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: Holiday Toy Drive
Educate: Join a Working Group or Planning Team
Empower: Update on State House Attack on Philly's Sovereignty
State House/Shapiro Usurp Larry Krasner's Authority
Shamefully, the Pennsylvania House, by a vote of 159-44, has passed a bill that strips power from the Philadelphia District Attorney's office by creating a Special Prosecutor, who will have jurisdictional authority over any crime that takes place near a SEPTA stop, which is pretty much the whole city. And Philly has to foot the bill for this Special Prosecutor. Here is the bill.
Yesterday, Governor Shapiro signed this atrocious bill into law and, disgracefully, he's done it solely with a political calculation in mind - that at some point down the road he can point to this moment as him showing he is "tough on crime" to the rest of the state when he decides to run for president.
This is a cynical play by Shapiro that jeopardizes Philly's jurisdictional authority for his political benefit.
What You Can Do
Join the Rally at Monday Morning
If you can, please join us on Monday starting at 10AM to send a clear message that we will not stand for his political shenanigans. We're gonna make some righteous noise. We will send the details on location as soon as they are available.
Call the Governor
We are asking you to call the Governor's office at 717-787-2500 to leave a message telling him that we do not appreciate him using our city to score political points and that he should be a leader instead of pretending to be one. You can also text him at 717-788-8990, or write him using this link.
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Holiday Toy Drive
Donations Collected Until December 22nd
Philly Neighborhood Networks is working with Free the Ballot and others to help bring a little holiday joy to kids who have an incarcerated parent by providing toys, gift cards and clothes (pajamas, socks, coats, hats, scarves, gloves) to children 0-13 years of age this Christmas. If you would prefer to provide money, that's good, too.
Our allies will be collecting toys until Dec 22nd at the following locations and times:
Chill ‘N Cheers, 5835 Rising Sun Av (Every Day 12PM-10PM)
The People's Baptist Church, 5039 Baltimore Av
Lawncrest Rec. Center, 6000 Rising Sun Av (All Days, 1PM-8PM)
Truth Baptist Church, 4666 North 15th St (Tues 8:30-9:30AM)
Mother Zoar African UMC, 3259 North Broad St (Sun 10AM-1PM, Mon/Tue/Wed 10AM-2PM, Thur 12PM-3PM, call ahead to 215-225-2827)
Toys will be given out at Mother Zoar African UMC on Saturday, December 23rd from 10AM until 3PM. If you have questions, please reach out to Tim@phillynn.org
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Join a Working Group
More than 90 activists took part in our People's Summit at the end of September. It was there that we began our collaborative work on some of the biggest issues this city will face in the coming year. Activists came together around these major areas of concern - Housing Justice, Community Development, Climate Justice, and Schools & Public Institutions. Working Groups were formed to think through priorities, and start to develop SMART goals that will lead to very real successes for our city.
We cannot do this alone, so if you have any skills you can share and some time you can spare, we'd really appreciate your contribution to the greater good. Please take this moment to click on the link below and sign up for something!
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Become a Member of Our Planning Team
Want to be part of the team that figures out what movie we should run for our issues-based "Movie Nights"? Want to try your hand at writing a blog for our new website? Want to help plan an episode of our "Talking In the Neighborhood" radio show? Want to help plan and prepare creative presentations for our actions and events? Then become part of our Planning Team and help our community work. Email tim@phillynn.org for more information.
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Sign Up for the Philly Talks Trash Quarterly
Make a gift to the environment this holiday season by reducing waste locally and keeping waste out of pollution spewing landfills and incinerators. You can make eco-conscious decisions about what you choose to give and how you choose to wrap that gift. You can decide to use your own dishes, glasses and flatware for holiday gatherings instead of single use, disposable and non-recyclable service ware.
And of course, the holidays often means a lot of wasted food that could be avoided with good planning that includes how to keep what’s left over out of the trash. For more ideas and solutions please read the latest issue of the Philly Talks Trash Quarterly, a project of PNN’s Environmental Action Committee and the Plastic Reduction Task Force of Weavers Way.
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This Week in History
Dec 15, 1791 – Bill of Rights Becomes Law. On this day, the first ten amendments to the Constitution were ratified. These laws were designed to protect the basic rights of U.S. citizens, guaranteeing the freedom of speech, press, assembly, religion, and the right to fair legal procedure.
Dec 17, 1903 – First Flight. On this day, Orville Wright piloted the first successful airplane flight in Kitty Hawk, NC. While lasting only 12 seconds and 120 feet, this pivotal moment led the way for air travel as we know it today.
Dec 18, 1991 – GM Closes Plants in US. Demonstrating that what's good for GM is not good for America, General Motors announced it would shuttered 21 plants in the US, putting 74,000 Americans out of work.
Thanks for your activism!
Tim Brown, Organizing Director