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January 2021
Working
toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government
represents all of us.
Looking Back; Looking Forward
by GPPA Co-chair Sheri Miller
This will be my last Co-Chair
Intro. After a lot of soul-searching this year, I have made the
difficult decision to resign as Co-Chair, and a new leader will be
elected in January to fill the rest of my term. This has been a
challenging year for everyone, and I am no exception. I need to focus
on significant work and personal demands right now and cannot be
effective as Co-Chair. Although the purpose of two-year terms was to
stagger leadership elections so that new people wouldn’t be thrown
into new roles without mentoring, there is a strong group ready to
take the reins and I’ll still be around if needed. I’ll miss the
leadership role and the involvement and engagement that comes with
that, but I’ll still be involved with the Core Team and will maintain
the close friendships and alliances that I have built up over the past
four years in my work with the Party. I want to thank all of you for
your amazing support throughout my tenure.
Even though 2020 was a tough year,
we had tremendous accomplishments and should be proud of our work.
Despite the pandemic and no flexibility or concession from the State
to decrease petitioning requirements or make petitioning safer for us
(and the public), we still achieved ballot access for all of our State
candidates, as well as our POTUS, VP, and two PA House candidates.
Then, when faced with a well-funded and well-connected campaign to
knock us back off of the ballot, we raised a record $14,500 from
grassroots supporters fighting with us to defend democracy and
prevailed for all but our Presidential and Vice-Presidential
candidates. All of our candidates did well in the election, we
regained our Minor Party status, and our membership grew! A
challenging but triumphant year.
As we look forward to 2021, we start with a stronger base of
support and renewed volunteer interest. Core Team (critical to our
organizational effectiveness) has been revitalized and we are starting
the year financially sound. We have a good slate of Steering Committee
candidates and will have a great leadership team for the coming year,
ready to build on our accomplishments. Be sure to sign up for our
January Web Conference if you want to join our 2021 kick-off and
introduction of the new team January Web Conference RSVP
GPPA
News Highlights
edited by Chris Robinson
Reflection on the 2020 Election by PA Green Party Candidate
Michael Bagdes-Canning
 Michael Bagdes-Canning ran as the Green Party candidate for
election to PA House District 64. Bagdes-Canning was already an
elected member of the Cherry Valley Borough Council in Butler County.
Chris Robinson, co-leader of the Green Party of PA (GPPA,
www.gpofpa.org) communication team, interviewed Bagdes-Canning to
discover what he learned about being a candidate for the GPPA. (show all)
Green Party: PA Should Follow Oregon and Decriminalize Drug
Use by Tre Schumacher
 Fifteen states have now legalized the adult use of cannabis
(aka marijuana, ganja, reefer, weed, etc.). While you were occupied
with the November 3 election, four states, Arizona, Montana, New
Jersey, and South Dakota legalized cannabis, joining the other eleven
states and two U.S. territories where it was already legal. Voters in
Oregon State, where cannabis was legalized in 2015, went a step
further and decriminalized heroin, cocaine, and "all drugs," a
sentiment clearly stated in the Green Party platform. For many years
the Green Party has called to "implement a step-by-step program to
decriminalize all drugs in the United States." (show all)
Don’t Call Burning Plastic “Recycling” by Tre
Schumacher
The Steering Committee of the Green Party of Pennsylvania
(GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) voted on October 25 to oppose the passage of PA
House Bill 1808 (HB 1808) because the bill would expand the definition
of recycling to include burning plastic waste as fuel. Steering
Committee Member Tre Schumacher (Philadelphia) said, “The plastic
industry has a waste stream which cannot be recycled. Their solution
is to rename burning this waste as ‘advanced recycling.’ Voilà! Their
problem is solved, the waste is now recyclable!” (show all)
Meet & Greet for Green Curious
 The Green Party of Philadelphia held a Meet & Greet for
Green Curious on November 22. There were 18 people attending online,
and keynote speaker Lisa Savage was inspiring. Lisa was the Green
Party candidate for U.S. Senator from Maine.
Team
Updates
Finance Team
by Tim Runkle
 To get ahead in 2021 we have
made an easy way for you to lend us your support. During the month of
January we are offering our
Sustaining Memberships at a one-time donation! Our Membership
Program returns a variety of benefits ranging from buttons, shirts,
and event discounts to those who participate in monthly sustaining
donations. Now you can skip the
monthly payments and join us with a one-time donation! Even if you
aren't a registered Green, you can join us to promote a more peaceful,
sustainable, and equitable future through grassroots democracy HERE.
GreenWave
Team by Garret Wassermann
 Our 2021 and 2022 candidate
endorsement process will start now! County locals are encouraged to
reach out to potential candidates. Potential candidates are encouraged
to sign up for an informational session on January 7 to learn more
about what offices are available and what the process is to receive
Green Party endorsement and get on the ballot. Folks can sign up for
the informational session at: https://www.gpofpa.org/green_wave_january_2021_candidate_informational
or email us at:
[email protected] for more information.
To join the Green Wave Team and get
invited to future organizing calls, please visit HERE to receive call info or email for
more information!
Communications
Team by Tina Olson
 2021 is starting on
the right foot for the Communications Team! As we are expanding, we
are finding many talented writers for our newsletter and we have
opened a subcommittee that focuses on social media marketing. A
monthly social media workshop is in the works. These volunteer
positions are great ways to learn and expand your resume. Bimonthly
meetings are held the first and third Tuesdays, plus an additional
hour that focuses on social media management. To join our team, please
volunteer at https://www.gpofpa.org/communications_team
, or to join online, sign up HERE..
Core Team by
Tina Olson
 The Core Team has been
reignited to grow as the spine of our organization. In the first part
of the year, we will be running workshops to help people learn how to
utilize the tools within Nation Builder, our association advocacy
software, to organize and grow our state and local parties. Bimonthly
meetings will be held the first and third Wednesdays.. If you are
interested in helping, sign up HERE.
edited by David
Ochmanowicz
Please volunteer to edit this page for future issues of GREEN
STAR. Instruction is available.
Police Accountability in Rochester, NY
 ROCHESTER, NY – If you're a Green, or Green-friendly, you
know that the 2020 election results were not a cause for celebration.
Yes, we're getting rid of Trump, but not the causes of Trumpism. There
is still a lot of work to do and as usual, the Greens are getting down
to it. At the Green Party of Monroe County December monthly meeting,
we will be discussing The State of Police Accountability in Rochester
with brief presentations from other groups: the Rochester Police
Accountability Board Alliance and United Christian Leadership
Ministry's Police De-Escalation Committee. (show all)
Democratic Party Dirty Tricks Against the Greens
by Michael Rubin
 Voter suppression has become a real issue in recent years.
Mostly, what we hear on voter suppression are Democrats correctly
accusing Republicans of disenfranchising people of color and poor and
working-class people. I want to call your attention to the voter
suppression activity by the Democratic Party in the 2020 election. In
a number of states, Democrats actively tried to keep the Green Party
off the ballot. . . . . So what should we make of these actions? The
most obvious is the total hypocrisy of the Democratic Party. As the
national Green Party said in a statement about Wisconsin, “By kicking
Howie and Angela off the ballot in Wisconsin and then publicly
celebrating this naked act of self-serving disenfranchisement, the
Democrats have made plain their intention to ‘save democracy from
Trump’ by killing it themselves first and then dancing on the
grave.” (show all)
edited by Hal
Brown
First London Borough Backs Universal Basic Income Pilot
Following Green Party Motion
Universal Basic Income is an idea whose time has come. As
the Covid crisis deepens and Brexit looms, the need to provide
security to every single person has never been greater. As we build
back from this pandemic, it just makes sense to give people a
non-means-tested payment providing the security of an economic floor
below which they cannot fall. Not a safety net with holes, but a solid
foundation upon which each and every person can stand and build from
together. (show all)
Greens Making the Case for Progressive Cross-Party
Collaboration
The
Compass Greens Network wants to help the Green Party achieve much
greater political influence in the UK. We formed shortly after the
2019 general election to host an open conversation about the Green
Party’s electoral strategy and its relationships to other progressive
parties and movements. The climate and ecological emergencies demand
that green ideas dominate the country’s political agenda and that
Green politicians are involved in shaping the UK’s approach to
averting global climate disaster. (show all)
edited by Chris
Robinson
Green Party
events are in GREEN. Other
Movement events are in RED.
January through March, 2021
Murrysville 12 for 12
Challenge
Walk, bike or run for 12 miles in 12
weeks in Murrysville Parks or on the Westmoreland Heritage
Trail.
Register here: https://runsignup.com/Race/PA/Murrysville/Murrysville12for12Challenge
January 5, 6:30 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County Virtual
General Assembly
Zoom contact and more information
from: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/114491397069698
January 7, 7:00 pm
Virtual Solar Tour
Co-sponsored by the Green Party of Centre County
More
information from: [email protected]
Register
in advance for Zoom at: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpc-2oqz0vHtEkQE7LwL-RjCzYAQ3R0_1U
January 10, noon
GPPA Virtual Conference
Everyone is welcome. Election of GPPA leaders. Please
register in advance to receive Zoom contact information:
https://www.gpofpa.org/2021_02_conf
January 12, 7:00 pm
Green Game Night
Hosted by Green Party of Lancaster County
RSVP for
“Network Connection” here: https://www.gpofpa.org/green_game_night_january_2021
January 16, 11:00 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
South Side PNC
More information from: [email protected]
January 18, Noon
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Events in Philadelphia,
https://volunteer.globalcitizen365.org/ Brandywine Peace
Nonviolent Action, Lockheed Martin, 230 Mall Boulevard, King of
Prussia
More information from:
http://www.brandywinepeace.com/events/2021-01/
January 18, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Montgomery
County Virtual Meeting
More information from: [email protected]
January 22, Noon
Celebration, Treaty Prohibiting Nuclear
Weapons Goes Into Force
Demonstration with
Brandywine Peace Community, Byrne U.S. Courthouse, 601 Market Street,
Philadelphia,
More information from: http://www.brandywinepeace.com/events/2021-01/
January 22, 7:00 pm
Beginning of the End of Nuclear
Weapons
Video watch-party & discussion
More
information from: [email protected]
RSVP
for Zoom link,
https://actionnetwork.org/events/ban-nuclear-weapons-watch-party
January 23
Pittsburgh Racial Justice Virtual
Summit
More information from:
[email protected]
And:
[email protected]
January 26, 7:30 pm
Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) Virtual
Meeting
Nomination of GPOP City Committee
More
information from: gpop@gpop.
https://www.facebook.com/events/260828891889736
January 30, 3:00 pm
Green Party of Wayne County Meeting
More information email:
[email protected]
February 2, 6:30 pm
Green Party of Allegheny
County Virtual General Assembly
Zoom contact and
more information from:
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/3454963464618418
GPPA Meeting
Dates for 2021:
2021 Meetings will
be held the second Sundays of: January, March, June, September,
November. If March is in-person, it will be in Harrisburg. All State
Web Conferences will be 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m.
Web Conferences are online - RSVP to get
connection information. The locations for in-person conferences are
to be determined. In-person conferences can be hosted by counties,
county groups or regions. These events are fundraisers. When hosted
locally, the host group receives back half of the revenue after
expenses. To apply for hosting, submit your info to our Application for Local Hosting of GPPA State Meetings
or GPPA-Sponsored Events. We strive for geographic diversity in reviewing
applications, however, all submissions are considered.
Green Party
of Pennsylvania Communications Team & Media
Committee
Issue
Credits:
EDITORS:
Chris Robinson,Hal Brown, & Dave Ochmanowicz
CONTRIBUTORS: Tre Schumacher, Tim Runkle,
Chris Robinson, Sheri Miller, Michael Rubin, Garret Wassermann, &
Tina Olson
LAYOUT: Tina Olson
& Sheri Miller
GRAPHIC
ARTS: Kevin Richardson
Everything we do is based on our Four Pillars and Ten Key
Values. If you find
that you share these ideals, come and join the movement.
You can
support the Green Party in many ways; however, a
monthly sustaining donation helps to fund a solid infrastructure to
help local chapters coordinate candidates and provide resources to
make their campaigns successful. As little as $3 per month can have a significant
impact!
Sustaining Donation
Single Donation Purchase Green Merchandise
Join
us and help bring about a future where people and
planet are valued over profits. We have a new, tiered membership
structure that allows you to determine your level of commitment and
support. And if you want to get more directly involved,
consider joining an action
team. Work with
other committed progressives and activists in activities such as
planning events, developing media content, or helping with
campaigns. Let's join together to make 2021 the year of
progressives!
The Green Star is an official publication of the
Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2021
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