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News from OWOF – October 2023 Addendum

Lots happening and we wanted to make sure you notate the following items!

Indigenous People’s Day

The Indigenous People’s Day presentation is Tuesday, October 24 at 7pm at Serendipity Books! Heather Bruegl is the guest speaker. Heather is a citizen of the Oneida Nation and consults for a variety of museums and universities. She is a frequent lecturer at conferences on topics ranging from intergenerational racism and trauma to the fight for clean water in the Native community. She will update us on contemporary issues in Indian Country today. Register for the free event at serendipity-books.com

 

 


Hate Flyers Distributed in Chelsea

In case you weren’t aware, hateful, anti-semitic and anti-LGBTQ flyers were left in parts of town. The police are investigating and encourage anyone who received a flyer or has any details to contact them. Equality Chelsea, the Board of OWOF and others promptly issued a statement. It follows. The links at the end are particularly informative.

We, the undersigned, come together today to strongly condemn the recent acts of hatred and discrimination that have targeted our Jewish and LGBTQ+ neighbors. Flyers of vile, anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ+ propaganda were distributed this weekend here in town. It is with heavy hearts that we address the rise of anti-Semitic and anti-LGBTQ+ incidents within and around our community, and indeed across our country, acts that stand in direct contradiction to the values of love, respect, and inclusivity that we hold dear. This incident is a stark reminder that hatred and bigotry persist, even in places where we strive for acceptance and understanding.

In Chelsea, we take pride in our diverse community, where people of all backgrounds, faiths, and orientations live together in harmony. The strength of our community lies in our unity and our shared commitment to fostering an environment of love, compassion, and mutual respect. Acts of discrimination, prejudice, and hate not only harm those directly affected but also tarnish the very fabric of our community.

We call upon all residents of Chelsea and our surrounding community to join us in denouncing these recent acts and to stand together in solidarity with our Jewish and LGBTQ+ community members. Together, we can and will overcome these divisive forces. Let our unity be a beacon of hope and a testament to the strength of our community. Chelsea, Michigan will continue to stand as a place of love and acceptance, where all are welcomed and celebrated.

Your neighbors,

Equality Chelsea, One World One Family, St. Paul United Church of Christ, First United Methodist Church of Chelsea, and numerous Chelsea citizens

Chelsea Police Chief Kevin Kazyak requested any citizens who received these flyers to please call the Police Department at 475-1771. The police department is particularly interested in any details or witnesses to this distribution.

For further information on this type of propaganda, please see the following article from MSU and an information page from the Anti-Defamation League. An article recently appeared in The Sun Times News.


OWOF will continue to collect donations, on behalf of Equality Chelsea, through Nov 15, to help pay for honorariums for program speakers. If you’d like to support Equality Chelsea, checks can be made payable to OWOF and mailed to PO Box 31, Chelsea, MI 48118 or donations can be made via PayPal.
Our paypal address is @owofchelsea Thank you!


OWOF General Meeting, November 5 at 3pm.
Board Room at the WSEC. 500 Washington.

Let’s all get together to discuss current issues affecting the community, suggestions for OWOF involvement and take a minute to relax with like-minded activists.


Civility Month – November 2023

November is Civility Month in Chelsea. The Human Rights Commission has put together a series of events to explore and remember this idea. Watch for announcements in the media. OWOF will be participating by sponsoring the following Restorative Justice and Conflict Resolution event on Nov 15. Please attend. It will show your support and these are skills we need to increase in the community.

Intro to Restorative Justice and Conflict Resolution

Games and activities designed to challenge our perceptions of conflict, learn about the different approaches to conflict, and how we do (or do not!) use them in our daily lives. High School and above. No registration needed.
Sponsored by One World One Family. Wed, Nov 15, Council Chambers 5.30-7.30 pm


Please remember to check the OWOF Facebook page!
https://www.facebook.com/OneWorldOneFamily
“Like” the posts so that we can get higher circulation.

MIRA (Movement for Immigrant Rights Action) is calling upon the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners and the Ann Arbor City Council to establish policies that deny ICE access to resources in ANY municipal building, facility, or program. Please join them at the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners meeting on Wednesday, January 21, 7 pm, at 220 North Main St. They will demand that the county adopt an ICE-FREE ZONE policy – denying ICE access to county buildings, properties, and activities to ensure that public services are safely accessible to all residents.

See full newsletter at https://mailchi.mp/52178873b8ca/owof-october-2025-newsletter-17717631

The OWOF version of "2025 Wrapped" just dropped!!!! Check out our December newsletter in your email or click through here: https://mailchi.mp/52178873b8ca/owof-october-2025-newsletter-17717631 Early in 2025, our Board of Directors chose to focus attention on the important issues of Housing Affordability and Immigration. Throughout the year we hosted a number of educational community discussions, collaborated with local groups like the City of Chelsea Human Rights Commission, MIRA, Jackson 4Immigrants, Grassroots Action, and Equality Chelsea, as well as several different groups to train and distribute Know Your Rights information to businesses in our communities. In addition, there was tabling at the Expo, Farmers Market, and Sounds & Sights. We could not do this work without help from you. OWOF is a purely volunteer non-profit and we rely on donations to help pay for expenses to bring you a monthly newsletter and countless opportunities to learn and grown. If you are interested in Board membership, getting more involved as a volunteer, attending our programs, or making a donation -Thank You! We need you!! There are no membership dues, but we will be planning an all member meeting in January or February where we will be fleshing out of our program year. Our Board meetings are via zoom, held once per month and all are welcome to sit in. Donations can be make online (at owofchelsea.org) or mailed to PO Box 31, Chelsea, MI 48118. Thank you again for all that you do to support social justice issues. We hope you have a Happy Holiday season and we’ll see you in the New Year! - The OWOF Executive Committee (Joanne, Jane, Sandra, and Carolyn)

The Tamale Dinner Fund-Raiser for Jackson County for Immigrants Coalition was a huge success. $1800 was raised through a combination of dinner sales, a 50/50 raffle, and cash/ check donations. Pilar's Tamale's in Ann Arbor kindly provided 189 tamale dinners. Customers could "dine-in" or "take out". A traditional Mexican playlist accompanied dinner. Kitchen volunteers worked tirelessly to get meals plated. A Jackson group member brought along a Mexican vendor cart with authentic Mexican candy to sample for a suggested donation. OWOF Board Member, Christa Williams MD, thanked and welcomed guests, and introduced Gayla Ignacio and Amador Ybarra, two of the representatives from Jackson County for Immigrants Coalition. They spoke about their group and its efforts to support and protect immigrants in Jackson County during the heightened, warrantless, ICE arrests of community members and the effect this is having on community members, local businesses and families. A question and answer-session followed, allowing for further discussion of how their group is responding to the situation, and how concerned Chelsea residents may be able to assist. The generosity and caring community spirit of Chelsea was evident throughout the evening. Many excellent conversations were had. More than one OWOF member heard "I hope you will be doing this again". And at the end of the evening, when volunteers were pitching in to clean up, we drew the winning 50/50 raffle ticket, which had just one word on it: "donate". OWOF definitely looks forward to doing a similar fundraiser in the future.

After the rally on Saturday, come hear from Voters Not Politicians on Sunday.

Great event coming! Pilar’s famous tamales to support Jackson Immigrant Rights activities. They are doing good work with very few resources. Get your orders in now before 10-21.

Voter rights/voter suppression! Important conversation - 5th in our series of Making Sense of the Unprecedented. Sunday 10/19 - 3pm Council Chambers

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