ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT! ACTION ALERT!
We need your help tomorrow, June 15. We haven’t come this far without YOU!
Please contact Gov Cuomo with new message tomorrow, Friday/June 15
New message: Apply pressure on the NYS legislat ure to pass the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act (S2721/A4189) during this legislative session, which ends next week.
1. Send text to 21333 and type the following message: FARMWORKERS. Follow the prompts to be connected to Gov’s office and leave message.
2. OR….call 518-474-8390 and leave message.
Thank you for continuing to walk this journey with NYS farmworkers!
Marilu
#Justice4Farmworkers #NY4Farmworkers #TimesUp
Extracts from the NYCLU 2017-2018 Legislative Memorandum follow and full memo is attached.
“Farmworkers are the backbone of New York’s massive agricultural industry. An estimated 80,000 to 100,000 migrant, seasonal and dairy workers labor on New York farms. New York ranks among the top agricultural states in the country; it is the second largest producer of apples, snap beans and maple syrup, and is now the third largest dairy producer in the nation.”
“The denial of labor rights for farmworkers cannot be justified as a matter of law, nor as a matter of farm industry economics. Farming in New York is a multi-billion dollar industry, making the state one of the nation’s agricultural leaders. And agricultural industry growth in 21st century New York has been more vigorous than ever…”
“And yet, for those who do the work of harvesting vegetables, picking apples and grapes, and feeding, cleaning and milking herds of dairy cow, the pay is low, conditions are deplorable, and the work is grueling, dangerous and at times life-threatening. But unlike other hourly workers, farmworkers are not entitled to fundamental labor protections due to a legacy of the Jim Crow era, farmworkers are excluded from the rights to overtime pay, a day of rest per week, and workers’compensation when injured on the job. To make matters worse, farworkers to not even have the right to engage in collective bargaining to try to improve their conditions.”
Dear Friends! 716-332-3904; 716-931-3520 5/22/18
Many thanks to all who came on Saturday to share in WNYPC exciting plans for the future! Si, se puede!
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Many thanks too to the WNY Contingent that went to Albany on Monday! And especially to Sandra Dunbar & Virginia McIntyre for courageous moral fusion direct action and arrest. Onward!
Upcoming Highlights:
– Today, 5-8pm Nonviolent Moral Fusion Direct Action (NMFDA) Training – Poor People’s Campaign. Come on out to share learning the principles, spirit, and practices of NMFDA for the Poor People’s Campaign and its current 40 days of action. At Rafi Greene CAO Masten Resource Center, 1423 Fillmore Ave, Buffalo.
Tues, May 29 Bus to Albany, leaving at 3:45 from UB South Park & Ride. Stand against Militarism and the War Economy, and for Education. Coming back midnight or later if need be, waiting til those who risked arrest are free. RSVP at bit.ly/nyppcweek3. You can also let us know in the office (332-3904; office@wnypeace.org).
As for June 4-5, we are mostly likely having some kind of bus trip tbd: could be an overnight, could include stops or not. To help us with the planning (Thanks, Kevin) Here’s a link to the Doodle poll “Day(s) of Action in Albany, NY June 4th and/or 5th 2018” https://doodle.com/poll/766qy7u82abc66z3 to help estimate how many will attend Monday, June 4th NYS PPC Day of Action “The Right to Health and a Healthy Planet: Ecological Devastation and Health Care” AND stay over for Tuesday, June 5th “Statewide Lobby Day & Rally for the New York Health Act”
June 11 & 18 in Albany, and June 23 in DC are still tbd.
Watch for our Watch Party that will include a re-launch of the #LoveisLove Campaign, Date tbd!
Just a little snapshot of the many things going on with this campaign. We look forward to our PPC-WNY next planning meeting MAY 24, 5pm, 1272 Delaware Ave (entrance & pkg round back).
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Join us to March For Gaza on Friday (4pm at Niagara Square). We join with Students for Justice in Palestine- UB
The University, Community, & Gov’t Partnerships Conference is Weds-Fri June 13-15: Rose Bente Lee Ostapenko Ctr for Race, Equality & Mission; to register go to:niagara.edu/niagara-university-partnerships-for-race-and-equality/. Stacey Smith and Vicki Ross’s Friday workshop will examine when “partners” especially the government, eg police, are one’s change focus instead.
#UnitetheStruggles
Many Thanks, Peace, Solidarity, and yes Love.
See our calendar for more details! as well as the rest of this post (click below).
When there’s a threat or danger, our alert system – the fight-flight-freeze that we share with our other species – will activate a stress response. This fight-flight-freeze response includes high energy, rapid heartbeat, and the shut-down of the higher brain functions. It comes when we sense a threat or opportunity, and is hard-wired into our genetic make-up. It happens easily in a large group, when there’s fear of the unknown, and/or an actual possibility of arrest or conflict.
In a large crowd or any particularly threatening situation, these reactions are heightened. Not only that, as we are “social animals” we communicate and “catch” those feelings from others. Therefore, keeping calm in a protest, rally, march, or gathering is particularly important – even more so if there may be civil resistance or civil disobedience.
So many of us also already have a “broken alert system” because that system, meant for only occasional use, is often on all the time due to daily demands or difficulties, chronic stressors, and/or longstanding traumas (including shame, which is the subtle trauma) and strains.
First we need to calm ourselves. DEEP SLOW BREATHING is one powerful way! Even just reminding ourselves of our breathing can be helpful. Increased oxygen is a known calming factor, and breathing is used in most meditation and pain management.
If we practice before the stressor comes, that will also help us use the technique, as the more we practice, the more it helps. Some breathing techniques are:
- Conscious breathing – just notice your breathing
- Square breathing – four parts: breathing in is one part; holding your breath, two; breathing out is two more parts. In other words, you breathe out twice as slowly
- Square breathing with Repetition – pick a fairly short saying, phrase, sentence, or name that is meaningful to you and helps you feel the way you want to feel. Use the mental repetition of those words to help you time your breathing: saying it to yourself once while breathing in, once while holding your breath, and twice while breathing out. That will supplement the calming effect of the increased oxygen on the body with the calming effect of the words chosen on the mind, heart, and spirit.
Tapping yourself lightly with your fingertips (eg top of head, side of eye, chin, collarbone) is also self-soothing. Even stretching and/or slow sustained movement can serve the purpose at times.
As for calming others, again, our calm helps others to be more calm (as social animals, we “catch” feelings from each other). Then CLARA is very helpful. CLARA (Center & calm; Listen; Affirm; Respond; Add information) will help a lot. Communication techniques to use with CLARA are active listening (affirming while listening), the use of I-statements (rather than blaming/talking about the other person) in the response portion, will also help. Humor can too. And sometimes, if we are in touch with ourselves and what’s going on around us, with inspiring Spirit – that Truth and Love – that is in us all, we may find the Transforming Power to change up the energy in the situation. Sometimes we can disarm the aggressor, defuse the conflict, and/or stop or at least minimize any violence. We work to stop the cycle in its tracks.
