FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S MVCAN NEWSLETTER (2/21/20):

UPCOMING EVENTS AND ACTIONS

1. MVCAN MONTHLY MEETING - CONGRESSMAN JARED HUFFMAN IS OUR SPECIAL GUEST! - Sunday, March 8, 5pm - 6:30pm (New Venue: Tam Valley Community Center, not the MVCC) ALL WELCOME!

2. UPCOMING PHONE BANKS AND TEXT TRAINING

3. PLEASE SIGN UP WITH OUR MVCAN ELECTION VOLUNTEER FORM TO CONNECT TO ALL 2020 ACTIVITIES

4. MVCAN CIVIL RIGHTS/IMMIGRATION TEAM MEETING -
   Sun. March 8th 4pm- 5pm, NEW LOCATION:Tam Valley Community Center

5. VOTE NO ON MARIN MEASURE D (SAN GERONIMO GOLF COURSE)

6. CANVASS IN TRACY - Special GOTV Weekend for 2/29 - 3/3

7. WRITING POSTCARDS FROM HOME - RECLAIM OUR VOTE

8. BOOK PASSAGE PANEL WITH FOUR SPECIAL AUTHORS ON RACE AND ITS IMPACT ON ELECTIONS - Sunday, Feb 23

9. LOBBY DAY WITH MOMS DEMAND ACTION IN SACRAMENTO - Monday, March 16

SAVE THE DATE: APRIL MVCAN MONTHLY MEETING, SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 5PM

WHERE WE’VE BEEN AND WHAT WE DID

1. CHECK OUT MVCAN ENDORSEMENTS OF LOCAL CANDIDATES

2. FEBRUARY MONTHLY MEETING - GREAT TURNOUT FOR OUR SPECIAL SPEAKERS: ANDREA MILLER (NIRH) AND RENEE LINDE on Airlift

3. PACKED HOUSE FOR RECLAIM OUR VOTE FUNDRAISER WITH FOUNDER ANDREA MILLER

4. MVCAN HITS PHOENIX FOR PRESIDENT’S DAY VOTER REGISTRATION AND CANVASSING

1

MVCAN MARCH MONTHLY MEETING

Sunday, March 8, 5pm - 6:30pm, Tam Valley Community Center

203 Marin Ave (at Tennessee Valley Road) Mill Valley

NOTE: NEW VENUE TO ACCOMMODATE LARGER CROWD
All Community Members Welcome!

Join us for an exciting meeting with special guest speaker
Congressman Jared Huffman.

2

UPCOMING PHONE BANKS,TEXTING, AND TRAINING

TRAINING FOR VOTER TEXTING, Feb 29

TRAINING IN SPANISH FOR ACTIVISTS, Mar. 8

PHONE BANKS Feb 22, 29 and Mar 2, 14

Join MVCANers and the Democracy Action crew -- Susan Bolle and her fab team to phone and text for the 2020 Election Year! Please join us to call voters in AZ and CA. We have a lot of work to do to win in 2020!

Please bring your charged cell phone AND your laptop, iPad or tablet along with earbuds with a mic. And don’t forget your water bottle.

Phone Bank in Sausalito
Saturday, Feb 22, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sign-up: HERE

Phone Bank in Sausalito
Saturday Feb 29, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sign-up: HERE

Phone Bank In Corte Madera:
GOTV for the CA Primary Election
Monday, March 2, 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Sign-up: HERE

Phone Bank in Sausalito
Sat, Mar. 14, 3 pm - 5 pm

Sign-up: HERE

TRAINING

Spanish For Activists Training in Sausalito:  Sun., Mar. 8, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm  

Sign up HERE to learn more and register

Text Training - Dem Action in Sausalito
Saturday, Feb 29, 11:00am to 12:30pm
Environmental Voters Project Text Assignment
To RSVP, contact Corrie Sias, corriesias11@gmail.com

Last week our texters participated in texting to get out the vote for the Environmental Voter Project. The effort over the weekend sent out 220,000 texts to Florida and Colorado voters. We will continue this effort on Feb 29, this time focusing on Arizona.

Note that those texters who trained with us last week are also welcome to attend. The new texters can use your help and expertise at this point.

You will need your laptop or tablet and your cell phone.

3

SIGN UP WITH MVCAN ONLINE VOLUNTEER FORM FOR ALL 2020 ELECTION ACTIVITIES

Surf the Blue Wave--Sign up now!

OUR 2020 UNIVERSAL VOLUNTEER ELECTION SIGN UP FORM IS NOW AVAILABLE.

This form has been created so that MVCAN members and supporters can record their plans to volunteer in the 2020 election campaign. The MVCAN 2020 election task force can use this information to help provide you with the appropriate information and support as volunteer opportunities become available.

In 2018 MVCAN mobilized hundreds of election volunteers to great success. For questions, please email Larry Litvak at llitvak@aol.com.

TAKE A MOMENT NOW TO FILL OUT THE MVCAN ELECTION VOLUNTEER FORM. All community members are invited to sign up.

Join the more than 120 volunteers who have already filled it out! We are thrilled by the enthusiasm - and it’s only February! Let’s continue to power up for the 2020 election year!

4

CIVIL RIGHTS/IMMIGRATION MVCAN TEAM MEETING

Sun. March 8th, 4pm - 5pm NEW LOCATION: Tam Valley Community Center

5

SAVE THE SAN GERONIMO VALLEY HABITAT - VOTE NO ON MEASURE D!

Marin Measure D, sponsored by real estate special interests promising to bring golf back to San Geronimo Valley, seeks to overturn this Trust for Public Land plan. Measure D would alter the San Geronimo Valley Community Plan — which was developed over decades by local residents — to require the primary use of that property be golf.

Note that the Trust for Public Land has stated repeatedly in print and in public that Measure D will not bring back golf.

Measure D does not change the underlying economics that led to closure of the course. It merely blocks restoration and recreational benefits for the public, and sets the stage for future development on fragile habitats in West Marin. Passage of Measure D would set an unfortunate precedent for loss of local control of community plans.

Detailed information about the No on Measure D campaign can be found at:

Sangeronimoforall.com.

Please join in spreading the word to vote No on Measure D!

6

CANVASS IN TRACY “GET OUT THE VOTE” (GOTV) WEEKEND -Saturday, Feb 29 thru Monday, Mar 2

Join fellow Marin progressives talking with registered Democrats to “Get Out the Vote” on the weekend before the critical Tuesday, March 3rd primary. We are supporting the re-election of Congressman Josh Harder, the election of Rhodesia Ransom for County Supervisor and other Democratic candidates up and down the ballot. Both the Democrats and Republicans nationally have targeted Josh Harder’s seat in what will be a close and hotly contested election.

We will be canvassing in Tracy on Saturday, Sunday and Monday before the primary on Tuesday, March 3.  

TO SIGN UP FOR CANVASSING:

(Please indicate your home organization as "MVCAN")

Saturday, February 29 - sign up HERE

Sunday, March 1 - sign up HERE

Monday, March 2 - HERE

CARPOOLING SCHEDULE:

We will meet for carpooling and leave from the Larkspur Ferry parking lot, Row J, on Saturday and Sunday at the time specified below. Parking is free on weekends.

NOTE: Monday will have a different meeting point TBD, because the

Larkspur Ferry parking lot requires payment on business days. Details to follow.

Saturday, Feb 29 - We will leave at 10:30 AM and return between 5:00 and 6:00 PM

Sunday, March 1 - We will leave at 9:30 AM and return approximately. 5:00 PM

Monday, March 2 - We will leave at 8:30 AM and return approximately 4:00PM

In addition, the Greater Tracy Dems have other start time slots on those dates, as well as on March 3, Election Day, if you want to arrange your own trip to Tracy to “Get Out the Vote.”

You can register to canvass with MVCAN volunteers at the above dates, or on your own at other times at: GreaterTracyDems, click on “Canvassing Dates.”

For more information contact MVCAN Tracy Canvassing Coordinator Bill Jansen at billjpolitics@gmail.com.

This is a critical race. Josh Harder is facing four Republican challengers in the primary where the top two candidates, regardless of party affiliation, go through to the November election. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee has targeted 12 Congressional seats nationwide for defending - and Josh's seat is Number 1 on their list. The Republicans also have targeted Josh - for defeat.

LET’S GET OUT THE VOTE!

7

WRITING POSTCARDS FROM HOME - RECLAIM OUR VOTE

June Cooperman and Eileen Fisher with Andrea Miller of Reclaim Our Vote.

More than 400 MVCAN members and supporters are now writing postcards at home (from all over the US) using voter data provided by RECLAIM OUR VOTE , which is a nonpartisan voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaign. This campaign reaches out mainly to voters of color on Unregistered and Inactive lists in key voter-suppression states.  

Note that getting disenfranchised folks to register has a positive impact well beyond the current election.

Working with Andrea Miller, founder of Reclaim Our Vote, we have established a challenging, high payoff strategy for us in 2020. This month’s effort is directed toward disenfranchised voters in Alabama.

Our goal is to send enough Get-Out-The-Vote postcards to rural Alabama voters of color to get US Senator Doug Jones (D) re-elected. Re-electing Doug Jones gives the Democrats a great chance to flip the Senate blue.

Newcomers who want to sign up to write postcards: Please contact Team Leader Jim Rolka at jrwantstogetoutthevote@gmail.com to get a postcard kit or email with everything you need to get started.

For those already involved in postcarding, if you want more information about postcarding strategies or have other questions, please contact MVCAN lead organizer Bob Haar at politicalbobh@gmail.com.

We will be writing GOTV postcards to voters of color in small towns and rural areas of Alabama that are seldom contacted, and thus often do not vote. Postcard writers will hold onto the written cards and mail them until just before the election so they have the biggest impact.

8

EXCITING BOOK PASSAGE EVENT IN CORTE MADERA

Panel: Race in America and the Lead-Up to the 2020 Election (Corte Madera Store)

Join in this special event featuring a carefully curated and diverse panel of Bay Area writers and agents of change. Moderated by journalist and Book Passage host Paula

Farmer, they’ll be tackling the vital topic of race and how it may impact the next presidential election.

Panel: Race in America and the Lead-Up to the 2020 Election

Sunday, Feb 23 - 5:00pm

Book Passage
51 Tamal Vista Blvd, Corte Madera

For details on the event and panelists, see HERE.

9

LOBBY DAY WITH MOMS DEMAND ACTION IN SACRAMENTO

Monday, March 16

On March 16, Moms Demand Action will have our annual Advocacy Day as we lobby for gun violence prevention in Sacramento with hundreds of other Moms Demand Action members from California. Activists are lobbying for $39 million for the Cal Victims Intervention Program (CalVIP) to go towards community based gun violence prevention.

For more information about the local contingent contact Helen Rosen, Lead for Marin Moms Demand at hnrosen1@yahoo.com

Sacramento Lobby Day - Moms Demand Action

Monday, March 16 - 9:00 am

California State Capital

1315 10th Street, Sacramento

RSVP HERE

When you RSVP, you will get details about the day and training opportunities in advance of our meetings with lawmakers.

WHERE WE’VE BEEN AND WHAT WE DID

1

MVCAN ENDORSES PROGRESSIVE LOCAL CANDIDATES

At last month’s meeting, in a packed house, MVCAN and community members had a wonderful opportunity to hear from the local candidates in Marin--all 5 MV City Council candidates and Board of Supervisors’ candidate Stephanie Moulton-Peters. In the form of a written questionnaire and live at the forum, the candidates weighed in on important local issues that reflect MVCAN values and mission such as affordable housing, environmental initiatives, and taking a stand on state and national issues.

MVCAN IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE OUR ENDORSEMENT OF THREE MILL VALLEY CITY COUNCIL RACE CANDIDATES: URBAN CARMEL, KIRK KNAUER, AND MAX PERREY.

ADDITIONALLY, MVCAN IS PLEASED TO ENDORSE CANDIDATE STEPHANIE MOULTON-PETERS IN THE COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS RACE FOR DISTRICT 3.

Retiring BOS incumbent Kate Sears and the Marin Democratic Party have endorsed Stephanie Moulton-Peters for the Board of Supervisors. Both Kate and Stephanie have been great supporters of MVCAN and our priorities.

For more information and to see the full content of the issue questionnaires that the candidates filled out, go to MVCAN City Council Endorsements.

2

MVCAN FEBRUARY MONTHLY MEETING HEARS FROM SPECIAL SPEAKERS: ANDREA MILLER AND RENEE LINDE

At our February meeting, a full house was treated to two special speakers. Andrea Mitchell of the National Institute for Reproductive Rights spoke compellingly about state and local strategies to protect women’s reproductive rights. Also, MVCAN’s own Renee Linde gave a fabulous update on Airlift activities.

3

PACKED HOUSE FOR RECLAIM OUR VOTE FUNDRAISER WITH FOUNDER ANDREA MILLER

A large crowd turned out for a MVCAN co-sponsored event in San Anselmo to hear Andrea Miller, the director of Reclaim Our Vote and a national leader on postcard strategy and voter data distribution.

4

REPORT ON CANVASSING IN PHOENIX, AZ

Bay Area activists had a highly productive President's Day weekend in Phoenix, AZ. More than 130 Northern California volunteers (including a number of MVCANers!) turned out for the long weekend of canvassing. We talked to independent voters about the upcoming March 17 Democratic Presidential Preference primary in AZ and promoted the impressive local democratic candidates up for election in November. On Saturday evening, Swing Left held a great reception for all of us Northern California volunteers. We heard inspiring local, state-level democratic candidates talk about their goals for increased funding for education, including higher teacher pay, and increased infrastructure investment. Apparently, the AZ state legislature is close to flipping blue!

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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 Warriors 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 still hard at work to take back our country in battleground states all over the country...preparing for next year's general election. We're canvassing, calling, texting and sending letters & postcards to defend our hard-won House seats and take back the Senate. Our team of experienced electoral volunteers 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