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These events, gatherings, campaigns, and resources did not make it into the printed issue, but are valuable tools to help us amplify efforts to help provide health care for all. What nonviolent progressive health care activism events, campaigns, and resources do you recommend?
Campaign: Single Payer Health Care - Medicare for All, Petition for HR 676
Send a petition to Congressional Representatives via Change.org
For direct action ideas about how to work for Single-Payer healthcare, see The Chicago Single-Payer Action Network
Demonstrator at Chicago Single-Payer Action Network protest against Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois, August 29, 2007.
Gathering: Healthcare-now Events Calendar
Upcoming town-hall meetings, hearings, and conferences from around the country on building a groundswell for single payer health care. There are also hearings going on even in Second Life.
Resource: A summary of the HR 676 single payer bill and an updated list of Congressional sponsors from the Healthcare-Now coalition.
Event: National Women's Speak-Out for Action on Health Reform
April 1, 2009, 7 to 10 pm, New York City, followed by a strategy conference on April 2.
Participants will include:
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Byllye Avery founder of the Black Women's Health Imperative |
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Marcia Gillespie Former Editor-in-Chief of Ms. and Essence Magazines |
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Susan Wood former director of women's health for the FDA |
Campaign: Syringe exchange advocacy materials
Materials to Support Public Funding for Syringe Exchange and lift the federal ban:
Basic citizen lobbying packet Complete 8 page print-out includes one page basic fact sheet on federal ban; syringe exchange medical & scientific supporters; the science behind syringe exchange, and recent press on the need to lift the federal ban. Print out, put in a folder along with a letter and contact information for all meeting participants, and leave at your legislator's office.
"Dear Colleague" letter This letter circulated by Rep Cummings (MD-D) and Rep Castle (DE-R) received 55 sign-ons from Members of Congress asking House leadership to lift the ban and was delivered June 18, 2008.
Organizational Sign-on letter in support of the Serrano bill to lift the federal ban (the CAHP Act)
Materials for your own use:
- Federal ban talking points - For your own use when conducting meetings
- Talking with Your Legislator- Helpful tips for setting up and conducting meetings from Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest.
Campaign: No More Money for Abstinence Only
(Abstinence only approaches don't work, and deprive millions of the comprehensive health and sexuality information we all need.)
From the SIECUS
Also see the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Rights work for:
Sexuality Education
People of Faith for REAL - The Responsible Education About Life Act
The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice (RCRC) supports the Responsible Education About Life Act (REAL), (H.R. 1653, S. 972), federal legislation to provide $204 million to states for programs that provide honest, medically accurate, complete, age-appropriate sex education; programs that the public almost universally supports and that studies show can be effective in helping teens stay healthy. As people of faith, we believe it is a moral imperative to provide children and teens with all the information they need to make responsible and informed decisions about their health.
Learn more about denominational views on sexuality education.
RCRC testimony for House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 4/23/08
How You Can Take Action
- Ask Congress to defund dangerous abstinence-only programs
- Urge your Members of Congress (in both the House and the Senate) to support the REAL Act
- Sign our petition in support of comprehensive sexuality education
- Download our petition and collect signatures in support of comprehensive sexuality education
Why the REAL Act is Needed
• Each year, there are 750,000 teen pregnancies, 82% of which are unintended.
• The sons of teen mothers are 13% more likely to end up in prison.
• Teen daughters are 22% more likely to become teen mothers themselves.
• 31% of young women become pregnant at least once before the age of 20.
• Teen mothers are less likely to complete high school.
• Each year, 9 million teens and young adults acquire an STD.
What REAL Would Do
Provide states with much needed funding for programs that would:
• be required to be age-appropriate and medically accurate;
• teach that abstinence is the only sure way to avoid pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases and stress the value of abstinence while they also teach about the benefits of contraception and protection;
• encourage family communication about sexuality;
• refrain from teaching or promoting religion;
• teach negotiation skills for young people;
• teach young people about the effects of alcohol and drug use on responsible behavior.
also see the resource from SIECUS on advocating for comprehensive sex education: the Community Action Kit
Campaign: ¡BASTA! 30 Years is Enough: Take Action: Repeal Hyde
For 30 years, low-income women on Medicaid have been unjustly prevented from accessing one of the safest and most important procedures a woman can have—an abortion. Under the Hyde Amendment, first passed in 1977, the federal government will not cover abortions for women on Medicaid except in cases of rape, incest and life endangerment.
In honor of women like Rosie Jimenez: A Latina college student who was unable to pay for a legal abortion, became the first woman to die from a back alley abortion after the passage of the Hyde Amendment.
Organized by the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health
Gathering: The 5th Biennial National Conference on Health and Domestic Violence
aims to advance the health care system's response to domestic violence. The Conference will be held at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel and features 4 days of activities:
- - October 7th community service volunteer opportunities for Conference attendees
- October 8th half and full-day Pre-Conference Institutes
- October 9th-10th Two-Day Conference schedule
Conference registration opens April 1, 2009. A limited number of scholarships will be available (the scholarship application will be launched when registration opens).
Campaign: Improve healthcare for Native American and Alaska Native women
The Indian Health Service (IHS) is the principle and in some areas, sole provider of health services for Native American and Alaska Native people. Despite its prevalence, IHS continues to lack consistent protocols and resources for treating sexual assault survivors. Join the AIUSA Stop Violence Against Women campaign and help break down the barriers for Indigenous women overcoming crisis.
Campaign: Fund Anti-Malarial Bed Nets
Bed Nets Save Lives:
Contribute to Malaria No More's Bed Net Campaign
Resource: The Health and Social Justice Video Network from Partners In Health
Delivers both live broadcasts and on-demand video content focusing on social justice and the life-saving importance of public health.
What nonviolent progressive health care activism events, campaigns, and resources do you recommend?
