Take Action

"Action is the antidote to despair." --Joan Baez

Harpswell Indivisibles Take Action


WELCOME TO OUR UPDATE OF EVENTS

This week we mourn the senseless and horrific murders in a grocery store in Colorado. The Colorado mass shootings followed the tragic killings in Georgia less than a week before. What can you do? Take action now in support of Harpswell Indivisible Nacole Palmer’s work establishing the Show Up Network—SUN—for Gun Safety, a subgroup of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition. Nacole reminds us that emailing, calling legislators, and showing up at the State House (via Zoom for now) are crucial in moving our legislators to take action on gun safety. To sign up for the Show Up Network click here.


BREAKING “Election integrity” are Republicans’ new code words for voter suppression. This is not just happening in Georgia and Texas! Maine Republicans have proposed a number of voter suppression bills before the Maine Legislature including three photo ID bills, LDs 253, 557 and 1083, and four bills to curtail Clean Elections, including LD 921, which proposes to eliminate Clean Elections funding for gubernatorial candidates. Public hearings on these bills are scheduled for the following Wednesday, April 7. WATCH THIS SPACE!



EVENTS HAPPENING THIS WEEK

Monday, March 29, 10:00 am, Public Hearing on LD 680: To Reestablish the Task Force To Study the Creation of a Comprehensive Career and Technical Education System. Sponsored by Senator Mattie Daughtry. http://legislature.maine.gov/committee/#Committees/EDU


Tuesday, March 30, 11:30 am-12:30 pm, Offshore Wind Energy and Birds. This is part of a 4-part online webinar series, Offshore Wind Energy and Maine. Jenny and Beth highly recommend it. To register: https://maineaudubon.org/events/


Wednesday, March 31, 7:00-8:00 pm, The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine is hosting Racism Is A Virus: Panel Discussion on The Asian American Youth Experience in Maine


Thursday, April 1, 6:00 pm, University of Maine Law School is hosting a Public Forum on LD2, An Act to Require the Inclusion of Racial Impact Statements in the Legislative Process, signed into law last week by the Governor. Maine joins seven other states in requiring racial impact statements. The Forum presents a distinguished panel that includes:

  • Rep. Rachel Talbot Ross, Sponsor of LD 2

  • Rashmi Dyal-Chand, Professor and Associate Dean, Northeastern University School of Law

  • Meagan Sway, Policy Director of the Maine ACLU

  • Angela Onwauachi-Willig, Dean of Boston University School of Law.

Register and learn more about this event. Please note the Forum is free, but registration is required.


TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES: DEEP CANVASSING & MORE

Many organizations are offering opportunities in the skill/art of having meaningful conversations with people you disagree with. Here are a few options:

Indivisible Northern New England: Unpacking Deep Canvassing Training

Swing Left: Deep Canvassing Training with Planned Parenthood

League of Women Voters of Maine: Multiple Trainings on National Popular Vote & Other Issues