Neighborly actions starting TODAY
Help a Cranston man stay with his family, testify for an eviction/foreclosure moratorium and against some nonsense, join youth organizing for better Providence schools & more
Hi everyone,
Rough week! Again! Here are some things to do for and with our neighbors in the coming days. Also, if you have money to share, it’s a great day to donate to Queer and Trans Mutual Aid PVD and Ocean State A$$, especially if you haven’t in a while. Or ask them for assistance if you need it!
ASAP, remotely: Donate to help this Cranston musician, husband, father & son stay with his family and escape deportation!
TODAY, 3/30, BY 4pm (to sign up)/TOMORROW, 3/31, to testify, remotely: 5309 is the RI House version of the bill that would prohibit most evictions and foreclosures during states of emergency as declared by the RI governor. Sign up TODAY to testify TOMORROW at the bottom of this agenda, or send written testimony to housejudiciary@rilegislature.gov (put your name, the bill number, and “for” at the top of the message). Some points you might want to hit: 1) Yes, the CDC just extended the national eviction moratorium for COVID, but what happens when local conditions in RI are bad in a way that the CDC doesn’t cover? And even for COVID, what if other states bounce back faster and the national moratorium is lifted? 2) The bill covers evictions and foreclosures, so anyone who claims to be worried about losing their property because their tenants can’t pay is blowing smoke. 3) The bill also makes exceptions for evicting tenants who are a danger to other tenants or the landlord, or even do a lot of property damage (see p4), so anyone who claims that this will force them to house someone who puts them or others at risk is also blowing smoke. 4) Housing continuity stabilizes adults’ work lives and children’s school lives, is better for public health (both physical and mental) at every level, allows people to need less from other forms of public assistance, and maintains the relationships that keep people alive. Here’s a more in-depth guide.
TODAY, 3/30, BY 4pm (to sign up)/TOMORROW, 3/31, to testify, remotely: Please testify against a super racist, ahistorical and ridiculous bill, House Bill 6070, that attempts to stifle discussion of how white supremacy and patriarchy shape our lives. A little background on the bill here; some background on state history, whose teaching would be blocked by this bill, here; sign up to testify here, or send written testimony to houseeducation@rilegislature.gov (put your name, the bill number, and “for” at the top of the message).
TONIGHT, 3/30, 4-6pm, remotely: Youth Organizing Power is holding their monthly meeting to discuss transforming Providence schools into what students there want and need them to be. Adults, tell your kids, siblings and cousins that they can sign up here.
Anytime this week: Pawtucket is opening up vaccinations: residents, check their site for updates and new appointments, and help your neighbors (especially elders and people with whom you share a second language) sign up too.
More soon, I think, but I wanted to get the stuff for today out there.
With love,
Kate
