Wednesday, April 1, 2020

Baltimore Activist Alert -- April 1 - 5, 2020


44] Pax Christi USA's Movie of the Week – April 1 - 5
45] "USA Activism: How can we help the cause?"  – April 1
46] Community Meeting on Antisemitism -- April 1
47] Sew Face Masks – April 2
48] Student Loan Workshop: COVID-19 Relief and Policy Updates – April 2
49] Discuss how to prevent gun violence during COVID-19 – April 2
50] Discussion about the mental health implications of the pandemic – April 2
51] Phone Banking for Bill! – April 2
53] Launch of national phone-banking for Jamaal Bowman April 2
54] Book talk “In Paradigm Lost” – April 2
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44] -- Pax Christi USA's Movie of the Week, in recognition of the birthday of Cesar Chavez of the United Farm Workers, is "Cesar Chavez" starring Michael Pena. It's available for rental on Amazon and other streaming services.  Each week, since so many of us are under "stay at home" orders, self-quarantined, or on lockdown, Pax Christi USA will recommend a "movie of the week" for us to watch and discuss in solidarity. The series is called "#AloneTogether Movie of the Week. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2913727685347435/.

45] -- You are Invited to Join in on Wed., April 1 at 7:30 PM on the Webinar "USA Activism: How can we help the cause?"  RSVP at Beth@afcfp.org.

46] -- Jewish Voice for Peace is holding a Community Meeting on Antisemitism on Wed., April 1 at 8 PM EST. Join Rabbi Alissa Wise and JVP members and staff for a community conversation on antisemitism, its impacts, and what JVP can do as an organization. Register at https://secure.everyaction.com/la3fyHAdIEiuMnoAmGZrYQ2?emci=cbbbed4c-9b6f-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&emdi=12bf7de0-2a70-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&ceid=237778.

47] – Sew Face Masks for UMMS hosted by Pets on Wheels, P.O. Box 44176, Baltimore 21236, on Thurs., April 2 through April 30 from 1 to 4 PM. As many of you know, the hospital systems in the United States have been and will continue to be challenged to meet the needs of patients who may be COVID-19 positive. In light of this, in the coming weeks many hospitals will need additional personal protective equipment (PPE), including face masks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently issued guidance approving the use of cloth masks, and anyone who has sewing experience should consider making cloth face masks to be delivered to the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) for distribution.  There is a PDF for making folded masks at https://files.constantcontact.com/c9e08a1b201/13dbf7af-4ee5-4470-be1f-451542bf468e.pdf, and there are links below with detailed instructions, including a video, for making fitted and folded masks.

For example, there is DIY Cloth Face Mask (fitted mask): https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Cloth-Face-Mask/; and Folded Mask: https://sweetredpoppy.com/how-to-sew-a-surgical-face-mask/.  Both of the websites listed above follow CDC guidelines and have links to the CDC website. Unlike the N95 masks, these are not designed to prevent COVID-19 entirely; however, they will prevent some transmission, and the CDC has approved them for use. Once you have made the masks, please send them via mail to Susan Dorsey, 5401 Hamlet Avenue, Baltimore 21214.  If you have any questions about connecting with Susan, please email her (sdorsey@umaryland.edu). Susan will deliver the face masks to UMSON weekly, and UMMC will arrange to send someone to UMSON to pick them up.

If you have questions, or need additional guidance for making the masks, please feel free to reach out to Deb Greenspan, who is coordinating this effort with Susan. Her email address is dbg003@hotmail.com.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/661361757959670/?event_time_id=661361777959668.

48] – Join a free Student Loan Workshop: COVID-19 Relief and Policy Updates. The discussion will start online or via telephone on Thurs., April 2 at 2 PM ET.  Last week, the federal government approved a $2 trillion stimulus package that includes relief for people with federally-held student loans. Get help in understanding these recent changes and how they may affect your student loan payments.  RSVP at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_x736zK-YRQCazDtJXuaTeQ.

49] – Join Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Brady Legal, Team ENOUGH, Guns Down America, and more for a webinar to discuss how to prevent gun violence during COVID-19. Explore the increase in firearm sales, what local leaders can do amid these uncertain times, and how activists can continue to demand for change. It will take place on Thurs., April 2 at 2 PM EST.  Register at https://www.bigmarker.com/brady-campaign-center-to-pre/COVID-19-Gun-Sales-and-What-Can-Be-Done?emci=e2554f13-4470-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&emdi=c467a8e6-da70-ea11-a94c-00155d03b1e8&ceid=925735.

50] – On Thurs., April 2 from 3 to 4 PM ET, please join Physicians for Human Rights for the third in an ongoing series of webinars as our board members Dr. Gail Saltz and Dr. Kerry Sulkowicz lead an online discussion about the mental health implications of the pandemic, including the anxiety that comes with uncertainty, differentiating COVID-19 symptoms from anxiety symptoms and Mental health tips for frontline defenders and their families.  You are encouraged to submit questions for consideration at webinar@phr.org. Please note, pre-registration for this call is required: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kSgnXu4-R2u8tUXufQxBYA?utm_campaign=473522_FY20%20March%20COVID-19%20Webinar%203%2C%20Email%201&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Physicians%20for%20Human%20Rights&dm_i=4GV7,A5DE,1TO2EP,124NY,1.

51] – Phone Banking for Bill! by Friends of Bill Henry on Thurs., April 2 from 5 to 8 PM at 2801 Sisson St., Baltimore 21211. . With a lot of voters in Baltimore City being renters, sometimes the only way a campaign can reach them is through phone calls. Please come out and make a few calls to voters to let them know why Bill Henry is the right choice for Comptroller.  You can sign up here at: bit.ly/phonebankforbill. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2645900688862464/?event_time_id=2645900742195792.

52] – Communities United’s very first VIRTUAL event begins on Thurs., April 2 from 6 to 7:30 PM, Virtual Committee Night Potluck: Food For ThoughtYou can join on your phone, laptop or tablet at https://zoom.us/j/204374327?status=successwith.  You can do it the old fashioned way by dialing in at 929-205-6099 and then entering the meeting ID: 204374327#.  Guest speakers are looking forward to sharing recent victories in Annapolis and next steps. If you have a favorite quarantine recipe to share, have it handy at check-in!

53] – On Thurs., April 2 at 7 PM ET, join SUNRISE join in the launch of national phone-banking for Jamaal Bowman of New York’s 16th Congressional District. Jamaal has been an educator for 20 years in his community. He's an incredibly inspiring candidate who is generating tons of grassroots support to take on an entrenched establishment incumbent. The future is always on his mind, and education is his top issue. He has a vision to make sure that the students of today are getting trained for the Green New Deal jobs of tomorrow, and is fighting to make that a reality. To participate check out https://zoom.us/webinar/register/8715851905219/WN_74Z9RX4nRcKDSn3oz9wXNA.

54] -- Hear a conversation and book signing with Ian S. Lustick, a professor of political science at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations on Thurs., April 2 at 7 PM at St. Joseph on the Brandywine Church Family Center, 10 Old Church Road, Wilmington, DE 19807. Why have Israelis and Palestinians failed to achieve a two-state solution to the conflict that has cost so much and lasted so long? “In Paradigm Lost,” Lustick brings 50 years as an analyst of the dispute to argue that negotiations for a two-state solution are counterproductive. Israeli Jews and Palestinian Arabs can enjoy the democracy they deserve but only after decades of struggle amid the unintended but powerful consequences of today's one-state reality. There will be a book signing following the conversation. RSVP to delawarephr@gmail.com.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Baltimore, MD 21212.  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


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