Neighborly actions starting TODAY
Feeding neighbors, taxing private schools/colleges, drug decriminalization, trainings for testimony, stopping evictions!
Hi, everyone. I’m so sorry to have provided the wrong ZIP codes for vaccine availability in my last email—the site I mentioned is NOT taking appointments for 02906, but for 02907, 02908 and 02909.
Here are some things to do with and for our neighbors this week. Sorry there’s so much legislative stuff! There are actually even more opportunities to testify today/this week, and I recommend signing up for the RI Rights listserv as well for really clear breakdowns of bills that are coming up for hearings: rirights-plans@lists.riseup.net
TODAY, 3/8, 3pm, various locations: Food Not Bombs PVD is delivering on Sundays and Mondays now, and could use more drivers to bring free groceries to people in need! A year into the pandemic, the list of people who are struggling has only grown longer. Write to pvdfnb@gmail.com to sign up for a shift.
TODAY, 3/8, BY 2pm, remotely: You can, and should, still offer written testimony on a bill that lets cities and towns tax wealthy private schools like Brown, Providence College and La Salle Academy. Taxing these institutions—which isn’t happening right now—would not only make a difference in the city’s budget, it might also provide a check on some of the schools’ gentrifying land grabs. In my opinion it’s sort of like paying fair wages: if your business model depends on screwing people over, you shouldn’t be in business. Send your testimony to jplume@rilegislature.gov. Brief is fine, sourced is great.
TOMORROW, 3/9, 11am (to sign up) and 4pm (to testify): RI House Bill 5384 would reclassify drug possession charges from a felony to a misdemeanor. It could help keep people out of the ACI and stay connected with the community and treatment to make using less dangerous and sobriety/recovery, if they seek it, more possible. Personal stories would be especially powerful, though painful, here. To testify aloud, sign up here and reach out to overdosepreventionpac@gmail.com so they can help you with talking points and coordinate your testimony.
TOMORROW, 3/9, 6-7:30pm, remotely: Hearings for the bills in the Rescue RI Act (RI’s Green New Deal, essentially) are coming up, and the coalition working to put it in place is holding trainings for people who want to testify in its favor. The first one is this Tuesday. You don’t need to be an expert—they’ll help you put your experience and energy to good use in a way that complements what other testifiers are offering. This is also a good way to learn about what the bill provides for! There’s also a phone banking shift on 3/11 and what you learn at the training will probably help set you up for that as well.
3/10, BY 4pm (to sign up) and 3/11 4pm (to testify), remotely: This is a big one: RI Senate Bill 183 imposes the eviction/foreclosure moratorium Rhode Island residents need. In human language: if this passes, and your landlord tries to kick you out or your bank to foreclose on your house during the pandemic or another state of emergency, they’ll be breaking the law and you can probably stay in your home. Please sign up to testify about how this bill would protect you and the people who matter to you. Expect pushback from banks and some property owners on this one!
I’m sure there will be more later this week (including, I hope, some more direct ways to work together) but let’s start with this.
With love,
Kate
