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Hi John,
In a just world, public institutions would protect our freedoms and support our thriving. Instead, we have a majority on the Supreme Court that is preoccupied with controlling our bodies. The decimation of Roe is motivated by a worldview that enforces rigid gender roles based on reproductive capacity. They have said they will come for same sex marriage rights, too. Their allies in state legislatures are targeting trans children and those who support them. They will ramp up their attack on birth control next.
But we are prepared. We will organize, we will insist on our freedom to live, to thrive, to define our own paths and control our own bodies. Right now people are forming networks. They are offering rides. They are raising funds. They are doing what they can to care for each other. Each new connection between people is like the syncopated rhythm of a drum. It's the heartbeat of a new world. This solidarity lives in our neighborhoods, our towns and cities, and it will spread across state lines to the whole nation.
We can’t be stopped. Onward.
Lauren Jacobs [[link removed]] In solidarity,
Lauren Jacobs
Executive Director
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The Supreme Court is trying to drag us backwards. What does this mean for our movement? [[link removed]]
A Conversation Between Lauren Jacobs and Ben Beach
With all of the horrifying decisions recently from the Supreme Court (and no end in sight to the reign of its extremist majority), we at PowerSwitch Action have been thinking about what the Court’s recent rulings mean for our communities, our movements, and our vision of a multiracial, feminist democracy.
We turned to our Executive Director, Lauren Jacobs, and our Legal Director, Ben Beach, to discuss this moment and the implications of the rulings at the state, local, and community level:
Lauren : We know that the recent Supreme Court rulings are harmful and hold disastrous implications for gender-oppressed people, LGBTQ+ folks, and communities living on the frontlines of climate emergencies. Ben, you’ve been reading the decisions, what are you finding most concerning?
Ben : As you mentioned, these rulings, Dobbs in particular, have a real and harmful effect on millions of people’s lives. We’re already seeing instances of people being turned away from abortion clinics and hearing horror stories of medical emergencies exacerbated by the impact of the ruling and subsequent state trigger laws. And at the same time, in the majority’s opinion in Dobbs, we’re seeing the link between patriarchy and autocracy more clearly.
Read the full conversation [[link removed]]
Our Network in Action [[link removed]]
[[link removed]] Protecting Warehouse Workers’ Rights in New York
The Warehouse Worker Protection Act [[link removed]] passed the NY State Legislature, bringing greater transparency to back-breaking productivity quotas and ensuring workers know their rights.
Members of the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition helped to draft the bill and organize support for it, and are now calling on Governor Kathy Hochul to sign it into law.
“We applaud the New York State Senate and Assembly for passing this essential bill and urge Governor Hochul to take swift action to put workers first,” says Maritza Silva-Farrell, Executive Director of ALIGN, leader of the New Yorkers for a Fair Economy coalition.
Organizing Tenants in Defense of Their Homes [[link removed]]
New limits on when landlords can evict renters will protect some tenants in the city of Ventura, CA, but the fight continues. 12 families in an apartment complex called Casa del Pueblo are currently facing mass eviction at the hands of new owners who are taking advantage of legal loopholes. In response, Central Coast Alliance United for a Sustainable Economy (CAUSE) organized tenants to push the city council to strengthen renter protections against unjust evictions.
[[link removed]] Advancing a People’s Budget that Addresses Root Causes in San Diego
The Center on Policy Initiatives and the Community Budget Alliance have been hard at work to have People’s Budget [[link removed]] priorities included in San Diego’s FY23 budget. Last month the City Council voted to adopt a $5.4B budget with priorities from the People’s Budget, including: a city-wide Language Access Program; $3.57M for a Housing Stability Fund; the continuation of the Youth Environmental Recreation Corps; a building Electrification Equity Plan.
Making Public Transportation Accessible in Massachusetts [[link removed]]
Earlier this month, the Public Transit Public Good [[link removed]] coalition, riders, transit workers, and allies called on the Massachusetts State Legislature to take urgent action to pass a low-income fare provision. As a result, the passage of “Lucky Amendment 7” to S.2989 [[link removed]] moves the state closer to a low-income fare for all. The Public Transit Public Good coalition is a partnership of transit workers and riders convened from across the state by our affiliate, Community Labor United.
[[link removed]] Holding Corporations Accountable for Voter Suppression in Michigan
On July 19th, the Wayne County Commision passed Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch's resolution to hold Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Delta Dental of Michigan responsible for bankrolling voter suppression politicians. This is a big win [[link removed]] that comes from the work of organizers, volunteers, and members of the Defend Black Voters Coalition, including our affiliate Detroit Action!
Ensuring Tenants are Protected from Harassment in Concord [[link removed]]
After 6 years of organizing with Concord tenants and the Raise the Roof (RTR) Coalition, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy (EBASE) is thrilled that Concord’s anti-harassment ordinance [[link removed]] was unanimously passed on June 14th, 2022. It officially goes into effect on July 28th, and EBASE is working to ensure that Concord residents are informed about the ordinance and that it is truly enforced.
[[link removed]] Supporting the Black Census Project
Georgia STAND-UP has teamed up with Black Youth Vote and Black Future Labs to collect survey responses for the Black Census Project, [[link removed]] an effort to hear from Black people in the United States across class, disability, gender, geography, immigration status, and sexuality. The collected information will clarify the diversity of wants and needs that Black people imagine for our communities and serves as an important step in transforming Black communities into constituencies that build power in cities and states.
In Case You Missed It [[link removed]]
The Warehouse Workers Resource Center was featured in an LA Times piece about the Inland Empire, a region in Southern California where people of color are being drawn to in the hope of finding and creating community, peace, and a future for themselves and their families. Read more here [[link removed]] .
[[link removed]] In the vastness of the Inland Empire, people of color find ‘peace in these troubled times’ [[link removed]]
"Activists have long complained that the spread of warehouses in one of the nation’s busiest distribution hubs has resulted in increased air pollution and rampant exploitation of workers."
NEW WEBSITE
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Our summer glow up is here! Did you catch our new website launch? After two decades of powerful local organizing and building a network of awesome affiliate organizations from across the country, we FINALLY have a website that does us justice: powerswitchaction.org. [[link removed]]
Our new logo, look, and website go hand in hand with our bold vision for multi-racial feminist democracy. If you haven’t already, take a moment to explore the new site [[link removed]] , dig into our resources, and spread the word.
Check out the new site [[link removed]]
WE'RE HIRING!
We are seeking experienced individuals to join our team! If you know anyone who would be a great fit, please send them our way. The ideal candidates will have a deep commitment to social, racial, gender, economic and environmental justice.
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Chief
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Staff
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State
Interference
Campaign
Director
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Creative
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Housing
Base
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Lead
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And be on the lookout for the following job opportunities later this year:
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Research
Director
[[link removed]] You can also check out open jobs across the network here! [[link removed]]
PowerSwitch Action
1305 Franklin St.
Suite 501
Oakland, CA 94612
United States
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