Thank you very much, Felice, for taking the minutes of the meeting:
Activists Committee meeting 2-26-09
Next meeting: Thursday, April 2, 7 p.m. at the White Plains YWCA, 515 North St .
Attending: Nada, Khusro, Yoram, Felice, Antoinette, Ellie
Next meeting of Joint Campaign Committee to develop a progressive people’s agenda at Memorial Methodist Church Fellowship Hall 7:30pm Wednesday, March 4. Contact Nick Mottern for more information at nickmottern@ earthlink. net
Economic Justice Committee: Considering hosting monthly potluck dinners for discussion and exchange of ideas, and connecting various communities. Also would like to put out a one page flyer of things people can do to help community survive economic downturn. Discussion of working on lower cost drugs, lower cost healthcare, making WCC a tuition free campus.
Antoinette has attended a several meetings where there is interest in single payer healthcare. We might hold a forum and a letter writing session.
Budget forum very well attended by low income families– but only two legislators. Demand is 25% increase in welfare payments, vs. 10% ($1/day) promised.
Bailout the People meeting for April 4 demo on Wall St. drew about 60 people.
$75 bn. budgeted for homeowners relief excludes too many people. Suspension of foreclosures for 3 months. Organizers have already met with the unions – who are indecisive.
Paul Krugman speaking at WCC at 11 am. Antoinette will attend.
Social Forum – A lot of volunteers from Pace have been recruited, schedule has been finalized (see website). Now looking for sound equipment. 30-40 volunteers to direct people (hopefully will be White Plains HS students). A lot more scope for WESPAC members to get more involved.
Nada has applied for funding to take a delegation of African American Community leaders and clergy to Gaza .
ISP – have places for students at Nyack College and Manhattanville, have negotiations underway for two other places. Fundraisers in NYC on March 20th, March 21st at Gelmans in Tarrytown .
Code Pink Gaza delegation – Andrew has helped with press work and coverage looks possible on Ch 12 and likely in Journal News. Will also have a blog set up, and Twitter (just in case there is any action). Will be taking Fida Qishta (who spoke at WESPAC about 2 years ago) materials for her work at The Lifemakers Center that serves about 350 children in Gaza . WESPAC members have been generous in their support of this effort.
Sarah Albert will be speaking on Convention for the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women at the White Plains YWCA March 3, 8:30-10 am.
No War Westchester – coordinating March 19 action beginning at 4-5:30 pm at Nita Lowey’s office on Main St. , in White Plains – Costs of the War on Ordinary People. March 21st Washington demo – 6th anniversary of Iraq War, No War is coordinating people who want to go.
