Immigrant Rights | Re-Opening Libraries | Get Out The Vote! | Free Gaza People of Faith e-newsletter August 9, 2008 CONTENTS 1. Rally for Immigrant Rights, Re-Opening Libraries, Hartford, 8/11 2. Nonprofits, Voting & Elections, Hartford, 8/14 3. Primary Election Endorsements by LMF PAC 4. Free Gaza: Break the Siege 5. Talking Points for Immigrant Rights and Re-Opening Hartford Libraries = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 1. Rally outside Hartford City Hall for Immigrant Rights, Open Libraries, Retiree Healthcare and Board of Ed Jobs Monday, August 11, 2008 550 Main Street 5:30 PM City Council Meeting To Vote on Immigrant Rights Ordinance Speak Out To Re-Open the Mark Twain & Blue Hills Branches City Council Meeting Starts 6:30 PM Second Floor The ordinance would require all city services to be available to all, regardless of immigration status and would ensure that immigrants in Hartford could cooperate with the police without fear of deportation. See bottom of this message for talking points on both issues plus contact information of Hartford City Council Members. Download "Re-Open Our Library" fliers: http://www.faithCT.org/pdfs/open_our_libraries.doc = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 2. Nonprofits, Voting and Elections Thursday, August 14, 2008 6:00 - 8:00 p.m., dinner available at 5:30 Church of the Good Shepherd 155 Wyllys Street, Hartford Learn about: *the role of nonprofits organizations in getting people registered to vote *the voting rights of people who have been previously incarcerated *strategies for overcoming the barriers to voting RSVP to Renae Reese at the Connecticut Center for a New Economy at 860-280-7320 or renae@ctneweconomy.org The Civic Leadership Institute of Connecticut is a project of CCNE Check out www.nonprofitvote.org = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 3. LMF PAC is proud to announce our endorsements for the Tuesday, August 12th primary election: House of Representatives: Hector Robles (Hartford, Democrat, 6th district) Gary Winfield-Holder (New Haven, Democrat, 94th district) Susan Johnson (Windham, Democrat, 49th district) Rep. Deborah Heinrich (Madison and Guilford, Democrat, 101st district) Senate: Sen. John Fonfara (Hartford and Wethersfield, Democrat, 1st distrcit) Duane Perkins (Danbury, Bethel, New Fairfield and Sherman, Democrat, 24th district) These candidates need your support. Please contact LMF PAC at 860-525-7777 or e-mail pac@lmfct.org for information on how to volunteer for a pro-equality candidate in your area. = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 4. Free Gaza The situation of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip is deteriorating. Gaza Cannot Wait Any Longer. And Neither Will We. Palestinians, Israelis, including a Holocaust survivor, and Internationals from 15 countries will sail to Gaza during this, the 60th-year anniversary of the Nakba. Break the Siege of Gaza! www.FreeGaza.org = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = 5. Immigrant Rights Talking Points Call or email City Council members with the following message (contact info below): Hello, my name is [say your name]. I am calling to ask council member [*insert name of council member you called] to vote in favor of passing the proposed immigration ordinance on August 11th at City Hall. The ordinance benefits all Hartford residents and has not been legally challenged in the cities across America that implemented similar laws. These cities have not been punished by the federal government after passing these laws with federal budget cuts to social and law enforcement programs nor seen increased immigration raids. Hartford should pass the ordinance for the safety of our city. It ensures that all our residents who contribute to its economy are able to have a voice and foster a trusting relationship with our police department that has no business enforcing federal immigration law by asking, detaining, or reporting a person solely based on their immigration status.Thank you. Keep Hartford Branch Libraries Open Talking Points Call or email City Council members with the following message (contact info below): Hartford is a poor city in a downturn economy and as such, is better served by decentralized libraries. Equal access to library resources is a basic tenet of the American Library Association. Closing branches removes access to essential services to the young and the poor. Refugees, immigrants, ex-offenders, and the unemployed need convenient access to a library. Neighborhood libraries can help improve Hartford's dismal literacy scores. System-wide reductions in hours and services can provide economies and continuation of core services until the whole system is financially strong again. City Council should state publicly that if the Board will reopen the libraries, the Council will commit the funds needed. -- Adapted from Brenda McCumber and Susan Hood Hartford City Council Contact Information: Please call the Mayor, Eddie Perez and the following councilors. Mayor Eddie A. Perez (860) 543-8500 Councilwoman Veronica Airey-Wilson vaireywilson@hartford.gov (860) 757-9575 Councilman Kenneth Kennedy, Jr. kkennedy@hartford.gov (860) 757-9571 Councilman Matthew D. Ritter rittm001@hartford.gov (860) 757-9572 Councilman Pedro E. Segarra segap001@hartford.gov (860) 757-9579 Assistant Majority Leader Calixto Torres ctorres@hartford.gov (860) 757-9576 Majority Leader rJo Winch rjowinch@hartford.gov (860) 757-9574 |