Jose Garcia Vicente holds a piece of plumbing he picked up, as he shows his destroyed home, in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, in Aibonito, Puerto.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Almost a week after Hurricane Maria slammed into Puerto Rico, millions remain without power, hospitals are running out of needed supplies, and even clean water is becoming scarce. For Take Action Now this week, we’re calling on everyone to call Congress to demand aid for the Americans facing this humanitarian crisis. We also include information on registering your friends and family to vote and joining a march for racial justice.
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Call your members of Congress and demand immediate aid for Puerto Rico and an end to austerity measures. While the president callously tweets that Puerto Rico’s “massive debt” “owed to Wall Street and the banks…sadly, must be dealt with,” members of Congress insist that they will vote on a federal aid package… in October. That is not nearly soon enough. On top of that unconscionable delay, Puerto Rico’s crisis is magnified by austerity measures imposed by an oversight board appointed by the US government to manage the island’s debt (you can read the latest from The Nation on that struggle here). Call your members of Congress today (dial 202-224-3121). Demand that they immediately pass a comprehensive aid package for Puerto Rico and insist that they prioritize the lives of Puerto Ricans over debt payments to Wall Street.
Make sure you’re registered to vote, then register your friends and family. Today is “National Voter Registration Day.” If you’re not already registered, use this simple website to do so. Then make sure everyone you know is also registered: Choose at least two friends or family members to reach out to and then share the call on Facebook and Twitter.
Join the March for Black Women or the March for Racial Justice this weekend. From the protests in Charlottesville to the recent acquittal of the police officer who murdered Anthony Lamar Smith to the repeal of DACA, white supremacy continues to rear its ugly head in America. One way to join the movement fighting these injustices is to attend the March for Black Women or March for Racial Justice marches in your community this weekend. The two marches are in support and solidarity with each other, and there are ways to participate both Saturday and Sunday. You can get more information on the March for Black Women here (or contact the organizers of sister marches here) and get more information on the March for Racial Justice here.
NationActionThe Nation’s Take Action program directs readers to meaningful actions on a range of critical issues.