August 21, 2014 – RI Future

August 21, 2014August 22, 2014

Langevin and Pell at Warwick Library tonight

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Want to rub elbows with Congressman Jim Langevin? Maybe you’d like to meet gubernatorial candidate Clay Pell? Or perhaps you want to talk to legislative candidates David Bennett, Joe Shekarchi, Nick Denice, Joseph Solomon Jr., or Jennifer Siciliano?

If so, they will all be at the Warwick Public Library tonight at 5:30 for the Warwick Progressive Democrats second annual Meet & Greet.

Here’s the Facebook event, and here’s the full release we sent out:

The Warwick Progressive Democrats, an affiliate of the RI Chapter of the Progressive Democrats of America (RIPDA), is proud to host its second annual Meet & Greet for officeholders, candidates, and voters! All candidates are welcome to attend, whether or not they have been endorsed by RIPDA — the focus of this event is on the discussion and advancement of ideas through promoting candidates speaking directly with Rhode Island voters and residents. Candidates attending include Congressman Langevin, gubernatorial candidate Clay Pell*, State Representatives David Bennett (D-20)* and Joe Shekarchi (D-23) and State Rep candidates Jennifer Siciliano* Joe Solomon Jr. (both D-22), and Nick Denice (D-26), along with members of and candidates for Warwick City Council.

Meet us in the Large Room of the Warwick Public Library on Thursday, August 21 starting at 5:30 to speak one-on-one with candidates for office while enjoying pizza from Cosmic Pizza (donated by Rep. Shekarchi) and refreshments. This is a free event, not a fundraiser or endorsement hearing, and all are welcome to attend. Bring your friends and family!

The top priority for the Warwick Progressive Democrats is creating well-paying jobs for Rhode Islanders through raising the minimum wage and better distributing the tax burden. Democratic candidates appearing on ballots in Warwick will receive an introduction and our thanks should they be willing to fill out a questionnaire. A copy of the questionnaire will be available to view at the event.

*An asterisk indicates that these candidates have been endorsed by RIPDA. Please note that the Warwick Progressive Democrats does not have a PAC and will not endorse candidates in 2014, and that RIPDA, with its own PAC, has its own endorsement process. This event should not be construed as an endorsement – all candidates will be given equal opportunity at this event.

More information is available on our Facebook events page: https://www.facebook.com/events/717030501667044/

I hope that you can join us at our meet & greet!

Best Regards,
Jeremy Rix
City Coordinator, Warwick Progressive Democrats

August 21, 2014August 21, 2014

#march4mikebrown marches into PVD Police HQ

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Last night over 200 protesters (estimated by the ProJo for what it’s worth) marched from the field across from the Providence Place Mall to the Providence Public Safety Complex, with cries of “No Justice, No Peace!,” “Justice for Mike Brown” and “Whose city? Our city!”

The event was held to stand in solidarity with and boost the morale of the people in Ferguson MS, where police shot and killed Michael Brown, an unarmed black man. The marchers called for an end to police brutality, an end to the militarization of law enforcement and to “give the power back to the people.”

The march was entirely peaceful.

Liandra Medeiros, a Nonviolence Initiative Coordinator, was on the scene, and she recorded some great video and took some pictures of the event.

August 21, 2014August 26, 2014

Clay Pell wins RIPDA endorsement

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The Rhode Island Progressive Democrats announced today they are endorsing Clay Pell in his upstart bid to beat both Angel Taveras and Gina Raimondo in the Democratic primary for governor.

“It was abundantly clear to the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats that Clay Pell is the progressive choice for governor in the Democratic primary, said RIPDA State Coordinator Sam Bell in an email from the Pell campaign.

“From his strong commitment to public education and educators, his opposition cutting a property tax relief program for low-income Rhode Islanders in order to raise the estate tax exemption for the wealthiest in our state, and his call to raise the minimum wage to $10.10 immediately, Clay is the candidate who has consistently stood on the side of working Rhode Islanders and embodied our progressive values,” Bell said. “We were also impressed by his comprehensive plan to revive our struggling economy through investment – with his Infrastructure Replacement and Rehabilitation program, his commitment to Health Source RI, and his belief that state government can be a force for good in the lives of Rhode Islanders.”

Said Pell, in the email:

“I am honored to have earned the endorsement of the Rhode Island Progressive Democrats. To me, being a Democrat means two things – opportunity and justice. The Rhode Island Progressive Democrats are a strong voice for a progressive vision for our state that embodies those twin aspirations. I am committed to being a champion for a more equitable future for Rhode Island, and to ensuring working families in our state have access to a world-class education and an economy built to last.”

Taveras’ campaign declined to comment.

The release comes one day after a WPRI / Providence Journal poll shows Pell’s popularity surging. He’s still in third place, with 26 percent compared to Taveras’ 27 percent and Raimondo’s 32 percent, but his campaign operatives have been adamant that he can pull ahead with less than three weeks before the primary.

August 21, 2014

Working Women Wednesdays begin at Renaissance and Hilton

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One of the few bright spots on the Rhode Island economic landscape is tourism, but should our economic successes be built on the backs of women scraping by on minimum wage?

Some hotels downtown pay fair wages and are willing to negotiate with their employees about working conditions. The Providence Renaissance Hotel next to the State House and the Providence Hilton next to the Convention Center do not. The practices at these hotels have been shameful. And to a casual observer, it’s hard not to come to the conclusion that the management at these hotels are specifically targeting young mothers for harassment and termination. (See the pieces I wrote in collaboration with Krystle Martin and Adrienne Jones.)

In response, the hotel workers and Unite Here! 217 have planned an ongoing series of pickets at both hotels, called Working Women Wednesday. Each week a team of protesters will be raising a ruckus at each hotel. Attention will be called to the fact that the profits of the Providence Renaissance Hotel and the Providence Hilton Hotel made by treating working mothers as disposable commodities.

Let’s demand that hotel management do better.