Local

Saturday, April 24, 1-2:30pm
Ohio Statehouse, Broad and High Streets, Columbus
Non-violent, speak up, stand up with us in solidarity. I know y’all young people and have Crocs on top of Crocs (Angie~lol!) so bring a friend and if they have no Crocs let them borrow yours for this! As we stand in solidarity and unity for this beautiful, young lady that should still be here with us today!!!!THIS IS OUR CITES CHILD, DAUGHTER, SISTER, FRIEND!!!!!
JOIN US!!!!!!!!......Justice for Ma’Khia Bryant and EVERY SINGLE SOUL BEFORE THIS BABYGIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mask required, social distancing mandatory.

Pint Size Protesters: #justiceforMa'Khia
Sunday, April 26, 1-3pm
Columbus City Hall, 90 W. Broad St.
Join Pint Size Protesters as we honor and uplift Ma'Khia Bryant who easily could have been one of us. This is a family friendly event, so please bring your families. Together we'll stand in solidarity and demand accountability from our city! Masks and social distancing required. 

(Hill City, MN) Early Friday morning, five water protectors locked themselves into concrete barrels at the entrance of Swatara oil pump station, halting construction of the Line 3 Replacement project. This action was taken with Camp Migiziin recognition of Earth Day, coming a day ahead of “Stop Line 3 x Earth Day”, a march that will be taking place in Duluth, Minnesota. Two of the protestors sat behind a hand painted banner reading “Earth Day Every Day”, while other banners in front of the pump station gate read “No Pipelines on Stolen Land,” “Land Back,” and “Protect the Water.” 

Friday, April 23, April 30, and May 7, 2021, 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM

Earth Day Columbus 2021
Thursday, April 22 [actually Thursday, April 1 to Saturday, May 8], several times and locations in Columbus

Building on the success of the first Earth Day Columbus in 2007, Green Columbus has engaged the Central Ohio community to contribute more than 100,000 hours of green citizen service. Earth Day Columbus is growing every year and is a staple in community engagement and beautification for Columbus.

This event includes the following projects.
• Cleanups: April 1-30
• Tree Plantings: April 10-24th
• Parks and Community Gardens: April 10-24
• Tree Nursery Setup: April 24 - May 8

Contact: 614-434-TREE (8733) or <worksites@greencbus.org>.

Hosted by Earth Day Columbus.
Facebook Event

Wednesday, April 21, 2021, 3:00 PM
Local Solutions to Climate Change: A conversation with Rachael Belz, executive director of Ohio Citizen Action and Carla Walker, Climate and Environmental Justice Advocate.  How can we address climate change with community-driven solutions? How can we preserve local parks and green spaces, ensure clean air and water, and reduce carbon emissions that are undermining our children's futures? Yes, the Paris Climate Accord, Biden Administration and Congress have key roles to play. But what can we do in our own back yard to make progress in the battle against climate change?  Register here. 

The City and their special prosecutors ordered six Columbus police officers in March to identify fellow officers who (allegedly) committed criminal acts against Black Lives Matter protesters this past summer, but there’s no word yet whether they’ve complied.

In Minneapolis, however, the Blue wall of silence has begun to fissure.

Derrek Chauvin’s trial and murder conviction has shown that fellow officers don’t always have to protect “bad apples.” Minneapolis police veterans testifying said Chauvin’s actions against George Floyd were “totally unnecessary.” Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo said George Floyd’s death was “murder.” Some are calling all of this “revolutionary.”.

But in our community the police appear to be remaining steadfast in not incriminating each other even though they have sworn an oath to put no one above the law.

Joe Motil, former Columbus City Council candidate and outspoken critic of Columbus City Council’s decades-long charade of its musical chair schemes to maintain control and power of City Council, has announced the selection of running mates who will join Team Hardin on the ballot this November.            

Motil states that, “Although the Hardin, Tyson, Mitch Brown nominating committee that is listed on their Declaration of Candidacy Petition technically made the selection of Nick Bankston and Lourdes de Padilla to replace Tyson and Brown, this whole scheme was developed months ago by those who control city hall and Franklin County Democratic Party leaders. This was a lame attempt to hoodwink the citizens of Columbus into believing the two replacement candidates were not appointed and are not part of the club. Columbus voters know better.”

When Ohio legislators passed the historically corrupt House Bill 6 (HB6) in 2019, they forced all Ohioans to pay more on their electric bills to bail out the Ohio Valley Electric Corporation’s (OVEC) two dirty, inefficient, and outdated coal plants in Ohio and Indiana for the next decade. These plants are major contributors to air pollution in and around Ohio, and are major emitters of greenhouse gases that exacerbate the climate crisis. Ohioans shouldn’t be forced to pay extra to make their own air quality worse, especially during a global respiratory pandemic!

Now Ohio legislators have the opportunity to do the right thing and pass Senate Bill 117 (SB117), a piece of legislation that would repeal the financially burdensome and environmentally foolish bailout of the OVEC plants in its entirety. This bipartisan legislation would protect Ohioans and hold the OVEC owners responsible for their own bad financial decisions.

Columbus Stand UP! alongside a coalition of central Ohio organizations, have delivered a letter to elected officials demanding answers about the April 7th explosion at the Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation. The blast killed one person, injured eight, and spewed ash and other debris over area homes. 

“Homes and businesses shook, and residents were breathing in toxic air for days,” the letter reads.“The long-term effects on the water and soil in this predominantly Black neighborhood are still unknown.  It has been one week since this fatal incident, and all residents have received from their elected officials are ‘concerns,’ ‘prayers,’ and promises of ‘conversation.’ We are ready to begin the conversation.” See attached for full letter.

The letter has been signed by Columbus Stand Up!, Simply Living, Columbus Socialist Alternative, Freedom BLOC, Ready for 100 Columbus, Students for a Democratic Society, Ohio State University chapter, Ohio Sustainable Business Council, and Our Revolution Central Ohio.