CNY PROGRESSIVE ACTION NEWSLETTER – ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

CNY PROGRESSIVE ACTION NEWSLETTER
APRIL 29, 2016

NEWSLETTER OF THE CENTRAL NEW YORK CITIZENS IN ACTION, INC. (ESTABLISHED IN 1997)

You can view newsletter on:
https://cnycitizenaction.wordpress.com

HEADLINES

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION BEGINS WITH THIS CAMPAIGN

JOIN US FOR UTICA MAY DAY 2016 ON SUNDAY MAY 1

BERNIE WON ONEIDA AND HERKIMER COUNTIES!!

NYS BUDGET UPDATE

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS FOR THE CENTRAL NEW YORK CITIZENS IN ACTION, INC.

PEOPLE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS
FUNDRAISER SAT. MAY 14

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION BEGINS WITH THIS CAMPAIGN

Bernie Sanders always says it is not about him, but about all of us. Whether or not he is elected President, political and economic power can only be taken from the millionaires and billionaires if HUGE numbers of us are organized and stay active. Winning political power for the 99% will require electing thousands and thousands of younger Bernies and Bernices to office on every level.

 

JOIN US FOR UTICA MAY DAY 2016 ON SUNDAY MAY 1

Learn how you get active in the movement for progressive social change by attending the May Day Celebration this Sunday

May Day Celebration. Day of labor solidarity and social justice. Music, films, speakers, potluck lunch, dancing, networking, yoga, exhibits. Sunday, May 1. 1-5 p.m. DeSales Center, 309 Genesee Street, Utica, NY 13501, Utica. Free and Open to the Public. Sponsored by Working Families Party, Central NY Citizens in Action, Mohawk Valley Freedom School, IWW.

Information:
https://cnycitizenaction.wordpress.com,
cnycitizenaction@gmail.com,
facebook.com/cnyprog

GREAT MUSIC AT MAY DAY FESTIVAL!

We are having a great musical line up for our May Day Celebration this Sunday. Get ready to dance and party!! Performing as the “Mayday Messengers” for the May Day Celebration are: former members of the “Copper Vein Clones,” Ryan Connarton and Rocco Branck, and former member of “Jomama and the Funkdaddys,” Dan Webster. “Mayday Messengers” play all original music blending funk and afro – beat. We are also having Darryl Rahn perform, He is a Utica native and solo Americana act. He has shared the stage with national acts such as guster, wild child, honeysuckle, and many more. You can find his music at Facebook.com/darrylrahnmusic
Or http://www.darrylrahn.com

BERNIE WON ONEIDA AND HERKIMER COUNTIES!!

Central New York progressives have much to celebrate during the last month. Due to the hard work of grassroots activists, Bernie won most of upstate New York for Bernie, more than 45 of the state’s 62 counties, including Oneida and Herkimer Counties. Although we did not win the entire state, the results show that Bernie’s message that the nation must address economic inequality powerfully resonates with Upstate NY residents. The Central New York Citizens in Action and its partner the Working Families Party will be launching soon a leadership academy to train future progressive political leaders. We are confident that the energy of the Bernie campaign will be harnessed into a local force for positive social change.

 

NYS BUDGET UPDATE

Many local activists demonstrated in Albany for the Fight for 15, Paid Family Leave, and Education funding. Here is what we were able to accomplish:

Fight for $15. After the tireless fight led by low wage workers, New York City’s minimum wage will be raised to $15 over the next three years. This is a major victory for those workers who changed this campaign from a fantasy to the new standard. For Long Island and Westchester, the minimum wage will go to $15 in six years. Unfortunately, our state’s leaders denied this economic boost to upstate communities. For the rest of the state, the minimum wage will be raised to $12.50 in five years with additional increases on a yet-to-be-determined timeline. Make no mistake: we will not stop fighting until we eliminate poverty wages from every corner of this state. There is no such thing as a half victory.

Paid Family Leave. Soon, working people in New York will no longer have to choose between their paychecks and taking care of their families. Included in the budget is the strongest paid family leave program in the country. Once fully implemented, workers will be able to take up to 12 weeks of job-protected paid leave at two-thirds of their average wage. We beat back the business lobby’s attempts to weaken the program, like limiting the benefit level, exempting businesses with only a few employees, and making the leave period too short. This is a significant step toward protecting families’ economic security and making our communities stronger.

Education. Parents across the state pushed hard for New York to finally make good on its promise to fully fund our public schools so that all students have a path to success. Because of that work, the budget includes $175 million in new funding for community schools, giving more children a better chance at escaping poverty. However, despite our efforts, the budget failed to address educational inequality, and provides only $627 million of the $4.4 billion our schools are owed in foundation aid. It has been ten years since the courts required the state to adequately fund schools in low income communities and communities of color – our children have been waiting far too long.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS AND INTERNS FOR THE

CENTRAL NEW YORK CITIZENS IN ACTION, INC.

Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc.is an independent progressive social justice organization. Since 1997, Citizen Action has helped to win victories on increasing the minimum wage and ensuring affordable health care. The involvement of our members has been key to our success. That’s why we need your help. If you’d like to get involved, please call us at 315-725-0974 or email cnycitizenaction@gmail.com. You will receive a follow-up call from us who can discuss with you specific ways you can help out that best fit your time and interests. Volunteers are needed to research and write articles, promote the organization in the media, maintain the new website conduct surveys, and serve on the board and committees. Thanks again for your support of Citizen Action!

PEOPLE FOR ANIMAL RIGHTS FUNDRAISER SAT. MAY 14

When: Sat. May 14 from 2 to 5
Where: May Memorial Unitarian-Universalist Society, 3800 E. Genesee St., Syracuse
What: Live music, homemade and store-bought vegan goodies (some gluten-free), dancing, educational material, original animal notecards.

Musicians:

Richard Weiskopf, pianist, will play both classical and pop on May 14.

Eileen Rose sings and plays the Appalachian dulcimer. She is a songwriter also and will bring along many animal songs.

Kristin (Gitler) and David (Goldman) play traditional American, Celtic and French Canadian music on the Appalachian
dulcimer and acoustic guitar.

Cost: $8 per person and $13 per family if you pay ahead. If you pay at the door, $10 per person and $15 per family. (Cash or check only as we are not set up to take credit cards at the door.) If you aren’t already a member of PAR, your donation can be considered your first year of dues as a new member, if you wish. If you choose to pay ahead, send a check to People for Animal Rights, P.O. Box 15358, Syracuse 13215-0358 or pay by credit card at peopleforanimalrightsofcny.org

Questions? (315)488-PURR (315)488-PURR (7877) 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. or LDESTEFANO3@twcny.rr.com

 

DONATE TO CENTRAL NEW YORK CITIZENS IN ACTION

Please support the work of Central New York Citizens in Action!

Your support today is an important investment in the progressive advocacy, education, research, organizing, and consumer protection work that we do to lift up the engine of our economy -hardworking Central New Yorkers and the families.
Please send your check to:
Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc., P.O. Box 411, Utica, NY 13503-0411. Because we are an advocacy group, donations are not tax deductible.
Thank you for your support.

 

NEWSLETTER ARTICLES ARE NEEDED
Please submit your articles, news items, and calendar listings to cnycitizenaction@gmail.com.

CNY PROGRESSIVE ACTION is published by Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc., P.O. Box 411, Utica, NY 13503-0411 Our Office is located at 500 Plant Street in Utica, NY at Cornerstone Community Church./315-725-0974315-725-0974 cnycitizenaction@gmail.com https://cnycitizenaction.wordpress.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Central-New-York-Citizens-in-Action/265689434204
https://www.facebook.com/Central-New-York-Progressive-Action-659297800873928/?fref=ts

May Day Celebration Planned for May 1 in Utica

Community groups are sponsoring a May Day celebration between 1 – 5 p.m. on Sunday, May 1 at the DeSales Center, 309 Genesee Street, Utica. May Day, an international workers’ day observed with speeches, rallies and demonstrations throughout the world, originated in the United States. The event will include music, films, speakers, potluck lunch, dancing, networking, and exhibits. There will be a screening of Naomi Klein’s film, “The Take,” which is about the worker occupation movement in Argentina in 2001.

The May Day celebration is free and open to the public. The DeSales Center is across the street from the Munson-Williams Proctor Institute in Downtown Utica. Parking is available next to the building.

The theme of this year’s May Day will be a celebration of victories for working people such as Fight for 15 movement and paid family leave in New York State. This will also be a celebration of various social movements currently on the rise for worker, immigrant and social and economic justice.

The Working Families Party, CNY Citizens in Action, Mohawk Valley Freedom School, and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) are sponsoring the event.

John Furman, President of the Central New Citizens in Action, stated: “May Day is a day of celebration and struggle. We will recognize the foundations of May Day, review the current focus of the movement for positive social change, and envision what a progressive future would look like in Utica. We will be looking toward building a coalition among labor, community, civil rights, immigrant, environmental, social justice, faith-based, and LGBT groups to fight for a fair and equitable society.

Brendan M Dunn of the Mohawk Valley Freedom School, said: “May Day is an important holiday not only because its roots are in the US, but because it shows that workers have the capacity to make change on a large scale. History teaches us that the only way we can make the world a better place is when workers and the common people stand up and collectively organize for a brighter tomorrow.”

May Day was founded in the United States after the nationwide general strike for the eight-hour workday that started on May 1, 1886. May Day is celebrated the world over and has long been a day of protest in the US. In 2006, the largest strike in US history occurred when undocumented immigrants, workers, and many others went on strike for immigration reform. A May Day celebration was held in Utica in 2012.

We are also seeking progressive bands, musicians, dancers, rappers, drum circles, and poets to perform at the event.

For more information, please call 315-725-0974, email cnycitizenaction@mail.com/ or visit https://cnycitizenaction.wordpress.com or facebook.com/cnyprog.