Justice Advocacy Corner

Welcome to the Justice Advocacy Corner! Here is a central hub for information sent to the UUCB Office about what steps can be taken to stand up for justice - on both local and federal levels.

For an even more detailed and extensive collection of action items, please visit the Side with Love Action Center, found at this link: https://sidewithlove.org/actioncenter

Advocacy in Bloomington

Democracy Task Force Open House

Tuesday, May 20, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. in the Library

All are welcome to join us to help plan for the June 14 No Kings Nationwide Day of Defiance. With protests that day in Indianapolis and Bloomington, we have decisions to make about carpools, sign-making parties, and more. All ideas welcome! If you can't come to the meeting but want to be involved in future protest planning with UUCB, please send an email to democracy@uubloomington.org

Candlelight Vigil for the Disappeared

Saturday, May 31, at 8:30 p.m.

Bloomington Courthouse Square - 100 W Kirkwood Ave. Bloomington, IN. 47404

Together, we will light candles for those who have been disappeared without the due process protections our Constitution provides to all people in the United States. Bring your own candles if you are able, some will be provided.

Recurring Protests

Advocacy From Home

ACTION ITEM

States are facing deep cuts in federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps, otherwise known as SNAP), as envisioned by a U.S. House of Representatives budget resolution. These could include $230 billion in SNAP cuts over 10 years.
Please contact your representatives to express your opposition to this proposal.

Find Your Legislators!

Use the link below to find your legislators.
https://iga.in.gov/information/find-legislators

• Also, consider using the "5-calls" app - Susan Swaney, our Director of Music, recently recommended this. It is an easy way to make 5-calls a day to your representatives and legislators covering the topics you would like to express. The team behind the app does research on policies and even writes scripts that are helpful to use when calling your legislators. Click this link to find out more: https://5calls.org/

• Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray recently mentioned a very helpful tool for getting in contact with her representatives - her phone! She saves all of their numbers in her phone with their names, affiliations, and job title. That way, when you have an issue you would like to discuss with their offices, their phone numbers are already saved to your phone. Taking the time to do this once makes the effort much easier later!

How to Support Renewable Energy

If you live in the 9th congressional district, let representative Erin Houchin, who serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, know how important federal support for renewable energy is to you. (https://houchin.house.gov/) - From Hoosier Action

From Hoosier Action

House Bill 1662 'State and Local Policies on Homelessness' is dangerous legislation that, if passed, will devastate Hoosiers across the state and make our housing crisis even worse. We need to work together to stop the further criminalization of homelessness in Indiana. No-one should be locked up because they are struggling to find and keep stable housing.

Here's what you can do to stop this bill--contact two key legislators TODAY: Representative Michelle Davis (Greenwood), h58@iga.in.gov, (317) 232 - 9757
Representative Doug Miller (Elkhart), h48@iga.in.gov, (317) 234 - 9139

Resources

From Side with Love

"Grounded, Resilient, & Responsible. Responding and Organizing In Authoritarian Times" Webinar Slides (PDF)

"Grounded, Resilient, & Responsible. Responding and Organizing In Authoritarian Times" Toolkit (PDF)

Information about Bills and Policies

This is a good overview of how federal cuts in workforce personnel harms our local communities: https://mailchi.mp/monroedems/action-alert-71022-call-houchin-no-doge?e=f94d1e7939