It has been a very long eight days… In fact it seems much longer than that… so much damage done in so little time. So many people acting in their own interests instead of the public good.
But there have been bright spots… the wonderful women’s rallies last weekend… a packed house for the Monroe County NOW call out, hundreds of Bloomingtonians marching in support of our Muslim and refugee neighbors… voices of support from around the world….
MORE GOOD NEWS? IT’S TIME FOR THE DWC MONTHLY BREAKFAST!!
Gather with friends on Friday Feb. 3, 2017 7:30am at the Village Deli
Members Terri Klein and Terri Bluel will update us on what is happening with the Affordable Care Act. As the Axios Vitals Newsletter pointed out this morning... "It took one travel ban to wipe Obamacare out of the news, but that's about to change thanks to some high-profile hearings on replacement ideas and Tuesday's Senate Finance Committee's confirmation vote on Tom Price. And let's not forget the big cliffhanger: Will there still be a last-minute signup surge on Tuesday as Obamacare open enrollment ends?"
Teri Bluel and Teri Klein have been working with various groups on the issues surrounding the Affordable Care Act – you know, the one that DJT wants to immediately repeal and replace…. - Teri and Teri have been working with a number of groups advocating for the improvement of the ACA, especially with regards to women’s health issues. They’ll tell us what they’ve learned in their petitioning, calling and visiting senators’ offices, and how we can stay on top of the issue for action when it’s needed. If there’s one thing we’ve watched in the last 10 days, it’s that people all over are motivated and mobilized to push for the changes they want to see. That’s us!
If you have a story from a march, demonstration or action that you’ve recently participated in, please bring it along to share!
Get Involved!!
The DWC Steering Committee is the group that organizes and manages the business of the DWC. We manage much of our business through goal groups or committees, and we welcome help from the membership to bring fresh ideas and hands to the work of running our operation.
• Program Committee - Planning meetings and programs, outreach to build membership; inform current members; education; notification
• Fundraising and Events - track goals, inspire attendees to donate; analyze and expand efforts; plan social events (movie nights, etc.)
• Communications (Monday Morning News, website, Facebook, Twitter, blog, etc) - outreach to build membership; inform current members; education; notification
• Training - prepare candidates as well as workers to help candidates and causes
• Membership - outreach, goals, retention, renewals
To get involved, go to the DWC website at http://www.democraticwomenscaucus.org/volunteer or email [email protected] and let us know what goals you want to work towards. If you have special skills, please note that as well. We'd love to have you working with us!!
And don't forget to like us on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter!
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Announcements
Events
Action Item
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Want to know your Senator’s or Governor’s response to the Muslim ban? Here’s an amazing spreadsheet, complete with phone numbers. https://t.co/dpHf4DBliT
Unfortunately we don’t have an equally good spreadsheet for Members of the House (although we do know that Mr. Hollingsworth has been mute on the topic, as has our Governor and republican Senator) but if one comes up we’ll pass it along.
2017 Monroe County Citizens' Academy
February 9 - April 6, Thursdays 6-9 p.m.
Deadline to apply is February 3
The Monroe County Citizens’ Academy provides Monroe County residents with an in-depth look at the functions of county government and will educate residents on the “behind the scenes” activities of local government. There is no cost to participate, however registration is requested. Download the informational brochure.
There was an organizational meeting for a new Local Chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW) on Saturday, January 28 at the Monroe County Public Library. Over 300 supporters filled the meeting room and the overflow in the MCPL Auditorium. Notes from the meeting can be found on the DWC Facebook page…
and you can find the live stream video of the event pinned to the MC NOW Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/MonroeCountyNOW/posts/
For more information and to follow NOW-Monroe County:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MonroeCountyNOW/
Sign up for the Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cwCOMv
Email: [email protected]
#MOCONOW
The Pussyhat Project - what's next
First off, you should know that the efforts of Deborah Meador and Yarns Unlimited raised over $2000 for Planned Parenthood with donations from hats made and picked up at the yarn store! AND people are still stopping by the shop wanting a hat!
Now, for those of you asking what to do with your hat after the project, the organizers of the project advise you to literally hold on to your hats. As a symbol of feminism and women’s rights they encourage you to keep wearing them. The opportunity to display your Pussyhat again will present itself. They’re working on our next steps to keep the momentum going and our community growing, so stay tuned to keep involved!
Please visit website at www.pussyhatproject.com
Follow on social media:
Instagram: @p_ssyhatproject
Hashtags: #pussyhat and #pussyhatproject
Facebook: @pu55yhatproject
Twitter: @PussyhatProject
Ravelry group: www.ravelry.com/groups/pussyhat-project
Democratic Party News:
Elections for Monroe County Democratic Party Offices
All Party offices, including Chair, Vice Chair, Secretary, and Treasurer will be filled by Democratic precinct chairs and vice chairs at a caucus March 4 at 10 a.m. at the Nat U. Hill room in the County Courthouse. If you have any questions or are interested in running for any of these positions, please send an e-mail to [email protected].
Election of Indiana Democratic Party Chair
Current Indiana Democratic Party Chair (and Monroe County's own!) John Zody recently announced his bid for reelection. If you're interested in learning more about John and following campaign events, please click here for more info.
Election for National Democratic Party
Our own South Bend Mayor-extraordinaire Pete Buttigieg has announced his intention to run for the Chair of the Democratic National Committee.
For information on Mayor Buttigieg, contact Drew Anderson at 765-432-3231 or [email protected]
Pete's platform can be found here: https://petefordnc.com/platform/
What’s going on in Indy?
Legislative Update from League of Women Voters (LWVIN)
Redistricting Reform
Are you subscribed to the Indiana Coalition for Independent Redistricting enews? It's easy to do, simply email [email protected]. This is the BEST way to stay informed on HB1014 and other redistricting matters. Additionally, since this coalition enewsletter is focused exclusively on redistricting reform, it's a single-issue email you can easily use as a tool to inform friends, family, and neighbors about our fight to end gerrymandering.
Reproductive Rights
The following bills are all opposed by the LWVIN. The LWV's position on reproductive health care can be found here. Supporting positions related to individual liberties, health care, and meeting basic human needs can also be consulted.
• HB1128 (Bacon), Informed consent requirement for abortion drugs.
Peggy Mayfield has been added as a co-author
Assigned: House Public Policy
• HB1134 (Nisly), Total Abortion Ban. Assigned: House Public Policy
• SB404 (Houchin), Un-emancipated Minors. Assigned: Senate Judiciary
• SB566 (Zay & Kruse), Prohibits state contracts to entities that train or supervise
healthcare providers who provide abortion services. Assigned: Senate Judiciary
All these bills currently remain in Committee….
EVENTS
Say No To Betsy DeVos:
Tuesday, January 31 - Monroe County Courthouse (corner of Walnut & Kirkwood)
This is a tentative event to get people together at the corner of Walnut and Kirkwood to protest when Besty DeVos is no doubt voted out of committee on January 31st… more information at https://www.facebook.com/events/402692416732490/
League of Women Voters Meeting:
Wednesday, February 1, 11:30am - Monroe Co. Public Library Room 2A
From Kate Cruikshank: I hope that at this meeting we can begin to sketch out some areas of work for the coming year. People all around us are expressing the desire to become more engaged politically and seeking ways in which to do it. We could be one of the avenues for that if we are ourselves actively engaged. What I hope we can discuss together is what form that activity might take. This might include:
A growing local network ready to take action in contacting legislators about bills on particular topics.
Continued participation in the LWVIN Ed Study
Civic Education efforts - A bill (SB 117) has just passed out of committee to the full Indiana senate that would require that U.S. History classes include civics education and that students be required to pass the United States Civics Test prepared by the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. Is there a role for the League in supporting this?
I’m sure there are other possibilities and hope that you will bring those to the meeting. Although I will not be continuing as president of the League, I would like to see us get our ideas started for the coming year.
I hope to see you next Wednesday – Kate
Solidarity for Aramark Cafeteria Workers at Eli Lilly:
Wednesday, February 1, 5:30pm - Entrance to Eli Lilly Corporate Center
Building on the success that food service workers across Central Indiana have had in improving their workplaces and their lives over the last several years, More than 120 Aramark Cafeteria Workers at Eli Lilly are Going Public to Ask for a Fair Process to Decide on Unionization!
Women's Marches: Remembrances and Next Steps:
Wednesday February 1, 7pm-8:30pm -
IU Maurer School of Law, moot court room, 211 S. Indiana Ave.
The DWC is joining with IU, Maurer Law, and community groups to host this post-Women's Marches gathering. We will share experiences from the various Women's Marches and talk about next steps for action to protect all women. Guest speaker Wanda Savala from Planned Parenthood of Indiana and Kentucky will share information about current threats to reproductive rights. We will also have opportunities for individual action, including making postcards for our federal representatives and Valentines for state legislators, as part of the 10 Actions/100 Days Campaign. This is a nonpartisan event. Everyone is encouraged to join, whether or not you attended a march! Co-sponsors include: Democratic Women's Caucus, Maurer Law Students for Reproductive Justice, Maurer Feminist Law Forum, Maurer OUTlaw, Latinx Law Student Association, IU College Democrats, Monroe County NOW.
All-Options Pregnancy Center Reproductive Justice Happy Hour:
Thursday Feb. 2 6:30 - 8:30pm - Boxcar Books
All-Options is a pregnancy resource center in Bloomington, IN providing openhearted, unbiased support for all your pregnancy & parenting options!
Join us for a kick-off event of the new RJ Action Hour series with All-Options PRC and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana & Kentucky! Together, we'll fight against anti-family legislation through direct actions and social engagement.
For our first event, we're gathering at Boxcar Books, on Thursday, 2/2, for a Valentine's-themed letter-writing campaign, Bring IN the Love! Come and make your voice heard by crafting a V-Day note aimed at state legislators and their attacks on reproductive justice. All letters will be delivered to the Indiana State House on 2/14 for a giant V-Day drop!
Our event is child-friendly, open to the public, and light refreshments will be served. Staff from All-Options PRC and Planned Parenthood Advocates of Indiana & Kentucky will also give policy updates and offer other opportunities to get engaged. Bring your friends, family, and anyone who is interested in putting their energy into action. See you there, Hoosiers!
League Of Women Voters Legislative Update:
Saturday Feb. 4 9:30 - 11:00am - Bloomington City Council Chambers
With everything going on in Washington it is important not to lose track of all the serious issues being decided right here in Indiana. Our 2nd LWV Legislative Update is a great opportunity to hear from your legislators and ask them questions about what matters to you. So come out Saturday Feb. 4, 9:30 AM-11:00 AM, Showers Buillding, Bloomington City Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton St. Our 1st Update was well attended and very informative, help make our 2nd the same. Get involved and get informed.
All-Options Pregnancy Center Training hosted by the UU Social Justice Group:
Saturday February 11 in the morning - UU Church
All-Options will present a workshop on pregnancy options and how to support people no matter what their choices are. Planned Parenthood will do a workshop on advocacy and activism. We hope to have more information for you in the next MMN
Rally For Womens’ Reproductive Choice
Saturday February 11 3:00 - 5:00pm - City Hall
On February 11 there will be a nationwide demonstration to defund Planned Parenthood. Here in Bloomington we will host a rally in favor of Planned Parenthood and women’s reproductive choice. This is not a counter protest - we will not engage protesters but out shout them - when they go low, we go high.
Love Songs For A Lasting World - A Benefit for Middle Way House
Monday February 13, 7:00 - 9:00pm - Buskirk Chumley Theater
Music for all hearts… full, lonely, or broken - with Malcolm Dalglish, The Oolites & Friends. Settings of love poems, light verse, dance, romance, humor, a bonfire & pie.
More information here. Tickets available at the Buskirk Chumley Theater Box Office.
Indiana Reproductive Justice Valentine Delivery: Saturday, February 14, 11am – 1pm -
Indiana State House 200 W. Washington St. Indianapolis
Join the Indiana Reproductive Justice Coalition as we deliver Hoosier's handmade valentines to our state lawmakers. Want to host a party to help folks make valentines and inform them of the status of legislation in our state? Contact a coalition group member! www.indianareprojustice.org
Being Bloomington: Being Together: An Hour of Quiet Reflection For All
Wednesday, February 15 from 12 noon – 1:00 p.m. - Buskirk Chumley Theater
Five inspired women came together to create a safe space for all people and a place for people to come together in self-reflection, prayer, and/or meditation. The women wanted to create something that would offer a space that is secular but that promotes a coming together of all people in order to heal the divide that not only exists in the world and our country, but also in Bloomington.
The five women who have initiated this recurring event are Mary Ann Macklin, senior minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington, Nancy Kalina, Certified Martha Beck Life Coach, Laurel Reed Adams, Pilates/Yoga Instructor: Owner, Karla Kamstra, founder of The Bridge Spiritual Center and Janiece Jaffe, spiritual musician. It should be noted that Janiece Jaffe will be playing crystal and tibetan bowls during the gathering.
For more information about Being, Bloomington: Being Together, contact Nancy Kalina at [email protected].
Democratic Party Chair Chat Forum:
Saturday, February 18 at 10:30 a.m. in the Bloomington Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton
Another opportunity to share your ideas on the direction of the Democratic Party is to attend the chair chat forum with our state Party chair, John Zody.
MCDP After Hours:
Monday, February 27, 5:30-7:00 p.m.
The Tap (back room), 101 N College, Bloomington
Come on out to MCDP's After Hours! Following a hiatus, we're bringing back the monthly social hour. It's your opportunity to grab a bite, a beer and some good conversation with fellow Democrats. Mark your calendars for the 4th Monday of each month - same time, same place.
ACTION ITEM:
There are so many things to do, so much happening so fast, and so much to keep track of that it is hard to choose one or two to highlight this week. It’s hard not to become stressed out, burn out, tune out…
We want to have you in this for the long haul so our charge to you this week is to take care of yourself! Maybe you’ll attend the event on Feb. 15, maybe you’ll take a long walk in the woods, see a movie, play a game, go out with friends (and not discuss politics).
But what ever you do eat right, exercise, take some time off, get some sleep, recharge and be ready for the next fight!
These wise words come from Bloomington Township Trustee Lillian Hennegar:
Earlier I noted that friends were posting about their sleepless nights of worry. I felt/feel compelled to share what I've learned during the last few months. First, we must get rest! Getting rest and sleep is absolutely crucial. During your waking hours, you are doing what you can to stand up for justice. Further, in the moment, right now, as you lay in bed, there is nothing more that you can do to change anything, especially whatever may be going on in DC, NYC, or Moscow. You need to refuel and restore yourself for the next day, the next action. I recommend you adopt rituals to allow yourself to rest at night. Be sure to turn off news and electronics at least an hour before bed. Sooth your reptile self (this is the part of your brain that has been triggered and it is in all out fear mode) by using your best good mommy voice or Glenda the Good Witch voice to reassure you that you are safe in this moment, right now, and it's okay to go to sleep. I focus on my breathing and feeling the sheets against my skin, to listening to the actual sounds in the house or outside (I like to listen for the coyotes and dogs that call to each other in the distant woods). I stroke my kitty who likes to sleep right next me and savor his warmth and beating heart. In the present moment, you are okay. Tomorrow is another, new day.
Join the DWC in 2017. It's important to stay organized and energized! Renew your membership today.
The DWC is dedicated to inspiring, recruiting, training, supporting and funding women to increase the number of progressive, pro-choice women in the political arena. We ALL help with this mission, together, collectively. Make sure you have full rights and privileges of membership.
Only $20 for one year’s membership. Join online here: https://democraticwomenscaucus.nationbuilder.com/membership
Do you have news items? Send your items of interest to us at [email protected]
Deadline for MMN is noon on Sunday.
Paid for by DWPAC - Democratic Women's Political Action Committee
Democratic Women's Caucus
http://www.democraticwomenscaucus.org/