Membership Meeting Update

In case you couldn't make it, CEJ had an excellent membership meeting on Wednesday, October 26. Our thanks go out to our panel speakers, Albert Brown with Occupy Buffalo, and Cayden Mak with New York Students Rising and Chief Steward at the Graduate Student Employees Union CWA 1104. Speaking for ourselves, we left the meeting inspired and ready to continue making our voices heard as part of the 99%!

Sharing some of our notes from the meeting with you, we'd like to pass on a few key ways to support Occupy Buffalo that were identified at the meeting.

You can:

• -Get your organization to sign and send a letter of endorsement (The Interfaith Peace Network has drafted one that your organization can use as a template to endorse Occupy Buffalo. Contact Andy at andy@buffalojwj.org for a copy of the letter!)
• -Write letters to the editor in your newspaper, which will let City Hall know that the public supports Occupy Buffalo staying in Niagara Square.
• -Sponsor a day or evening with your organization in Niagara Square and come down - a great way to show solidarity, learn first-hand about the Occupy movement, and build relationships!
• -Join a working group. There are over 15 established working groups open for anyone to join including: Fundraising, Direct Action, Media, Outreach, Food, etc... Bring your skills to your movement!
• -Participate in a "Teach-In" - come down and hold an educational discussion at Niagara Square.
• -Invite Occupy Buffalo representatives to speak with members of your organization at your next meeting.
• - Donate: You can make a financial contribution to Occupy Buffalo through CEJ's "Heat Fund"or through the WNY Peace Center's "Witnessing Fund". You can also find a list of material items needed at www.occupybuffalo.org.

For a schedule of events or for more information, visit: www.occupybuffalo.org. To learn more about New York Students Rising and their support for the Occupy Movement, visit: http://nystudentsrising.org

In addition, a number of organizational leaders were on hand to give updates about upcoming events:

• Buffalo Bank Transfer Day: Nov. 5, 10:00 AM, march from HSBC Bank, 529 Elmwood Ave, and continue down Elmwood to Bank of America, 495 Elmwood Avenue. The march will continue toward downtown, ending at Niagara Square in solidarity with Occupy Buffalo.
• WNY Peace Center Annual Dinner, Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, Nov. 5. 5:30 PM (http://wnypeace.org/AnnualDinnerFolder/AnnualDinner.php)
• CBTU Buffalo Chapter Annual Awards Dinner, Buffalo Niagara Convention Center, Nov. 10, 6:00 – 10:00 PM
• CEJ: Teach In and Rally to demand subsidies deliver good jobs, 2:00 PM Teach In at Niagara Square, 3:30 Rally at Northtown Lexus, 3845 Sheridan Drive, Amherst
• PUSH Buffalo: Fuel the 99%: The Great Disconnect, Meet at Main and Mohawk, Nov. 16, 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM
• General Election, Nov. 8: Vote!
• Millionaire’s Tax Action: Working Families Party, Statewide day of action, Nov. 17

The next CEJ Membership Meeting (ANNUAL Meeting) will be on Wednesday January 18, 2012. It’s never too early to Save-the-Date!