April 2021

Working toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government represents all of us.

Puff, Puff, Pass All of the Cannabis Bills in PA! by GPPA Co-chair Tina Olson

The 2021 Cannabis Fest in Kutztown, PA, will take place on April 17 and 18. For years the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) has been proud to be a part of the growing movement to finally decriminalize growing, selling, buying, and using nature’s sweet leaf. As a much-welcomed outdoor event, many Greens have already committed to convening there. For years we have been proud to be a part of the growing movement to finally decriminalize growing, selling, buying, and using nature’s sweet leaf. Let’s take this opportunity to look at the timeline of cannabis use, the attitudes, and unjust racial implications of the war on weed. Plus, a glimpse at what is happening in both our state legislative houses. . . . The Green Party stands for full decriminalization of cannabis. Decriminalization is the only path to ensure that everyone who needs access to the medical benefits and agricultural economic boosts are able to attain them. (show all)

GPPA News Highlights   

  edited by Chris Robinson 

PA Green Calls for Eco-Socialism on 51st Earth Day by Tre Schumacher

Non-reductionist thinking, or thinking like an ecosystem, affirms eco-socialism, which the Green Party (www.gp.org) names as its ideology. Eco-socialism, unlike capitalism, exhibits the characteristics of an organic ecosystem such as sustainability, localism, decentralization, diversity, self-organization, and more. Eco-socialism has the ability to welcome diversity and freely adapt to local conditions as to, for example, permit a plurality of methods of exchange. Thus, a robust gift economy can exist, and corrective local markets can emerge anytime there is a failure in the gift economy. (show all)

PA Green Party Demands Single-Payer Healthcare by Carl J. Romanelli

The Green Party of PA (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) supports Medicare for All as a national approach. That is truly the best single-payer system because it uses the collective power of 350 million Americans to keep the program solvent. However, the continued gridlock at the Congressional level makes Medicare for All unlikely anytime soon. For this reason, GPPA has made PA single-payer a priority issue. This is based on the idea that we are much more likely to have an effect on Harrisburg, PA, than we will on Washington, DC. (show all)

PA Green on the Ever-Looming Student Debt Crisis by Noah William Alter

One reason I have become a Green Party activist is the Green Party Platform supports equal access to high-quality education, and a sharp increase in financial aid for college students with the possibility of free tuition and forgiveness of student debt. Increasing the accessibility of higher education will benefit all members of the working class and will help us to educate future generations to build a just, sustainable human and democratic future. (show all)

Allegheny Greens Demand, “U.S. Hands off Syria!”

Following the Biden administration's 2/25 airstrike on Syria, the ANSWER Coalition chapter in Pittsburgh organized an emergency rally to reject this latest act of U.S. aggression. Biden is now the sixth president in a row to authorize an attack on a country in the Middle East, joining a long legacy of death and destruction that has caused chaos throughout the region. Along with ANSWER, the Pittsburgh Anti-Imperialist League, Christian Alliance For Peace, PSL Pittsburgh branch, and the Green Party of Allegheny County gathered to demand: US HANDS OFF SYRIA! (show all)

Campaign Updates   

  edited by Chris Robinson  

More candidates prepare to kick off their campaigns for 2021, stay tuned for more details!

Connor Mulvaney for Pittsburgh City Council District 4

Connor told GREEN STAR, “I was very happy to receive the endorsement of Pittsburgh Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) on March 16.” Follow Connor’s campaign on Facebook, For more information visit his website and follow him on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connorforpgh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/connorforcouncil/

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/ConnorMulvaney

Here are some new 2021 local candidates that we will also be hearing more from this year!

Karin Albert for Inspector of Elections, Exeter Borough Ward 2, Luzerne County

Barbara Laxon for Inspector of Elections, McKean County

Ben Chapman for Inspector of Elections, Lower Salford Ward 5, Montgomery County

Team Updates   

Finance Team by Tre Schumacher

The Finance Team manages the GPPA’s budget and merchandise and communicates with the Steering Committee and particularly the Treasurer to provide financial information and advice and facilitate compliance with the FEC. Our 2021 goals include fundraisers for the GPPA, maintaining monthly sustainers, adding five new sustainers per month starting from our current 60, supporting one targeted-issue fundraiser, and working with the Communications Team to keep good public relations while generating GPPA revenue. The Finance Team will host one meeting each month via Zoom. HERE.

GreenWave Team by Noel Antonio Rivera

Under new leadership, the Green Wave Team will continue to hold two meetings every month. Anyone interested in running for office, campaigning, or volunteering may attend our meetings. We will continue discussing ballot access training among other things at our meetings. All are invited to join the Green Wave Team!

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 Chris Robinson

Aaalll riiight! It is now time for you to join the ComTeam. We need writers, editors, and proofreaders. Will you help us bring the Green Party out of obscurity? If you would like to join the ComTeam, to join our team, please volunteer at https://www.gpofpa.org/, or to join online, sign up HERE..

Core Team by Charles Sherrouse

Core team proposes Green Party rules, develops the platform, and manages the tools and systems that maintain the party and allow it to grow. If you are interested in helping, sign up HERE.

Global Green News   

  edited by Hal Brown

UK Green Party supports self-identification for gender recognition certificates

The Green Party is supporting this motion as the current Gender Recognition Act, which was passed in 2004, only permits people diagnosed with gender dysphoria and who can provide evidence that they have lived in their acquired gender for at least two years to have their gender recognized by the law. This criteria can be very limiting to trans people who do not meet the guidelines. In turn, many trans people do not have their gender recognized by the law. They also argue that the current legislation pathologizes trans people and their identities (show all)

The Ecological Party of Uganda (EPU) reflects on its campaign, the discrepancies that occurred, and what their next steps will be. President of the EPU, Charles Bbaale, EPU Executive Director Dorothy Nalubega, and parliamentary candidate for the Busiro East district, Irene Nassolo, gave their reactions and opinions to Global Green News concerning the [2021] election, and the difficulties of the electoral process in Uganda. (show all)

Brazilian Green Party Repudiates Federal Government Offers to Explore Oil and Gas

The Brazilian Green party has denied the federal government’s attempt to explore oil and gas in the Fernando de Noronha archipelago, which was declared a Natural World Heritage site by UNESCO in 2001. The offering consisted of a deeper exploration of the already existing platform in the natural basins of Potiguar, one of the closest natural basins around Fernando de Noronha. According to ICMBio (The Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) and the IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources), exploring Fernando de Noronha would be predatory, and it would legalize all others destruction in the marine life around the archipelago. (show all)

GPPA Coming Events   

  edited by Chris Robinson

Green Party events are in GREEN. Other Movement events are in RED.

April 1, 10:00 am
Turkey Vulture Virtual Talk
Erie County
RSVP to Presque Isle Park office
More information from: http://eventsreg.dcnr.pa.gov/register/CreateSingle/5968

April 3, 11:00 am
Stop Banking the Bomb
PNC, 701 Federal Street, Pittsburgh, PA.
Endorsed by the Green Party of Allegheny County
More information from: [email protected]

April 6, 5:30 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County Virtual General Assembly
Zoom contact and more information from:
[email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/2678182285827416

April 10, 11:00 am
Solar Power at Parker Dam Park
Clearfield County
RSVP to: http://eventsreg.dcnr.pa.gov/register/create/36184195644325

April 17 & 18
PA Cannabis Festival
Renninger's Farmers Market, 740 Noble Street, Kutztown
More information from: https://www.facebook.com/watch/PennCannaFest/

April 19, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Montgomery County Virtual Meeting
More information from: [email protected]

April 22
Earth Day, Restore Our Earth
https://www.earthday.org/earth-day-2021/

April 23, 10:00 am
Workers Memorial Day
Zoom remembrance of those who died on the job.
Hosted by PhilaPOSH.
More information from: [email protected]

April 24, 3:00 pm
Green Party of Wayne County Meeting
Black and Brass Coffee, 101 Grandview Avenue, Honesdale.
More information from and please RSVP to: [email protected]

April 27, 6:00 pm
South Hills Greens Virtual Meeting
Green Party members south of Pittsburgh will meet.
More information and Zoom link from: [email protected]

April 27, 7:00 pm
Green Party of Philadelphia Virtual Meeting
More information from: [email protected]
https://www.gpop.org/calendar

April 29, 7:00 pm
How Energy Storage Works for Your Solar Panels
Endorsed by Green Party of Centre County.
More information from: [email protected]

May 4, 5:30 pm
Green Party of Allegheny County Virtual General Assembly
Zoom contact and more information from: [email protected]
https://www.facebook.com/events/202612471330421

GPPA Meeting Dates for 2021:

2021 Meetings will be held the second Sundays of: January, March, June, September, November. September is in-person, it will take place in Bellefonte, PA Saturday, September 18, 2021. All State Web Conferences will be 12:00 Noon to 4:00 p.m.

• Sunday, June 13
• Saturday, September 18
• Sunday, November 14

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: Noah Alter, Tina Olson, Noel Rivera, Chris Robinson, Tre Schumacher, Beth Scroggin,
LAYOUT: Tina Olson
GRAPHIC ARTS: Kevin Richardson 

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The Green Star is an official publication of the Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2021