16 April 2020
Over this past month we have seen that despite our physical distancing efforts, there is a lot of work still to be done. There seems to be more happening than ever, and to prevent us each from becoming digitally overwhelmed, we are offering this neatly organized list of Helping Hands opportunities. Please pick and choose from these wisely – self-care is so important, especially right now – and we need to remember to keep our balance.
LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES
– The Immigrant & Refugee Justice (IRJ or “urge”) taskforce is, as of TODAY, beginning a weekly digital rally (#IRJtoRally) as well as rebooting their physically distant vigils at the local ICE field office (more below) to show support for immigrant and refugee communities. Also, don’t forget the IRJ monthly taskforce meeting TONIGHT where they will announce a new book club, #IRJtoRead! If interested, you can find more information on our website, the IRJ FB group, and Linktree – please share!
– BPS students are returning from spring break, and COVID-19 food service resumed as of yesterday. Breakfast and lunch meals are provided to children every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at various BPS locations, and they need help delivering food to those families who cannot make it to the schools. (You can find specific schedule details here.) If you are interested in helping out, please call 716-816-7100 (menu 7) and keep in mind that all safety precautions are in place to keep you and the recipients safe.
NATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
– As we are seeing, voting by mail is more important than ever! The federal government needs to set aside money for this to cover mailing costs and ensure that fair, safe, and accessible voting is available to all. We should not have to choose between voting and our health! Check out this call to action in NYS, and find more information about the push for vote-by-mail here. We also suggest watching this informative documentary film, Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections – free on HBO only in April – here!
– On a similar note, we need to continue supporting the United States Postal Service! This pandemic could deal a fatal blow to this constitutionally mandated service. Some great tips on how you can help here, including stocking up on cute stamps straight from usps.com!
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
– On the world front, the Secretary General of the UN proposed a global ceasefire during the coronavirus pandemic; several dozen nations have expressed support, and several have ceased firing. Wars seem to have paused in Yemen (questionable), Colombia, and Cameroon. Please join us and others in urging all governments to commit to and abide by the global ceasefire.
– Lastly, we are pleased to announce that free registration is open for the Online World Conference 2020 to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Resist & Reverse Climate Change, and for Economic & Social Justice. We encourage you to register and participate; find more information below.
Please see much more below, including special events this week, regularly scheduled events, campaigns, fundraisers, and more at wnypeace.org, on our Facebook page, Twitter (@wnypeace), and Instagram (@wnypeace)!
Peace, thanks, solidarity and yes – love.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
01 April 2020
As we start a new month, we hope you are still coping with “social”/ that is, *physical distancing. We know we have more of this ahead of us, so now is the time to focus on taking care of ourselves and others. We are also learning that we still have work to do. We hope this update serves as a source of both information and support.
Tonight is the premiere of the NOVA program “Cuba’s Cancer Hope” on PBS. Roswell Park medical staff are featured, who have shared with us and the world their gratitude for the Cuban medical personnel! More information below – don’t miss it!
Today and tomorrow we will be out in support of those who are detained. This is more important than ever considering the current public health crisis! There are two different opportunities: First, please join us this evening for our weekly vigil at the Erie County Holding Center, while remembering to adhere to physical distancing guidelines (at least 6 ft). We also hope to see you tomorrow afternoon for our driving rally around the blocks of the local ICE field offices (see below). Please put signs and streamers on the outside of your car so that your participation is visible, and join us in honking so your participation is audible. You can find our route map on Facebook and our website. #DETENTIONISDEADLY
Please also refer to our website for a CALL TO ACTION by the Fair Fines + Fees Coalition. Considering the national health crisis, we must shift our focus to the immediate needs of our communities. This includes not only water and housing, but also transportation. Cars are still being ticketed and impounded, so we are asking you to help us protect Buffalo residents still on the road.
And most importantly, don’t forget to take care of yourselves. You can find support at the Buffalo Mutual Aid Network, as well as great tips and resources from the WNYCOSH here and IIB here. You’ll also see other opportunities to help others out!
Lastly, today is Census Day! Participating in the 2020 Census is a form of civic engagement and is good for our communities; it is used to determine the allocation of healthcare, housing, education, and transportation funding, as well as how legislative districts are drawn. In the current public health crisis, we know just how important it is to protect people over profits – individuals and families over corporations and industries – and this is a way to help do that. A few important points about the Census:
1. It can be completed by mail, phone, or online.
2. When completing the census, include everyone living in your home as of 01 April (today!). This includes all children born as of today!
3. The Census Bureau will not email or text people for the 2020 Census – beware of scams!
4. The deadline to complete the census has been extended to mid-August.
5. The 2020 Census is safe! The data is protected by federal law and cannot be shared with law enforcement agencies, local housing authorities, or other federal agencies.
6. The census is available in 12 non-English languages by phone and online, and has 59 non-English language guides to walk you through the process step-by-step. Guides are also available in Braille and large print English.
31 March 2020
Considering we are all experiencing a national health crisis, we must shift our focus to the immediate needs of the community. This does not only include water and housing, but it also includes transportation. While many of us have to abide by the stay at home order: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/coronavirus-stay-at-home-order.html, this doesn’t mean that folks are still not using their cars for necessities such as food, fresh air, essential worker-employment, or medical care. With that said, recently, it has been shared that BPD is still engaging in questionable traffic enforcement practices, folks are still getting their cars impounded, and may still be receiving parking and traffic tickets. We are asking you all to help us protect Buffalo residents still on the roads amid this crisis. This means:
(1) Share this CALL TO ACTION with your networks.
(2) Reporting back to the FFFC page here: https://www.facebook.com/FairFinesFeesBuffalo/ when you witness a traffic stop, tickets being issued, or a car being impounded, by inboxing us or simply emailing Jalonda Hill (jhill@wnylc.com).
(3) Please, if it is safe too, capture the incident on camera and share it with the FFFC FB page and/or Mayor Browns FB page: https://www.facebook.com/MayorByronBrown/ using this description: “Even Amid the COVID-19 Crisis traffic and/or parking enforcement practices are still questionable in Buffalo, NY.”
Your photos and participation can truly confirm that BPD is still out there issuing tickets and impounding vehicles for traffic infractions that are not considered a public safety concern. In the meantime, if anyone here has any information on whether traffic stops are still taking place, if parking or traffic tickets are still being issued, please reach out to me. Impounding vehicles and issuing parking and traffic tickets are a huge moneymaker for the city, so we should not be surprised that the city is still directing their tow truck workers and BPD officers to continue business as usual, despite this crisis.
