[act-ma] URGENT ACTION: JOIN COMMUNITY CHANGE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM

[Janet]

ARE YOU READY TO PUT YOUR ANTI-RACIST VALUES INTO ACTION?


  BECOME A MEMBER OF THE COMMUNITY CHANGE RAPID RESPONSE TEAM!

             Throughout our nearly 40 year history, Community Change  
has been committed to action for racial justice.  To increase our  
impact when the need for action arises, CCI is forming a Rapid  
Response Team; we are developing a network of volunteers who are  
willing to participate in antiracist actions in the Boston area and  
who will inform and encourage others to join them.  To be a member of  
the CCI Rapid Response Team, it is not necessary to answer every call  
for action, but rather to be willing, when possible, to stand up for  
racial justice with others. To join CCI’s Rapid Response Team, call  
617-523-0555 or email janet at communitychangeinc.org

ACTION IS NEEDED NOW FOR TWO ISSUES IN THE BOSTON AREA

1. Help stop housing evictions in Dorchester & Boston-area. The  
pressure generated by activists forming blockades in front of the  
homes of those facing eviction has halted the bank’s plans. THIS  
ACTION IS WORKING BUT MANY OTHERS ARE FACING EVICTIONS. You can help  
tenants avoid some of the devastation of the racist sub-prime  
mortgage disaster by standing with these tenants. The most probable  
next case will be a triple decker where the tenants have offered to  
buy, have applied for and received mortgage approval after having the  
foreclosed property value appraised, and then were turned down by the  
bank as they doubled the asking price.

For stories and info on foreclosure evictions in Boston, go to:  
http://boston.indymedia.org and http://www.clvu.org
  For history and analysis of the subprime mortgage disaster and how  
it affects communities of color, go to http://www.faireconomy.org and  
click on Foreclosed: State of the Dream 2008.

  To hear more about and discuss this issue, come to the Community  
Change Brown Bag Discussion on February 20 to meet Roxan McKinnon,  
Director of City Life/Vida Urbana.

  2. Help ensure high quality education for all MA K-12 students by  
reforming MCAS now.

Join us at the State House on February 13 for the
  			MCAS Reform – Lobby Day & Action

Wednesday February 13, 2008, 10:30 a.m.

Room A-1, The State House

  We will be asking the Governor, our representatives and senators to  
reduce the weight of the MCAS and use a range of evidence to  
determine graduation as has been done successfully in other states.  
If possible, please make            appointments with your  
Representative and Senator to meet with them on February 13 (11:30 am  
or after). Appointments can be made now, and let us know if you would  
like assistance in making appointments. Even if you can’t make  
appointments before, please come anyway and we will direct you to  
your legislators’ offices.
  b. Call the Governor, your Representative and your Senator anytime

on February 13, or during the week of February 11-18 and ask for  
their support of MCAS Reform. Governor’s Phone #: 617-725-4005 –  
State Phone #: 617-722-2000.

  c. Email the Governor, your Representative and your Senator anytime

February 13, or during the week of February 11-18 and ask for their

support of MCAS Reform. To email the Governor: Go to www.mass.gov.

Click on “contact the Governor’s office” and you will be directed to an

email form.

  For more information on the MCAS Reform effort, go to: http:// 
www.citizensforpublicschools.org





  
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