Welcome to February 2024, which will have 29 days this year.
Friday is Groundhog Day, a weather lore tradition that gained contemporary prominence with the 1993 classic movie with Bill Murray. Join us on the Friday Power Lunch as we discuss breaking out of the election time warp and focusing on what we learned in 2022 and 2023 to zero in on winning in 2024!
Calls to Action and Campaign actions for our Virginia crew can be found below. An important meeting with the Legislative Working Group will be this evening February 1st at 5pm to discuss strategy for the General Assembly Session, Calls to Action, and Testimony. To join, please email Luisa Boyarski: luisaboyarski@gmail.com
I Wanna Be Cool,
Stair
PS: For inspiration, please check in periodically at VirginiaGrassroots.org.
Friday Power Lunch
HERE WE GO AGAIN “Polls, Shmolls and Voter Rolls” Season 4 – Episode 5 – 2/2/24
In politics and life, some things are great when we do them again, and sometimes, we need a fresh perspective or a different approach. Just like in the movie Groundhog Day, Bill Murray kept repeating the day over and over until he figured what he needed to really change.
Join our guests this week as we discuss the coolest and freshest strategies for 2024:
- Congresswoman Jennifer McClellan – will help us kick off Black History Month with stories of Jim Crow & Voting Rights.
- Tom Bonier (Senior adviser at Target Smart and CEO of the Tara Group) will use the actual voting data to explain what happened in the 2023 Virginia election. He will compare the 2023 data to past elections to help us understand early voting, where we gained votes, where we lost them, and where we need to focus our attention to increase turnout in 2024. He will speak about the challenges associated with today’s polling and how to deal with that current reality.
- Matt Caffrey (Senior Director, Grassroots Community Organizing at Swing Left – helping grassroots activists organize since 2017) will tell us about their 2024 Super State Strategy and their new Team Up program to nurture, train and support new grassroots leaders.
- Pete Kronowitt (Activist singer, songwriter) will tell us about a new music project using a song called BE COOL to harness the power of young people to save the planet.p program to nurture, train and support new grassroots leaders.
Register for the Friday Power Lunch 2024
CALLS TO ACTION
(New ones with an */all others are up to date, please take a few minutes and be an Advocate!)
Workers + Families
- *HB212, Diverse Corporate Boards
- *SB371, Family Leave
- HB280 – Prevent January 6 Insurrections from Serving as Public Servants
- Protect abortion care doctors! Ask Senate Education & Health Committee to vote Yes on SB716
- Protect abortion seekers from extradition! Ask Senate Senate Courts of Justice committee to vote Yes on SB15
- Protect menstrual data from search warrants! Ask Senate Courts of Justice Committee to vote Yes on SB16
- SB1: Minimum Wage – Emails go to Senate Finance & Appropriations Committee – Click here to take action
Justice Reform
- Tell House Courts of Justice to support HB267 and protect our most vulnerable populations: Click Here to Take Action
- Tell Senate Courts of Justice to support SB334 and ban Fourth Amendment Plea Bargain Waivers: Click Here to Take Action
Campaign Finance Reform
Raise your voice and ask House P&E committee members to vote “yes” on campaign finance bills
Education
- Please ask our Delegates to vote YES on HB624 to improve funding to public schools – is now in the House Appropriations committee
- HB187Raising teachers’ salaries.https://actionnetwork.org/letters/please-ask-our-delegates-to-vote-yes-on-hb187-to-raise-salaries-of-public-school-teachers-3
- HB386 Increase Support Staff in Public Schools
- HB624 improve public schools funding
- OPPOSE SB37 to protect vulnerable students
- SB104 to increase teacher salaries
UPCOMING EVENTS & ACTIONS
Opportunity:
The Virginia Progressive Leadership Program (VAPLP) is accepting applications for our upcoming cohort,and we’d love folks from your team and community to join us. VAPLP is an experiential learning & training program for community leaders & organizers that occurs throughout four weekends May – August. It provides participants with the knowledge, skills, and connections they need to strengthen their work advancing equity & social justice in Virginia. Applications are due Friday, March 15th. The program is offered at no-cost to participants, and includes a travel stipend, Spanish-English language interpretation, food, and lodging. You can learn more about the 2024 program here. Also attached is a one-pager that has more information. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns. If you have someone in mind who could benefit from this program, please let us know by nominating them.
Help GOTV NOW for Special Elections in Pennsylvania HD 140 – 02/13/24
Democratic control of the PA House of Representatives depends on winning this race. Jim Prokopiak is the Democratic candidate to replace former Dem. Representative John Galloway.
The Republican candidate is Candace Cabanas. The Jan. 3rd Daily Kos Elections Morning Digest states: “Joe Biden carried this seat in the Philadelphia suburbs by a 55-44 margin. Even if this is a Blue district we all know that special elections depend on turnout and this race is too important to be taken for granted. The last thing we want is a solid Republican legislature in PA any presidential election year and particularly this one.
PROMOTE THE VOTE, an affiliate of TURN PA BLUE has phone banks for this race.
Thursday, February 1st, 5:00pm
Legislative Working Group Meeting – Drop in and learn what we are doing.Email Luisa to join:luisaboyarski@gmail.comTuesday, February 6th, 8:00am – 12:30pm
2024 Affordable Energy Lobby Day RSVP here
Meeting with your elected officials face-to-face is the best way to communicate the importance of affordable and clean energy during the Virginia General Assembly legislative session.Wednesday, February 7th, 5:00pmElections Working Group MeetingMeet Jackson Miller, Field Director for Tim Kaine – Get inspired on virginiagrassroots.orgEmail Luisa to join: luisaboyarski@gmail.com
Sunday, February 11th, 4:00pm
Virginia Grassroots Coalition Meeting
Guest Speaker: Atif Qarni, CD10 Candidate. Email luisaboyarski@gmail.com your agenda items.
Monday, February 19th
Fund Our Schools Rally in Richmond
Fund Our Schools is a statewide coalition of parents, students, teachers, and organizations who believe that every child in every zip code across the Commonwealth of Virginia should have access to high-quality public education. Call on lawmakers to prioritize fully and fairly funding public schools across the Commonwealth. RSVP here
Wednesday, February 21st, 7:00pm
Loudoun Grassroots Coalition Meeting
Email to receive Zoom link:loudounactivists@gmail.com
