July 8th, 2013
OCCUPY.COM: CELDF’s Thomas Linzey, Executive Director, writes about communities across the country practicing non-violent, civil disobedience through municipal law-making. These communities are challenging our legal system, stopping harmful corporate practices, and creating the sustainable communities they envision. It is the beginnings of a Community Rights movement. Read the article here.
LAFAYETTE, CO: This week, the Lafayette citizens’ group, East Boulder County United, will complete a signature-gathering drive to qualify an initiative to the city ballot. The initiative would amend the City Charter by establishing a Community Bill of Rights that bans shale gas drilling and fracking as a violation of those rights. CELDF assisted the group to draft the charter amendment and conduct public education. Click hereto read more.
SPOKANE, WA: In May, CELDF’s partner organization, Envision Spokane, qualified their Community Bill of Rights initiative for the November ballot. In an ongoing effort by corporate interests to keep the initiative off the ballot, on June 21 the County Commission sued Envision Spokane and the City of Spokane to keep the initiative from appearing before voters in November. CELDF is partnering with local counsel to fight the lawsuit and keep the initiative on the ballot. Read more here.
OHIO COMMUNITY RIGHTS NETWORK: The Ohio CRN held its first meeting in June. CELDF has assisted in the launching of Community Rights Networks in Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, New Mexico, and Washington State. These networks link together communities that we have organized in on Community Rights, and are laying the foundation to drive these rights to the state level. This fall, CELDF will officially launch the Ohio network, bringing together communities and activists from across the state.
ATHENS, OH: This week in Athens, OH, residents are submitting signatures to place a Community Rights initiative on the November ballot. CELDF worked with residents to draft the ordinance. The ordinance establishes Community Rights to clean air and water, the right to local self-governance, the rights of nature – and bans fracking as a violation of those rights. Read more about our work in Ohio by clicking here.
FILM: Tree Media, producing films such as The 11th Hour and Urban Roots, is partnering with CELDF to make a film called We The People 2.0, about our grassroots organizing and community partners. The film trailer was released in March, and we need your help to complete the film! Click here to hear from the director, watch the trailer, and make a donation.