your move, Barack

January 27th, 2010
It’s President Obama’s move.  Tonight in his State of the Union address, he’ll signal his intentions on many of the key issues.  What do YOU hope to hear?

What: Hoping for Audacity watch party — food, drink, community
When: TONIGHT, Jan 27 at 8:15pm
Where: Traction HQ (1018 Broad St., Durham)
RSVP: sotu[at]getTraction[dot]org or on facebook

Whatever Obama says, this speech is just one move, and it’s only talk.  The key is action.  Tonight  — between beers and popcorn — you’ll be able to take a few simple actions on your top issues.  And you’ll meet two incredible people who roll up their sleeves and work for change every day: Rep. Grier Martin of Wake County (endorsed by Traction Action Fund in 2008) and Jenn Frye of Democracy NC.  (Did I mention they’re both hot??)

I’m not going to lie — with health care reform up in the air and the economy still struggling, it’s been rough lately.  But we WILL move this country forward.  Tonight is Barack’s move.  Tomorrow, it’s all of ours.

Go Team, Lanya

P.S. Looking for inspiration?  Take 10 min. to watch this fantastic video of my one of my heroes, the much-maligned Van Jones.  Short-cut: start from the 3:00 mark.

P.P.S. Upcoming:
Fri Feb 5: Latin dance party for Haiti at La Luna – haiti[at]getTraction.org
Sat Feb 13: HK on J in Raleigh – hkonj[at]getTraction.org
Interested in playing co-ed volleyball?  volley[at]getTraction.org

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State of the Union: hoping for audacity

January 25th, 2010

One year into Obama’s presidency, and it’s turned out differently than many folks imagined… What will Obama say on Wednesday in his speech?  Will he cowtow to the teabagger crowd or be the bold progressive leader we want to see?  Me, I’m hoping for audacity.

What: State of the Union watch party
When: Wed, Jan 27 at 8:15pm
Where: Traction HQ (1018 Broad St., Durham)
RSVP: sotu[at]getTraction[dot]org or on facebook

Come watch with other Tractivists — you’ll hear from amazing progressive state Representative Grier Martin, the awesome Jenn Frye from Democracy NC and other organizers about what’s happening closer to home, including what we can do besides cross our fingers for some audacity from Obama.

–> We need a few volunteers!  Join the inner circle: write sotu[at]getTraction[dot]org w/ volunteer in the subject line.

And mark your calendars for a latin dance benefit for Haiti next Friday night 2/5 at La Luna in Durham.  Traction is co-sponsoring along with El Centro Hispano, La Conexion and others; proceeds go to Partners in Health.  Volunteers get in free: haiti@getTraction.org.

It’s been a hellish couple of weeks but as MLK said, the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.  Let’s see if Obama is audacious enough to lean into his (still-considerable) power and bend 2010 toward progressive change and justice for all.

Keep Hope Alive,
Lanya
for Traction Action Fund

*Traction Action Fund is affiliated with Traction, but is separate.  While Traction focuses on non-partisan civic engagement and leadership development, Traction Action aims to change North Carolina’s political landscape via legislative advocacy and electoral action.  Opt in to TAF’s mailing list: reply to this email or write action[at]getTraction[dot]org.

Traction Action Fund
progressive movement. faster.

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help Haiti — donation links here

January 14th, 2010

Friends,

Please give to help Haitians who are suffering from Tuesday’s devastating earthquake.

We’ve collected the following links and recommendations:

Partners in Health (by ColorOfChange.org, The Nation magazine and others)

Doctors without Borders’ Haiti Earthquake Response (by CREDO Mobile, MoveOn, The Nation and others)

Yele Haiti Earthquake Fund (by MoveOn and others)  Yele Haiti is Wyclef Jean’s foundation.
Give at that link or text “Yele” to 501501 and $5 will be charged to your phone bill for relief projects through the organization.

The Nation recommends some of these groups and more, and explains what they’re doing in this column.

Also, you can double your donation tonight if you give while dancing at Cuban Revolution.  Read more here.  However, I don’t know how/where they’re directing their donations.

Thank you for digging deep and giving in this truly desperate hour of need.

Keep Hope Alive, Lanya

P.S. Don’t forget to RSVP to see Invictus with Traction on MLK, Jr. Day this Monday: mlk[at]getTraction[dot]org.

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a day on, not a day off, for Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 13th, 2010

Fellow Tractivists,

In 2006, the UNC MLK, Jr. Memorial Scholarship committee recognized my work to address the disproportionate impact of HIV/AIDS on Black folks in the U.S.  I don’t know what was better — the $1500 check, being honored with a scholarship in the namesake of my fraternity brother, or the recognition of the impact of HIV/AIDS on the Black community as one of our nation’s most pressing social issues.

Dr. King’s legacy of fighting racial discrimination and working to increase civil rights has forever ignited passion and desire in my work as an activist.  For that reason, I celebrate Dr. King’s life all year, but especially on MLK, Jr. Day.

WHAT: movie (Invictus) + conversation about social justice and racial equality

WHEN: Mon 1/18 at 1:20pm
WHERE: the Wynnsong (on MLK, naturally)
RSVP: mlk[at]getTraction[dot]org
Last year, on MLK, Jr. Day (the day before Pres. Obama’s inauguration), I volunteered at a DC soup kitchen and went to a movie on Bayard Rustin, King’s adviser on nonviolent resistance, who was also openly gay. This year I’ll be with my Traction family for a “day on and not a day off.” I hope you’ll join us with your friends and families as we come together for a movie (Invictus) and coffee conversation about race, equality and social justice.
Invictus (Latin for “unconquerable”) is an often-quoted poem by William Ernest Henley, which I first encountered as a fraternity pledge.  And while I’ll spare reciting the poem, you may recognize ‘I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul’ as more famous lines from the poem.  Invictus is also Clint Eastwood’s new film about Nelson Mandela, from his release from prison on Robben Island to his unorthodox quest as President to unify newly post-apartheid South Africa as the nation prepared to host the 1995 Rugby World Cup.
Both King and Mandela devoted their lives to advancing equality, social justice and opportunity for all — a desire that should ignite passions in each of us, and compel us all to reach toward the most supreme ideals of our country. They inspire me to work, serve, strengthen and lead in communities to which I belong, including alongside my Traction family.
Please join me this coming Monday, on MLK, Jr. Day for a matinee of “Invictus” and good conversation afterwards.  RSVP to mlk@getTraction.org so we can make sure to connect up and sit together.Quinton Harper
Carolina alum, classic soul and funk enthusiast, Tractivist

P.S. Stay tuned for future events, including HK on J, watching the State of the Union, a mushroom walk and more…

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new Year, new leaf, new growth: Potluck Sunday!

January 7th, 2010
Happy 2010!

Three years ago at Traction’s first New Year/New Leaf potluck, I connected with two people who became deeply important to me – my friend Jayme and my former sweetheart Colin. Each of them has helped me see myself newly and to grow in important, fulfilling ways – to become more stable, more grounded, more joyous.

Please join me this Sunday:

WHAT: New Year/New Leaf Potluck

WHEN: this Sunday, Jan 10, 2pm

WHERE: Lanya’s house in Durham
BRING: a dish to share

RSVP: newleaf[at]getTraction[dot]org for address/directions

I love sharing food with friends, new and old: a family dish, something local, or something made by a first-time cook – these things make a potluck rich with wonderful surprises.  I also like to take in a breath and look around, to reflect and keep growing into myself.  As we embark on this new year (and new decade!), we’ll spend a little time at the potluck thinking about where we are in our lives and how we can get to where we’d like to be.

After last year’s potluck, Tractivist Katie Ruf said, “It led me to a state of mind where I could think deeply about what I wanted to change for the new year, in a way that I would never have done on my couch at home. Before we left, we made a low-pressure (but highly effective) plan of how to incorporate our resolutions into our lives, and I can honestly say I kept more of my New Year’s Resolutions from last year than I ever have before, thanks to Traction’s event.”

I hope to break bread with you Sunday afternoon and to share the beginning of our journey in the New Year!

Eileen Thorsos
meditator, foodie, Tractivist

P.S. Applications for Durham’s Neighborhood College are due Monday, Jan 11!  The 10-week series will introduce you to the roles of the City and County governments, including the emergency and health services they offer, their budgets, and their environmental services.

P.P.S. Upcoming events…

1/18: See INVICTUS together on MLK Day
2/13: H K on J (Historic Thousands on Jones St.)
Stay tuned for info on a mushroom walk, watching the State of the Union, and more…

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bowling tonight, ujamaa, tithing, and other year-end thoughts

December 29th, 2009

Dear Tractivists,

Now that Festivus is over (see Q’s shout-out below), Xmas is behind us, and the Solstice has come and gone (woo-hoo for longer days!), we’re closing in on 2010.

If you’re in town, come out and bowl tonight!

WHEN: Tues, 6:30pm-ish

WHERE: AMF Lanes, 15-501 (near Garrett Rd.)

HOW MUCH: $15 for 2 hrs of bowling, shoes, and all the pizza you can eat

WHY: Why not?

Look for a couple folks in Traction T-shirts or call the cell: 919-Traction.  We’ll chat about holiday fun times, whether the final health care bill will be good for our health, 2010 plans, what you’d like to do with Traction in 2010 and whatever else is on your mind.

Then on Sunday, Jan 10th, it’s our annual New Year / New Leaf potluck.  At my house this time – space is limited so RSVP to newleaf[at]getTraction[dot]org.  More info to come soon.

Today is the 4th day of Kwanzaa and today’s principle is ujamaa (cooperative economics).  Wikipedia describes ujamaa’s focus as “To build and maintain our own stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.”  Ujamaa also inspires me to think about my tithing / philanthropy today and decide about my end-of-year giving.  I can’t give as much as I did last year, but I’m shooting for 10% of my earnings, following Zephyr and Vito’s examples.

What progressive organizations are you supporting this year?  My tentative plan: Planned Parenthood of Central NC, Manbites Dog, Little Green Pig, ACORN, Color of Change, ACLU-NC, stone circles (h/t Zulayka), WLI, MuJERES (h/t Yesenia), Youth Ventures (h/t Marco), NAACP-NC, Traction of course!, and probably a few others that you suggest.  Let me hear from you!

Hasta pronto,

Lanya Shapiro
tither for social justice, softcore bowler, Tractivist

P.S. Festivus was amazing!  See our canned goods and personal hygiene tower on Facebook.  More Festivus pictures to come!

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