In honor of Labor Day, we usually revisit stories of Frances Perkins, Mother Jones, Lilly Ledbetter and the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire -- all major contributors to the history of women in the labor movement. But how many other women labor leaders do you know?
This page from the Zinn Education Project should give you a whole day of reading! Enjoy, discover some new names and stories!
https://zinnedproject.org/materials/women-in-labor-history/
Breakfast Meeting Re-cap
At our breakfast meeting on Friday, one of the updates we received was from Moms Demand Action State Coordinator and DWC member Rachel Guglielmo. She and other Moms members had attended the summer study committee on Permitless Carry, AKA Constitutional Carry.
Rachel noted that Jim Lucas (R-Seymour) and a few other very pro-NRA representatives have proposed bills on permitless carry for the past several years, so far without success; this year the proposal was referred to summer study committee for consideration and possible referral to the full legislature during the 2018 session. If enacted into law, permitless carry would eliminate the existing requirement that an individual apply for a permit to carry a loaded handgun in public. Without the permitting requirement, law enforcement would be unable to vet individuals based on age, felony convictions, record of domestic abuse, serious mental illness, or history of drug or alcohol abuse.
At the first meeting of the summer study committee on August 22nd, representatives of the Indiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Indiana’s Fraternal Order of Police, and the Indiana Sheriff’s Association testified AGAINST this proposal. They stated that the current permitting requirement works, citing 3,000 denials of permits to prohibited purchasers last year. Representatives of these organizations unanimously asserted that handgun permitting protects Hoosiers by preventing dangerous people from carrying guns in public.
Following the meeting, Rep. Lucas used social media to accuse Indiana law enforcement organizations of being against ‘returning to the Constitution’ on the basis of their testimony in support of the state permitting system. He claimed that the permitting requirement places an undue burden on citizens who have to take a day off work to apply for a permit and get fingerprinted to “prove their innocence”; he also objected to the cost of the permit (currently $125 for a lifetime permit).
You may remember that in 2014 the state passed a law that allowed guns in locked vehicles in school parking lots and then in 2015 the state legalized sawed off shotguns. Repealing the permitting requirement would constitute a further step toward dangerous deregulation of gun ownership in our state.
The next meeting of the permitless carry summer study committee will be held at the Statehouse on September 7th at 10am. Testimony from any responsible gun owners/NRA members in this group in favor of retaining our permitting process would be extremely useful, but everyone's presence is encouraged.
If you can't make it to Indy on the 7th, please call or email the chair of this committee, Senator Bray (317-232-9400; [email protected]) and let him know that it's just common sense to require people who want to carry a loaded handgun in public to obtain a permit first.
If you need more information, or would be interested in carpooling to the committee meeting on the 7th, please contact Rachel at: [email protected]
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Constitution 101. Held on 6 Thursday evenings starting October 5th
Sounds elemental, right? Well, actually not. The League of Women Voters and the Monroe County Public Library are combining to present a 6 week program studying the Constitution as a founding document. This program has limited seating to allow for the dialogue between participants and instructor, Robert Lemming, National Director of the We the People Program for the Center for Civic Education, Civic Education Consultant for the Indiana Bar Foundation, and Professor of Graduate Studies at Kansas State University.
Information and registration is at the link below.
If you know you can't be present for all 6 weeks, it would be better to allow someone else to take that place.
http://mcpl.evanced.info/signup/EventDetails?EventId=56813
Hoosier Women Forward
Senator Vi Simpson and former Lt. Gov Kathy Davis took the opportunity of a women's caucus meeting at IDEA at French Lick to announce the Hoosier Women Forward political and civic leadership program for Democratic women. The mission is to increase the number and influence of Democratic women in elected and appointed governmental positions, and in positions of influence in their communities and the private sector.
The goals were stated to empower Democratic women to become more active, confident, and value participants in politics and community leadership; to grow a powerful network of engaged Democratic women across Indiana; to develop Democratic women to run for office at the local, state and federal levels; and to increase the number of Hoosier Democratic women of influence in every level of government and in seats at the tables where decisions are made. There will be a group of about 20 outstanding Democratic women who will be selected to participate in this nine month leadership program. The initial application process will begin next spring in June 2018 and the first class will be seated in August of 2018. Look for a website coming soon, and we'll keep you as informed on this program as more news develops.
The Monroe County Board of Commissioners is seeking an applicant to serve on the Board of Zoning Appeals. This is a quasi-judicial board which hears requests on variances and conditional uses in the application of planning ordinances on particular properties or developments. This is a fabulous way to learn about County Planning and Zoning and to have a lasting impact on our community.
Applicants cannot hold an elected or appointed position in City/Town, County or State government. They must reside in the jurisdiction of Monroe County Planning (residence in Monroe County, but outside town and city boundaries).
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Events
Cartoon
Action Item
EVENTS:
A Survival Guide
Wednesday, September 6th from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.
IU Maurer Moot Court Room, 211 S. Indiana Ave.
Join the ACLU of Indiana and prominent Hoosier advocates to learn what Indiana advocates are doing and what you can do to stand up for what's right. Activists who fight for reproductive health, women’s rights, immigrants’ rights, and racial and social justice will share their own struggles and the biggest issues facing us all, including:
- Jane Henegar: Executive Director, ACLU of Indiana
- Christie Gillespie: CEO, Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky
- Alexis Burr: Member of the Commission on Multicultural Understanding and former Director of Campus Unity on the Indiana Memorial Union Board
- Luma Khabbaz: President, Muslim Student Association of IU
- Esmeralda Martinez: President, UndocuHoosiers Bloomington
Sponsored by the ACLU of Indiana; Maurer's American Constitution Society, Law Students for Reproductive Justice & Black Law Students Association; IU Muslim Student Association; and UndocuHoosiers Bloomington. Pizza will be served.
Wednesday, September 6th at 6:30 p.m. Council Chambers at City Hall
The Bloomington City Council will consider an important resolution opposing attacks on health care.
You are invited to attend and be heard on this vital issue for our community. The MC Democratic Party will be coordinating efforts with the Southern Indiana Regional Labor Council, AFL-CIO. If you are interested in attending or speaking in support, please contact Mark Fraley at [email protected].
Hearing on Permitless Gun Carry in Indiana
Thursday, September 7th at 9:00 a.m.
Indiana Statehouse, 200 W Washington St, Indianapolis
Join Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action in opposing Indiana's proposal to repeal permitting for handguns in the State.
Click here to RSVP.
Thursday September 7th 5:00 - 7:00 pm
Tour the Bloomington Health Center! (tours starting at 5:15, 5:45, and 6:15)
421 S College Ave, Bloomington, IN 47403
Deborah Meader and Nan McKinley (Co-chairs of the Reproductive Justice Task Force of the UU) along with Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky (PPINK), invite you to tour the Bloomington Health Center and learn about the organization and services provided.
Reservations are required. Please RSVP by September 1, 2017 to Alayna Lerner at [email protected] or 317-637-4170.
Saturday, September 9th & Wednesday, September 13: Your Voice Matters Canvass
Monroe Co Democratic Party
Sat, September 9th, Shifts start at 11am and noon
Wed, September 13th, Shift starts at 6pm
All shifts meet at MCDP HQ: 116 S. Madison (4th & Madison) enter via parking lot
Help reach out to members of our community to ask “What do you want from your government?” We’ll go door to door to lend an ear to voters who want to express concerns about local, state, and national issues. Volunteers will first be trained on how to engage with voters, get a walk packet, and then return to debrief. You do not have to have canvassing experience to attend. If you are new to canvassing, you will be paired up with an experienced canvasser. If you have questions or would like to sign up to help, contact Matthew Metz or Jack McGrew or visit the MCDP Facebook page.
Saturday, September 9, 4-5pm
Moms Demand Action Monthly Meeting
Monroe County Public Library
Reviewing the progress of the summer study committee on permit-less carry in Indiana.
Talking Through Unity and Civility: A Community Conversation with Khizr Khan and John Krull
Saturday, September 9th 7:30-9:00pm
St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 100 W 86th Street, Indy
Strengthening our country starts with bringing out the best in ourselves and one another, working through impasses,
reconciling differences, finding common ground and working together for the common good. This event will be a dialogue
with Khizr Khan, Gold-star father and lawyer, and John Kraul, host of WFYI’s No Limits, to address our age-old American tradition of agreeing to disagree with civility and keeping our nation united and strong.
Co-sponsored by the Desmond Tutu Center for Peace Reconciliation and Global Justice, Women4Change Indiana, the Islamic Society of North America, St. Luke's United Methodist Church, the Muslim Alliance of Indiana, and ACLU of Indiana
Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/talking-through-unity-and-civility-a-community-conversation-with-khizr-khan-and-john-krull-tickets-36591324637?mc_eid=6bf169be6f&mc_cid=6a981e018c
Sunday, September 10 4:00-7:00pm
The Third Annual Hamilton Friends & Family Picnic
Bryan Park- North Shelter (Henderson St.)
Please join Mayor John Hamilton and Dawn Johnsen in supporting Indiana Democratic candidates at the 3rd annual Hamilton Friends and Family Picnic. Everyone is welcome and admission is free. Live music by Huckleberry Funk, food, friendship and some politics. Bring a side dish or dessert to share if you wish, and a lawn chair or blanket. This is a family-friendly event.
Indiana Young Democrats of Monroe County Call-Out Meeting
Sunday, September 10th from 7:30 - 8:30 p.m
Bryan Park
Join us after Mayor John Hamilton’s Annual Hamilton and Friends Family Picnic as we create the Monroe County Chapter for Indiana Young Democrats. There are still some spots open in the executive committee so you can use your voice in steering the direction of the group. We will also announce our October Event! Be sure to RSVP and Like our Facebook Page
“The Recent Unpleasantness: How to Understand the Cycles of Constitutional Time,” Yale Law Prof. Jack Balkin
Wednesday, September 13th at Noon
IU Maurer School of Law Moot Court Room, 211 S. Indiana Ave.
The 2016 election and the first year of the Trump Administration have been chaotic, uncertain times. To understand recent events in American constitutional politics, we have to think about constitutional development in terms of a series of overlapping cycles. Professor Balkin explains why recent events have unfolded in the way they have, and what the future holds in store.
Sunday, September 17, 1-3 pm
Monroe County Chapter of NOW
Monroe County Public Library
General membership meeting. Reports from committees and upcoming events.
Rise to Run Bloomington Pilot Kick-off
Sunday, September 17th, 4-6 pm, City Hall Council Chambers
Attica Woodson Scott, Kentucky State Representative will help kick off this program for young women.
Panel will focus on women in politics - the past, the present, the future, the realities and the hopes.
Reception following presentations.
Constitution Day: “Perspectives on Charlottesville”
Monday, September 18th at Noon
IU Maurer School of Law Moot Court Room, 211 S. Indiana Ave.
This Constitution Day, join a community discussion of the issues surrounding the recent tragic, troubling events in Charlottesville. Opening remarks from IU Provost Lauren Robel and IU Maurer Law Professors Jeannine Bell, Kevin Brown and Dawn Johnsen. Sponsored by IU Provost Lauren Robel, IU Maurer's American Constitution Society and the Black Law Students Association. Lunch provided
Tuesday, September 19th, 7-8:30pm
“Fair Elections, Strong Democracy. A Public Forum on Redistricting Reform for Indiana.”
Franklin College (Napolitan Student Center, Branigin Room) 101 Branigin Blvd., Frankin
Panelists:
Paul Helmke, Professor, IU School of Public & Environmental Affairs, former Republican mayor of Ft. Wayne
Luis Fuentes-Rohwer, Professor, IU Maurer School of Law
Julia Vaughn, Policy Director, Common Cause.
On behalf of the Indiana Coalition for Independent Redistricting, the Johnson County Democrats are facilitating an important, non-partisan redistricting event. Learn how citizens can help pass redistricting reform legislation in 2018
This event is attracting press coverage and we need a strong showing! Please mark your calendar, bring friends, and forward this information to your contacts of all political persuasions.
More Information: Norma Blake [email protected]
For the Facebook Page for this event: check here. And here is the Common Cause Indiana’s Event Announcement
Thursday, September 28, 9:00 am
First Annual Monroe County Government Opioid and Prescription Drug Summit
Monroe County Convention Center
Commissioner Amanda Barge, Councilwoman Shelli Yoder, and Monroe County Government officials are teaming up to provide leadership on this issue for this region. This event is for anyone who has an interest in this issue and being part of the solution. CEU's will be offered.
Tickets are going fast, so reserve yours now: click here for tickets
If your organization wants to sponsor this event, please email Shelli at: [email protected]
If you are interested in presenting at the event, or having a booth, please email Amanda at: [email protected]
Be Golden
October 5-7
Be Golden is a multi-day experience to inspire and empower individuals to lead unapologetically authentic lives. This conference is headquartered in Bloomington, but will attract women from across the US. The conference will provide space and time for individuals to explore a variety of experiences within large scale presentations and breakout sessions for personal exploration.
http://begoldenstaygolden.com/
Jackson Screening
Sunday, November 5th at 3:00 p.m.
Waldron Art Center's Whikehart Auditorium, Bloomington
Common Cause Indiana and the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington's Reproductive Justice Task Force are sponsoring a screening of the film Jackson followed by panel discussion. Waldron's Whikehart Auditorium. $20 in advance; $25 at the door. Ceramics for sale. All proceeds benefit Common Cause Indiana in their fight to end gerrymandering. Seats are limited, so reserve yours in advance!