PNN’s mission is to engage, educate and empower our neighbors to make our City a better place to live. Here’s what’s coming up in each of these areas:
Engage: Ways to Protest "Moms for Liberty" Conference, Banned Books Read-In
Educate: Prison Documentary "No Way Home", Financing Philly's Future Redux
Empower: Collect Petition Signatures, State of Our Independence Discussion
Events to Protest "Moms for Liberty" Conference
Friday and Saturday, Details Below
Under the guise of "parents’ rights," Moms for Liberty chapters mobilize censorship campaigns targeting books and library materials dealing with race, gender, and sexuality. Its leaders seek to build political power and take over school boards by inflaming hostility toward teachers and school officials with dishonest and inflammatory rhetoric about critical race theory, and LGBTQ-affirming policies.
They opposed requiring masks or vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic and have become a political player in the increasingly authoritarian MAGA wing of the Republican Party. The Southern Poverty Law Center has deemed them an anti-government extremist group, for good reason.
The so-called ‘Moms for Liberty” are coming to Philly this weekend for their national convention, and we will be there to greet them with protests all over the city. Please join our allies and friends for one or more of these protests to show the true colors of democracy, freedom of speech, and liberty:
Grandparents for Truth. 12th & Market, June 30, Friday, 9AM-11AM. Join our allies People for the American Way and several other organizations for the launch of "Grandparents for Truth" as we speak out in protest of the “Moms for Liberty” conference taking place at the downtown Marriot. Register here or just show up.
All Day Dance Party Protest. 12th & Filbert, Friday & Saturday, 9AM-9PM. Hosted by ACT UP Philly and Young Communist League.
Rally for Freedom to Read. Parkway Central Library, 1901 Vine St, Friday, 12 PM. Sponsored by Indivisible, people will meet at the library and then march to the Marriott Hotel where all day protests are taking place.
Fabulous Families for Freedom Rally. 12th & Filbert, Saturday, 11AM-1 PM. Hosted by Philly Children’s Movement and Philly Childcare Collective.
Banned Book Read-In. 12th & Filbert, Saturday, 3:30 PM.
And if you want to make noise, bring your noise makers outside the Marriott on Friday at 7:30 AM when Ron DeSantis speaks and 4PM when Trump speaks.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
No Way Home - Documentary on Life Without Parole in Pennsylvania
Friday, June 30th, 6:30PM, Central Branch Library,1901 Vine Street
Join our friends from Amistad Law Project and CADBI for a riveting documentary called, "No Way Home - A Documentary on Life Without Parole in Pennsylvania & a Mother's Struggle to Reunite Her Family", which will be followed by a Town Hall discussion.
This film has been a year and a half in the making and features the story of progressive icon Mrs. Dee Dee and her son Phillip Ocampo, as well as commentary from Kris Henderson and Mike Lyons on the history of extreme sentencing in PA. Watch the trailer here.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
The State of Our Independence Panel Discussion
Monday, July 3rd, 6PM-8PM, 6306 Germantown Ave
Join us at the Johnson House at 6306 Germantown Avenue for a celebration and panel discussion of freedom, abolition and mass incarceration, as we celebrate our nation's anniversary. No need to sign up, just show up.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Help WFP Candidates Get on the Ballot for November
Immediate Request
We need to get the WFP candidates on the ballot by getting several thousand signatures on the nomination petitions by July 31st. We can do it if we all pitch in. So please sign up to help by clicking this link, and we will get you petitions and instructions on how to get them signed by voters.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
Financing Philly's Future Redux
This past Tuesday, the Public Banking Coalition spoke with public banking expert Walt McCree about the ways that a public bank can benefit our city. To watch this presentation, click the link below.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
This Week in History
July 2, 1964 – Civil Rights Act. On this day, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the historic Civil Rights Act during a nationally televised ceremony at the White House.
July 4, 1776 – U.S. is Born. The United States came into existence in our hometown, as the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain and its king.
Thanks for your activism!
Tim Brown, Organizing Director