Neighborly Actions After the Heat Wave
Share media literacy skills, weigh in once more (with feeling) on the Providence budget, take a sick(out) day to celebrate immigrants, & help two sweet people leave Mississippi.
Hi, everyone. The heat has broken and my brain has recovered from being slime, so here are some things we can do with and for our neighbors this coming weekend and week.
Saturday, June 28, 2-4pm, PVD Things (location announced when you sign up): This in-person media literacy skill-share sets people up to share their strategies for fact checking, detecting misinformation, recognizing manipulative language and images, and more. If you think you don’t need this, you might need this! If there’s someone in your life who seems easily swayed by untruths, bring them as your plus-one. Space is limited, so sign up here.
Monday, June 30, 5:30pm, Providence City Hall (25 Dorrance St, Providence, 3rd floor, and the days preceding: PVD City Councilors will hear testimony on the proposed city budget. Childcare (limited spots—here’s the childcare signup form) and Spanish/English interpretation will be available! The Council has been working hard to lessen the tax increase—here are the new rates—and is preserving the Sustainability Office position that they’d planned to eliminate. I am glad to see this and think that we can still call for a more just budget to further reduce the burden on ordinary people. Some options:
Higher tax evaluations on large commercial buildings
Higher taxes on homes valued above $1 million per unit
Stronger payment agreements with nonprofits who don’t pay property taxes
Reduce bloated police budgets (especially in the areas of equipment and overtime)
Talk with friends, family and neighbors between now and Monday about these options, and bring them out to the hearing. If you (or they) can’t attend, email testimony to cityclerk@providenceri.gov by 3pm on 6/30.
Tuesday, July 1, all day / 6pm, Dexter Plaza, Central Falls: In order to show how essential immigrants are to our work and our communities, there’s a national call for a sick-out day. Whether you’re documented or not, call in sick on Tuesday in solidarity with our neighbors against raids and kidnappings, and/or join the people of Central Falls for an anti-ICE block party at 6pm. (There are other ideas at the above link for how to spend your day.)
Anytime this week or next, remotely: Ashlynn and MG are trans and disabled and need to get out of Mississippi. These are friends of a friend of mine, and while I usually try to keep fundraisers local, this is a heavy need and could be genuinely lifesaving. Please contribute if you can.
With love,
Kate