FEATURED IN THIS WEEK’S MVCAN NEWS:        

  • NEW DATE & TIME! MVCAN MONTHLY MEETING WITH CONGRESSMAN JARED HUFFMAN - MV Community Center Wed. Apr. 4, 4:30-6:00 pm

  • CIVIL RIGHTS/ IMMIGRATION and ECO-WARRIORS TEAM MEETINGS - Wed. Apr. 4

  • MARCH FOR OUR LIVES - Sat. Mar. 24  

  • ROCK THE CONGRESS - Sat. Mar. 24  

  • MVCAN PHONE AND TEXT BANKING - Multiple Dates

  • CANVASSING IN CD-10 WITH SWING LEFT MARIN - Many Dates Available!

  • CIVIL RIGHTS FILM SCREENING - THE CORRIDOR - Mon. Mar. 26

  • CIVIL RIGHTS NEWS: SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS AT RISK OF DETENTION
    AND DEPORTATION - Volunteers Needed!

  • AIRLIFT BULLETIN

  • SAVE THE DATE - EARTH DAY w/ ECO-WARRIORS, DEMOCRACY CAFÉ and others- Sun. April 22, Tam High School campus

  • HELP CREATE AN ART FLOAT FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

  • REPORT FROM DEMOCRACY CAFÉ and THE MVCAN EVENTS TEAM - See Photos!


MVCAN MONTHLY MEETING

THIS MONTH ONLY! NEW TIME & DATE!

Congressman Jared Huffman. Photo: Santa Rosa Press Democrat

THIS MONTH ONLY! NEW DATE AND TIME!

Join MVCAN and Congressman Jared Huffman, who will focus on his work to protect the environment. Join our Representative and your Mill Valley neighbors who are making a difference at this crucial time.

Wed. April 4, 4:30 - 6:00 pm

Mill Valley Community Center, 180 Camino Alto Ave., Mill Valley

Please plan to arrive by 4:15 pm. Jared Huffman will be starting promptly at 4:30 pm.

The Immigration/Civil Rights Team will meet at 4:00 pm on Wed, April 4th at the Mill Valley Community Center. That’s a half hour before the special meeting with Congressman Huffman.

The Eco-Warriors will meet Wed, April 4th at 7:00 pm after the MVCAN special meeting. Come learn about their Earth Day Event at Tam High. The Eco-Warriors will meet at the Mill Valley Water Treatment Plant, 450 Sycamore Ave, Mill Valley.

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES - SAT. MAR. 24


Join the young people of our country in their heartfelt protest march for Gun Safety on Saturday, March 24. MVCAN will be participating in:

MARCH FOR OUR LIVES

Civic Center, San Francisco

To Register, click here.

If you wish to carpool, MVCAN members will be meeting in the parking lot at Mill Valley Middle School  (425 Sycamore Ave), to form informal carpools to SF at 11:45 am.

MVCAN Meeting Place at the Civic Center Plaza in SF:

  • All MVCANers, Marin activists and their friends are encouraged to gather between 12:45 pm and 1:00 pm for March for Our Lives at the Civic Center in SF on Sat. Mar. 24.

  • We will be meeting on the North side of Civic Center Plaza near the small elevator building for the underground Civic Center garage,

  • This location is just off McAllister - halfway between Larkin and Polk, and is right on the Civic Center Plaza.

  • The rally will take place from 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm, followed by the march.
    We will return to that meeting point after the rally at 2:45 pm so we can march together.

The student-led march will start at Civic Center Plaza after the rally and conclude at Embarcadero Plaza. The roads surrounding the Civic Center will be closed to through traffic, so plan accordingly. The event is happening rain or shine.

WE HOPE FOR A GREAT MVCAN SHOWING! JOIN US!

Congats to Civil Rights Team Lead Peter Graumann for his Letter to the Editor in the Marin IJ about gun control.

ROCK THE CONGRESS: UNITING PROGRESSIVES TO WIN -

SAT. MAR. 24

Rock the Congress is a one-day conference that will provide Bay Area activists with the training and skills they need to join and build a strong and lasting coalition of progressive activists who are dedicated to winning elections and regaining Democratic control of Congress.

The day-long conference will include:

  • Keynote speakers: CA State Controller Betty Yee, Pod Save America’s Dan Pfieffer, and Congressman Eric Swalwell (CA-15)

  • Training sessions for new and experienced activists on topics such as direct action, technology, and messaging

  • Interactive, facilitated sessions for groups to collaborate on operational plans for 2018 midterm and state elections

  • Networking with Bay Area organizers

Last August, Rock the Congress/Marin was an enormously exciting and enlightening  event attended by 300 activists! If you missed it last time, now is your chance!

ROCK THE CONGRESS – UNITING PROGRESSIVES TO WIN IN 2018

Sat. Mar. 24, 8:30 am – 6:00 pm

Balboa High School, 1000 Cayuga Ave., San Francisco

The conference  also offers a student ticket discount.

Please Register Here.

In solidarity with the anti-gun violence March for Our Lives on Mar 24, there will be an “activism sampler” for new activists. Attend a workshop on how to advocate for safe gun laws — scheduled in the morning before the March for Our LIves rally in SF (so that people may attend the conference before going downtown to participate in the rally and march.)

Please join us at this pivotal moment at Rock the Congress on March 24th!

MVCAN PHONE AND TEXT BANKING

We've been hosting a big crowd at our text/phone banks since February, and Saturday was no exception. We had our usual seasoned group of phoners and texters, and also welcomed many new volunteers who benefited from the expertise of our leaders, who are always on hand to train.

Thanks for all the hard work of our determined volunteers!

We're still celebrating Conor Lamb's victory in Pennsylvania-18 last Tuesday! Another example of how we win when our voters turn out to vote. We have to keep at this--we're energizing Democrats in red states and districts across the country!

We have a few upcoming opportunities to build on our momentum and call or text voters to VOTE THEM OUT:

Here are our upcoming events. Please register at the link to make sure you can participate.

For all our phone and text banks and training, you need to bring your charged cell phone AND your laptop, iPad or tablet, along with earbuds with a mic.

Phone and Text Bank in Sausalito

Sat. Mar. 31 -  PHONE/TEXT BANK, 2:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Please register here for details and directions.

Join us to call and text voters in Swing States and flippable Districts!

Please note that there will be No Phone/Text Bank Saturday, March 24 so our volunteers can participate in March For Our Lives or Rock The Congress


Phone and Text Bank in San Rafael

Wed. Mar. 28 - PHONE/TEXT BANK, 4:00 - 6:00 pm

Please register here.

We'll be calling all the flippable California Congressional Districts.

For more information about dates and phone/text banks, see here.

MVCAN is co-hosting this phone/text bank at Marin Democrats' new headquarters on 4th St. in San Rafael! The office is at 1344 4th St. (at D) in San Rafael and will be open Wed. - Sun.12:00 pm - 6:00 pm.

Can anyone loan the office folding tables and chairs? Please bring them to the new office, 1344 4th St. (at D) in San Rafael. Thank you!


CANVASSING IN CD10 WITH SWING LEFT MARIN

There are lots of great opportunities coming up to canvass voters in CD10 (Tracy, Modesto, Turlock) to help flip Congress in the 2018 midterms. Volunteers will lay the groundwork for unseating Jeff Denham (R) by visiting Democratic voters as part of a locally-based effort to activate them prior to the election.  

Under the auspices of Swing Left Marin, we have multiple chances to canvass and register voters. So pick some dates that work for you and join us! We can and will make the difference in 2018!

Once-a-Month Commitment for Canvassing in Tracy

The Tracy Dems. "GO Team", which coordinates activities with Swing Left Marin in Tracy, requires a monthly commitment for canvassing. (You can share the commitment with another person, for example, canvassing in alternating months).

You can come for an initial canvassing day and "test drive", whether or not you want to commit to canvassing one day a month going forward.

No previous experience is needed - training will be provided.

Tracy Monthly Canvassing

Sat. Apr. 14 and all 2nd Saturdays - Swing Left Marin/MVCAN - 11:00 am Tracy

(Most of the volunteers for second Saturdays are MVCAN members.)

There are a few spots remaining for 2nd Saturdays.

To register and find out about carpooling, contact MVCAN member Larry Litvak.

Sun. Apr. 1 and all 1st Sundays - 1:00 pm Tracy

Email Bridget Gleason for info.

Sat. Apr. 21 and all 3rd Saturdays - 11:00 am Tracy

Email Bridget Gleason for info.


Voter Registration Opportunity in Tracy

Help register voters with Swing Left Marin in Tracy before the primary election! Our next opportunity has just been made available:

Tracy Voter Registration - Sat. April 14, 9:30 am - 2:00 pm

Register and learn more here.

We may have to place a limit on the number of volunteers we can accept for each event, so please sign up now if you are interested.


COMMUNITY FILM SCREENING: THE CORRIDOR -

MON. MAR. 26

See the award-winning documentary The Corridor by filmmakers Richard O’Connell and Annelise Wunderlich. This film is an inspiring look at an innovative program that enables Bay Area prisoners in the county jail system to earn high school diplomas.

In 2017, the film was awarded the San Francisco Film Critics Circle (SFFCC) Award for Best Documentary with Bay Area Ties.

Join in the discussion and Q&A with filmmakers after the screening.

Film Screening – The Corridor
Mon, Mar. 26, Noon - 2:00pm
Rafael Theatre, 4th Street, San Rafael

Invited guests Sgt. Lt. Robert DiBiaso and Assistant School Director Terese Bravo will be joining the discussion after the film.

This is a free screening but an RSVP is required.

RSVP here.

CIVIL RIGHTS NEWS: SUPPORT IMMIGRANTS AT RISK OF DETENTION AND DEPORTATION

June Cooperman, Sue Fishman and Rebecca Brackman at the ICE protest in SF Feb. 28.

The Civil Rights/Immigration team is working to inform, prepare and support our immigrant communities with the Canal Welcome Center’s Marin Rapid Response Network. They distribute HOTLINE cards with concise directions for folks to follow should they encounter ICE. YOU CAN HELP. WE’LL HAVE CARDS AVAILABLE AT THE APRIL 4TH MEETING.

"Thanks to MV CAN for all the great support." – Olivia Beltran, Canal Welcome Center

This past week saw ICE activity in Marin. Parents became so fearful they kept their children home from school. Read here.

Some members of the Civil Rights/Immigration team are now trained by Marin Rapid Response Network to become Legal Observers to help monitor ICE activity. When ICE activity is reported, trained Legal Observers will be deployed to a specific area within Marin County to "document" the situation.  You do not need to have a legal background or be bilingual to become a Legal Observer.  

Come help us keep the ICE honest and within the law!

Join an hour-and-a-half session:

 

Training Dates for Legal Observer Volunteers

Wed. Apr. 4, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Wed. Apr. 18, 6:00 - 7:30 pm

Training Location:  

First Presbyterian Church of San Rafael, Canoles Hall

510 Fifth Ave, San Rafael  

For more information, email Olivia Beltran or call (415) 526-2486 x 303

AIRLIFT BULLETIN

HELP THIS INCREDIBLE CANDIDATE BECOME THE FIRST BLACK WOMAN GOV. IN THE U.S.!

Stacey Abrams and supporters in the GA. capitol building.

Stacey Abrams is the founder of the New Georgia Project, which has registered 200,000 new voters in GA. And they have plans to register another 300,000 between now and November! The New Georgia Project is one of the groups that MVCAN's Airlift supports through its Voter Motor fund.

Stacey has been the Minority Leader in the GA House of Reps. for the past 6 years, where she has managed to add and hold 6 Dem. seats, keeping a supermajority out of the reach of Republicans. She has also stood her ground on 3 weeks of early voting, more than any other southern state.

So...guess who's running against her in the Democratic primary? A white member of the Georgia house named Stacey Evans, who insists that white swing voters in the suburbs are going to decide this election.

From Reuters: "Abrams, who rouses audiences to near religious fervor describing her struggles growing up poor and black in the South, argues that Democrats have wasted resources on swing voters."

“We have left too many voters untouched,” she said, noting that she refuses to tone down her support for abortion, gay rights and labor unions to appeal to Republican-leaning voters.

We are asking everyone to support Georgia Project Action, the electoral arm of the New Georgia Project, via a contribution to Airlift's Voter Motor fund. Let's help Stacey Abrams finish what she started!

When you donate through Airlift you help candidates, but you are also building local infrastructure for November and the long haul.

CLICK TO DONATE

Learn more about Airlift.

SAVE THE DATE: EARTH DAY - Sun. April 22

Tam High School campus, 2:00 - 5:00 pm


Join MVCAN's Eco-Warriors, Democracy Cafe, Tam Makers and our environmental partners for a variety of art, music and political activities focused on how we can all take care of Mother Earth. Make your own environmental protection signs. Learn how you can help protect our environment and address climate change. Decorate the art float for social change. Sing along with the Freedom Singers and enjoy music and theatrical performances.  Ages 10 and up are welcome.


To learn more, contact Democracy Café or the Eco-Warriors.

Look for future announcements of speakers and performers. See below for more info about the art float.

If you would like to join the unveiling of the art float on Earth Day, please RSVP and get your FREE TICKETS here!

HELP CREATE AN ART FLOAT FOR SOCIAL CHANGE

The Art Float for Social Change is designed to inspire more people to participate in democracy. Our float will reach out to youth and people of color through art, music and technology. We will present our art float on Earth Day, Memorial Day and Fourth of July parades in Marin – and throughout California this fall, to encourage people to vote in the next election.

Would you like to help build this special parade float?

You are welcome to join us on Thursday evenings from 4:00 to 9:00 pm – or Saturday mornings from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm, for the next 5 weeks, up until April 21. Meetings take place at the Tam High wood shop.

If you would like to volunteer, please sign up here or email float@tammakers.org. You can help in a variety of ways: make art posters or signs, build float parts, engineer, paint, coordinate volunteers, perform short songs or poems, take photos and videos, promote and host our shows.

Our float will reach out to youth and people of color through art, music and technology, to inspire them to vote this year. It will be shown on Earth Day, Memorial Day and Independence Day in Marin County -- then to get out the vote throughout California this fall.

Read more info about the art float for social change.


REPORT FROM DEMOCRACY CAFÉ and the MVCAN EVENTS TEAM

Photo: Fabrice Florin

Thanks to all of you who participated in Democracy Café last Sunday!

From Democracy Café organizer and Events Team Lead Fabrice Florin: "We enjoyed meeting you for another inspiring afternoon of art, music and politics, along with 50 other activists and artists of all ages. We deeply appreciate your creativity, goodwill and intellectual curiosity, which encouraged other participants to find their voice and take action. We’re also grateful to all the folks who couldn’t come, but who supported us to organize this unique civic engagement program.

Many thanks to Marin County Supervisor Kate Sears for her informative talk on gun reform–and for leading our group discussion. Kudos to the Freedom Singers, young singer Emma Spike and music director Reed Fromer for their wonderful songs. We’re also grateful to all the young people who came to take action with us: you are our best hope for building a better world.

Special thanks to the volunteers so who helped organize this event: Marilyn Price, Jenny Tomkins, Rebecca Brackman, David Barr and Robert Mowry.

See the Democracy Café photo album on Flickr. See the Independent Journal’s photo coverage.

Learn more about Democracy Café, or more info, email event producer Fabrice Florin.

The next Democracy Café will be on Sunday, April 22, 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm, at the Tam High School’s Student Center, when we will unveil our art float and celebrate Earth Day together.

Singer Emma Spike. Photo: Fabrice Florin

Marin Supervisor Kate Sears and Democracy Café attendees. Photo: Fabrice Florin


NO MVCAN Bulletin Next Week! MVCAN NEWS will be back April 6.




JOIN AN ACTION TEAM

WANT TO GET MORE INVOLVED? 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.

Dump Trump 's 25 active team members work on ways to remove Trump from power, with special focus on Russia collusion. This topic is hot!

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 it in the Huffington Post .

Electoral is focused on the 2018 Midterm Elections, when all 435 seats in the House plus 33 Senate seats are up for grabs. We intend to grab as many as possible. The Electoral team works to elect Democratic candidates for federal and state level elections using phone/text banks and travel to targeted districts to talk with voters through phone calls, texts, door-to-door canvassing, voter registration, and campaign volunteering.

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.

Thank you for all you do!
– June, Bernard, Suz, Danny, Eileen, and everyone at MVCAN

MVCAN News brought to you by June, Annie and Suz