Americans of Conscience Checklist: Week of July 8, 2018

Americans of Conscience Checklist: Week of July 8, 2018

By Jen Hofmann

I value secure, convenient voting and fair elections.

Democracy thrives when all citizens can freely elect those who represent their values.

Action 1: Oppose a citizenship question in the 2020 Census. (h/t)

Note: This is an especially important action if your citizenship status is secure. People with vulnerable citizenship are at greater risk of targeting by the current administration. Use your privilege to support our neighbors.

CommentOn the Federal Register by Aug 7, 2018.

ScriptUse your own words, but include any of the following:

 Action 2: Advocate for paid time off on Election Day.

Write: Your employers’ key decision maker(s).

Script: Dear [name], I’m inspired by Patagonia’s recent decision to give their employees a paid day off on November 6th. As I’m sure you know, Tuesday is not a convenient day for voting. Especially for people working hourly, unpaid time off can create a hardship that prevents taking part in this important civic obligation. I hope that you will consider implementing a policy similar to Patagonia’s. Let me know if I can be of assistance in this effort. Thanks.

Acts of Gratitude

Get out your stamps, postcards, and sparkle markers for some gratitude mail.

Congratulate Kat Calvin (Spread the Vote) on winning a grant from New Media Ventures. I also see the good work you do every day, putting IDs in the hands of people disenfranchised from voting. Thank you for all you do. I am proud to stand with you.

Address: Spread the Vote, 7423 W Manchester Ave, #4, Los Angeles, CA 90045

Thank Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) and Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) for introducing the Fairness for Farmworkers Act to provide US farmworkers with overtime protections when working more than 40 hours a week, and eliminate exemptions to the minimum wage for farm workers. Thank you for working to extend basic standards to those who produce our sustenance. No farms, no food!

Addresses:

KH: 333 Bush Street, Suite 3225, San Francisco, CA 94104

RG: El Pueblo Community Center, 101 W. Irvington Road Buildings 4&5, Tucson, AZ 85714

Good news

Decent people everywhere are speaking up and working together. Just look. 

National

  • Ruling: The government cannot default to detention when considering the application of asylum seekers who have shown credible evidence of fleeing persecution.
  • Ruling: Arbitrary detentions of asylum seekers blocked, allowing the granting of humanitarian parole as long as stringent requirements are met.

State

  • A federal judge ordered Tennessee to stop revoking driver’s licenses (and reinstate up to 100,000 previously revoked) from those who can’t pay court fees, restoring required photo ID to voters in poverty
  • Automatic voter registration passes in the Massachusetts house with veto-proof majority, moves to the state senate for consideration.

Local

News with heart

-Submitted by Judy Sullivan, USH Social Justice Chair