As August draws to a close we need to start preparing for an action packed month of September and the rest of the fall as there’s lots happening on the statehood front. As always the you can help us build cosponsors on the statehood bill in the Senate by contacting the offices listed here but there’s so much more that we need your help on. Here are some upcoming events where we need you to help us spread the good word on statehood, recruit new people to the movement, and to help make our proposed draft constitution better:
- H St. Festival: On September 17, from 11-5pm we’ll be tabling at H St. Festival. Once again this year the organizers have donated a table and tent to us because they like our group and love our cause. This is a fantastic event to recruit new people to our movement so that we can continue to build the grassroots movement for statehood. At our table we’ll once again be doing temporary tattoos, handing out bumper stickers, recruiting volunteers, and maybe even selling a few t-shirts. It’s a great event and if you lend an hour or two to the cause we’d love to have you with us. Please fill out this calendar if you can help us for an hour or two from 11am-5pm: http://doodle.com/poll/5idf7eeh3adygatb
- Constitution Hearings: The DC Council Committee of the Whole will be holding two hearings on the statehood constitution. This is the time to voice your opinion about the process followed thus far in developing a constitution and on the substance of the draft constitution that we’ll be voting on this Nov. 8th. The first hearing will be on September 27th at 11am (http://dccouncil.us/events/cow-public-hearing5) and the second hearing will be October 6th at 6:30pm (http://dccouncil.us/events/cow-public-hearing6). Please go to the aforementioned links to sign-up to testify for either hearing. Your voice is needed in this important process!
- Rhode Island Ave. Fest: On October 1, we might (provided people sign-up) once again table at Rhode Island Ave Fest to continue our efforts to recruit new members and expand the movement. If you’re interested in helping table this event, similar to H St. Fest, we’d love to have you. Please fill out this Doodle calendar if you can help from 10am-4pm on October 1, 2016: http://doodle.com/poll/uzd88wtm94ashdax
- Op-Ed Writers Project: One of the most cost effective and far reaching ways to spread the word about statehood is to get op-eds published about the cause. Over the last several years we’ve done a good job of getting op-eds published in papers around the country but there is more to do. After the referendum on statehood this November our hope is to have allies across the country send in Op-Eds to their local papers asking their members of Congress to stand with the people of DC and support statehood. We need to start now recruiting people who have friends and family in the following states (Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Oregon, New Mexico, and any other you so choose) to start drafting op-eds and recruiting allies in those states to send them in. Please let me know if there’s a state you’d like to work with a friend or family from to draft an Op-Ed for calling on their members of Congress to support statehood for the people of DC.
We hope to see you at H St. Fest, at the Council Hearings, at RIA Fest, or somewhere else. There’s a lot still to do and we look forward to doing it with you.
Keep well, stay active, and we will prevail!
Josh Burch
Brookland, DC
Neighbors United for DC Statehood 