check links

UPDATES                                   

Check here for important updates during the month

CRITICAL RACE THEORY   

"PENNCREST School Board has approved a resolution to issue a statement emphasizing that the school district does not teach critical race theory (CRT), while sending a policy aimed at banning the subject back to committee for reworking." ~ from From Meadville Tribune 8/14; detailed coverage:  Aug. 9 meeting  Aug. 12 meeting 

Mars Area school board, banned CRT and passes "Patriotism amendment" , and Clarion-Limestown school board banned CRT in the unsubstatiated theories section of their updated mission statement. A Clarion-Limestone board member also mentioned that he would be bringing up adding  "gender theory" to the banned list. 

Ask the Experts: Why is critical race theory so controversial? (City & State PA  8/17/2021)
Kimberlé Crenshaw on Teaching the Truth about Race in America (ep. 168) |  On ACLU podcast.  Crenshaw is one of the founders of CRT.

The Tea Party to the 10th power': Trumpworld bets big on critical race theory (Politico 6/23/2021) "Republicans aren’t coy about what they are trying to do. It’s not just about changing curricula. It’s about taking back Congress."

EARTH                                       

Jobs or the environment? Ahead of 2022, Pa. Dems thread needle on ‘false choice’
EPA hits Erie Coke with $1M Superfund lien to recoup cleanup costs; amount likely to grow   
The State of Environmental Health in Pennsylvania Schools June 2021 report from Women for a Healthy Environment. 

Climate activists set their sights on the PA PUC  (StateImpact 8/25/2021)"The interfaith group POWER wants Gov. Tom Wolf to appoint new members of the Public Utility Commission who are dedicated to climate justice and ending environmental racism. "

As climate change urgency grows, Pa. is still working on new standards for teaching about it (StateImpact 8/26/2021)

Pittsburgh Extinction Rebellion Talk on Climate Change 

Investigation Uncovers Ohio Is “Illegally” Building Radioactive Mountains, Affecting 26 Waterways

JUSTICE                                    

ACLU guest column: Stop harming Erie students (Erie Times-News 8/25/2021) "for more than a decade, the district has institutionalized a culture of punishment of Black children, especially those with disabilities and often without regard to the seriousness of a student’s infraction."

$262,000 settlement ends federal suit over claims of excessive force by Erie police officer     
Ground-breaking report on racial disparity in PA nursing homes Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly (CARIE)

Diversity and inclusion officer could soon be a new position to serve Erie County   (YourErie 8/11/2021) 

Pa. only state that requires counties to fund public defense (Daily Item 8/8/2021)

Attica Prison Uprising (September 8-13, 1971 in WNY), was the bloodiest prison uprising in US history and is one of the most important early events of the Prisoners' Rights movement.  Robert H. Jackson Center in 2018 hosted  Dr. Heather Thompson (Pulitzer Prize winning author of "Blood in the Water") and a panel  to talk about the event and its legacy. 

Activists broke into the FBI office in Media PA, also 50 years ago. The burglary explosively exposed the now-infamous COINTELPRO operation directed by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover, and illegal surveillance of peaceful citizens. The Greatest Heist You've Never Heard Of  (13 min.) is a good intro. 

ARTS                                                  

Edinboro's Bruce Gallery Features Erie Artists of Color (by Heather Amancio, Erie Reader 9/1/2021) "CHROMA Guild members highlighted at current exhibit"

Neighborhood Art House Virtual Fundraiser Sept 14-28. 

"Speed of Dark" American Repertory Theater, Buffalo NY Sep 9-10/2  "centers around four-men who find themselves on the wrong end-of-the day in a Sundown Town, and, as ...they discover the integrity within themselves as well as find dignity & pride to who they are as men." In-person, strict covid rules

Movie Mondays: West Side Story Outdoor event, Perry Square Erie PA Sep 9-10/2 . Interactive trivia 8:30pm, movies start at dark. Hosts: Erie Downtown Partnership and the Film Society of NWPA". 

Lit Fridays  is "a literary-focused, virtual salon presented by the August Wilson African American Cultural Center, featuring conversations and guest performances on the last Friday of each month at 6:00pm via Facebook Live and Zoom Webinar."

ELECTIONS                               

Update on PA election "audit" (PA Capital-Star 8/29/2021) 

Pa.’s Shapiro, 21 AGs tell Congress to guard against voter suppression   

‘Ending gerrymandering: the redistricting fight in Pa.’: WHYY talks with Fair Districts PA chair Carol Kuniholm, state Rep. Wendi Thomas, and House Minority Leader Joanna McClinton.

How to get involved in Pa.’s pivotal redistricting process (Spotlight PA 8/20/2021)

Thompson's district lost big in 2020 census, one of six in Pennsylvania that lost population in the 2020 census (all but one of which are held by Republicans) (AP News 8/14/2021).
4 takeaways from new Pa. census data and what it means for redistricting (Spotlight PA 8/18/2021)

PA  Abolishes Prison Gerrymandering (Time 8/24/2021) will increase urban representation while reducing rural representation.

PA Congressional Redistricting site 

Pa. Democrats’ constituencies are growing. How does that impact 2022? (Penn Capital-Star 8/18/2021)

He left GOP after Jan. 6, forms 3rd party in PA (City & State PA 8/12/2021)

Two Pa. lawmakers are working on bipartisan election reform. Here’s what they’ve proposed 

GOP lawmakers beat the deadline, go to court to challenge Pa.’s mail-in voting law(AP 9/1/2021) 

GEMISH                                    

Erie Labor Day Parade September 6 at 10am 11th & State, Erie PA. Hosted by IBEW Local 56
Little Free Pantry - Erie raffle on September 18. Check their Facebook group for details on donations and particpation.

Sisters of St Joseph Neighborhood Network is looking for mentors for young people. 

Erie Co Council forms high speed rail committee (Erie News Now 8/18/2021)
Buffalo Starbucks Workers Say They Will Unionize One Store At a Time (In These Times 8/30/2021) 

WAR & PEACE                        

Erie Peace Initiative photo album. Erie Peace Inititiative started in 2002 when local people became concerned about what was taking place in the name of "War on Terror" (It was originally called 9/11 Peace Initiative). The album features photos during some of its active period. 

Lilac Springs is a healing space for combat veterans in Meadville PA. Right now the couple that runs the space (Marsha and Anthony Pedone)  are both dealing with health issues right now and need help around the place. If you can volunteer, or donate so help can be hired, that would be very appreciated. Read more about Lilac Springs here. 

Michael Moore 's Fahrenheit 9/11 will show for free on September 10 at 9pm, followed by some special guests for discussion and questions. Also Free at WatchDocumentaries and probably widely available during September. Trailer 

The Erie Peace Initiative Ribbon Project at Union Station (2013) see below. Each ribbon had the name of a fallen US servicemember. (red for those who died in Iraq, blue for those who died in Afghanistan). The project was an effort to get the public to visualize the loss of servicemembers. As immense as that representation is in this photo, it doesn't show all the ribbons. The project did not represent fallen civilians, contractors, allied servicemembers, or those fighting on the other side. Some of those numbers were observed in other events. The project is currently in the custody of Travis Lindsey. an Iraq War veteran who encouraged EPI to take on the project. 

Info blurb+++

PHOTO CREDITS: Grapes - Public domain, author unknown, Ribbon Project Deb Spilko