“Look What’s Happening this Week in the Northwest Suburbs”
Week of
April 26th – May 2nd
You’re Invited to Attend
To A Special
Presentation at OFA’s National Headquarter Offices
by OFA’s COI
“Community Organizing Institute”
If you are receiving this Newsletter / Invitation come learn what the OFA HQ / COI
and Local OFA Chapters are doing to advance the causes of the Progressive Movement Tuesday, April 28
Greet and Meet other OFA Chapters and Partnership Groups
6:00 PM
The Community Organizing Institute (COI) provides a platform for exchanging ideas and promoting discourse on the issues we care about. We partner with progressive groups and organizations to educate, engage, and collaborate.
Building upon the rich history of community organizing in Chicago, the COI is a place to share stories, best practices, and innovations in order to build our community and empower individuals in the fight for change. It is a shared space for organizers, policy makers, advocates, and change-agents to come together for workshops, panel discussions, presentations, trainings, film screenings, and social gatherings-building a strong foundation for partnership.
Celebrating How
Organizing Works at the Local Level
The OFA COI is very excited to host a reception to recognize the work of our OFA chapters in the Chicago area.
Reception with beverages and light snacks followed by a panel discussion on what
Chicago area OFA Chapters are doing in six issue areas:
1) Fiscal & Economic Issues
2) Digital Organizing
3) Climate Change Campaign
4) Gun Violence Prevention (GPV)
5) College Outreach
6)Minority Outreach
They will share some of their successes on local issues around economic opportunity, gun violence prevention and climate, their new college and minority outreach’s, as well as share best practices on building strong partnerships & Relationships with groups such as the Sierra Club, Moms Demand Action, and Community Renewal Society.
In addition, they will give us insight in to how they have grown their social media platforms
and incorporate this into every part of their organizational strategy.
For those from NWSOFA taking the Train:
Join your fellow NWSOFA Team / Members at the OFA COI Head-Quarters Downtown, Chicago.. Take the train with us from the burbs down to Ogilvie Station and take a 5 min stroll to HQ.. Meet the HQ Folks that make it all work and the Local Chapter Folks that are Active in their Communities.
Metra From Downtown Arlington Hts.
Tuesday 4/28:
Train #648 Leaves at 3:32 arrives Ogilvie at 4:23 then walk or taxi to HQ/COI This gets us there early but we can stop for coffee/ snacks.
Train #652 Leaves at 4:47 arrives Ogilvie at 5:38 then walk or taxi to HQ/COI. This is cutting it close to get there by 6:00.
Check for time differences for those leaving from Palatine/Mt. Prospect or other stops.
Minority Outreach Names Leadership & Sets Organizing Meeting for Early May
Date: TBD
Place: TBD
New Initiative for 2015 Announced by OFA
You Can Make a Difference in Under-Served Communities
NWSOFA announces the University & College Outreach Team Leads;
Antualia (Tuly) Rodriguez,
Minority Outreach Team Co-Lead
Kym Garnett, Minority Outreach Team Co-Lead
Organizing for Action has a strong commitment to providing easy points of entry for
everyday Americans who want to have their voices heard and make a difference in their communities.
Historically, we have found that the tools and tactics employed to help in these efforts skew toward volunteers who have access to reliable transportation, can afford financially to give hours, and have ready access to the internet. That, in turn, means that volunteers who gravitate toward OFA tend to be people who are retired, have financial means, and/or live in the suburbs. In order to ensure that OFA remains true to our mission of providing easy access, we have developed the Fulfilling the Promise Program aimed to address these concerns and ensure we are organizing in all communities.
PURPOSE: To ensure that Organizing for Action is providing training, leadership development, team building, and issue advocacy opportunities to communities and people who do not have ready access to the internet, reliable transportation, etc. We will focus specifically in communities of color and historically underserved areas, which tend to have less financial means. The Fulfilling the Promise program will ensure that our organization and the progressive community at large is comprised of a diverse group of talented organizers who are representative of all of the communities that make up our country.
Or If This Outreach resonates with you, Please Call Kym or Tuly @ 224-241-2012
Important News on the ACA
Special Enrollment
Period
The Health Insurance Marketplace is providing individuals and families who owe the fee when they file their 2014 taxes with one last chance to get covered for 2015.
The Special Enrollment
Period ends on April 30.
During this time, you’ll have the opportunity to enroll in health coverage for 2015 if you owe the fee.
Important: The fee for people who don’t have coverage increases in 2015. If you don’t have health coverage for 2015, the fee is $325 per person or 2% of your household income – whichever is higher.
We hope you take advantage of this extended opportunity to get quality coverage this year
Click on the above Get Coverage Image to link to the website
Click on the above Image to see the full article and e-magazine on CIR
Immigration Reform
(CIR)
in the News
Would you like to get involved with other like minded Progressives and join our Comprehensive Immigration Reform Team ….. then:
Please Call Tuly, Sara or Bill
@ 224-241-2012
Did You Know?
Request to lift hold of Obama immigration action denied
HOUSTON (AP) – A federal judge in Texas late Tuesday kept a temporary hold on President Barack Obama’s executive action that sought to shield millions of immigrants from deportation, rejecting a U.S. Department of Justice request that he allow the action to go ahead.
U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Brownsville refused to lift the preliminary injunction he granted on Feb. 16 at the request of 26 states that oppose Obama’s action.
Click on the Above Image to see NWSOFA e-magazine Stand With Women.. Timely Articles from the Press
Here’s How Top Female Executives End Up Getting Paid Less Than Men
A new study examines the root of the pay gap
between men and women at the top of the corporate ladder
Even top female workers can’t catch a break when it comes to pay inequality.
A researcher at the Federal Reserve Bank of New York and colleagues in academia are out with a new paper on gender differences in compensation for executives. They analyzed pay for chairs/chief executive officers, vice chairs, presidents, chief financial officers and chief operating officers, and here’s what they found:
Female executives get less incentive pay compared to their male counterparts
Some 93 percent of the difference in total pay between male and female executives is rooted in incentive pay, particularly the value of stock options and grants, the researchers found.
The Palatine Area League of Women Voters held a special presentation April 23rd on:
The State of the Lake
The Palatine Area League of Women Voters held a special presentation on the state of Lake Michigan on April 23 at 7 PM in the Hennessy Room of the Village Hall of Hoffman Estates, 1900 Hassell Road.
Presenters were Judy Beck of LWV of the Lake Michigan Region and Tim Loftus from Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning.
Thank you to everyone who made our Earth Day Rally for Clean Jobs and Climate Action a success! We had hundreds of people in Springfield, energized our champs, and got 4 new co-sponsors!
This event was a coalition event coordinated by the Sierra Club, Faith-in-Place, and other environmental groups. It was be a grass roots effort to show support for current Illinois environmental bills SB1485 and HB2607.
Topics covered at the April GVP Planning meeting include the following:
Planning a program for later this year focusing on the prevention of pediatric injuries involving guns. We are currently working with area hospitals to find a speaker (or speakers) on this important public health issue.
the Economic Recovery and Illinois Proposed Budget..
A Couple of Comments from Two Attendees:
“There are millions who are lethargic and indolent, sitting on the sidelines, attending an occasional meeting, watching things happen. As I’ve always said, there are 3 kinds of people-those that make things happen, those that watch things happen, and those that wonder what happened. These last 2 categories are the ones we need to stimulate.” “Great Meeting”, Jim
“Karl, You did a great job presenting the information. I learned a lot. Thank you! When is your next meeting/event?”, Ken
“Climate Action 411 – Inspiring Hope through Action” happened on 4/11
7 Speakers, all Top of the Field, plus engaged Politicians reported and encouraged the attendees to take action to protect our planet.
More Photos on the side bar.
Packed House Last Wednesday for:
Florida Rep. Alan Grayson’s Talk
“Congress in Dysfunctional”
Presented by the Coalition To Restore Democracy & Co-Sponsered by NWSOFA
Have you wondered what it’s like inside Congress from the perspective of our congressmen or woman?
Rep. Grayson left no stone upturned, no holds barred as he told us what’s going on on both sides of the aisle, how big money has corrupted our political system and what we can do to start a strong people’s movement to take this country back. “We can have tremendous impact if we work together, but we need to overturn Citizens United and work for fair election reform” he said.
More Photos of the Wednesday Night Event on the Side Bar
University & College Outreach
Organization Meeting on 4/1
First Organizing Meeting Was Held April 1st..
Feeling the call to work with the young adults at college and University levels to engage them in Progressive Issue Engagement..
Kym Garnett
Renee Gladstone
NWSOFA announces
“The University & College Outreach Team Leads”
Kym Garnett
Renee Gladstone,
University & College Outreach Team Co-Leads
Meeting Report: The new College Outreach Team met for the first time on April 1. Plans include linking up with student organizations at colleges in our area in order to tap into students’ passions for progressive change, and encouraging them to vote. Do you know someone in the administration or on the faculty at Harper, ECC, or Roosevelt who may be willing to help us establish a presence on campus, either physical or virtual?
Our next meeting is at Harper College on May 6, at 7:00 in the downstairs cafeteria. The cafeteria will not be serving (they close at 5) but there is a Subway open in a different building.
Great Panel and Format .. Fast Paced, Friendly, Informative! Thanks to the Palatine LWV for Hosting a Great Civic Update for the Community they Serve.
More Photos on the side bar
About NWSOFA
In January 2013 we started as a gathering of friends and neighbors from the NW Suburbs who wanted to continue to have impact on the progressive issues we voted for in 2012.This grassroots, bottom up movement spread across the country and sparked the creation of Organizing for Action, OFA National which now has Chapters all over the country. This is a non-partisan, volunteer organization that focuses on progressive issues we are committed to taking Action on to make a difference locally, statewide and nationally.
NWSOFA’s 1st Issue Team was right after the tragedy at Sandy Hook. The Gun Violence Prevention (GVP) team felt we needed accurate information and facts, events to teach others and actions we could take to make a difference on pushing for common sense gun violence prevention. That has been our basic format as new issues arose and team developed. We now have the GVP, ACA/Obamacare, Climate Change,Fiscal Issues and Stand with Women Issue Teams.Check out their individual pages to see all the events they have scheduled and to join the teams you want to make a difference with. Other teams are developing such as for Comprehensive Immigration Reform.
OFA National coordinates “Days of Action” that Chapters across the country will all do on the same day. Each team also has local events and may work with affiliate organizations i.e. Sierra Club, Al Gore Reality Project, etc. to combine like-minded groups on a local, state or national event.
In this type of organization there are numerous ways you can be involved with the teams and in other roles.We were looking for ways to get our events out and now have a Twitter Master, Kathy,and Press Lead, Kym.
Two new initiatives were introduced in January 2015 from OFA. The first one is to get more young people involved in progressives issues. We prioritized working with colleges to reach out to them. One of the major benefits of joining us is learning to be a community organizer. These skills can be beneficial for a lifetime. The second initiative is working with under served populations that traditionally have not a voice on issues that are crucial for them. If either of these sound like something you would be interested in helping to develop, please let us know.
Maybe you have a special skill we haven’t even thought about give us a call we’re always open to new ideas and teams.
Thanks for stopping and hope you’ll stay and join us.
NWSOFA
To leave a message or Sign up for an Issue Team .. Just click the Sign Up button and fill out the NWSOFA Comment log.
We will be in touch with you shortly.
Do you have a few dollars to spare to support our Progressive movement @NWSOFA Supplies, Newsletters, Databases, etc?
NWSOFA is a whole, diverse wonderful family of people who want to do more than talk about the social issues. We explore and dig deep on the facts and decide what actions we can take that can have an impact locally and nationally. NWSOFA members not only “talk the talk”, but we “walk the walk”.
All our teams have numerous events that will enlighten and inspire you and yes, challenge you to make the effort to make a difference.
We invite you to join us!
Follow NWSOFA on Social Media
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Follow us @NWSOFA’s Website
Click to Link to WebSite
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Join Us for Coffee, Conversation, Cookies and Call @ the 4C’s
NWSOFAer’s get together to relax, drink coffee, discuss current topics, enjoy cookies and make some important calls to other Progressives in the suburbs notifying them of our meetings
We call these the 4C’s and we need your help. Volunteer for an hour or two doing what we do best “organizing”!
4C’s Coffee, Conversation, Cookies
and Calls April 9th Phone Bank
Coalition to Restore Democracy April 8th Rep Alan Grayson Event
College Outreach .. 4/1 First Organization Meeting
Many NWSOFAers Attended the Palatine “Legislative Update”, April 2nd
It’s time to Act .. It Is Time To Get Involved
Over the years the American Citizens have lost their voices, believing that we can not make a difference. We have been beat down by the constant droning noise of the conservative right. This onslaught has made us like sheep .. afraid to express our views. Not anymore! OFA gives us back our voices and by working together we are making change one issue at a time. Together we can and will make a difference.
Thank You to our NWSOFA Issue Leads in 2015
Just Click on the Photo to link the NWSOFA e-magazines daily & archived articles
In January 2013 we started as a gathering of friends and neighbors from the NW Suburbs who wanted to continue to have impact on the progressive issues we voted for in 2012.This grassroots, bottom up movement spread across the country and sparked the creation of Organizing for Action, OFA National which now has Chapters all over the country. This is a non-partisan, volunteer organization that focuses on progressive issues we are committed to taking Action on to make a difference locally, statewide and nationally.
