requirement to live there.  

OF NOTE:
Thanks to GT member Jude for joining us; he co-leads The Institute for the Quantitative Study of Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity, Inc. = QSIDE

Find out more and register for their Data4Justice Conference on APRIL 16, 10:00 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. featuring Heather McGhee, author of THE SUM OF US 

“Heather Charisse McGhee designs and promotes solutions to inequality in America. She has testified in Congress, drafted legislation, become a regular contributor on shows like Meet the Press, and developed strategies for organizations and campaigns that have won changes to improve the lives of millions…Her new book, The Sum of Us, debuted at number 3 on the New York Times bestseller list, and her 2020 TED talk, ‘Racism Has a Cost for Everyone’has reached over 2 million views. Heather is currently chair of the board of Color of Change, the country’s largest online racial justice organization.”

RESOURCES AND ACTION ITEMS:

END THE FILIBUSTER TOOL KIT

This is an Indivisible Mass Coalition (IMC) resource to help you understand why the filibuster still exists—an outdated, racist, abused and misused Senate tool. Please do read and TAKE ACTION to ELIMINATE THE FILIBUSTER!

It’s important to call Senators Markey & Warren and thank them for their support to end the filibuster and ask them to please continue to speak publicly at every opportunity. This is CRITICAL for our democracy!

Contact Markey: (413) 785-4610

Contact Warren: (202) 224-4543

Opinion: This is no time to compromise on democracy reform, Lawrence Lessig, WaPO

WHAT BIDEN’S TALKING FILIBUSTER COULD LOOK LIKEIntercept


INDIVISIBLE WEEKLY TO-DOs:

  1. Ask your representative to co-sponsor the THRIVE Agenda. With the climate crisis continuing to intensify, the economy entering a deep recession, and the need for racial justice and healing being felt as acutely as ever, the case for Green New Deal-style policymaking is stronger than ever before. 
  2. Take action for democracy reform with the For the People Project. Check out our For the People Project page as your one-stop shop to learn more about our plans and find ways to take action. 
  3. Join us alongside partners on Wednesday, March 31 at 7 pm ET for the John Lewis Mobilization Town Hall. This town hall is for activists and local organizations to learn more about the May 8 John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Day of Action mobilization.

**More ACTIONS from Indivisible in support of our AAPI neighbors:

Events (GCal,iCal)

North Berkshire Food Access Collaborative Conversation:
Apr 5, 2:30 PM ET via ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87575614734?pwd=a1lRU1BzR3E2Wmp4RWJFUWtPaEY3UT09

Greylock Together Book Group: April’s meeting will be on Thursday, 4/15 at 7 PM. We’re participating in Berkshire County’s second “One Book, One Community” county-wide read. This year’s book is Stop Telling Women to Smile: Stories of Street Harassment and How We’re Taking Back Our Power by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. More details here in the Berkshire Eagle

Greylock Together Sunday Meeting – April 18th, 3:00 – 4:00 pm via zoom; shorter meeting to feature more Williamstown Select Board Candidates
Williamstown Town Election – May 11
Williamstown Town Meeting – June 8

 

Check out more news from Mary this week at Muckraker Farm.

CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
 

 
 

GT Alert: Meeting tomorrow afternoon on Zoom–be there!

Dear Greylock Together,

Tomorrow afternoon we have our monthly meeting on Zoom.  The meeting will last from 3:00 to 4:30.  Here is the Zoom link (meeting ID 895 9332 3594; mobile link +13017158592,,89593323594#).

We’ll be discussing the MASS MoCA Union efforts with Amanda T., who’s leading the efforts to unionize MASS MoCA.  We’ll also hear from Jeff Johnson and maybe Niko White, candidates for Williamstown Select Board, will be at the meeting to discuss their goals and answer questions.  Plus, updates on North Adams government opening, a COOL Committee update, a discussion about D.C. statehood and the filibuster, gun control legislation update, and probably a lot more!
   
Resist and persist!
    Alexander
 
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GT Newsletter, 18 March 2021

Dear Greylock Together,

The horrifying murders of eight people in Atlanta massage parlors, six of them Asian women, are an example of so many toxic things in our society: anti-Asian racism, misogynist violence, violence against sex workers, toxic masculinity, income inequality, and a hyperabundance of guns.  They’re about all of thoseand more, and we are so deeply saddened by these crimes.  Many people in the AAPI community feel particularly targeted these days.  For us, locally, we think Pittsfield City Councilor Helen Moon spoke powerfully in this Facebook video about these horrific events and her own experiences as an Asian woman.  She says:My heart is heavy this morning following last night’s racially motivated mass shooting.  Over the past year, we have seen a rise in hate crimes targeting AAPI. Over the course of a year, there have been 3800 racially motivated incidences reported. These acts are the result of unsubstantiated blaming of AAPI for Coronavirus pandemic.  I am calling on my fellow local electeds and state leaders to join me in condemning anti-Asian racism and supporting our local AAPI during these times.We all need to work on this together.  We all need to begin changing this.

It might be helpful to attend this town hall on anti-Asian racism in Massachusetts next week on Thursday, the 25th, at 6:00 pm.  Register for the Zoom here.


SAVE THE DATE: NEXT GREYLOCK TOGETHER MEETING: Sunday, March 28, 3-4:30 on ZOOM!

We will have updates on local work and actions and and national legislative priorities, and hear from Williamstown Select Board Candidate Jeff Johnson with time for questions and answers.  Any other candidates or officials who would like to join us will be welcome, as always!

Work and Family Mobility.  Undocumented immigrants in Massachusetts should get driver’s licenses.  People who drive should be required to be licensed to operate their car.  It makes us safer.  Ready identification makes their lives easier, as well, as well as the lives of law enforcement.  Please take a moment to ask Rep. Barrett to co-sponsor Rep. Farley-Bouvier’s Work and Family Mobility Act; email him here.  More info on the bill is here.

Williamstown Letter.  Thank you to everyone who asked to sign on to the GT letter to the Williamstown Select Board (plus another to the DIRE committee).  We had more than 80 signatories, and a dozen more who asked to sign after we’d already sent it!  We also had a great deal of helpful writing advice, for which we are grateful and which we will try to incorporate in the future.  If you didn’t get a chance to sign, write them directly and stay involved!  Elections are in a month.

Filibuster.  We should eliminate the filibuster.  This is probably preaching to the choir, but it’s an unintentional artifact of a weird rule change that’s mostly been used for white supremacy.  It’s also strange on its face: the Senate already has staggered election cycles and six-year terms so that it won’t be responsive to short-sightedness or momentary political waves, so why add a supermajority requirement to pass legislation on top of that?

AstraZeneca.  I had a whole impassioned cri de coeur written out about how the United States government had purchased millions of doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine but the FDA hadn’t yet approved them, so they were going to expire and be wasted in the next few weeks, per Zeynep Tufecki.  But then the Biden administration just up and changed policy to start shipping them out!  Kudos to them… thousands of lives will be saved!
 

Paid Family & Medical Leave.  From Kristen Elechko to CD-1:  The Coalition for Social Justice is collecting short stories and pictures or videos to make the case for significant investment in a national paid family and medical leave policy, in anticipation of a hearing coming up in DC this session. We aim to make the case for comprehensive coverage through lifting the voices of those who have been impacted by a lack of paid leave. Comprehensive care means advocating for specific improvements to the “Family Act” and passing it into law.  

 The Coalition plans to use the stories on social media and for meetings with Congressional Representatives, including US Representative Neal; the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee.

Do you or a family member have a personal experience with family and medical leave that shows the need for a comprehensive national leave policy? Let us know by emailing siddiquijamil79@gmail.com
 

Farmers of Color Land Trust Fundraiser.  Contact Shira at shiralynnx@gmail.com if you are interested in working on a fundraiser for the Farmers of Color Land Trust– they are doing amazing work/
 

GT Book Group.  We’ll be participating in Berkshire County’s second, annual “One Book, One Community” county-wide read. This year’s book selection is Stop Telling Women to Smile: Stories of Street Harassment and How We’re Taking Back Our Power by Tatyana Fazlalizadeh. More details to follow. This discussion will take place in early April, and The Williams Bookstore has copies.)

Also, don’t forget the book for our March 25th meeting is Evil Geniuses: The Unmaking of America: A Recent History by Kurt Andersen.


CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:

Resist and persist!
    Alexander

GT Alert, 14 March 2021

Dear Greylock Together,

We are outraged at the news that the Williamstown Police Department broke the law and our community’s trust by engaging in retaliatory investigation of those citizens who have raised concerns about racism, sexual assault, and anti-Semitism.  Americans are guaranteed equal protection under the law, and that means that the police can’t selectively target their critics.  It is a positive step that Interim Williamstown Chief of Police Mike Ziemba has worked with many of the victims to begin to make this right, and we hope that the investigation will be concluded quickly and more information released immediately.  But this was a gross abuse of power and cannot be tolerated.

We would like to send a letter to the Williamstown Select Board.  The text is below.  Please put your name in this form if you would like to be included as a signatory with us.  You can also just reply to this email with your name and the town where you live, if the link doesn’t work.

Thank you!
 

Dear Williamstown Selectboard,
We write to you as members of the leadership team of Greylock Together. Greylock Together is one of thousands of Indivisible groups fighting for progressive values and a stronger democracy. We are grassroots, loosely structured, and action-oriented. Our advocacy efforts have included local, state and national concerns. Our core membership base resides in north Berkshire but we have members from across Berkshire County and beyond on our email list which includes over 900 individuals. 
We are writing to express our outrage at the news that the members of the Williamstown Police Department broke the law and our community’s trust by engaging in retaliatory investigation of those citizens who have raised concerns about racism, sexual assault, and anti-Semitism in the police department and town government.  These searches were a violation of Massachusetts General Law, Ch. 6, Section 167A.  Americans are guaranteed equal protection under the law, and that means that the police can’t selectively target their critics.
It is a positive step that Interim Williamstown Chief of Police Mike Ziemba has worked with many of the victims to begin to make this right, and we hope that the investigation will be concluded quickly and more information released immediately.  But this was a gross abuse of power and cannot be tolerated.  Our friends and neighbors have been targeted.  
Greylock Together is committed to using our collective voices and advocacy to support you, members of the DIRE committee, and the Williamstown Racial Justice and Police Reform group and other parties. We must have a full independent investigation of misconduct; the current independent investigator should be tasked officially with doing what they can to examine this issue, as well as existing concerns. Further, we are committed to community dialogue and advocacy and to a new chapter in public safety in Williamstown that ensures every resident of the community is equally and equitably protected.

 

Resist and persist!
    Alexander, Wendy, and Jess