PNN’s mission is to engage, educate and empower. Here’s what’s coming up in each of these areas:
Engage: Sign Up for Buddy Canvassing; Volunteer to Re-Elect Rep Rabb!
Educate: People's Budget Festival; Whole Home Repair Update
Empower: March for Abortion Rights
Read on to find out the when, where, and how.
What the SCOTUS Opinion on Roe Tells Us About Our Future
This week we learned from a leaked document that the religious authoritarians who now control our nation's highest court have set their sights on overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that gave American women control of their own bodies.
While hearing of the far right's intent in this manner is shocking, it comes as no surprise. We knew this day would soon be upon us, we knew that the last three nominees were on the Court to do this specific task, we knew that they misled the Senators about their intent during their hearings, and we know that this decision, likely to be formalized this summer, is just the first of many they will hand down that will dismantle our human rights, our legal recourse and our democratic processes - all in service to fundamentalists and oligarchs.
A woman's right to autonomy over her body, a citizen's right to choose their life partner, no matter their gender or color, a citizen's right to vote, and the right to privacy - all are being threatened by the radicals who have taken over our Court.
That's why we need your help this year to knock on doors to have good conversations about what's happening right in front of us and what we fear is to come; to put a mail-in ballot application in every possible voter's hands; and get everyone else to the polls - because if Philly turns out the vote we can take back our Senate seat and keep the Governor's mansion.
To be clear - if we lose the Governorship, the new Governor will sign whatever horrible new laws the radical Republican majority can conjure. Sign up to the canvas below.
If you can't physically participate in our work, then you can still do your part and donate to help staff the every-day work that we do as an organization. Go to the Donate link at the bottom of this email.
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Canvass with a Buddy!
Help Rep Chris Rabb Get Re-Elected to the PA House; Right Wing Billionaire Donates to Opponent!
We knew that Rep Chris Rabb was facing tough opposition from the political establishment, but now it was revealed that his opponent received $15,000 from right-wing billionaire Jeffrey Yass, a man who funds the Jan. 6th Insurrectionists, and wants to privatize public education.
Meanwhile, Rep Rabb has been fighting for important priorities like raising the minimum wage, fair funding for education, voting rights, and police accountability, and the establishment doesn’t like it. And to remain independent, Rep Rabb relies exclusively on individual donations and does not accept corporate or politician PACs to fund his campaign.
PNN endorsed Rabb, an unabashed progressive, because we believe he best represents the values and concerns that are most important to his constituents and to the abandoned communities in our city. The Primary election is only a few weeks away and we have a lot of work to do. But if you volunteer, you won't have to do the work alone.
Canvasses Every Weekend!
We will "buddy up" our canvassers to knock doors together, share the conversation, get the word out about Chris and other endorsed candidates, and make a new friend in the process. Just click the link below to volunteer for a canvass date and we’ll be in touch with you with all the information you’ll need. Thanks!
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"We Won't Go Back" March for Abortion Rights
Saturday, May 7th @ 4PM, 18th & Walnut St.
Join our allies from the Philadelphia Liberation Center for their "We Won't Go Back" rally and march for abortion rights this Saturday afternoon starting at the NW corner of Rittenhouse Square, 18th and Walnut St.
They will be joined by allies across the city to protest the leaked draft majority opinion by Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito, suggesting the supreme court will strike down Roe v. Wade (1973) which protected the right to an abortion nationwide. This is yet another attempt by unelected representatives of the ruling class to control women's bodies.
The Democratic Party controls congress and could legalize abortion in all 50 states, yet they refuse to act - now’s the time for we the people to rise up and let them know this will not be tolerated. Let's make sure they hear our voices in the streets!
Speakers and the march route will be announced soon.
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People's Budget Festival
Thursday, May 14th, 1-4 pm, Kingsessing Rec Center
Take a seat at the table to help us create the People’s Budget. Eat a delicious meal cooked by Mercado de Latinas and join a lively discussion about the city budget. Afterward, stay for live music and budget-related games.
While budgets are complex financial documents, they are also a mission statement for the city – a real-world accounting of officials’ priorities. Organizations that advocate for a just budget recognize that building a multi-issue and multi-racial coalition is necessary towards providing for all Philadelphians. Disproportionately, Black, Brown, and immigrant communities face a double-edged sword of underfunding, aggressive law enforcement, and environmental conditions that challenge their very survival.
A People’s Budget visualizes and reimagines the City of Philadelphia’s budget. Our budget asks how do we: exchange and steward, heal and protect our community, learn and grow, live and share space, and govern and administrate.
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Whole Home Repair Program Update
Wednesday, May 11th, 6-8PM, Virtual
Everyone has a right to a healthy home, but this unfortunately has not been guaranteed to many low-income renters and homeowners in Pennsylvanians who reside in housing with mold infestations, lead contamination, poor indoor air quality, and unsafe temperatures.
This is why Philly is fighting for a Whole Home Repair program, which would be a victory for climate, housing, and economic justice by creating family-sustaining and unionized jobs and protecting low-income renters and homeowners by guaranteeing safe and energy efficient housing.
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We're Looking for Organizers. We are currently accepting resumes for Organizing Staff (full/part) on Contingency Funding for c3/c4 electoral and community work. Send your interest to tim@phillynn.org
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This Week in History
May 6, 1935 – WPA Created. Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order creating the Works Progress Administration (WPA). The WPA was just one of many Great Depression relief programs created that put more than 3 million Americans to work.
May 9, 1960 – Birth Control Pill. On this day, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the world’s first commercially produced birth-control pill.
Thanks for your activism!
Tim Brown, Organizing Director