Missing and murdered indigenous women, Crown Act, Israeli democracy, and more!
Contact all members of Congress:
- By phone: (202) 224-3121
- By email: democracy.io
- By US mail: Representatives / Senators
- By fax: Representatives / Senators
- By Resistbot: Resist.bot
Contact White House or other federal agencies:
DAY OF ACTION FOR MISSING AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN
Friday marked the culmination of the National Week of Action for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW). The homicide rate for women is ten times higher on reservations, and more than 5,000 have disappeared, a crisis that represents the intersection of genocide, colonization and violence against women and too often has been shamefully ignored. Let’s join indigenous advocates nationwide and demand change. We can urge our federal and state policymakers to follow the steps outlined in this six-point action plan, and check out this state legislative tracker from the National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center for specific bills to push for in our states. We can also participate in a Twitter storm for awareness at 3pm today, with social media toolkit available here.
- CROWN ACTOne of the more insidious ways that racism is exhibited in the U.S. is through workplace and school grooming policies (official or in practice only) which prohibit natural hairstyles. Last year, the House passed the Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair (CROWN) Act, which would protect against racial discrimination based on natural hair texture and protective styles, however the legislation died in the Senate. The NAACP’s Legal Defense Fund has a comprehensive page that explains why natural hair must be protected, how discrimination occurs in the workplace and schools, and how the CROWN Act would address these issues. Let’s check it out, then use the CROWN Coalition’s email tool to ask our MoC to reintroduce and cosponsor the CROWN Act.
- REDUCED PROTECTIONS AND ALLOW 16- AND 17-YEAR-OLDS TO WORK IN DANGEROUS LOGGING JOBSFederal and State laws reducing child labor protections are being or have already been passed. A bill to reduce protections and allow 16-and 17-year-olds to work in extremely dangerous logging jobs and is supported by the timber and logging industries is being reintroduced in Congress. A father who works in this industry and lost his 18-year-old son in just such a job said “Losing an adult in the family is nothing compared to losing a child. Why, why, why would anyone want a child out there? There are plenty of adults who need those jobs too.” The Washington Post has revealed that the “Foundation for Government Accountability, a Florida-based conservative thinktank that touts parental freedoms in advocating for the bills has written many of these laws.” Let’s tell our Senators and Representatives to protect our children, reject this legislation and to stop using conservative groups to write the laws of our country. Their interests are not our interests.
- STAND UP FOR ISRAELI DEMOCRACYWith the Israeli parliament starting up again, protesters continue to take to the streets to speak out against right wing reforms that would severely weaken the judiciary. The Refuser Solidarity Network is collecting signatures on a petition to show that there is international outrage against Prime Minister Netanyahu’s proposed agenda. We can sign the petition here, and also follow their link to donate to the cause if we feel so moved. To find out more about the Israeli protest movement, we can watch their 2-minute promotional video here.
- GRATITUDE TO SHERIFF CAPERSWhen Texas Governor Greg Abbott tweeted about the April 28, 2023, mass murder in Cleveland, Texas, of Diana Velazquez Alvarado, 21, Jose Jonathan Casarez, 18, Julisa Molina, 31, Sonia Argentina Guzman, 25, and Daniel Enrique Laso-Guzman, 9, he did not grant them the dignity of saying their names. Instead, he referred to them collectively as “illegal immigrants,” and was silent about the perpetrator’s use of an AR-15 assault rifle to commit the crime. In contrast, referring to little 9-year-old Daniel, County Sheriff Greg Capers, a Republican, said, “I don’t care if here was here legally. I don’t care if he was here illegally. He was in my county. Five people died in my county, and that is where my heart is…” Let’s thank Sheriff Capers for insisting on the full humanity of those who died in this terrible act of gun violence—contact info here.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
- NORTH CAROLINA REDISTRICTING Reversing itself completely after Republicans took control of the state’s Supreme Court, the new court overturned the previous ruling that struck down gerrymandered GOP maps only months ago and claimed that partisan gerrymandering is a “political” not a judicial matter The potential effect would be a new House map that gives the GOP either 10 or 11 seats. We in North Carolina need to push for the right to ensure fair districts. Disallowed from introducing ballot initiatives as have passed elsewhere, we need to press our lawmakers to either represent us or to pass legislation allowing us to represent their own interests.
CORRECTIONS AND UPDATES
The link to the article about Ralph Yarl going home in yesterday’s List was incorrect and has been updated below. Thanks to our readers for keeping us honest!
- GREETINGS TO DOORWAY SHOOTING SURVIVOR RALPH YARLRalph Yarl, the young teenager shot for going to the wrong door while picking up his brothers has been released from the hospital and now faces a long recovery While he heals, his school has graciously agreed to accept cards and letters on his behalf. We can wish Ralph well and let him know that we care by sending our cards and letters to him at this address: Ralph Yarl and Family c/o Staley High School, 2800 Shoal Creek Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64156.
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