Dear Jeanne —
We won massive Green New Deal investments together through our Healthy Through Heat and Smoke campaign! Now we get to celebrate our year of growth and resilience at our annual fundraiser event, Intertwined. And we’re kicking off the celebrations early with our new 350 Seattle Shoutouts & Appreciations segment below. Let’s hop in!
HEALTHY THROUGH HEAT AND SMOKE CAMPAIGN: WE WON!
We’ve organized and campaigned together for months with so many awesome community activists showing up consistently to fight for the vision of the Healthy Through Heat and Smoke Campaign. And! We won funding to upgrade half of Seattle’s 26 community centers into climate resilience hubs through the metropolitan parks levy!
We campaigned for (and won!) heat pumps so they can run without gas power and provide cooling during heat waves, HVAC upgrades for clean air during smoke events, and microgrid solar installations so they can run through a power outage and can consistently add clean energy to our grid! All of these upgrades will be done with a project labor agreement and local hire agreement to ensure they create good green union jobs and pathways for local residents into careers in the building trades.
None of this would have been possible without the collective efforts of our 350 Seattle community and we’re so grateful to everyone who has been able to be a part of it! Check out our amazing Healthy Through Heat and Smoke video and song on our Instagram.
We’re excited to build upon the lessons and momentum of this victory to keep fighting for massive public investment in Green New Deal projects to transition our economy. And we’re excited to take this momentum right into even more budget advocacy at the City of Seattle, with Solidarity Budget season upon us.
GET YOUR TICKETS TO INTERTWINED!
We are thrilled to host our special yearly fundraising gala in person again this year with special guest speakers (to be announced), food, music and more. You are invited to join us!
Intertwined: 350 Seattle’s Annual Fundraiser Event
Saturday, November 19, doors open at 6:00pm, program begins at 7:00pm
Metropolist, 2931 First Ave. S, Seattle 98134
In person + livestream, get your tickets here.
We are poised to achieve many more great things. So, please come and celebrate the progress we’ve made, and our commitment to the long haul! It’s time to celebrate our successes, and fund this essential work. We hope to see you there!
SOLIDARITY BUDGET
350 Seattle is glad to be part of Solidarity Budget in coalition with Decrim Seattle, House Our Neighbors, Black Action Coalition, Puget Sound Sage, Stop the Sweeps, Seattle Neighborhood Greenways, Whose Streets Our Streets, Chu Minh Tofu: CID Safety Not Sweeps, Labor for Black Lives, Lavender Rights Project / Smith Law, and many more.
The 2023 Seattle Solidarity Budget is a collective call toward a city budget that centers the needs of the most marginalized and vulnerable Seattle residents, responds with funding that is commensurate with the crises we are facing, and prioritizes collective care and liberation. Our struggles to build a more equitable Seattle are interconnected. The places in our city where inequality cuts most deeply are also the places most heavily policed. At the core of the Solidarity Budget is our refusal to allow our movements to be pitted against each other for funding. Divesting from police, courts, and prosecutors and investing in Black communities goes hand in hand with climate justice work and housing justice work and participatory budgeting.
And guess what, there’s a lot to be angry about in the Mayor’s 2023 budget proposal:
😤 $1M for racist gunshot surveillance technology that has led to police murders and wrongful convictions in other cities? Check.
😡 Raises, bonuses, and overtime for cops while human service workers get a pay cut? Check.
🤬 Tens of millions scattered around the budget to maintain the strategy of sweeping our unhoused neighbors? Check.
We have a whole city to fight for, and this Tuesday, the City Council needs to hear from you about what we need to see in the 2023 budget.
Public Comment Opportunity
Tuesday, October 11, 9:30 am or 5 pm.
On-line or in person at City Hall, 600 4th Ave, Seattle 98104
Click here for everything you need to take action!
350 Seattle has been a member of Solidarity Budget almost since its inception and have helped to shape the budget each year with Green New Deal and Just Transition principles and goals. Healthy Through Heat and Smoke and Resilience Hubs are deeply embedded and part of Solidarity Budget this year. Contact staff member Renaissance to connect to our Solidarity Budget advocacy.
FEDERAL TEAM
Fighting the Dirty Side Deal
The Federal Policy Team continues the fight against Senator Manchin’s dirty side deal—the deal made in exchange for Manchin’s vote in favor of the Inflation Reduction Act. The deal created language to be included in future “must-pass” legislation and would fast track the permitting of fossil fuel projects, including the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Hmm! Wouldn’t that pipeline go through Manchin’s state of West Virginia?
Seattleites, including many from our own 350 Seattle Federal Team, lobbied Pramila Jayapal and Patty Murray, rallied outside the Federal building, called Congressional offices, and along with activists across the country, successfully stopped this deal from becoming part of the Federal spending bill passed at the end of the month. Thanks also to several brave activists who got arrested for refusing to leave Senator Murray’s office last month.
As you might have guessed, however, Manchin has not given up! We’ve learned that the side deal language might be included in the NDAA (defense funding bill), which must be passed by December 30th. Alternatively, it could be included in the omnibus spending bill for 2023 and that bill needs to pass by December 16th. For this reason we will continue to fight this dirty side deal, meeting with most Puget Sound area Congressional offices in the coming weeks.
If you are a constituent of any of the following House members and would like to join an office meeting (possibly via Zoom), please contact Selden: Schrier, DelBene, Larsen, Smith,Kilmer, Jayapal, Strickland.
Agriculture and Climate Group
The Federal Policy Team includes a team of dedicated activists working to address the deep connections between the Big Ag corporate model of agriculture, and the climate crisis. Right now the team is studying up and gearing up to lobby our Congressional offices about ways to address climate in the next Farm Bill. Contact Selden if you’d like to get involved in this group.
Sign up for the Federal Policy Team listserv here.
ARTFUL ACTIVISM TEAM
The Artful Activism Team is having a celebration! Please join us masked and outdoors. It would be great to see you (plus friends and family) to celebrate the power of art in our recent wins, give thanks to all who have contributed and welcome all who would like to be a part of the crew in the future. We’ll have fun with music and an open mic, enjoy snacks and refreshments, and build our awesome artful community.
Artful Activism Team Celebration with Open Mic
Saturday, November 5, 1:00–5:00pm
Gas Works Park, 2101 N Northlake Way, Seattle, 98103
In person, RSVP here.
Bring your mask, smiling eyes, a song, poem, or short story or skit to share if you like, clothes for painting (yes, we might have a beautiful art station), and a refillable water bottle!
We’ll be at the playground end (the east end, near the lake) of the roofed building labeled the Play Barn, which has brightly colored machinery in it.
Covid safety: Wearing masks is the default. Please, if you have even mild symptoms or possible exposures, definitely sit this one out! If you have needs or concerns, please let us know in your RSVP. Everyone’s safety, thinking, and comfort is important, and we will prioritize the needs of the most vulnerable and concerned.
Join the Artful Team
Sign up here! (Scroll all the way down that page to sign up.) Skills welcomed, not required. Join us! We’ll teach you as you go! Collaborative team tasks like tracing, cutting, twisting ties, painting in between the lines, etc. are always a welcoming and fun way to be a part of the action. You’ll be surprised at how quickly you want to try a little something more in a supportive, learning, fun, and connecting atmosphere with other people who care enough to show up, and who accept you as you are. Whatever calls you to the Artful Team, this team is for you! Contact Lisa.
Join the Art Deployment Team
The Deployment Team brings collaborative, powerful, and beautiful art to events for our campaigns and those of requesting partner orgs—and volunteers play an important role in all the logistics that make the magic happen! Learn how to set up, position, and animate art at events, and how to recruit and guide other volunteers to do the same! Sign up here!
JOIN THE PEOPLE’S ECHO
The fall is upon us! Season of change, harvest, reflection, and turning inward. Season of crackling leaves, warm hearths, and the setting sun. A season for singing, as all seasons are. Here are some places to sing this fall…
Join Yambaby of Earth Practice and Ahlay of The People’s Echo in a soul-filling evening of community song.
Yambaby + Ahlay Community Sing
Monday, October 10, 6:00–8:30pm
Seward Park (Shelter 3), 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S, Seattle 98118
In person, more info here.
The People’s Echo song circles are BACK! We will be holding seasonal song gatherings to deepen in connection with the cyclical rhythms of the earth. We’re so excited to sing with you!
TPE Autumn Community Song Circle
Thursday, November 3, 5:30–8:00pm
Seward Park (Shelter 3), 5900 Lake Washington Blvd S, Seattle 98118
In person, more info here.
Have you had a chance to fill out our community survey yet? (Special thanks to those of you who have!) We’d love to hear from you about the ways we can continue to build inclusive, liberatory community through song. Fill out the survey by October 15 to receive a sweet new song from The People’s Echo Songcatchers!
JOIN STORY CIRCLE
October 15th is Orca Recovery Day around the PNW region. In honor of Tahlequah—the orca whale who carried her dead calf for 17 days in grief and protest—we will have two Story Circle events this month.
In-Person River Cleanup
Saturday, October 15, 10:00am–2:00pm
4570 W Marginal Way SW, Seattle 98106
RSVP in advance.
We will be planting, mulching, and removing weeds to help improve salmon habitat along the Duwamish River near the Duwamish Longhouse and Cultural Center! Please note: this event is hosted by another community organization, Duwamish Alive. Please register directly on their website to RSVP.
Online Story Circle
Friday, October 28, 6:00pm–7:30pm
RSVP here; contact Story Circle with any questions.
Together, we will explore lessons and messages from non-human beings. All are welcome.
PHOTOS WANTED
Did you take photos at a recent 350 Seattle event, art build, or action? Are you willing to share any great shots that you captured with our community, including our outreach, communications, and fundraising efforts? Here are our guidelines and the email address for submitting photos to our photo library editors.
VIDEOS!
Check out the 350 Seattle YouTube page for events content and DIY Art how-to videos, recordings of past general meetings, webinars, and awesome trainings.
CLIMATE GRIEF AND EMPOWERMENT
You’re invited! Join us in a space where we can touch our fear, grief and anger for what is happening to our world, acknowledge our overwhelm, expand our perspectives, and emerge with a new sense of how we want to show up in this unique time in history. You are invited to feel, digest, and move through grief together at the next Climate Grief and Empowerment gathering.
Climate Grief and Empowerment Gathering
Saturday, November 12, 10:00–11:45am
Online, register here.
Logistics Role available! Are you organized and want to contribute a few hours/month to supporting this amazing group from home with communications? (Attendance in the group is welcome, but not necessary.) Please contact Lisa for more information.
COMMUNITY RESILIENCE
Do you have a skill or service you would like to offer at reduced or no charge to the 350 Seattle activist community as a way to take part in and support the work we do? Please fill out this form and we’ll get back with you! Thanks!
The climate movement requires many skills and talents. You don’t have to be an organizer, protest-goer, phone-banker, or someone who’s ready for civil disobedience to get involved in climate justice. We need you: teachers, carpenters, gardeners, personal trainers, mechanics, therapists, accountants, lawyers, nutritionists, hairdressers, herbalists, storytellers, knitters, comedians, acupuncturists, midwives, bakers, chefs, child and pet care providers, care-givers, doctors, dentists, massage therapists, healers, nutritionists, farmers, all the arts (which we link with our Artful team), and MORE!
350 SEATTLE SHOUTOUTS AND APPRECIATIONS
Lauren T. has been a mainstay of the Artful Team for almost as long as we’ve been in existence! Preferring to “be a grunt”, she comes to almost every build and action, and picks up skilled lettering tasks, transporting art materials, and more on the side. She encourages us to have music playing while we work, and sings and dances while she welcomes others into both projects and conversations. Lauren has long understood the intertwined relationship between climate, labor, and social justice and how important it is to show up and connect, and we are so grateful that she consistently does just that! – Lisa
Linnea S. recently began volunteering with our Federal Policy Team and jumped in with both feet by twice organizing meetings with Senator Patty Murray’s office. After Linnea organized the first meeting with several constituents, the meeting was canceled. Undaunted, Linnea tried again and led a very successful meeting with staffers for Patty Murray! Wahoo! – Selden
Peter L.! It’s always a joy to work with Peter, and he brings such a wonderful energy to projects. Peter is highly organized, creates the MOST beautiful spreadsheets, and has an incredible dedication to detail. All of this has been essential at 350 Seattle as he’s helped us build out new systems to ensure compliance with lobbying reporting. Admittedly, lobbying is not always the most exciting project, and it can be easy to get stuck in the weeds. However, Peter always comes with enthusiasm, and his background in education and tech has been the perfect combination for homing in on the information we need, articulating clear learning objectives, and supporting us in building out a training system that is interactive, informative and can be used as a resource for years to come (for us and hopefully for partner orgs too). So excited to continue working with Peter! – Anonymous
SOLIDARITY ACTIONS AND EDUCATION
HOUSE OUR NEIGHBORS
The incredible people at the House Our Neighbors have gotten on the ballot for early 2023! But there’s still a lot of work to do to make sure that the vital housing we need becomes a reality. This is a “YES” campaign that will include education, narrative shift, outreach, voter registration, get out the vote and much more. The social safety net we so desperately need begins with social housing, but to achieve it the campaign needs your help! Get involved with House Our Neighbors here!
ANTI-WAR EFFORTS
Our Anti-War crew recommends learning and engaging with a significant month-long event at the University of Washington about how the the resistance of US soldiers contributed to the end of the Vietnam War. Organized by the local chapter of Veterans for Peace, outpost 92, this important story lifts up the importance of resistors from within. If you are on Seattle UW campus between now and October 28, check out the exhibit in Suzallo Library on Red Square. There are also three in-person film events.
Free Art Exhibit and Film Series
Waging Peace In Vietnam: The Story of US Soldiers and Veterans Who Opposed the War
September 28–October 28
North Allen Lobby in Suzzallo Library, University of Washington, 4000 15th Ave NE, Seattle 98195
More info here.
THE FUTURE OF BUILDINGS IS ELECTRIC
Thanks to the wonky folks at the State Building Codes Council, our state has already taken the lead when it comes to electrifying our future commercial buildings… Now they’re considering an upgrade of the residential codes as well—add your voice with this letter from our friends at Sierra Club and let the SBCC know that future homes should be free from fossil fuels!
MONTHLY SUSTAINER DRIVE, THANK YOU
Thank you to all of you who signed up to become a monthly donor!
While we did not reach our goal of 75 new donors by the end of September, you can still sign up to be a monthly donor anytime!
We appreciate any amount you can give monthly. Being supported by our community inspires us to keep the work going!
GET INVOLVED!
Do you care about climate justice? Want more general information about 350 Seattle? Then check out this handy Welcome Guide for new volunteers.
Here are some really great ways to start on that path of engagement! Check out our updated Volunteer Opportunities List and our event calendar. Opportunities range from low commitment to high, introductory to skilled. All you have to do is find something you’re excited about and reach out! Unless otherwise noted, all opportunities can be done from home.
Unsure what you want to do? Still have questions about who we are and what we do? Come hang out with us at our monthly virtual orientation and get connected with real people
Monthly Intro to 350 Seattle Call
Monday, October 17, 6:00pm
Online, register here.
And you can also schedule a time to connect with staff member Grace Hope for a phone or video chat.
No time for all that? Well, never fear—you can support the work we do at 350 Seattle by becoming a monthly donor! Sign up here!
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350 Seattle is an independent local affiliate of the global 350.org. We are not legally or financially connected to 350.org. We’re funded by supporters like you! Click here to make a donation today.
350 Seattle
5031 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
United States