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08/31/2021

Eviction Moratorium, the current status in the United States: Your latest Civic Sunday Dispatch

Over the past 17 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the United States have faced an unparalleled eviction crisis. Many individuals have been laid off due to the pandemic or cannot work due to health concerns, which has caused 7 million Americans to fall behind on their rent. This issue was poised to implode as an eviction moratorium, which prevents landlords from evicting their tenants, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) expired on July 31st.

A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court prevented the CDC from extending the moratorium. Leaders in Congress also worked to gather support for extending the moratorium, but they did not have the votes to extend it. In the wake of the official expiration of the moratorium, progressive leaders in Congress, specifically Representatives Cori Bush and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, pushed their colleagues to return from recess to address the crisis and the White House to get involved. Representative Bush was the main driving force in this fight, as she joined activists in protesting the expiration and even slept outside of the U.S. Capitol in protest.

Through raising awareness about the eviction and housing crisis taking over the country through protest and social media, these progressive leaders were able to push the White House to take action. On August 3rd, the Biden administration, specifically the CDC, issued a new, but more limited, eviction moratorium for areas where there is a substantial spread of the coronavirus, mainly due to the delta variant. This moratorium remains in effect until October 3rd, and while it will likely face legal challenges, it remains an important victory in the fight for fair and affordable housing in the United States.

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Dispatch prepared by Internal Development Director, Caitlin Kitson, 08/29/2021. Caitlin can be reached at [email protected]

Civic Organizing Sunday will be taking a short one month hiatus in lieu of internal transitions and the beginning school year. Tune back in October for new dispatches!

08/02/2021

Hop onto Spotify and listen to our team members talk on Civic Engagement with UNA USA’s, Dustin Liu!
Let us know what you think in the comments!

08/01/2021

Get Vaccinated. Stop the Virus and Misinformation: Your Latest Civic Sunday Dispatch

Health care is a human right. It should be provided at low or not cost to any individual regardless of insurance status, employment status, etc. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen how fragile the US healthcare system really is.

We have seen how COVID disproportionately affects BIPOC communities and how misinformation about the disease and the vaccine spread like wildfire. It’s important now, more than ever, to get vaccinated (if you are able) and to stop misinformation in its tracks.

The Delta variant, the most dominant strain in the US today, is more contagious than the flu, MERS & SARS, and many other diseases and it is deadlier than measles. There is clear evidence that the COVID-19 vaccines do an excellent job at protecting people from getting seriously ill, hospitalized, or dying from COVID.

However, in order for everyone to get vaccinated, there must be equitable distribution of the vaccine. In Maryland, the Governor established the Vaccine Equity Task Force whose roles include coordinating with all of Maryland’s 24 counties to ensure that the local health departments are focusing on vaccination efforts on underserved, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach populations to ensure equity in vaccine rollout. Other initiatives the task force is working on are mobile vaccination sites, pop-up clinics, its faith-based vaccine programming, and more.

These are just some examples of the amazing efforts local health departments across the nation are doing to ensure equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine.
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Dispatch prepared by POCO Co-Lead, Jamie Roa, 08/01/21. Jamie can be reached at [email protected].

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07/26/2021

Fall is almost here! Are you looking for a remote internship for this upcoming semester?
Applications now open for Visual Communications Manager!
Link in bio to apply!

07/25/2021

COS 7/25 by Communications Director: Giulia Becker Miller

“Considering volunteer leadership”

The first step in recruiting members for a cause is establishing leadership that can commit to dedicating themselves to running/maintaining the movement.

Without good leadership, there is a good chance that a well-meaning cause will easily dissipate. To avoid this, Chris Grundner, founder of the Kelly Heinz-Grundner Brain Tumor Foundation, establishes criteria that ensures a successful committee body.

Watch this video https://youtu.be/MIF9yJVldwQ from 6:00-9:35 to learn more.

To recap Heinz-Grundner’s pyramid of volunteer leadership, major leaders of your organization should have passion for the mission of the movement as the foundation of their work. Leaders should understand the standards and best practices of their role(s) and recognize the continuous learning process that is running an organization.

When considering who should be leaders in your organization ensure that there is diversity in the skill sets and perspectives that you are inviting into the spaces you create. The best leaders will be those that are considerate of the future success of your movement by passing the torch; AKA, working to ensure their role can be well-understood by future successors.
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Dispatch prepared by Communications Director, Giulia Becker Miller,7/25/2021. You can reach Giulia Becker Miller at [email protected]

07/19/2021

COS 07/18/2021 by Elizabeth Wilson - Editorial Manager

“Protecting Voting Rights”

In the United States, expressing one’s voice through the means of voting has guided this nation to landmark decisions that protect the rights of we, the people. Though in recent weeks and months this year, over 10 states across the US have introduced or passed laws which aim to restrict the access people have to voting, including: new ID regulations, limits on mail in ballots, limits on time to vote.

According to the New York Times, “Some of the new laws restrict early voting: Iowa, for example, has shortened the early-voting period to 20 days from 29 and reduced poll hours on Election Day.” The “For the People Act” was proposed by Democrats to combat these restrictions, but has been stalled by disagreements between political parties over its effectiveness.

It can be disconcerting to hear that many states are planning on these restrictions and even more so that people aren’t agreeing on the need for accessible voting, but it’s important to remember the inherent right we have: our voice. Personally, I am inspired by the historical figures who surmounted any challenge, and even today I see people who create this impactful history. From the floods of social media alerting me of new updates in the fight for social justice, to the conversations of wanting to make an impact, we can live in the momentum of fighting for equality.

To support the protection of voting rights, visit the Brennan Center online to learn more about the voting restrictions, support the Sister District organization, and contact lawmakers through the Common Cause website to advocate for the For The People Act.

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End of COS 07/18 by Elizabeth Wilson –– Editorial Manager

07/11/2021

COS 7/11 by Hannah Zimmerman - TICO Director

“The Digital Dollar”

Cryptocurrency, once considered a joke form of capital, is being explored to potentially become a part of the United States Central Banking System. A senior economist at the Federal Reserve discussed new efforts in May to create the first of its kind “central bank digital currency,” or CBDC in the United States.

CBDCs are growing in popularity in other countries, with China having the most extensive rollout of a national digital currency. The program has many supporters across the aisle, such as Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Senator John Kennedy (R-LA.) who voiced strong support for a US-CBDC as they believe it will be valuable to Americans who do not have bank accounts.

The benefits of a digital dollar include instant transfers of money between people with “digital wallets.” The downside of a digital dollar is that it has raised privacy concerns for many, as details about to what extent the federal reserve will or won’t track private transactions between citizens has yet to be released.

It is worth it to consider the impacts of cryptocurrency in the sociopolitical world, as current estimates project a quarter of G-20 nations will have some form of digital currency by 2024.
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End of COS 7/11 by Hannah Zimmerman - TICO Director

06/25/2021

TICO will be working with at this Researchathon to help teach all participants about civic organizing and how to civically organize to the best of our abilities! We look forward to seeing everyone there and meeting such passionate individuals.

Are you fed up with environmental, social, and technological inequity and inaccessibility? If so, join the Researchathon from July 2nd to July 4th! In 48 hours, you’ll have the chance to talk and work with Harvard professors, UN consultants and state senators and receive guidance on developing and publishing your ideas. Our four tracks include technology, environment, healthcare, and racial and sociocultural. Prizes are valued at $30000, ranging from monetary seed grants to exclusive computer hardware.

Visit our website: http://researchathon.co/
Sign up here: https://bit.ly/3i2WrbU

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