Mark your calendars for these upcoming FORJ City-Wide Meetings:
- Tuesday May 25th 7:30pm-9pm – “The Universe is on the Side of Justice”: Advocating for a Racially Just Newton. Looking at the how and why of advocacy and how to avoid common pitfalls. RSVP here
- Wednesday June 16th 7:30-9pm – Fostering Equity-Focused Family Engagement with Immigrant Families. RSVP here
MAY IS ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER HERITAGE MONTH
Check out these AAPI-centered events:
- Tuesday, May 18th from 7pm-8pm – Chinese America and Anti-Asian Hate: Reflections of a Historian and an Artist (Virtual)
Co-sponsored by CAAN (Chinese American Association of Newton), NESN (Newton Education Support Network), Newton Human Rights Commission, and the Newton Free Library.The Asian American community has long struggled for visibility and equity, and this community has faced additional physical and mental health harms that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past year, we have seen a sharp increase in anti-Asian hate crimes and hate incidents. The session will deepen our understanding of the Asian American experience through an interactive dialogue with Professor Lisong Liu and Artist Wen-ti Tsen.RSVP HERE: https://newtonfreelibrary.
libcal.com/event/7738183 - Monday, May 24th at 2pm – BUILDING AAPI POWER
The Asian Community Fund and the Boston Foundation offer a data presentation assessing the needs of the AAPI community. Afterward, community leaders Carolyn Chou (Asian American Resource Workshop) and Souvanna Pouv (Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association of Greater Lowell) will talk about how those needs can be met to create lasting change. Free. https://events.tbf.org/event/home/buildingaapipower
COVID Crisis in India
There continue to be staggering losses in India due to COVID-19. We are thinking about all in our community who have family in India and ways that we can support each other. Consider providing comfort to our local community and direct relief to those in India.
Some ways to locally support families:
- Offer to cook a meal so they can focus on providing emotional support to their families in India
- Ask if they need any resources to send to their families
- Offer to help with a GoFund Me page if they need money to support care or funeral costs
- Provide healing circles in your community to give people space to connect and share their experiences
Donate to direct relief agencies:
Organizations working on COVID RESPONSE in INDIA
Here are few in which we know Newton residents are closely involved:
One of our Lincoln-Eliot parents shared an organization they have been working with for many years — Vibha: www.Vibha.org
Vibha works with local NGOs in different cities in India to send oxygen concentrators and other essential medical supplies. See how you can help:
https://campaigns.vibha.org/
https://vibha.org/covid-
Akshaya Patra: https://www.akshayapatra.org/
The Akshaya Patra Foundation, in close coordination with State Governments & District Administration, has stepped in to provide relief by providing food to thousands of people across the country.
Ekal Vidyalaya: https://www.ekal.org/us/
Ekal USA is gathering funds to send diagnostic equipment and medicines to the villages. Ekal, in conjunction with Intelehealth, our tele-health partner has established a health-line of 1000 Karyakartas to answer calls from the villages. The health-line provides instant connection to doctors of the National Medicos Organization so that expert help can be made available as needed. With these measures – hotline and addition of the diagnostic equipment and medicines we can help EKAL VILLAGES TIDE THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.
To learn more about what is happening in India, please read: COVID-19 took my wife: Battling a sneaky virus in healthcare system under stress where the only consolation is humanity. Written by a relative of a student at Cabot Elementary School.
Facebook Virtual Affinity Space FORJ Families of Color
FORJ Members created a Facebook page for Families of Color to connect and communicate. You don’t have to be a member of FORJ to join the group. Families of Color and families with children who are Black, Indigenous and People of Color are encouraged to check it out: https://www.facebook.com/
Lincoln-Eliot Elementary School Shared Values — RESPECT, Excellence, Lifelong Learning, and Responsibility
Lincoln-Eliot scholars learn from the start four Core Values we can all strive to share with one another at school and at home:
1. Respect and appreciate themselves, human differences, the community, and the environment.
2. Strive for academic excellence through risk taking and consistent effort.
3. Develop an enthusiasm for lifelong learning.
4. Assume responsibility for one’s own actions.
FORJ will share these values again from time to time for all to practice! (source: https://www.newton.k12.ma.us/
Indigenous Peoples’ Day Celebration Location Petition – October 11, 2021
The BAA rescheduled the 2021 Boston Marathon for Indigenous Peoples Day, October 11th. This decision was made without consulting Indigenous people. Because of the Marathon, the City of Newton said that city resources are strapped and the Indigenous Peoples Day event must move to Newton South High School, not an optimal location because it’s not near public transit and is not a highly visible locale. If you’d like to join the effort to move the event to Albemarle Field (equidistant to Newton South, but more visible to the public and accessible by transit), please reach out to Mayor Fuller and your Ward Councilors to let them know. You can write your own letter, or just copy and paste this letter!
(Click here if you are not sure who your Ward Councilors are.)
And, if you would like to sign this petition urging the BAA to change the Marathon date, click here.
LINCOLN-ELIOT FORJ KIDS BOOK CLUB – Wednesday, June 2nd at 4:30pm (ZOOM)
The L-E FORJ Kids Book Club selected “A Place at the Table” by Saadia Faruqi to read for the next meeting on Zoom on Wednesday, June 2nd at 4:30 p.m. This book is recommended for 9-12 year olds, but all family members are welcome. Please RSVP to L-E FORJ Coordinator Lanni Isenberg if you’d like to join the chat: Lanni_harris@yahoo.com (The book is available to borrow from Newton libraries, electronically, and for purchase on a variety of online bookstores.)
FORJ (Families Organizing for Racial Justice) is a coalition of school-aged families in Newton coming together to teach our children – and ourselves – how to stand up for racial equity. We seek to generate understanding and curiosity about the differences in our society.
We strive to achieve safe and welcoming environments that enhance the well-being of all people. We promote healing and connection between individuals and communities. We speak out against injustice, support our kids to be upstanders, and take action to address bias and inequity.