Citizen Action Weekly: Friday, January 15th


January 15th

 

Time for Action: What we can do RIGHT NOW to combat the climate crisis

Even with everything else going on our planet is still in crisis.  Fighting the looming climate crisis requires action at the corporate, government and personal levels. We need to act NOW to save our futures.

To that end Citizen Action of Wisconsin is hosting a very special, virtual event on Thursday Jan 28th at 7:00 PM to highlight actions that we all can take NOW to reduce carbon emissions and save money. 

We will be hearing from Citizen Action of Wisconsin members and allies about climate campaigns they are working on and learn about how to get involved.  We will be sharing information about how homeowners can add solar panels to their homes at no up front cost.  We will also be showcasing actions you can take to pressure those in power to take bold action on fighting climate change.  Those who attend will even learn how to win a $25 gift card to the Driftless Cafe, Southwest Wisconsin’s finest farm to table restaurant. 

Please RSVP for this very special event.  Stopping the climate crisis is going to take all of us working together.  Join us and learn what you can do RIGHT NOW.  Please share this far and wide to activate as many climate activists and concerned citizens as possible!

Rural Wisconsin needs your help to fight the climate crisis and grow in these uncertain times

Rural Wisconsinites have been suffering for too long.  Our small towns are shrinking.  Our small and medium-sized farms are disappearing.  Our people are going without the broadband they need to compete and thrive.  Not enough young Wisconsin families are choosing to raise their families in Wisconsin’s rural areas.  Rural areas are suffering the real-world effects of climate change in real-time.  Scott Walker era politics and politicians have been tearing local control away from rural towns and counties.  Wisconsin’s elected leaders need to pass a 2021-2022 state budget that helps rural areas.  You can help RIGHT NOW by contacting elected leaders and demanding they fund programs that will help our struggling communities.

Citizen Action of Wisconsin is asking our elected leaders to include funding for local climate action plans, broadband expansion, support for our struggling farms, and so much more.  Wisconsin can’t allow our rural areas to be left behind!  We are asking our leaders to fight for the following budgetary demands:

  • Investments to make rural small businesses, local rural factories, and small/medium sized farms competitive  through targeted grants and loans to underwrite family supporting jobs and reverse the “brain drain” by incentivizing people to stay in or move to rural communities across Wisconsin
  • Large scale investment into farmer led watershed groups with a focus on flood resilience 
  • Funding for rural communities to create and maintain local climate action plans that dramatically reduce carbon emissions, prepare for impact of extreme weather events (such as major flooding and drought)  and improve economic development without harming Wisconsin’s small and medium sized farms
  • Restore DNR funding and authority to hold CAFOs to higher environmental standards and give counties the local authority to prevent new CAFOs or expansion of existing CAFOs
  • Invest to scale in local (and regional) food distribution models to dramatically and measurably lower rural carbon footprints and to support Wisconsin’s small and medium sized farms
  • Funding a study to establish how 100% broadband coverage across Wisconsin can be achieved by 2025 through nonprofit, local communication co-ops or  public broadband utilities 
  • Fund a study to establish how state government can dramatically increase the supply of affordable housing and family supporting jobs in rural Wisconsin

You can help RIGHT NOW by using this link to send an email to the Governor, Lt Governor and your state representatives and ask them to include our demands in the state budget.  No matter where we are, the color of our skin or how we pray all Wisconsinites rely on rural areas to put food on your table.  No matter where we are in the state we need to stand up and fight for rural areas in every way that we can.  Please contact your elected leaders right now and help protect our rural communities.

Citizen Action Celebrates our Co-op Members in the State Assembly!

As we count down the days to Joe Biden’s Inauguration, our co-op members are already getting to work in Madison! Our co-op leaders know that when we come together, regardless of the color of our skin, how much money is in our pocket, or where you live in Wisconsin, we accomplish great things. We are extremely proud of our elected leaders and we know that you will be champions for the Wisconsin working class as we go All-in for Wisconsin! 

 

North Central Organizing Co-op Holds Their Annual Regional Meeting, with Special Guest Kirk Bangstad 

The Citizen Action of Wisconsin (CAW) North Central Organizing Co-op is holding their Annual Regional Meeting this Saturday, January 16th from 10 am to 12 Noon, to update members and allies on the work that has been accomplished in 2020, and to discuss/plan what we hope to accomplish in 2021. If you attended the Statewide Annual Meeting, you got a snapshot of our work around the State. This meeting on January 16th will focus more on the Northcentral region, so we encourage you to attend. Our Steering Committee will be involved in the program as well, which gives you a better glimpse at the people that help to drive our work in this region. We are excited to announce that former candidate for the 34th Assembly District, and Minocqua Brewing Company owner Kirk Bangstad will be joining us for a short q & a section, led by Steering Committee member Scott Kirby! That should be good!

This will be a virtual meeting, but this is an advantage, because no matter where you are, you can join us! It will be on Zoom, and if you do not have reliable internet or the ability to join the Zoom meeting, there is a call-in option, so that you can take part. Though, we hope that you’ll join by video…it would be great to see you!

Topics that will be discussed include Healthcare for All, Fair Maps, and our work toward Environmental Justice (Green Homes, Union Jobs effort and more). We will also be discussing upcoming elections, and providing an opportunity for you to have a small group discussion with other attendees. We hope that you can Save the Date and join us!

Here is the link to register for the event.

Members of the North Central Organizing Co-op Join Others to Stop Evictions

In approximately 2 weeks, 750,000 Wisconsinites could be facing evictions. Members of the North Central Steering Committee, North Side Rising and members of other organizations, have teamed up to try and do something about this. If this is something that interests you, please sign up. This is a statewide effort, so your location is not as important. You can sign the petition to extend the evictions moratorium here

Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig was on the Stan Milam Show on WCLO Radio to discuss the prospects for bold health care reform in the Biden Administration and the insurrection. Listen here.

Citizen Action’s Robert Kraig discussed the insurrection and accountability on the Jeff Santos Show. Listen here.

North Side Rising led by Organizer, Dana Kelley made huge moves in 2020. From launching the North Side Rising, a cooperative that prioritizes protecting and uplifting the North Side of Milwaukee by fighting for climate equity and their continuous advocacy for the Milwaukee Green New Deal. Over the past year, they fought to keep the lights on throughout the state by coming together to extend the state moratorium on utility shut-offs and are now working towards extending the eviction moratorium and expanding the protections of the renter. They are working on funding for debt accrued during the pandemic for utilities and rent and are petitioning the Governor through local Legislative support. North Side Rising has also helped found and form the new coalition of Organizers and Organizations across the state of Wisconsin, RUCUS (Rural and Urban Communities United in Solidarity), who have organized in their ‘spare’ time during the Holiday break to produce a resolution and petition to extend and expand the eviction moratorium. You can sign the petition to extend the evictions moratorium here. Guaranteed Housing equals Good Health.

Dana Kelley has grown the membership of North Side Rising to a sustainable coalition of community members and leaders. North Side Rising values education, relationships and progressive action. Dana Kelly said at their core, “We aim to Educate, Relate and Activate communities of color towards better health, wealth and overall quality of life.” 

Organizer Dana Kelly’s Mantra: “I believe that all people have greatness in them, but many people have been blinded to their own greatness due to the everyday pressures and struggles of life. If you let your light shine, it will inspire others to let their light shine, and we will have a brighter today and tomorrow. I don’t think I have a specific leading style, but I am spirit led. I allow the passion and purpose in me to tell me what the right thing to fight for is, that is where I put my fight. I allow our members to work in their gifting and talents which gets the job done efficiently and effectively. I used to manage McDonald’s and we say, “Put your Aces in their Places”. I still practice that today.” We can confidently say Dana lets her light shine and inspires us daily.

What does a good day at North Side Rising looks like? Dana Kelly, “A good day at NSR is to see the needle of climate and economic justice move towards progression. There is so much work to be done that it is hard to focus on one area at a time, but the way we move at NSR is upward and onward. Whatever is going to keep us rising to the top is where we give it all we got!”.

We have many ways for you to stay plugged in to the Power! Every night of the week starting on Mondays with RUCUS, Teaching Tuesdays, and Wednesday Workshops all from 5-6pm and Thursdays is our Do S.O.M. Leadership Team meetings from 5:30-7pm where we Strategize, Organize and Mobilize. Go to our North Side Rising Facebook page or North Side Rising_MKE on Instagram to get linked up with the power. It’s time to give the Power to the People where it always belongs. 

Dana Kelly is happy to announce that she is running for MPS Board District 4.  She has been endorsed by the DSA and has interviewed for endorsements from the MTEA and CAW. She is excited to also have the political endorsement of County Supervisor, Ryan Clancy. 

Her four points for District 4 are: 1)Ensure a quality education to children of color; 2) Hold Charter Schools Accountable for funding; 3) Implement the Green New Deal in MPS and 4) Democratization of education giving parents, teachers and students a voice and vote in policy and curriculum.

Learn more about her plans for District 4 and stay connected by visiting Vote 4 Dana Kelly!

Battleground Wisconsin Podcast: Green Jobs Bill in first 100 days?

We discuss President Trump’s latest impeachment, shocking new details of his failed
insurrection, and the Wisconsin Republicans who are aiding and abetting the violent overthrow of American democracy. We welcome Citizen Action Climate & Equity Director Rafael Smith to discuss a groundbreaking opportunity to pass a large New Deal-style green jobs program (Jobs for Economic Recovery Act) in the first 100 days of the Biden Administration and how you can get involved in making it a reality. The legislation, which has major traction the Senate and House, will put millions of jobless Americans back to work, dramatically improve racial equity and expand opportunity for depressed rural areas. We also dig into Governor Evers’ State of the State speech and new fissures in the Republican state legislature that resulted in Senate Republicans splitting from the Assembly by cutting a deal with the Governor on COVID-19 relief.

Listen Now – Episode #475

Contact [email protected] to get involved in supporting the Jobs for Economic Recovery Act

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