CITIZEN ACTION SEEKING VOLUNTEERS & TALENT FOR INAUGURAL JUSTICE, ARTS, MUSIC FESTIVAL

The Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc. is seeking volunteers for its inaugural JAM (Justice, Arts, Music) Fest on Saturday, Oct. 14 in Utica.

Featuring live music, crafts, art and film exhibits, speakers, children activities, and community discussions, the Justice, Arts, Music (JAM) Fest aims to bring people together to showcase local art and music as well as create a common public space for a dialogue on how we can bring about positive and progressive community change. The Justice, Arts, Music (JAM ) Fest will be held at the DeSales Center, 309 Genesee St., and other venues throughout Utica from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Oct.14.

John Furman, president of the Central New York Citizens in Action said: “The Justice, Arts, Music (JAM) Fest will be a combination of entertainment, education, and family fun to celebrate diversity and promote community-wide unity, peace, and social justice. Through music, visual arts, crafts and local foods, and hands-on activities, we will bring together Central New York’s many different kinds of people and work on building a strong, inclusive community. We are also hoping to raise awareness of local residents on what they can do through practical ways to make our community a better place to live. We see this festival as building upon the success of the One World Flower Fest and Levitt AMP Utica Music Series and intend to make it an annual tradition.”

The organizing committee is asking for event sponsors, donations, and volunteers to help with the event as well as volunteer musicians of all genres to perform, visual artists to display and create work, craft vendors, street theatre performers, food trucks, sign makers, film makers, face painters, speakers and workshop presenters, sidewalk artists, poets, magicians, performance artists, sound/stage equipment, and local agencies to distribute information about services. There will be a small vendor fee.

The organizing committee meets on a weekly basis. For more information on how local citizens, businesses, and organizations can get involved, please view our website at http://www.cnycia.org , visit this link https://goo.gl/forms/yFZW1graPXZxqd3j2, call 315.725.0974, or email .
cnyjamfest@gmail.com. To donate, use the link: http://cnycia.org/donate/

The Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc., affiliated with Citizen Action of New York, is public policy and civic engagement organization dedicated to promoting citizen involvement in community affairs. More information can be obtained by visiting http://cnycia.org/, https://cnycitizenaction.wordpress.com/, Facebook pages—Central New York Citizens in Action/Central New York Progressive, Twitter – @CNYACT, and Instagram: @cny_citizensinaction.

Charlottesville Solidarity Rally Planned for Sunday at 5 p.m. in Utica

Central New York Citizens in Action, Inc,, Indivisible Mohawk Valley, Citizen Action of New York, and other groups will hold a rally at Oneida Square Roundabout in Utica at 5 p.m. Sunday, August 13 to stand in solidarity with the people of Charlottesville in response to today’s act of terror by white supremacists.

Local groups today condemned the terror attack on anti-racist protesters at a gathering of white supremacists, neo-Nazis, the KKK, and other racists in Charlottesville, Va.

John Furman, President of the Central New York Citizens in Action, said: “We condemn this act of domestic terrorism targeting anti-racist protesters in Charlottesville, Virginia, and ask all citizens to attend our rally to show support for the courageous people of Charlottesville who turned out to stand peacefully against hate. President Trump’s unwillingness to both denounce this act of terrorism and to specifically call out the white supremacist and racists groups by name represents a failure of moral leadership and courage. It also sends the wrong message to racist groups nationwide that they can act with impunity and undermine the fabric of our nation.”

Hundreds of neo-Nazis and white supremacists gathered in Charlottesville, Virginia yesterday and today, using the removal of a Confederate statue as an excuse to exhibit their violence. The people of Charlottesville, led by young people, students, and people of color, turned out to stand peacefully against this display of hate. A person, now in custody, plowed a car directly into the crowd of peaceful counter-protestors, killing at least one and injuring at least 19 others. Trump has refused to use the term white supremacist or to condemn white supremacist violence.

For more information, call 315.725.0974 or email cnycitizenaction@gmail.com.

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