Actions and News from April 21 JPP Business Meeting

We had a productive business meeting On April 21, 2010.

Some action items and ways you can get involved are below:

1. Attend:
   JP Progressive Forum: Understanding the Foreclosure Crisis
   Wednesday, May 5th, 7pm, In the back of:
   Doyle’s Restaurant, Jamaica Plain

   We’ll be joined by State Senator Sonia Chang-Diaz, State Representative Liz Malia, as well as experts from area non-profits (City Life Urbana, Boston Tenants Coalition & ESAC) to talk to us about the foreclosure crisis and bills before the Legislature right now.

   Foreclosure Forum Outreach:In addition to emailing local groups, and posting on various websites and newspapers, we’ll be putting up fliers around JP. If you have any time to hang a few fliers this weekend or early next week, please email JPP Co-Chair, reuben.kantor@comcast.net for more information. (You can also email Reuben to get a copy of the PDF if you’d like to forward it on to friends or any local listservs you might be a part of!)

2. Work with us on:
   Progressive Voter Guide: There will be MANY local races happening this fall, from the Governor on down to State Representative, which means we’ve got a great opportunity to put together another good progressive voter guide.

   First step: Coming up with a draft questionnaire. Melody Hugo will be heading up the questionnaire-writing taskforce. If you’d like to help out with that, please email her at melody.hugo@gmail.com.

   Second Step: Coming up with an endorsement process. We came up with a good outline of things to think about in a possible endorsement process, and decided that we would make a final determination about endorsements at our next business meeting. (Which will be May 19th, 7pm @ Doyles). A written proposal will be created for discussion purposes. If you have a strong opinion about what an endorsement process should look like, please email, JPP Co-Chair, Melissa Threadgill at melissa.threadgill@gmail.com. And of course, please come to the May 19th meeting!

3. Help Progressives get elected:Progressive Running Against Congressman Lynch
   Mac D’Alessandro, the New England Political Director for SEIU, has announced that he will be challenging Congressman Steve Lynch this fall.

   JP Progressive Member Melody Hugo is helping run the signature collection drive. If you would like to help collect signatures locally, email her at melody.hugo@gmail.com.

   Progressive Running for The People’s Seat (aka Scott Brown’s Seat)
   Although not technically a JP race, this special election on May 11th has significance for progressives across the state and country. Think about what a message it would send if a progressive Democrat (and, moreover, an emergency room physician and health care policy expert!) were elected to fill the seat formerly held by Scott Brown!

   Peter Smulowitz, a doctor from Needham, recently won the Democratic Primary. He now faces off against Republican Richard Ross (with the help of a few JP Progressive members who held a phone bank for him!)

   If you are interested in learning more or getting involved, please email me at melissa.threadgill@gmail.com. She can tell you what you can do to help!