MORE INFO: https://www.aadmovement.org/calendar/mlk-day-parade-and-music-fest/

To honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, and to promote unity and justice, the Athens Anti-Discrimination MovementAthens Anti-Discrimination Movement and the United Group of Artists Music Association are proud to host the 5th annual MLK Day Caravan Parade and Music Fest5th annual MLK Day Caravan Parade and Music Fest!

The parade will begin at 3 PM in front of the Morton Theatre, on the corner of Hull and Washington Street. After the parade, stick around for the Honoree Ceremony at 4 PM, featuring African American elders and pioneers of Athens, Georgia! Social distancing will be encouraged – don’t forget your masks. Free and open to public spectators!

If you are interested in entering a vehicle in the parade, please visit:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-athens-mlk-day-parade-and-music-fest-2021-tickets-92606585791

A4E endorses Deborah Gonzalez for District Attorney.

Dates and times for early voting below:

For over a year, Athens Anti Discrimination Movement (AADM), Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition (AIRC), Athens for Everyone (A4E), and the Racial Justice Task Force (RJTF) at Oconee United Methodist Church have been partnering to advocate for a Community Police Review Board (CPRB). Boards like these have varied designs, but the ultimate goal is to establish a mechanism for community oversight of the Athens-Clarke County Police Department by empowering community review of police actions.

After circulating petitions, speaking at Mayor & Commission meetings, hosting public forums, and meeting with Mayor Girtz, our organizations are pleased to see that the Athens-Clarke County Government is responding. On February 11 and 12, Mayor Girtz convened the first meeting of a task force comprised of community members:

• Jaivious Collins, recent high school graduate
• Mokah Jasmine Johnson, Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement
• Fabian Jones, Hilsman Middle School Assistant Principal
• Beto Mendoza, Athens Immigrant Rights Coalition
• Joan Prittie, Project Safe Director
• Mykeisha Ross, Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement
• Dr. Sarah Shannon, University of Georgia Department of Sociology
• Shane Sims, People Living in Recovery
• Phil Smith, Concord Coalition Director
• Nikema Stovall, Athens Land Trust

The conversation was facilitated by National Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (NACOLE), a group we’d recommended because of their experience guiding communities across the country through the process of establishing oversight committees.

In July 2019, when we learned that the process of creating a CPRB was moving forward without public input and through private meetings with concerned community members and organizations, we were troubled. We recommended to Mayor Girtz that he establish a Task Force of community members whose role it would be to explore options for CPRB approaches, facilitate a public input process, and recommend a design that meets the needs of this local community. This way, we argued, the public and those communities most impacted by police violence would be engaged in the process of creating the Community Police Review Board, because we know these efforts often fail if the community isn’t involved in their design.

The collaborative efforts to call for a police review board stemmed from the officer-involved assault against Timmy Patmon in October 2018. And now, with six officer-involved shootings in Athens-Clarke County in 2019, we are reminded again of why an oversight board is so important. When civilians die or are seriously injured by officers, the community has the right to (a) understand the circumstances that lead to these incidents, (b) educate themselves on how future incidents could be prevented, and (c) independently determine if excessive force was used, to hold officers and police departments accountable. These boards should be considered welcome additions by police departments that are serious about building trust in their community.

As this process moves forward, we would like to reiterate what we would like to see in a Community Police Review Board, based on extensive research we’ve done on boards across the country. Our organizations’ main priorities are that a CPRB be:

• Made up of community members–not police officers–who represent vulnerable and disproportionately affected populations;

• Given subpoena powers, access to relevant police data, and other investigatory powers to ensure thorough and independent investigations;

• Granted an adequate, long-term budget to ensure that investigations can be completed in a timely manner;

• Designed with a process in place for regular activities as well as the ability to respond quickly to incidents and complaints when they occur;

• Fully open and transparent with regard to public investigation results, recommendations, and police response.

As many of you know, Tim has already been doing the job of a commissioner from outside city hall for years now. Tim is a regular presence at Mayor and Commission meetings, spending countless hours advocating for more progressive and inclusive policies for Athens. Whether fighting for better public transportation, asking for a more open government or calling for criminal justice reform, Tim has proven his ability to connect local residents with the political action they deserve. There is no one who works harder to make Athens work for everyone — not just the city’s well-off — than Tim Denson.

You may remember Tim from his 2014 Mayoral campaign, when he transformed the landscape of Athens politics. Tim championed greater transparency and public engagement in local government and brought a new commitment to fighting income and racial inequality in Athens. He pushed for bold but practical new ideas to tackle the many challenges facing our wonderful city. Fresh on the heels of a strong showing from that campaign, his slogan became the name of a transformative organization: Athens for Everyone. As President of A4E from 2014-17, he helped lead the charge on countless fights for racial, social, and economic justice. Tim and A4E were instrumental in winning Sunday bus service, providing a living wage to all local government employees and taking a first step towards a more comprehensive anti-discrimination ordinance.

While these successes are clear, there is still much work to be done. Tim is ready, and has the experience to take on that challenge. He will introduce bold ideas for real change: living wages, expanded public services, a culture of consent. As the representative for District 5, he will practice open door democracy and ensure that the residents of District 5 get the infrastructure they deserve, such as parks, sidewalks and access to high-speed internet.

Tim is challenging the incumbent, Jared Bailey, who does have a strong track record of voting his progressive conscience, but who has largely disengaged from the hard work of building the future we’re fighting for. The Republican challenger, Danielle Benson, is out of step with the values and needs of our community. In contrast, Tim will step up and drive the dialogue, work diligently to create new policies, and fight with dedication to ensure our government does all it can to bring about the change we’ve long needed.

If you are ready to continue the progress made electing progressives in November’s special election, and to send a clear message that Athenians are fed up with the status quo and committed to working for a better world, VOTE FOR TIM DENSON. Please sign up to volunteer or contribute to Tim’s campaign directly. To learn more about Tim, you can read his platform or his responses to the A4E questionnaire.

Pledge to vote for Tim here![spacer height=”10px”]

Tim for Athens; Athens for Everyone!

Athens for Everyone
February 1, 2018

http://www.timdensonforathens.com/vision-athens/
http://www.timdensonforathens.com/tim-denson/
https://athensforeveryone.com/acc-commissioners/tim-denson/

Victory Delivered With All Year-Round ACC County Workers to be Paid a Living Wage!

As of July 1, all Athens-Clarke County year-round workers will be paid a minimum hourly rate of $11.60/hour as a result of the County compensation study findings and tireless work by Athens for Everyone and other workers rights advocates. This will immediately affect approximately 85 County workers, who will see an average hourly increase of $2.38. Athens for Everyone is thrilled that ACC county workers will soon be better valued.

In September of 2015, A4E Organization Coordinator Tim Denson filed an open records request for documents showing a number of County workers were being paid under a living wage, as set by the MIT Living Wage Calculator (When this campaign was begun that rate was $10.17/hour, it is currently at $10.82) and some were being paid as low as minimum wage. This kicked off Athens for Everyone’s months-long campaign to put a policy in place guaranteeing all County workers were paid a living wage or higher. That campaign, led by former A4E Workers Rights Coordinator Drew Hooks, and alongside the Economic Justice Coalition, took the shape of petitions, rallies, viral videos, lobbying, and speeches at Commission meetings. That work led the Commission to request staff conduct a wage-study and classification project with the hope to have all county employees above a Living Wage. We are happy to see that that has happened and commend the staff and Commissioners who worked to see this through. We will continue to call for a base wage established that is tied to the MIT Living Wage Calculator, ensuring that wages for County workers will never fall below a living wage ever again.

[youtube www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pjiWQC5i6g&w=450&h=255]
Athens for Everyone urged adoption of a living wage policy in 2016

With a relatively low unemployment-rate but 38% poverty rate in Athens, it is pivotal for workers to be paid a living wage if we are ever seriously going to tackle poverty in Athens. Athens for Everyone hopes this victory for County Workers will be the beginning of a living wage movement in Athens and A4E will use the momentum of this victory to push for other area employers, such as the University of Georgia, to adopt similar policies. The entire community must all work together to build a movement that sees employers ensuring that their workers are valued and cared for and paid a living wage.  Let’s build a Living Wage Culture in Athens!

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Read the Athens-Banner Herald article for more!

One category measured was the existence of a Human Relations Commission. Both Atlanta and Columbus received maximum points for this category, while Athens received zero. The good news is that Athens has a great opportunity to change that! The Columbus commission, the Mayor’s Commission on Unity, Diversity, and Prosperity, is structured similarly to what Athens for Everyone and the Athens Anti-Discrimination Movement have proposed.

[youtube https://youtu.be/S1y759-sSSU%20&w=600]

(The complete video is available at: http://athensclarkecounty.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2 )

Athens for Everyone fully endorses this program becoming permanent. A4E believes that services are valuable to residents, especially when they are free and that an exchange of currency is in no way necessary for it to be “valuable”.

Unfortunately, Commissioner Harry Sims has put forward a Commission Defined Option (CDO, which is an alternative option created by a commissioner that can be passed instead of the original proposal) that changed the program from being permanent to being a trial program that would have to be renewed. Sims’ CDO also changed the language from “free” to “fees waived”. Commissioner Kelly Girtz has put forward a CDO that keeps the program permanent and also uses the word “free”. Athens for Everyone supports Commissioner Girtz’s CDO.

“I think it is dangerous for our elected leaders to act like providing services for free is a bad thing”, said Athens for Everyone President Tim Denson, “to assume that residents can’t recognize something as being valuable unless money has been taken from them. What’s next? Our school buses? Our sidewalks?”

The voting meeting will occur on Tuesday, August 2 at 7pm at City Hall. The public is invited to attend and will be given time to speak.

Since the fall of 2015, Athens for Everyone has been fighting for all county employees to be paid a living wage of $10.17/hr (or higher). Progress has been made but much work is still to be done.

The County will take on a wage-study and classification project that should raise the hourly wage for about 100 of the 240 County workers being paid less than a MIT-researched Living Wage for Athens, to $10.17/hr or greater. This classification should be done by January 1.

An unofficial timeline has been created to raise the other 140 jobs to, or above, a living wage eventually also.

“Even though we did not see funds to pay living wages to all ACCUG employees, we are hopeful the commissioners and staff will keep to their word,” said Drew Hooks, Workers Rights Campaign Coordinator for Athens for Everyone. “We will continue to push the mayor and commission until living wages are paid to all part-time, seasonal and temporary employees. It is their moral obligation as employers, and it is their economic responsibility to curb poverty through paying higher wages. If we want an Athens that is affordable for everyone, then the local government needs to set the example and pay their workers living wages.”

Look for a detailed breakdown of the Living Wage story later this week here at athensforeveryone.com

Even though many city workers support families, we are only asking for the living wage calculated for a single adult. The American phenomenon of working poverty — where workers are rewarded with limited compensation partially augmented by programs for the impoverished— is simply unacceptable. Our local government, which democratically represents the people and values of Athens, must provide its employees with a decent living. They work hard and they have earned it.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRMVXXQnUvU[/youtube]
Athens has become a true city. We see construction everywhere, and many of us have experienced the sting of rising rents. Our community can no longer operate as if we were a low-cost small town. Life here is changing and wages must rise.

On Tuesday we will petition the government to increase the pay for its hourly workers. The more members of the community who join in making this demand, the better the chances that the Mayor & Commission adopt this policy. Join us in helping make Athens a livable community for everyone who works here.

Join us at 7pm!  Remember, if you’re going to a Mayor and Commission meeting and get a parking validation ticket from the basket, parking in the deck is free!

Athens for Everyone
June 6th, 2016

The Athens Mayor & Commission passed an anti-discrimination resolution on January 5, a key step toward addressing discrimination on the grounds of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, and pregnancy. The resolution, though, is a set of stated commitments lacking the power and enforceability of law. Words in the absence of action, as we know, do little to destabilize the structures and policies that have continually allowed for the invasive creep of discrimination. With this in mind, the diverse group of advocates at Sunday’s meeting united in support of an ACC Human Relations Commission and an Anti-Discrimination Ordinance that will allow for the commitments outlined in the resolution to be enforced. A Human Relations Commission, similar to those already underway in places like Atlanta and Austin, TX, would provide the Athens community with a diverse, representative governmental body set up specifically to hear cases relating to discrimination and to take action to appropriately address these issues.

These goals, though, require legislative action. The importance of your voice and presence in City Hall as these proposals are considered cannot be underestimated.

In preparation for the Town Hall meeting on March 1st, Mokah and Knowa Johnson, alongside Athens for Everyone, have proposed an anti-discrimination sticker campaign to recruit local businesses to pledge to welcome every patron and to stand in approval of the proposed ordinance and Human Relations Commission. It will take a commitment on behalf of local businesses and the solidarity and vocality of the Athens community to show our elected officials just how highly this issue ranks on the community’s agenda. The meeting was a wonderful example of what can happen when a diverse set of voices comes to the table in collective pursuit of a just and equal community. As we chanted just weeks ago, “Injustice anywhere is a problem everywhere.” For this reason, action cannot be delayed.

We urge you to show up to the Mayor and Commission meeting on March 1 at 7 PM at City Hall to voice your support for an Anti-Discrimination Ordinance that will allow for the enforcement of the Anti-Discrimination Resolution and the creation of a Human Relations Commission. As the impassioned group of activists at Sunday’s gathering expressed, it is through solidarity, education, and community & legislative action that justice comes to bear.

Briana Bivens
February 12, 2016
The Anti-Discrimination Follow-up Meeting took place on Sunday, February 7th at the public library

The Mayor and Commission meeting will take place on:

Tuesday, March 1st, 7pm
City Hall
301 College Ave
Athens, Georgia 30601

For more information, contact the United Group of Artists at http://ugalive.com/contact-us/ or Athens for Everyone at AthensForEveryone@gmail.com

If you believe in this cause, please sign our petition.