NOVEMBER 1ST- 8TH is the Week of Initiative!
Fresh from the massive success of the National Equality March, organizers of the newly formed Equality Across America have been inspired to take action locally. In some cities, CDATs have already mobilized since the Oct. 11, 2009 march to fight a gay bashing (Queens, NY), to challenge transgender exclusion from a local bar (Chicago, IL) and to protest outside a fundraiser for President Obama (Boston, MA) demanding that he act on his promises.
In the spirit of building on this momentum, Equality Across America has called for a Week of Initiative (WOI), Nov. 1-8, 2009. Given the varying strengths and weaknesses of each chapter, known as Congressional District Action Teams (CDATs, though each group has chosen its own name), the aim of the WOI is for each local chapter to take whatever kind of action that week that would amount to a step forward toward developing a cohesive team of grassroots activists and new leaders.
For the WOI, chapters are planning a wide range of activities from film screenings, protests, sit-ins, teach-ins and in places where no chapter currently exists folks are gathering that week to hold an initial organizing meeting. For example, since the current wave of struggle began in the wake of the passage of California’s Prop 8 that reversed equal marriage rights in that state on Election Day, Nov. 4, 2008, many chapters are organizing an anniversary protest for Nov. 4, 2009 that will also be in response to the referenda on marriage in both Maine and Washington State. In keeping with the spirit of solidarity expressed at the National Equality March, some chapters are linking their actions to local labor and budget cuts struggles in their areas, such as in San Diego, CA and Gainesville, FL.
Given the colossal success of the march that would have been impossible without local initiative and newly developing leadership, CDATs are encouraged to shape their own strategies and actions based on their members’ active participation. We only ask that local groups that want to collaborate with others nationally for these kinds of common initiatives join Equality Across America on our Web site, keep us posted about your local activities and widely publicize in your local media and social networks-online and off.
The march on Oct. 11, 2009 proved that grassroots activism can inspire and mobilize masses–let’s keep up the fight Nov. 1-8, 2009!
Ready to organize? Check out the tools below!
Watch our new video featuring activists inspired to organize by the National Equality March:
Download your organizational toolkit: http://equalityacrossamerica.org/docs/eaatoolkit1.pdf
A Win for One of us is a Win for All of us
A Call to Action helps in Maine, Washington, and Kalamazoo!
Maine – Vote No On 1:
- Canvass: Sign up to volunteer and canvass for “No on 1″ http://www.protectmaineequality.org/page.cfm?ID=142&CFID=34655128&CFTOKEN=71527368
- Phone Bank: If you are not near Maine, you can still help by joining the phone banking efforts! http://www.protectmaineequality.org/page.cfm?ID=151&CFID=34655128&CFTOKEN=71527368
- Donate: Please contribute at https://salsa.wiredforchange.com/o/5841/shop/custom.jsp?donate_page_KEY=2566
- Vote: Remind everyone and remember to vote early! http://action.protectmaineequality.org/signUp.jsp?key=2709
- Watch: Watch what true equality means at http://action.protectmaineequality.org/t/4993/signUp.jsp?key=2749&CFID=34655128&CFTOKEN=71527368
Washington – Approve Referendum 71:
- Phone Bank: Sign up for remote phone bank at http://www.approve71.org/volunteer
- Donate: Donate to help the campaign at https://www.upwardstech.net/approvereferendum71
- Volunteer: If you are a Washington resident, please sign up to canvas or join us for one of our visibility activities throughout the state. To find out more, please email volunteer@wafst.org
- Vote: Remind everyone you know, ballots are due November 3. We are an all mail in voting state, so every day is election day between now and the 3rd.
- Visibility: Add the approve 71 and no on 1 logo to your facebook profile using our simple tool: http://approvereferendum71.org/create-a-profile-picture
- Visibility: Invite your friends to be a fan of the approve 71 campaign http://www.facebook.com/approve.referendum.71
Kalamazoo- Vote YES On Ordinance 1856
- Events: Find out about events at http://www.onekalamazoo.com/events
- Get Involved: Find out how you can get involved at http://www.onekalamazoo.com/about-us/how-to-get-involved
- Donate: Donate to One Kalamazoo at https://secure.actblue.com/contribute/page/onekalamazoo
For those of you in California, there’s a special opportunity to train yourself at CAMP COURAGE.
Equality Across America is a proud sponsor of Camp Courage Sacramento. We encourage any activist, new and old, to attend these trainings if you are in the area!
Sign up now: www.couragecampaign.org/campsacramento
Onward,
Equality Across America
To donate – http://equalityacrossamerica.org/donate
