FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S MVCAN NEWSLETTER (12/4/20):
UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIONS
ATTEND MILL VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO SUPPORT MILL VALLEY DEI TASK FORCE REPORT - Mon. Dec 7, 6:30pm
GEORGIA: GIVE TO AIRLIFT GEORGIA AND PHONE BANK FOR RUNOFFS JAN. 5
GIVE TO THE CANAL ALLIANCE COVID RELIEF/INFANT CARE DONATIONS
REPORT BACK FROM MARIN COUNTY TRUTH FORUM DEC 1
KUDOS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS & HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
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ATTEND MV CITY COUNCIL MEETING TO SUPPORT THE MAJOR FINDINGS FROM OUR MV DIVERSITY, EQUITY and INCLUSION TASK FORCE 2020 - Mon. Dec 7, 6:30 pm
On Monday, Dec 7 at 6:30pm, the Mill Valley Task Force on Diversity Equity & Inclusion (DEI) will present their compelling, comprehensive Report & Recommendations to the Mill Valley City Council meeting. This report represents a very significant milestone in Mill Valley’s efforts to correct the historic and persistent racial inequities in our community.
We need the MVCAN community to attend this virtual meeting and show our support for the new DEI Task Force’s efforts.
The Task Force has worked tirelessly since its formation on October 7, gathering and reviewing public input, assessing local needs and priorities, and researching anti-racist best practices throughout the nation. They have developed solid recommendations across six areas of our civic and community life: (1) DEI Leadership & City Government; (2) Law Enforcement; (3) Affordable Housing; (4) Culture & Recreation; (5) Economic Opportunity; and (6) Education.
TO READ THE FULL DEI TASK FORCE REPORT, GO HERE
ACTIONS TO SUPPORT THE DEI TASK FORCE:
ATTEND THE MILL VALLEY CITY COUNCIL MEETING - Mon, Dec 7, 6:30pm
TO REGISTER FOR THE VIRTUAL MEETING, CLICK HERE
A large attendance will help show the City Council that racial equity is profoundly important to our community. There will be a public comment period if you would like to make a statement.Please send an email to the City Council expressing your support for the Task Force Recommendations.
Send your email to the cityclerk@cityofmillvalley.org and apiombo@cityofmillvalley.org
Note: your personal experiences with racism in our community, and comments on any of the Task Force recommendations can be especially persuasive.
Sample email to support DEI Task Force:
Dear Mayor and City Council,
Thank you for supporting the creation of a Task Force on Diversity Equity and Inclusion. It is a small but important first step toward identifying and addressing Mill Valley’s historic and persistent racial segregation and inequities. For the sake of justice and the vitality of our community, we must commit to the serious ongoing work necessary to bring about systemic change.
I am writing to urge the Council to immediately undertake the two top priority initiatives in the DEI Task Force Report:
Establish a permanent Commission on Diversity Equity & Inclusion to provide dedicated DEI Leadership and shepherd the ongoing work.
Develop a strategic Racial Equity Plan that will place equity at the center of City government actions and decision-making and support the implementation of the DEI Task Force recommendations.
Let's transform our City into a model of racial justice and inclusion that we can be proud of.
Thank you for standing up for racial justice in Mill Valley! Please invite your friends and family to join us in this effort. Please write an email or attend even if you do not live in Mill Valley. These are important actions for all of Marin.
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GEORGIA JAN. 5 ELECTION: SUPPORT AIRLIFT GEORGIA FUND AND PHONE BANKING
As you know, the run-off in Georgia is our last chance to take control of the Senate, and we have a real shot at winning both races. Much of the credit is due to the remarkable work of grassroots groups in Georgia over the past ten years. They've built a strong infrastructure, have a robust strategy for election turnout and have proven their power with the victory of Joe Biden in Georgia. Critically, they are now able to canvass (safely) in person on a large scale to voters who would otherwise be hard to reach.
But they need our support RIGHT NOW as much as ever! MVCAN’s sister project Airlift has put together a dynamite Georgia grassroots group portfolio in order to optimally fuel the GOTV effort on the ground and reproduce the November 3rd turnout.
Give to the worthy groups Airlift is supporting so you can maximize the impact of your donations.
AIRLIFT TO GEORGIA ...PLEASE DONATE NOW
MARIN PHONE BANKING TO GEORGIA
This is it -- our only chance to flip the Senate and fire Mitch McConnell! With these two Georgia Senate seats we could immediately change the direction of our country in crisis.
Democracy Action Marin is holding Georgia Senate Run-Off phone banks every Saturday, 1-3pm through Jan. 5.
These next 3 phone banks are the most critical: the voter registration deadline is Monday 12/7 and Early Voting In-Person is 12/14-31.
REGISTER FOR ALL OUR PHONE BANKS: HERE
We are working with the Georgia Dems using a new and very effective phone bank tool we used during the Biden/Harris campaign. And we are once again partnering with Sister District Marin to offer Reclaim Our Vote calls to deregistered voters. We will be adding more phone banks over the next 4 weeks.
OR GO DIRECTLY: Georgia Run-Offs Phone Bank
Saturday, Dec 5 - 1-3pm
Sign up HERE
Call for Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock for U.S. Senat
Georgia Runoffs Phone Bank
Saturday, Dec 12 - 1-3pm
Sign up HERE
Call for Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock for U.S. Senate
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DONATE TO THE CANAL ALLIANCE:
IMMIGRANT CORONAVIRUS RELIEF FUND & INFANT SUPPLIES
"High-risk, high-poverty essential workers are facing multiple challenges that other groups are not," says Omar Carrera (above) who runs the Canal Alliance in Marin.
Your donation to the Canal Alliance will help hardworking and vulnerable immigrants put food on the table, pay for rent and utilities, and cover other urgent expenses. The Canal Alliance has been helping its community with great effectiveness and efficiency for many months now - let’s help them carry on!
How You Can Support Immigrants During the Holiday Season
Many Canal Alliance clients are hourly workers who face significant or total loss of income. And while school closures present challenges for all families, these challenges are exacerbated for low-income families – when schools operate by remote learning parents may need to stay home from work to provide child care, and children who lack access to the internet may be unable to keep up with their peers academically. You can help by donating to help families who have lost their jobs and income to purchase food, medication and diapers, or pay their rent and utilities.
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY TO HELP NEWBORNS/INFANTS AND THEIR FAMILIES: Donate needed infant supplies - the Canal Alliance is collecting DIAPERS (size 5-6), BABY WIPES, and VISA gift cards to help them bridge this difficult time.
The Canal office is open only for limited hours so donations can be dropped at the home of Barbara Rowe in Strawberry. Please call or email for address (barbrowe@aol.com, 415-686-1549/415-383-8006). Also, contact Barbara if a Terra Linda drop-off is easier for you.
Barb offers thanks to previous donors: “Thank you so much for responding to the needs of young families in the Canal during this Covid pandemic. We have been able to take many diapers and baby wipes up that you have donated.” Let’s keep up the good work!
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REPORT FROM MARIN COUNTY TRUTH FORUM 2020 - Dec 1
Lucia Martel-Dow speaking about an ICE (the agency that acts with impunity) pickup in Marin County.
The Marin Board of Supervisors met publicly with County Sheriff Doyle on Tuesday for his annual public report on the Marin County Jail and ICE interactions. The Canal Alliance’s Lucia Martel-Dow presented the Canal’s analysis and also described a shocking ICE arrest that took place from an unmarked van outside the jail this Monday about which the Sheriff claimed no knowledge.
As a result of the work of activists and the Canal Alliance, all ICE pick ups now happen outside the jail where they can be publicly observed, which is why we now have evidence of this kind of governmental cover-up activity (e.g., unmarked vans, men with NO IDs).
You can watch Lucia’s presentation (after the Sheriff’s) in the Truth Forum video archive at Board of Supervisors’ Special Meeting Dec 1. Lucia's riveting presentation starts around the 17 minute mark. (See photos with Lucia's words below from the teleprompter.)
In addition, the Marin IJ headlined a story on Dec 3 about the Truth Forum and the ICE arrest at the jail with more information. The story quotes Eileen Fisher, MVCAN lead, about her view of the sheriff’s actions. See the article in the Marin IJ: Marin Jail ICE pickup shakes up immigration forum.
This is the unmarked van parked right outside the jail waiting to take away the man.
A brave community member shot this video. His sister is crying as he is being taken away.
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AND SPECIAL THANKS TO ALL OUR VOLUNTEERS
FIRST - THANK YOU ALL FOR FOUR SOLID YEARS OF
DEDICATION, HARD WORK AND INSPIRATION!!!
Since the inception of MVCAN, hundreds of community members have worked together to stand up for democracy and the rule of law, as well as racial, economic, and environmental justice. With your help we have achieved one of our major goals and furthered our mission - the Biden/Harris team will be inaugurated on Jan 20!
We are so proud to be a critical part of this movement and take part in its growth and impact. And thank you to our amazing partners locally and nationally without whom we could not have done our important work! The depth and breadth of volunteerism is so massive we won't even try to cover it today. Suffice it to say “YOU ALL ROCK!!” and should relish our electoral and other victories.
AND FROM THE MVCAN TEAM:
WISHING YOU OUR VERY BEST FOR THE HOLIDAYS 2020
STAY SAFE!!
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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 hard at work to take back our country in battleground states all over the country this November...voters start voting in September! We're calling, texting and sending letters & postcards to defend our hard-won House seats, win the Presidency, and take back the Senate. Our team of experienced electoral leaders will help get you started to talk to voters to make sure they are registered and ready to VOTE THEM OUT. We feature Voter Communication training and we'll coach you every step of the way. Join us to take back our country!
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
