Families have been destroyed by addiction. New Hampshire Laws needs to CHANGE! Too many lives have been lost because of the lengthy process it is to try and get our loved ones into a rehabilitation center when they are adult age. By the time the paperwork has been filed it is always too late. My Name is Meth I destroy homes, I tear families apart, take your children, and that's just the start. I'm more costly than diamonds, more precious than gold The sorrow I bring is a sight to behold. If you need me, rememeber I'm easily found, I live all around you - in schools and in town. I live with the rich, I live with the poor, I live down the street, and maybe next door. I'm made in a lab, but not like you think, I can be made under the kitchen sink. In your childs closet, and even in the woods, If this scares you to death, well it certainly should. I have many names, but there's one you know best, I'm sure you've heard of me, my name is crystal meth. My power is awesome, try me you'll see, But if you do, you may never break free. Just try me once and I might let you go, But try me twice, and I'll own your soul. When I possess you, you'll steal and you'll lie, You do what you have to -- Just to get high. The crimes you'll commit for my narcotic charms, Will be worth the pleasure you'll feel in your arms. You'll lie to your mother, you'll steal from your dad, When you see their tears, you should feel sad. But you'll forget your morals and how you were raised, I'll be your conscience, I'll teach you my ways I take kids from parents, and parents from kids, I turn people from God, and separate friends. I'll take everything from you, your looks and your pride, I'll be with you always -- right by your side. You'll give up everything -- your family, your home, Your friends, your money, then you'll be alone. I'll take and take, till you have nothing more to give When I'm finished with you, you'll be lucky to live. If you try me be warned - this is no game, If given the chance, I'll drive you insane. I'l ravish your body, I'll control your mind I'll own you completely, your soul will be mine. The nightmares I'll give you while lying in bed, The voices you'll hear, from inside your head. The sweats, the shakes, the visions you'll see, I want you to know, these are all gifts from me. But then it's too late, you'll know in your heart, That you are mine, and we shall not part. You'll regret that you tried me, they always do, but you came to me, not I to you. You knew this would happen, many times you were told, But you challenged my power, and chose to be bold. You could have said no, and just walked away, If you could live that day over, now what would you say? I'll be your master, you will be my slave, I'll even go with you, when you go to your grave. Now that you have met me, what will you do? Will you try me or not? It's all up to you. I can bring you more misery than words can tell, Come take my hand, let me lead you to hell. (This was written by a young Indian girl who was in jail for drug charges, and was addicted to meth. She wrote this while in jail. As you have just read, she fully grasped the horrors of the drug, as she tells in this simple, yet profound poem. She was released from jail, but, true to her story, the drug owned her. They found her dead not long after, with the needle still in her arm) Addiction does not discriminate Sign this petition - CHANGE THE SYSTEM

Every day this becomes even more imperative as we currently seeing a resurgence of COVID-19, not just in America, but across the world. By supporting this petition today you will help millions of Americans prepare for the next wave of COVID-19 & be well protected as we await a vaccine.

It is the duty of our elected officials to bring a visionary response that is compassionate and bold and that addresses long-term inequities. For months, Chicagoans have participated in demonstrations which aimed to make our wishes abundantly clear. We demand a reimagining of public safety, which prioritizes holistic services and programs that address both the immediate and the long-term needs of the community, rather than continuing to pour our tax dollars into the Chicago Police Department. Second, the economic hardships residents face are as varied and diverse as our city. Our City Council must protect public sector jobs, address the needs of our housing insecure and homeless residents, increase investment in equity, and avoid property tax increases. Finally, City Council must continue to pursue and develop progressive revenue sources that will be vital to accomplish all of the above. I stand in solidarity with other Chicagoans and the Chicago Progressive Caucus which aims to address the needs of the 2021 Budget through bold measures which will help, not hurt, our communities.

Joe Biden has won the presidency. But the current president of the United States, Donald Trump, is attempting a coup. He has no plans to concede the race and instead is erratically spreading lies of “widespread voter fraud” and taking radical steps like firing his Secretary of Defense—like a true fascist leader. We knew this would happen but it doesn’t make it any less dangerous. Twitter is Trump’s most direct microphone to speak to the American People. It’s time that microphone be turned off for the good of the People. Enough is enough. We can’t wait until Jan 20. Twitter must suspend Donald Trump and his enablers now.

We, the people of Wisconsin, call on our public officials to: -Be proactive about making sure voters know their rights and have access to all voting options including voting by mail, in-person early voting, and safe and accessible voting on Election Day. -Support local clerks and municipalities to ensure that every voter that chooses to vote in person on Election Day has an accessible and safe voting location, including proper protections against the spread of COVID-19 such as clearly marked mask requirements, social distancing guidance and hand sanitizer. -Take immediate action to protect Wisconsinites from voter intimidation at the polls and from misinformation campaigns. -Set the expectation that in Wisconsin every vote is counted and that all voters have a meaningful chance to procure provisional or mail-in ballots if needed. -Support local election officials and the media to communicate proactively and transparently with voters about the ballot counting process and when to expect results.

After 40 years of a failed water infrastructure system, the community of Warm Springs desperately wants this great state of Oregon to help with the replacement of the water pumps, pipes, treatment systems, and sewers. The planning and services to help bring SAFE and HEALTHY water to the community of Warm Springs is estimated at $200 million. The Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act extends funding to tribes in the Colorado Basin, which includes Warm Springs, Oregon. Your consideration of this bill and congressional influence in this matter will be invaluable and a significant step forward towards solving this crisis. As constituents of Oregon, members of the minority communities, and indigenous people of an American claimed land, WE strongly feel our kuleana (responsibility) is to teach our children ways we can best help our community and neighbors as part of our endeavor to follow our values, and help our community during a time of crisis. We hope to see your support of the Western Tribal Water Infrastructure Act. Read the full version of our petition letter here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1fxa5wEOUz4TuN689BYVxBpmcFGwS8a7c5cPp6dxsLJ4/edit?usp=sharing If you want to take action to immediately support the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs, please consider donating to THE CHUUSH FUND: WATER FOR WARM SPRINGS https://www.mrgfoundation.org/the-chuush-fund-water-for-warm-springs/ Thank you for your consideration. Me Ke Aloha, Ka Lei Haliʻa O Ka Lokelani

A 12 year old girl was raped and pressed charges against her offender in 2017. After the trial was delayed three times over the course of three years, this young woman's offender has still not been brought to justice. It is time that we ensure victims are afforded the rights that they are guaranteed by law. This starts with providing victims with a designated contact in each office across Texas that will ensure that the victims' needs are met. More and more victims feel powerless when their trials are delayed for years at a time. Victims are voiceless when they are not granted time to speak in court and present their Victim Impact Statement. The Texas Juvenile Justice Department is a system that prioritizes the punishment of offenders before granting the victims' guaranteed rights. Please help bring justice to these victims by supporting the revision of the Texas Family Code § 57.003.

Our nation was founded on stolen land. It is important in the dismantling of White Supremacy for reparations to be given to the Indigenous and Afro-Indigenous people who’s land we are on, including the returning of said land. The family who owns this land and company are direct descendants of a man who fought for the confederate army, the side that fought to own slaves. This is a textbook example of consequences of generations of White Supremacy and Anti-Black racism that need to be fought against to provide Equity to the BIPOC community

As current MSW students who will soon be licensed practitioners, we believe that these recent changes are detrimental to the furthering of social justice. Our future careers and the lives of the people we will serve demand that all populations have the rights and protections that they are due. We demand that the BHEC reverse their recent decision and return the Code of Conduct to offer full protection to people of all populations, specifically persons in the LGBTQIA+ community and persons with disabilities. We also petition Texas lawmakers to change the Social Work Practice Act to offer full protections for all populations. Sign this petition to show your support for reinstating protections for these vulnerable populations. Contact Alice Bradford Executive Director of Social Work Examiners: (512) 719-3521 Governor Greg Abbott: (512) 463-2000, https://www.gregabbott.com/contact-us/ Devkota, H. R., Murray, E., Kett, M., & Groce, N. (2018). Are maternal healthcare services accessible to vulnerable group? A study among women with disabilities in rural nepal. PloS One, 13(7), e0200370. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0200370 Ekmekci, P. E. (2017). Do we have a moral responsibility to compensate for vulnerable groups? A discussion on the right to health for LGBT people. Medicine, Health Care, and Philosophy, 20(3), 335-341. doi:10.1007/s11019-016-9750-1 Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners Board. (2020). https://hhs.texas.gov/about-hhs/leadership/advisory-committees/texas-state-board-social-worker-examiners-board Walters, E. (2020). New Texas rule lets social workers turn away clients who are LGBTQ or have a disability. https://www.rawstory.com/2020/10/new-texas-rule-lets-social-workers-turn-away-clients-who-are-lgbtq-or-have-a-disability/

The Building for Women in Downtown Duluth has been open since 1981 and providing services including reproductive health care, advocacy for sexual assault victim-survivors, programs for young mothers and young women, and much more. While all of these services are important and necessary, we recognize those accessing the building aren't just women. Folks of all genders access resources through the services provided in this building. The building name is currently a barrier and exclusive to those who are not female identifying. It should represent all of those it serves, not just a portion of them.

Many are excluded from the voting process- whether they're too young, incarcerated or suppressed. Regardless, your vote impacts their future too. Vote4Me is amplifying the voice of those who can't vote because they deserve a say in their lives. Take a pledge to vote for those in your own life who can't vote, and encourage others to do the same! For those who can't vote, we're hear to support and amplify. Challenge those around you who can vote & say, "This is why you should vote 4 me."

“The city has defaulted the handling of almost all social ills in the city to the police department, especially those dealing with the homeless population. Through the focus groups conducted with the department’s supervisors and line-level personnel, it was obvious there is a high level of frustration among all employees regarding the responsibilities of dealing with the homelessness issue.” -Santa Cruz Police Department Operations Analysis 2018 Report Many of the calls police currently respond to here in Santa Cruz could be better handled by a program like CAHOOTS. In the city of Santa Cruz, 21.9% of calls to the Santa Cruz Police Department (SCPD) in 2017 were classified as welfare checks, which programs like CAHOOTS are specifically designed to handle. (Less than 16% of calls to SCPD were classified as crime-related.) For the Santa Cruz Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), 43-56% of calls each month in 2020 have been welfare checks. The annual Santa Cruz Police Department budget is $30 million. SCPD responds to 100,000 calls a year, at an average cost of about $300 per response--over 3 times the cost of mobile crisis units. The cost per response from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office appears to be much higher; SCSO’s budget for “police protection” is over $45 million, and according to the office’s published crime statistics, they handled 17,199 calls last year (an average of over $2600 per response). By contrast, in 2019, CAHOOTS responded to more than 24,000 calls on a budget of $2 million (an average of $83 per response). “I recently spoke with a sergeant about defunding. He said, ‘If someone could take the homeless issues entirely from us and stop us from responding to mental health calls—please, take the money!’ The sad reality is that no one else has stepped up as the first responder to these issues.” -SCPD Chief Mills’ blog, 6/16/20 The 2020 Grand Jury Report on Homelessness recommended establishing a program in Santa Cruz County modeled after the CAHOOTS program and “would be beneficial to those receiving its services, as well as the County’s law enforcement and medical personnel. The BOS should work with City and the County law enforcement agencies to identify funding in their budgets, and launch a program similar to CAHOOTS to reduce the overall costs of homelessness to the County.” We call on elected officials to heed the Grand Jury’s recommendation and establish a CAHOOTS-type crisis response service here in Santa Cruz County. A program like this would better serve our county’s needs, while saving public money by diverting calls from police and emergency medical services. Email [email protected] to get involved or for more info! Sources: https://whitebirdclinic.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CAHOOTS-Media.pdf (pages 1,2, & 5) https://www.cityofsantacruz.com/home/showdocument?id=70001 (page 2 & 120) https://santacruzsheriff.org/about-us/crime-stats https://chiefmills.com/2020/06/16/de-fund-the-police/ http://www.co.santa-cruz.ca.us/Portals/0/County/GrandJury/GJ2020_final/MicroHomes_Report.pdf (page 23)