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Vigil for Sen. Kennedy Tonight & Health Care Stories from the Heartland

Week in Community Values for August 27, 2009

Born out of a mass rejection of the failed policies of individualism and divisiveness, the Campaign for Community Values is a return to the beliefs our country was founded on: shared responsibility, shared sacrifice and shared success.

Take a look at the great work our partners across the country have done since we last updated you:

Alliance to Develop Power to Hold Prayer Vigil in Honor of Sen. Kennedy
Faith leaders, grassroots activists will call on public officials to live out his legacy
 
Tonight, hundreds of faith leaders and activists will gather to demand that public officials continue Sen. Kennedy’s fight for social and economic justice, and honor the Senator with a vigil for his commitment to people of color, the underprivileged and immigrants.  This will be the first public gathering by the faith and grassroots communities recognizing Senator Kennedy’s death and legacy.
 
“We're standing for what Senator Kennedy has always stood for: shared responsibility, shared prosperity and everyday Americans calling on Congress to do what's right,” said Caroline Murray, executive director of the Alliance to Develop Power. “And we're honoring Senator Kennedy's legacy by calling for the changes and ideals he held most dear, including the expansion of health care and the full and fair inclusion of immigrants in our society."
 
Today’s interfaith prayer service will include leaders from the Evangelical, Catholic, Baha’ai, Jewish, Baptist, Episcopal, United Church of Christ, Unitarian Universalist and Quaker faiths, among others. Prayers will be led in Farsi, Russian, English and Spanish. The prayer service will be held at the New Federal Building, 300 State Street, Springfield, Mass., starting at 6 p.m.
 
For more information on the prayer vigil, please contact Caroline Murray at (413) 739-7233 (office) or (413) 219-1108 (cell).
 
Americans from the Heartland Tell Their Health Care Stories
Filmmakers traveled to state and county fairs to see first-hand how the health care crisis is affecting families
 
The rhetoric surrounding health care reform has hit a frightening pitch, but beyond the hysteria are the real live consequences being lived out across the heartland. This summer, the Center for Community Change set out to document those stories, away from the town halls, away from the screaming crowds.
 
We visited state and county fairs, and videoed mothers, fathers and workers recounting their experiences with health care or the lack of it.
 
Here’s some of what we found: James of Union City, Tenn., a father, is worried about losing his job and health care for his family; Catherine of Troy, Tenn., lost her job and with it her health coverage because of a medical condition, and now can’t afford the medical care she needs; Tim, of Wingo, Ky., wonders how’s he’s going to pay off the $13,000 bill from a recent emergency room visit; and Channa, a single mom from Wingo, Ky., who can’t get health care to treat her Fibromyalgia, gout, diabetes and arthritis.
 
Tennesseans aren’t waiting around to see if health care reform happens. On Thursday, September 30, 2009 they’re caravanning from Nashville to Murfreesboro to urge Congress to get back to work on reforming health care. The caravan will kick off  at 4:30 p.m. at Church Street Park, 600 Church Street, Nashville and will arrive in Murfreesboro at 6:30 p.m. at the Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, 224 South Maney Avenue. For more information on the “Congress: Get Back to Work” caravan, please contact Georgia Weindling at (615) 308-1982.
 
For more health care stories, please visit http://www.statefairstories.org/
 
For more information on the State Fair Stories, please contact Germonique Ulmer at (202) 339-9331, gulmer@communitychange.org.
 
Other health care news:
  • OneAmerica is mobilizing to support health care reform, and ensure their representatives know the majority of their constituents want health care reform that covers everyone, including immigrants.                                                                  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsAp7EPtz_I
  • Virginia Organizing Project is releasing a report that shows health insurance costs are prohibiting economic development in Warren County, making residents less healthy, and straining the resources of local health institutions. VOP will host a forum to discuss the report. A Community Conversation on Health Care will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the Samuels Public Library, 330 E. Criser Road, Front Royal, Va.                                                                                              http://www.virginia-organizing.org/calendar.php
  • Maine People’s Alliance launched a Web site to help people contact Congress on the need for health care reform using Facebook, Twitter, email, phone calls and letters to the editor.                                                                                                                              http://www.hc4.me/
Immigration Radar
What every immigration reporter should know
 
Students Returning to School Highlight Urgency for Comprehensive Immigration Reform
 
Among the millions of students heading back to school this fall will be Herta Llusho, but barely. Llusho, an honor student at the University of Detroit Mercy’s College of Engineering and Science, was saved from deportation by a last-minute extension by the Department of Homeland Security. Llusho’s deportation is now scheduled for November 9, 2009, which means she may not finish the semester.
 
Unfortunately, Llusho is not alone in her precarious situation. Thousands of bright, talented and motivated young students like her face an uncertain future because of their immigration status. Many, like Llusho, don’t know their country of origin and have fully integrated into their new home. We can't afford to expel bright students like Llusho, who can contribute to moving our country forward and out of our current slump, but without comprehensive immigration reform to help these students remain here, there’s no telling how much talent, ingenuity and creativeness we will lose out on.
 
Show your support for comprehensive immigration reform, sign up for updates by texting “justice” to 69866. For more information on what you can do to help move immigration reform, please visit http://www.reformimmigrationforamerica.org/blog/take-action/.
 
Other immigration news:
 
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