Last week, and next

So much has happened over the last few weeks... the General Assembly session has started... the Governor's proposed budget was released...we rallied to support the Equity in Abortion Coverage Act (EACA) (pictured above) ... Lunar New Year celebrations began last Sunday (happy new year!) ... there were three mass shootings last week in California ... a new train station opened in Pawtucket ... the White House announced administrative actions to further a federal renter's bill of rights ... we marked International Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday ... video was released of 5 police officers beating Tyre Nichols to death.

There is so much going on. Each one of these items deserves it's own statement, it's own newsletter. There are heartbreaking and horrible murders - mass shootings and police killing - and we should, can and must create policies to reduce these all-too-common ways that people are killed here in the United States. And there is great stuff happening too. It is all quite overwhelming, and a lot to process. I have lots to say. But in the interests of getting out a newsletter, I just want to mark these crimes, tragedies, commemorations and victories. In the complicated mess of life, they are all here together. We can and must keep working to make the world better.

Looking ahead to this week, we have session on Tuesday and Thursday. We'll hear about committee assignments. We'll continue introducing bills until the mid-February deadline. There will be a candlelight vigil in Memorial of Tyre Nichols on Monday, and a celebration of Black History month on Wednesday. I'll have a GoogleMeets office hour on Friday. (here's the link to the Facebook event , or send me an e-mail at info@rebeccakislak.com and I'll add you to the calendar invite.)

Read on for more community events, and let me know if you have any coming up, too.

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As always, please let me know what you think, by e-mail, phone or at my community conversation tomorrow at noon (see link above). Also, please follow me on Twitter or Facebook, Instagram or write to me at info@rebeccakislak.com. I am newly on Mastodon @RebeccaKislak@mstdn.social, and Post.News @RebeccaKislak. You can also call or text me at 401-400-2338. I look forward to hearing from you!