Last night's meeting had guest speakers Esther Patt (local activist and head of the CU Tenants Union) on voter registration and the Democratic candidate for Sheriff, Dustin Heuerman. Esther began the meeting discussing strategies for effective voter registration were discussed as well as the various rules and requirements. The group will be looking for volunteers who will attend group training and commitments to help do the legwork.
Heuerman expressed a commitment to community policing and increasing diversity and equality within the Sheriff's Office. He noted that there is no incumbent this election, which he believes gives his campaign a fighting chance. He laid out his related education, experience, and passion for effective and fair policing (more on his about page on his campaign website).
In the regular agenda updates:
The new iteration of the Gun Dealer Licensing bill has a new name: "The Combating Illegal Gun Trafficking Act" (description and link to full text here). The bill is once again going to the Governor's desk for signature, and again faces an uncertain fate so they're encouraging people to call his office and show their support for his signature.
They highlighted the BeSMART campaign to encourage safe storage and prevent accidental and suicide deaths in the home. More information at the BeSMART website here.
There will also be the National Night Out event in Champaign at Beardsley Park on August 7th from 5-7pm (4-7pm for volunteers tabling). They'll have people there answering basic questions and handing out information as well as free gun locks for attendees who want them.
The Student Activist Organization had four students attending tonight and they gave a heads up about a joint meeting between Moms Demand Action and their organization to be announced soon. More on the Student Activist Organization from a meeting write up on the Cheat Sheet here.
Membership boosting ideas being considered include other times and events for folks who have difficulty making it to the usual Tuesday night monthly meeting. Janice of the survivors group is working on getting more black and brown people to join with outreach and information. She noted that many people who are survivors of gun violence don't know it or don't identify with the term even though they've been affected and impacted by gun violence injuring or threatening them and their loved ones as well. She welcomed other members to join a quilt project the survivors group is working on.
They encouraged members to join the facebook group for regular updates and sign up for e-mail updates if they'd like to get those as well. The Champaign Community Coalition was described and highlighted for its collaborative work with policing agencies, activists, and service providers to address gun violence. More about the Coalition on the Cheat Sheet here. An independent news source on gun violence and solutions was highlighted: The Trace. They also have a facebook page you can follow to get regular updates.
Training across the nation is starting soon, including a few people from this local chapter to learn more about organizing and being effective to changing legislation that they'll bring back to the group. They encouraged members with means to help make such training affordable to others through its program that subsidizes the training via donations for those who need help.
The meeting ended on a matter of life or death: getting out the vote. GOTV activities will be the main push of the group heading into the midterms and they'll be encouraging everyone to get even more active, recognizing the efforts so far and how difficult it will be on everyone.
The meeting adjourned at 8:52pm shortly after the Library warned they'll be closing soon.
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