Save the Date
Next General Assembly on Sept 22, 2019 at
Guiding Star Grange
(Reminder, the July 21 GA has been canceled)
On the Agenda so far:
Discussion of FCCPR endorsing a presidential candidate – Who would you nominate and vote for?
Presentation on Community Land Trusts and affordable housing
Sheila Gilmour for Mayor of Greenfield
Last month FCCPR voted to endorse Sheila Gilmour in her run for Mayor
of Greenfield. Sheila’s election could mean more open government
as a model, not just for Greenfield but for all of the towns in
Franklin County and beyond. Sheila would be a leader in creating
green and high tech development downtown, a participatory
budget process where the public gets to learn what is in the budget
and comment upon it before it becomes a done deal, town-wide
discussions about issues that are important to the community,
modeling and encouraging civil discourse within the council, school
committee, and with town employees. She would also make Greenfield a
regional leader among the smaller towns, creating regional
partnerships and working with the FRCOG as is appropriate.
Sheila has a vision for Greenfield of creating a Greenfield that her kids
would want to live and work in as adults. This is a community
with reasonably priced housing, good schools, key amenities like the
library and recreation facilities, green infrastructure, and
high-speed internet. Sheila will make this a fully realized
reality by, among other things, making sure that the library and the
fire station are built to specifications, on budget and on time and
ensuring that GCET serves everyone in town, and that the schools are
properly funded.
To make this vision a reality, we need your help. Sheila’s campaign needs workers to go
door to door, do calling and stand-outs, deliver lawn signs, write
letters endorsing Sheila and any other support monetary or otherwise
that you might be able to provide. People from any Towns are welcome to help.
Please e-mail mayadbachman@gmail.com to directly sign up to assist Sheila’s campaign.
Please Donate
to Greenfield CPR-PAC
Greenfield FCCPR has formed a PAC so we can support all of the candidates that we endorse. Besides Sheila there will be candidates for City Council and School Committee. We will be distributing literature about all the candidates that support the values in our platform. To read the Greenfield CPR Platform click here. This all costs money and we have to follow the Massachusetts election laws.
You can donate to the Greenfield Continuing the Political Revolution Political Action Committee (Greenfield CPR -PAC) by sending a check made out to the PAC, to FCCPR PO Box 216, Greenfield Ma 01302 or via PayPal or CommonGood by going to https://fccpr.us and click on “Greenfield 2019 Elections”. From the menu select “Donate to Greenfield CPR-PAC” and select either PayPal or CommonGood to make your donation. The CommonGood website is undergoing some changes, so at times it may not work.
We look forward to working with you on the campaigns of all the progressive candidates we endorse.
June 19th Women: VOTE!
On June 19, The Women’s Rights Task Force held a remarkable event at Hawks & Reed: “19/19. Women: VOTE!” Women and men came together to celebrate women’s power in the electorate, one-hundred years since the passage of the 19th Amendment, June 4, 1919. The Amendment merely forged a pathway toward equality for women. We have a long way to go.
We danced and participated in fundraising for Fair Fight Action, a fund
established by former representative and candidate for governor of
Georgia, Stacey Abrams. The fund’s mission is to fight for “free
and fair elections.” We heard from and thank newly-inaugurate
President of GCC, Dr. Yves Solomon-Fernandez, listened to four
incredible performances by zoKi, She Said, Samirah Evans and Trailer
Park–and we raised $1,000 for the fund! All of this was possible
through your support, as well as the generous donations of our
co-sponsors: The People’s Pint, World Eye and Real Pickles. We also
thank our women’s rights and health organizations for providing
valuable information: Planned Parenthood, NELCWIT and
Hampshire-Franklin Commission on the Status of Women. Lastly, we
thank Magpie for donating pizza.
In a letter to the Women’s Rights Task Force, Stacey Abrams wrote, in
part,
“Thank you to The Women’s Task Force and the powerful women in attendance
celebrating this occasion who are empowering our communities to fight
for more. Your commitment to a fair fight in our election process
will pave the way for the next generation of leaders to emerge and
continue the fight for our democracy. I am proud to stand beside you
in this righteous fight.”
We are honored to have been recognized by Representative Abrams and will cherish this letter for a long time to come.
On that night, we recognized the past, both the good and bad. Today, we
continue the “righteous fight” for more. To that end, we
encourage you to consider a donation to Fair Fight at https://fairfightaction.com/.
If you are interested in joining the Women’s Rights Task Force, we
welcome you. Please contact Maryelen Calderwood at maryelen.calderwood@gmail.com or
Sara Seinberg at coachseinberg@gmail.com.
Hiroshima-Nagasaki
Commemoration
TUESDAY,
AUGUST 6, from 5:30 pm, Unity Park Riverfront, 1st St., Turners Falls
On the 74th anniversary of the US atomic bombing of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki,
Japan, we welcome all to gather by the Connecticut River to remember
victims of the atomic bombing and call for the abolition of nuclear
weapons. From 5:30 pm, rain or shine, we will create a peace symbol
on the grass with local flowers. At 6 pm we will form a circle of
remembrance and dedication to peace, for a moment of silence,
followed by short statements related to peace and justice.
Sponsored by the Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution (FCCPR)
Peace Task Force; the Traprock Center for Peace & Justice; Karuna Center for Peacebuilding;
other co-sponsors and supporters welcome. Email: peacetaskforcefccpr@gmail.com
Action Needed – From the Climate Change Task Force
Young people across the country, led by the Sunrise Movement, have been
demanding that the Democratic Party sponsor a debate among presidential candidates specifically about climate change.
Responding to pressure, the DNC has scheduled a vote August 22 on whether to sponsor such a debate. Climate change is not just one issue among many; it affects everything we hold dear. We feel that we can really make a difference by convincing the 9 Mass. DNC members to vote in favor. Here are 2 things you can do:
- If you know any of the 9 people listed below, please contact them
personally. If you don’t, email them all and tell them why
it’s important to hear from all the candidates about their plans
for addressing the climate crisis. Please pass along any
substantive responses to David at david.greenberg3@gmail.com.
2. Join a CPR contingent at the next State Democratic Committee meeting,
open to all registered Democrats: Saturday, August 10 at 9 AM at
Easthampton High School, 70 Williston Ave., Easthampton. We
will try to speak to the DNC members there and get a commitment from
them to vote yes. Contact Ferd at ferdwulkan@gmail.com if
you plan on coming.
Gus Bickford: gus@massdems.org
Kate Donaghue: katedonaghue@aol.com
Deborah Goldberg: debgoldberg@mac.com
Elaine Kamarck: elaine_kamarck@harvard.edu
Debra Kozikowski: debbyskoz@cs.com
David O’Brien: tripdirector@yahoo.com
Melvin C. Poindexter: artisfax@yahoo.com
James Roosevelt, Jr.: jroosevelt@verrilldana.com
Susan Thomson: scthomson@live.com