Baltimore Activist Alert -- December 2 - 3, 2020

42] Food Access and Land Sovereignty – Dec. 2

43] Re-evaluate Drug Policy – Dec. 2

44] Webinar on support for Georgia Senate candidates – Dec. 2

45] Divest Philly from the War Machine -- Dec. 2

46] Sierra Club webinar – Dec. 2

47] Get involved with medical debt practices – Dec. 3

48] Town Hall on Palestine – Dec. 3

49] Next Steps with North Korea -- Dec. 3

50] Right Livelihood Award Ceremony – Dec. 3

51] WORLD NUCLEAR WASTE REPORT – Dec. 3

52] Show Up, Fight Back: Tackling Systems of Oppression – Dec. 3

53] “State Attorneys General as Protectors of Workers' Rights” – Dec. 3

54] Local Activism in Banning Destructive Weapons – Dec. 3

55] For the People Act -- Dec. 3

56] Film "The Condor & the Eagle” – Dec. 3

57] Premiere screening of Free the Vote – Dec. 3

58] Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal – Dec. 3

59] Who Represents Us Webinar – Dec. 3

60] Flip the Senate/Demote McConnell – Dec. 3

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42] – A Conversation with Chris Newman and Brother Eric Jackson on Food Access and Land Sovereignty in the DMV takes place on Wed., Dec. 2 from 6 to 7:30 PM EST, hosted by UMBC Department of American Studies, Dresher Center for the Humanities and Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse.  Join this Online Event at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkf-ChrDoiHtHoW0KfuFJN9YIKfLnDnVLZ.  Newman is with the Choptico Band of Piscataway Indians of Sylvanaqua Farms and Jackson is with Black Yield Institute. Livestream at https://youtu.be/Hu9cTPsUEYo.

43] –  As the 2021 General Assembly session approaches, drug policy will be a hot topic -- issues of incarceration and criminal justice as well as decriminalization and harm reduction. Join in a Drug Policy Town Hall on Wed., Dec. 2 at 7 PM. Register in advance for this meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMkcu2gqzouHN32HVn_9OU0UQbmyr70Be2V.  After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

44] –On Wed., Dec. 2 at 7 PM, check out the 350.org webinar on support for Georgia Senate candidates. There are virtual and on-the-ground volunteer efforts to get out the vote and keep Georgia blue. During the webinar, you’ll learn about the significance of the Georgia Senate runoffs, how local organizers pulled off their historic victory, and what you can do to be a part of the upcoming races in Georgia. Register at https://350org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_zK--8My0Rd63vHsm4-eNnQ.

45] –‌ ‌ ‌ On Wed., Dec. 2 from 7 to 8 PM ET, you are invited to join an online info session to learn how to join the emerging Divest Philly from the War Machine Coalition. Register at https://actionnetwork.org/events/webinar-divest-philly-from-the-war-machine?clear_id=true. The groups working on divesting the city of Philadelphia pension board from nuclear weapons and the war machine are as follows: World BEYOND War, CODEPINK, Granny Peace Brigade Philadelphia, the Brandywine Peace Community, the Philadelphia Green Party, Peacehome Campaigns, Peace Justice Sustainability NOW! Email Greta at greta@worldbeyondwar.org.

46] – To transform the system that has generated the overlapping crises of climate change, unemployment and racial, gender and economic injustice, we have to proactively invest in the solutions: family-sustaining jobs building clean, thriving economies that redress historic inequities in our communities. To mobilize trillions of public and private dollars toward these solutions at the speed and scale that science and justice demand, we need a new National Investment Institution. Join Sierra Club on Wed., Dec. 2 at 7 PM ET for a webinar on how we can mobilize trillions to build a just, thriving economy! Look at https://sierraclub.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcvd--pqD8iHtL_MC4Cp_m_cZYPNp3P8PBn.

47] -- The Coalition for a Humane Hopkins announced that it is time to gear up for legislation in Annapolis about medical debt.  The Medical Debt Lawsuit legislation, HB 1420/SB875, was passed and signed into law! While this bill addresses financial assistance policies of hospitals, its companion legislation that focused more directly on protections for patients being sued, got stalled about half-way through. So the group is trying again this year!  With a few tweaks, the bill will be very close to what it was last year (HB1081/SB873).

The National Nurses United will be holding biweekly meetings on Thursdays from 9:30 to 11 AM. If you can make those times, please send emails to Cara Bates [CBates@CalNurses.Org] and Brigette Dumais [brigette.dumais@1199.org] and you will get an invite! If you can’t make that time but would still like to stay up to date, also reply by emailing about your situation.

48] – On Thurs., Dec. 3 at 10:30 AM EST, check out the Town Hall on Palestine: The Impact of COVID19 in Gaza & Home Demolitions in the West Bank, hosted by American Muslims for Palestine and Rebuilding Alliance. The event will feature Congressperson Mark Pocan, and others, including Dr. Ahmed Mhanna, General Director of Al Awda Hospital.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/ampalestine/.

49] – On Thurs., Dec. 3 at noon, check out Next Steps with North Korea [Online].  The sponsor is The Korea Society, and the speakers are Scott Snyder, Council on Foreign Relations, and Stephen Noerper, The Korea Society. Look at https://www.koreasociety.org/policy-and-corporate-programs/item/1446-next-steps-with-north-korea. 

50] – The Basel Peace Office is reminding us that the Right Livelihood Award Ceremony 2020 takes place on Thurs., Dec. 3 at noon ET. Four incredibly courageous human rights champions will be honored with the Award (also known as the 'Alternative Nobel Peace Prize'). They are imprisoned human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh “for her fearless activism, at great personal risk, to promote political freedoms and human rights in Iran;” civil rights lawyer Bryan Stevenson “for his inspiring endeavor to reform the US criminal justice system and advance racial reconciliation in the face of historic trauma;” indigenous rights and environmental activist Lottie Cunningham Wren of Nicaragua “for her ceaseless dedication to the protection of indigenous lands and communities from exploitation and plunder;” and human rights activist Ales Bialiatski and the non-governmental organization Human Rights Center “Viasna” “for their resolute struggle for the realization of democracy and human rights in Belarus.” Join the online ceremony at https://new.memlin.com/view/5f589469f0a69d.

51] – On Thurs., Dec. 3 from 1 to 2:30 PM EST, catch up with the US launch of the WORLD NUCLEAR WASTE REPORT by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung, hosted by Beyond Nuclear.  Sign up for the Online Event at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/world-nuclear-waste-report-virtual-discussion-on-nuclear-waste-policies-tickets-130735125279. Join in for a virtual transatlantic discussion on nuclear waste with the following speakers: Allison Macfarlane, US nuclear policy expert, Professor and Director, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs at the University of British Columbia; and Arne Jungjohann, energy policy expert, lead editor of the report, political scientist and a member of the Green Academy of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.  The moderator is Linda Pentz Gunter, international specialist at Beyond Nuclear and writer and editor at Beyond Nuclear International. Check out the WORLD NUCLEAR WASTE REPORT for free here: https://worldnuclearwastereport.org/. 

52] – ActionAid USA invites you to Show Up, Fight Back: Tackling Systems of Oppression in 2020. Meet on Zoom on Thurs., Dec. 3 at 2:30 PM ET by registering at https://bit.ly/ShowUp3. New ideas, new policies, and new projects are needed that address the root causes of the converging crises the world is currently grappling with. Build back different from the damage that the pandemic has done to our families and communities while transitioning to a new economy that is based on conservation, regeneration, and sustainability -- all in a way that ensures that no one is left out. We also need to engage in a new way with everyone in the world, as equals who share the planet together, not as competitors fighting for influence and control.

53] – On Thurs., Dec. 3 from 4 to 5:15 PM ET, join the Economic Policy Institute and the Harvard Law School Labor and Worklife Program for “State Attorneys General as Protectors of Workers' Rights” to hear directly from bureau, division, and section chiefs who lead labor rights work in their state attorneys general (AGs) offices. This webinar will address the growing role state AGs play in protecting workers’ rights. In recent years, there has been a surge of state AG activity protecting workers’ rights, as detailed in a recent report issued by the Economic Policy Institute and the Harvard Labor and Worklife Program. The offices featured in this conversation have been leaders in this area. Register for the webinar, State Attorneys General as Protectors of Workers' Rights. https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_d8wLsR98SNaYJcUxtK84dw?utm_source=Economic+Policy+Institute&utm_campaign=d2800e0870-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2019_10_02_06_32_COPY_02&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_e7c5826c50-d2800e0870-59830565&mc_cid=d2800e0870&mc_eid=72ea77dbdd.

54] – On Thurs., Dec. 3 at 5 PM EST, get involved in Local Activism in Banning Destructive Weapons: From Landmines to Nuclear Weapons [Online].  This is sponsored by the Davis (California) Committee against Nuclear Weapons. The speaker is Naomi Egel, Cornell University. Sign up at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0tfuGupjojHdZBcY04Anpg0HRIlg-5i8bv.

55] – 2021 is shaping up to be a transformative year, with a COVID 19 vaccine on the cusp of becoming approved, a new Congress convening in Washington on January 3, and a new administration getting sworn in on January 20. Can we make historic progress at strengthening our democracy in the 117th Congress, with a real chance at passing and signing into law the For the People Act, the most sweeping set of reforms to our democracy seen in a generation. Sign up to attend a webinar about next steps on For The People Act featuring U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/2516068346384/WN_kTnpSdzhRfusB_MzfUsVrA?utm_medium=email&utm_source=ecuaction&utm_content=2+-+Help+be+a+part+of+this+transformative+pu&utm_campaign=20201201_ecu_lav_hr1&source=20201201_ecu_lav_hr1.  The For the People Act (also known as H.R. 1 in the House) aims to accomplish three overarching goals: (1) protecting and strengthening the sacred right to vote, (2) ending the dominance of big money in politics, and (3) implementing anti-corruption, pro-ethics measures to clean up government. President-elect Joe Biden has stated that a “first priority” of his administration will be to lead on a comprehensive set of democracy solutions like those reflected in the For the People Act. House and Senate Democratic leaders have similarly said they will prioritize this once-in-a-generation legislation. Help be a part of this transformative push by attending the activist webinar on Thurs., Dec. 3 at 6 PM ET, hosted by the End Citizens United Action Fund.

56] – The Sunrise Movement Baltimore is co-hosting a virtual viewing of the Documentary film "The Condor & The Eagle" on Thurs., Dec. 3 at  6 PM as a fundraiser for South Baltimore Community Land Trust. Directly after the film viewing, there will be a conversation about the urgency of zero waste and a move away from incineration. The panel will be a vibrant conversation about the kinds of environmental justice organizing that has occurred in Baltimore over the past decade, how questions regarding environmental justice have transitioned into claiming rights to land, land trusts, and alternative forms of development. Youth from Free Your Voice (a grassroots organization part of South Baltimore Land Trust) will discuss their plan for implementing city-wide zero waste and the need for critical solidarity from all Baltimore city residents.  Learn more and sign up here: https://event.webinarjam.com/register/139/1nv2nf60?link_id=2&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-take-action-tuesday-protect-renters-transit-equity-and-more&email_referrer=email_1003759&email_subject=take-action-tuesday-protect-renters-transit-equity-and-more.

57] – Don't miss the premiere screening of Free the Vote, ACLU of Maryland's new documentary about expanding the vote to people who are currently incarcerated, on Thurs., Dec. 3 at 7 PM. Denying the right to vote of people who are incarcerated is rooted in the history of a deeply racist system, which is still evident today. In Free the Vote, you will hear directly from people who are formerly incarcerated who are advocating for the rights of people who are currently and formerly incarcerated. Listen to their stories and then take action. Get your ticket at https://action.aclu.org/event/marylandfreethevotepremiere?ms_aff=MD&initms_aff=MD&ms=201111_FreeTheVotePremiere_&initms=201111_FreeTheVotePremiere_&ms_chan=eml&initms_chan=eml. After the screening, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Karsonya Wise Whitehead, award-winning host of "Today with Dr. Kaye" on WEAA 88.9 FM, along with panelists Qiana Johnson, executive director of Life After Release, Dr. Pippa Holloway, author of "Living In Infamy: Felon Disfranchisement and the History of American Citizenship", and more to be announced.

58] – The Future of the Iran Nuclear Deal, with Trita Parsi is happening on Thurs., Dec. 3 from 7 to 8:30 PM.  Tune in http://masspeaceaction.org/event/the-future-of-the-iran-nuclear-deal-with-trita-parsi/?emci=dd38cced-9832-eb11-9fb4-00155d43b2cd&emdi=01d80132-1d33-eb11-9fb4-00155d43b2cd&ceid=269591.  Another high profile assassination, this time of Iran's top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, has only added to the tensions surrounding US-Iran relations. The next few months will be absolutely critical for the future of US-Iran relations. Parsi will examine what needs to go right, and what to be wary of. In his own words: "Joe Biden does not have much time to revive the JCPOA - and the clock is ticking. Though he is not President yet, both he and the Iranians should begin investing in the atmospherics of diplomacy now. Strategic signals from both Biden and the Iranians can prove crucial in building confidence in the other’s commitment to diplomacy.” Parsi is an award-winning author and the 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. He is an expert on US-Iranian relations, Iranian foreign politics, and the geopolitics of the Middle East. He has authored three books on US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran and Israel. 

‌‌59] – On Thurs., Dec. 3 at 7 to 8 PM EST, tune into the Who Represents Us Webinar, hosted by Schools Not Jails.  The group is dedicated to ending the school-to-prison pipeline. The special guests are Prince George's County School Board member Shayla Adams-Stafford and State Delegate Debra Davis (MD-28). They will be speaking about what their office does and how their elected position affects the school-to-prison pipeline. To get the Zoom link and RSVP, go to https://docs.google.com/.../1FAIpQLSf3CEe3eL1eEs.../viewform.

60] – Join the ZOOM conference organized by the Progressive Democrats of America on Thurs., Dec. 3 at 9 PM ET.  This is a Flip the Senate/Demote McConnell Team Call. RSVP at mikefox@pdamerica.org.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, 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