New Activism!

Activism Updates:

Chris had a few updates dealing with Tillis and Burr - as their constituents, we hope to have some sway over their decisions with Gorsuch and the Russian investigations. I know that we don't necessarily want to espouse a political bent as a group, but when we see the separation of church fading away, and one particular political party pushing for that, it might be advantageous to oppose them.

Additionally, if you haven't seen anything about it, the March for Science is coming up in DC, but ALSO, there is a sister march in Greensboro. I think most of you knew this, but I figured that it would be important to remind everyone. Check out the Facebook page.

ALSO, if you didn't get Joel's e-mail for whatever reason, here it is now:

Greetings all,
We held our first bi-monthly meeting today regarding Activism via FAACT and came up with several wonderful ideas allowing members to volunteer and in which to be more involved.
Below is a list of the activities we have planned thus far and whom to contact if you are interested. (Note: Some of these events are future events while others can be initiated immediately.)

1) Food Not Bombs at the IRC on Mondays. 
(I previously sent an email out concerning volunteering for this.)
You can be involved in preparing food, clean up, or both depending on your schedule.
If you are interested in this please contact Ann for more information at: ahbradync@gmail.com

2) Tutoring prison inmates.I am going to be researching what is needed, i.e., English, Reading, IT, GED preparedness, etc.. You can contact me about this at: cyberiad9@hotmail.com

3) Debates at UNCG/Public Access TV.I'm going to facilitate coordinating possible debates at UNCG and/or debates with theists on Public Access TV. I've already done some research on this, and it's not very expensive at all, and certainly within our capabilities.  
Any interest in camera work, involvement, please contact me at: cyberiad9@hotmail.com

4) Open Letter Writing to the local paper.These will typically be letters written to a politician, yet published in a local paper regarding any particularly atheist subjects such as the separation of church and state.
All letters will be signed, FAACT and thus require the Activism Group to read and OK the final submission. Submissions can be sent to myself, Sean, MJ, Ann Brady and Joseph Lantz. We will then share among ourselves to approve the letter.

5) Working with Superintendent S. Contreas.This will typically involve only the Activism Group and primarily myself. But, we will be attempting to start a Wishing Well type of presence within various schools. The Wishing Well is basically a way in which the school can ask for certain needed items such as whiteboard markers, paper, pencils, etc.. And as a group, we will provide these items for them, giving us a presence and voice to counteract the religious groups that are already conducting such activities.

6) Wildcat Rescue Volunteer.While this wont result in working directly with bobcats, it will involve working in their surroundings, helping to clean up. For more information on this, please contact MJ.

7) Fall Festival.There are several festivals wherein we can make our presence known. These will be detailed the closer the festival is. Fall Fest is but one. This will require people willing to volunteer their time to mind a FAACT booth where people can purchase shirts, and other items, and speak openly about atheism. Please contact Lyn for further information concerning these festivals.

8) Star Parties! Soon we will be hosting, in a nice ambient light-lacking, dark space, Star Gazing parties.
Look for more about this in the future.

9) Adopt-a-HighwayJoseph will be spearheading  this volunteer work and providing certain tools for picking up trash. He will also be contacting the city to find out where we can be most useful and to collect the orange vests, gloves, etc., required for such work. Once we find out where we will be located, for a little extra money we can actually have our logo printed on the sign instead of just FAACT in plain font. Please contact Joseph or Lyn if you are interested.

The Social Activism Group consists (currently) of myself (Joel), Sean (Guy Geaux), Ann Brady, Joseph Lantz, Lyn McCoy and MJ.
Please feel free to contact me or any of the others with any questions concerning the above.

Thank you,

Joel (Organizer)

Final Locker/Bench Assembly

This is going to be it! We're going to be doing our final bench/locker assembly at the IRC in downtown Greensboro. I am gunning for a photo op afterwards, so if you've worked on the lockers, please come! We'll be starting at 9 am, so if you can get there early, we'll try and snap the pictures asap.

Have a good one!

Burr and the Greensboro PerSisters!

One of our members has alerted me to some events and news that might interest everyone:

First, a group that has grown from the DC Women's March, the Greensboro PerSisters, will be having a meeting at the Benjamin Library Branch on Sunday, 4-530, as well as on the Sunday of the 26th - they will be meeting every other week.

Additionally, a bill was introduced on Monday in the Senate to defund Planned Parenthood, which can pass by a simple majority. Though there are a few GOP opponents, our phone calls and letters to our Senators will count more than signing petitions.

Burr, Richard, 217 Russell Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510; (202) 224-3154;

www.burr.senate.gov/contact/email

Tillis, Thom, 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington DC 20510; (202) 224-6342; www.tillis.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/email-me

Planned Parenthood Petition

A Plethora of New Opportunities

I got this e-mail a little while ago, but hopefully this isn't too late for us to take advantage of some of the activism within it!

March 8th, 2017: International Women's Day
1-day demonstration of economic solidarity for equity, justice and the human rights of women
The Women's March supports the feminists of color and grassroots groups organizing the International Women’s Strike in the same spirit of love and liberation that inspired the Women's March.
Recognizing the enormous value that women of all backgrounds add to our socio-economic system--while receiving lower wages and experiencing greater inequities, vulnerability to discrimination, sexual harassment, and job insecurity:
  1 Women take the day off from paid and unpaid labor
  2 Avoid shopping for one day (with exceptions for small, women- and minority-owned businesses).
  3 Wear RED in solidarity with A Day Without A Woman
We are also inspired by recent courageous actions like:
- the "Bodega strike" lead by Yemeni immigrant store owners in New York City …
- the Day Without Immigrants across the U.S.
and applaud the efforts of
- #GrabYourWallet and others to bring public accountability to unethical corporate practices.
- #DivestDAPL
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
 https://www.womenstrikeus.org/
 https://www.resistancerecess.com
and in NC:
 https://northcarolinanow.wordpress.com/2017/02/19/advocacy-101-event-full-of-people-and-ideas/

A Snapshot!

Hi everyone!

Just a view from inside the locker room at Greensboro's Interactive Resource Center! They're being installed!

I sat down with the wonderful volunteer organizer and discussed future projects that might need our help. More updates to come!

Moar Activism!

Activism

Kia and I will not be finishing up locker assembly this weekend, as we will be attending the Moral March. There are going to be marches and rallies aplenty for the foreseeable future. Greensboro is having a Science March to match the one in Washington, DC. Additionally, we can help support these marches financially if possible. The permits are not cheap, but if everyone pitches in a little, it can be help a lot.

On the 18th of February, we're going to be back at the IRC, putting together, maybe, the last two of the six sets of lockers. Awesome. This should open up our days for other kinds of volunteering. I'm planning on asking the IRC what else we might be able to do. But some of our members are affiliated with other philanthropic organizations like Second Harvest Food Bank, and Democracy Greensboro.

There are a couple of updates that I would like to remind people of, and, I feel, these transcend political alliances. If religious freedom is impinged upon, it can land atheists, agnostics, and secularists of every stripe squarely in the cross hairs of a government. See this, and maybe contact the White House to tell them what a terrible idea this is. Additionally, Trump's pick for Secretary of Education, Betsy Devos, has apparently been alright with religious indoctrination in schools. Here is his website, so that you can let him know how you feel about that.

Science for President!

Alright, it's not quite that great - not yet. However, my friend Travis brought this to my attention, and now, I am bringing it to yours:

http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1338614&page=1

Contribute to this if you can! I'd rather have a technocracy than a trumpidency!