RAD Leaders in Action
RAD Elected Mari Cordes was featured in VT Digger covering the end of the Vermont Legislative Session and on her work as chair of the legislature’s discrimination prevention panel.
RAD Leader Alison Nihart has been involved in the recent union efforts at UVM.
RAD in the Media
RAD Executive Director James Haslam laid out the current state of our ongoing fight against the GOP’s new war on democracy.
Organizing Director Dan Fingas on the legislature moving forward with S-15 for mail-in voting rights.
Catalyst Leadership Coordinator Mia Schultz was recently featured on this powerful episode of VPR’s (Un)fractured: Covering Race And Racial Injustice In Our Communities.
In Case You Missed It....
Our first ever RAD VT Lobby Day was a smashing success!
We remembered and mourned the loss of George Floyd on May 25th, the anniversary of his brutal murder that ignited one of the largest uprisings in our country’s history.
We launched a RAD Self-Service Portal where members can manage their contact information, email subscriptions, and membership contributions. Click here to login and get started.
It’s hard to believe we are nearly halfway through the year! Although the legislative session is winding down, RAD’s work is not. We have been processing, planning, adapting, and responding to the ever-shifting political landscape to build the people powered movement we need. At this point, we’ve gotten pretty good at it.
Last month, we confronted legacies of injustice that our country – and the world – continue to reckon with. We joined grassroots organizations across the country to stand in solidarity with Palestinians and condemn Israel’s campaign of state violence. May also marked the anniversary of George Floyd’s murder. We honored his life by recommitting ourselves to the work of building a world where Black and Brown bodies are free from harm.
We keep pushing forward and we are excited about our upcoming summer plans. Be sure to check out the trainings and events happening in June – and there’s still more to come!
In looking towards the work ahead, I want to invite you to Save the Date for RAD’s 6th Annual Membership Assembly on November 13th. From here, November may seem a distant future, but look how quickly June snuck up on us! This year’s Assembly promises to be full, joyful, informative, and quite simply, our best yet! Stay tuned for details….
In solidarity,
Dan Fingas
Vermont Organizing Director
Last month, we had the pleasure of talking with author Ian Haney Lopez on the Movement Politics show. We covered race-class narrative, pathways to unity, and why now is the time to build cross-racial solidarity in our communities. We’re taking the lessons in Professor Lopez’s Race-Class Academy and bringing them home in a four-part guided discussion series, the first of its kind, led by Kiah Morris and Asma Elhuni. There’s still time to join – reserve your spot!
Powerbuilders Trainings
Our sister organization, Rights & Democracy Institute, is offering several trainings this month and next, as part of its Powerbuilders series.
Monday, June 14th: Public Speaking with Linda Carmichael Linda is a professional speaking coach with years of experience working with clients from all fields. In this four-part workshop, participants will learn how to structure a speech and with guidance, write and deliver it in a compelling way. By the end of this series, participants will have a final speech completed that can be adapted as needed can be delivered with confidence for maximum impact. We ask participants to commit to all four sessions. Register for Part 1 today!
Monday, July 19th: Effective Meetings & Agendas Participants will leave this training with the tools necessary to run effective meetings which creating mutual trust, responsibility, and accountability for collective action. Register here!
You’ve seen it teased in previous newsletters and it’s finally here – the launch party for Catalyst Leadership! We’re going to be joined by some amazing guests, local leaders, and some familiar RAD faces for this special event.
Catalyst Leadership represents the next chapter for us all at RAD, as we continue to build up the future leaders in our communities. RSVP and stay in the loop as more details come!