Coming this week, are a wide array of events including a Panel on Voter Engagement with former Mayor Wilson Goode, a Community Policing Teach-In, a City Budget Workshop, a Public Bank Town Hall, and an opportunity to call on PECO to move to local solar energy. But first, sign up now to take a shift on the phones to save our nation!
Sign Up for a Shift on the Phones!
We are 74 days away from Election Day and our need to reach out to our neighbors to get their commitment to vote continues to mount. We must win this election in a big way, so that you-know-who’s cries of “fraud” are buried under a mountain of ballots.Think about this: In 2016, 238,000 Philadelphians stayed home and Trump won the state by 44,292 votes. A lot of those non-voters were from our neighborhoods in NW Philly. So sign up to take a shift on the phones talking with your neighbors about why this election is so important. The momentum we build now will carry us to victory in November, so don’t put it off until later because later might be too late.
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Join Former Mayor Goode for Voter Engagement Panel, Aug 25th, 7PM
Former Mayor Wilson Goode will be the keynote speaker for an online event designed to share the strategies and tactics for successful voter engagement activities. Guest panelists include Tom Quinn from Philly Youth Vote, Tim Brown from Philly Neighborhood Networks, and Sheyla Street from Youth Vote and it will be moderated by the Committee of Seventy.
This event starts at 7PM and will be an opportunity for Committee Persons, Block Captains, civic and community organizations, and volunteers across Philadelphia to work through the best ways to reach voters, block by block in every neighborhood and division. The program will address effective COVID-safe outreach actions and discussion on voting safely from home.
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Community Policing Teach-In, Aug 25th, 6PM
What is Act 111? As national uprisings have brought more scrutiny to police departments, Pennsylvania faces a unique set of barriers to police accountability. Join us to learn more about Act 111, the Fraternal Order of Police, and the impact both have on our communities. This teach-in will take place on August 25th at 6PM To attend, please register here: https://www.mobilize.us/pastandsup/event/296465/ You will get access to the Zoom meeting after registration.
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“Take Back the Budget” Teach-In, Aug 27th at 6PM
Thousands of Philadelphians took to the streets this summer to demand #BlackLivesMatter, and as part of the uprising, residents turned demands on the city budget. This was an AMAZING surge of support across Philly to end racism in how our resources are allocated.
But how does the budget work exactly? What changes did we make this year, and how do we prepare to take the budget back next year? Join the Teach-In to learn more and plan how to #TakeBackTheBudget
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Public Bank Town Hall, Sep 1st at 7PM
The Philadelphia Public Banking Coalition, led by Philly Neighborhood Networks, will conduct a Town Hall to explain why public banking is an essential tool for community reinvestment of public funds. And you’ll learn of real-world opportunities to invest in people and programs that benefit all of us, not just Wall Street insiders. Join us for this free Town Hall on Creating a Philadelphia Public Bank.
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Tell PECO’s President – We Want Renewable Energy Now!
PECO customers have the option to choose a supplier that uses renewable energy, but PECO is currently opposing efforts to rapidly increase use of renewable energy – it is currently only required to draw 0.5% of its electricity from solar. We need to put pressure on PECO to commit to 100% renewable sources as rapidly as possible and with its electricity drawn from a mix of renewable energy, including solar projects from low-income neighborhoods in Philly.
ACTION: Call PECO President Michael Innocenzo at 215-841-4468. Tell him you are a City resident and urge him to move PECO to 100% renewable energy ASAP, to avert climate catastrophe. Demand that 20% of PECO’s electricity must come from locally produced solar power, prioritizing low-income neighborhoods around the City. Tell him to do it so that his grandchildren and ours can grow up in a healthy environment.
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This Week in History
Aug 21, 1959 – Hawaii Becomes State. The modern United States received its crowning star when President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed a proclamation admitting Hawaii into the Union as the 50th state. The president also issued an order for an American flag featuring 50 stars arranged in staggered rows: five six-star rows and four five-star rows.
Aug 24, 1814 – White House Burned. During the War of 1812 between the United States and England, British troops enter Washington, D.C. and burn the White House in retaliation for the American attack on the city of York in Ontario, Canada, in June 1813.
Aug 25, 2009 – Ted Kennedy Dies. Liberal Lion of the Senate Edward “Ted” Kennedy, one of the longest-serving senators in American history, and brother of John and Robert, died at his Hyannis Port home at the age of 77.
Thanks for your activism!
Tim Brown, Projects Organizer