Windham County Action Network (WeCAN)

"People do not appreciate how far we have fallen from normal standards of presidential accountability. Today we have a president who is willing not only to comment prejudicially on criminal prosecutions, but to comment on ones that potentially affect him. He does both of these things almost daily. He is not just sounding a dog whistle; he is lobbying for a result. The president has stepped over bright ethical and moral lines wherever he has encountered them. Every day brings a new low, with the president exposing himself as a deliberate liar who will say whatever he pleases to get whatever he wants. If he were "on the box" at Quantico, he would break the machine."
Former FBI Director Andrew McCabe,
from his book The Threat: How the F.B.I. Protects America in the Age of Terror and Trump 

     Hello WeCAN readers. We'd like to call your attention to an emergency action scheduled for this Monday, February 18th (President's Day). Our community will be gathering in Pliny Park in Brattleboro at 5:00pm to raise our voices against the xenophobic border wall and Trump's "national emergency". Details below. We hope to see you there.

HAPPENING TODAY, SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 17th, 2019

Celebrating the Lunar New Year of China, Korea, and Vietnam: A Lantern Festival
hosted by the Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT)
Sunday, February 17th, 2019 at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center (10 Vernon Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 1pm-4pm. Parking is located next door in the lot for 28 Vernon St. This is a potluck event; please bring an item to share. More information is located on the website: http://accvt.org/. For phone inquiries please call 802-257-7898 to leave a voicemail before the event; for information on the day of the event please call 802-579-9088.
The Asian Cultural Center of Vermont (ACCVT) presents Lunar New Year of China, Korea and Vietnam on Sunday, Feb 17th, 2019 at the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center.
Lunar New Year celebrations run from February 5th to February 19th and conclude with the Lantern Festival. We will celebrate the Lantern Festival with stilt walkers, sweet rice balls and the Korean card game Hwatu (Go Stop). Li Fei Osborne returns to share a dance of the Yi people (one of the Chinese ethnic minorities) and then teach us all a Yi dance. Join us to dance with the Dragon, do Qigong, join in a Korean tug-of-war, make a paper lantern, and sing an Asian New Year song. You don’t have to be Asian or know anything about Asia to participate!  We usher in The Year of the Brown Earth Pig, a year full of joy, a year of friendship and love; an auspicious year because the Pig attracts success in all the spheres of life. Don’t miss the chance to dance with the 30-foot Vietnamese dragon. It will arrive around 2:15, and then parade up from the Museum towards Main Street bringing us luck for the coming year.  According to Chinese folklore, this enormous marionette, requiring at least 9 people to hold, is forever chasing the ‘heavenly pearl’ in its pursuit of wisdom. Seth Harter, Director of Asian Studies at Marlboro College, brought this extraordinary dragon back from the village of an accomplished Vietnamese craftsman. During the rest of the year, the dragon ‘lives’ in the Marlboro College dining hall.

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HAPPENING THIS WEEK, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 18th, 2019-SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24th, 2019

No Emergency, No Wall! 
co-sponsored by Song and Solidarity & Not In Our Name
Monday February 18th, 2019 at Pliny Park (corner of High Street and Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 5pm-6:30pm. Bring signs and remarks. 
For more information please contact Leslie Sullivan Sachs at [email protected] or George Carvill at [email protected]. Optional RSVP: You may opt to sign up for this event through this link: https://www.crisisresponse.us/event/crisis-response/124467/signup/?akid=&zip=&source=indivisible. If you choose to attend this event, you agree to engage in nonviolent, peaceful action, to act lawfully, and to strive to  de-escalate any potential confrontations with those who may disagree with our values.
On President's Day we stand to say that the current President is as fake as his "national emergency." His actions are an anti-democratic power grab and his wall is racist. We join our voices with citizens across the nation to tell Congress to act swiftly and stand firm: no emergency powers, no wall. 
We're mobilizing on Presidents Day—Monday, February 18th, 2019 —against Trump's fake emergency. We are standing with immigrants, Muslims, and black and brown communities to stop Trump's dangerous and illegal power grab.

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More Yoga Locally for Planned Parenthood
hosted by Yoga Locally 
Tuesdays and Saturdays throughout February; Happening this Tuesday, February 19th, 2019 AND this Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 at 118 Elliot Gallery (118 Elliot Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301).
Tuesdays at 5pm-6:30pm, Saturdays at 10:15am-11:45am. No Reservations are necessary for yoga. There is a suggested donation per class and all donations will directly support the new Brattleboro Planned Parenthood.
Yoga Locally vigorous core flow yoga classes are held every Tuesday (5pm) with Laura and Saturday (10:15am) with Jonathan at 118 Elliot Street in Brattleboro. This is not a beginner class, but it will be accessible to every body. 

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Meet the Candidates for the Brattleboro Selectboard Open Seats
Wednesday, February 20th, 2019 and 
Thursday, February 28th, 2019 at the Robert H. Gibson River Garden (167 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 12pm.
Meet the candidates for Brattleboro Selectboard 1-year and 3-year seats. Q&A and moderated discussion plus snacks! All are welcome.

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Virtual Cross Class Dialogue Circle
hosted by Equity Solutions
Thursdays, February 21st, and 28th; March 7th, 14th, and 21st, 2019 at https://www.equitysolutionsvt.com/cross-class-dialogue-circles/. 6pm-8:30pm(EST). This is an online, virtual event. Please see below for technical requirements. 
Join us to explore, deepen understanding and connections, and work towards economic justice! Find more info, and to sign up: https://www.equitysolutionsvt.com/cross-class-dialogue-circles/
We use an online video platform called Zoom. You need a computer (with webcam/internal camera and a microphone: most laptops have these) and internet access to be part of the circle. If you would like to participate and do not have access to a computer with a webcam, contact us and we'll brainstorm how to get you connected. We’ll strive to make this online offering as accessible as possible. Please check the registration materials for more info. 
The economic divide in the US is growing, but we rarely talk to each other meaningfully about class. Cross Class Dialogue Circles bring together up to 20 community members with a diversity of class experiences, from being homeless to managing family foundations, and everything in between. These Circles are a powerful way for people from all different economic backgrounds to come together and talk about their own experiences, listen to each others’ stories and perspectives, and then work together as change makers for economic justice.

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Protest Vigil at TD Bank
sponsored by Post Oil Solutions
Friday, February 22nd, 2019 (and every Friday) at TD Bank Brattleboro (215 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT). In front of the building. 12pm-1pm. Signs will be provided
TD is a major investor in Tar Sands. TD helps to fund the Dakota Access Pipeline. What You Can Do (besides attending the vigils): If you’re a TD depositor, change banks! 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 in this era of global warming and climate change to develop sustainable, resilient , collaborative, and socially just communities leading to a self- and community-sufficient post petroleum society.

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Brattleboro Winter Farmers Market
a project of Post Oil Solutions 
Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 (and every Saturday thru March 30) in the C.F. Church Building (80 Flat Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 10am-2pm. Accepting credit, debit, and EBT.  Crop Cash turns $10 EBT into $20 every week. Lunch cafe and live music. For info email [email protected], call 802-869-2141, or visit us at www.brattleborowinterfarmersmarket.org.
New Location! Larger and more accessible. Free Parking. All local - farm produce, meats, syrup, fresh baked goods, cheeses, fruits, cider, pickles, preserves, handmade jewelry, pottery, soaps and more. Building community every week.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Climate Change Café Presents "Secret Ingredients"
a project of Post Oil Solutions
Tuesday, February 26th, 2019 at the Brooks Memorial Library (224 Main Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301). 6pm-8pm. Free. Light refreshments available. For more information please email [email protected]. Lori Schreier, local organic farmer/owner of Fertile Fields Farm, will host a group sharing at the end of the film.
This powerful film by Amy Hart and Jeffrey Smith shares remarkable stories of people who regain their health after discovering the secret ingredients in their food and making a bold commitment to avoid them.
The secret ingredients in our food may be a lead driver of our obesity, infertility, cancer, digestive problems, autism, brain fog, skin conditions, gluten sensitivity, allergies, fatigue, anxiety, and many other conditions. Meet more than a dozen people who turned around serious health conditions after adopting a diet that avoids genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and food sprayed with toxic herbicides like Roundup. Learn from leading physicians who say that these are not coincidences. They see illness and recovery like this every day in their practice. And listen to the scientists who explain why. The film shares powerful stories of people who regained their health after changing to an all organic diet, free of GMOs, Roundup and other toxic pesticides. Skin and digestive conditions disappear; cancer patients now have a clean bill of health; autistic children are now thriving; infertile couples now have healthy babies.

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4th Annual Creative Black-Tie Gala
hosted by Southern Vermont Young Professionals
Saturday, March 16th, 2019 at The Brattleboro Museum and Art Center (10 Vernon Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 7:30pm-10pm. Admission includes lite food, music, and access to all of the galleries, but bring some cash for the bar and raffle. Tickets for YP Members are $15, and the promotion code is in your membership email! Tickets are $20 for non-members.
We're back for our fourth year of fun and fundraising for the So.VT YP's!
Join the Southern Vermont Young Professionals on March 16th for the Creative Black-Tie Gala, your chance to dust off your funkiest threads to eat, drink, and mingle with the YP community.
Not a member yet? Click through to the Eventbrite page and you'll find a link to join.

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RESOURCE FOR WeCAN: Rapid Response Text Alert System
When WeCAN began Song & Solidarity set up a Rapid Response Text Alert System for WeCAN Groups. Directions for signing up are on WeCAN's website, here: https://www.wecantogether.net/rapid_response We were reminded of the Rapid Response text alerts system as President Trump moves towards firing Mueller. In the event Mueller is fired, MoveOn is planning a nation-wide simultaneous protest. The trick will be to get the word out fast if/when the time comes. We are grateful to Song and Solidarity for providing this service.

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STANDING REGULAR MEETINGS

Brattleboro State Representatives’ Updates and Community Conversation
First Saturday of the Month, alternating between 10am and 4pm (2.2.19 was at 10am). Location information to follow. Childcare available upon request by contacting [email protected].
As promised, all three of your Brattleboro State Representatives, Mollie Burke, Emilie Kornheiser, and Tristan Toleno, will gather in Brattleboro to host a community conversation and share updates from the first few weeks of the legislative session. Our series of monthly conversations— scheduled for the first Saturday of the month— will alternate between 10am and 4pm. 

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Women Veterans Weekly Coffee and Tea Social
Thursday Mornings at Brattleboro Legion Post 5 Inc. (32 Linden Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301). 9am-10am.
All female veterans are invited to join in the Women Veterans group coffee held at the American Legion.  All women veterans are welcome. You do not need to be a Legion member.

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Lost River Racial Justice, Black Lives Matter-South, and People Of Color Caucus Regular Meeting
Reoccurring racial justice organizing meetings every 2nd Monday at The Root Social Justice Center (The Whetstone Studio of the Arts, 28 Williams Street, Brattleboro, VT, 05301) on the First Floor. 6pm-8pm. Childcare provided. Fragrance & nut free space.  

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Youth 4 Change
Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Mondays of the month from 5:30pm-8pm. 
For more information please contact Youth 4 Change at [email protected].
Agenda:
5:30pm: Drop in homework time and art making
6:00pm: Food
6:30pm: Meeting and Organizing
Youth 4 Change is for local-area youth 12-22 interested in political organizing around local/state/national social justice issues that are important to them. Brattleboro area advocates and educators are holding a space, and assisting youth in building a strong personal tool kit to organize for change.  Using a variety of creative methods, we aim to enable youth with tools for resilience, courage and compassion, while fostering their ability to speak up about issues that matter to them, and to take action in the name of love and liberation for all people.  Come explore issues of racial, economic and gender justice through art, movement, first-hand accounts and contemplative practices. Connect with area youth around the issues that matter to you and strengthen your tool kit for action! 

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ONGOING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING 

Indigo Radio
Sundays at 12pm on Brattleboro Community Radio 107.7FMTo stream live: Visit www.wvew.org 
Indigo Radio, deepening understanding and making connections! IndigoRadio is a group of area educators seeking to learn through engaging with others in our community and throughout the world. We will be talking about educational and social issues both globally and locally and connecting them to our lives and Brattleboro community. Find us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/indigoradiowvew/. For archive recordings of past shows: https://soundcloud.com/user-654648353.

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