"The problems of racial injustice and economic injustice cannot be solved without a radical redistribution of political and economic power." – Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, "The Three Evils of Society" 1967
Happy Martin Luther King Day weekend, State House Watchers!
We hope you find yourself at one or more of the many occasions to celebrate this special holiday weekend, including at the 40th annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Community Celebration hosted by the MLK Jr. Coalition on Monday, January 17, 1:30 to 3 PM. You can participate via Zoom—link is here—or watch the program on the Manchester Public Television, channel 16. We'll have special guests, including TJ Wheeler, a jazz, blues and roots-related concert festival musician and educator. We'll have musical selections by the Manchester High School West Jazz Band, a shared reading from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s sermon "Loving your Enemies" delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist church (November 17, 1957), and a performance by the Greater Manchester Area Choir with Director James McKim.
There are several other wonderful events as well, throughout the state, so scroll down to our Events section and mark your calendars.
MLK Day will be celebrated around the country, of course, but King's eldest son and daughter-in-law will spend the day leading a march for voting rights in Washington, D.C.:
"MLK Day has always been a day on, not off. When we call for 'no celebration without legislation' … we're asking people to honor Dr. King through action to protect the right to vote,” – Martin Luther King III, chairman of the Drum Major Institute, a nonprofit started by his father, said in a statement to The Washington Post. "We're directly calling on Congress not to pay lip service to my father's ideals without doing the very thing that would protect his legacy: pass voting rights legislation."
The latest voting rights news from Washington, D.C. is that the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill last week (220-203) creating a new legislative vehicle to get voting rights to a vote before the Senate. According to The Hill: "Democrats are using a bicameral bill related to allowing NASA to lease its properties to other entities as the legislative vehicle for the voting rights package. That process will give Senate Democrats a procedural shortcut so that they can bypass the 60 votes typically needed to formally start debate on legislation. But the bill will still have to clear a 60-vote hurdle to actually pass."
The NH Council of Churches is calling on people of faith across NH to "show up, stand up, and speak up" this year, “to be active disruptors of white supremacy, active participants in the work of anti-racism, and ready to come alongside our teachers, school boards, and local governments." Sign their pledge to be an advocate for diversity, equity, and justice.
Good News!
We're proud to announce that Ophelia Burnett has joined our staff as a Healing Justice Organizer intern. A NH resident for more than 20 years, Ophelia will bring her life experiences and passion to this new role: "I want to build connections among people who have experienced the criminal legal system, and to nurture hope and faith that together we can build the world that we want." Look for Ophelia at the State House and in the community!
In other good news, student workers at Dartmouth are organizing. Per The Dartmouth student newspaper: "Last Wednesday, student workers at Dartmouth Dining Services formally announced their intention to unionize by establishing the Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth. The student workers' primary demands, outlined in an open letter to the College administration posted on social media, include that the College voluntarily recognize the union through a third-party card check agreement and that student workers are guaranteed paid sick leave." We're cheering them on!
In This Issue:
- Last Week at the State House
- Next Week in the House and Senate
- State House Watch on the Radio
- Upcoming Events
Last Week at the State House:
Last week, House and Senate committees held their first hearings on the new bills of 2022 and did not meet in full session. Here are some updates from a few notable hearings, and links to watch them. (Links to the recorded hearings cover the full schedule of bills before the committee that day; you'll need to search a bit to find the hearing you're interested in watching.)
The Senate Election Law Committee drew a crowd this past Monday, with the majority testifying against unfair redistricting proposals for the state Senate and the Executive Council. Republicans appear poised to push through maps that reduce competitive seats by drawing lines that protect most Republican districts and clustering Democrats together into limited areas. InDepthNH reports on the overwhelming testimony in opposition to gerrymandering. For a broader analysis of what the bills contain, the Fair Maps Coalition has this analysis and a set of talking points (scroll past the Congressional and House talking points to get to the ones specific to the Senate bills.) You can watch the hearing in full here.
SB 304, heard in Senate Judiciary, also drew a crowd. The bill would repeal language that would punish teachers for discussing so-called "banned concepts." Opponents of the bill said the banned concepts language in last year's budget trailer bill was needed to prevent "indoctrination." But educators and several students said they need to be able to discuss varied perspectives on race, gender, sexual orientation, and injustice. Recent graduates of Hopkinton High testified that their colleges are much more diverse than Hopkinton High and that they benefitted from a greater understanding thanks to their high school readings and discussions of these topics. You can watch and listen to the full hearing here. The committee hasn't voted on the bill yet, so there's still time to reach out to them.
The House Education Committee took testimony last week on HB 1313, a bill that would expand the banned concepts law to state colleges and universities. Kent Street Coalition and the ACLU were among those speaking in opposition. More on that from NH Bulletin here. Watch and listen to the full testimony here.
HB 1254 and HB 1216 would repeal the housing appeals board or make changes to its make-up. This body streamlines land use appeals that formerly dragged on in Superior Court. It means housing developers have a place to go to adjudicate land use conflicts in a timely manner, preventing costly delays that discourage the development of much-needed workforce housing. Housing Action NH's Elissa Margolin spoke in opposition to the passage of both bills. You can watch and listen to the full testimony here.
SB 288 would ban COVID-19 vaccination requirements for schools and child care facilities. NHPR reported on the hearing here. You can watch and listen to the full testimony here.
On Friday, the House heard testimony on HB 1284, establishing a committee to study the effects of deportation of primary earners on family members who are United States citizens. The NH Immigrant Rights Network submitted testimony in support of the bill, noting that when a primary wage earner is deported, "the outcomes for children are particularly devastating with potential life-long harm such as serious mental and physical health illnesses, decreased school attendance and success, and severe disruptions of family life."
Next Week in the House and Senate:
There are hearings on several important bills we want to bring to your attention to this week, including the so-called "teacher loyalty" bill, HB 1255, which will be heard in the House Education Committee on Thursday. From the bill text: "No teacher shall advocate any doctrine or theory promoting a negative account or representation of the founding and history of the United States ... Such prohibition includes but is not limited to teaching that the United States was founded on racism." NHPR provides an overview of the issue here.
Tune in to State House Watch radio on Monday to hear from Deb Howes, president of the AFT of NH, and Megan Tuttle, president of NEA-NH, for a deeper look into the attack on public education. You can also read this article by Derry NH school board chairwoman Erika Cohen, and, for those of you with a Boston Globe subscription, Erika also shares her experience in an op-ed that ran on January 12.
Three bills related to immigrant rights will be heard this coming week as well. We ask for your assistance as we oppose HB 1266 and support HB 1100 and SB 308. HB 1266, relative to restrictions on enforcement of federal immigration laws, is an attack on "sanctuary" cities or towns. It would prohibit municipalities from adopting rules that limit the cooperation of police and others with federal immigration authorities. The hearing is scheduled for Friday in the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee. HB 1100, relative to changing the penalties for driving without a license, will have a hearing in the House Transportation Committee on Tuesday. This proposal would reduce the harmful impacts experienced by immigrants who need to drive a car but aren't eligible for a driver license. Lastly, SB 308 would ensure that agricultural workers would have access to driver licenses. The hearing is Tuesday at 1:40 PM in Senate Transportation.
We recommend that readers use the House and Senate digital calendars, which tell you everything you need to know about what is coming up on any given day and provide the online links for each committee. The House digital calendar can be found here. The Senate digital calendar is here. You can sign in to indicate your position on a bill or sign up to testify here for the Senate and here for the House.
Coming up in House committees
Tuesday, January 18
CHILDREN AND FAMILY LAW, Room 206-208, LOB
3:30 PM HB 1199 prohibiting reunification therapy
EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
9:30 AM HB 1058 relative to the time allowed for public school students to eat lunch
10 AM HB 1261 prohibiting the use of Native American mascots in public schools, colleges, and universities
11:15 AM HB 1627 establishing an education freedom account program administrator in the department of education and making an appropriation therefor
2:30 PM HB 1367 relative to civics instruction in school
3:45 PM HB 1144 requiring public schools to teach labor history
ENVIRONMENT AND AGRICULTURE, Room 301-303 LOB
10:45 AM HB 1420 prohibiting the issuance of new landfill permits until the state's solid waste plan is updated
11:15 AM HB 1049 establishing a committee to study landfill siting criteria and methods for reducing pressure on landfill capacity
1 PM HB 1454 relative to permits for the siting of new landfills
2:30 PM HB 1652 relative to the recycling of beverage containers
HEALTH, HUMAN SERVICE AND ELDERLY AFFAIRS, Room 210-211, LOB
9:50 AM HB 1609 relative to the scope of the fetal protection act
11 AM HB 1045 requiring legislative oversight over the emergency powers of the department of health and human services
2:45 PM HB 1369 relative to COVID-19 health and safety policies at NH performing arts venues
TRANSPORTATION, Room 201-203, LOB
9 AM HB 1100 relative to changing the penalties for driving without a license
Wednesday, January 19
COMMERCE AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, ROOM 302-304 LOB
1:15 PM HB 1523 establishing a NH child care fund
2 PM HB 1589 prohibiting the sale of products containing intentionally added PFAS
2:45 PM HB 1622 relative to mental health parity
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 202-204 LOB
9 AM HB 1027 establishing the crime of undermining legislative process by false claim of emergency
9:45 AM HB 1025 relative to impeding, provoking, or harassing law enforcement officers
11:15 AM HB 1011 relative to the penalty for criminal mischief
12 PM HB 1017 establishing criminal penalties for harming or threatening to harm an essential worker
2 PM HB 1127 relative to posthumous exonerations and annulments. This would allow the legislature to grant a posthumous exoneration and annulment in a case where the injustice of a law or policy for which the person was convicted becomes evident. It would also grant a posthumous exoneration and annulment of the convictions of Willard Uphaus and Eunice "Goody" Cole.
EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
9 AM HB 1632 relative to civil rights education in public elementary and secondary schools
ELECTION LAW, Room 306-308, LOB
9:30 AM – 2:30 PM The committee will take up a slew of bills addressing issues like voter documentation, voter data and lists, political contributions and campaign reporting. This includes HB 1542, which would force eligible voters who forget their ID to come back with that information before their votes would count. NHCVR urges voting rights supporters to oppose this bill. They are urging support for HB 1442, which would require that voter information documents be offered in various languages in addition to English.
JUDICIARY, Room 206-208, LOB
1 PM HB 1291 prohibiting discrimination against tenants holding certain vouchers for purposes of renting dwellings
LEGISLATIVE ADMINISTRATION, Room 301-303, LOB
10 AM HB 1041 extending the public employees labor relations act to employees of the general court and relative to the duties of the joint committee on legislative facilities
10:45 AM HB 1084 relative to disclosure of the sources of legislative bill proposals. This would require the identification of a private organization when it’s responsible for distributing a model act used by a legislator to propose legislation.
1:40 PM HB 1309 establishing a committee to study revising house rules to assure that all sections of the budget trailer bill receive an adequate public hearing
2 PM HB 1368 relative to recusal by member of the general court for conflicts of interest
2:15 PM HB 1370 establishing a committee to study childcare options for NH state legislators
2:30 PM HB 1486 relative to an income-based public assistance stipend for legislators
2:45 PM HB 1586 relative to a likeness of Wentworth Cheswill at the State House. Cheswill, from Newmarket, is considered the first African American elected to public office in the U.S.
PUBLIC WORKS AND HIGHWAYS, Room 201-203, LOB
9:30 AM HB 1040 establishing a committee to study revenue alternatives to the road toll for electric-powered and hybrid vehicles for the funding of improvements to the state's highways and bridges and their resulting improvements to the environment
1:45 AM HB 2022 relative to the 10-year transportation plan
RESOURCES, RECREATION AND DEVELOPMENT, Room 305-307, LOB
1:45 PM HB 1167 establishing a maximum contaminant level for perfluorinated chemicals in surface water
2:30 PM HB 1185 relative to the treatment of water contaminated with perfluorinated chemicals
3:45 PM HB 1602 relative to perfluorinated chemicals in drinking water
Thursday, January 20
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Representatives Hall, SH
Starting at 9:30 AM to at least 3 PM, the committee will take testimony on half a dozen bills relating to the legalization of cannabis possession and use.
EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
9 AM HB 1015 relative to school district policies regarding objectionable material
11:15 AM HB 1255 relative to teachers' loyalty. From the bill text: "No teacher shall advocate any doctrine or theory promoting a negative account or representation of the founding and history of the United States ... Such prohibition includes but is not limited to teaching that the United States was founded on racism."
1:45 PM HB 1113 prohibiting the department of education and the state board of education from directing or limiting school instructional options, such as remote learning
2:30 PM HB 1434 relative to the availability of school curriculum materials
ELECTION LAW, Room 306-308, LOB
9:30 AM HB 1567 relative to the removal of election officials from office
10 AM HB 1485 relative to direct recall elections.
These two bills expand the ability of residents to seek removal of an elected official, either via the courts or through a recall petition.
FINANCE, Room 210-211, LOB
10 AM HB 1677 relative to the administration and settlement of claims of abuse at the youth development center and making an appropriation therefor
JUDICIARY, Room 206-208 LOB
1:45 PM HB 1021 prohibiting regulation of religious land use based on the religious nature of the assembly or speech taking place on the land or in the structure
2:30 PM HB 1519 defining "religious belief" and protecting it from discrimination
3:30 PM HB 1195 relative to public comment periods at public meetings
LABOR, INDUSTRIAL AND REHABILITATIVE SERVICES, Room 305-307, LOB
10 AM HB 1053 relative to the hourly rate paid to an employee for hours worked but not previously scheduled
10:30 AM HB 1386 establishing a committee to study the effects of heat and high temperature on employee working conditions
11 AM HB 1385 prohibiting the use of credit history in employment decisions
11:30 AM HB 1251 prohibiting the payment of subminimum wages
1 PM HB 1094 relative to employee work schedules and rest periods
2 PM HB 1231 relative to the failure to make payment of compensation
3 PM HB 1156 requiring certain public servants to receive a copy of a pre-employment background investigation
MUNICIPAL AND COUNTY GOVERNMENT, Room 301-303, LOB
11:30 AM HB 1272 limiting the authority of town health officers. This would restrict the ability to make bylaws or ordinances relating to public health matters.
STATE FEDERAL RELATIONS AND VETERANS AFFAIRS, Room 201-203, LOB
10:45 AM HCR 7 reaffirming support for the nation of Israel and the location of the embassy of the United States therein
11:15 AM HR 17 opposing all federal and state efforts to establish a carbon tax on fuels of electricity and transportation
2:45 PM HR 18 urging Congress to remove the exception from the 13th Amendment: "except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted."
3:30 PM CACR 32 relating to independence. Providing that the state peaceably declares independence from the United States and proceeds as a sovereign nation. (Editor's note: Holy cow.)
WAYS AND MEANS, Room 202-204, LOB
9 AM HB 1338 establishing a committee to study imposing a tax on manufacturers based on the cost to dispose of single-use products and product packaging materials
9:45 AM HB 1407 including the promotion of affordable housing under the land and community heritage investment program (LCHIP). Our friends at Housing Action NH are not supporting this bill.
10:30 AM HB 1541 establishing a deferral from the business profits tax and the business enterprise tax for qualified limited liability startups
Friday, January 21
CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY, Room 202-204, LOB
9:45 AM HB 1577 relative to exemption from prosecution for victims of human trafficking
10:30 AM HB 1340 relative to the definition of "domestic violence" and relative to criminal convictions for domestic violence
11:15 AM HB 1388 relative to the unsolicited disclosure of an intimate image
12 PM HB 1176 relative to reducing the penalty for sex work within one's own home
1:45 PM HB 1400 prohibiting law enforcement from using the scent of marijuana as probable cause for a search
2:15 PM HB 1266 relative to restriction on enforcement of federal immigration laws
EDUCATION, Room 205-207, LOB
11:15 AM HB 1355 requiring the scholarship organization to refer suspected cases of misuse of funds or fraud in the education freedom account program to the attorney general
2 PM HB 1283 relative to liability as taxable income of education freedom account payments
2:45 PM HB 1516 relative to the source of funds for education freedom accounts
3:30 PM HB 1114 relative to education service providers under the education freedom account program
Coming up in Senate Committees
Tuesday, January 18
EDUCATION, Room 101 LOB
9 AM SB 235 relative to the authority to offer multiple education instruction options. This bill preserves the right of schools to choose between in-person, hybrid and remote education options.
9:15 AM SB 236 establishing a committee to study NH teacher shortages and recruitment incentives
9:45 AM SB 351 relative to annual performance and financial reporting by private and religious schools that receive public funds
ENERGY AND NATIONAL RESOURCES, Room 103, SH
9:45 AM SB 270 establishing a low-moderate income community solar savings program and relative to statewide energy efficiency programs
10 AM HB 549 relative to the systems benefit charge and the energy efficiency and sustainable energy board.
FINANCE, Room 103, SH
1 PM SB 371 making an appropriation to the lead paint hazard remediation fund
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1 PM SB 300 relative to the state commission for human rights. This is an anti-vaccine bill.
2 PM SB 393 relative to the use of restraints on pregnant women in the custody of a state or county correctional facility.
2:30 PM SB 294 relative to the release of a defendant pending trial
TRANSPORTATION, Room 101, LOB
1:40 PM SB 308 relative to driver's licenses for certain visa holders.
Wednesday, January 19
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND ADMINISTRATION, Room 103, SH
9:15 AM SB 227 relative to death benefits for first responders who die from suicide
9:30 AM SB 357 relative to mental health training for first responders
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 101, SH
9:30 AM SB 326 establishing an office of early childhood
JUDICIARY, Room 100, SH
1 PM SB 399 repealing the fetal health protection act
2 PM SB 436 relative to access to abortion care
Planned Parenthood has tools for advocacy related to these bills.
WAYS AND MEANS, Room 100, SH
9:45 AM SB 315 directing that a portion of revenue distributions from the meals and rooms municipal revenue fund be used by municipalities to reduce the local property tax rate
Thursday, January 20
ELECTION LAW AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS, Room 100, SH
1 PM SB 400 relative to training and procedures for zoning and planning boards and relative to financial investments and incentives for affordable housing development. Housing Action NH supports this bill.
2 PM SB 405 relative to fines and penalties for election law violations
2:30 PM SB 418 relative to verification of voter affidavits
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, Room 101, LOB
10 AM SB 407 relative to expanding Medicaid to include certain postpartum health care services and making an appropriation therefor
10:30 AM SB 419 relative to public health networks
10:45 AM SB 444 relative to childhood adverse experiences treatment and prevention
11 AM SB 450 relative to the prescription drug affordability board
State House Watch on the Radio:
State House Watch radio airs next on January 17! You can listen at 94.7 FM, WNHN in Concord, and online at wnhnfm.org. Our show airs every week during the legislative session, on Mondays at 5 PM and rebroadcast on Tuesdays at 8 AM. This week's guests are Megan Tuttle, President of the National Education Association (NEA-NH) and Deb Howes, President of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT-NH). You can listen to podcasts of our past shows, including last week’s with Gilles Bissonnette and Frank Knaack of the ACLU-NH, here.
Upcoming Events:
Saturday, January 15
Leadership for Honest Education: School Board Candidate Training – 10 AM to 12 PM. Hosted by Rights & Democracy. The targeted attacks on public education in 2021 by an elite that seeks to divide us—nationwide and in our states—highlighted the importance of bringing elected leaders onto our school boards who are deeply committed to truth, equity and safety in our schools. If you have ever thought about stepping up and running for school board, now is the time! One of the best ways to serve your community is to run for local office, and for 2022, school boards are of ever-increasing importance. Ahead of the filing deadline for Town Meeting Day races, we're holding a prospective candidate training for anyone interested in running for their local school board in New Hampshire or Vermont. In this training we will cover campaign basics, connect with current elected leaders, and introduce some of the ways you can create lasting change as a member of your local school board.
16th Annual Geisel MLK Health Equity Celebration – 8 AM to 5 PM. Hosted by the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth University. For this year's Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration, we focus on addressing historical and present-day race-based medicine and its harmful effects on communities of color. We center our efforts on systemic and institutional determinants of health. As we explore the root causes of inequitable health outcomes, we will gain the insight necessary to change them. In celebrating best practices and listening to community leaders, we can reimagine a future of healing.
Act Justly, Walk Humbly, Love Mercy – 7 PM. Hosted by First Baptist Church of Nashua. Join our annual celebration honoring Martin Luther King Jr. The celebration will be hosted online via Zoom and will feature a variety of speakers and musical selections, including performances by the First Baptist Church Chancel Choir, the New Hampshire Gay Men’s Chorus, the Community Interfaith Choir, and soloist Julia Leonard. Our keynote speaker for this year will be the Rev. June R. Cooper, Theologian in the City at Old South Church, Copley Square in Boston, Massachusetts. To receive the Zoom link please email FBC at office@fbcnashua.org, or join the meeting directly from our Facebook event here.
Sunday, January 16
Electric Voices – 7 PM. Hosted by Theater for the People and Community Church of Durham, UCC, 17 Main Street, Durham. This pop-up event featuring spoken word performances, live music, and great discussion is hosted by Theater for the People, a BIPOC-produced, New England-based touring company and will be honoring the words of Toni Morrison. $10 suggested donation.
What stories are we telling ourselves and our kids about race? – 7 PM on Zoom. Hosted by the Dover Area Religious Leaders Association (DARLA). Join us for our 2022 Celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with speakers, music, and discussion groups. Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82957035202?pwd=MDFvNWxZNUg1VURjL3EyTDlJekViZz09 +1 929 205 6099. Meeting ID: 829 5703 5202 Passcode: 366792
Martin Luther King Day - Monday, January 17
Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution – 9 to 11AM on Zoom. Hosted by Southern New Hampshire Outreach for Black Unity and New Fellowship Baptist Church. Featured speakers: Dr. Dottie Morrison, Jerri-Ann Boggis, Sudi Lett, Dwight Davis. Moderator is Olga Tynes-Peters.
United Church of Christ in Keene MLK Day celebration during the Sacred Ally Quilt Ministry – 10 AM to 4 PM. Hosted by United Church of Christ Keene – 23 Central Square, Keene.
Martin Luther King Celebration 2022 – 1:30 to 3 PM. Hosted by MLK, Jr. Coalition which includes AFSC. All are welcome to join the 40th Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Community Celebration on Zoom and on Manchester Public Television (MPTS), channel 16. Free to the public. Special guest TJ Wheeler is a jazz, blues and roots-related concert festival musician and educator. Musical selections by the Manchester High School West Jazz Band. Shared reading from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s sermon "Loving your Enemies" delivered at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church (November 17, 1957). We are proud to welcome back the Greater Manchester Area Choir with Director James McKim. The Martin Luther King Coalition is comprised of organizations committed to the teachings, beliefs, and principles of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr: Power to Heal – 5 to 6 PM. Hosted by the Jaffrey-Rindge MLK Committee, at the Park Theatre, 19 Main Street, Jaffrey. Live streamed on Facebook. Join us for our annual community commemoration of the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr. Professor James Waller, Cohen Professor of Holocaust and Genocide Studies at Keene State College, will deliver the keynote. Dr. Waller is an internationally recognized teacher and scholar in the field of conflict studies and resolution and an award-winning author. The talk will challenge each of us to recommit to Martin Luther King Jr.'s call to build Beloved Community. Special features include music by district school choruses and the dynamic Hutchinson Family Ensemble. For more information, contact jaffreyrindgemlk@gmail.com.
Peace & Justice Conversations: On the Road to Reparations: The Struggle for Equity and Inclusion in the Granite State – 7 to 8 PM. Hosted by NH Peace Action. Please join us for a special Peace & Justice Conversation program honoring Martin Luther King, Jr. with special guest Brenda Lett, a leader in racial justice and reparations work for several decades. Our conversation will commemorate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Brenda's work with the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America (N'COBRA), which is the premiere mass-based coalition of organizations and individuals organized for the sole purpose of obtaining reparations for African descendants in the United States. We will also discuss what racial equity looks like in a state that resisted celebrating Dr. King's work for many years and how the Triads of Evil—Racism, Militarism and Extreme Consumerism divert resources and lives away from making lasting racial and economic progress.
Workplace Racial Equity Learning Challenge – January 17 to February 11. Hosted by NH Businesses for Social Responsibility & NAACP. The Workplace Racial Equity Learning Challenge will provide participants with daily emails, each with a theme and links to resources. Weekly dialogues will allow participants to share challenges, ideas, and inspirations each Friday.
Tuesday, January 18
Fixing What We Face: How Racial Justice Can Save Our Democracy – 5 to 6 PM. Hosted by Dartmouth University. Keynote speaker: Maya Wiley. James Baldwin said, "You cannot fix what you will not face." Hate, lies about voter fraud, and deepening divisions in our democracy are reminiscent of the fundamental question about our willingness to form a more perfect union. This is what we must face. There is a large minority of Americans who are White and feel rage in response to the long road to racial justice and a democracy that opens its arms to the changing complexion of a nation built on racism and exclusion. That rage has blinded too many to facts at the peril of our union. As John Lewis said, "Democracy is an act and that act now requires truth-telling." The simple truth is that even in our tremendous progress on racial justice, we have never come to grips with or altered the fundamental supremacy we granted whiteness and how that endangers us all. With hope and principled commitment, we must rekindle the radical love and honest confrontation that is the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Policy in the Time of a Pandemic: What happened in 2021? – 7 PM. Hosted by AFSC. Join our policy team of Aura Kanegis, Tori Bateman, Peniel Ibe, Imani Cruz, and Alison Kahn to recap our policy advocacy from 2021! Last year, we saw a whirlwind of federal policy action as the Biden Administration took office and Congress got to work on COVID-19 relief packages, migration policy, voting rights, police reform legislation, federal spending, the Selective Service, and more. Together, we will review how AFSC and supporters like you engaged in policy work in 2021 and map out where these policy issues stand in 2022. Meet new team members, celebrate wins from your efforts, and learn how to continue your advocacy for a just and more humane society.
Wednesday, January 19
Abolitionists of Noyes Academy – 7 to 8 PM. Hosted by the Jaffrey-Rindge MLK Committee. A live virtual event with historian Dan Billin. In 1835, abolitionists opened one of the nation's first integrated schools in Canaan, NH, attracting eager African-American students from as far away as Boston, Providence, and New York City. Outraged community leaders responded by raising a mob that dragged the academy building off its foundation and ran the African-American students out of town. New Hampshire's first experiment in educational equality was brief, but it helped launch the public careers of a trio of extraordinary African-American leaders: Henry Highland Garnet, Alexander Crummell, and Thomas Sipkins Sidney. Dan Billin plumbs the depths of anti-abolitionist sentiment in early nineteenth-century New England, and the courage of three young friends destined for greatness.
Thursday, January 20
Powerbuilders: NH Grassroots Lobby Training – 6 to 7:30 PM. Hosted by Rights & Democracy. 2022 is already set to be a critical year in the New Hampshire legislature. With last year's assaults on public education, reproductive rights, racial justice and more, we are preparing for some challenging policy fights ahead, and we can’t do it without you! We believe that the best policies are ones that reflect the voices and needs of our communities. Whether you have a personal experience you want to share or are looking to advocate for an array of progressive policies, your voice needs to be heard at the State House. Join us for this lobbying training to sharpen your public speaking skills and gain an edge on delivering powerful testimony. We will also spend some time familiarizing participants on the NH legislative process. After the training, you’ll have everything you need to effectively lobby the issues that matter most to you!
'Black Matter is Life' Poetry Event: The Race for STEM – 7 PM. Hosted by the Black Heritage Trail NH. Join us for the closing event of our poetry series entitled Emphatic Affirmations. Legendary poet Sonia Sanchez will share her work and engage in conversation with our program hosts, Dr. Reginald Wilburn and Professor Courtney Marshall. Special guest, student poet Kaylee Cheen from Phillips Exeter Academy will read a poem to open the event. The Black Matter Is Life poetry series is an engaging event that explores the vast diversity in the African American poetic tradition. Our hosts and guest poet Sonya Sanchez will deepen the conversation as they deconstruct the following poems:
Cordelia Ray – "Self-Mastery"
Al Young – "A Dance for Ma Rainey"
Tracy K. Smith – "Declaration"
Effie Lee Newsome – "The Bronze Legacy"
Sunday, January 23
Granny D Birthday Celebration – 2 pm to 3 pm. Hosted by Open Democracy. Please join us via Zoom for the annual Granny D Birthday Celebration. The planning committee is working on an exciting program to honor Doris "Granny D" Haddock, legendary campaign finance reformer!
Wednesday, January 26
COVID-19 Vaccine Panel Discussion – 4 pm to 5:30 pm. Hosted by New Futures. Join us for a virtual panel discussion moderated by Dr. Gary Sobelson, a family medicine specialist at Concord Hospital, featuring renowned experts on vaccination safety and effectiveness.
Justice & Journalism with Ayesha Rascoe – 5:30 pm. Hosted by New Hampshire Public Radio and the Warren B. Rudman Center. Join NPR White House Correspondent Ayesha Rascoe as the next speaker in our Justice & Journalism series. She will reflect on the first year of the Biden Administration and look ahead at the political implications of the 2022 midterm elections. A conversation with Laura Knoy, former host of The Exchange on NHPR, will follow. Audience questions and answers will close out the program.
Online Talk: Fat Liberation – 7 pm to 8:30 pm. Hosted by Portsmouth Public Library. What is anti-fatness and how does it show up in different spheres of life? How can we combat it, and be a good ally to fat folks? Where is diet culture hiding, and how do we recognize it? Learn about the history of fat acceptance and how to support the fat liberation movement in this conversation with Emma Simpson-Tucker. We will focus on fat liberation as opposed to body positivity, and fat accessibility as opposed to individual body image. Feel free to bring questions and experiences to this program, as there will be space for some discussion!
Friday, January 28
College and Career Planning with C4C – 5:45 to 7 PM. Hosted by Change for Concord. Are you unsure about what you want to do after high school? Do you want to learn about resources and opportunities that you may not be getting from your counselors? Do you want to continue your education after high school, but don't know where to start? If you answered 'yes' to one (or more) of these questions, this event is meant for you! At this planning event you will:
- Learn how to create a plan for success
- Receive guidance from college graduates and a professional life and career coach
- Take an assessment to find out your interests and passion
- Connect your interests/passion to college majors
- Learn about colleges that serve underserved communities
Monday, January 31
Peace & Justice Conversations: Priorities for Peace Discussion – 7 PM. Hosted by NH Peace Action. Join us for a discussion of the question: What are your peace priorities? Rather than a speaker, this will be a facilitated dialogue on the topic where all can share, reflect, and listen. This program will not be recorded so people can feel more comfortable expressing their thoughts. NH Peace Action recently solidified our 12 organizational Peace Pillars—the areas we see as critical to work on to bring about a peaceful and just world. They include the U.S. military budget, Middle Eastern wars, racism, climate, poverty and others. In this discussion, we can tell you more about NHPA's Peace Pillars and we want to hear what issues you think need to be addressed so that we can build peace in the world. Maybe they will be the same ones we've identified, maybe you will have other ideas. Let's talk!
With best wishes,
Maggie Fogarty, Grace Kindeke and Anne Saunders
AFSC's New Hampshire "State House Watch" newsletter is published to bring you information about matters being discussed in Concord including housing, the death penalty, immigration, education, civil liberties and labor rights. We also follow the state budget and tax system, voting rights, corrections policy, and more.
The AFSC is a Quaker organization supported by people of many faiths who care about peace, social justice, humanitarian service, and nonviolent change. Maggie Fogarty and Grace Kindeke staff the New Hampshire Program which publishes this newsletter. Anne Saunders is AFSC's State House Watch researcher and co-writer.
"State House Watch" is made possible in part by a grant from the Anne Slade Frey Charitable Trust. Your donations make our work possible. Click the DONATE NOW button on our web page to send a secure donation to support the work of the AFSC's New Hampshire Program. Thank you!