Archive for the ‘Walk the Talk’ Category

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pssst! (confessions of a budding financial guru)

Monday, September 14th, 2009

Hey Tractivists,

I have a confession to make.

When I got involved with planning Traction’s Mad Money series, I had some misgivings. Thinking about my personal finances, and especially about ways to increase my wealth, seemed selfish to me.  Now I realize that planning for my financial future isn’t selfish, on the contrary, my financial security will ensure that I can do the kind of work that really matters to me AND my community.

Please join us for the last two workshops in this Mad Money series. This Wednesday, Greg Davis of G. Davis Capital will answer your questions about long-range investments, real estate, and planning for retirement:

WHAT: Planning for the Long Haul: Real Estate and Retirement
WHEN: Wed. Sept. 16, 6:30-8 PM
WHERE: Traction HQ, 1018 Broad St.
RSVP: money@getTraction.org

And next Wednesday, Greg will be back with Jennifer Lazarus of Lazarus Financial Planning to talk about ways to make sure that your investments line up with your values.  I’m psyched to get advice on how to take care of my future while making sure my money is working for the causes I care about.  Because growing my assets isn’t just an end to me… to have a clear conscience, I need to focus on the means as well.  It’s really important to me to know where my money’s going in the meantime and what it’s funding: I want my investments to help fund a more fair and progressive future.  To join me at one or both workshops, RSVP to money@getTraction.org.

Also, Traction is looking for volunteers to help with our annual “outing” (kidding!) to Durham’s Pride Parade (Sat, Sept 26), which I helped organize last year. Write to pride@getTraction.org to get involved!

See you soon!

Cara

budding financial guru, coffee lover, Tractivist

P.S. Join Traction and special guests for Robert Greenwald’s film Rethink Afghanistan. Where is this war heading us?  This Sun, 9/20, 7 PM, Manbites Dog Theater in Durham. Write to rethink@getTraction.org for more info.

Posted in Events, Walk the Talk | No Comments »

Local Fruit Trifecta, Part 2: Great Blueberry Pickstravaganza

Tuesday, July 14th, 2009

It’s hard to believe it’s been a whole year since a passel of Tractivists descended on Orange County to denude a bountiful patch of local, organic blueberries. Or maybe not so hard to believe if, like me, you’re looking at your freezer and finding blueberries conspicuously missing next to the strawberries you picked in May.

In any case, our course of action is clear — we must make another foray deep into the den of the savage wild blueberry. That’s right, grab your sun hat and a bucket, and come on out for the Second Annual Great Blueberry Pickstravaganza!

What: 2nd Annual Great Blueberry Pickstravaganza: an organic U-pick adventure
When: Saturday morning, July 18th, 8:30 AM
Where: Carpool from Durham Farmers’ Market; or meet at Cedar Grove Blueberry Farm
RSVP: blueberry@getTraction.org

Cost: $2.00 / lb.

http://kelliejones.files.wordpress.com/2009/04/blueberries_earlyblue.jpg

Why:

1. Because picking local blueberries is a finger in the eye of the agricultural-industrial complex.
2. Because blueberries are insanely good for you and taste insanely good.
3. Because picking local blueberries is a win-win-win situation:
- You win because your blueberries are cheaper, fresher, tastier, and longer-lasting.
- Local farmers win because your money goes directly to the farmer instead of through distributors.
- Your local environment wins because you’re supporting the growth of a native plant with an important place in the existing local ecosystem; native crops like blueberries require fewer chemicals than highly industrialized and subsidized crops like feed corn.
4. Because local and organic berries require less energy to get to your table than conventional berries from far away; you can gorge on berries with little contribution to climate change.
5. Because right now $5 could buy you one pint of blueberries at the local farmer’s market or TWO AND A HALF POUNDS if you pick them yourself!
6. Because Traction will hand out tips on how to pick, preserve, and prepare blueberries.
7. Because last year you picked four pounds and your best friend picked seven, and this year it’s war!
8. Because your freezer is empty.
9. Because your freezer is full, and you need an excuse to cook the package of shrimp you bought in December.
10. Because, as we all know, going to a Traction event is like emptying a bottle of delirious joy goo all over your head.

So if you think you’ve got what it takes to pick up a spear, or just a bucket, and join the ancient hunt for the dangerous wild blueberry, or if you just want to spend a couple of hours in good company and eating more or less everything you see, then send an RSVP right now to blueberry@getTraction.org for more information. We’ll head off early so we don’t get sunstroke. Bring yourself, your kids (there’s a swingset), your dog (we checked; dogs are OK), your neighbor… Invite ‘em all.

Please include in your RSVP:
a. How many people you’ll bring (best guess)
b. Whether you’d rather carpool with us from the Market or meet us at the farm

I will reply to RSVPs with detailed information on the meeting point, directions to the farm, a list of what to bring, copies of handouts, etc.

Stay tuned for our fall outing to pick apples and complete Traction’s 2009 local fruit trifecta. I look forward to once again plundering the berry harvest in your company!

Colin Cannell
Smuggler, libertine, Tractiberry

P.S. Quinton, Traction’s bike-riding, Locopop-loving, YouTube-lobbying intern, says:
"I need your recommendations for progressive fun — as weird as pig wrasslin’, as flexible as improv at DSI Comedy, as funny as "Yoga in the Hood". Tell me your favorite hang-out or restaurant/coffee bar/pastry shop. Where can I go for a live performance, a good book, or an open mic night? What about salsa or music lessons? Which progressive and locally-owned businesses do you support? Email me at quinton@getTraction.org !"

P.P.S. Upcoming Traction events:
7/9 Drinking Liberally: Tonight and every Thursday. Bull McCabe’s, 8 PM – 10 PM
7/19 Outdoors group: Plant Stalkers. Write to outdoors@getTraction.org .
early Aug Reel Politik: King Corn. Write to corn@getTraction.org .
8/5 Improve your financial know-how: Series kick-off. Write to cara@getTraction.org .

Posted in Economic Justice, Environment, Events, Walk the Talk | No Comments »

The Employee Free Choice Act : Why You Should Care and What You Can Do

Thursday, June 4th, 2009

While at the America’s Future Now conference, I attended a very moving panel on the Employee Free Choice Act and workers’ rights generally.
Larry Cohen of the Communications Workers of America union said that U.S. laws contain the worst repressions of workers’ rights in the democratic world. He and other speakers referred to the fight for workers’ rights as the major civil rights battle of our time.

As a progressive movement we have lots of reasons to care about the outcome of the EFCA and other labor battles. Wade Henderson of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights spoke about the many strong links between labor and the civil rights movement since the beginning. Union members not only earn higher wages, are more likely to have health care, and enjoy greater well-being at work, they also vote more progressively than non-union members and are active allies in many other progressive movements.

At Traction’s spring happy hour, MaryBe McMillan of the NC AFL-CIO asked us to take action on the Employee Free Choice Act by thanking Sen. Kay Hagan for her initial support of the bill. The message I got from the panel was that we need to KEEP talking to Sen. Hagan as well as our Representatives in the House to ask them to support (or continue to support) the EFCA. The AFL-CIO has one way to get in touch with your legislators here , or you can call or send a hand-written letter. Any way you do it, it’s important that we speak up now for labor rights.

Are you going to take action? Have you done it already? Let me know in a comment or email to cara@getTraction.org!

Posted in Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Politics, Tractivists in Action, Walk the Talk | No Comments »

Building the Progressive Majority : Blogging from the America’s Future Now Conference

Monday, June 1st, 2009

Talk at the first day of the America’s Future Now conference has centered on the issues of healthcare, the economy, and labor rights.  Highlights for me included speeches by Gov. Howard Dean, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis and William McNary calling for healthcare reform, and an innovative presentation about the need for public funding of elections.  

I want to share some hopeful news from a session I attended called “A New and Enduring Progressive Majority?” which featured speakers from Progressive Majority, Women’s Voices Women’s Vote, the Center for American Progress, Working America, and Democracia USA.  All the speakers agreed that the changes in the American voting population in the past decade have worked in favor of progressive change, and this trend is likely to continue–good news.  

Every speaker also talked about the role of young people in the future of the progressive movement.  Young people are overwhelmingly more progressive than older folks, so it’s going to be vital that we stay active and keep working to engage our peers–even better news!  I was proud to be representing an organization that’s working to do just that.   

One last stunning factoid from the session: by the year 2016 (not that far off!), the majority of voters will no longer be white Christians.  

More to come tomorrow about the progressive plan to move America forward and what Tractivists are going to need to do to help shape our future!

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Posted in Economic Justice, Fair Elections, Health Care, Politics, Uncategorized, Walk the Talk | No Comments »

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

Posted in Civil Rights, Economic Justice, Education, Environment, Events, Fair Elections, Health Care, Peace, Politics, Tractivists in Action, Walk the Talk | No Comments »

Trick Or Vote Hits the Streets

Wednesday, October 29th, 2008

Posted in Politics, Tractivists in Action, Trick Or Vote, Walk the Talk, elections | No Comments »

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