Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

This week we encourage you to take all the negativity you see in the press, on TV, on social media, and in your neighborhood and use it to fuel all the Good that you do in your own life. Take that pain and anxiety you feel for our country with you to an event this week and let it transform into productivity, camaraderie, and hope. Let the company and conversation with others calm your spirits and redirect your mind to problem solve and trouble shoot a failing justice system around us. We look forward to seeing you at an event this week. Let's get to work. 


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Happening Today, Sunday, May 21st, 2017

Earth Gay Vermont!
sponsored by Green Mountain Crossroads and OUT for Sustainability
Sunday, May 21st, 2017 at Circle Mountain Farm (280 Lee Rd, Guilford, Vermont 05301) from 9am-1pm. Free Admission, kid friendly. 
Green Mountain Crossroads and Out for Sustainability invite you to Circle Mountain Farm for the third annual Earth Gay Vermont! Late May is a great time to see this queer owned and operated 2-acre, organic diversified vegetable farm as they transition from Spring to Summer. Come for a chance to join together as an LGBTQ community to demonstrate pride in our fabulous planet. Sign up for free today!
We'll have water and snacks on hand, you are encouraged to bring a brown bag lunch as well as sunscreen, sturdy shoes, and bug stuff. 
We'll work until noonish, break for lunch, and then take a farm tour.

Question? Email HB Lozito [email protected]

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Building Bridges - Local Love Brigade Meet-Up w/ Los Angeles Students
sponsored by the Local Love Brigade
Sunday, May 21st at the Marlboro Grad Center in Downtown Brattleboro (8 Vernon St, Brattleboro, Vermont 05301) in Room 1-E. 1:30pm-3:00pm.
Facebook Event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1386542254737536/

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Planned Parenthood Volunteer Training and Organizing 
Sunday, May 21st, 2017. Time and place TBD.
Become an official Planned Parenthood Volunteer and help organize efforts to:  
1.) Relocate and expand services of the Brattleboro clinic 
2.) Influence public policy regarding reproductive health care 
3.) Increase community & patient awareness of PP services
Training provided by Planned Parenthood of Northern New England. Contact Lisa Ford for more information at [email protected].

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Happening this week Monday May 22nd, 2017 - Sunday May 28th, 2017

Mother Up! Monthly Meet-Up
Monday May 22nd at KidsPLAYce (20 Elliot Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5:30pm-7:30pm.
Mother Up!: Parents Exchange for Change is a project of 350Vermont that brings together families to talk about the tough realities of climate change and to participate in the transition to a healthier and safer world. This month, we'll reflect on the People's Climate March. Then, we'll talk about transportation and how to live a "car-lite" lifestyle by driving less and ride-sharing, walking, and biking more. Dave Cohen, from VBike, will be there with an electric cargo bike and information to share. We'll also explore ways we can participate in local, state, and national climate legislation and action. A simple vegetarian meal and childcare for ages 8 and under will be provided. RSVP helpful, but not required. Contact Abby Mnookin for more info at [email protected]

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Vermont Workers’ Center Organizing Committee. 
Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017 at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio for the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6pm-8pm. 
Doors open at 5:45pm. 
Organizing for healthcare justice and workers’ rights in Vermont.  Blue Cross of VT has requested a 12.7% increase in premiums for the coming year. We are organizing to fight these rate increases and to make good on the commitment of Act 48: universal healthcare, publicly funded. If you or your family are affected by the healthcare crisis or worried about losing access the you currently have, join us in becoming part of the solution. Info: [email protected] or 802-257-4336.

 
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Climate Change Café, A Community of Concerned Citizens
presents "The Climate Challenge Deepens” with Dr. Alan Betts
a project of Post Oil Solutions
Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017 at Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301) at 6pm. Free. 
Light refreshments available. For further information please call 802.869.2141 or email [email protected].
Climate change is now accelerating much more rapidly than scientists predicted. The first quarter of 2017 was the 2nd hottest on record and the amount of carbon in the Earth's atmosphere is now officially off the charts at 410 parts per million (ppm) for the first time in human history. A recent study found that the north-east US is the fastest-warming region in the contiguous 48 states:and is predicted to pass the 2°C mark up to 20 years ahead of the rest of the world.
Are we prepared for the more extreme weather that is forecast for northern latitudes and New England, in particular that includes the greater frequency and intensity of 500 and 1000 year storms? Does our emergency preparedness deal with  the “long emergency “ of heat waves and flooding, health, threats, food shortages, infrastructure destruction, and the influx of climate refugees from coastal cities? This discussion will address both the practical issues and the change of mindset needed.
This discussion will address both the practical issues and the change of mindset needed.
Dr. Alan Betts, of Atmospheric Research in Pittsford, is Vermont’s leading climate scientist.


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Phone Banking Party
Wednesday, May 24th, 2017. Phone bank on your own, join a party in Putney, or start your own party. Contact the organization for logistical details. 
Join Sister District as we phone bank for John Bell.
The campaign has set aside Wednesdays from 5-8pm  for SisterDistrict volunteers, they will certainly welcome our help other times as well. You can sign up here to be added to the Call Fire dialer system: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdV8IxYPNg1l6CF3pOjHjQJqb7xISdnl7o6UKS-zzr4tsN0_g/viewform?mc_cid=c817b67835&mc_eid=b1c26a9f15  
No experience necessary! 
If you are interested, but cannot make this party, a member of the organization can pass along the training materials and you can start calling from home! The training materials have also been added to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=southern%20vt%20sister%20district.

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Community in Action 
sponsored by SEVCA (Southeastern Vermont Community Action)
Thursday, May 25th, 2017 at the Fraternal Order of Eagles (54 Chickering Drive, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5pm-8pm. 

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PLEASE NOTE: THE RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY MEETING HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 8TH (so as not to conflict with the SEVCA: Community in Action Event)

Rights & Democracy Brattleboro Community Action Meeting 
Thursday, May 25th, 2017 at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio for the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). First Floor. 6:30pm-8:30pm. 
Here's the link to the RSVP page on RAD's website and the Facebook event.

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Protest Vigils at TD Bank
sponsored by Post Oil Solutions

Brattleboro
Friday, May 26, 2017 (and every Friday) in front of TD Bank Brattleboro (215 Main St, Brattleboro, VT 05301). Noon-1pm. Signs will be provided.

Bellows Falls
Friday, May 26 (and every Friday) in front of the TD Bank Bellows Falls (2 Church St, Bellows Falls, VT 05101). 1pm-2pm. Please bring your own signs.
TD is a major investor in Tar Sands. TD helps to fund the Dakota Access Pipeline. The State of Vermont Keeps Most of Our Cash in TD.
What You Can You Do (besides attending the vigils):
If you’re a TD depositor, change banks!
If you’re a Vermonter, demand that state funds not be deposited with a bank investing in fossil fuels.
Contact your state legislators to support the bills in the House & Senate calling for a commission to explore the possibility of a State Bank. 
Founded in 2005, Post Oil Solutions is a 501c3 community organizing project in Southeastern Vermont whose mission is to help empower the people of the Central Connecticut River Valley bioregion to develop sustainable, resilient , collaborative, and socially just communities leading to a self- and community-sufficient post petroleum society. For more information please contact [email protected] or 802.869.2141 


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A Vermont Climate Movement Strategy Retreat
Saturday, May 27th, 2017 - Sunday, May 28th, 2017 at Common Ground Retreat Center (473 Tatro Road, Starksboro, VT). 
If you need a ride, please click HERE.
We understand if you can’t make it, and of course may not belong to a social justice organization. Please fill out this survey whether you plan to come to the retreat or not.  We want to know where you see strategic opportunities for our movement.

WHO
We are asking people who are doing social justice and organizing work regularly, and who see climate to be a key issue,  to be the participants for the initial stages of strategy development. We apologize for the late invitation. We realized that we need to open this retreat up more broadly than originally intended. Childcare and lively conversation will be provided. Please come.

WHAT
We will collectively identify opportunities to build a movement for justice and a stable climate.
The first day will be spent on goals, mapping projects, and discussing coordination structure. The second day will be spent building a plan to plug people and resources into each project, and into a structure that can keep our goals on track. We then expect to implement our strategy together, and to evaluate and renew it with allies at a set date in the future.
While critical dialog and analysis will be central to our time together, this is not an invite to a debate. We are asking people to help design cooperative plans and help execute them. We hope you or someone you work with can make it. Please register by filling out the survey.

GOALS
To create a cooperative climate movement strategy for Vermont, growing the Vermont Climate Movement as a whole, and ideally building towards a broader, democratic mass social movement.

Movement Strategy
By movement strategy we mean mutually assessing the problem, setting clear goals for addressing it, and building a work plan for reaching those goals in a collaborative,  growing network. The climate justice organizing community must agree about goals, tactics, and a cooperative implementation plan or we undermine united struggle and fail to play to our key strength, our collective power.

Your Hosts
This invite is from an independent coordinating collective of organizers from Central Vermont Climate Action, 350VT, Rising Tide Vermont, Upper Valley Affinity Group, and the Make. We began this project out of our work with the Stop the Pipeline Coalition, which has spent the past four years fighting Phase 1 of the Addison County Pipeline. The coalition met this month to assess our work in the Phase 1 campaign, our collectively learned lessons, and our network of strong relationships. In designing a strategy retreat for our coalition, we recognized that we feel strongly that an effective strategy requires coordination with all potential partners.
Whether you are new to climate change and climate justice work or have been involved for a long time, we would appreciate your input.
Thanks for being in the fight with us!

In Solidarity,
The Strategy Coordinating Committee
Rebecca, Hambone, Lyndsay, Erok, Maeve, Brian, and Karen
Contact us at [email protected]

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 UPCOMING EVENTS
 

Rising with Roots: Courage, Conviction, and Community in this Beautiful, Teetering Time
a Joanna Macy inspired retreat
Friday, June 2nd, 2017 - Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 at Hallelujah Farm (98-42 Bradley Rd, Chesterfield, NH, 03443). Registration due by May 1st, 2017. Cost varies and is on a sliding scale: Please click here for more information or to register. 

Sign-ups now open for Joanna Macy-inspired retreat in June. Facilitated by Kirstin Edelglass and colleagues. Scholarships available for young adults (ages 18-30) who want to be part of the fourth Earth Leadership Cohort. That cohort will begin by participating in this multi-generational "Rising with Roots" retreat and then have additional trainings in facilitating the Work That Reconnects. For more information please visit http://interhelpnetwork.org/elcivprogamdescription-docx. 

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Special Film Viewing

Waking the Sleeping Giant: The Making of a Political Revolution 
Saturday, June 3rd, 2017 at the Latchis Theater (50 Main St, Brattleboro, VT,05301). 4:00 pm. 
The film will premier in Burlington May 26th, 2017 and recently got a rave review by Jay Craven on Vermont Public Radio. 
Waking the Sleeping Giant: The Making of a Political Revolution is the story of the attempt to build a 21st century progressive movement in the United States. Five remarkable individuals wrestle with persistent racial injustice, growing economic inequality, and the corrupting influence of money in politics that shaped this extraordinary election cycle.
From the presidential campaign trail with Senator Bernie Sanders to a local political race in the failing economy of rural West Virginia, from a mass sit-in on the U.S. Capitol steps to racially charged police commission hearings in Los Angeles, Waking the Sleeping Giant makes sense of this singular moment in American politics, probing the widespread discontent of the past two years, Donald Trump’s dramatic electoral victory, and the challenges ahead for those hoping to build a reenergized progressive movement.
More information on the film can be found here: http://wakingthesleepinggiant.com/.


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"So, you went to the Climate March. Now what?”
Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 at the Brattleboro Food Co-op Community Room (2 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 
6pm to 8pm. 

A Conversation about Climate Action, Campaigns and Community.Get together with 350 Brattleboro and your fellow marchers to find out about how to get involved with climate action campaigns and build a stronger community. Whether you marched in D.C., rallied in Montpelier, or wanted to march but weren't able to you're welcome to join us and build the better world we know is possible.
RSVP here.
Questions? Email [email protected].

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Brattleboro Area Community Action Meeting 
sponsored by Rights and Democracy
Thursday, June 8th, 2017 in the Community Room at the Brattleboro Food Co-op (2 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6:30pm. 
Please use the entrance at 7 Canal Street to access the Community Room. 
Help create plans for our “Democracy Summer”series of town hall meetings across the state to keep folks engaged and propel our movement forward. *Please note that this represents a change from the previously announced time slot on Thursday, May 25th in order to avoid a conflict with the COMMUNITY IN ACTION event being hosted by SEVCA at the Eagles Lodge on Putney Rd that day from 5-8pm. RAD will be staffing a table at this event, and we hope folks can make it.

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Lost River/BLM VT-South Organizing Meeting
Monday, June 12th, 2017 at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio for the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). First Floor. 6pm-8pm.
Fragrance and nut-free space, please! 
For childcare contact [email protected]

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Save the Date:
Racial Justice Fundraiser 
Saturday, July 29th, 2017 at Super Fresh Organic Cafe (30 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6:30pm-8:30pm.
Live Music

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ONGOING SUMMER EVENTS

Vigil at TD Bank in Montpelier
sponsored by the Upper Valley Affinity Group
The Second Thursday of Each Month Through the Summer and Fall. At the Corner of State and Main Streets in Montpelier, VT. 
11:30am-1pm.
Ride share from Exit 5 off I91N. Departs at 10am. Contact Tim at 802.869.2141 or [email protected],net.
Come and stay as long as you can to peacefully protest TDBank’s huge investments in climate and water destroying pipeline infrastructure.
Urge the State of Vermont and other depositors to close their TDBank accounts.
Support moving swiftly to 100% renewable energy and a state bank for Vermont.
We will be bearing witness and distributing fact sheets about TD's extensive financial support for pipelines.
Bring a sign, bring your friends, bring your neighbors, bring your lunch
or just come and join us by yourself.
For more information contact Duncan Nichols at 802.281.2692 or [email protected]


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STANDING REGULAR MEETINGS

350Brattleboro Regular Meetings
1st and 3rd Wednesdays (Leadership Team) in the Brattleboro Food Co-op Community Room (1 Canal Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 6pm-8pm.

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As always, thank you so much for the time you put into your community. We hope to see you at an event in the near future!



Your Friendly WeCAN Admins
Ann and Joanna