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Dear Greylock Together,
“Years from now… they're going to ask us, ‘Where were you when the stakes were so high?’ … We will tell them not just how we felt, we will tell them what we did.” – Kamala Harris
Welcome to a new section of the Greylock Together newsletter, in which we highlight what our members are doing to affect the outcome of the 2020 election. This week, Ali Benjamin reports in from a statewide Text-a-Thon helping North Carolina voters vote by mail:
I spent Saturday afternoon participating in a text-a-thon organized by Together for 2020, a statewide umbrella organization for progressive groups in Massachusetts. The goal was simple: boost voting rates in North Carolina by helping voters access absentee ballots via texts. The first text we sent to each voter was pre-written, so texting was really as simple as pressing the “send” button. When questions came in, we answered them, either by customizing pre-written responses, or – if those didn’t suffice – asking experts who were available via a live Q&A. The event had the feel of a grand party; as we worked, DJs spun tunes for us on Zoom, and sometimes political celebrities (Elizabeth Warren, Deval Patrick, David Byrne, Ayanna Presley, and more) popped in to say hello and thank us for the work we were doing.
It felt important: some voters I reached genuinely didn’t have the information. Others hadn’t been sure whether voting by mail was secure and felt more assured after. Still others passed along names of friends and family members who should be contacted. Sure, there was an occasional nasty reply, but it was easy enough to disengage quickly and move forward.
And here’s the thing: in a single afternoon, we reached 815,000 voters in this critical swing state. Many were in black neighborhoods, the precise communities targeted by GOP-led voter suppression tactics (with what the 4th US Circuit Court of Appeals called “almost surgical precision”).
I’ll admit that before I began, I was apprehensive. But it was genuinely fun, and when it was over, I felt fantastic – totally pumped up for more! I’ll be sure to pass the word about the next text-a-thon – it’d be great to have more people join.
What are you doing to influence the election? Let us know by sending a report to: greylocktogether@gmail.com Need help figuring out what to do? Connect with a Together for 2020 Action Coach who will work with you to find a task that best suits your availability, temperament, and interests.
Primary Almost Over. There's only a little more than a week left in the state primary! Early voting is happening -- as a last resort, go on September 1st and cast your ballot!
Gideon for Maine. Join Maddy Art, a field organizer for the Maine Democratic Party, weekly on Saturdays via Zoom to make calls to Mainers and help elect a progressive pro-choice woman to be Maine’s next senator. All experience levels are welcome—we will start with a training to get everyone up to speed. We have just 10 weeks left to win this, and Greylock Together has an incredible capacity to make a difference in an election that will be decided on razor thin margins. Here is the link to sign up!
Post. The Post Office is governed by a board that unanimously chose DeJoy, the disaster artist in charge of the current slowdown that has killed chicks and delayed meds. Let them know that if neither rain nor snow nor heat nor gloom of night is supposed to stand in the way of the mail.
- Robert Duncan: mduncan@inezdepositbank.com
- John Barger: barger.jm@gmail.com
- Ron Bloom: ron.bloom@brookfield.com
- Roman Martinez: roman@rmiv.com
- Donald Moak: lee.moak@moakgroup.com
- Wiliam Zollers: directoraccessmailbox@cigna.com
 GT Book Group. Our book this month is One Person, No Vote: How Vote Suppression is Destroying Our Democracy, by Carol Anderson. Some of you might remember that Anderson’s White Rage was one of the first titles we read when our book group started in the spring of 2017. With the election only 91 days away, revisiting the critical topic of voter suppression is especially timely. There will be two discussions of the book! We’ll join our coalition at Indivisible MA this month for an opportunity to discuss this book with a statewide group tomorrow, August 26 @ 7:30 pm. RSVP here for the Zoom link. Then the next night there will be the regular and more intimate GT Book Group discussion, August @ 7:00 pm. Here is the Zoom link (Meeting ID: 222 676 1263) for that one; email gdoench@gmail.com to RSVP...all welcome, as always!
Morse Force. With just 9 days left in this election, the Morse team has let us know that they need all hands on deck. If you are in Massachusetts, get involved by signing up to join their GOTV Street Team!
Williamstown Poll Workers Needed. They're going to need volunteers for the actual election days, since some of the usual people are unable to assist this year thanks to COVID-19. Contact Town Clerk Nicole Pedercini to volunteer: 413-458-3500 ext. 101, or npedercini@williamstownma.gov
Florida Project. In 2018, Amendment 4 in Florida helped restore voting rights to 1.4 million people with felony convictions. Lift+Every+Vote is carrying this victory forward by postcarding 70,000 individuals who are immediately eligible to register to vote to remind them to do so—and they need our help! If twenty GTers each write 50 postcards, we can make a big impact by postcarding 1,000 of these potential voters. Ready to join the effort? Email Sarah at sarah.clader@gmail.com and let her know 1) How many postcards you'd like to write; and 2) whether you can provide your own postage or would like it provided. Greylock Together is part of "Round 2" of postcarding which might not happen for another few weeks, but we'd like to line up volunteers ahead of time. Let's help our fellow citizens get back on the voter rolls!
Phonebank for Markey. This election is going to be close, and every single phone call we make can make a difference! They're looking for volunteers to make calls - any time that works for you works for them, but they'd love to have you at their Thursday evening phonebanks (5:30-7). Please let Owen know if you're interested!
NC Phonebanking. The map of possible Senate gains keeps expanding, and that means so do opportunities for activism! Please join phone banking efforts in North Carolina. Every Tuesday from 6:30-8pm they call to reach unaffiliated voters in this critical state. Register for the phone bank here.
Letter-Writing. Jeanne M and Bernadine W are heading up this letter writing drive. Want to help write letters from home to marginal voters in other states? It motivates them to get to the polls! Write or text Jeanne at jeanne.marklin@gmail.com or 413 672-1766, or Bernadine at bhw1@williams.edu or 781 956-6622. Let us know if you need us to include stamps, or if you will provide them for your packet. You can also print your own letters by going to the VoteForward.org site and signing up. You can really make a difference!
If you want to write letters while hanging out with other folks -- which is pretty fun! -- then there's a Vote Forward letter writing event every Wednesday at 5:30 pm, conducted by Alyson Slutsky. To contact her: Gummo18@gmail.com. There's also a Thursday group, every week at 4:00 pm; contact Frank at Farkas1945@gmail.com
Look at all of Michael and Sarah's letters!
Census. North Adams only has about a 60% completion rate for the Census, and Williamstown only has 69%! The Trump administration is trying to cut the Census off early so that they can avoid counting people and game the system -- if you haven't responded yet, do so online now and foil their plan!
BLM Vigil Every Friday in Williamstown. Friday at 5:00 pm at Field Park, as usual, we will continue our weekly vigils in partnership with First Congregational. Facebook event here. Please wear a mask; social distancing practices observed.
ANTIRACISM IS DAILY WORK!
ALERT
- The horrific news of Jacob Blake, shot multiple times in the back by police, has renewed vigor to the racial justice protests that have been ongoing nationwide for months, and organizations working on the ground to support activists need as much help as we can give them. Today we want to re-up a page where you can donate directly to nine leading organizations doing racial justice work nationwide -- click here to find out more and fund the crucial work they’re doing.
- And if you’d like to donate to support protestors in Kenosha, donate directly to the Milwaukee Freedom Fund -- they are currently extending their help with bail, tickets, and connecting protestors to lawyers.
READ
LISTEN
WATCH
ANTIRACISM FOR YOUNG READERS
Check out more news from this week at Muckraker Farm.
Events (GCal,iCal)
Indivisible MA Book Group
August 26 @ 7:30 pm
Selection: One Book, No Vote by Carol Anderson
RSVP here
GT Book Group
August 27 @ 7:00 pm
Selection: One Book, No Vote by Carol Anderson
Zoom link here
CONTACT INFO FOR GT TEAM ACTION:
Resist and persist!
Alexander
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