FEATURED IN THIS MONTH'S MVCAN NEWSLETTER (10/1/21)
UPCOMING EVENTS
WOMEN'S RIGHTS MARCH SAN FRANCISCO THIS SATURDAY! OCTOBER 2 at 11 am. JOIN US!
CRITICAL VIRGINIA ELECTIONS IN NOVEMBER - HELP MOBILIZE VOTERS
SUPPORT THE NOAH GRIFFIN CAMPAIGN - TIBURON TOWN COUNCIL SPECIAL ELECTION COMING UP IN NOVEMBER
CONGRESSMAN JOSH HARDER FUNDRAISER - Wed, Oct 6
AIRLIFT GRASSROOTS LEADERS’ SPEAKER SERIES - starting Oct. 19th
WORLD CAFE EVENT - MVFREE sponsored - Thurs, Oct 28
WHERE WE'VE BEEN & WHAT WE’VE DONE
MVCAN AND MARIN ACTIVISTS HAVE HUGE LOCAL SUCCESS WITH “NO ON RECALL” VOTE
WITH MVCAN SUPPORT, MV CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO MOVE FORWARD ON AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT
PASSAGE OF CRITICAL CALIFORNIA STATE HOUSING BILLS SB 9 AND SB10
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WOMEN’S RIGHTS MARCH SF - OCTOBER 2
MVCAN will be marching this Saturday at the Women’s March for Reproductive Justice in San Francisco. Come join us! Numbers count!
If you want to march together, MVCANers will be “pre-meeting” at 10:45 am where we’ve previously met at the parking garage elevator building on the north side of Civic Center Plaza. The march begins at 11 am at the corner of Grove and Hyde and proceeds down Market St to the Ferry Building. It’s fun to go as a group, but if you don’t make the meet up, look for your fellow MVCANers in the march!
This is a Covid-Safe event: masks and social distancing are required, and there will be no rally before or after the march.
WOMEN'S MARCH SAN FRANCISCO
Saturday, October 2, 2021
11:00 AM - 12:30 PM
San Francisco Civic Center Plaza (map below)
REGISTER FOR THE WOMEN’S MARCH: HERE
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ELECTORAL: VIRGINIA STATE ELECTIONS, NOV 2
LET’S GET THE VOTE OUT NOW!
We nearly lost our CA Governor to the Republican Recall, but thanks to all of our dedicated volunteers calling, texting, canvassing and donating, we were able to prevail by mobilizing our Democratic base.
We have now been called upon to help another blue state, Virginia, which has off- year state elections. We need to hold on to one of our hard-won Democratic governorships and defend the slim Democratic majority in their state legislature. And we must make our voices heard to stop the Republican assault on reproductive rights.
Trump's candidate for VA Governor is statistically tied with former Governor McAuliffe. The Democratic majority in the state legislature is slim. We cannot allow Republicans to flip the VA state government and obliterate the progress VA Democrats have made in voting rights, women's reproductive rights, gun legislation and battling Covid.
Join in with a Bay Area coalition of experienced fellow activist leaders to lead Keep Virginia Blue phone banks Wednesdays and Saturdays through Election Day, Nov. 2.
TO KEEP VIRGINIA BLUE:
Phone Banks
Saturdays at 10am (PT) and Wednesdays 1pm (PT)
Register HERE
TEXTING TO VIRGINIA VOTERS
Sign up HERE
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SPECIAL NOVEMBER ELECTION for TIBURON TOWN COUNCIL- HELP THE NOAH GRIFFIN CAMPAIGN & SPECIAL EVENT
Noah Griffin has taken a prominent role in advocating for racial and social justice in Tiburon. The Belvedere/Tiburon Community Action Network (BTCAN), a community partner organization to MVCAN, has endorsed Griffin for the Tiburon Town Council seat. Noah has also been endorsed by Congressman Jared Huffman.
The Belvedere-Tiburon Community Action Network (BTCAN) believes Noah to be the most qualified and best candidate to step into a leadership position in Tiburon. Being a relationship builder and having already earned the endorsements of Tiburon Mayor Thier and Vice Mayor Wellner, he is poised to unlock some of the decision-making gridlock on the 5 member Council. Noah’s background in communications and public affairs, and his community service and leadership record are exceptional.
Whether you live in Tiburon or not please help support Noah Griffin!
You can find out more about Noah’s campaign and/or donate: HERE.
HELP GET OUT THE VOTE!
Help build Noah’s support by canvassing in Tiburon (on the weekends of Oct 16 and Oct 23) or by phone banking starting next week. To volunteer, contact Susan Bolle at 415- 250-1396.
You can also help Noah by sending postcards. Contact Carol Korenbrot at carol.korenbrot@gmail.com (415-497-0820 cell/text).
GET TO KNOW NOAH IN AN INTERVIEW WITH LIVELY DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION TASK FORCE MEMBER, RUBEN KALRA.
Dr. Ruben Kalra (left) and Noah Griffin (right)INTERVIEW WITH NOAH GRIFFIN
October 7th, Thursday 7pm - 8pm
Register for the virtual event HERE.
Note: Tiburon Town Council Mail Ballots are going out Oct 2!
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JOSH HARDER FUNDRAISER - Wed. Oct 6, 5 pm
Join in a Virtual Fundraiser For Congressman Josh Harder (CA-10, Modesto) with Special Guest Congressman Jared Huffman.
VIRTUAL FUNDRAISER FOR CONGRESSMAN JOSH HARDER 
Wednesday, Oct. 6, 5 - 6pm
To RSVP and donate in one step, please register HERE
Congressman Harder needs our financial help to hold his seat -- NOW.
The midterms are approaching quickly, and 2022 will be Congressman Harder's most difficult race yet. We have stood by his side for the past 4 years, canvassing Tracy and Modesto, calling CA-10 voters and fundraising for his campaign. CA-10 is our geographically closest battleground district. Josh’s district is in real jeopardy: a majority voted for the Republican Recall of Governor Newsom -- and Biden won his district by only 1.6% in 2020. Josh has been targeted by the Republican National Committee who are pouring money into his district--and he is polling 7 points behind a generic Republican candidate.
Our fundraiser will help expand an essential Latin Constituency program and implement a "Stacey Abrams" model of organizing in the Valley.
Note: Donations of any kind are welcome and no donation is necessary to attend this event. Just RSVP to events@harderforcongress.com to register without donating.5
AIRLIFT: UPCOMING GRASSROOTS SPEAKERS
“FROM THE FRONTLINES”
Join Us for our Fall 2021 Series: “From the Frontlines”
Save the Dates!! (All events start at 5 pm PT)
After the election results in Georgia in 2020, people began to understand the power of grassroots organizing to actually win elections. It is this work that Airlift selected groups do every day all year-round. Find out for yourself. Meet the leaders working every day on the ground in key battleground states. Learn how your tax-deductible investment now can help them grow new leaders, fight for their voting rights and develop political power in 2022.
Sign up for the Airlift newsletter, “The Drop” to get more info on upcoming “From the Frontlines”events: HERE.
Frontline Events Fall :
OCTOBER: Carolina Federation: Developing New Leaders, Oct 19th:— Three inspiring leaders will join us in conversation to let us see how leadership development activities expand their political base and create permanent engagement teams. Join us to understand how your tax deductible donations can be made to these educational activities that play an important role in helping to win state level seats, combat voter suppression and set the course for a more progressive North Carolina.
You can Sign Up Now for the October 19 “From the Frontlines” Event!
NOVEMBER: MOVE Texas: Fighting for Voting Rights, Nov 16 —“What is taking place in the Lone Star State is why we keep preaching that statewide and local elections matter,” Nse Ufot, Executive Director of New Georgia Project.
DECEMBER: Winning Strategies for 2022, Dec 14th — An exciting opportunity to meet Dan Pfeiffer, former Senior Advisor to Obama, Co-host Pod Save America, and author of Message Box, a newsletter about political strategy. Dan will join us in an absorbing conversation about what it will take in terms of grassroots organizing to win in 2022.
Questions about Airlift? See a brief overview video about AIRLIFT: We are Airlift
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SAVE THE DATE - WORLD CAFE EVENT - Thurs, Oct 28 sponsored by MVFREE
(Mill Valley Force for Equity and Empowerment)
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Help spark collaborative community action towards racial equity in Marin!
Virtual Event: Building Belonging in Mill Valley - World Cafe Conversation
Thursday, October 28th, 6:45 - 9:00 pm.
For the Mill Valley local event: REGISTER HERE
Don’t miss this opportunity for community conversation on Zoom. The “World Cafe” is a provocative metaphor enabling us to see new ways to make a difference in our lives and work. The power of conversation is so invisible and natural that we usually overlook it. Participating in the World Cafe encourages us to become aware of the power of conversation as a key process in all aspects of our lives, so that we can use it more effectively for our mutual benefit to bridge social, ethnic and cultural gaps between people.
A safe space for guided talks with your neighbors about belonging in Mill Valley. Learn more in general about World Cafe style conversations.
WHERE WE’VE BEEN & WHAT WE DID
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LOCAL SUCCESS WITH “NO ON RECALL” ELECTION
A big thank you to all the volunteers who called, canvassed, texted, wrote postcards, waved signs on the freeway overpass and donated to Stop the Recall of Governor Newsom!
Approximately 64% of all CA voters voted “No” as well as a full 85% of Marin voters who voted “No”. Our dedicated team of Democracy Action/MVCAN phone bankers helped make 2.3 million calls and had >200,00 contacts with voters in just 7 weeks!
Our Democracy Action/MVCAN canvassers visited over 1,500 Southern Marin residences with 2,700 voters in the last two weekends before the election, targeting likely anti-recall voters who had not yet returned their ballots. Many thanks to our Canvass team leaders Larry Litvak, Bill Jansen, and Susan Bolle and their 35 awesome volunteers!
This was a short runway to an election, and at the beginning we faced the disastrous possibility of a low turnout from a democratic base that was apathetic and unaware of the election. We turned the tide in late August and built momentum all the way through election day. The 55% turnout for this off-year, off-month special election was high (usually special elections get 25-30%), almost as high as the 2018 midterms.
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MILL VALLEY CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO ADVANCE ONE HAMILTON DRIVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROJECT
At the September 21 Mill Valley City Council meeting, the Council voted unanimously to move forward on the proposed 40 unit affordable housing near the MV public safety building. They voted to authorize staff to negotiate an agreement for the City to engage non-profit developer EAH Housing to help develop the project. EAH is a Marin based, highly regarded affordable housing developer that over several decades has created thousands of high quality housing units.
In favor of the vote, many affordable housing supporters from MVCAN and the community expressed their enthusiasm for the project. Many letters and in person public comments were submitted and gave the strong impression of affirmative resident backing.
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PASSAGE OF CALIFORNIA STATE HOUSING BILLS SB 9 AND 10
Several important bills designed to increase the supply and diversity of housing in California were recently passed and signed into law. Chief among these were Senate Bills 9 and 10. Senate Bill 9 makes it legal to build duplexes on lots zoned for one house statewide; the law also allows property owners to split their lots into two separate parcels. Senate Bill 10 makes it easier for cities to approve zoning changes for small apartments in neighborhoods currently zoned for single houses.
We are pleased these bills were passed. Our own Senator Mike McGuire co-sponsored and championed SB 9 and supported SB 10. MVCAN lobbied our Assemblymember Marc Levine to vote for both these bills; while he did end up supporting SB 10, Levine unfortunately voted against SB 9.
The passage of the SB 9 and 10 bills should go a long way in improving affordable housing on a state-wide level!
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JOIN AN ACTION TEAM
WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED in a specific issue or support area? Much of MVCAN's work is done in one of our 10 awesome action teams. Click the team name to read their latest news and find their next meeting.
Civil Rights/Immigration battles for justice and fair treatment of women, immigrants, working people and followers of all faiths.
Communications works on strategy, branding, messaging and program development for MVCAN. They are looking for bright ideas and people who want to make them happen.
Eco Team are engaged in change at the local, state and national levels, to impact the CA carbon tax, climate change, and community outreach and action.
The Economic Action team runs AIRLIFT, our first national project. AIRLIFT funnels money to grassroots groups in winnable 2018 districts. These are seriously vetted groups that work all year round in their communities–they get tangible results without blowing through millions of dollars. Read about Airlift in the Huffington Post .
Electoral The Electoral Team is phone banking, texting and sending postcards to pass voting rights legislation in Congress and win Special Congressional Elections-- all laying the groundwork for the 2022 Midterms. Our team of experienced electoral leaders will coach you from start to finish, providing you with the background you need to talk with voters.
The Events team creates special events to engage our friends and neighbors to take political action with MVCAN.
Health Care is forging ahead after their successful fight over the repeal/replace of ACA.
Tech supports MVCAN through technology.
Women's Rights fundraises and canvasses for NARAL and Planned Parenthood; supports women in public office(s); and engages in local, state and federal legislation for women's protection and rights.
NEW TO MVCAN?
Visit MVCAN.org to learn about the organization and strategies, join a team, read past MVCAN newsletters, and gain helpful Resistance tools.
WANT TO VOLUNTEER YOUR SKILLS OR TALENTS?
Numerous positions and jobs are available – one-time or ongoing. Contact volunteer@mvcan.org.
Thank you for all you do!
– June, Bernard, Eileen, Rebecca, and everyone at MVCAN
MVCAN News brought to you by June, Annie and Eileen
