RICHMOND AREA VIRGINIA ORGANIZING UPDATE, August 29, 2014 THE AMAZING RAISE: Virginia Organizing will be participating in the Amazing Raise on September 17 and 18. This is an online fundraising effort and anyone can donate by visiting theamazingraise.org/. Folks can easily contribute online at anytime starting at 6:00 a.m. on September 17 until 6:00 p.m. on September 18. However, the Richmond Chapter will be working to win the “Second Chance Early Bird” prize of $1500! To win this, Virginia Organizing needs to be one of the first ten groups to receive 25 separate gifts of $50 or more starting at 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, September 18. If you can, please donate right at 8:00 a.m. on September 18. We need to make sure we have people signed up to give during this time, so please contact me directly if you are able to help us try to win this prize. If our Chapter helps with this prize and Virginia Organizing wins it, some of the prize money will count toward our 2014 Chapter fundraising goals! Also, if anyone is available to run a 5k to benefit Virginia Organizing, the Amazing Raise is hosting a race on Tuesday, September 16 at the Boulders in Chesterfield. Visit amazingraise5k.org to register (and be sure to run in your Virginia Organizing t-shirt, contact me if you don’t have one). CALENDAR/ANNOUNCEMENTS: August 30, anniversary of Gabriel’s rebellion August 31, 4:00 p.m., public forum on police brutality, Monroe Park September 1, Labor Day September 1, 6:00 p.m. (every 1st and 3rd Monday) Moral Monday, Bell Tower on Capital Square September 4, Fast Food Workers Strike in Richmond September 5-7, Virginia Organizing annual Grassroots Gathering, Blackstone, Virginia September 7, 2:00 p.m., ASWAN (an organization of Homeless people) meeting, Legal Aid Justice Center September 7 (and every Sunday) 12:30 p.m. Food Not Bombs meal in Monroe Park September 8, 6:00, action at Richmond City Council September 8, 7:00 Virginia Organizing Transit Action Team meeting at Northside Grill September 13, Richmond Peace Festival, 11:00 am at St Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 600 Grove Avenue September 16, 6:00 p.m. Amazing Raise 5k at the Boulders September 17, noon, Central Virginia Rainbow Partnership Meeting, 1407 Sherwood Avenue September 17, 6:30 p.m., Joe Calabrese to speak on the benefits of rapid transit, at the Science Museum September 17-18, the Amazing Raise September 18, Virginia General Assembly Special Session on Medicaid expansion begins September 20, Broad Street Mile fundraiser for Richmond Justice Initiative September 21, UCI cycling World Championship in Spain begins (2015 in Richmond) September 25, RePHRAME (public housing residents organization) meeting September 27, Pridefest on Brown’s Island September 27-28, Richmond Youth Peace Project workshop October 1, 7:00 p.m., Ellen Dunham-Jones on reducing sprawl at VCU Commons October 7, 7:00 p.m., presentation on Bus Rapid Transit plan, at Spring Run Presbyterian Church near Woodlake October 14, last day to register to vote and last day to apply for an ID for the November election October 16, 7:00 p.m. Richmond Chapter meeting October 25, 1:00 p.m. 7th Annual River City Saunter Route 5 Corridor bus tour, Partnership for Smarter Growth November 4, Election Day November 8, Richmond Peace Education Center Dinner and Auction November 12, The Commonwealth Institute is holding a statewide policy conference in Richmond January, 2015, Virginia General Assembly starts September 2015, UCI cycling World Championship in Richmond November 2015, Election for Virginia General Assembly Join Virginia Organizing for a discussion with Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam will be speaking at the Virginia Organizing Grassroots Gathering on Saturday, September 6 at 9 a.m. The Grassroots Gathering will take place at the Blackstone Conference and Retreat Center, located at 707 4th Street, Blackstone, VA 23824. The Gathering is a weekend event with workshops, speakers, and fun time! Virginia Secretary of the Commonwealth Levar Stoney will also attend to discuss restoration of rights in Virginia. Please see grassrootsgathering.eventbrite for more details. You are invited to come for the entire weekend event or just parts. Please register in advance and arrive no later than 8:30 a.m. on Saturday morning! We look forward to seeing you there! MEDICAID EXPANSION: The struggle for full health care reform in Virginia will continue next month when the General Assembly begins a special session on Medicaid expansion on September 18. Medicaid expansion is a piece of the Affordable Care Act that could provide coverage to up to 400,000 uninsured Virginians (with the federal government picking up a minimum of 90% of the cost). Governor McAuliffe would like to expand Medicaid but is faced with a legislature that refuses to take action. We will be doing at least one action in mid-September to push leaders of the opposition to expansion to come up with some ideas about what we should do. TRANSIT ORGANIZING: Organizing bus riders continues to be a major priority for the local chapter. We have contacted over 200 bus riders about our organizing efforts and we are finding lots of interest and support. Once or twice a month we gather to talk to bus riders at the Transfer Station downtown at 9th and Marshall. If you would like to join us please contact Bob Becker at [email protected]. This Fall we will have an intern joining us for outreach. BUS RAPID TRANSIT: The regional plan for a Bus Rapid Transit system continues to move forward. The city is currently waiting on approval of a major federal grant to begin construction of the first phase of the system. Bus Rapid Transit has been called “a train on wheels” as it involves large buses moving on special lanes on streets to fixed bus stops. Lots of information about Bus Rapid Transit, including a link to the first phase of the Richmond Plan, can be found at: rvarapidtransit.org/facts/ RVA Rapid Transit, Partnership for Smarter Growth, and GRTC are presenting: Rapid Transit For Richmond’s Future Wednesday, September 17, 2014, 6:30 pm. Science Museum of Virginia, Thalhimer Theater 2500 West Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23220 This event will feature Joe Calabrese, the CEO of the most successful Bus Rapid Transit system in the country. He will be discussing the economic development potential of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) for Metropolitan Richmond. Click here to RSVP: rapid-transit-rva.eventbrite RUDD’S TRAILER PARK (volunteers needed): The effort to save the community at Rudd’s Trailer Park off Jeff Davis Highway is moving forward. Volunteers are helping folks correct problems with their trailers. If you have construction related skills and would like to help, email [email protected]. The other challenge with the effort remains the attitude of the city. It still seems to many people that the city is taking a harder line with trailer parks than they are with other rental property. VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING: The new Virginia Voter Photo Identification law took effect on July 1. The law requires everyone to have an approved photo ID to vote. Folks who do not have an approved photo ID can get one at your Registrar’s office. For more information on the new voter photo ID law, click here to download a printable flyer. LISTENING PROJECT: Virginia Organizing is conducting a Listening Project in the Richmond Area. The Listening Project is made up of several hundred face to face conversations about the Metro Area and its opportunities and challenges. Anyone is able to participate. If you would like to be involved please contact Virginia Organizing’s Richmond organizer, Bob Becker at [email protected] KROGER CAMPAIGN: UFCW Local 400 is looking towards contract negotiations for Kroger workers here in Virginia. They are asking community supporters to wear a button and talk to Kroger workers as a show of support. Contact Ken Pinkard at [email protected] for details.
Posted on: Fri, 29 Aug 2014 19:52:25 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015