Archive for the ‘Economic Justice’ Category

Easy like Sunday morning

Friday, March 27th, 2009
Believe me, I like a sweet reason to get out of bed (or loll in bed) on Sunday mornings. One of the nicest motivations, in my mind, is the promise of quiet time beneath these nourishing North Carolina trees alongside a lovely, ever-changing river.  And good company.

So early risers and Sunday lovers, join me this Sunday morning at 10:30 for another Traction outdoors event.  This one will be a moderately strenuous hike (~4 mi.) to the highest point I know of around Durham.

What: mid-morning hike along the Eno River
Where: Cox Mtn Trail (off Cole Mill Road)
When: Sun Mar 29th 10:30am

RSVP: outdoors@getTraction.org

I’m bringing my dog, and coffee and something freshly-baked to share, but you don’t need to bring anything except sturdy shoes.  We’ll wrap up around 12:30pm or so — plenty of time to get to The Overwhelming (see below).  Please RSVP to outdoors@getTraction.org for the specific meeting place and to be in the loop in case of weather (forecast looks good).
It won’t be long until these trees explode with green leaves and then all we’ll talk about is the heat.  Come enjoy the spring.

Cori
storyteller, community member, Tractivist

Join Traction at HK on J 3

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

Hey Tractivists

If you’re not already planning to come out to HK on J 3 this Saturday, this video will change your mind.

It’ll be great if we have a large number of Tractivists come out to send the message that Traction (and young people in general) are standing up for progressive change in NC.  It’s also going to be a lot of fun and a chance to meet folks from progressive organizations from across the state.

So, get yourself to HK on J using one of these 3 easy options:

Carpool from Orange County

There’s an official group that is arranging bus seats and carpools leaving from University Mall: http://groups.google.com/group/HKonJ-OC/browse_thread/thread/c3b8a06a462c8b97/8d85edc04bfade69?show_docid=8d85edc04bfade69&pli=1

Or, email me ( cara@gettraction.org ) and we’ll meet up at Eastgate Shopping Center in Chapel Hill, near Trader Joe’s.  Email me ahead of time to let me know know if you can drive or if you’ll be riding with someone else.

Carpool from Durham

Meet at Traction office (1018 Broad St.) at 8:40 AM; leave 8:45.  Email me ( cara@gettraction.org ) ahead of time to let me know if you can drive or if you’ll be riding with someone else.

Meet up at Chavis Park in Raleigh

Look for the Traction crew (with Traction shirts and banner) on the playground side of the seating area.  If you can’t find us, call Cara on the Traction phone at 919-Traction (919-872-2846).

Email me ( cara@gettraction.org ) ASAP to let me know you’ll be there.

See you Saturday,

Cara

the economy and you: Traction personal investing workshop

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008
Dear Tractivists,   

Your economic stimulus check should have landed in your mailbox / bank account by now. I’d like to suggest that you invest it in your future.

For young people, financial investing may seem distant, something to do later when you have more money to work with. Especially during this economic downturn, you might be tempted to tune out of the stock market. Don’t.

My wife and I have enjoyed the Traction events we’ve attended: “Eyes on the Prize,” a tour of Piedmont Biofuels, and a Shirley Chisholm documentary. Each event was as unique as the people in attendance. I believe that sharing is a two-way street. Since part of my calling is to help people choose investments that work in their favor, I’d like to invite you to an investing workshop with me.

WHAT: Investing During a Slowing Economy: Tools and Tips
WHEN: June 12th, 7pm
WHERE: Downtown Durham (RSVP for specifics)
RSVP: investing@getTraction.org
Brush-up Reading: Money Guide for 20-somethings

We’ll talk about why you as a Tractivist should invest and how to do it, and we’ll discuss socially responsible investment options so that your money can work for both your financial goals and your values.

I got into investing because of my parents, who came to the U.S. from Panama and who both worked at Chase Manhattan Bank. I was hooked by their stories of how investing gave their clients financial freedom and protection, leading me to study economics at Wharton, get a Master’s Degree in Finance, and work for a Wall Street firm as a financial advisor.

Don’t worry!! You do not need to have a large sum of money to begin investing. Your economic stimulus check would be great, or you can begin with even less. The earlier you get started, the sooner you can make your money work for you, and the earlier you’ll build the knowledge and financial freedom to meet your goals (like owning a home, starting a business, or saving the world). Further, over the many years before you retire, you’ll earn interest on your interest, so an investment now will multiply its value many times over ten, twenty, or thirty years.

I look forward to sharing my expertise in helping people manage their finances and to learning your interests so that together all of our worlds can get a little bigger.

Gregory Davis
Investment Planner, Writer, & Consultant; Board member of StoriesWork; Tractivist

P.S. From the thrift-o-rama team (Lisa, Melissa, Lanya):

We need YOU to help sort, clean, and test all the really good (and in some cases, brand new) re-usable goods coming in for the 6/14 thrift-o-rama. Come to Traction’s Caddy Shack (at Geer and Rigsbee) this Tuesday 5-7pm to volunteer and/or drop off your own good quality stuff for reuse. Write reuse@getTraction.org so we know you’re coming.

 

RERUN – you’ve got another thank coming

Wednesday, November 21st, 2007

In solidarity with the striking writers, we’re showing a rerun / re-post. Here’s a blogpost from this time last year (with minor update tweaks).

Happy Thanksgiving to you all. And hey, for some good progressive Thanksgiving mojo, listen to Howard Zinn talking to Tavis Smiley about Thanksgiving (also a rerun): http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1524095
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Is it just me, or are there a lot of things to be thankful for these days?

Along with public education (such as it is), voting rights (such as they are), the endangered species act, the earned income tax credit, community health centers, NC’s excellent voter-verified paper ballot legislation, Plan B emergency contraception and Jon Stewart, you can add FESTIVUS to the list of things you’re thankful for. Oh, and the promise of a new direction for the country!

Yes, that’s right: it’s time for Traction’s [3rd] Annual Festivus for the Left of Us! holiday-ish fundraiser with silent auction. Food, drink, and feats of strength! Shopping, cool people and a great cause! Plus fabulous games, dancing, airings of grievances, feats of strength [now including mental strength -- a new Festivus game show] [and the return of the Festivus Foto booth!]

[When: Sat, Dec 8th, starting at 7pm
Where: 108 Morris St. (a hot Greenfire Development property) in downtown Durham]
Write to festivus07@getTraction.org to volunteer, donate items, or RSVP.

But back to you…

What are YOU thankful for this year? Post it in the comments!

Salsa party x2 — hips and dip

Thursday, August 9th, 2007

Traction is throwing a salsa party!

Here’s the scoop…

What: Salsa Doble (hips and dip)
When: Sunday August 19

  • 6pm salsa-making workshop
  • 7pm dance lesson
  • 8pm party

Where: the fabulous porch of Parker and Otis (formerly Fowler’s) in Durham
Who: Traction, El Pueblo, El Centro, SEEDS, Locopops and a porchload of your favorite Tractivists
Cost: $10 donation for the workshop or the dance party; get both for $17
Get your tickets here.

Since we’ll be both EATING and DANCING, we’re calling it Salsa Doble (hips and dip). And because it’s Traction, you know you’ll find spicy info about progressive issues — this time it’s immigration, farmworkers’ rights and local food — and ways to take action.
That’s right, local food. It would be WRONG to let peak tomato season pass without making some badass salsa. (Remember, friends don’t let friends buy El Paso.) So we’re throwing a salsa-making workshop. Spaces are limited…

Make a donation and get your tix here.

Hey, you know how you’ve been waiting for just the right occasion to volunteer for Traction? I think this is it. Write to salsa@getTraction.org to get in the mix…
Good food, good friends, good politics, and you’re supporting a great cause. Get your ticket now, and we’ll see you on the 19th!

H K on J: History in the making and Traction was there!

Tuesday, February 13th, 2007

Traction was honored to be part of H K on J, or Historic Thousands on Jones St., on Saturday.
Thousands of North Carolinians gathered in an NAACP-led People’s Assembly and adopted (by roaring acclamation) a bold 14-point progressive agenda:

1. High quality, well-funded, diverse schools for all children
2. Living wages
3. Health care for all
4. Government redress for the Wilmington Race Riots of 1898 and the forced sterilization of black women from 1947 to 1977
5. Same-day voter registration and public financing for elections
6. More funding for historically black colleges and universities
7. Redress for 200 years of discrimination in state hiring and contracting
8. Affordable housing and consumer protection
9. Criminal justice reform including abolition of the death penalty
10. Creation of an environmental job corps for youth
11. Collective bargaining for public employees
12. Immigrant rights
13. More funding for civil rights enforcement agencies
14. Bringing troops home from Iraq

Then we marched to the General Assembly and posted it there for our state legislators to see.

Thanks to Tractivist Robert S., who posted lots of H K on J clips on You Tube! Here’s one featuring several Tractivists on stage, including yours truly…

Traction represented well, with Dave, Celeste, Bria, Anne, Tamara, Brandi, Jim, Adam and many more among the marchers.

Did you take pictures? Post them to flickr and tag them HKonJ and Traction!