Striking journalists, dirty drilling, DEI programs, 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:
- SUPPORT STRIKING JOURNALISTS AND LOCAL NEWS
Hundreds of journalists working at Gannett newspapers are participating in walkouts this week in protest of the company’s leadership and cost-cutting strategies, the biggest labor action in its history. They are calling for a shareholder vote of no-confidence against CEO Mike Reed, saying his policies have hollowed out newsrooms and weakened local news coverage while he’s taken excessive compensation for himself. Let’s sign on to this message to Gannett leadership or this one to Mike Reed in support of the journalists’ demands. We can also consider a donation to one of the local Gannett union strike funds if we are able. - RESTRICT DIRTY ENERGY EXTRACTION FROM PUBLIC LANDSA proposed federal rule of the Bureau of Land Management may strengthen the Bureau’s ability to prioritize climate, environmental conservation, and health over dirty drilling investments on public lands. The backlash is predictable. The Bureau is taking public comments on the proposed rule. Let’s learn how to make a public comment on this rule by attending this June 8th webinar, and let’s plan to submit a comment by the June 20th deadline.(h/t email blast from Third Act)
- SPEAK OUT AGAINST STATE BANS OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY INCLUSION PROGRAMSTexas became the latest state legislature (after Florida) to pass a bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs on college campuses, and several other states including Missouri, Ohio, West Virginia, Kansas, Arizona, Iowa, Utah, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, have bills in the works (though some of these have already failed to pass this legislative session). If we live in one of these states, let’s tell our state representatives that we support DEI programs and we don’t want to see them banned. If we live in a state that supports DEI, let’s contact one of our local colleges and see if they might arrange a transfer offer to students from a college impacted by DEI bans, as Hampshire College in Amherst, MA did for the New College of Florida. And for those of us in any state, let’s contact businesses, organizations, and individuals we’re connected to and urge them not to do business or travel in any state that does not recognize the importance of diversity and inclusion.
- END EXCESSIVE USE OF SOLITARY CONFINEMENT: A recent study revealed that 6% of the U.S. prison population, approximately 120,000 people, are locked in solitary confinement each day, despite President Biden’s campaign pledge to significantly reduce solitary confinement, and his executive order last year attempting to reform the process. Not surprisingly, solitary confinement was found to be used disproportionately against black and brown people. Rep. Cori Bush, (D-MO) has called the situation a “catastrophe.” Several members of Congress pushed President Biden on this issue in a Congressional letter last September. Let’s check here to see if our MoCs are among those who have previously pressed this issue and thank them for their past efforts. Then let’s talk to our MoCs, regardless of whether they have signed the letter, and ask them to write another letter in light of the report’s findings asking for more action. Let’s also ask them to introduce legislation to end this practice.
- WHAT TO EXPECT IN A DESANTIS PRESIDENCYIf the former guy running again wasn’t bad enough, FL Gov. DeSantis has announced his candidacy for the presidency. We need to take a closer look at just what he is doing in Florida as we are getting a front row seat preview of what a DeSantis presidency would look like. Seeming to take his lead from Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s harmful model of “Christian Democracy”, DeSantis’ positions on lgbtq+, right to choose, redistricting, book banning, higher education, school vouchers, voting rights, and K-12 education are certainly extremist. With a DeSantis presidency, we’d be taking giant steps backwards. Let’s use this information to double down our efforts to do what we can to keep the GOP out of the presidency. Let’s see how we can volunteer with Field Team 6 to get more folks registered to vote.
STATE-SPECIFIC ACTIONS
- AZ, PA, TX – CANVASS ENVIRONMENTAL VOTERS IN TX, AZ, PAThe Environmental Voter Project holds year-round, door-to-door canvassing efforts in Pittsburgh, PA, Tucson, AZ, and Austin, TX. Volunteers knock on the doors of people in these cities who are registered to vote, and who consider climate change and the environment as their highest-priority issues but are unlikely to vote in an upcoming election. Canvassers ask them whether they plan to vote and provide information on their voting method of choice. EVP provides lists, scripts, and training. No experience necessary! If we’re going to be in these cities, let’s consider signing up to canvass.
- CA – MORE PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS
With a growing amount of our housing supply unaffordable for buyers and renters, activists are working for change on the state and local level. The California state senate last week passed the Homelessness Prevention Act (SB567), which would strengthen the state’s tenant protection rules for renters in mobile and single-family homes. It heads now to the Assembly. Let’s reach out to our state legislators and to Governor Newsom and tell them we support this legislation.
