Austin NOW Newsletter

Created By: Wendy Rodriguez and Alexia Emuze

What IS Austin NOW?

Austin NOW is a chapter that has newly relaunched. We are a non-profit organization that belongs to the National Organization for Women. Our mission is to lead the city of Austin to decolonize; creating a safer place to live by making Austin anti racist, anti capitalist, begin honoring the Treaties of Sovereign Nations, begin reparations for Black Americans, as well as protecting Earth from the climate crisis.

We will do this by creating safe spaces for BIPoC, Immigrants, LGBTQ2S+, Womxn and children, supporting each other and our community financially, emotionally, and mentally, protesting against white supremacist policies and terrorists, and using our platform to educate the public against conspiracy theories and “alternative facts”.

Elections Meeting August 28th 2021

CONGRATULATIONS Alexia Emuze

On becoming the next Leading Councilwoman. Below we have listed some things she will be focusing during her time leading Austin NOW. -Monthly News Letters to update members on the great work our members are doing. As well as inform all members on upcoming rallies, bills, events, meetings, and ways to volunteer. -Get more membership involvement through fundraising opportunities, communication on ways to be involved. Such as subcommittees, and helping members get involved with volunteering if they would like to.

Officer Opportunities Available -Diversity and Inclusion: You will aim to promote good relations and practices towards different diverse groups within and associated with Austin NOW. Suggest and execute diversity workshops with members of Austin NOW to educate the public and members on how to be allies to all groups of people. - Secretary: Acting treasurer, and keeps track of finances, dues, and sets the budget with acting lead council, and agendas. -Out Reach Director: Works in tangent with all council members to keep and organized agenda of all organizations we have partnered with, and future partnerships. Subcommittee Opportunities Available -Social Media: Works with Kristen Herring (Our social media councilwoman) and other council members to: Create educational content for our social pages across all platforms. The goal is to allow the members to be showcased on our social media and promote involvement. -Youth committee: Works with Vienna (Our Youth leader) to promote youth involvement and in intersectional spheres. -CIVICS committee: Keeps all council leaders up to date on bills and politics local, state, and national. They also help to register members to vote. What is SB8 & WHAT DOES IT MEAN? The Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill on Friday, May 26, and is now on Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk awaiting his signature in order to become law. While this legislative session began with 30+ anti-abortion bills, SB 8 is the most important anti-abortion bill to come out of the Texas legislature since 2013.In 2013, Gov. Rick Perry called a special session to ensure House Bill 2 passed. Whole Women’s Health challenged the constitutionality of HB 2 and that lawsuit made its way to the Supreme Court of the United States as Whole Woman’s Health v. Hellerstedt, which struck down portions of the bill June 27, 2016, concluding that benefits of medical laws have to justify the burdens they impose on women. SB 8 is sponsored by state Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) and was originally introduced to ban the donation or sale of fetal tissue, and prohibit “partial-birth abortion” (non-medical term), medically called a D and X procedure, which is already banned by federal law. However, when SB 8 went through the house chamber, several additional amendments were added to the bill. In addition to banning intact D and X, and prohibiting the sale or donation of embryonic or fetal tissue, SB 8 now requires embryonic or fetal tissue to be buried or cremated, requires monthly electronic reporting from the abortion physician, excludes ectopic pregnancies from the legal definition of abortion, and criminalizes the use of surgical instruments to cause fetal demise in a D and E abortion procedure. What Does It Ban ? Bans intact D & X - Prohibits Physicians from preforming the intact dilation and evacuation abortion procedure often called the "partial- birth abortion” Prohibits the sale or donation of embryotic or fetal tissue - Prohibits a person from donating fetal tissue, placenta, or an umbilical cord, and otherwise transferring human fetal tissue for money. Requires Embryonic or fetal tissue to be buried or cremated Requires monthly election reporting by the physician Criminalizes D and E Abortion Procedure For more information: https://www.wholewomanshealth.com/sb-8-what-it-means-for-texas-abortion- CAN The Young Feminist National Committee is comprised of feminists under the age of 35 from all parts of the United States. NOW CAN groups are organized by students, associated with the campus student activities or student government association, and will organize meetings and plan events to involve other students in bringing about progressive change for women. Collectively these initiatives have been leading grassroots activities in their respective communities and bringing attention to our six core issues. One of our core priorities is the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). Given the ERA’s current status in Congress, there is great urgency to exert more pressure on leaders and stakeholders. Austin NOW acts as a CAN because the founding members are all under 35. This being said we have a Youth Committee lead by Vienna for youths 12-20. If you or your parents would like bring a can to your school we will list the link below. However, if you would like Austin NOWS' support feel free to register yourself as a CAN and contact us through email or social media. Austin NOW will still help, educate, and advise all CANs in support. Start your CAN: https://now.org/yfnc/ Afghanistan Women Listed below are ways you can support and donate https://time.com/6090921/how-to-help-afghanistan-people/ Pipeline 3 All pipelines spill. Line 3 isn’t about safe transportation of a necessary product, it’s about expansion of a dying tar sands industry. Line 3 would contribute more to climate change than Minnesota’s entire economy. Minnesota’s own Department of Commerce found our local market does not need Line 3 oil. We need to decommission the old Line 3 and justly transition to a renewable, sustainable economy. Line 3 would violate the treaty rights of Anishinaabe peoples and nations in its path — wild rice is a centerpiece of Anishinaabe culture, it grows in numerous watersheds Line 3 seeks to cross. It’s well-past time to end the legacy of theft from and destruction of indigenous peoples and territories. WHAT YOU CAN DO:

• Call Biden & demand they stop pipeline 3 @ 888-724-8946

• Text PUCZGE TO 50409

• Donate bail funds :

• Go to www.protectthewater.org

• www.stoppipeline3bailfunds.org

• www.protectthewater.org

• Follow on IG: @honortheeartg

How to become an official member..

Attend Chapter Meetings & Events September 11, 2021 We will have guest speakers join us in reembrace. Here we will hold space for members who would like to share their experiences, thoughts, and emotions during this time.

Upcoming Meetings

Pay National Dues Fill out the NOW membership/dues form and select Austin NOW in the chapter affiliation 📋

Membership Form

Advocate With Us Join us at rallies, protests, as well as in action items like petitions, calling our elected reps, and more!

Action Items

Let us know if you have any questions! As a member you get perks like the opportunity to vote in local and national NOW elections! We believe financial barriers shouldn’t stop you from joining so please contact us for any accommodations. What has Austin NOW been up to so far?

Austin NOW created a Voting Guide that went viral on Instagram and informed voters about Austin’s Special May Election. Additionally, our officers rallied with organizations like Jolt, MOVE Texas, & Texas Raising against voter suppression bills like HB6/SB7.

Advocated for Voting Rights & Got Out The Vote

Austin NOW’s purpose is to take action through intersectional grassroots activism to promote decolonization and other such intersectional feminist ideals to protect BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, Immigrants, Womxn, children, and Earth. Which includes, but isn’t limited to, racial justice, reproductive rights, constitutional equity and equality, honoring Treaties & Sovereignty, reparations, combatting the climate crisis, and creating policies to protect BIPoC, Womxn, children, Immigrants, and the LGBTQ2S+ communities.