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!
 

 
 

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.