"Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country.  This is your democracy.  Make it.  Protect it.  Pass it on." 

- Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall 

As quoted by Kristen Clarke in her 4/18/21 opening statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee at hearing on her nomination as Assistant Attorney General, US Civil Rights Division

Countering Disinformation -
Join the I-RISE Monthly Meeting this Week

Join our monthly meeting on Tuesday, April 20, 2021 at 6:30-7:30, when Rose Lang-Maso of Common Cause will share information, insights, and successes from  that group’s social media monitoring program. Our own action working group will describe additional ways to counter disinformation, such as through proposed legislation and by pressuring social media companies, corporate donors, right-wing media, and the cable companies and advertisers that support those media outlets. 

Please join us on Zoom for an informative and eye-opening discussion!  

Our First 2021 Fundraiser

Our first fundraiser of the year is sure to be fun and will benefit two great causes -- a win-win! On Saturday, May 22 at 7:00, we are holding a wine tasting event. Save the date and we’ll share the details soon.

The event will be by Zoom, with a clever way for all of us to taste the wines. Proceeds will equally benefit:

-- Our own Indivisible-RISE efforts, with Indivisible National matching the first $500 we raise!

Corporate Pressure Can Make A Difference 

Hundreds of companies and executives have expressed support for voter rights and opposition to efforts to restrict voting. These statements (including a recent ad in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and elsewhere) go a long way to pressure lawmakers to reconsider the hundreds of restrictive voting laws that are in process and, in some cases, already have passed. 

It is imperative that companies stand behind their words with actions. We can help make that happen by contacting major companies to pressure them to commit to discontinue all donations to anyone who supports voter suppression laws and to affirmatively support the passage of the For the People Act.   

This week’s I-RISE postcard writing campaign will focus on this issue. If you would like to write postcards to companies and are not already a regular postcard writer with our Postcards-to-Go program, please email us at indivisible.rise.newburyport@gmail.com. Also email us if you would like to reach companies by phone, email or through social media, and we will share contact information for major company CEOs along with suggested scripts. 

Spread the Truth

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Help counter the lies about the border situation by posting the “truth sandwich” above to your personal social media channels. Use the hashtags #CorrectTheRecord and #TruthBrigade, because people really search and find posts using hashtags. Also, be sure to include @AP and @NYTimes in the text of your tweet, as the handles in this image are NOT links. 

If you don’t use social media, please email it to your contacts who may need some persuading or print it and give a hard copy to people the old-fashioned way! If you would like to get involved with I-RISE's efforts to spread the truth, please sign up for the Truth Brigade / Proactive Posting here.

Support DC Statehood 

The House began mark-up of the DC statehood bill (HR51), and it may head to the floor for a vote as early as this week! It is important to contact Congressman Moulton (here) to ensure that he knows that his constituents support DC Statehood. DC residents bear the same responsibilities as all other US citizens, without sharing the full rights and privileges as the rest of us. For more information about why DC Statehood is critical, and why it is a racial justice issue, take a few minutes to watch this video. (If you live in a different Congressional District or want to encourage others to contact their Member of Congress, click here for contact information.)

Texting Opportunities

Over the next few weeks, Grassroots Democrats is texting to encourage Pennsylvanians and Virginians to get out and vote early for their respective primaries. Click here to sign up.

Other organizations continue to have ongoing or periodic texting opportunities. Remember to check out our Texting Opportunities document for updates and links.  
 

A Case for the For the People Act

Thank you to I-RISE member Christine Green for her helpful letter in the April 5th Newburyport Daily News, setting out some of the reasons why the Senate must pass the For the People Act already approved by the House. If you have not yet read Christine’s letter, you can find it here.   
 

Help Fight Racism on the North Shore

The North Shore MA NAACP grew out of the BLM protests after George Floyd’s murder. It stands in  solidarity against systemic racism in our area. The group is currently setting up its infrastructure and establishing it’s network and reach. Its aim is to sustain and increase membership as a measure of the strength of the group’s voice. Click here to learn more and show your support by joining.   

Support Common Sense Gun Safety

There have been 47 mass shootings (4 or more people injured or killed) since the March 16 mass shooting in Atlanta.. This is in addition to the ongoing daily epidemic of gun deaths (100+ a day) and the fact that guns are the #1 leading cause of death for American children and teens. Join the Virtual Day of Action on Sunday April 25 at 12-4 pm, hosted by the MA Chapter of Moms Demand Action and featuring numerous MA legislators including Seth Moulton.  This will be an opportunity to take concrete action to make a difference. Sign up for this virtual event here . For more information and to get more involved with Moms here in MA, read the first edition of this chapter’s quarterly newsletter here. 

Massachusetts Laws Update

MA Legislation to Watch:

HATE CRIMES: State Rep. Tram Nguyen, along with Sen. Adam Hinds and Attorney General Maura Healey, have introduced “An Act to reform the hate crimes statutes” (H.1819/S.1051), to clarify Massachusetts’ overlapping hate crimes laws to make them more enforceable.  The bill adjusts penalties to match the severity of the crime, giving judges some discretion in sentencing (no mandatory minimums). The bill would also add gender and immigration status as protected classes.

VOTES Act: “An Act Fostering Voting Opportunities, Trust, Equity and Security” (S.459/H.805) makes it easier to register and to cast your vote in Massachusetts.  This bill increases early voting days, keeps no-excuse vote-by-mail, allows ballots postmarked by voting day to be received up to 3 days after the election, and allows same-day voter registration.

Our local senators and representatives have not signed on to either bill.  Please reach out to Lenny Mirra, Jim Kelcourse, Diana DiZoglio, and Bruce Tarr to ask them to support this legislation.

Exciting News

Many of you know State Rep. Tram Nguyen of the 18th Essex District.  Tram is a finalist for the EMILY’s List Gabrielle Giffords Rising Star Award, honoring women who are leaders in their communities with bright political futures. The winner will be determined by vote THIS WEEK, April 19-23. Click here to vote for Tram!

Click here to access the Indivisible-RISE Actions & Events Calendar listing interesting and informative upcoming events. Check the calendar periodically because we regularly update it. 

And don’t forget our weekly postcard writing and phone banks. Email indivisible.rise.newburyport@gmail.com if you’d like to join the postcard writing team, and register here to phone bank on Wednesday afternoons in support of the For the People Act.

Please sign up here to volunteer with I-RISE. Choose among numerous options and devote as much or as little time as you prefer!
Every bit makes a difference! 

• Bookmark our Event Calendar for events sponsored by Indivisible-RISE and allied organizations.
• Find us on Facebook  and visit our website.