Baltimore Activist Alert -- January 7 -- 13, 2018

14] Sustainable Infrastructure & Resilience Conference – Jan. 7

15] Maryland Nonprofits 2019 Legislative Preview – Jan. 7

16] No More Tax Sales for Water Bills – Jan. 7

17] Immigration related Questions & Answers – Jan. 7 - 13

18] Rally at the White House for Okinawa – Jan. 7

19] National Popular Vote – Jan. 7

20] Food Rescue – Jan. 7

21] Voter Suppression – Jan. 7

22] Ben Cardin Community Conversation -– Jan. 7

23] 2019 Environmental Legislative Preview – Jan. 7

24] The Runaway Train of Deregulation –Jan. 7

25] Mass Liberation Monday – Jan. 7

26] Get the Money Out conference call – Jan. 7

27] Synergizing Nonviolent Action – Jan. 8

28] Scotus Series: 4th Estate Public Benefit Corp v WallStreet.com – Jan. 8

29] Peace Vigil – Jan. 8

30] No Drone Research DEMO – until Jan. 8

31] Investing & Alternative Energy Talk – Jan. 8

32] Support the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra – Jan. 8

32] Immigration, Law, and Justice – Jan. 8

33] Sunrise Movement Baltimore – Jan. 8

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14] – On Mon., Jan. 7 at 8 AM through Wed., Jan. 9 at 4:30 PM, go to Sustainable Infrastructure & Resilience (NCSE 2019 Annual Conference), hosted by the Environmental Law Institute at the Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert St. NW, WDC 20008. Tickets are www.eli.org. This conference is sponsored by the National Council for Science and the Environment and is being held in partnership with myriad organizations, including the Environmental Law Institute. Visit https://www.eli.org/events/sustainable-infrastructure-resilience-ncse-2019-annual-conference and https://www.facebook.com/events/1911287048978360/.

15] – On  Mon., Jan.7 from 8 to 11:30 AM, sign up for the Maryland Nonprofits 2019 Legislative Preview at the Maritime Conference Center, 692 Maritime Boulevard, Linthicum Heights 21090.  Tickets are at marylandnonprofits.force.com. MAKE CONNECTIONS, BE IN THE KNOW, AND SET POLICY PRIORITIES FOR 2019.  The Legislative Preview will give you insider information directly from policymakers and nonprofit advocates on what to expect from the 2019 legislative session. The event will feature keynote speaker William E. “Brit” Kirwan, providing an insider’s viewpoint on the recommendations and impact of the Commission on Innovation and Excellence in Education that he has chaired since 2016. Dr. William Kirwan is a nationally recognized authority on critical issues shaping the higher education landscape.

RECOGNIZE NONPROFIT LEGISLATIVE CHAMPIONS State Senator Cheryl Kagan and Delegate Joseline Peña-Melnyk for their dedicated service for important nonprofit policy concerns. See https://www.facebook.com/events/336599080454828/.

16] – On Mon., Jan. 7 from 10 to 11 AM, check out Baltimore: No More Tax Sales for Water Bills, hosted by Baltimore Right to Water Coalition at the St. John Alpha Omega Pentecostal Church, 1950 W. North Ave., Baltimore  21217-1203. Join the Baltimore Right to Water Coalition, Senator Elect Mary Washington, Delegate Nick Mosby, and City Councilmember Shannon Sneed for the announcement of critical State Legislation to ensure that nobody in Baltimore City loses their homes or places of worship because of unaffordable and incorrect water bills!  Currently in our city, as little as $750 in outstanding water bills can send a home or place of worship to tax sale which can mean property removal. Skyrocketing water rates, as well as erroneous water bills, have left families with little ability to pay. In 2017, a total of 10,839 homes were sent to tax sale and legal advocates estimate that between 70-80% of tax sales involve water bills.

In the 2019 Legislative Session, Senator-elect Mary Washington and Delegate Nick Mosby will be introducing the Water Taxpayer Protection Act to permanently remove water bills from the tax sale process in Baltimore City. City Councilmember Shannon Sneed will be joining to announce her resolution calling on the General Assembly to pass the Water Taxpayer Protection Act! This legislation will reaffirm the human right to water in Baltimore City! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/225180268372562/.

17] – On Mon., Jan. 7 at 10 AM to Fri., Jan. 11 at 5 PM, get over to Immigration related Questions & Answers, hosted by Gherasimov Law Firm, PC, 1422 W. Mount Royal Ave., Baltimore 21217.  Bar admitted attorney, Oleg Gherasimov, will be answering those questions. Only questions that require a fairly quick answer will be accepted. If your questions require an in-depth analysis you will be advised to seek further legal counseling.  The answers will be for general informational purposes only, as the answers may be predicated on incomplete facts. You should not rely upon those answers to make legal decisions or assess your legal rights or risks. The replies will not create an attorney-client relationship. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2264250686930172/.

18] – Rally at the White House on Mon., Jan. 7 at 11 AM for Okinawa.  Go to https://worldbeyondwar.org/rally-at-white-house-on-january-7th-for-okinawa/.  Opponents of military base construction in Okinawa will gather in support of a petition which has gathered well over 100,000 signatures.  Against the wishes of the people of Okinawa and massive nonviolent resistance, on December 14 the United States began filling in land for the construction of yet another military base on this already heavily militarized island.  This process could irreversibly damage an ecologically rich bay second in biodiversity only to the Great Barrier Reef.  The petition on the White House website to stop the landfill and allow the people of Okinawa to vote has received enough signatures to require a response from the White House, but the destruction has not halted and the President has not responded.

19] – On Mon., Jan. 7 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM, be a part of the National Popular Vote - Delaware  panel discussion, hosted by ACLU of Delaware at the Ed Oliver Golf Club, 800 N. Dupont Road, Wilmington, DE 19807.  One Person, One Vote. Will 2019 finally be the year to pass the National Popular Vote Interstate Compact (NPVIC) in Delaware?  Did you know the NPVIC was passed by Delaware's House in 2009 and 2011 but died in the Senate? Exactly how does NPVIC work? Did you know the Founding Fathers gave the States leeway to change how they handle the Electoral College? Did you know Delaware has changed its method three times over the course of history?

Have other questions about NPV? Come learn more at this Panel Discussion. Explore the FAQs and clear up the oft-quoted myths and misunderstandings about NPV. Learn more at www.NationalPopularVote.com. A light lunch will be provided. There is no charge, but reservations are REQUIRED. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/2206512749670511/.

20] – On Mon., Jan. 7, and every Monday until Feb. 4, 2019, at noon, there will be a Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201. Food Rescue Baltimore is honored to partner with The Land of Kush each and every Monday to bring access to free vegan/plant-based food in the community. Bring a bag. Take what you want from noon to 1PM or while supplies last. No purchase is necessary to take advantage of the Food Rescue Baltimore give away. Items from The Land of Kush's menu are not included in the give-away but will be available for sale. See https://www.facebook.com/events/415842178868197/.

21] – The D.C. Poor People’s Campaign’s National Demand Delivery is gathering on Mon., Jan. 7 at noon at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church for the rally and press conference before marching approximately one mile to deliver the demands. There is a need for 20 people to serve as marshals. Marshals will gather at 10 AM for training and should plan to remain until 4 PM. If you’re able to serve as marshal, please complete the google form at https://goo.gl/gSAv8G.  March to the U.S. Capitol and deliver campaign demands to the new Congress, focusing on voter suppression. In 2018, we saw attacks on the voting rights of poor people of color sweep our nation; from Georgia to Kansas, from North Carolina to North Dakota. We know that voting rights are central to every demand we have, and we will continue to call on Congress to take action to protect and expand voting rights, end racial gerrymandering, restore the right to vote to all formerly and currently incarcerated people, and more.

22] – On Mon., Jan. 7 from 1 to 3 PM, Senator Ben Cardin will hold a Community Conversation with Maryland Seniors, hosted by Pickersgill Retirement Community, 615 Chestnut Ave., Towson 21204. Family members are welcome. Go tohttps://www.facebook.com/events/502327673626050/.

23] – On Mon., Jan. 7 from 6 to 7:30 PM, be at the 2019 Environmental Legislative Preview, hosted by Chesapeake Bay Foundation—Eastern Shore of Maryland at the Eastern Shore Conservation Center, 114 South Washington St., Easton 21601.  Tickets are at chesapeake.cbf.org. Come hear your state legislators and regional advocacy groups discuss their environmental goals for the Maryland General Assembly’s 2019 Regular Legislative Session.  The General Assembly will convene Wed., Jan. 9, and will meet through mid-April. This is a great opportunity to learn about the issues that lawmakers will consider this year. Questions will be taken from the audience. This event is free and open to the public, but space is limited. Advance registration is recommended here: http://chesapeake.cbf.org/site/Calendar;jsessionid=00000000.app30129a?view=Detail&id=101802&NONCE_TOKEN=5EB08BB4A202A345FE6735296EB043CF.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/566262567152037/.

24] – On Mon., Jan. 7 from 6 to 8 PM, catch up with The Runaway Train of Deregulation, hosted by the Institute for Policy Studies, 1301 Connecticut Ave., WDC 20036.  Tickets are at act.ips-dc.org. Over five years ago, in the early hours of July 6, 2013, a train carrying highly flammable and volatile Bakken crude oil from North Dakota derailed in the small town of Lac-Mégantic, Quebec. The explosion killed 47 people and destroyed the historic downtown, spilling over 1.5 million gallons of oil. Subsequent investigations showed that the disaster was entirely avoidable. The next Lac-Mégantic tragedy could be somewhere in the mid-Atlantic region with oil and fracked gas production increasing in a region so heavily reliant on rail to move both passengers and freight. Join the IPS for a free opportunity to learn more about these critical issues and discuss ways to respond. Hear from Bruce Campbell, former Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, author of the new book “The Lac-Mégantic Rail Disaster: Public Betrayal, Justice Denied, “and Fritz Edler, veteran railroader, Special Representative of Railroad Workers United, and chair of the Harding/Labrie Defense Committee, a coalition to assist the legal defense of railroad workers who were scapegoated for the Lac Megantic disaster.  RSVP at https://www.facebook.com/events/1784381314999815/.

25] – On Mon., Jan. 7 from 6: 30 to 8:30 PM, get over to the Mass Liberation Monday Meetings, hosted by the Mass Liberation Project PG County, 9221 Hampton Overlook, Capitol Heights 20743.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/364965847388055/.

26] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Monday, Jan. 7 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM.  Call 605-475-6711, code 1136243#.  Work only on brainstorming ideas for participation in the upcoming General Election.

27] – On Tues., Jan. 8 from 10 to 11:30 AM, participate in Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding, hosted by Mediators Beyond Borders International, 1901 Fort Myer Dr., Suite 405, Arlington, VA 22209. Get tickets at mbbi.z2systems.com.  The Synergizing Nonviolent Action and Peacebuilding (SNAP) guide provides a strategic framework for activists, peacebuilders, and organizers working to transform violent conflict and advance a just peace. In this webinar, discuss how nonviolent action and peacebuilding approaches can be used together synergistically to mobilize communities, address power imbalances and conflict drivers, and support inclusive participatory peace processes. The guide presents a series of strategic and tactical tools and approaches that can be used to reinforce the work grassroots organizers, activists, and peacebuilders are already doing on the ground to prevent and mitigate violence and build just sustainable peace.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/1153433734830213/.

28] -- On Tues., Jan. 8 from 4 to 6 PM, catch up with the Scotus Series: 4th Estate Public Benefit Corp v WallStreet.com, hosted by Program on Information Justice and Intellectual Property, 4300 Nebraska Ave. NW, WDC 20016. Tickets are at www.wcl.american.edu.  Join this semester's first SCOTUS series panel discussion and reception.  Counsel of record and counsel for selected amici will offer post-argument reflections in intellectual property (and related) cases heard by the Supreme Court. PIJIP hosts these events on the afternoon of oral argument before the Court. This panel will discuss the issue: whether the “registration of [a] copyright claim has been made” within the meaning of 17 U.S.C. § 411(a) when the copyright holder delivers the required application, deposit, and fee to the Copyright Office, as the U.S. Courts of Appeal for the 5th and 9th Circuits have held, or only once the Copyright Office acts on that application, as the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the 10th and, in the decision below, the 11th Circuits have held.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/325932294681050/.

29] –  Each Tuesday from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, the Catholic Peace Fellowship-Philadelphia for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq gathers at the Suburban Station, 16th St. & JFK Blvd., at the entrance to Tracks 3 and 4 on the mezzanine.  The next vigil is Jan. 8.  Call 215-426-0364.

30] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. The next vigil will be on Jan. 8 from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

31] – On Tues., Jan. 8 from 6:30 to 8:15 PM, get over to ESG Investing & Alternative Energy Talk, hosted by Friends School of Baltimore, 5114 N Charles St., Baltimore 21210.  Tickets can be had at friendsbalt.myschoolapp.com. Learn more about energy conservation, sustainable investing and stewardship at FSB!  As FSB’s investment manager, Glenmede, will provide an overview of the investment landscape and how Friends School of Baltimore aligns its investments with Quaker values and other key ESG initiatives. Also meet reps from Clean Choice Energy, Climate Access Fund, Neighborhood Sun, Power 52, and Solar United Neighbors. The presentation will be in the Forbush Atrium and Auditorium. Register for this FREE event: https://friendsbalt.myschoolapp.com/page/event-detail?siteId=1019&ssl=1&register=24979.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/2156676394583298/.

32] – The structure of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra is threatened. It wasn’t until early November when the BSO management finally submitted a proposal for the 2018-19 season. Up until that time and throughout the summer, the musicians were told by the management that they needed more time. Two months into this play-and-“talk” period a proposal that included over 200 monetary and institutional changes to the Master Agreement, along with a reduction to a 40 week season, was submitted. Since that time, there has been sporadic talks but no movement. The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra has not been a 40 week season orchestra since Mayor Schaefer’s 1972 Blue Ribbon Panel report was completed. In 1973, the BSO grew from 42 weeks until its present 52 week length in 1985.

The temporary agreement that the musicians are currently working under expires on January 15, and the orchestra needs your help. On Tues., Jan. 8 at 7 PM, the BSO brass and percussion section will be joined by members of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony, National Symphony, and Washington service bands in a free performance at the Baltimore Basilica, opposite the Enoch Pratt Library. The program will be hosted by former mayor and governor, Martin O’Malley, and donations will be accepted for My Sisters Place, a women and children’s shelter located on the Basilica campus. An overflowing crowd will make a statement. See www.musiciansunion.org.

33] –    On Tues., Jan. 8 from 7 to 9:45 PM, catch up with Immigration, Law, and Justice: A 21st-Century Jewish Perspective, hosted by Jews United for Justice - Baltimore and Chizuk Amuno Congregation, 8100 Stevenson Rd., Baltimore 21208.  Look at immigration policy past and present and how it impacts people today. Presenters include Rabbi Arian, who recently returned from the U.S.-Mexico Border, Daniel Rifkin, from Rifkin Immigration Law, LLC, and Eric Seymour, Client Services Manager for the Esperanza Center of Catholic Charities of Baltimore. Visit https://jufj.org/event/immigration-law-and-justice-a-21st-century-jewish-perspective/ to sign up to attend. See https://www.facebook.com/events/216026932639264/.

34] – On Tues., Jan. 8 from 7:30 to 9 PM, there is a Baltimore Hub Welcome Meeting, hosted by Sunrise Movement Baltimore at Studio 4 Baltimore, 235 Holliday St., Baltimore 21202.  The idea is to build a contingent of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process; and in 2019, fight for a #GreenNewDeal. At this welcome meeting, get to know each other, share the Sunrise movement plan, and prepare to organize here in Baltimore in the coming weeks. All are welcome, whether you're a lifelong climate activist or just interested in hearing more about what is happening.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/2359508874081764/.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs