Neighborly Actions: coming up!
Canvass for marijuana justice, demand answers with Marie Franco about her son's death, help shut down the Wyatt, invest in a worker-owned cafe & more.
Hi, everyone. Here are a few things we can do with and for our neighbors in the coming days (lots on Sunday for some reason?) as well as one thing not to do.
TOMORROW, 3/7, to 3/13, remotely: Amazon workers who are unionizing are calling for a week-long boycott (clicking that link will reveal why this is necessary). If you often order from Amazon, I strongly urge you to see if you can go a week without it. If there’s something that you need and can’t wait a week for, comment below and we’ll see if we can get to you (serious inquiries only).
TOMORROW, 3/7, 1pm, meet at 975 Sandy Lane, Warwick: Canvass for marijuana justice with Reclaim RI. As legal weed becomes big business, two ways to make sure it doesn’t reinforce racism and economic injustice are to expunge (erase) marijuana convictions and set up workers’ co-ops to grow and sell. RI House Speaker Shekarchi’s support would be helpful for this legislation, so if you can canvass in his district tomorrow, do! If you’re unsure why this is necessary, there’s some background here and a teach-in on these topics on 3/10.
TOMORROW, 3/7, 2-4pm, Medium Security Facility at the ACI, 51 West Rd, Cranston: Marie Franco’s son Jose died in the ACI and no one will even tell her what happened. They were supposed to release him later this month. Join her friends, family and neighbors in demanding answers, followed by the weekly car rally for solidarity with people incarcerated in the ACI. Leave a comment on the Facebook event if you have questions about COVID safety or other concerns.
TOMORROW, 3/7, 3pm, Kennedy Plaza, Providence: Food Not Bombs will have warm food to share! Please spread the word!
3/8, by 11am (to sign up) and 6pm (to testify), remotely: The first of the bills related to RI Medicare for All—House Bill 5019, which calls for a study of single-payer healthcare in RI—is being heard in the House. (If I understand correctly, the study would be to make sure it could actually work the way it’s supposed to—everyone already knows it’s needed.) If you’re able to testify, please do, especially if you couldn’t make it to the Senate hearing last week; scroll down to sign up.
3/13, by appointment, John Hope Settlement House (7 Thomas P. Whitten Way, Providence): If you are over 50 and live in the 02906, 02907 or 02908 ZIP codes, you can sign up for a FREE vaccine, which you will then go get on 3/13. You don’t need insurance and your immigration status doesn’t matter. If you live in one of these three ZIP codes and aren’t eligible, please take a moment to let your family, friends and neighbors know, and/or print out some flyers and hang them up when you go out for a walk.
Anytime this week: It’s long past time to shut down the Wyatt Correctional Facility, and there are finally bills in the state house that could make that happen, as well as opportunities to apply financial pressure. Read this clear and informative zine about why the Wyatt needs to be shut down and how you can help by threatening investors’ profits, and then use this guide (which includes bill summaries, bill numbers, call scripts and more) to show your legislators how many Rhode Islanders want this cruel and exploitative prison closed for good. There will be opportunities to testify on these bills too.
Anytime this week: Speaking of worker-owned co-ops! The CUPS Cooperative is raising money to close their purchase of White Electric Coffee and run it as a workers’ co-op. They would like to complete the purchase in April, so now is a great time to contribute not just to this effort but to a good model and precedent for worker-owned businesses in our city.
With love,
Kate