Dear
friends,
Since the election of President Obama, we've been working hard to move to the
"what happens next" stage and want to introduce you to The
Progressive Center of Texas that spun out of ObamaDallas.
At
the end of this letter, we've included contact information and a link to join
our mailing list.
OBAMADALLAS
ObamaDallas
will remain a virtual community and will align its activities with Organizing
for America.
From what we understand, most of the focus of OFA will be on national
initiatives as President Obama's administration prioritizes these.
THE PROGRESSIVE CENTER OF TEXAS
On March 2, 2009, The Progressive Center moved down the hall from
our old ObamaDallas office in South Side on Lamar. Our new home (and yours) is
warm and inviting with room for our community classroom series.
The Progressive Center
is a grassroots-driven, issues-oriented, non-profit enterprise with a local
focus here in North Texas. The mission of The
Progressive Center is to bridge the gap between community and government by
educating ourselves on issues and institutions and creating pathways to
activism.
Simply put, if we learn more about the issues that affect our lives and
understand how our city, county and state governments work, we can be better
informed, collaborate to affect change, develop emerging leaders, and be active
in whatever areas fit our passion.
These are examples of what we'll deliver for our community:
- Voter registration
- Voter education
- Voter protection
- Analysis of
city, county, and state government
- Issues research
- Collective
action on community issues
- Training for
community organizers, activists, and leaders
- Educational
conferences and forums
- Provide a
community center for progressives
- Provide clearing
house and resource center
THE COMMUNITY CLASSROOM
We will learn answers to these kinds of questions:
- What's that brown haze in the air
over Dallas
and where is it coming from?
- Is there any hope for affordable
housing?
- What's working best in the
environmental movement in Dallas
County?
- How might we best educate new
voters?
- If the voter ID law passes, how
will those affected be reached so they can easily vote?
- What public health issues are
most important?
- How can we all participate in
southern sector economic development?
- Why does Texas lead the nation in the number of
children at risk of hunger?
- Who is successful in transforming
the lives of troubled teens?
Major
topics like ecology, economic development, voter education, community
development, poverty, education all warrant a series of discussions and we will
host these around once a month - same topic, different expert, additional
information. And in each event, we will ask now that we know, what do
we do - how can we collaborate - how can we organize?
Our
April/May schedule is just the beginning.
All
events are held at The Progressive Center in South Side on Lamar.
In some cases a small fee is charge to cover costs of refreshments and
printing.
Saturday,
April 18 - 10 am to noon.
Coffee and Conversation: HIV/AIDS
The rise of HIV/AIDS in the African-American community is of great
concern. Learn about this important public health issue.
Claudia Fowler will host this event with local experts on HIV/AIDS
in North Texas.
RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/PCTHIVCoffee20090418
Wednesday, April 22 - 7 to 8:30 pm.
Voter Education and the City of Dallas
$3 entry fee
Did you know that our city council representatives are typically
elected with fewer than 5000 people per district going to the polls? We
have an election for the Dallas City Council on May 9th, 2009, yet
many of us don't know enough about how our city government works and how, as
citizens, we can influence what happens in our city.
Libbie Lee, President of League of Women Voters of Dallas, will
lead a conversation on voting education. Tracy Clinton will present
"Dallas City Council 101"
RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/PCTVoterEd20090422
Thursday, April 23 - 7 to 8:30 pm.
Pot Luck Open House.
Join old friends. Meet new friends. Open discussion.
RSVP athttp://tinyurl.com/PCTPotLuck20090423
Saturday, April 25 - 10 am to noon.
What You Need to Know About Environmental Action in Dallas
Elizabeth Walley will introduce Robin Sowton and Molly Rooke of
the Sierra club who will bring us up to date on critical local environmental
issues. The timing is perfect as activity in the state legislature
will peak in Austin
in late April and May, and there is no better time for those who wish to
make a difference to be involved.
RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/PCTEnviro20090425
Wednesday, May 6 - 7 to 8:30 pm
Forum on Poverty
$3 entry fee
Texas leads
the nation in the number of children at risk of hunger. In North Texas alone, 80,000 or more seniors choose daily
between food and medicine.
Larry James of Central Dallas Ministries, one of Texas'
leading experts on poverty, will kick off the first in the series on poverty in
North Texas. Join this small,
interactive group discussion on poverty, examined from both the humanitarian
and economic perspective.
RSVP at http://tinyurl.com/PCTPoverty20090506
PARTING MESSAGE
To create the kind of world we want in North Texas,
we must have more organizations that attract, educate, network, and inspire
leadership in our community and government. With your involvement, The
Progressive Center will be the center of change in North
Texas.
If you wish to join our mailing list, follow this link - Progressive
Center email sign-up
ONE LAST THING
If
you're interested in helping out or joining the discussion of what topics you
think deserve attention over the next year, contact us at frontdesk@progressivecenteroftexas.org or call
us at 214.485.2720. We're at South Side on Lamar, 1409 South
Lamar, Dallas 75215.
Warmest
regards,
Molly Hanchey & Tracy Clinton
