Women's Fightback Network: 2008

UNITE TO DEFEND EQUAL QUALITY EDUCATION IN BOSTON

Dec. 14, 1974 March on Boston
Say No to Racism!

Stop the School Closings!
Postpone the School Committee Vote!

Pack 26 Court Street!
Wed., Nov. 5th - 6:00 PM

On Wednesday, November 5th, the Boston School Committee is scheduled to vote on a plan that will mean cuts to students and parents in Boston’s communities of color. The plan calls for the burden of the cuts to fall once again most heavily on Roxbury, Dorchester, and Mattapan. As City Councilor Chuck Turner stated in his Nov. 2, 2008, letter to School Superintendent Carol Johnson, “Residents of Greater Roxbury have witnessed the closing of over 70 schools in the last thirty years. These changes have left us with the feeling that our children are viewed as pieces on a chess board rather than human beings who have a right to be treated respectfully. Given the fact that children of Greater Roxbury don't have enough seats to go to school in their neighborhoods and that other neighborhoods are working to limit our access, we are very suspicious of any change and want to be able to clearly understand the impact of any changes, particularly where we are going to see our children again losing seats.”

As a result of massive community opposition and protest, the School Committee rescinded some of the school closures, and postponed until 2009 the decision on the racist and segregationist 60%/40% preference for “walk-to” neighborhood schools. They also postponed the vote on the closing and consolidation plan by one week. Even with the modifications, and absent any serious analysis of the impact of plan on communities of color, the plan should not go forward!

Join with City Councilors Chuck Turner and Charles Yancey, the Black Educators Alliance of Massachusetts (BEAM), Work 4 Quality/Fight 4 Equity, Boston Parent Organizing Network (BPON), the Women’s Fightback Network, the United Steelworkers Local 8751 (Boston school bus drivers), the International Action Center, Community Partners, parents, students and education activists to demand that the School Committee vote be postponed.

Call Mayor Menino 617-635-4500 * School Committee 617-635-9014 *
Dr. Carol Johnson 617-635-9050

The December 14th 1974, 25,000 strong “March Against Racism” showed that Solidarity between the Community, Labor, students, and other activists can turn back the racist tide. It’s time to march again.

For more information: USW Local 8751 617 524-7073

Restore Our Heat & Lights Campaign!

Planning Meeting
Wednesday, November 19 - 4:30-5:45 pm
Global Ministries Christian Church - 670 Washington St., Dorchester, MA
(corner of Washington St. & Euclid St. near Codman Square)

Join with Boston City Councilors Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey, & Sam Yoon and community, labor & youth activists to help build the "Restore Our Heat & Lights Campaign!" This winter is expected to be severe and while there is a moratorium, from November to May, preventing heat and electricity from being shutoff in peoples homes it does nothing for the thousands whose utilities have been shutoff in the interim. Last May 100,000 shutoff notices went out to low-income families. According to the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) 83,000 shutoffs took effect last year. It is estimated that at least 10,000 are still without these essential utilities as winter approaches.

On Monday, October 27, City Councilors Chuck Turner, Charles Yancey and Sam Yoon were joined by community and labor activists at a press conference at City Hall to tell National Grid and NStar: restore heat and light immediately to the thousands of Massachusetts residents who have been shut off! The councilors and speakers made clear that if the utility companies won't do the right thing, then the Governor and the Mayor must declare an Economic State of Emergency and direct the utilities to restore power so that no one is without heat and lights this winter.

Come to the planning meeting on Wednesday, November 19 and get involved with the campaign to make sure that NO ONE goes without heat or lights this winter!

Following this meeting participants will attend the "Community Housing Forum" being held at the The Great Hall, 6 Norfolk St., Dorchester (Codman Sq.) from 6-9:00 pm on Wednesday, November 19. This forum will focus on providing assistance to people facing foreclosure. The Forum is sponsored by: The Greater Four Corners Action Coalition, The Codman Square NDC and co-sponsors Councilor Charles Yancey and Councilor Chuck Turner. For more information contact: Mayra Duran of the Greater Four Corners Action Coalition at 617-436-0289.

Endorsers (partial List): City Councilor Chuck Turner; City Councilor Charles Yancey; City Councilor Sam Yoon; Women's Fightback Network; USW Local 8751, Boston School Bus Union; Tony Hernandez, Organizer, District Council 35, Painters and Allied Trades*; Bishop Filipe Teixeira, Diocese of St Francis of Assissi, CCA*; Black Educators' Alliance of Massachusetts (BEAM); Jenny Cintron, ABCD*; Jean-Claude Sanon, Candidate, City Councilor at Large, Boston; New England Human Rights; Fight Imperialism Stand Together (FIST); Lenore Pereira, Survivors, Inc.*; Jason Leyden, Minister, Community Church of Boston*; International Action Center * id only

Heat and Lights Campaign

Chuck Turner: 617-635-3510 Charles Yancey: 617-635-3131
USW L. 8751, Boston School Bus Drivers: 617-524-3507
The Most Rev. Filipe Teixeira, OFSJC: 617-816-7795
Women’s Fightback Network: 617-522-6626

Join City Councilors Chuck Turner & Charles Yancey and Community Activists & Trade Unionists
PRESS CONFERENCE - RALLY

Monday October 27- 4pm
Curley Room, Boston City Hall

National Grid and NStar: Restore Heat and Light to all those who have been cut off NOW!
Governor Patrick: Declare an Economic State of Emergency and issue an executive order to insure that no one goes without heat or light this winter!
Mayor Menino: Declare a State of Emergency in Boston and ensure no one is without heat and light in the city!

Poor and working people face a humanitarian crisis this winter: thousands are without heat and light as the winter cold season begins. Last May, when the annual November to April moratorium on utility shutoffs ended, over 100,000 in Massachusetts received utility shutoff notices, as reported in the Boston Globe. The growing economic crisis is devastating Boston as well as communities throughout Massachusetts resulting in an untold number of people unable to pay their utility bills and who have been shut off or, in many cases, not had their utilities turned back on. How many of these shutoffs are in communities of color? How many are women and children, elders, and the disabled?

National Grid and NStar must open their books and reveal exactly who has been and remains shut off, and restore power to these families immediately!

Governor Patrick should utilize his powers under state law (Chapter 639) to declare a Gubernatorial State of Emergency, and issue an executive order insuring that no one is left in the cold and dark this winter.

The Winter of 2008 is predicted to be very severe. We will not stand by while people freeze, or go without lights while NSTAR ($7.8B in assets) and National Grid make millions in profits. $150M a day is going to the war in Iraq, and Bush bails out the banks to the tune of over a trillion, while poor and working families are homeless, jobless and children are going hungry - we need to bring this money back here to our communities. Youth need education and jobs, NOT jails. Heat, Housing, Food and Fuel are a Right! Together we have the power to build a movement to turn this around.

This press conference / rally is part of nationally coordinated local protest actions demanding "Bail Out the People, Not the Bankers". Actions will occur in over a dozen cities around the country on October 24-27 saying:

IT'S TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE AN ECONOMIC STATE OF EMERGENCY AND GIVE DIRECT HELP TO THE PEOPLE--NOT THE BANKS The following are some of the growing list of emergency measures that people across the country will be raising at protests during the Days of Action:

Emergency moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions

No budget cuts in education, healthcare and all social services

No layoffs, extend unemployment benefits

No utility shut-offs

Debt relief for students, poor and working people

Protect public and private pensions

Jobs at a living wage

Local Endorsers (partial list): City Councilor Chuck Turner; City Councilor Charles Yancey; Frantz Mendes, President, USW Local 8751 (Boston School Bus Union); Bishop Filipe Teixeira, OFSJC, Diocese of St. Francis of Assissi, CCA; Tony Hernandez, Organizer, District Council 35, Painters and Allied Trades; New England Human Rights for Haiti; Women's Fightback Network, FIST (Fight Imperialism, Stand Together)

Initiators of the national days of action include:Ad-hoc National Network to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions, Bail Out the People Movement, Women's Fightback Network (Massachusetts), Frantz Mendes, President, USW local 8751 (Boston School Bus Drivers), Bishop Filipe Teixeira, OFSJC, Moratorium Now Coalition To StopForeclosures and Evictions (Michigan), Labor/Community Coalition to StopForeclosures and Evictions (California), Service Employees International Union, Local 721, Latino Caucus, SEIU Local 721, Gloria Saucedo, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional, BAYAN USA, NY May 1 Coalition For Workers and Immigrants Rights, Chris Silvera, Secretary Treasurer, Teamster local 808, Brenda Stokely, New York Solidarity Coalition with Katrina/Rita Survivors, La Peña Del Bronz, Trabahadores Por La Paz, Rebel Diaz, Queers for Peace and Justice, Action Center for Justice (North Carolina), FIST (Fight Imperialism, Stand Together), Troops Out Now Coalition (partial list)

For more information contact:
Councilor Turner's office - 617-635-3510
Women's Fightback Network - 617-522-6626 - wfn@iacboston.org

OCTOBER 24-27: BAIL OUT THE PEOPLE, NOT THE BANKERS!

A CALL TO ACTION
Nationally Coordinated, Local Mass Actions endorse volunteer/list local activity donate

PLANNING MEETING
Sat. Oct. 18 - 4:00 pm
Action Center
284 Amory St., JP
(the Brewery)

The stock markets are crashing, the world economy is headed into a deep recession or even depression, and the U.S. government and its top bankers, along with their counterparts around the world, are giving what’s going to amount to trillions of dollars to bailout the richest 1 percent of the people WHILE DOING NOTHING TO RESCUE ORDINARY WORKING AND POOR PEOPLE!

We must stand up and say no to this injustice! NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT.

With that in mind, we are calling for Nationally Coordinated Local Days of Action on the weekend of October 24-27.

During October 24-27, organize marches and demonstrations in front of banks, especially JP Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citibank, or at your local Federal Reserve Bank. Organize a teach-in or a public hearing on the Wall Street crisis, etc.

IT’S TIME FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DECLARE AN ECONOMIC STATE OF EMERGENCY AND GIVE DIRECT HELP TO THE PEOPLE--NOT THE BANKS

The following are some of the growing list of emergency measures that people across the country will be raising at protests during the Days of Action:

Emergency moratorium on home foreclosures and evictions

No budget cuts in education, healthcare and all social services

No layoffs, extend unemployment benefits

No utility shut-offs

Debt relief for students, poor and working people

Protect public and private pensions

Jobs at a living wage

We are outraged Congress has approved a $700 billion bailout of the banks.

We know that NOW IS THE TIME TO ACT. These politicians who are in the pockets of big business, have only their interests in mind. It's up to us to fight for our rights and needs.

We are asking for grassroots, community and youth organizations, trade unionists, anti-racist forces, the anti-war movement and everyone who's just mad as hell about the "bailout" to both endorse this call, and take ownership of it. Plan actions during this period of time in your cities across the country.

At a time of unprecedented economic crisis, we must mobilize and organize and fight back until the demand becomes reality. Bailout the People, not the Bankers!

Partial List of Initiators: Ad-hoc National Network to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions; Moratorium Now Coalition To Stop Foreclosures and Evictions (Michigan); Labor/Community Coalition to Stop Foreclosures and Evictions (L.A.); Service Employees International Union, Local 721; Latino Caucus, SEIU Local 721; Gloria Saucedo, Hermandad Mexicana Nacional; BAYAN USA; NY May 1 Coalition For Immigrant and Workers Rights; Chris Silvera, Secretary Treasurer, Teamster local 808; Brenda Stokely, New York Solidarity Coalition with Katrina/Rita Survivors; Bishop Filipe Teixeira OFSJC; La Peña Del Bronz; Trabahadores Por La Paz; Rebel Diaz; Queers for Peace and Justice; Women's Fightback Network (Massachusetts); Frantz Mendes, President, USW local 8751 (Boston School Bus Union); Action Center for Justice (North Carolina); FIST (Fight Imperialism, Stand Together); Troops Out Now Coalition

for more information: 617-522-6626 or wfn@iacboston.org

SIGN THE ONLINE PETITION demanding the government BAIL OUT THE PEOPLE, NOT WALL STREET!

Sign Online Petition to House and Senate Banking and Finance Committees demanding a MORATORIUM ON FORECLOSURES AND EVICTIONS NOW!

Boston activists confront bankers to stop evictions

“Bail out the people, not Wall Street bankers!” resounded in the streets outside the Colonnade Hotel during the Oct. 6 lunch hour as activists in the struggle against foreclosures, evictions and utility shutoffs demonstrated at the “Open Doors” conference. --more--

BOSTON: 'Foreclose the war, not our homes!'

Activists from the Women’s Fightback Network, Fight Imperialism, Stand Together and the International Action Center rallied in front of the Countrywide Bank in Boston’s Lower Roxbury/South End on Sept. 20 to protest evictions and home foreclosures affecting thousands of people in Massachusetts.--more--

Women Hit Utility Shutoffs, Foreclosures

The NSTAR Electric Co. was the focus of an angry picket line July 3 initiated by the Women’s Fightback Network and the youth group Fight Imperialism, Stand Together.

This greedy corporation, with assets of $7.8 billion, sent 100,000 Massachusetts residents electric and gas utility shutoff notices at the beginning of May. NSTAR earned $59.2 million in the first quarter of 2008 but was shutting off people owing as little as $100. --more--

Demand a Moratorium on Foreclosures and Evictions, Now!

Monday, Oct. 6
11:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m
Colonnade Hotel
120 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA

On Monday, Oct. 6 banks, mortgage companies, and insurance companies such as Bank of America, SBLI, TD Banknorth, The Warren Group, and many others will be hosting a conference on foreclosures. Speakers will include Gov. Deval Patrick; Congressman Barney Frank; Director of Community Affairs, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and many others who are directly involved in the financial crisis and forcing people out of their homes.

Join us to demand:

Governor Deval Patrick, Declare a State of Emergency, Now!

Declare a Moratorium on Foreclosures & Evictions!
Stop Utility Shutoffs & Restore Services Immediately!
Roll Back Food & Fuel Prices!

BAIL OUT THE PEOPLE - NOT THE BANKERS ON WALL STREET!
MASSACHUSETTS is in an ECONOMIC STATE OF EMERGENCY! Heat, Housing, Jobs, Food and Fuel are a Human Right!

MASSACHUSETTS is in an ECONOMIC STATE OF EMERGENCY!

Heat, Housing, Jobs, Food and Fuel are a Human Right!

On Sept. 20th protestors took to the streets of Boston to demand that Governor Deval Patrick, Declare a State of Emergency, Now!

Stop Utility Shutoffs & Restore Services Immediately!

Declare a Moratorium on Foreclosures & Evictions!

Roll Back Food & Fuel Prices!

download "Economic State of Emergency" petition

The Winter of 2008 is predicted to be very severe. This will be no natural disaster, but a life-threatening crisis made in government and corporate boardrooms. We will not stand by as people freeze or go without lights, while NSTAR ($7.8B in assets), National Grid and the Oil Companies make $$ billions more in profits. $150 million more a day goes to the Iraq war. We need to bring this money back to our communities, now!
The government has just taken over the largest mortgage banks in the world, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which have overseen millions of families evicted from their homes. The government must not be in the business of foreclosing and evicting us from our homes. Responsible government must now use its power to declare a State of Emergency, and immediately halt all foreclosures and evictions!
This economic crisis brings with it a rise in violence against people of color, women, and lesbian/gay/bi/trans people who are scapegoated in an attempt to divert attention away from greedy corporations and banks. Poor and working families are struggling with housing, jobs, gas prices, healthcare, and feeding our children. Youth need education and good union jobs, not police roundups and more jails. Discrimination against people with CORI should be outlawed.

Heat, Housing, Jobs, Food and Fuel are a Human Right! Together we have the power to build a movement to turn this unnatural disaster around!

For more info: 617.522.6626 wfn@iacboston.org