Can we make immigrant children safe in schools?

You are invited to a community forum about the calls for a Safe Zone Resolution and Policy for immigrant students in Wake County Public School (WCPSS).

WCPSS Board members, County Commissioners, the Mayor and City Council members have been invited to listen to stories from immigrant students, families, and advocates about their experiences in schools in the current political climate, the increase in racist incidents, and the clarification of boundaries for School Resource Officers’ (SRO’s) interactions with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Durham Community rallying to protect Wildin Acosta, a student grabbed on his way to school one morning. Photo Credit: ABC News

 

The description is available in Spanish as well as English at the FB Page Event at 
https://www.facebook.com/events/517175588665368/

Upcoming events for May and June 2017

Here are some of the upcoming events around NC. 5/18/17 – Added the Health Care Moral Tuesday event on 5/23/17 and the Independent Judiciary Town Hall meeting on 5/25/17.

1) Tell Burr & Tillis: Special Counsel NOW!

There are many opportunities to reach Senators Richard Burr and Thom Tillis about the need for Congress to find Special Counsel to investigate Russian interference into the U.S. Presidential election. 

a) In May, people are protesting in front of Senator Thom Tillis’ office in Raleigh every Tuesday at 11:30am. Bring signs – and NOW signs are welcome! Go to 310 New Bern Avenue, Raleigh NC. You’ll see people. 

b) Senators Burr and Tillis are featured at an event in Raleigh on May 12, 2017 at the Sheraton Raleigh Hotel. Some people are going to protest there all day, basically.

Protest permit was issued for 11:30am to 9pm on Fayetteville St, by the hotel. The press conference will be at 4pm – so go at 3:30pm if you can.

Burr/Tillis Town Hall – their presence in posters only – on 3/5/17. Photo Credit: Sarah Sydney

Protesters demand that NC senators support a call to

First Community Voices Event With WMOR Organizers, March 29, 2017

It’s been almost two months since the Women’s March drew a half million protesters to Washington, an estimated 30,000 people to a sister rally in downtown Raleigh, and people to 12 more marches around NC that same day. The question on everyone’s mind – including the News & Observer is – “What next?”

Photo Credit: Carly Jones

At the James B Hunt Library at NC State University, four of the organizers of the Women’s March on Raleigh were asked to sit on a panel to answer questions from the N & O, as well as ABC11 and an audience of about 100+ people. Panelists were

Events week of 4/16/17, great tax march signs!

Did you go to any of the many tax marches that were around the country on 4/15/17? Buzzfeed captured some great signs.  There was wonderful coverage of the Tax March On Raleigh with HUNDREDS of people on many TV stations, including WRAL. See WRAL’s at “Raleigh ‘Tax March’ protesters demand release of Trump’s tax returns.” The News and Observer really low-balled the count in “Protesters say Trump keeping tax returns secret is worrying“, not clear why. 

Take Action on SCOTUS Nominee Neil Gorsuch NOW

NOW Urges that ​Senator(s) filibuster the confirmation of Neil Gorsuch and, should a filibuster fail, vote “no”.

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There are many things wrong with this man as a judge and worse as a Supreme Court justice.

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According to NOW, “Neil Gorsuch has a long history of hostility towards the claims of workers, consumers, children, immigrants, LGBTQIA people, incarcerated people, people with disabilities, and others seeking protection from the privileged and powerful. Equally disturbingly, “his track record on money in politics comes down decisively on the side of billionaire donors and big corporations.” As if that weren’t enough: Gorsuch has shown, through previous judicial decisions, that he is not a supporter of women’s rights, will not protect their access to birth control, nor their constitutional right to abortion through Roe v. Wade.”

Neil Gorsuch Photo Credit: Aaron Burnstein/Reuters

From another view, can you imagine the Republicans allowing Hillary Clinton to nominate someone to the Supreme Court while she was under investigation by the FBI and by Congress?

Why Tillis does not know what to expect at Town Halls

In “Tillis is open to town halls, minus shouting,” 3/6/17, N&O, Senator Thom Tillis alleges that people who go to his town hall meetings shout and call names, so he doesn’t go. In fact, he has not been to a town hall meeting this year (the $25 a head Durham Chamber of Commerce meeting on March 6 does not count, nor does the March 7th phone call he offered with only an hours’ notice on social media). It is natural he does not know what to expect.

Senator Tillis, we have been to two town hall meetings held in your honor, and you’ve got it all wrong.   

First, the people there are not scary or menacing. They look like, well, people. You don’t have to take our word for it though, there are lots of pictures online.

Speakers lined up at this town hall meeting to share their concerns and fears. Respectful pictures of Senators Tillis and Burr at front of room. Photo Credit: Sarah Sydney

NC Legislative Update #6 – 3/12/17

NC NOW legislative update #6 includes damage from the Trump administration’s new interpretation of Title IX, lawsuit updates, and bill tracking.

This Week

In light of the Trump administration’s new interpretation that Title IX does not allow transgender people to use the restroom consistent with their gender identity, the U. S. Supreme Court refused to hear the Virginia case concerning this issue.  The case was sent back to the lower court for reconsideration in light of the Trump administration’s new rule.  This non-decision will have the effect of making transgender bathroom rights a state-by-state issue.  The issues can still be challenged in federal court on constitutional grounds, but losing Title IX is a serious blow to framing a successful lawsuit.  The constitutionality of the new interpretation of Title IX could be challenged, but no suit on these grounds has been filed.  This refusal of the Supreme Court to rule in this case will impact both the North Carolina lawsuits and the effort to repeal HB2.  For more details, see:  http://www.newsobserver.com/news/nation-world/national/article136866748.html

No Shouting Yet in Town Halls Without Burr, Tillis and Holding

In “Tillis is open to town halls, minus shouting,” 3/6/17, N&O, Senator Thom Tillis said “he would host town hall meetings with constituents, but only if they were done without shouting or name calling.”  Some friends and I have attended 4 town halls between us in the past few weeks. All four town halls have all been orderly events filled with people who really want to talk about their concerns, or share their stories. We’ve heard no shouting in any of them, although three of the four were ones with absent elected officials – Congressman Holding and Senators Burr and Tillis were refusing to hold them. Congressman David Price held the fourth (actually Price is holding a round of town halls), and by many accounts, his constituents left feeling heard. But even if people do actually shout at a town hall meeting, it is part of Tillis’ job to face the consequences of his actions!

The coverage of the town hall meetings has been interesting. When CBS affiliate WNCN covered a town hall meeting in Apex absent Congressman George Holding, they covered it with the title “North Carolina congressmen avoid facing angry town hall crowds in person,” and showed people in larger town halls elsewhere sounding off. However, the Apex Town Hall meeting on Feb 23, 2017, was more than civil. The organizers allowed everyone to speak who wanted to speak. We heard from over 70 concerned constituents on a wide range of issues. Most people were from Apex. There were great energy and ideas flowing in the room! The coverage of people at the Apex town hall was accurate, but the framing of the story (starting with the title) may have been misleading

Photo Credit: Sarah Moncelle

So many friends old and new at HKonJ, a homegrown phenomenon!

We had an unbelievable turnout at the Moral March and HKonJ Assembly on 2/11/17, in Raleigh. According to signs and songs, people are upset with NC’s leadership, and also with chaos from the whitehouse, and unfit nominees being confirmed to 45’s administration despite valid arguments against them and many protests. One example is Betsy DeVos, and Senators Burr and Tillis ignoring their constituents. Read more in “Burr and Tillis: F for Fail!”

Marchers gathered at Memorial Auditorium, at 2 E. South Street, for speeches and singing, and marched together to the end of Fayetteville St, with the State Capitol in the background.

Hats and signs! Photo Credit: Elise Paliga

Update on Women’s Marches in DC and around US on 1/21/17

Organizing a national Women’s March on Washington in Washington DC has been an adventure. First, let us recognize that there is a lot of interest in protesting in DC. Asheville NOW filled a bus in less than a week. Charlotte NOW is filling one now. And there are about 20 buses from North Carolina alone. At first the organizers didn’t realize they absolutely needed permits, where to send the buses, etc. Then, when Alice Cohan, of Feminist Majority (formerly of National Organization for Women/NOW) jumped in to help get permits, they found out many groups tried for permits for that date and those places, and they were working through the process. Then things changed and all protesters were being blocked from using normal rally/protest sites like large sections of Pennsylvania Avenue, as well as the Washington Monument, the National Mall and the Lincoln Memorial! Now there is an update from that – we finally have a site. But here is some background on the process. Never discount a bunch of angry women!

Picture from the March for Women’s Lives in 2004. Raleigh NOW delivered 3 buses and Mandy Carter of SONG delivered another from Durham. Our 4 buses traveled together to the national march.