Power can be resisted and changed by human beings; resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art—the art of words. -- Ursula K. LeGuin
Statutes that mandate that meetings of governmental agencies and departments be open to the public at large.
Through sunshine laws, administrative agencies are required to do their work in public, and as a result, the process is sometimes called "government in the sunshine." A law that requires open meetings ordinarily specifies the only instances when a meeting can be closed to the public and mandates that certain procedures be followed before a particular meeting is closed. The Freedom of Information Act ( 5 U.S.C.A. § 552) requires agencies to share information they have obtained with the public. Exceptions are permitted, in general, in the interest of national security or to safeguard the privacy of businesses.
Let the sunshine in, and expose these horrors for what they are.
Phix's Curiosity: what sparks my interest
Watch this space to see what's sparked my interest this week. A random grab bag of delights!
From Motherly:
Ways we can help immigrant children separated from their parents.10 powerful wayKids In Need Of Defense: KIND works to provide legal representation for children in immigration court. Donations support training and outreach efforts. Volunteers include pro bono attorneys.
Medusa's Garden
When you need every one and everything around you to just stop.
It's bad. It's really bad. It is really this bad. Take a deep breath.
Take a moment, but not too long -- We Have A Lot Of Work To Do.
Ariadne's Yarn: playing with threads
What I'm up to with fiber and possibly how mythology and stories all tie together.
Part of being a spinner, knitter, weaver is connecting all the fibers, building something strong out of what appears fragile.
Help reconnect kids with their families.
Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services (RAICES) Family Reunification and Bond Fund - "Parents separated from their children at the border (and other immigrants placed in detention) can't get released from ICE custody to reunite with their families until they pay the full amount of their immigration bond. Bonds are set at a MINIMUM of $1500, and are usually in the range of $5-10K, even for asylum seekers without any criminal history."
Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service is raising money to provide immigrant children "immediate shelter and beds, medical services, counseling and therapy to help them deal with the trauma of family separation."
State Legal Resources for Immigrant Children and Families from the American Academy of Pediatrics - The directory on this page provides a state by state list of resources and organizations that address the legal and advocacy needs of immigrant families. Click on your state on the map, to find local resources.
Mythic Librarian: the art of arranging a life
Thoughts on ontology and ways to organize a life.
Don't know how to contact your governmental representatives? Those people you vote for? Now you don't have any excuses. Do what needs to be done.
Contact your elected officials.
Not sure how to have the most impact even if you get ahold of them? Bustle has some tips for you to help you make the most out of your effort.
Brigit's Poetry
“I think hard times are coming, when we will be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now, and can see through our fear-stricken society and its obsessive technologies, to other ways of being. And even imagine some real grounds for hope. We will need writers who can remember freedom: poets, visionaries—the realists of a larger reality. Right now, I think we need writers who know the difference between production of a market commodity and the practice of an art. The profit motive is often in conflict with the aims of art. We live in capitalism. Its power seems inescapable; so did the divine right of kings. … Power can be resisted and changed by human beings; resistance and change often begin in art, and very often in our art—the art of words. I’ve had a long career and a good one, in good company, and here, at the end of it, I really don’t want to watch American literature get sold down the river. … The name of our beautiful reward is not profit. Its name is freedom.”
-- Ursula K. LeGuin
With love, and structure, and organization, and determination, and holy righteousness, and power of ethics, and curiosity - may Ariadne's ball of yarn guide you through the labyrinth safely until next time! Happy Juneteenth and Happy Solstice.
Let. The. Sun. Shine. In.