We don’t like to push for donations. You get so many emails with a petition, or some kind of urgent emergency that requires 128 new donors by midnight. We don’t need any donors by midnight. But we do need donors who support this work on a regular basis. Thank you.
Retake Our Democracy Events
For those of you who may read the blog, who may join a march or two, but who don’t take the next step of becoming engaged in some kind of ongoing social justice or political advocacy, click here to review Retake’s Personal Action Toolkit.
Retake Our Democracy on KSFR 101.1 FM, Saturday, October 26, 8:30am– 9 am. This Saturday, I interview Elaine Sullivan, Board President of Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity, the statewide advocacy group advancing plans for a state public bank in New Mexico. They are making tremendous progress in building support for the concept and Elaine and I discuss what a public bank could do for New Mexico and NMLEC’s plans for the 2020 legislative session. As usual, the show ran well over the 30 minutes, so after listening in live, plan to tune in for part II via the podcast, posted every Monday morning at KSFR.org. Programs Menu: Podcasts: Retake Our Democracy. Tune in.
Please support the KSFR fund drive and make a donation during the Retake show between 8:30am-5pm Thursday or Friday Oct 24-25 or by going to KSFR.org to make a donation.
Fracking Tour of Greater Chaco Canyon
Fracking Tour of the Greater Chaco Canyon Area, Sunday October 27, 9:15am-4:00pm. This is the tour that Roxanne and I went on last month. The tour is being conducted solely for Retake Our Democracy supporters. It will be hosted by Daniel Tso and Samuel Sage, elders, leaders and advocates of the Navajo Nation.
The start time is from the Counselor Chapter House, 2 hours and 15 minutes from Santa Fe. A caravan will assemble at 6:45am at Starbuck’s at 4960 Promenade Blvd, Santa Fe, NM 87507, a short jump to I-25. We will depart promptly at 7am with a projected arrival back in Santa Fe of 6pm. There are no long hikes or treacherous paths. It is a car tour with 6-7 stops at various fracking sites.
This is an extraordinary tour that will give a very intimate and powerful understanding of what a sacrifice zone really is, not from dry statistics but from personal stories told at one fracking site after another. You will have a changed view of what we are doing to our land, our air, our water and our people, a view that could not possibly be achieved no matter how much you read. We have a very limited number of slots remaining.
The only way to attend is to RSVP by writing to us at RetakeResponse@gmail.com. When you RSVP please provide your name and the names and email addresses of anyone else in your party. We will be sending more information as we near the tour date.
We will also be asking that you bring a check for $50 or more made out to Dine C.A.R.E. This is the Navajo advocacy group that leads the efforts to protect the Greater Chaco Canyon Community. For more information on the tour, click here to read our blog on the experience.
2020 Legislative Session Preview
Panel discussion of what might be introduced in 2020 and how you can lobby effectively.
How to successfully advocate for the issues you believe in! Tuesday, Oct. 29, 6:30 pm- 8:30 pm, Center for Progress & Justice, 1420 Cerrillos Rd., Santa Fe. Retake Our Democracy will host a panel discussion with nonprofit advocacy experts to help prepare you for the 2020 Legislative Session. Panelists include:
- Bill Jordan, Government Relations Officer, NM Voices for Children
- Mary Feldblum, Executive Director, Health Security for New Mexicans Campaign
- Paul Haidle, JD, Senior Policy Strategist, A.C.L.U.
- Elaine Sullivan, Board President, Alliance for Local Economic Prosperity (public banking)
- Fred Nathan, Executive Director, Think New Mexico
Moderator, Paul Gibson, Co-Founder, Retake Our Democracy
Discussion will focus on policies related to child welfare, healthcare, civil rights, abortion decriminalization, public banking, tuition-free college, early childhood funding, and how grassroots advocates can best support their legislative priorities. RSVP by Oct 28 to retakeresponse@gmail.com. Panel will be live-streamed via the Retake Our Democracy Facebook page. For more details and to RSVP on Facebook, click here.
Youth United for Climate Crisis Action: Call to Action Protesting the Governor’s Non-Response to YUCCA Demands
October 30, 4pm. Roundhouse Rotunda. Youth from YUCCA will update you on the status of their actions, including their plans to escalate direct action to insist upon a dialogue with the Governor. At the close of the protest, some of YUCCA youth and supporters will march to the public hearing on produced water being held at 6pm. We need to support our YUCCA youth and participation at their Friday noon strike actions has not been nearly strong enough. This would be a good day to join them as this is a day things escalate.
Produced Water Hearing Schedule
For background information on the reason for the hearing and how to submit written comment, please click here.
SANTA FE: Wednesday, Oct 30, 6pm-8:30pm, St. Francis Auditorium, 107 West Palace Ave., Santa Fe
CARLSBAD: Thursday, Nov. 14, 6pm-8:30pm, Pecos River Village Conference Center, Carousel House 711 Muscatel Ave., Carlsbad
FARMINGTON: Tuesday, Nov. 19, 6pm-8:30pm, San Juan College Little Theatre, 4601 College Blvd., Farmington
LAS CRUCES: Monday, November 25, 6pm-8:30pm, New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, Ventana Room, 4100 Dripping Springs Rd. Las Cruces
The agenda for each meeting is as follows:
- 5:00 pm Doors open
- 6-6:45 pm Presentation by NMED, EMNRD and OSE
- 6:45-7:15 pm Question-and-answer session
- 7:15-7:30 pm Break
- 7:30-8:30 pm Public input session
Ally Events and Actions
THE FIRST DIRTY BOMB: TRINITY
The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium (TBDC) is bringing Dr. Joseph J. Shonka to New Mexico in early November to present his recent lecture “The First Dirty Bomb, Trinity”
Dr. Shonka worked extensively on the Los Alamos Historical Document Retrieval and Assessment (LAHDRA) study and is an expert on the Trinity test of July 16, 1945. LAHDRA was a ten-year study conducted on behalf of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Chapter 10 of the study focuses on the Trinity test. https://wwwn.cdc.gov/LAHDRA/
- Monday, November 4 – 6:00 to 7:30 PM. Centennial Engineering Auditorium. University of New Mexico – Albuquerque
- Tuesday, November 5 – 7:00 – 8:30 pm. Workman Center, Room 101 New Mexico Tech – Socorro
- Wednesday, Nov. 6 – 3:00 – 4:30 PM. Hardman Jacobs Learning Center, Room 210. New Mexico State University – Las Cruces
- Thursday, Nov. 7 – 5:30 – 8:00 PM. The Little Theater, Center for Fine Arts Northern New Mexico College – Espanola Registration at 5:30 Space is limited
Further information can be found on the web at http://www.lahdra.org/.
Ward 1B, Candidate Forums for Congressional District 3.
The Nambe Senior/Community Center is located at 180A SR503, Nambe, 87501. It is important to participate in these forums if you are unfamiliar with the candidates. We particularly encourage you to attend the Oct 9 forum, as we are very supportive of Teresa Leger de Fernandez. The forum schedule is below.
