Happy Tuesday, Activists!
We’re all sick of this shutdown already! And we miss our normal activities – seeing friends and family, going out to restaurants, watching a baseball game. We are all in this together and we at Indivisible Philadelphia HQ are doing our best to keep you engaged in our shared vision for this year's success at the polls. We welcome all of your ideas for what more we can do.
And speaking of sports, here’s a great “skiing” video to make you laugh and appreciate the creativity among us. Be sure to check out the other at-home real and virtual experiences at the end of this newsletter and in our earlier newsletters – I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
EXCITING NEWS – DONATION MATCHING GRANT
Indivisible National recently announced to us that they have a new campaign to double any donations we receive between today and the end of May, up to a total of $500 in donations. Woo-hoo! So now your donations will go twice as far to help Indivisible Philadelphia fulfill its mission of working to get progressive candidates elected, and take back the White House, the Senate, and the PA legislature. It’s a tall order and we are proud to be in this fight with you. Please donate here if you can.
Even though we are not busy with all of our activities right now, we want to be ready to hit the ground running the moment the shutdown lifts. So please consider making a donation now while it will go twice as far. Thank you!
CARONAVIRUS TESTING SITE
We wanted to let you know that Penn Medicine has announced it has opened a COVID-19 drive-through testing site for anyone who has coronavirus-like symptoms, with no requirement for a doctor’s prescription. Check out the details here.
TURN PA BLUE CANDID CANDIDATE SERIES
Virtually meet the candidates we’ve written postcards for, who spoke at our last meeting, and who we will be writing more postcards, making phone calls and texting for. This candidate forum series will introduce you to many inspiring PA state candidates.
The first Candid Candidate installment is TONIGHT AT 7:00 pm.
Meet Nancy Guenst – This is the first installment of the series of virtual meet and greets with the awesome candidates running to turn our General Assembly blue in 2020. Sign up here.
PHONEBANKING
Turn PA Blue, partnering with the PA Dems, is holding another day of action to phone bank voters, telling them about the new PA primary date (June 2) and the new vote-by-mail system. Choose an hour or two to make calls.
Training for these calls is optional but recommended. Trainings are available on the following dates/times:
· Thu, Apr 9, 6:00pm–6:30pm EDT
· Fri, Apr 10, 6:00pm–6:30pm EDT
· Sat, Apr 11, 2:00pm–2:30pm EDT
CALL TO ACTION
You can see our previous Calls To Action, which are still a good thing for you to do, on our website here.
Sen. Casey – Phila office 215-405-9660; D.C. office 202-224-6324; email link
Sen. Toomey – Phila office 215-241-1090; D.C. office 202-224-4254; email link
Rep. Evans – D.C. office 202-225-4001; Phila. office (215) 276-0340; email link
Rep. Boyle – D.C. office (202) 225-6111; Phila office (215) 335-3355; email link
Congress needs to address the large gaps in the pandemic response legislation passed so far, specifically what and who the laws cover given what we need to address this crisis. We need at least one more response package. We need to continue demanding that any coronavirus legislation put people’s need ahead of corporate bailouts. We need a People’s Bailout.
Congress must make sure the responses to both the outbreak and the likely recession will make both less likely to happen in the future.
Call and ask our Members of Congress to make sure the package includes, at least:
– Funding of $2 billion for election infrastructure and requires states to expand vote by mail, extend voting deadlines, and increase early voting days;
– More funding for the US Postal Service to handle coronavirus impacts and the vote by mail volume
– Increased federal funding of Medicaid and other health programs that cover low-wage people and that testing and treatment are available regardless of immigration status.
– Universal paid sick leave at 100% of wages, no matter the size of the business
– Expansion of SNAP payments
– No taxpayer funds for executive bonuses, stock buy-backs, “golden parachute” payments or dividends.
– Add any others you think are important.
TWO VIRTUAL MEETINGS TOMORROW -- THE CENSUS AND WHAT IT MEANS TO YOU – GET IN THE COUNT!
We’ve set up two meetings that address two critical events coming up and how the coronavirus shutdown affects them.
The first is TOMORROW, April 8, from 6-7 pm. Our speaker will be Pedro Rodriguez, Director, Community Engagement & Partnerships of Philly Counts. He will tell us everything we need to know about the Census. Sign up here and we’ll send you the Zoom invitation so you can participate in the meeting online. Bring your questions too!
Between now and then, fill out your Census!
TOWN HALL WITH COMMISSIONER LISA DEELEY WHAT ELECTIONS WILL LOOK LIKE IN 2020 – BRING YOUR QUESTIONS!
We know you have questions about how we’ll vote in the upcoming June 2 primary and in November. The new law on mail-in voting changed a lot of this for the better. But there are a lot of logistics involved in setting it all up and in voting this way. So on Wednesday, April 15, from 6-7pm, we’ve invited the person who leads the agency charged with instituting this in Philadelphia. Lisa Deeley is the Chair of the City Commissioners and will inform us of all the latest changes and how the process will work. Bring your questions! Sign up here.
And while we’re on the subject – Sign up for vote by mail – You can sign up here to vote by mail. The applications are accepted through May 26 but don't wait until the last minute!
You can see the important recent changes to the vote by mail system in this past Tuesday’s newsletter at our website here.
Also, you can track your ballot status here, so you can see when your application for vote by mail has been approved, once the ballots are being mailed you can see when it’s been mailed to you, and you can see when it is received back at the election office.
Voter Registration – The voter registration deadline is extended to May 18. If you, or someone you know someone, needs to register or update your voter registration with a new address or new name, tell them to do it now. Register online here. Tell your networks to make sure they're registered.
POSTCARDS
“I feel so much better doing this!” This is what our postcarders are saying. We’re having so much fun writing cards together even though we’re not in the room together. And if you don’t want to write postcards together, no problem – just write cards at home. Join the team – you won’t be disappointed! The how-to is below. We’ve been writing to voters in North Carolina and Georgia to remind them to double-check their voter registration status. We’re also writing to California voters to urge them to vote for Christy Smith, Democratic candidate for Congress in their May special election. We’ll be adding more options as we go along.
Here’s how it works:
– Step One: Order postcards from the Postal Service at this link. They are 39 cents each, including the stamp, and are the cheapest way to buy cards and stamps.
– Step Two: Email us at info@indivisiblephiladelphia.comand let us know you want to write cards.
– Step Three: We will send you addresses and a script for you to write the cards. We’ll replenish your supply of addresses as needed.
And you can write postcards from home with other people! Our weekly virtual postcards events are listed below, each with a video call so we can write postcards “together” virtually. We did this last night and we had a good time (see photo above). It’s a lot of fun, super easy to connect, and a good way to stay in touch. We’ll be doing these events every week, so order your postcards now. We’ll send you the link for the Zoom video meeting beforehand.
Virtual Cards & Coffee
Wednesday, April 8, 11:00 am to 1:00 pm (stay for as long as you want)
Virtual Cards & Cocktails
Thursday, April 9, 6-8 pm (stay for as long as you want)
MORE IDEAS FOR SPENDING QUALITY INDOOR TIME
Here we go with more fun stuff! If you missed our ideas from last week, find them on our Newsletter page on our website here and here.
1. Watch the National Orchestra of France play Maurice Ravel’s “Bolero.” Each member played alone at home, then each “solo” was stitched together as a beautiful whole on YouTube. The interesting thing is that, at least in the beginning, you can see up close the contribution of each instrument as it enters the haunting musical score. Instead of the normal 15-minute score this one was cut down to four minutes for social media. Not to be missed!
2. The Barnes Foundation has daily art talks – They’re short vidVeos on a a variety art works by the museum’s curators. You can finally learn about works by an Gogh or Renoir and what all the fuss is about. These short takes give you a break from the news and feeds your mind.
3. Don’t forget your sky watch this week and next – Tomorrow features a Super Moon! On April 14-16 you can watch Mars, Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon violate social distancing protocols. Check out all of them out here.
4. Watch live skyline webcams around the world – some are more locked down than others.
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