The Amp

A few weeks ago, Democrats in the House of Representatives introduced a bill, known as the “Raise the Wage Act,” to gradually raise the federal minimum wage to $15 per hour. New research from the Economic Policy Institute demonstrates that raising the federal minimum wage would directly or indirectly lift the wages of nearly 40 million working people―27 percent of the wage-earning workforce in the United States. Discuss this legislation citing the values of Economic Security and Community.

• Take Action: Use this online tool to tell your representatives to vote for the act.
• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda’s Talking about Economic Justice; Economic Policy Institute’s Raising the minimum wage; Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Policy Basics: The Minimum Wage
• Hashtag: #RaiseTheWageAct #FightFor15 #RaiseTheWage

This week, The House of Representatives voted to void President Donald Trump's national emergency declaration to fund a border wall. Rep. John Lewis said it was the duty of Congress to “oppose this monument of hate.” The Senate will vote on the legislation in the next weeks. We need to continue to promote a positive, values-based vision of the southern border and its vibrant communities, and to call for actions that promote immigration policies that reflect our values as a nation, such as Community and Voice.

• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda’s 4 Tips to Keep the Border Conversation on What Really Matters and How to Write Better Hashtags in 2019
• Hashtags: #WeAreNotFooled #PresidentNotKing #YouWork4Us

This week, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the Trump administration’s zero tolerance family separation policy. New data was also released showing that the Office of Refugee Resettlement received 4,500 allegations of sexual abuse and sexual harassment over the past three years. Support the committee’s work to hold the administration accountable for this harmful practice which has separated thousands of migrant families. Cite the values of Community, Economic Security, and Equality when talking about these developments.

• Take action: Encourage your audience to sign this petition.
• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda’s Talking About the Crisis at the U.S. Border: Imprisoned Children and Separated Families and Immigration Policy Solutions: Supporting Child Migrants; Rep. Jerry Nadler’s Opening Statement for Oversight Hearing on Trump Administration's Family Separation Policy; Families Belong Together’s shareables and Coloring without Borders; America’s Voice Immigration 101: Why is the Trump Administration Separating Immigrant Families And Detaining Immigrant Children?
• Hashtags: #FamiliesBelongTogether #KeepFamiliesTogether #IStandWithImmigrants

On Feb. 27, 1973, members of the American Indian Movement (AIM) began their occupation of Wounded Knee, site of the 1890 massacre, in South Dakota’s Pine Ridge Reservation. The occupation lasted 71 days and called attention to living conditions and mistreatment from federal and local agencies. Use this anniversary to talk about the values of Economic Security and Voice for Native American communities.

• Messaging and communication tools: Native America Today’s AIM Occupation of Wounded Knee Begins; National Congress of American Indians’ Tribal Nations and the United States: An Introduction; U.S. Department of Arts and Culture's #HonorNativeLand: A Guide and Call for Acknowledgement; Reclaiming Native Truths’ Changing the Narrative about Native Americans
• Hashtag: #WoundedKnee73

From 1-2pm EST, the Center for American Progress will hold a #HandsOffSNAP tweet storm on food banks and hunger in relation to the administration’s proposed SNAP rule on work requirements.

• Take action: Join the tweet chat and encourage your networks to submit comments via Center for American Progress’ Hands Off SNAP and Feeding America’s platform.
• Messaging and communication tools: Center for American Progress’ Hands Off SNAP Digital Toolkit and Hands Off SNAP Key Messages; The Opportunity Agenda’s Talking about Economic Justice; The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Trump SNAP Proposal Would Cost Many of Nation’s Poorest Their Food Aid; Community Change's Proposed Work Requirements Rule for SNAP Could Harm Those Already Facing Hunger
• Hashtag: #HandsOffSNAP

On this day in 1968, the special Kerner Commission released its investigation findings on the 1967 uprisings in several U.S. cities (including the Detroit Rebellion) after police actions. Its most famous passage reads: "Our nation is moving toward two societies, one black, one white — separate and unequal." Cite the values of Voice, Equality, and Community when discussing this anniversary.

• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda's Ten Lessons for Talking About Race, Racism and Racial Justice; The Haas Institute's 50 years later, nation faces same racial divisions and The Eisenhower Foundation's Healing Our Divided Society Investing in America Fifty Years after the Kerner Report (PDF of introduction)
• Hashtags: #2americas and #racialjustice

The theme for this year’s Women's History Month is “Visionary Women: Champions of Peace & Nonviolence.” The National Women’s History Alliance chose this to honor "women who have led efforts to end war, violence, and injustice and pioneered the use of nonviolence to change society."Use this hook to discuss the vital role that women have played in the struggle for racial and economic justice. Be sure to cite the values of Equality and Voice. 

• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda's Ten Tips for Putting Intersectionality into Practice and The Case of the Cultural Influencers: Colin Kaepernick, Jimmy Kimmel, and #MeToo
• Hashtags: #metoo; #timesup; #womenshistorymonth

It’s also National Professional Social Work Month when social workers and their supporters educate the public about the invaluable contributions of the profession. The National Association of Social Workers will also use the month to push for better pay for social workers, which continues to lag behind that of other helping professions. Use this hook to discuss the values of Community and Economic Security.

• Messaging and communication tools: The National Association of Social Worker’s National Professional Social Work Month resources; The Opportunity Agenda’s Talking about Economic Justice
• Hashtag: #ElevateSocialWork; #SocialWorkMonth; #SWMonth and #NASW

Starting at 8:30am EST,  the American Psychological Association will convene a National Conversation on Deep Poverty to explore the causes, impact, and potential solutions to extreme poverty with a cross-disciplinary panel of experts dedicated to unraveling the problem.

• Take Action: Watch and share the LIVE STREAM. For those in the DC area who are interested in attending this free event in-person, register here.

Today is also the 16th birthday of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Use this anniversary to take stock of an agency that has deported millions of people and separated thousands of families in the process. Cite the values of Community, Family Unity, and Economic Security.

• Messaging and communication tools: United We Dream's UN-HAPPY SHAMEFUL SIXTEEN, ICE!; The Opportunity Agenda's Immigration Policy Solutions: Due Process and Fair Treatment Under the Law; Detention Watch Network's ICE Lies: Public Deception, Private Profit and Fatal Neglect: How ICE Ignores Deaths in Detention; National Immigration Law Center's Don’t Be Fooled: Funding for ICE Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Is Funding for Trump’s Anti-Immigrant Agenda
• Hashtag: #DefundHate #ICEShamefulSixteen

On this day in 1968, students walked out of their high schools in East Los Angeles to protest the quality of their education and in support of civil rights for Mexican Americans. The protest was the first of many and inspired later protests that used similar tactics. To talk about this anniversary, use the values of Voice and Equality.

• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda's DeVos’ “School Choice” Means No Choice for Many American Families; LA2050's Video: How 15,000 students in East LA activated to shape a better LA; Los Angeles Unified School District's Fostering Civil Discourse: A Guide for Classroom Conversations
• Hashtag: #EastLAWalkouts #ChicanoBlowouts

On this day in 1872, President Ulysses S. Grant signed the Yellowstone National Park Protection Act into law. The world’s first national park was born. This anniversary is particularly relevant this year because earlier this month the Senate passed a public lands act with overwhelming support from both Republicans and Democrats. The bill not only protects millions of acres of land and miles of rivers, but it also contains provisions for Native Americans and African Americans. When discussing this anniversary and recent legislation, cite the values of Community and Economic Security.

• Messaging and communication tools: Colorlines’ People of Color Benefit From New Public Lands Protection Bill;Glenn Nelson’s Why Are Our Parks So White? And Grist’s video “Our National Parks belong to everyone. So why are they so white?; and Latria Graham’s We’re Here. You Just Don’t See us.
• Hashtag: #Yellowstone

On March 2, 1955 (nine months before Rosa Parks’ act of civil disobedience), 15- year old Claudette Colvin was arrested for refusing to give up her bus seat to a white passenger. She became one of four plaintiffs in Browder v. Gayle, which ruled that Montgomery's segregated bus system was unconstitutional. When discussing this anniversary, cite the values of Equality and Voice as well as the importance of youth voices in social justice activism.

• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda’s Ten Lessons for Talking About Race, Racism and Racial Justice; Radio Diaries podcast’s History Had Me Glued To The Seat; BBC Outlook’s The Girl Who Acted Before Rosa Parks; Teaching for Change’s And the Youth Shall Lead Us
• Hashtag: #ClaudetteColvin

On this day in 1991, officers with the Los Angeles Police Department were captured on camera beating Rodney King during a traffic stop. This anniversary offers the opportunity to discuss police accountability and over-policing in communities affected by poverty. Cite the values of Community and Redemption.

• Messaging and communication tools: The Opportunity Agenda’s Create Fair and Effective Policing Practices and Talking about Policing Issues
• Hashtag: #RodneyKing

From 1-2pm EST, the Center for American Progress will hold its weekly #HandsOffSNAP tweet chat to raise awareness and drive public comments on the proposed SNAP rule. This week’s theme is women, children and families. Cite the values of Economic Security and Community when discussing this proposal.

• Take action: Join the tweet chat and encourage your networks to submit comments via Center for American Progress’ Hands Off SNAP and Feeding America’s platform.
• Messaging and communication tools: Center for American Progress’ Hands Off Digital Toolkit and Hands Off SNAP Key Messages; The Opportunity Agenda’s Talking about Economic Justice; The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ Trump SNAP Proposal Would Cost Many of Nation’s Poorest Their Food Aid; Community Change's Proposed Work Requirements Rule for SNAP Could Harm Those Already Facing Hunger
• Hashtag: #HandsOffSNAP