Local
In the past two months, the state of Ohio actively retreated from its commitment to promote equity and combat racism in its schools. The reactionary march backward constitutes a withdrawal from constitutional principles, American social commitments, historical trends since at least 1954, and very likely its own laws. The partners in this reactionary dance are the right-wing, Republican-dominated state legislature; Attorney General Dave Yost; Gov. Mike DeWine; and the State Board of Education. I have written about the intertwined issues elsewhere.
Tuesday, October 27, 5:30pm, this on-line event requires advance registration
The OEC [Ohio Environmental Council] Emerging Leaders Council [ELC] invites renters to engage with us and our partners about how to live sustainably and advocate for equitable living conditions as a renter. Being a renter may make a person feel like they don’t have control over their living environment. However, there are some actionable steps the renter community can take to take back some control!
Join the ELC on October 27 at 5:30pm to hear from advocates and experts from Coalition on Homelessness and Housing in Ohio (COHHIO), Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO), Simply Living, Ohio Student Association, 3 Tree, and GreenSpot.
Following presentations on issues pertaining to sustainability and housing, ELC members and our partners will host different breakout rooms to debrief, discuss, and hear thoughts about each of the topics presented. At the end of the event, you’ll leave with actionable steps that you can use to push your home toward sustainability while also knowing what you can do to make progress for the environment and your community.
Tuesday, October 26, 7pm, this on-line event requires advance registration
Simply Living is relaunching its “Sustainable U: Community Education for a Sustainable world.”
The “Economics of Happiness” discussion course will begin Tuesday, October 26, at 7pm, and will run for five sessions.
Course Description: This discussion course is based on the award-winning film “Economics of Happiness,” developed by Helena Norberg-Hodge and her team at LocalFutures.org. Each session includes content from the film or related media, a presentation that frames and explores the topic in greater depth, and class discussions based on selected readings in the booklet “Localization: Essential Steps to an Economics of Happiness.”
Course facilitator: Chuck Lynd is a founding member and past board member of Simply Living. He serves on the Ohio Sustainable Business Council, where he advocates for local economic development and an economy that works for everyone.
No surprise is how the Columbus Division of Police and its union, the Fraternal Order of Police Capital City Lodge #9, are heavy with MAGA.
The Free Press and the community understand why some of our police, if not a majority, are this way. The Division is mostly white and male, many reside in rural counties outside Columbus, and last, but certainly not least, some harbor anger towards their perceived outlook of America’s future.
The job of a police officer is dangerous and stressful, and we need police to protect are most vulnerable. They deserve good pay and good cops deserve respect.
But what is not okay is Columbus police and its union forcing extremist political ideology onto the community (especially young people).
One unnerving concern facing this entire nation is, how far will MAGA go to get their way?
Saturday, October 23, 12noon-2pm, Ohio Statehouse
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Join us Saturday, October 23, to help protect victims of domestic violence.
• Ohioans lost 131 lives to domestic violence in the past year, from July 2020 to June 2021.
• 86% of fatalities were from guns.
• There were 2,600 victims in 2020, up 35% since 2019.
• Shelter capacity in Franklin County is up 30%.
• 1 in 3 women and 1 in 9 men experience severe intimate partner physical violence.
• Ohio has 28 domestic violence calls per hour.
• As of December 31, 2020, Ohio had submitted one domestic violence misdemeanor conviction and two protective order records to the NICS [National Instant Criminal Background Check System] Index.
• On a typical day, there are more than 20,000 phone calls placed to domestic violence hotlines nationwide.
The goal of this rally is to bring awareness, provide resources, and to talk about the next steps for victims, survivors, and the public.
Friday, October 22, 12noon-3:30pm, Noor Islamic Cultural Center, 5001 Wilcox Rd.
Facing problems? CAIR-Ohio will be offering free legal help today to community members.
For questions, contact CAIR-Ohio Staff Attorney Lina Abbaoui at 614-982-0879 or at <labbaoui@cair.com>.
If you are unable to make this event and would like to request legal help, feel free to call our office or use this online form.
Hosted by CAIR [Council on American-Islamic Relations] Ohio.
Facebook Event
On Columbus City Council
I’ve chosen not to follow the mini-election next week very closely. On the one hand, none of the candidates are compelling to me. None are on the level of the present leading councilors like Shayla Favor and Elizabeth Brown, for example.
But, on the other hand, I try not to follow such “elections” because of the fundamentally undemocratic foundations of Columbus’ City Council and the disorganization and opaqueness of Columbus’ city government in general. A full explanation would require a lengthy essay in itself.
For reasons that remain unclear and undiscussed, Columbus retains an at-large, openly elected City Council. This denies all citizens of their democratic and constitutional right to direct representation. The recent shift to one councilor in a specified geographic district is manifestly negated by the maintenance of at large elections. It is little more than a shell-game.
Thursday, October 21, 2021, 5:30 - 6:30 PM
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio is thrilled to announce our next Virtual Voices event featuring the co-creator and head writer of “The Daily Show” and co-founder of Abortion Access Front, Lizz Winstead! Lizz will be joined in conversation by our own President and CEO Iris E. Harvey and Mason Hickman, Digital Organizer for Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio. Join us for this virtual discussion on abortion access, activism, and more. Register here.