NYCD16Indivisible Summary of Meeting 2/26/17 130 people attended our meeting in the 2nd floor community room at the Yonkers Riverfront Library. A petition urging Congressman Engel: DON’T SHAKE HIS HAND, was circulated. Ultimately 202 people signed it; it was presented to The Congressman’s Chief of Staff, Bill Weitz, on 2/27. As many of you are aware, we were successful in our efforts, and the Congressman did NOT shake Trump’s hand, which garnered national press attention. Our success is proof that the Indivisible strategy of focusing on our local politicians is indeed an effective strategy. Our Mission and Governance, and Organizational Matrix was passed by 129/130 attendees! Mission & Guiding Principles Mission: New York Congressional District (NYCD) 16 Indivisible’s mission is to encourage and enable constituents of NYCD16 to take political action designed to resist and defeat the extremist Republican and Trump agendas by engaging our elected officials, particularly our Members of Congress, as well as our local and state officials. Guiding Principles: Ø In alignment with a progressive agenda and to preserve our republic’s democracy, NYCD16 Indivisible will serve as an organizing home base and an operating conduit for members to take action, while embracing the values of inclusion, tolerance and fairness. Ø We will Ø Take inspiration from the Indivisible Guide; Ø Collaborate with like-­‐minded groups, as appropriate and approved by our members; Ø Promote broad participation by respecting one another’s ability to commit time at varying levels of involvement and enable members to easily participate; Ø Each be accountable for NYCD16 Indivisible actions taken in support of our mission; Ø Trust each other and have each other’s back; Ø Demonstrate kindness, respect and love even with those with whom we disagree; Ø Challenge what a person says or does and refrain from attacking the person Ø Organizational Matrix & Steering Committee Ø We will create and regularly review the organizational matrix so that our group operates optimally and its actions have the greatest impact. Ø To avoid centralized power, we will establish a Steering Committee, comprised of the group’s founders, committee leaders and any members that choose to attend steering committee meetings. Ø Members are welcome at Steering Committee meetings, which shall be scheduled and announced in advance. Ø Once a participant has attended three general meetings, they will become a member, able to vote at Steering Committee meetings and general group meetings. Ø The role of the Steering Committee is to: Ø Ensure the group functions optimally in an integrated, egalitarian manner while being responsive and flexible; Ø Support committee activities with guidance and help to operate efficiently and effectively, in alignment with the mission, principles and organizational structure; Ø Determine workflow to develop and execute actions; Ø Coordinate calendar of all internal and external activities; Ø Serve as liaisons to elected officials in collaboration with issue-­‐specific action leaders, to ensure that our group speaks with one voice; Ø Set the agenda and lead general group meetings; Ø Reconvene the Mission Committee to revise the mission, guiding principles and organizational structure as we move forward, if necessary. Ø Each committee and sub-­‐committee will ID organizational and operational roles, e.g., leaders, participants, outreach and communication liaisons, meeting organizers, note-­‐takers, etc. Thanks to all the Committee members who worked so hard on this: Joey Parnes, Tara Herman, Kirsten Andersen, Lawrence Attile, Jim Buckley, Ginny Fox, Alan Kuras, Carla Lisio, Alison Marra, Paul Meissner, Michael Nobel, and David Shapiro (See www.nycd16-­‐indivisible.org) Our newly formed Steering Committee will meet this Thursday at 7pm, at Eileen and Liz’s Home. ([email protected]). Any member may attend. The Mission and Governance Group has now folded. Communication Leader Mary Kate O’Sullivan described our finished website ( http://nycd16-­‐indivisible.org ) , and our Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/1106421606153174 ). She noted that the FB page has an “Upcoming Events” document under FILES on the FB page, and that all members can update that document to keep the group informed on events of interest. She also discussed Slack, the communications forum which the team leaders and founders are using to communicate. Members were encouraged to participate in the postcard event “The Ides of Trump” on March 15th (for which our own original postcards were on sale at the meeting). They have designed a banner (see the following graphic) which we will have for the town hall, and are designing our logo and establishing our twitter presence. Thank you for your efficient and skilled work! The Action Committee deputized leader Stephen Sherman explained the group’s prepared materials, which were distributed at the meeting: resource cards (general reference) -­‐ action items for the week (who to call, on which issues), stamped postcards for people to mail their reps, leaflets for Indivisible, leaflets for Jon Ossoff. They drew up questions and organized our group presence for the Astorino Town Hall on 2/27/17. Thank you to all members who attended that Town Hall. The Town Hall Planners Group designated speaker, Gerald Cohen,
described the format of the meeting. We will all act as hosts for the
special guests and attendees, modeling civil, gracious behavior for the
expected large crowd. Sign up sheets were posted for the various tasks
and were filled up by the end of the meeting. The event flyer is attached
to the last page, and is also on our website and Facebook page. Thanks
to Caroline Stern for being point person for this!
The Legislative Group, led by Bob Volin, is continuing to learn about
resources our group can use to know where to look for federal, state and
local issues at hand and are in process of establishing an early warning
group for matters that require our immediate action; also establishing
long term issues group to research. Are working closely with our
Communications leaders and other Indivisible groups within our district
to get the word out quickly or as appropriate.
The Outreach Group, led by Lois Levy and Joe Clark, have started to
make various community connections to non-profits, colleges, church
groups, to inform them about our group and ultimately work on voter
registration and voter turnout. We have a voter registration table at the
Yonkers Riverfront Library every Friday from 2-5pm. This group will
meet before our next general meeting to define the group’s scope.
The Riverdale Caucus, as reported by Leslie Boden, has been busy
connecting to other Riverdale groups to better understand the IDC and
place pressure on it’s leader, Jeff Klein, to return to the Democratic fold.
They created a Facebook Group called Indivisible NYCD16 Riverdale
Caucus ( https://www.facebook.com/groups/150164195479522/ );
proposed that all Klein constituents within our group call to support the
NY Liberty Act; the group plans to create a Leadership Group within the
Bronx to better understand and coordinate efforts to ultimately push Jeff
Klein and the IDC in a more consistently progressive direction.
The Health Group, newly formed last meeting, led by Deb Swiderski
and Peter Beitchman, described calls within the group for Single Payer
and Saving the ACA, and the urgent need to protect Reproductive
Rights; how to protect district/state if block grants are created. Three
questions to pitch to Eliot Engel will be developed; group will research
the impact that dismantling the ACA will have on NYCD16.
The Immigration group was newly formed. It will connect with groups
most affected by Trump’s deportation orders (to support and participate
in direct actions with them), and also with other already established
groups in this area such as Up2Us, which has a few groups in our area
(https://www.facebook.com/groups/1847804502101664 ). The Yonkers
Sanctuary Movement meeting (attended by 70-80 people) was
happening upstairs at the same time as we were meeting. Several people
from our group established contact with their leaders, and will continue
to seek to work in conjunction with other groups in the area.
The Environmental Group is still in the formative stages. Anyone
interested in this, please feel free to help get this going at the next
general meeting.
Our next general meeting will be Sunday 3/26/17 at 1 pm, 2nd Floor, at
the Yonkers Riverfront Library. Members are encouraged to arrive early
to give time to sign in, and mingle with your fellow members!
Please see the Town Hall Flyer, on the next page. Looking forward to
seeing you all there!
NYCD16-Indivisible
Town Hall Meeting TO
RESIST
THE EXTREME TRUMP AGENDA
MEET WITH
Congressman Eliot Engel
and other Community-based Panelists
Congressman engel represents new York’s 16th Congressional DistriCt, anD is the ranking MeMber
on the house Foreign aFFairs CoMMittee.
Dr. naseer al-omari is a Yonkers resiDent, eDuCator, arab aMeriCan writer,
anD ViCe-Chair oF Yonkers MaYor spano’s MusliM aMeriCan aDVisorY boarD.
arziki aDamu is an aMeriCan MusliM,Yonkers natiVe, CurrentlY working at a publiC interest
law FirM DeDiCateD to huMan rights. a 2013 graDuate oF Yale uniVersitY, Ms aDaMu will attenD law
sChool in the Fall.
Professor Vanessa merton teaChes at paCe uniVersitY’s elisabeth haub sChool
oF law anD superVises the iMMigration JustiCe CliniC at John JaY legal serViCes in white plains,
serVing people oF the huDson ValleY.
miChael sabatino, Yonkers CitY CounCil MinoritY leaDer, is the First openlY gaY MeMber oF
the Yonkers CitY CounCil, anD a CoMMunitY aDVoCate. he has workeD on lgbt CiVil rights issues For
oVer 30 Years.
marji golD, mD is a FaMilY phYsiCian who has been seeing patients anD teaChing in a CoMMunitY
health Center in the bronx For oVer 40 Years. she will speak about the neeD For uniVersal health
CoVerage that inCluDes CoMprehensiVe reproDuCtiVe health Care.
AN HOUR OF MODERATED QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WILL FOLLOW THE PANEL PRESENTATION.
COLLEGE OF MOUNT SAINT VINCENT
HAYES AUDITORIUM, 6301 RIVERDALE AVENUE, BRONX, NY
March 5, 2017 • 1:00 PM*-3:00 PM
*Doors open at 12:00 PM. Seating is “first come, first served”. Parking is available on campus.
www.nycd16-indivisible.org