America faces an emergency on three primary fronts: a public health pandemic, economic insecurities, and long-standing structural and institutional racism. Working families need job security, economic stability, and freedom from systematic oppression. That is, we must address the racial barriers from COVID-19 and the racial oppression that African Americans and people of color are facing. Furthermore, we must stress the importance of the HEROES Cares Act. So, please sign on and join us for this tel-town hall Wednesday, June 24th, at 6:30 pm, for the tel-town hall call-in number (866) 976-6355. Speakers for this event will be NC Senator Erica Smith-Ingram Dr. Michelle Laws- Department of Health and Human Services Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin Action NC member Tarsha Gunn

On 5/29 and 5/30, Virginians outraged by recent police murders and systemic racism took to the streets of Richmond. The police met this unrest with violence, tear-gassing protestors and nearly running people over with a police vehicle. As in dozens of other cities, there was significant damage to both private and public property. Some protesters also defaced symbols of white supremacy with anti-racist graffiti. The next day, Mayor Levar Stoney called in the National Guard and imposed an 8 pm curfew for the city. That night, protesters took to the streets once more. At around nine o'clock, RPD interrupted an otherwise peaceful protest by firing tear gas into the crowd. They pursued and arrested 233 people, some of whom were not protesting and were unaware of the curfew. Police transported these individuals to the Richmond City Jail where they were kept in a hot poorly ventilated bus, some for over twelve hours. The full litany of abuses they suffered at the hands of police is too long to list here (for more see @nomoniker on Twitter). Over the course of the night, law enforcement officials sexually harassed protesters, failed to adequately address medical and psychological crises, dismissed concerns about COVID-19 exposure, and regularly denied arrestees water—all for behavior that should NOT HAVE BEEN CRIMINALIZED in the first place. More arrests were made on the second night of the curfew. More recently, on 6/14 and 6/15, protestors were maced and gassed by police in riot gear outside the precinct. On 6/14 Michaela G. Hatton, a 22-year-old protester with a master’s degree in social work from VCU, was targeted by RPD and charged with felony assault on a law enforcement officer and conspiracy to incite a riot. Michaela lost her job because of the arrest. Despite the numerous calls to drop charges against protestors, the City has taken NO substantive action to reject police repression and violence. Let's all pressure Commonwealth's Attorney Colette McEachin, Mayor Stoney, and Richmond City Council to protect the people they supposedly serve. We demand that our elected officials work to ensure that ALL chargers against protestors are dropped immediately!

The Washington Redskins exposed their hypocrisy recently while tweeting out on #BlackoutTuesday in support of #BlackLivesMatter while continuing to profit off of a racist and derogatory name—Redskins—and a caricature logo of Native Americans. Borne out of a genocidal past, the term “Redskin,” is a word dripping with contempt, racism, and a quite literal reference to blood; advertisements were placed in newspapers on behalf of governments and institutions perpetuating the genocide of indigenous peoples using this term—for example, from the The Winona Daily Republican in Minnesota: “The State reward for dead Indians has been increased to $200 for every red-skin sent to Purgatory. This sum is more than the dead bodies of all the Indians east of the Red River are worth.” While the team may claim that the term is used to honor the purported Native American ancestry of its one-time coach William “Lone Star” Dietz, the team knows full well that the name was changed to Redskin to avoid issues with the Boston Braves baseball team. Further, after an investigation, Dietz was found to have fraudulently posed as indigenous—the name of the football team only dishonors in many ways. Snyder argues that the term is one of honor and of benign origins—it is not. Native American leaders and peoples have been fighting to have the name changed across society, and have succeeded but in this one place. Since 1898, the term has been defined as one used contemptuously. If the Washington Football Team had to change the fight song for racist illusions, why not change the name? To claim that the term “redskins” honors Native Americans defies logic—no one would think to claim that, for example, a football team named for the confederacy honors African Americans. Other teams are named after animals (Philadelphia Eagles, Seattle Seahawks, Chicago Bears), after numbers (San Francisco 49ers), or after empowering, flattering, mythic characters (New England Patriots, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans). In short, a racial slur has no place in the NFL's lineup. Academic studies continue to show that the name and mascot do not honor Native Americans; to the contrary, the term leads to “lower self-esteem, lower community worth, less capacity to generate achievement-related possible selves, and greater levels of negative effect” amongst Native American youth, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and oppression. The term, with its contemptuous nature, further builds a gap between native and non-native cultures, contributing to intergenerational trauma and continued racism. Leaders, historians, psychologists, and social scientists have concluded that “Native mascots are part of a much larger web of phenomena that contribute to oppression faced by Native Americans and thus it seems clear that these mascots should be eliminated.” While it should be clear, some people seem to be unwilling to see the continued consequences. Everytime the Washington team takes the field, the Redskins name conjures images of brutality. The Washington Redskins, the NFL, the media, and sponsors must discontinue profiting off of a racist trope. Native Americans are not mascots, they are people and are still here. Daniel Snyder cannot continue to muzzle and whitewash a people and history. Words have power. Symbols have power. It is time the media and sponsors cease their complicity in this cultural genocide, and stand with justice—boycott the name until the name changes.

Recently, our Village has lost another valuable employee amidst allegations of harassment and retaliation within Village Hall. While the details have been shared with some board members, over the course of the last month and a half there has been no action by the board to improve the employee relations within our Village Hall. At this point, we, the residents of the Village of Lakewood, believe all parties need a cooling off period and to have a fair and independent review of the facts of these complaints. We want action from the Board that says we value our staff, all of the staff, and I want transparency in the process so that we can all have trust that this is not opening the Village up to any legal action on behalf of the Village Employees.

Survivor has produced 40 successful seasons over 20 years by telling the stories of people who represent a wide array of human experience within the context of a game of social strategy, physical challenges, and survival. Representation matters. One of the most important ways we can embrace our diversity and evolve is to represent that diversity responsibly, equitably and fully. A commitment to the afore-mentioned actions would have a huge impact and move us toward a more fair, just, and equitable society.

Bernie Sanders OVERWHELMINGLY won California. We need a state delegation chair to the national convention that reflects that victory and Bernie's platform. We want Rep. Ro Khanna! Rep. Khanna is a bold progressive who, along with the MAJORITY of Californians and Americans, supports Medicare for All, a Green New Deal, the dire need for racial justice, and a compassionate, PEACEFUL foreign policy platform that prioritizes diplomacy over militarization and warfare. Please sign on to support Rep. Ro Khanna as the CA State Delegation Chair to the Democratic National Convention. The State Delegation Chair represents the entire California delegation at the National Convention.

We - Students, Parents, Family Members, Teachers, & Community Members demand our children see a brighter future - one where they are supported, not criminalized. Time and time again, children in the Kingston City School District have fallen victim to racial profiling, violence, sexual harassment, and trauma at the hands of the police. Due to the lack of Police Accountability, no justice has been served for most of the children who have been harmed. We do not understand why we have police in our schools. The narrative that Police make things safer has been disproved numerous times, An SRO at Marjory Stoneman Douglas never even entered the school during the shooting. Police contact can also hinder children’s educational performance through negative health consequences related to stress, fear, trauma, and anxiety (Geller et al. 2014; Golembeski and Fullilove 2005; Sugie and Turney 2017) The Memorandum Of Understanding between the KCSD and The Police Department says: “Under state law, the SRO shall not serve as a school disciplinarian, as an enforcer of school regulations, or in place of school-based mental health providers, and the SRO shall not use police powers to address traditional school discipline issues.” Despite the contract, the SROs in the schools are routinely involved in disciplining the children - criminalizing them at a young age. The $369,368.90 our district committed to spend in the 19-20 school year to criminalize our children should be used for counselors and education, not to feed the School to Prison Pipeline. We demand: 1. An immediate and permanent cancellation of contracts with Kingston Police Department, Ulster Police Department and all law enforcement. 2. A commitment to reinvest those funds into Mental Health and Community Resources for the children in the district. 3. Investigate all complaints of Police Violence and Misconduct that have been reported to the school district. Please sign the petition and contact members of the KCSD School Board and Superintendent Padalino to support the removal of School Resource Officers from KCSD and the reallocation of those funds towards mental health resources. In Solidarity, R!SE UP KINGSTON

It is known and documented that “Kelsey” terrorized the indigenous population of Pomo Indians in Lake County. He mass murdered them and stole their lands from them. It is written and documented and was even “taught” to us in school in 4th grade as “ legends” of Lake County, California. It has been abhorrent to me all my life. I am ashamed that the name of Kelsey lives on in the form of “Kelseyville.” I would respectfully ask the Tribal Elders of Lake County Pomo tribes to rename the town. Mt. Konocti rises above the town. It is a beautiful name that could easily be incorporated into the area.

Livonia has an unfortunate history as one of our country’s largest “Sundown Towns” - “all white” municipalities or neighborhoods that practiced a form of segregation by excluding non-whites through a combination of discriminatory local laws, intimidation, policing and violence. We urge the Livonia Police Department to set a higher standard of policing by strengthening accountability mechanisms and securing critical reforms to end police brutality, biased racial profiling, and policing targeting youth and communities of color. It’s time to not only address the racism and inequality that exists in our own community, but to address it with intention and ambition. Be a part of the Livonia Citizens Caring About Black Lives movement by following us at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1183500345325924 Read about the Campaign Zero initiative - https://www.joincampaignzero.org/#vision

(Español Abajo) For many years, we have been taught that Christopher Columbus discovered the American continent, and with his great finding, civilization followed. However, this portrayal of history is all wrong. When Europeans invaded the continent, they murdered many of the original residents on this land, destroyed entire cities, and infected entire communities with diseases. Their colonization led to the arrival of enslaved people, who were taken from their native lands on the African continent, and forced to work in this country. As a community, we commemorate the memory of all the indigenous people that were devastated by colonization especially the Quinnipiac, Wapinger, and Paugussett peoples whose land we reside on now. We also celebrate their traditions and our heritage as descendants of the original inhabitants on the continent. Additionally, we want to acknowledge that many immigrants who live in New Haven, are in reality travelers who are walking through stolen land similar to those histories of their own nations and ancestry. Having acknowledged this, we reject any sort of celebration of the individual who brought so much death and destruction to our land: Christopher Columbus. We reject any institution that glorifies this violent history and American colonization. We demand that the school's name be changed in honor of indigenous people and the New Haven immigrant community. Located in the Fair Haven neighborhood, the Christopher Columbus Family Academy is a monument to the genocide of indigenous people that began in 1492 and continues to this day. The neighborhood of Fair Haven is home to a significant number of immigrants. Several of them are directly from indigenous communities whose first languages are not Spanish and are currently in resistance in Latin America. Our community knows that not only is the name inappropriate, but completely offensive to who we are as descendants of genocide survivors- and that we continue to experience violence in the form of racism. For all the aforementioned reasons, we demand that the school be renamed IMMEDIATELY. Both New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker and the Board of Education need to do everything in their power to change the name. Durante muchos años, nos han enseñado que Cristóbal Colón descubrió el continente “americano” -Abya Yala- y que con su gran hallazgo llego la civilización. Sin embargo, esta representación de la historia está completamente equivocada. Cuando los europeos invadieron el continente masacraron a los residentes originales, destruyeron ciudades enteras e infectaron a comunidades enteras con sus enfermedades. Su colonización condujo eventualmente a la llegada de personas esclavizadas, que fueron secuestradas de sus tierras nativas en el continente africano y obligadas a trabajar en estas tierras. Como comunidad, conmemoramos la memoria de todos los pueblos aborígenes que fueron devastados por la colonización, específicamente los pueblos Quinnipiac, Wapinger y Paugussett en cuyas tierras vivimos ahora. También celebramos sus tradiciones y nuestra herencia como descendientes de los habitantes originales del continente. Además, queremos reconocer que muchos migrantes que vivimos en New Haven, en realidad, somos viajeros que caminamos por nuestras tierras, tierras llenas de historia de robo y saqueo y lo cual no cesa hasta el día de hoy. Habiendo reconocido esto, rechazamos cualquier tipo de celebración del asesino que trajo tanta muerte y destrucción a nuestra tierra: Cristóbal Colón. Rechazamos cualquier institución que glorifique esta historia violenta y de colonización. Exigimos que se cambie el nombre de la escuela en honor de los pueblos indígenas del norte y del sur del continente. Ubicada en el vecindario de Fair Haven, la Academia de la Familia Cristóbal Colón es un monumento al genocidio de los pueblos indígenas que comenzó en 1492 y continúa hasta nuestros días. El vecindario de Fair Haven es el hogar de miles de migrantes. Muchos de ellos son comunidades aborígenes, cuyo primer idioma no es el español. Provienen de territorios que están en resistencia en el sur de la frontera. Nuestra comunidad sabe que el nombre no solo es inapropiado, sino completamente ofensivo para quienes somos descendientes de los sobrevivientes del genocidio, pero que seguimos experimentando todavía la violencia del saqueo y el racismo. Por todas estas razones, exigimos que la escuela cambie su nombre INMEDIATAMENTE. Tanto el alcalde de New Haven, Justin Elicker, como la Junta de Educación tienen el poder de hacerlo.

As people across the country and the world have taken to the streets to demand racial equality and justice it is time for Illinois to step up to this moment in history. Governor Pritzker, make Juneteenth a statewide paid holiday!

As musicians committed to fighting racial and economic injustice, we will no longer stand idly by and allow police unions to protect police officers who murder Black people and fellow workers. Police unions across the nation largely continue to condone the same policing tactics that led to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, Philando Castile, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice, Botham Jean, Freddie Gray, and countless more Black lives. Many musicians and AFM members are using social media platforms to listen to the voices of Black activists and amplify them. In addition, many are actively engaging in peaceful protest–using their voices, instruments, and talents to uplift not only the names, but the platforms of anti-racist movements such as Black Lives Matter. This is only the beginning of the work we must do to actively build anti-racist practices within our community. Background: In 2017, Philadelphia Police Union President John McNesby said of Black Lives Matter protesters: “When you go to work each day, you shouldn’t have to worry that a pack of rabid animals will suddenly show up at your home and openly threaten your family,” McNesby said. “These are not activists, they are racist hate groups determined to instigate violence.” This is a prime example of Police Union leadership disrespecting and undermining the values and work of anti-racist activists, many of whom are also members of the AFM. Under the protection of police union bylaws, many predatory officers are able to escalate situations, intimidate, injure, and kill unarmed citizens with impunity. This environment makes it unsafe for Black musicians and members to organize at the workplace, at home, and travel to/from performances. The actions of police officers and their unions have made it clear that they are not treated as traditional workers and thus have no place in the Labor Movement. The history of the AFM includes decades of inaction against racial injustice. Many Union Locals represented by the AFM across the nation were forced to integrate Black and White union musicians by court order, with the signing of Civil Rights Act legislation. Despite this history, the AFM and its members have made considerable amounts of money performing, and–at times–appropriating Black American music and Black culture, especially in its legacy contracts such as Broadway, festivals, club dates, live TV, and film scoring. It is easy to conclude that the AFM’s livelihood depends on Black American Music, therefore it is of the utmost duty for the AFM to defend Black American lives. We appreciate the recent statement by Ray Hair pledging “to continue to confront the ways our union and the music industry have contributed to persistent systemic racism” as well as the work done by the AFL-CIO in support of racial justice, including calling for police reform and the resignations of the Secretary of Defense, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and President of the Minneapolis Police Union. However, as musicians we must truly come to terms with our own history, ask our Union to do the same, and move forward together by taking direct action. The American Federation of Musicians must show the world that it is invested in the beliefs of its membership and committed to becoming an actively anti-racist union. Calling on the expulsion of police unions in the Labor movement is a essential step to begin this work.