Participation in local elections is crucial. Our county- and town-level officials make decisions that affect our everyday lives, yet voter turnout, especially in New York State, is historically low for local elections. RaisingVoicesUSA wants to change that trend.
We encourage you to use the opportunities and resources below to find a pathway for getting involved in the upcoming elections.
Thank you to everyone who joined us at our general meeting last week! We are proud of what RaisingVoicesUSA has accomplished, and we hope you are as energized for the months ahead as we are.
Here’s how you can take action and get involved this week.
Engage
Get caught up from our September meeting.
At our meeting on September 26, we provided a snapshot of everything we accomplished during the summer months and a roadmap for how we are moving forward as an organization. We also heard an inspiring presentation from Dr. Andrea Libresco from Hofstra University on the power of civic engagement. (And we did enjoy some sheet cake)! Read the minutes to get brought up to speed.
Attend an upcoming RaisingVoicesUSA event.
We’ll be holding a park clean-up event on October 21 [?] at [need location] – bring family and friends to help beautify our green spaces!
And be sure to mark your calendar for our next general meeting on October 24, which will include a special panel with members of the Hispanic Brotherhood of Long Island [confirm name].
Educate
Get ready to vote in local elections in November.
With Election Day fast approaching in New York, it’s important to get to know the candidates on the ballot. The RaisingVoicesUSA website has a number of resources to help you get informed:
A schedule of candidate forums being hosted throughout Nassau County. Candidate forums are an opportunity for you to hear directly from candidates about where they stand on key issues.
Candidate responses to our questionnaire on 5 critical issues for residents of the Rockville Centre area. [do we have a link for this?]
Links to organizations and resources with helpful information for voters.
Learn about New York State Amendment Proposals
In addition to the candidates, there are three key amendments on the ballot in New York State, including one that, if passed, would result in a constitutional convention.
Empower
Support hurricane relief efforts in Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria has devastated Puerto Rico’s infrastructure, and relief organizations are facing several challenges as they work to deliver aid and basic supplies to the region. American citizens in the region are in dire need of our help.
See How You Can Help Hurricane Victims
Keep raising your voice!
We know that raising your voice isn’t always easy. But we also know that it works. Since RaisingVoicesUSA began last year, we have written thousands of postcards, made calls, visited our legislators, marched and demonstrated, and we have seen the results of our collective efforts as multiple efforts to repeal the ACA have been defeated and we have held our elected officials accountable for sensible immigration reform.
We’re just getting started, and we’ll continue to need your help! Visit our website for educational resources on our priority issues, information on how to get in touch with your elected officials, and materials to host your own postcard party!
Thank you to everyone who participated in last week’s Vigil for Charlottesville. If you missed the vigil, we have a full recap here, including press coverage of the event. A special thank you to our co-sponsors, Central Synagogue-Beth Emeth, Indivisible of RVC, NYS Assembly Member Brian Curran, NYS Senator Todd Kaminsky, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, R.V.C., United Church of Rockville Centre, the Village of Rockville Centre, and Vineyard Church. Your involvement was a powerful display of community and a reminder of how powerful we are when we raise our voices in unison.
These tensions and this struggle will not go away quickly or quietly. It is vital to keep speaking up against racism, intolerance, and hatred.
Ways to take action this week:
The events this past weekend in Charlottesville left millions of Americans stunned, horrified, and deeply troubled. It is in the aftermath of such events that we must come together and raise our voices to stand up for what we believe in.
To those who marched, joined a rally, or went to a vigil this weekend, we thank you for your action. And if you can’t attend an upcoming event, there are still many ways to condemn hatred, racism, and intolerance.
Ways to take action this week:
Speak out against hate.
Learn the history behind what’s happening with North Korea.
Before the events in Charlottesville, tensions with North Korea were dominating the headlines. If you’re unsure of how we got to this point, or want a refresher on the history of diplomatic relations between the US and North Korea, this article will walk you through the milestones and help explain the current tensions.
After a tumultuous summer session, our elected officials are heading home for the August recess. We encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity to connect and share your priorities with your legislators!
Ways to take action this week:
Make the most of the August recess.
Make sure you know who your elected officials are and where they maintain a local office. Find your legislators.
Once you have this information, consider scheduling a legislative visit. Want to make sure your visit is productive? This tip sheet will help. Note that while you may not meet with your legislator, the legislative staff can be extremely helpful and are good contacts to maintain throughout your elected official’s term.
Find and attend a Town Hall. Town Halls are an opportunity to speak in a public forum with other members of your state or district. While most coverage of Town Halls has focused on their contentious tones, these meetings can be productive ways to show support for or dissent with your legislator’s position on key issues. The Town Hall Project maintains a list of known meetings. See if your legislators will be holding a Town Hall near you.
Please note that regular RaisingVoicesUSA meetings will resume in September, but we will continue to send you weekly action updates.
Last week, we had a moment to exhale as the Senate announced that they would go back to the drawing board in their push to pass a new healthcare policy. However, there is a possibility that the Senate may vote as early as this week on a repeal-only option. As we get more information, we will reach out about any urgent action updates.
As the healthcare debate has shown us, informed civic engagement has the power to effect tremendous change. We encourage you to visit both our core issues pages and our news section, where we will continue to provide resources that can help you stay informed and engaged.
The more we know about core issues, the more involved we can become in shaping legislation.
Ways to take action this week:
Learn about the new sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea proposed by Congress
This week, Congress is expected to vote on legislation that would impose sanctions on Russia, Iran, and North Korea. Learn more about the proposed sanctions, their impact, and what happens once Congress votes on their bill.
Make sure you never miss a local election
Did you know that only 57% of eligible voters cast a ballot in the 2016 elections? Chicago-based political organization NewFounders recently launched EveryElection, an app that wants to help more people get to the polls. Available for iPhones (with Android and web-based versions in development) EveryElection will keep you updated on local, state, and national elections and will help you get to your nearest polling place. Download it today.
Behind the strength and consistency of your advocacy, the healthcare bill likely will not be up for a vote anytime in the near future. Thank you to everyone who took action and raised your voice in support of common sense healthcare legislation!
As the Senate works to develop another version of the bill, we encourage you to shift your focus to other key issues that require all of our voices. We will continue to keep you informed if urgent action is needed, and we thank you for your efforts!
Ways to take action this week:
Understand what’s at stake with Net Neutrality
The FCC is getting ready to make a decision about the future of Net Neutrality. Want to know what Net Neutrality is and why it matters? Click here to learn more.
From now until the summer Congressional recess, healthcare will take center stage. The House version of the bill was widely discussed, with details from the final bill revealed to the public well in advance of the final vote. In contrast, the Senate has been working behind the scenes to shape a bill that will strip healthcare from millions of Americans and leave our most vulnerable citizens at risk. Now is the time to increase our advocacy efforts.
Thanks to everyone who attended our meeting last week! While we will not reconvene in a general meeting until September, we will continue to send weekly emails and inform you of smaller local events hosted by RaisingVoices committees.
We are excited about the future of RaisingVoicesUSA and are grateful to each and every one of you for your involvement and commitment to advocacy and action.
The Senate is trying to pass their version of a healthcare bill with no public input. You can explore what the American Healthcare Act would mean for your state here. The good news is that public input and pressure have the power to sway senators. Wednesday, June 14 is a national call-in day for healthcare. Click here for scripts that detail what to say to your elected official about the future of healthcare in our country.
At our final meeting before the summer break, we shared an update on RaisingVoicesUSA at our six-month mark, including a path forward for the group. We also heard from Joann Smith, the President & CEO of Planned Parenthood Nassau County. Click here to read through our minutes and to review Joann’s informative and inspiring presentation.
In New York State, the proposed Gender Expression Non-Discrimination Act (GENDA) would make it illegal to discriminate against people because of their gender identity or expression. Nineteen other states currently have gender identity and gender expression written into their anti-discrimination and hate crime legislation, but for six years, the New York State Assembly has passed GENDA only to see it defeated by the State Senate. Most recently, GENDA failed in a New York State Senate committee, and the fear is that it will not come up for a vote again until 2019. Click here to find your senator’s contact information and tell them to make passing GENDA a priority of this legislative session.
Congress is in its final push before a long summer recess, which means we need to focus our advocacy over the next two months. While healthcare and the budget are the federal priorities, closer to home, we can still raise our voices for the environment despite the announcement that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Agreement.
We also have a packed events calendar. Our next meeting is tomorrow, where we will provide updates on our plans for the summer and beyond, and will hear from the President and CEO of Nassau County Planned Parenthood JoAnn Smith. On Friday, June 9, the LGBTQ committee is hosting an evening of advocacy. And be sure to save the date for a film screening hosted by the Unity and Diversity committee on June 15.
Details on all events are included at the bottom of this email, and on our website.
We look forward to seeing you!
Last week, President Trump announced that the United States will withdraw from the Paris Agreement. While this is discouraging news, there are still many ways we can advocate for the environment. Indivisible has put together a comprehensive guide to acting locally to support responsible environmental policies. Learn more about local actions you can take here.
The President’s proposed budget clearly indicates the administration’s funding priorities, but the final budget will be determined by our elected officials. Now is the time to make your priorities clear to them. Find your elected officials’ contact information here.
The Senate has been extremely quiet as they create their version of the American Healthcare Act. It’s important that we remind our elected officials that we are closely watching what they are doing, and that we will not accept a healthcare plan that penalizes Americans with pre-existing conditions and puts our most vulnerable populations at risk. This guide from Indivisible outlines the ways you can raise your voice and advocate for a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system. Find your elected officials’ contact information here.
Friday, June 9, 2017, 7-9 pm
United Church of Rockville Centre
430 Morris Avenue, Rockville Centre
RSVP by replying to this email or to jill76@gmail.com
Thursday, June 15 2017, 6:45 pm
Wilson Elementary School
Buckingham Road, Rockville Centre
The Family Next Door follows a year in the life of the Lund family who have two children with autism. Through the presentation of this film and the discussion that will follow, we hope to further our mission of inclusion and hope that it will serve as a tool for promoting awareness and initiating action.
RSVP by replying to this email.
With State Senator Todd Kaminsky and State Assemblyman Brian Curran
The 2016 ratification of the Paris Agreement was an unprecedented global response to climate change. The Agreement’s 143 signatories, including the United States, formally committed to reducing their greenhouse gas emissions to slow the pace of climate change. Today is the day to call your elected officials, including the President (202-456-1111). When you reach them, urge them to make the environment a higher priority than the interest of large fossil fuel companies. Find your members here.
The President released his proposed budget last week, and now the negotiation process begins between him and Congress. You can read more about the proposed budget here. Your elected officials will ultimately decide the fate of the budget. Contact them and urge them to consider your funding priorities in the final version of the budget.
The House vote on the American Healthcare Act is not the end of the healthcare debate. The bill now moves to the Senate, where it will be revised. This guide from Indivisible outlines the ways you can raise your voice and advocate for a more equitable and compassionate healthcare system. As the Senate develops their own version of a healthcare bill, they need to see that we will hold our elected officials accountable for their votes, and they do need to hear from us. Find your elected officials’ contact information here.
