Posts Categorized: Uncategorized
Ohio Statewide Divest from White Supremacy and Invest in Black & brown communities Campaign
Tell your local elected officials they must divest from militarized police and invest in Ohio’s Black and Brown communities! Our neighbors in Ohio need community-based safety like comprehensive and culturally competent health care and affordable housing for all, not for their local police departments to be overfunded and spending millions of dollars on war-like weaponry, riot gear, and helicopters. The COVID-19 pandemic remains a threat with the hard-felt ramifications touching every facet of our society. This coincides with the ongoing global uprising for Black lives and liberation, making this a pivotal moment in history. Now is the time to demand more of Ohio’s elected officials and hold them accountable to make the bold policy changes that our people have long been calling for. Add your name and tell your local… Read more »
Texas Divesting & Investing Statewide Campaign
Take action now to show you believe in defunding the police in order to give Texans healthcare Our state and local officials should be doing more to protect the health and wellbeing of Texans. Currently, billions of dollars are poured into police departments throughout the state despite nearly 8 million Texans being uninsured. We believe that there should be universal healthcare for everyone, including testing and treatment of COVID19. This is possible and it is a lie from state officials when they say there is not money. There is and it is being irresponsibly budgeted to give police things like tanks and surveillance equipment. Take action now to show you believe in defunding the police in order to give Texans healthcare.
Alabama Beyond Policing Campaign Summer 2020
URGE is participating in a larger campaign being coordinated by ACLU Alabama, which is calling on local officials to make meaningful efforts to decrease arrests and jailing people, given the global pandemic we are all navigating. We specifically have noted that in Alabama & Texas, police are involved in enforcing stay at home orders and curfews. Our policy asks are: that they make changes to their policing practices that respect COVID-19 recommendations released by the CDC and that they aim to avoid arresting folks and putting them in jail as much as possible, given the public health risks of transmission in jails and prisons. We are accompanying these policy asks with a political education campaign to start a conversation with our members and communities about the public health consequences of… Read more »
LGBTQ+ Pride Month URGE Priority State Resources
Hey y’all, URGE virtual Pride planning is well under way! In addition to our fun queer movie night, “Popcorn and Pride”,and of course uplifting GRAD DRAG, we are working on creating state-specific resource sheets to support our members in celebrating pride virtually this year In recognition of Pride month, URGE has worked to create Pride guides for each state that we work in. These guides contain queer & trans led organizations, local businesses, upcoming events, and much more, although we acknowledge theses are not comprehensive guides. We hope that these can serve as a resource to celebrate Pride from our own homes not just in June but throughout the year. URGE California State Resources List URGE Texas State Resources List URGE Georgia State Resources List URGE Kansas State Resources List… Read more »
Vote or Die? Why Voting in Kansas is a Public Health Crisis
To many people in our communities, especially in Kansas, voter suppression is not a new thing. However, voting is about to get a lot harder because of COVID-19, unless we, as young people, demand better from our elected officials. Personally, I couldn’t vote in my first election in 2014 because of former Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s proof of citizenship requirement. For those who are unaware, this was a rule that required you to submit a copy of vital documents, like a birth certificate or passport, after registering to vote. Despite being born in the US, I couldn’t produce the documents needed to vote because I was born in Nevada, and then had my last name changed in California after my parents were married. I would have needed not only… Read more »
Digital Organizing in These Uncertain Times
With the emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 outbreak, many people who work in organizing have been forced to postpone events, conferences, and campaign work. For many of us, it felt like all of the hard work we put in was for nothing, especially now that we’re social distancing and quarantining in our homes with little information and many unanswered questions. As an organizer who does paid work temporarily or for short campaign “seasons,” I was especially worried about the prospects of my work, especially as it relates to the full time organizing jobs I had applied for. Many organizations I’ve applied to have sent out letters of apology stating that, “at this time the hiring process is being postponed but your application will remain on file” or suddenly shifted… Read more »
Young People Need a Future for Us, Shaped by Us
With the recent news of COVID-19, it may seem like the only updates we see online are simply updating us on the crumbling state of the world. Confined to our homes and devoid of most social contact, we’re overwhelmed by the plethora of information and our inability to help. While I, unfortunately, can’t present you with a solve-all solution, I can say that reading URGE’s Young People’s Reproductive Justice Policy Agenda gave me a break from the chaos. It made me feel empowered without requiring me to break from social distancing. This policy agenda uniquely outlines a comprehensive and inclusive policy vision. One focused on abortion access, sexuality education, democracy reform, economic justice, decriminalization and the creation of safe communities, and immigrant justice—all while centering the voices of those most… Read more »
3 ways Sinophobia may go unchecked in your life
After news of the Coronavirus in Wuhan broke, I braced myself for the waves of Sinophobia (anti-Chinese sentiment), racism, and discrimination that would quickly target East Asians. It was only a matter of time before I came across an article from a U.S. outlet which labeled a (misattributed) video of a Chinese woman eating a bat as “disgusting,” claiming that the exotic animal trade in China made its people deserving of Coronavirus. This angered me, but Sinophobia in America is hardly new. So, today I want to talk about three ways you may see it occur in your own life: 1. The Coronavirus travel ban (well, Coronavirus fear-mongering in general). In 2009, when the H1N1 virus emerged as the most common cause of influenza and rapidly spread across the world, the… Read more »
Marginalized folks—Don’t Feel Guilty for Opting Out of Social Justice Movements
Yesterday, I was talking with a former classmate who’s been working within the reproductive justice movement for the past 7 years but has recently taken a liking to the tech world. They reasoned their career shift by stating that “movement-building works like it did in the 1960s.” While this conversation provided me with better insight into their thoughts, I generally disagree with them. Movement building works- but we all need a break. Truth is I’m tide… (tired, for those who don’t know old school ebonics- or AAVE as academics call it). Social advocacy work is, unfortunately, not emotionally, physically, or financially sustainable for most of us who do it. As a queer black woman and sexual violence survivor from the southern United States, I got involved in reproductive justice work… Read more »
Girl Boss Capitalism is Still Capitalism
In the 21st century, much of societal and pop culture interpretations of feminism come from the glamorized idea of the “independent, strong, and self-sustaining” white woman. The CEO of a big company, large and in charge, bossing people around, and taking no one’s bullshit. It’s a 1st wave suffragettes’ dream- being afforded the financial and social power of a rich white man. I understand the appeal of strengthening and empowering women to take over the workforce and to further their professional careers. But, I don’t think the appeal of being on the same level as a man who abuses his employees and pays them unfairly, is what is going to fix professional/work-force sexism and wage inequality. Breaking the glass ceiling seems fun until you find yourself in a boardroom meeting… Read more »
