Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

“When you see something that is not just, not fair, or not right, you have to do something. You have to say something. Make a little noise. It's time for us to get into good trouble, necessary trouble.”
— John Lewis
leader within American Civil Rights Movements & former Congressperson

   
  Happy Sunday WeCAN friends, and a very warm welcome to the new members joining us for this week's Weekly Email Update. We were so pleased to have met you all during the WeCAN Wednesdays we co-sponsored this Summer and extend a hearty thank you for your commitment to Justice events in Windham County and beyond. We are elated to have you on board and are excited to collaborate with you at upcoming events. Welcome! 
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WeCAN WEDNESDAYS

We want to extend our sincerest thanks to Rep Emilie Kornheiser and Windham County Democrats, as well as so many others who gave of their time and resources, for all their hard work this Summer at the WeCAN Wednesday events. We had originally planned to have one more event on August 9th, but have decided to postpone our WeCAN birthday party until the Fall so that we can devote more time to planning and getting the word out about the event. If you'd like to be a part of the planning committee, please email us at [email protected] Thank you!

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HAPPENING TODAY,
SUNDAY, JULY 31st, 2022

Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, July 31st, 2022 at the Corner of Elm Street and Frost Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm.
Questions or need a different time to drop off veggies? Email Marilyn at [email protected].
Pick up fresh, local veggies for free! 
Do you have extra veggies from your garden? Drop them off at the stand between 10:30am-11:30am to share with your community!
Vegan/GF Everyone Eats! meals will be available as well, first come, first served.

“Reproductive freedom is critical to a whole range of issues. If we can’t take charge of this most personal aspect of our lives, we can’t take care of anything. It should not be seen as a privilege or as a benefit, but a fundamental human right.”
― Faye Wattleton
American reproductive rights activist who was the first African American and the youngest president ever elected of Planned Parenthood Federation of America

     
    Friends, for the first time in 5 years, we missed a Weekly Email Update newsletter--we sincerely apologize to all our organizations and readers. This week's email is back, though, and full of ways to get involved and share your unique talents with our community. This week's new offerings include an upcoming WeCAN Wednesday "Dinner at the Long Table" event on July 27th, a trains and transportation celebration with Brenda Siegel, candidate for Governor, a peecycling party in Bellows Falls, and two Abenaki-centered events: one about art and one about cooking, amongst many others. We truly look forward to seeing you at an event or meeting soon!
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WeCAN WEDNESDAYS

     Exciting news: WeCAN is co-sponsoring a series of events this Summer with Brattleboro Democrats and Rep. Emilie Kornheiser! The series continues on July 13th, 2022 and runs through August. Join us at the Brattleboro Town Common where we will celebrate politics, get to know candidates new and old, and maybe even throw ourselves a 5 year birthday party...we can't wait to see you there!
You can find more information below in this email or go to https://www.wecantogether.net/wecan_wednesdays_2022, where these events will have a dedicated space on our website. 
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, July 27th, 2022 at 5pm: Meet the Candidates: Dinner at the Long Table. Please join us by clicking on this rsvp link to register. 
Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 5pm: Primary Day Celebration/ WeCAN's 5th Birthday Party! (The date on the graphic is incorrect)

If you would like to volunteer or set up a table for your organization, please use the following links:

Click here to volunteer: https://www.emiliekornheiser.org/volunteer/
Click here to sign up to table or represent a candidate: https://forms.gle/4JuNT7Uw1hwQkHGp8

If you would like to sign up to help at the WeCAN table, please email us at [email protected] Thank you!

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Lean Left Action of the Week

New Hampshire
Let’s hit the road. Talking to real-live people in person IS how we can help Granite Staters win in November. We have several opportunities on the western side of New Hampshire where you can hop over in the morning, talk with voters, have lunch, and be home by the afternoon! Team up with other Vermonters!

• Sign up here and let us know you’re interested. We’ll get right back to you with detailed information! We also suggest taking Swing Blue Alliances' "Deep Canvassing" Training. Learn more here. 

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HAPPENING TODAY,
SUNDAY, JULY 24th, 2022

Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, July 24th, 2022 at the Corner of Elm Street and Frost Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm.
Questions or need a different time to drop off veggies? Email Marilyn at [email protected].
Pick up fresh, local veggies for free! 
Do you have extra veggies from your garden? Drop them off at the stand between 10:30am-11:30am to share with your community!
Vegan/GF Everyone Eats! meals will be available as well, first come, first served.

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HAPPENING OUTSIDE WINDHAM COUNTY: GREENFIELD, MA
Peaceful Protest at the Greenfield Common
Organized by Zoe Naughton-O’Connor
Sunday, July 24th, 2022 on the Greenfield Town Green (2-8 Bank Row, Greenfield, MA 01301). 2pm.
To commemorate one month since the overturning of Roe v Wade, we will have a peaceful protest on the Greenfield Common. Please feel free to bring signs. Those who are moved to speak are encouraged to do so, in a peaceful manner.

"What we're witnessing wasn't a constitutional judgment, it was an exercise in raw political power. We cannot allow an out of control Supreme Court, working in conjunction with extremist elements of the Republican party, to take away freedoms and our personal autonomy."
President Joe Biden, on the striking down of Roe v. Wade

Dear {{recipient.first_name_or_friend}} --     
     Welcome to the week's Weekly Email Update, friends. Last week, we promised to provide abortion care resources, both local and national, for you to save and share with your circles and networks; the more information we have at our fingertips, the quicker that information can get to those who need it. The following organizations are by no means a comprehensive list, but they are a great place to start. 

Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom
https://www.vermontaccess.org
Vermont Access to Reproductive Freedom provides financial assistance to help Vermonters pay for abortion through grassroots fundraising, working to equalize access and promote economic justice. To speak with someone about funding for an abortion, please call 802-371-0102.

Abortion Finder
https://www.abortionfinder.org/abortion-guides-by-state/abortion-in-vermont/providers
Different providers offer abortion through different pregnancy stages. Use our abortion provider search to find abortion care according to your specific location, age, and pregnancy stage or text “hello” to 435-334-6337. You can also browse the general list of Vermont abortion providers using the link above. 

Abortion On Demand
https://abortionondemand.org/states/vermont/
Abortion by mail on a massive scale.
AOD gets abortion pills to people who need them as quickly and safely as possible. With over two decades of collective experience in medically complex abortion care, our team knows that being pro-choice means supporting ALL the safe methods by which pregnant people choose to access abortion.
Telemedicine utilizes technology that is not yet accessible to everyone everywhere, so we built our platform to donate back to in-person clinics doing this sacred work.

SexEtc: For Teens, By Teens
https://sexetc.org/states/vermont/
Sex, Etc. is on a mission to improve teen sexual health across the country! Each year, five million young people visit Sexetc.org, and over 45,000 read our magazine to get honest and accurate sexual health information. We’ve helped teens with answers to their question about sex, relationships, pregnancy, STDs, birth control, sexual orientation and more!

Know Your Rights: The Office of the Vermont Attorney General
https://ago.vermont.gov/blog/2022/06/30/know-your-reproductive-rights-in-vermont/
The info in in the link above is intended to answer questions about your legal rights in Vermont. You should talk to a health care provider about questions regarding your reproductive health, including whether and when you can safely terminate your pregnancy.
Exercise caution when speaking with a new health care provider or searching online for health information. Do not share your personal health information except with a trusted provider.

Please take note: Some organizations may be nefarious in nature, masquerading as pregnancy centers when, in reality, they are pro-life centers. Take Care Net, for example. It runs Branches Pregnancy Center in Brattleboro (one of a few they operate here in VT) which looks like, at first glance, a post-abortion resource center. When Googled, you learn Care Net is actually an Evangelical Christian network of crisis pregnancy centers, operating primarily in the United States. As an anti-abortion organization, it's centers seek to persuade women not to have abortions. If you are unsure of a clinic, please research them and ask for assistance from trusted activists when making your decision. Please email [email protected] if you are unsure and we will work with you to get you the information you need. 

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Bans Off Our Bodies National Walkout: Wednesday, July 13th, 2022
https://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/rightfully-ours/bans-off-our-bodies
The end of Roe is not business as usual. Stripping people of their right to abortion will have dangerous consequences. This ruling harms people of all genders, incomes, and backgrounds  — including workers, businesses, and the economy. It jeopardizes the future of work and each worker’s future. Now is the time to use your platform and your influence to support reproductive rights, and members of the business community are speaking out by walking out. If you are able to leave work, join your peers across the country in a national walkout on Wednesday, July 13.
The Bans Off Our Bodies Walkout is a national day of action to amplify the fight for abortion rights across the U.S., show support for abortion providers, and set the stage for future actions over the next few months. It will make it clear that we won’t back down — not now, not ever. 
People can participate in two different ways: 
1) Walk out from work on July 13 at 4:00 p.m. local time. For those who are able, walkout participants will turn on an out-of-office message explaining that they have joined folks across the country in leaving work early to call attention to abortion rights. On top of the out-of-office message, participants will post a graphic and caption to their social channels about the walkout. 
2) Post in solidarity with walkout participants and abortion providers. For those who are not able to leave work early, participants will post a graphic and caption to their social channels on July 13 at 4:00 p.m. local time in solidarity with walkout participants and abortion providers.
Important Legal Note:  Walking out from the job can carry legal or employment consequences, including termination of employment, depending on your employer and locale. Anyone considering participating in the Bans Off Our Bodies Walkout should consult with their employer and/or legal counsel as appropriate. 
Nothing on this site is - or is intended to be - legal advice, or a recommendation that anyone walk out of their job without carefully considering all potential consequences. 

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Endorse Vermont’s Reproductive Liberty Amendment
Have questions? Please contact Charlie Gliserman, Policy & Prop 5 Campaign Manager at [email protected] or (802) 338-6811.
The Reproductive Liberty Amendment, previously Prop 5, will be a ballot measure in Vermont's 2022 General Election. If passed, it would amend Vermont's constitution to protect every person's right to make their own reproductive decisions, like whether and when to become pregnant, use temporary or permanent birth control, or seek abortion care. 
An endorsement is a public statement of support for the Reproductive Liberty Amendment, which may be featured on the Vermont for Reproductive Liberty website (reprolibertyvt.org) and its campaign communications. 
An endorsement is a powerful way to show Vermont that you or your organization is proud to support the Reproductive Liberty Amendment. Join us in this campaign, powered by and for Vermonters, to protect reproductive freedom for all.
You can find the endorsement form HERE.
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WeCAN WEDNESDAYS

     Exciting news: WeCAN is co-sponsoring a series of events this Summer with Brattleboro Democrats and Rep. Emilie Kornheiser! The series continues on July 13th, 2022 and runs through August. Join us at the Brattleboro Town Common where we will celebrate politics, get to know candidates new and old, and maybe even throw ourselves a 5 year birthday party...we can't wait to see you there!
You can find more information below in this email or go to https://www.wecantogether.net/wecan_wednesdays_2022, where these events will have a dedicated space on our website. 
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, July 13rd, 2022 at 5pm: Meet the Candidates: Sit at the Long Table
Wednesday, July 27th, 2022 at 5pm: Meet the Candidates: Policy Huddles
Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 5pm: Primary Day Celebration/ WeCAN's 5th Birthday Party! (The date on the graphic is incorrect)

If you would like to volunteer or set up a table for your organization, please use the following links:

Click here to volunteer: https://www.emiliekornheiser.org/volunteer/
Click here to sign up to table or represent a candidate: https://forms.gle/4JuNT7Uw1hwQkHGp8

If you would like to sign up to help at the WeCAN table, please email us at [email protected] Thank you!

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HAPPENING TODAY,
SUNDAY, JULY 10th, 2022

Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, July 3rd, 2022 at the Corner of Elm Street and Frost Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm.
Questions or need a different time to drop off veggies? Email Marilyn at [email protected].
Pick up fresh, local veggies for free! 
Do you have extra veggies from your garden? Drop them off at the stand between 10:30am-11:30am to share with your community!
Vegan/GF Everyone Eats! meals will be available as well, first come, first served.

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"No law, no piece of paper that is hundreds of years old, will ever have me believe what is right or wrong about what choices I make with my body. My body, my choice."
—Thalia, 20 years old   

    We hope you're enjoying this holiday weekend, WeCAN readers. Last week we promised to provide actions you can take right now, after the striking down of Roe v. Wade in June. While we don't have all the solutions here at WeCAN, the following items are relatively easy to accomplish, yet have a big impact. Plus, you can participate in many of them right from your home. If you have other suggestions, please feel free to email them to [email protected] so that we can include them in future emails. 

Abortion Rights Action Plan for Summer 2022*

• Support abortion funds, like the ones found on https://abortionfunds.org, and independent clinics. Abortion funds directly connect people with abortion care and help people pay for that care. They also assist people with the travel, lodging, and childcare that can be necessary to obtain an abortion. Here is a list of abortion funds across the country from the National Network of Abortion Funds.
• Volunteer for an abortion fund. Abortion funds need financial support, but they also need more people-power to meet the increased demand they are expected to get. Volunteering can look like escorting at a clinic, but it can also look like doing data entry. Use the talents you have to help the orgs you love.  
• Bookmark resources to help people find abortions, like the geographic search tool ineedana.com. Create a document with these links easily accessible and put it on all your devices so that its handy if and when you or someone you care about needs it. 
• Share your abortion stories, if you are able. Destigmatize abortion with your friends, family, and social networks. Make it a dinner table conversation starter, especially with young ones present. 
• Get politically involved. Get your friends together and schedule an appointment with your local district attorney. Talk to them and see if they would privately or publicly pledge not to prosecute people for their pregnancy outcomes.
• Don’t stockpile abortion pills. This makes it harder for people in need to get them in your area.

     Next week, we'll provide abortion care resources, both local and national, for you to save and share with your circles and networks. The more information we have at our fingertips, the quicker that information can get to those who need it. 

     Now is not the time to despair. Now is the time to get involved. Together, WeCAN make it safe for ALL reproducing individuals to get the healthcare that they need and deserve. WeCAN will be at the Gathering for Roe in Putney on Sunday, July 3rd, 2022 to support the Putney Huddle. We invite you to join us--stop by and say hi!. Until next week...

*This is not a complete list of actions you can take. 
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WeCAN WEDNESDAYS

     Exciting news: WeCAN is co-sponsoring a series of events this Summer with Brattleboro Democrats and Rep. Emilie Kornheiser! The series continues on June 29th, 2022 and runs through August. Join us at the Brattleboro Town Common where we will celebrate politics, get to know candidates new and old, and maybe even throw ourselves a 5 year birthday party...we can't wait to see you there!
You can find more information below in this email or go to https://www.wecantogether.net/wecan_wednesdays_2022, where these events will have a dedicated space on our website. 
Upcoming Schedule
Wednesday, July 13rd, 2022 at 5pm: Meet the Candidates: Sit at the Long Table
Wednesday, July 27th, 2022 at 5pm: Meet the Candidates: Policy Huddles
Tuesday, August 9, 2022 at 5pm: Primary Day Celebration/ WeCAN's 5th Birthday Party! (The date on the graphic is incorrect)

If you would like to volunteer or set up a table for your organization, please use the following links:

Click here to volunteer: https://www.emiliekornheiser.org/volunteer/
Click here to sign up to table or represent a candidate: https://forms.gle/4JuNT7Uw1hwQkHGp8

If you would like to sign up to help at the WeCAN table, please email us at [email protected] Thank you!

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HAPPENING TODAY,
SUNDAY, JULY 3rd, 2022

Share the Harvest Stand
brought to you by Edible Brattleboro
Sunday, July 3rd, 2022 at the Corner of Elm Street and Frost Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301. 11am-1pm.
Questions or need a different time to drop off veggies? Email Marilyn at [email protected].
Pick up fresh, local veggies for free! 
Do you have extra veggies from your garden? Drop them off at the stand between 10:30-11:30 to share with your community!
Vegan/GF Everyone Eats! meals will be available as well, first come, first served.

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Gathering for Roe
hosted by The Putney Huddle
Sunday, June 3rd, 2022 at the Tavern Lawn (Corner of Kimball Hill and Main Street, Putney, VT). Rain Location: The Putney Community Center. 3pm-5pm.
What to Expect - Legislator and community speakers leading us through our grief with updates and ideas- including Reverend Elissa Lucozzi, Vermont State Rep Emilie Kornheiser and Sister District Organizer Peg Alden. WeCAN Organizer Joanna Wilson Phillips and Putney Huddle Organizer will share various ways to take action. Rep. Mike Mrowicki will lead us in song.
-Putney's Eleni Maksakuli is donating a lemonade and iced tea stand! Any donations received in return for a refreshing drink will go to Planned Parenthood!
-Where - Putney Tavern Lawn Outdoors, masking by choice. (If raining Putney Community Center. Large indoor space. Masking will be required.)
-What to bring - Sunblock, water, chairs or blankets to sit on, ideas, hope, inspiration, signs if you would like to demonstrate before, during, or after. Keep in mind Twilight on the Lawn begins at 6pm.
-Parking - Parking is limited and it is of the utmost importance that we are respectful of the local businesses and their needs. Please DO NOT park in the Tavern parking lot or in the spots in front of the General Store lot. Please DO park on the Catholic Church side of town hall, on Christian Square, and utilize on street parking.
-Bathrooms - There are no bathrooms for the Tavern Lawn. The General Store has kindly agreed to allow us to use their one bathroom. Please be respectful of their business if you must do so and if you are able, please purchase something. Thanks!