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Asylum Seekers Sponsor Project

Woman holding baby

If you're interested in serving as a sponsor for an asylum-seeker, simply fill out the form below with your information and your capacity to help out. One of our volunteers will be in touch with you soon -- though please be patient, as we're an all-volunteer team handling hundreds of sign-ups!

​While all asylum-seekers must have an individual named sponsor in order to secure release, we have heard from an increasing number of congregations that are interested in housing folks currently being detained, especially now that coronavirus is posing an increased threat. If you are part of a faith community that is interested in sponsoring/housing someone currently in detention, please email asylumcongregations@gmail.com to learn more about that process.

War Powers Reform and the Pretense Thereof

I’ve just read through three of the most boring but potentially most important documents around. One is the War Powers Resolution of 1973 which you can print on 6 pages and is what’s referred to as existing law even though it’s violated as routinely as air is breathed. Another is a war powers reform bill that has been introduced in the Senate and seems very likely to go nowhere (it’s 47 pages), and the third is a war powers reform bill in the House (73 pages) that seems virtually certain to go nowhere.

We have to set aside a couple of major concerns, beyond the unlikelihood of Congressional “leadership” allowing such bills to pass, before taking these things seriously.

A Zen Koan on Columbus Day

It’s too easy, right? Too simple — shoving Christopher Columbus off the historical honor roll, pulling down his statues, yanking his “day” away from him and renaming it in honor of the people he murdered, kidnapped, turned into property?

Or is Indigenous Peoples Day seen by the world as simply a starting point, a launching of the transpatriarchal change in collective humanity we so desperately need but do not understand? I certainly put myself in that category: clueless. I both oppose and participate in environmental devastation, consuming my share of fossil fuels, plastic, etc., etc., even as I join those demanding change and pushing back against political-corporate interests. Yeah, Indigenous Peoples Day, that should do it . . . even as the Amazon burns, the tar-sands oil flows, militarism rules and moneyed interests continue getting what they want.

Governor Mike DeWine’s continuing Covid failures: The Ohio tragedy

Governor DeWine

The saga of Gov. DeWine’s Covid failures progresses. [https://www.dispatch.com/story/opinion/columns/guest/2021/06/25/harvey-j-graff-dewines-blundered-coronavirus-response-vax-million-didnt-help/5335280001] 

Its downward spiral accelerates with the surging Delta variant, the relatively low rate of vaccinations, and the Governor’s unwillingness to act. The daily news conferences and active role of the Department of Health ceased, and policy making stopped. The Governor surrendered to opposition, reelection concerns, and the virus itself. 

“Fair Districts All Volunteer Huddle,” hosted by Fair Districts Coalition, ACLU of Ohio, League of Women Voters of Ohio, and Common Cause Ohio

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Wednesday, October 13, 6-7:15pm, this on-line event requires advance registration

Join us for our monthly huddle for all Fair Districts volunteers. Catch up on Fair Districts news, current actions, what’s next for our #fairmaps advocacy. Bring your questions!

This event is for all Fair Districts volunteers: Speakers Bureau, Community Mapping Facilitators, Sign Distributors, and all. Catch up on Fair Districts news, current actions, what’s next for census data, our mapping competition, and more.

E-mail your questions in advance to <fairdistrictsohio2021@gmail.com> or bring them to the meeting.

RSVP for this event by using this link.

Sunrise Columbus Endorses Matthew Meade in Race Against Joyce Beatty

Man holding protest sign

There’s unexpected Democratic opposition to entrenched incumbent Congresswoman Joyce Beatty this year for Ohio’s 3rd district House seat. The Sunrise Movement’s local hub announced Friday that they’re endorsing lesser-known progressive Matthew Meade as the candidate who has better positions on climate issues and working class values.

Sunrise Movement is a U.S. based youth movement to “stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process.” Launched officially in 2017, Sunrise was started by climate activists and members of other climate organizations like the Sierra Club. They have local chapters called “hubs” in all 50 states, including 9 in Ohio.

TWO for TUESDAY ACTION

Details about event

This week we are calling the following Ohio House Energy and Natural Resource Committee, Ohio Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee Members. Please help us track the number of phone calls being made by responding with the word “Done” to info@benohio.org when you have completed your calls.

Call House Energy and Natural Resource Committee member Denson, (614) 466-1308 (Vote No on HB282), then Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee member Maharath (614) 466-8064 (Vote No on SB171)

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A “Lost Boys” survivor recounts his harrowing tale of fleeing war and ultimate redemption

Collage of photos from the story

Bol Aweng, now of Hilliard, Ohio, is one of the Lost Boys of Sudan. At the age of six, he was forced to flee his village and travel 1,500 miles on foot to a refugee camp in Kenya. Bol eventually came to the United States. He graduated from The Ohio State University, majoring in fine art, and was awarded the Robert Duncan Alumni Citizenship Award for starting the Buckeye Clinic in South Sudan.

Bol lives in Hilliard, Ohio with his wife and five children. He speaks to thousands of students each year, sharing his story and raising funds for his clinic.

 The following is his chapter “The Journey of Hope” from Far From Their Eyes: Ohio Migration Anthology, edited and published by our friend Lynn Tramonte of the Ohio Immigrant Alliance.

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