PACG - Progressive Action for the Common Good
  • Home
  • Blog
  • Action Center
    • Take Action
    • Contact Your Government Officials
    • Reliable Sources of News
  • Events
    • Upcoming PACG Events
    • PACG Calendar
    • Community Events
  • Groups
    • PACG Book Club
    • What is an Issue Forum?
    • Civil Rights Forum
    • Environmental Forum
    • Gender Equity Forum
    • Health Care Reform Forum
  • Donate
    • Donate to PACG
    • Endowment >
      • Donate to the Dick Fallow Fund for Social Justice
      • Honoring Dick Fallow
      • Grant Application
  • Contact
    • About
    • Join Us
    • Sign Up for the Progressive Action Update
    • Make a Submission to the Progressive Action Update

Pride Month Kick Off - starting Friday,  June 2nd

5/23/2023

0 Comments

 

QC Pride Fest - Pride Month Kick Off  Update
Friday, June 2nd from 5:00 pm to midnight and
Saturday, June 3rd from noon to midnight

Schwiebert Riverfront Park
101 17th St
Rock Island, IL 61201 (map)
Civil Rights and Gender Equity Forums
Picture
Quad Cities Pride Alliance, Elle on Main, Rock Island Parks and Recreation and other groups are sponsoring QC Pride Fest this year at Schwiebert Riverfront Park in Rock Island. Read more info here as it becomes available.

PACG is staffing a table on Saturday from noon until 8:00 pm. Volunteers are needed! Please contact Gender Equity Forum facilitator, Carolyn Martin, to volunteer.

We are also staffing a table on Saturday, June 17th at the QC Unity Pride Parade and need volunteers then as well. Look for a future post on volunteering for that one.

PACG Webmaster
0 Comments

Walk for River Rights - PACG Event

4/29/2023

0 Comments

 

Walk for River Rights
Saturday, May 13th at 11:30 am

Schwiebert Riverfront Park
101 17th ST
​Rock Island, IL (map)


Great Plains Action Society and Cosponsored by PACG and others
Picture
PACG has agreed to cosponsor this event organized by Great Plains Action Society, the only active indigenous-led organization in Iowa. This walk across Centennial Bridge is in solidarity with BIPOC leaders who are working to reclaim Rights of Nature for the Mississippi River.

The event Facebook page link is here and repeated below in italics for those not on Facebook.


On Saturday, May 13th, the Walk for River Rights begins at Schwiebert Park (101 17th St, Rock Island, IL 61201) at 11:30AM and closes at 12:30PM at LeClaire Park (400 Beiderbecke Dr, Davenport, IA 52802).
​

Join leading BIPOC organizers who have converged in the Quad Cities to begin working towards reclaiming Rights of Nature for the Mississippi River. We will walk across the Centennial Bridge in solidarity as one River community advocating for the Rights of the Mississippi River, from the headwaters to the Gulf, and for the rights of all communities whose lives are supported by the waters. All are welcomed and encouraged to attend! A brief introduction and explanation of our convergence will begin at 11:30AM at Schwiebert Park. 

The Walk for River Rights is part of The Mississippi River Summit (May 11th-14th, 2023, Quad Cities, IA-IL), a summit centering and advancing the leadership of 40 organizers of historically racially marginalized communities working to protect water, natural places, and sacred spaces. The goal is to build an Indigenous-led coalition from the Mississippi Headwaters to the Gulf of Mexico, and eventually claim the rights of nature for the entire river system and develop an organized frontline group working to protect the Mississippi watershed and all living beings that rely on it as their home. 
Organized by Great Plains Action Society. For questions contact@greatplainsaction.org

*In case the water has not receded by the time of this event, we will adjust our route and end at the Figge plaza 


Other sponsors include Sage Sisters of Solidarity, QC Native American Coalition, One Human Family, Nahant Marsh, Partners of Scott County Watersheds, Sierra Club Eagle VIew Group, and Young Lions Roar.

We have included a picture of the route map below. Please join us as we support this important work.

Glenda Guster
Picture
0 Comments

PACG Book Club - "The Round House" June, 2023

4/28/2023

0 Comments

 

PACG Book Club - The Round House  by Louise Erdrich
Monday, June 19th at 5 pm - hybrid meeting


Edwards Congregational UCC
3420 Jersey Ridge Rd
Davenport, IA (map)


PACG Book Club
Picture
Our next PACG Book Club discussion will be a hybrid in-person and Zoom meeting at Edwards Congregational UCC. If you want to come in person, the address is above. If you want to join by Zoom, contact our Office Manager or me for the link. Also, since the church has after-school tutoring until 5 pm, we will be meeting at 5 pm instead of 4:30 pm.

The book is The Round House by Louise Erdrich. Here is a quote from Goodreads about the book:

"One of the most revered novelists of our time - a brilliant chronicler of Native-American life - Louise Erdrich returns to the territory of her bestselling, Pulitzer Prize finalist The Plague of Doves with The Round House, transporting readers to the Ojibwe reservation in North Dakota. It is an exquisitely told story of a boy on the cusp of manhood who seeks justice and understanding in the wake of a terrible crime that upends and forever transforms his family.

Riveting and suspenseful, arguably the most accessible novel to date from the creator of Love Medicine, The Beet Queen, and The Bingo Palace, Erdrich’s The Round House is a page-turning masterpiece of literary fiction - at once a powerful coming-of-age story, a mystery, and a tender, moving novel of family, history, and culture."


Alta Price

​
0 Comments

The new version of "I Am the Future" at the MLK Center - After Action Report

3/5/2023

0 Comments

 

WQPT PBS viewing of I Am the Future - After Action Report

Civil Rights Forum
​

One year after the creation of I am the Future: Standing on the Shoulders of the Past, PACG’s 2022 Black History Month film project, was updated with the help of local PBS affiliate, WQPT. As a small nonprofit organization, PACG could not have done this on our own. Lora Adams, WQPT Director of Marketing and Local Content, worked with her team for two months to make this possible.

In celebration of the updated version of the film and Black History Month 2023, PACG
held a special showing at Friends of MLK Interpretive Center in Davenport, on Thursday, February 23rd, for an audience of 20 people. Three of the interviewees were present to watch the video with community members: Rev. Gabriel Barber III, Dr. Henry Brockington, Attorney Catherine (Kitty) Alexander, along with film moderator, AbdurRahmaan Howard. Unable to attend the event was interviewee Mayor Bill Gluba.
​
In 1963, some residents of the Quad Cities attended the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The film highlights their first hand accounts and how their connection with Martin Luther King, Jr. inspired each of them to become civil rights leaders in our community. As young men and women in the 1960s and beyond, Gabe, Bill, Henry and Kitty would have thought of themselves as the future. This is their story. We are grateful to them in so many ways.

As PACG President and I am the Future creator, Glenda Guster says, "I am benefiting now from these past acts of courage and sacrifice. I made sure my children knew this, and my grandchildren know now they are standing on bent down backs that were not broken by racism. I believe this video gives local civil rights activists an opportunity to tell their story about their involvement in the March on
Washington and meeting Dr. King. We hope this updated version proves to be both educational and inspirational, not only for Black History month, but throughout the year
and for years to come.”

Our project title came from a phrase that Glenda's church often uses when speaking of their  children: "I Am the Future." (This phrase is from the Whiney Houston song The Greatest Love Of All.)

We would like to thank our panelists, Gabriel, Henry, Bill, and Kitty, Moderator, Abdur, PACG President and film creator, Glenda Guster, WQPT’s Lora Adams, the PACG Civil Rights Forum, Friends of MLK Interpretive Center, and everyone else who has supported this project
.

You may view our updated video here. For those of you who attended our viewing, Lora Adams shared this version of We Shall Overcome sung by Cordova High School Concert Singers from Memphis, Tennessee. This music is used in our video.

Maggie Davis, Office Manager

P.S. 
Have you donated to PBS this year? Do it now.
0 Comments

View the updated version of "I Am the Future" - A Message from the Board

3/2/2023

0 Comments

 

It's here! View I Am the Future  online

A Message from the Board
Picture
PACG Board of Directors

We are honored that WQPT offered to update our Black History Month video from 2022! As a small nonprofit organization, PACG could not have done this on our own. Lora Adams, WQPT Director of Marketing and Local Content, worked with her team for two months to make this possible. Please enjoy it here. We hope to get it on our PACG YouTube channel as well.

For those of you who attended our group viewing at the Friends of MLK Center in Davenport on February, 23rd, here is the link to the video recording of We Shall Overcome. Part of this performance by high school students is featured in our video.

(P.S. Have you donated to your local PBS station? Do it here!)

Glenda Guster
0 Comments

Holiday Party 2022 - After Action Report

12/11/2022

0 Comments

 

2022 PACG Holiday Party - After Action Report

Holiday Party Committee

Over 85 people sat down to a wonderful dinner catered by Maria Lopez of Tamales for Hope on Saturday, December 3rd at the Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG) Holiday Party at The German American Heritage Center in downtown Davenport. We were delighted to hold this annual event for the first time in two years.  And more than 40 guests committed to our initiative to get involved with PACG in 2023! 
 
The PACG Holiday Party is also the platform to announce The Dick Fallow Endowment for Social Justice annual grant award. The Dick Fallow Endowment was established in 2013 to carry on the life work of the former PACG member, activist and union member. local activist and union member. Each year, the endowment issues grants to organizations that fulfill his mission by working in the areas of labor/economic justice, environment/sustainability and/or democracy/human rights.
 
This year, the $2,500 grant was awarded to the team from Cafe on Vine to support their work in the QC Community. Waunita Sullivan, Executive Director of Cafe on Vine, accepted the award. Cafe on Vine is operated by an independent Board of Directors with members from across the Quad City area and receives daily support and help from volunteers from throughout the community. Cafe on Vine will use this endowment to continue to provide free, nutritious meals to the needy of the community 365 days each year. They serve two meals per day, Monday through Friday (breakfast and lunch), a luncheon service on Saturdays, and an evening meal on Sundays. It is the only meal site in the Quad Cities to do so. ​
 
Forum leaders also spoke about each of our current 4 forums: Civil Rights, Environmental, Gender Equity, and Health Care Reform and their community organizing work and accomplishments during the past year. 
 
The PACG Holiday Committee thanks you for coming and for celebrating another busy year:
Allison Ambrose, Alta Price, Ann McCluskey, Caryn Unsicker, Ed Broders, Glenda Guster, Susan Leuthauser, and Maggie Davis. 
 
If you have not done so already please sign up here for the PACG Progressive Action Update, our weekly email, to keep on top of our activities for 2023.
 
Happy Holidays and thank you all for fighting for social justice throughout our community.
Maggie Davis
0 Comments

Learn about carbon dioxide pipe lines - What You Can Do Now

11/26/2022

0 Comments

 

Learn about carbon dioxide pipe lines 
Thursday, December 1st from 6:00 to 7:30 pm

Bettendorf Public Library
Gilbert Room
2950 Learning Campus Drive
Bettendorf, Iowa (map)


Environmental Forum and Iowa CCI
 
Picture
​
The PACG Environmental Forum and Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement (CCI) invite you to this informational meeting about carbon dioxide pipe lines. 

Please register for this event here: https://iowacci.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/info?id=2981&reset=1

​
Susan Leuthauser
0 Comments

"I Am the Future" Showing - After Action Report

11/10/2022

0 Comments

 

Black History Video of I Am the Future: Standing on the Shoulders of the Past - After Action Report

Rock Island Library
Rock Island, IL
​

PACG Board
Picture
On Tuesday, October 25th we gathered together to watch the PACG Black History Video I Am the Future: Standing on the Shoulders of the Past. Despite the rainy day, over 35 people were in attendance! Gabriel Barber spoke as one of several interviewees that were featured in the video. And this was his 95th Birthday! Many of his family and church members joined us for this event.

The following interviewees were in attendance: Bill Gluba, Dr. Henry Brockington, Catherine Alexander, and AbdurRahmaan "Abdur" Howard. There was a lot of positive feedback from the audience. There were questions from several young people that attended in support of Abdur Howard.

The Rock Island Library requested the link so it can be included in their reference video collection. Several attendees requested a link to the video which is on our PACG YouTube Channel (link above).

The video will be shown again in 2023 at the Davenport Library, Fairmount St. Branch on Saturday, February 11th from 2:00 to 3:30 pm. We will be asking the Moline and Bettendorf Libraries to host viewings of the video for Black History month.

Glenda Guster
0 Comments

Book Club November 21st at 4:30 pm - " This Is How It Always Is"

10/30/2022

0 Comments

 

PACG Book Club - This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel ​
​Monday, November 21st at 4:30 pm (in person)

Picture
Davenport Public Library
Fairmount Street Branch
3000 N Fairmount St, Davenport, IA (map)


Book Club

​We have decided to meet in person in November and go back to Zoom for the winter months. We will skip December since it is too close to the holidays.

Our November book will be This Is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel. We will meet on Monday, November 21st at 4:30 pm at the Fairmount Street branch of the Davenport Public Library.

Here is some information about the book from Goodreads:


This is how a family keeps a secret…and how that secret ends up keeping them.
 
This is how a family lives happily ever after…until happily ever after becomes complicated.
 
This is how children change…and then change the world.
 
This is Claude. He’s five years old, the youngest of five brothers, and loves peanut butter sandwiches. He also loves wearing a dress, and dreams of being a princess.
 
When he grows up, Claude says, he wants to be a girl.
 
Rosie and Penn want Claude to be whoever Claude wants to be. They’re just not sure they’re ready to share that with the world. Soon the entire family is keeping Claude’s secret. Until one day it explodes.
 
This Is How It Always Is is a novel about revelations, transformations, fairy tales, and family. And it’s about the ways this is how it always is: Change is always hard and miraculous and hard again, parenting is always a leap into the unknown with crossed fingers and full hearts, children grow but not always according to plan. And families with secrets don’t get to keep them forever.


You can RSVP at our Facebook Event (not required). Contact me with any questions.

Alta Price
0 Comments

People's Forum - After Action Report

10/16/2022

0 Comments

 

People's Forum - Iowa House of Representatives - After Action Report

PACG Board of Directors, Forums and AAUW and ISEA

​PACG cosponsored this event with the AAUW (American Association of University Women) and ISEA (Iowa State Education Association).

Seven of the twelve candidates for the Iowa House participated in a candidate forum on Saturday morning, October 15th, at the Bettendorf Library. About 30 citizens attended this event, which was moderated by Daniel Salazar, a Senior at St. Ambrose University and a member of the Muscatine LULAC and Latinos Unidos.

​Thank you to all who helped coordinate this event.

Lori McCollum
0 Comments
<<Previous

    Archives

    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    May 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    March 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    August 2012
    May 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    October 2011
    September 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2008
    September 2008
    August 2008
    July 2008

    Categories

    All
    2020 Platform Resolutions
    3 Actions 3 Days
    3 Actions - 3 Days
    3 Months
    3 Weeks
    Abortion
    Abortion Is Health Care
    Absentee Voting
    ACA
    ACA Enrollment
    ACLU
    Action Alert
    Adolescence
    Advocacy
    Affordable Care Act
    African American History
    African History
    After Action Report
    A Message From The Board
    A Message From The President
    A Message From The Webmaster
    A Message To Our Membership
    Annual Picnic And Pie Auction
    Asylum
    Auto Theft Accountability Program
    Birdies For Charity
    Black History
    Black History Month
    Black Lives Matter
    Board
    Book Bans
    Book Club
    Books
    Candidate Questions
    Car Theft Accountability
    Caucus Training
    CDC
    Celebrating Earth Month
    Censorship
    Choice
    Citizens Advisory Panels
    Civil Disobedience
    Civil Rights
    Civil Rights Forum
    Civl Right
    Clergy For A New Drug Policy
    Climate Change
    Climate Crisis Voter
    Community Events
    Connection With Others
    COVID 19
    COVID-19
    COVID Relief
    Crisis At The Border
    DACA
    DAPL
    Davenport Bearing Witness
    Dick Fallow Endowment
    Donations
    Dreamers
    Dr. Kathleen Belew
    Drug Courts
    Drug Policy Forum
    Drug Policy Reform
    Drug Policy Reform Forum
    Duckworth
    Durbin
    Early Voting
    Earth Day
    Earth Day Fair
    Earth Month
    Earth Month Proclamation
    Earth Week
    Economic Justice
    Education
    Elections
    Environ
    Environment
    Environmental Forum
    Environmental Voter
    EPA
    Ernst
    Family Separation
    FARMERS MARKET
    Fundraising
    Gender
    Gender Equity
    Gender Equity Forum
    Global Climate Strike
    Government Shutdown
    Grants
    Grassley
    Green Drinks
    Green Holiday
    Green New Deal
    Gun Regulations
    Gun Violence
    Hands Off! Happy Hour
    Harm Reduction
    Health Care
    Health Care Reform Forum
    Hear Our Voice
    Holiday Party
    Honk For Action
    I Am The Future
    Ill
    Illinois Local Government
    Illinois State Government
    Illiteracy
    Immigrants And Trafficking
    Immigration
    Immigration And Refugee Summit
    Impeachment Inquiry
    Inauguration 2021 Party
    Indigenous Peoples
    Informed Voter
    Instagram
    Iowa Caucus
    Iowa Local Government
    Iowa State Government
    Iowa Women United
    Jobs
    Juvenile Justice
    Juvenile Justice Coalition
    Kavanaugh
    Kriss Wells
    Labor
    Leahy
    Legislative Forum
    Legislative Session
    LGBTQ+
    Lights For Liberty
    Living Lands And Waters
    Lobbying
    Local Culture
    LULAC
    Lunch & Learn
    Make Meds Affordable
    Marijuana Legalization
    Martin Luther King
    Mass Incarceration
    MCCQC
    Medical Cannabis
    Medicare
    Medicinal Canabis
    Membership Drive
    Members Of Congress
    Message From The Board
    Message From The President
    Message To Our Membership
    MLK Interpretive Center
    Monthly Environmental Celebration
    MoveOn
    Music
    NAACP
    Nahant Marsh
    National Organization For Women
    Native American
    Net Metering
    Networking
    Nobody Is Above The Law
    NOH8
    No Hate In Our States
    Nonbinary
    Nonviolent Resistance
    Novel Coronavirus
    No Wall
    Of Interest To Our Community
    Of Interest To PACG Forum Members
    One Human Family
    Op Ed
    Operation Reach Out
    Opioid Epidemic
    OSHA
    Our Office Manager
    Out & About
    PACG Action
    PACG Event
    PACG Events
    PACG History
    PACG In The News
    Pacg Meetings
    PACG Parties
    PACG's 15th Anniversary
    Pandemic
    Paris To Pittsburgh
    Paris To Pittsburgh Movie
    Partners Of Scott County Watersheds
    Peace Circle
    Peace Forum
    Peace & Justice
    Peace Vigil
    Picnic
    Pictures
    Poverty
    Power Of 3
    PPE
    Prescription Drug Pricing
    Pre-WEU Events
    Pride
    Pride Fest
    Progressive Action Update (PAU)
    Putnam Museum
    Quad Cities Interfaith
    Race And Trauma
    Race And Trauma (ART)
    Race: Are We So Different?
    Racial Equality Now
    Racial Justice
    Rallies
    Rapid Response Rallies
    Recycle
    Refugee Policy
    Refugees
    Renewable Energy
    Reproductive Rights
    Repurpose
    Resist
    Resistance School
    Resources
    Restorative Justice
    Restrictions To Voting
    Reuse
    Sanctuary
    Satellite Voting
    Save The Date
    Scott County Legislative Session
    Segregation
    Sentencing Reform
    Sexual Assault
    Social Justice
    Social Security
    Solar Power
    Special Counsel Investigation
    Spread The Relief Campaign
    Staff
    Standing With The Kurds
    Staying Informed
    Streaming Meetings
    Students
    Supreme Court
    Sustainable Farming
    Taking Action
    Taking Action 101
    The Many Faces Of Hate
    Toast The Resistance
    Transgender Rights
    Understand The Need
    Unitarian Church (UUCQC)
    Updated Post
    USPS Delivery Issues
    Volunteer Now
    Vote By Mail
    Vote-by-Mail
    Voter ID Laws
    Voter Registration
    Voter Suppression
    Voting
    Voting Rights
    Voting Rights Restoration
    War On Drugs
    Water Quality
    Water Sampling
    Webinar
    Weekly Email Update
    WEU Submissions
    What Is The White Power Movement?
    What You Can Do Now
    Wind Power
    Women's Equity
    Women's Equity Forum
    Women's History
    Women's Issues
    Workers' Rights
    Working Together Fund Drive
    Y15K
    Y15K Initiative
    Year End Summary
    Year-End Summary
    Youth
    Zoom
    Zoom Help
    Zoom Security

    RSS Feed

Picture
Picture
Picture
 
Progressive Action for the Common Good (PACG)

 1212 W. 3rd St, Suite 3D, Davenport IA  52802    
 (563) 676-7580      
​ qcprogressiveaction@gmail.com
​
                                                                                                  
​ © 2023 Progressive Action for Common  Good