Category: Civil Rights - PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good

No Hate In Our States - Listen to "1619" Podcast

7/9/2020

Learn more about Black History - "1619" Podcast

Civil Rights Forum

Podcasts are available for free via a variety of apps. “1619,” which was created by the New York Times, is an engaging and informative series that traces the history and lasting effects that slavery has had on our Black population. Podcasts are great, because you can listen while in the car, making supper, sewing masks or doing other activities.

Black history - "1619" Podcast

Julie Ross

Learn About Black History Online - No Hate In Our States

7/1/2020

Learn More About Black History - View Online

Civil Rights Forum

Here are two fine programs streaming for free that will give insight into Black history in our country.

I recommend you watch them in this order:

Finding Your Roots on PBS, Season 1, episode 2: Gives the fascinating history of two prominent African American politicians, Cory Booker and John Lewis. NOTE: this is streaming on Amazon ONLY through June 30th.

After you learn about John Lewis’s roots, you will want to watch Selma, which is streaming for free on Amazon Prime.

Both of these movies provide excellent information and are great springboards for family discussion.

Julie Ross

There Is No Such Thing As A "White Ally" - No Hate In Our States

7/1/2020

Read the Article There Is No Such Thing as a "White Ally"

Civil Rights Forum

Conversations about race are never easy. It is not the job of Black People to do that educating. As attorney Catherine Pugh points out in her article, There Is No Such Thing as a "White Ally", "Racism is not mine, it's yours. It's not called 'helping' when it's your mess we're cleaning."

This is not an easy read, but it is essential that white people fully understand racism in America. Catherine Pugh is a former adjunct professor at the Temple University in Japan. She developed and taught "Race and the Law" for its undergraduate program. She has worked for the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, Special Litigation Section, and as a Public Defender for the State of Maryland.

“There Is No Such Thing as a ‘White Ally’”

Caryn Unsicker

Watch "13th" - No Hate In Our States

6/23/2020

**Watch the Documentary 13th - Streaming On Netflix**

No Hate In Our States

Netflix and Amazon Prime are streaming many excellent movies and documentaries which give insight into the history of racism in our country and why the Black Lives Matter movement is something we must all understand and support.

13th is an excellent documentary for gaining understanding into the oppression and racism that plague our country. Watch 13th for free on YouTube: https://youtu.be/krfcq5pF8u8

Keep an eye on the PACG Facebook page for more film suggestions.

Julie Ross

Racial Equality Now! Rally - What You Can Do Now

6/20/2020

Racial Equality Now! Rally
Saturdays at 11:30 am, beginning June 20th

The Slumberland/Party City Corner of
John Deere RD & 16th ST
Moline, IL (across from South Park Mall) (map)

Civil Rights Forum

Please join us from 11:30 am to 12:00 pm every Saturday to stand up for the rights of Black People, specifically, and all People of Color in the United States of America! The purpose of this local Racial Equality Now! Rally is to support the current movement for racial equality and justice that has spread across this country and to ensure that it keeps going for as long as it takes to see real and meaningful progress toward racial equality in America.

Our first rally was this past Saturday, June 13th, and we got lots of positive feedback from people passing by. If you come on Saturday, please wear a mask and expect to participate in social distancing (6 to 10 feet from others).

Although I made a few extra signs, please bring some of your own if you can. Ideas for signs can include things like “Honk for Justice,” Honk for Equality,” “Black Lives Matter,” “I Can’t Breathe!,” “Let’s Talk!,” “No Hate in Our State,” or “No More Deaths,” and many others.

There is lots of parking in the adjoining Slumberland/Party City/Enterprise parking lot, so please bring a friend and join us to help promote racial justice and equality for all People of Color! If you can’t make it this Saturday, join us on Saturdays as often as you can. Together we can make a difference!

Caryn Unsicker

Spread the Word About the Illinois COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project - What You Can Do Now

6/11/2020

Spread the Word About the
Illinois COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project

On Monday, June 8th, Illinois launched a $2 Million COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project to provide financial assistance to low-income immigrant families impacted by COVID-19.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) explains:

The COVID-19 pandemic put the systemic failures of our health care, labor, economic and public safety infrastructure on full display. Our communities have been uninsured, underpaid, and over-policed long before this crisis struck.

As the faults of these systems are laid bare, we have an opportunity and responsibility to fight for a vision of a world where the most vulnerable are not left out but also given the opportunity to live lives of dignity and respect.

The COVID-19 Immigrant Family Support Project is just one avenue to respond to the needs of our communities.

The Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Human Services and the Illinois Immigration Funders Collaborative will provide direct assistance to families that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic consequences. ICIRR and IDHS will work with Illinois Welcoming Centers (IWC), Immigrant Family Resource Program (IFRP), and New Americans Initiative (NAI) partners with current contracts to deliver this much needed program.

Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees (QCAIR), World Relief - Moline and Open Door (Rock Island Welcoming Center) each received a grant for 20 applications for Rock Island and Henry County residents. They’re working together to ensure that 60 eligible QC families complete the application process prior to the June 30, 2020 deadline.

Qualified applicants must be not eligible for the federal stimulus package, unemployment insurance and federal benefits; he/she must have a photo ID and proof of address (official document with printed name and address, e.g. phone bill, utility bill, bank statement, etc.).

The deadline for application is June 30th. The successful applicant will receive a cash award of $1000, which is limited to one per household. This is state funding, and is exempt from Public Charge.

Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. To expedite your application, please contact them no later than Friday, June 26th.

Contact one of the people below to begin this process. Assistance in Spanish and French are also available (flyers in each language may be downloaded below).

QCAIR: Nana Ouro-Agoro – 309-716-7437 or nana.ouro-agoro@qcair.org

World Relief:  Habie Timbo -309-938-0275 or htimbo@wr.org

Open Door:  Loredia Dixon – 309-793-8201

French Speakers:  Nana Ouro-Agoro – 309-716-7437 or nana.ouro-agoro@qcair.org

Spanish Speakers:  Maria Bribriesco – 563-505-5711 or qcair@qcair.org

Note:  When you go to the ICIRR website, it says "Funding Update – the $2 Million funds have been exhausted." Disregard this message! The QC groups have already been granted these applications and funding is guaranteed (although application submission does not guarantee approval of request). The state of Illinois is continuing to seek further funding for this program.

Flyer in English

illinois_immigrant_covid_relief_eng.pdf
File Size:	279 kb
File Type:	pdf

Flyer in French

illinois_immigrant_covid_relief_french.pdf
File Size:	211 kb
File Type:	pdf

Flyer in Spanish

illinois_immigrant_covid_relief_spanish.pdf
File Size:	211 kb
File Type:	pdf

PACG Supports the Protect Iowa Workers Statement

4/21/2020

PACG signs on to Protect Iowa Workers

A Message to our Membership

PACG has signed on to the Protect Iowa Workers statement to join a broad coalition of Iowans calling on the Iowa Governor, the Iowa Department of Public Health and Iowa OSHA to protect the safety of Iowa's workers during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

This statement is part of a larger campaign to protect Iowa's workers, including immigrants and refugees. Various organizations are raising awareness of the fear reported from people who are concerned about their safety in their workplaces, and the health of their families and communities.

Together we hope to increase worker safety and protection.

Allison Ambrose, President

What You Can Do Now - Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form in the Mail

4/21/2020

Look for Your Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form

Civil Rights Forum

Absentee Ballot Voting in Iowa for June Primary Election

On March 31st, the Des Moines Register reported that, due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office will mail every registered voter in Iowa an absentee ballot request form before the state’s June 2nd primary. The State is encouraging voters to consider voting by mail so that the virus will not be spread among polling site workers and residents. In addition, the early voting period for mail-in ballots has been extended.

If you haven't received your request form in the US Mail by May 5th, contact your County Auditor's Office. Read much more in our Blog Post.

Contact the PACG Webmaster with questions.

What You Can Do Now - Look for Your Absentee Ballot Request Form

4/18/2020

Look for Your Iowa Absentee Ballot Request Form

Civil Rights Forum

Absentee Ballot Voting in Iowa for June Primary Election

On March 31st, the Des Moines Register reported that, due to concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, the Iowa Secretary of State’s Office will mail every registered voter in Iowa an absentee ballot request form before the state’s June 2nd primary. The State is encouraging voters to consider voting by mail so that the virus will not be spread among polling site workers and residents. In addition, the early voting period for mail-in ballots has been extended.

To further clarify this information, I spoke to Roxanna Moritz, the Scott County Iowa Auditor and Commissioner of Elections, this week. She emphasizes that every active voter in the state will receive an absentee ballot request. If you have not received your form by May 5th, contact your county auditor’s office to request one (see phone numbers below).

Iowa's June 2 primary is scheduled to go forward as planned, but Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate is encouraging Iowans to vote by mail to reduce the spread of the virus. Last week, Pate extended the early voting period for mailed ballots to 40 days, up from 29. That means Iowans will be able to cast mailed ballots beginning on April 23.

"The safety of voters while casting their ballots is our top priority," Pate said in a news release. "The June 2 primary election will go on as scheduled because it’s important for Iowans to make their voices heard by voting. The safest way to vote will be by mail."

Iowans who receive the request forms will need to return them to their county auditor in order to receive an actual absentee ballot. When the time comes, voters will have to fill out and mail back their ballots.

The ballot request form requires Iowans to fill out information like their name, date of birth and address, an ID number, and whether they want to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary.

"We don’t just blindly mail out ballots to people who don’t request them. That’s like mailing out blank checks. There have to be security provisions in place to ensure the integrity of the vote," said Kevin Hall, a spokesperson for the secretary of state's office.

Iowa's primary will feature competitive races for federal and state legislative offices. At the federal level, Democrats will choose a nominee to face off against Republican U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst. Republican U.S. Rep. Steve King also faces several challengers in the 4th Congressional District primary. – Des Moines Register, March 31st

Moritz expressed her concerns regarding moving to all mail-in voting by November to the Cedar Rapids Gazette:

As much as she prefers an all-mail primary, Scott County Scott County Auditor Roxanna Moritz doesn’t think there is time to pull it off correctly. “We want to move to a vote-by-mail state, but do it right,” Moritz said. “There are so many things to address and doing it in a hurried fashion and making any mistakes could give cause as to why not do vote-by-mail.”

She’s not sure it would even be possible to make the changes needed to conduct the Nov. 3 general election by mail.

Another challenge may be staffing those polling places. Many poll workers come from the ranks of older Iowans, so Pate has made a poll worker recruitment push to encourage people not in COVID-19 high-risk categories to step up.

So far, auditors report that only a few poll working stalwarts have bowed out of the primary…

Eligible Iowans who have not registered to vote or updated their registration have until May 22 to preregister to ensure the absentee ballot request form goes to the correct address. For information on Election Day registration, visit the Iowa Secretary of State’s website.

Ms. Moritz is readily available to answer questions for her constituents at rmoritz@scottcountyiowa.com. She also keeps her Facebook page current with pertinent voting information and is available through her personal cell phone at 563-370-3915. She expressed her concern about making sure that residents get correct information about voting during this unusual time.

Iowa County Auditors' Offices:
Clinton County - 563-244-0568
Muscatine County - 563-263-5821
Scott County - 563-326-VOTE

Request an absentee ballot here and mail it to your county auditor.

Iowans can check to see if they are registered to vote here.

Download and print off a State of Iowa Official Voter Registration form. Mail your registration to your County Auditor’s office. Use this link to find the address of your County Auditor. You may also register to vote online.

Contact the PACG Webmaster with questions.

After Action Report - Civil Rights Forum Met with Theresa Greenfield

2/20/2020

After Action Report - Crisis at the Border Visit with Theresa Greenfield
Tuesday, February 18th at noon

The PACG Civil Rights Forum organized a visit with Theresa Greenfield, who is running in the Democratic primary to be the candidate to run against Senator Joni Ernst. Immigration activists from the many organizations in the Quad Cities working on immigration issues met with Ms. Greenfield to deliver our message, beginning with: "Children do not belong in detention." At the PACG Blog you can read our complete "ask" and some proposed legislation.

We are trying to set up a similar meeting with Republican candidate, Mariannette Miller-Meeks, who is running in the Republican primary for the Congressional seat of retiring Representative Dave Loebsack. We will also visit with other candidates or elected officials in both Iowa and Illinois. Contact Alta if you want to participate.

Alta Price