The Happening: July 27th – Abolish ICE Mass Meeting, Climate March, #JusticeForMichaelWhite, Be a Hero Campaign and more!

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Welcome to the Weekly Happening! Here is your weekly to-do list for the resistance.

Mass Meeting: Abolish ICE & #EndPARS

Join organizers from the Occupy City Hall Campaign at a mass meeting this Friday at the William Way LGBT Community Center to discuss the Abolish ICE movement and where #EndPARS is. The following Saturday, August 4th, organizers will be hosting a march from the Liberty Bell to City Hall to continue to put pressure on Mayor Kenney, Governor Wolf and City Council to abolish ICE, shut down the Berks Family Detention Center and end the PARS data sharing contract with ICE that’s up for renewal on August 31st. Come out and rally in solidarity with Philadelphia’s immigrant communities.

Rally for Environmental Justice and Fight Environmental Racism

Next Thursday, August 2, join Green Justice Philly and Carnival de Resistance for a parade and rally across Philadelphia. The organizations are pushing for the solarization of Philadelphia and demanding the the city integrate social justice goals into their renewable energy plan. The parade will start at PECO where they will protest their energy policies and rate hikes, then it will stop at SEPTA where they will demand that SEPTA stop construction on the gas-fired power plant in Nicetown. The proposed gas plant is considered to be a obvious continuation of environmental racism. Nicetown is a residential neighborhood with a population that’s over 90 percent black. The plant would emit 67 tons of toxic emissions into their air annually, and could further deteriorate the already poor air quality in the neighborhood. The parade will close at City Hall where they will encourage Mayor Kenney and City Council to use solar energy on city infrastructure and to ensure that work on new projects go to Philadelphia residents and that the hired workforce reflects the racial demographics of the city. Turn out to demand the right to clean air for all of Philadelphia residents.

Carnival de Resistance will be in Philadelphia all week with a wide range of events including, mural painting, carnival events and an eco-village demonstration at the Norris Square Neighborhood Project!

#JusticeForMichaelWhite

Join family and friends of Michael White at his court appearance on Wednesday, August 1st, to demand that his charges be dismissed or down-graded and that he be released on bail until the outcome of his case. Michael White was arrested for the murder of Philly real estate developer Sean Schellenger. Michael was working as a courier delivering food when he encountered Sean and two other men. Michael, a black man, encountered the three white men around Rittenhouse Square. Michael’s family has said these men were “visibly intoxicated” and that Michael felt racially targeted by these men who wanted to start a fight with him. Family, friends and community members have rallied to support Michael, who they believe acted in self defense. PhillyMag reporter Ernest Owens explains how the racial dynamics of the criminal justice system play into the case and how as a black man Michael has unjustly been labelled an aggressor rather than a victim. “I know for certain that if Michael White had been a white boy delivering food in Rittenhouse Square and was confronted by three Black men, self-defense would have been the automatic plea — just as it often is for any white man who kills an unarmed Black person in America,” wrote Owens. Stand with Michael and his family his Wednesday to demand that he receives justice.

Revolutionizing Our Justice System

Join Councilwoman Helen Gym, District Attorney Larry Krasner, writer and activist Shaun King along others for a conversation about revolutionizing our justice system. The event will take place next Tuesday, August 31st, at City Hall. It’s held as part of the Be a Hero campaign launched by activist Ady Barkan. After Ady was diagnosed with ALS almost 2 years ago, he started the Be a Hero campaign as a way to hold politicians accountable to their votes. He is travelling across the U.S. asking politicians to be heroes and energize the progressive legislation that matters the most.

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In solidarity,

Philly We Rise

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