Archives for Rally of Unity

RadioActive 1/7/16

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Alliance for a Common Good’s Rally of Unity at start of Legislative Session in Augusta

Key Discussion Points:
1) A broad network of Maine organizations and movements, gathered under the banner the Alliance for the Common Good, held their 4th annual Rally of Unity at the capitol in Augusta at the open of the legislative session, on January 6th.
2) Participants shared updates on current struggles and victories, and campaigns for the coming year.
3) Some of the points of unity shared by Alliance for a Common Good participants include:

Respect for community sovereignty.
An economy that protects our environment.
Reserving Maine money for Maine people.
Keeping money out of politics.

Guests:
Jim Freeman, environmental and social justice activist, Rally of Unity moderator
Betsy Garrold, Food For Maine’s Future, Local Food Rules
Rev. Carie Johnson. Unitarian Universalist Church, Augusta, UU State Advocacy Network
Fredrick, Bernie Sanders campaign
Hendrick Gideonse, Stop the East West Corridor
Sherri Mitchell, member of the Penobscot Tribe, indigenous rights attorney

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RadioActive 12/31/15

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco
Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: A new initiative to move Mount Desert Island towards energy independence by 2030.

Key Discussion Points:
1) Today we look at an unflinching local initiative to address climate change. A new organization, MDI Climate Solutions has set a goal to move Mount Desert Island towards fossil fuel free energy by 2030.
2) The “Climate to Thrive” initiative will be launched on January 24th at a public event from 3-6pm at the Neighborhood House in Northeast Harbor. This will include looking at a vast expansion of solar power on the island.
3) We also look towards the Alliance for a Common Good’s 4th Annual Rally of Unity next week in Augusta.

Guests:
A) Gary Friedman, Bar Harbor town councilor; climate activist
aclimatetothrive.wordpress.com/
www.facebook.com/AClimatetoThrive/?fref=nf
www.revisionenergy.com/events/a-climate-to-thrive-launch-event/

B) Larry Dansinger, Alliance for a Common Good

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RadioActive 2/13/14

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Issue: Environmental and Social Justice

Program Topic: Coalition of Immokalee Workers’ Radio Consciencia; Rally of Unity speakers on University and State Fossil Fuel Divestment, Climate Change, South Portland Tar Sands Pipeline

Key Discussion Points:
a) The work of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a Florida based tomato farm workers association, has revolutionized a system which has held workers in abusive conditions, without a voice,and dismissed growers and retailers from responsibility or repercussions. One of the organizing tools for the CIW is their low power FM Station, Radio Consciencia.
b) We hear from some of the speakers of last month’s Rally of Unity, organized through the Alliance for the Common Good. Topics include the South Portland struggle to keep tar sands from being piped through Maine, and the student and state level efforts to divest from the fossil fuel industry.
c) Unity College was the first in the nation to begin the process of divestment from the fossil fuel industry. College of the Atlantic was the first to complete the process.

Guests:
A) Silvia Perez, farm worker and organizer with the Coalition of Immokalee Workers www.ciw-online.org
www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/nov/17/radio_conciencia/?neapolitan

B) Jake Ratner, Just Harvest USA

C) Maria Giraurd, member of Penobscot Nation and Penobscot Tribal Council

D) Iris SanGiovanni, Maine Students for Climate Justice; student at University of Southern Maine
gofossilfree.org/maine-students-unite-against-climate-change/ www.350maine.org/divestment_campaign
www.workingwaterfront.com/articles/College-of-the-Atlantic-divests-of-fossil-fuels/15425/

E) Maine State Representative, Brian Jones, from Freedom

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RadioActive 1/3/13

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Program Topic: Reaction to Fiscal Cliff Deadline; Occupy Sandy relief work; Rally of Unity on first day of Maine’s 126th Legislature; update on Bisphenol-A ban

Key Discussion Points:
a) Today we look at the state of the union after the so called fiscal cliff deadline.
b)We peak with a Maine activist who participated in Occupy Sandy relief work .
c)And we speak with a participant in the Alliance for Common about the Janu 8th Rally for Unity in Augusta on the first day of Maine 126th Legislature.
d) Update: the Environmental Health Strategy Center reported today that the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has recommended that the state Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) should reject a citizen petition to remove the toxic plastic additive Bisphenol-A , or BPA, from the packaging for baby and toddler food sold in Maine. The DEP did support the ban covering infant formula cans. The BEP has authority to make the final decision, despite administration recommendations. They meet on January 17th and take a final vote on January 24th. The legislature would have to approve any decision. We will cover this on future programs.

FMI: interoccupy.net/occupysandy/

Guests:
Kevin Simowitz, organizer with the Maine Peoples Alliance www.mainepeoplesalliance.org/
Mary Brennan, Maine resident and WERU volunteer, volunteer with Occupy Sandy in New York
Chris Buchanan, organizer with Defending Water for Life, Stop the East West Corridor, and the Alliance for a Common Good.