alliance4action Newsletter
October, 2021
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October is here and has kicked off with a bang! The a4a rally, Our Bodies, Our Choice, was a tremendous success! We joined with over six hundred other cities and communities across the nation to have our voices heard. Best guesstimate is that there were 200-250 of us intent to let Green Valley know that reproductive rights are a woman’s choice! The rally was peaceful, with no major confrontations despite a small group of anti-democracy supporters who eventually packed up and left! (I do love the little victories in life!) It was a wonderful time of camaraderie, catching up with folks not seen in a while and recognizing anew that we are stronger together!
Speaking of stronger together, October holds some fabulous opportunities!
On October 17th at 2pm via Zoom, we will gather to hear an AZ legislative update from Representative Andrea Dalessandro. She will help clarify the legislative disasters that occurred and share her insights and experience with us. Do join us and come prepared with questions!
October also means that it is time for a4a to put together a slate of folks for the a4a leadership team. We need people for the following positions: treasurer; co-chair; and membership coordinator. We are at a crossroads in our organization as we need new people willing to join us and put in the work to promote a4a’s vision for electing progressive candidates and promoting progressive legislation. Please consider joining our wonderful team, as indeed we are stronger together!
For questions or to volunteer, please contact me at [email protected]!
Arlynne Ostlund
Chair, alliance4action
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alliance4action Program Meeting
Sunday, October 17th, 2 p.m.
Featured Speaker:
Andrea Dalessandro
Arizona State Representative
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A Successful Rally for Reproductive Rights!
October 2, 2021
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alliance4action Treasurer’s Report
September 30, 2021
Balance as of August 31, 2021 $4686.71
Income 172.94
Expenses 0.00
Balance as of September 30, 2021 $4,859.65
Maggie Sievers, Treasurer
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a4a Action Groups
Climate
After several years of active leadership, the Climate Action Group coordinators, Connie Aglione and Connie Williams, have decided to "retire." We greatly appreciate all they have done to educate the community on critical climate issues.
If you have an interest in leading this group, please email Arlynne Ostlund at [email protected].
Education
Some good news--the three education related citizens' initiatives have apparently gathered enough signatures so that they will be on the ballot in 2022. These initiatives will roll back the recent tax cuts that undercut education funding. Thanks to all of you who signed these petitions!
The Education Action Group has not been holding meetings this fall but continues to send out relevant articles and action alerts.
Health Care
Our group meets on the first Wednesday of the month, still by Zoom for the time being. At our meeting on September 1st, we discussed how to talk, or not, with anti-mask or anti-vax people. One of our members, a retired doctor, had a person in one of the GVR pools tell him that masks do not protect from Covid. This resulted in a Letter to the Editor of the Green Valley News on 08/18/21. We base our priorities on our members’ hot button issues. This includes drug pricing reform, reproductive rights, nursing home reform, Medicare Traditional and Medicare Advantage and universal coverage.
Our guest speaker at our October 6th meeting was Candidate Kirsten Engel, who is running for the CD2 seat currently held by Ann Kirkpatrick. She talked about her reasons for running, her legislative priorities, and her positions on health care issues. She felt that strengthening the ACA was a more viable strategy than starting all over with a Medicare for All approach to health care. In general, the group was very impressed with Ms. Engel and her viewpoints.
We hope to bring more candidates to our future meetings.
Please join us if only for a trial run. We have 8-10 core members and a mailing list of 84. Contact Laurie Jurs for more information at [email protected].
Immigration
Read this article by Todd Miller to learn how Climate Change is already driving northbound immigration and the U.S. response (border walls and increased security) is no longer sufficient.
TITLE 42 (no U.S. entry except essential travelers - including asylum-seekers - due to Covid) remains in effect despite rumors that it would be lifted by this time. However, read here how a federal judge has ruled that Title 42 can not be used to expel families. Watch for the federal government to appeal this ruling.
ALL EYES ON Del Rio, TEXAS
Having had thousands of Haitians converging under the bridge in Del Rio, Texas, the U.S. government has doubled down on a militaristic approach to northbound migrants. Read the DHS strategy and response here.
CALL to ACTION
Please contact your Senators, your Congressperson, and call the Department of Homeland Security Public Comment Line (202) 282-8496 to request we open the Ports of Entry in a Covid smart manner for asylum-seekers, increase asylum-processing personnel at the ports of entry, and ensure asylum-seekers are afforded due process as promised in our federal laws and international treaties.
If you'd like to learn more about immigration and the a4a Immigration Action Group, please contact Gail Frank ([email protected]).
Racial Justice
The Racial Justice Action group has lost a significant number of its members and won't be continuing as an a4a action group. Many of the initial members are working on other community and social causes. We applaud their efforts and wish them all the best.
Sydney Chayes - Racial Justice a4a Action Group Chair
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