Showing posts with label social justice. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social justice. Show all posts

Tuesday, March 5, 2024

Ted & I have our climate discussion around my visit to the "pearl of Africa" (audio)

FM #1151 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1151 in the series. 


This session of the radio show shares the output of The Climate Minute podcast episode hosted by Ted McIntyre, Franklin resident and climate activist. We met to record in the Franklin TV & Public Radio studio on Tuesday, February 27, 2024.  

The topic thread we talked of as we continued this making sense of climate discussion was the most extemporaneous that we have had. Ted turned the tables around and interviewed me to find out about my trip to Uganda and we discussed the climate implications of some of the lessons or highlights I shared. 


This discussion continues our journey understanding the MA roadmap toward net zero and while it helps me “make sense of climate”, we hope it helps with your understanding as well. 

If you have climate questions or Franklin specific climate questions, send them in and we’ll try to answer them in a future session.  

The conversation runs about 58 minutes. Let’s listen to my conversation with Ted.


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Links to references made during this episode


African fragile states are at great risk for climate change

https://www.imf.org/en/Blogs/Articles/2023/08/30/africas-fragile-states-are-greatest-climate-change-casualties 


Loss and damage

https://www.unep.org/regions/africa/regional-initiatives/responding-climate-change 


And https://eacop.com/ 


Uganda pipeline mentioned

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/07/10/uganda-oil-pipeline-project-impoverishes-thousands 


Climate colonialism

https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/what-is-climate-colonialism-explain-climate-change/ 


** See the page that collects all the “Making Sense of Climate” episodes -> https://www.franklinmatters.org/2022/02/making-sense-of-climate-collection.html 


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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  


This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.


How can you help?

  • If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

  • If you don't like something here, please let me know


Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.


For additional information, please visit www.franklin.news/ or  www.Franklinmatters.org/ 


If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com


The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.


I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"


Ted & I have our climate discussion around my visit to the "pearl of Africa" (audio)
Ted & I have our climate discussion around my visit to the "pearl of Africa" (audio) 

Thursday, October 12, 2023

Legislature overrides 24 of 35 budget vetoes; restoration of civics education - "an example of 'civics in action'”


"MATT WILSON calls it an example of “civics in action.” 

After Gov. Maura Healey vetoed $1 million from the budget appropriation for a fund dedicated to expanding civics education in the state, a coalition of nonprofits, educators, and other groups focused on civics education sprang into action, meeting with legislative leaders and urging lawmakers to restore the funding. 

Last week, the Senate followed the House lead and overrode Healey’s veto. It means the state’s Civics Education Trust Fund, first established in 2018, will see an infusion of $2.5 million this year, a $500,000 bump from last year’s $2 million appropriation. 

“It really confirms for us the longtime support of civics education that legislators have shown over the last five years,” said Wilson, advocacy director for the Massachusetts Civic Learning Coalition."
Continue reading the article online


"OVER THE COURSE of two weeks, the Legislature overrode the majority of Gov. Maura Healey’s vetoes from her first budget, restoring about $80 million across 24 overrides targeting child care, early education, suicide prevention, and anti-poverty funding. Current revenue levels, plus the recently signed tax cut package, make the package of overrides fiscally sound, lawmakers said.

The budget passed by lawmakers, House Ways and Means chair Aaron Michlewitz told representatives in late September, “was fiscally responsible, while also making sure we protected the programs our most vulnerable populations relied on.”  

Gov. Maura Healey used a light touch with the veto pen in her first budget cycle, but legislators in both chambers made quick work of several vetoes that had caused public consternation.

The governor made 35 vetoes, slicing about $270 million in total spending from the $56 billion budget for fiscal year 2024. Most of the cuts, she said, left programs at necessary levels or removed redundancies. "
Continue reading the article online

 

Legislature overrides 24 of 35 budget vetoes, restoring civics - "an example of 'civics in action'”
Legislature overrides 24 of 35 budget vetoes, restoring civics - "an example of 'civics in action'”

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

Reminder: Interfaith Teen Climate Change group next meeting - Apr 2

Join us on the first Sunday of each month at 7 PM. On April 2, we’ll continuing planning our Earth Day celebration. We are specifically focused on Climate Justice (mitigating the effects of Climate Change on the poorest people of the world and our community). 

All young people are welcome, regardless of religious affiliation.

St John’s Episcopal Church, 237 Pleasant Street in Franklin.

For more information:
Call 508-528-2387 Email Rector@StJohnsFranklinMA.org
Like us on Facebook  and Twitter
See our website at www.stjohnsfranklinma.org    

 

St John's Episcopal Church:  Multi-Family Yard Sale - Aug 6
St John's Episcopal Church

Friday, January 27, 2023

UN Report: "Our world is in a state of fracture – the social contract is broken"

Local Return (@LocalReturnRI) tweeted Thu, Jan 26, 2023:
"There is perhaps no stronger evidence of the pressing need to redesign our global system than the fact that a global health crisis doubled the wealth of the 10 richest men in the world while sending upwards of 120 million people into extreme poverty."
Shared from Twitter -> https://twitter.com/LocalReturnRI/status/1618665173698629632

Direct link to the full or overview of the report ->

UN Report: "Our world is in a state of fracture – the social contract is broken"
UN Report: "Our world is in a state of fracture – the social contract is broken"
  

Wednesday, November 23, 2022

Invisible People TV: "How Perceptions About Rising Crime Rates Affect Homeless People"

"Americans fear for their safety now more than ever. A recent Gallup poll showed fifty-six percent of Americans, which is a record high, believe local crime has risen in their area this year. Seventy-eight percent believe crime is up nationally, which is tied with 2020 when crime truly was significantly higher than average.

There are a few specific types of crimes Americans fear falling victim to more than in previous years. The highest is fear of a child being harmed in school. Next are fears of getting mugged, being attacked while driving, being sexually assaulted, and being murdered. Except for being attacked while driving, all of these fears increased among city dwellers, as opposed to suburban- or rural dwellers.

What we can conclude from this data is that people, especially in urban areas, are a lot more afraid of random attacks than before. It’s not difficult to imagine why, with the increased buzz around violent crimes such as school shootings and random stabbings. We all seem to be a little more aware of our surroundings.

But there are a couple of important points we need to keep in mind:
  1. What we see reported is not always a reflection of reality.
  2. Our fear can have harmful consequences if we aren’t careful."
Continue reading the article online at Invisible People TV

Tuesday, May 31, 2022

You can help raise funds to support the National Black Doll Museum at the Strawberry Stroll

Franklin Federated Church's Social Justice Team is helping raise funds to support the National Black Doll Museum (formerly in Mansfield) which is looking for a new home. (https://nbdmhc.org).The museum's collection of black dolls is amazing enough, but the facility will be so much more, including services and  workshops.

The SJT will be selling pencil dolls , made by the Museum's director, at the Strawberry Stroll on June 10.  All proceeds will go towards the Museum's building fund. 

More information will be available at the Strawberry Stroll.  FFC's table will be located in front of Envoy Mortgage (between Greco Designs and Escape Into Fiction.)

You can help raise funds to support the National Black Doll Museum at the Strawberry Stroll
You can help raise funds to support the National Black Doll Museum at the Strawberry Stroll