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SAVE THE DATE!

Catholic Adult Day on the Hill -- March 24, 2010
(New Deadline: March 12th)

Catholic Student Day on the Hill -- April 14, 2010

TENNESSEANS FOR ALTERNATIVES TO THE DEATH PENALTY

• TADP Write-a-thons
• TADP 2010 Justice Day on the Hill and Lobby Trainings
• Student Conference a Success
• Write a Letter to the Editor

TADP Write-a-thons
Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty's Write-A-Thon is an annual letter writing campaign directed at elected officials held on or near International Death Penalty Abolition Day on March 1. This date marks the state of Michigan's first official act as a legislature when
it abolished the death penalty in 1847.

Letter writing is one of the most effective means of advocating for change. The 2006 Write-A-Thon asked legislators to support passage of a death penalty study bill. The bill passed, and a study commission was establised, studying the issue for 14 months and making several recommendations for reform.

At this time of drastic budget cuts, this year's letters will focus on repeal of the death penalty as it is a costly, ineffective, and inaccurate system.

Local Tennesseans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty chapters and support groups host the letter writing events. Participants gather at the appointed place and time, with the TADP state office providing messaging for letter content, the officials' addresses, and letter writing materials.

If you can't attend one of the write-a-thons listed below but would like to write a letter or if you would like to host a write-a-thon in your area, email Denver Schimming for a sample letter and instructions.Congratulations to the letter writers in Sewanee who gathered on February 22 and wrote approximately 30 letters! Thanks to TADP board member, Leslie Lytle, and to TADP Sewanee!

Nashville:
Sunday, February 28, from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Second Presbyterian Church, 3511 Belmont Blvd, 37215 (corner of Belmont
and Graybar Lane)
Contact: Diana Stapp 509-499-9466

Sunday, February 28, from 1:00-4:00 p.m.
Gallery F, 1008 19th Ave. S. (corner of 19th and Grand)
Contact: Gallery F - 615-320-4651, Denver Schimming's mobile- 615-573-6408

Sunday, February 28, from 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Amnesty 149 at Nashville Peace and Justice Center
4732 West Longdale Drive, Nashville, 37211
Contact: Mike Puglisi 302-528-7419

Friday, March 5, at 10:00 a.m.
Massey Business Center, Room 100, Belmont University
Contact: Rebecca Stone at stoner@pop.belmont.edu

Knoxville:
Tuesday, February 16, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
The Golden Roast, 825 Melrose Place
Contact: Mary Findley - 865-455-7309

Memphis:
Thursday, February 25, from 6:00-9:00 p.m. (TONIGHT)
Rhodes College in The Lair (the eatery located in the Bryan Campus Life
Center)
2000 North Parkway, Memphis
Contact: Allison Dove at adove87@gmail.com

Saturday, March 6, from 11:00-2:00
Caritas Village, 2509 Harvard, 38112
Contact: Margaret Vandiver 901-678-3401 or Amy Howe 901-767-7928

TADP 2010 Justice Day on the Hill and Lobby Trainings
On Tuesday, March 23, 2010, activists from across Tennessee will gather at the State Capitol to tell our legislators that Tennessee’s death penalty system is broken beyond repair and should be repealed. Face-to-face meetings with legislators are the best way to advocate for change, and we need each and every person to make the trip! We will ask lawmakers to vote for HB3726/SB3111 which would repeal the death penalty in Tennessee.

Justice Day will begin at 8:30 a.m. central time and finish at 3:00 p.m. The TADP staff will set up meetings for you as part of a group and provide materials, talking points, and lunch for all attendees. We will also provide you with a schedule of your meetings for the day in order for you to arrive at the Capitol at the appropriate time.

This year we ask all participants who plan to have a speaking role in legislative meetings to attend lobby training. Trainings will be offered around the state prior to Justice Day as well as on the morning of March 23 beginning at 9:00 a.m. in the Old Supreme Court Chambers of the Capitol (Justice Day registration is also in this location at 8:30 a.m.) If you can’t make one of the trainings, please plan to attend Justice Day to accompany various groups making visits and to support those who will be presenting the message of repeal. The more people who attend,
the more of an impact we have! Email Denver Schimming for details.

Lobby Trainings
•Nashville Training
Tuesday, March 2 from 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Gallery F, 1008 19th Ave. S. (corner of 19th and Grand)
Contact: Gallery F - 615-320-4651, Denver Schimming's mobile- 615-573-6408
•Memphis Training: TBA
•Knoxville Training: TBA
Train on Justice Day: March 23
Old Supreme Court Chambers, Tennessee State Capitol
9:00 a.m.

Student Conference a Success
The 2010 Student Conference on the Death Penalty was held on Saturday, February 6, at Middle Tennessee State University, and the cold conditions could not stifle the energy and enthusiasm of the nearly 130 students, professors, and guests who participated. Though TADP registered an all-time high of 165 people, the weather around the state was unpredictable, and even our keynote speaker, Diann Rust-Tierney, was unable to get to Nashville because of the blizzard that hit Washington D.C. where she lives.

Despite the minor setbacks, the conference kicked off with a showing of The Empty Chair, a moving film that documents the responses of four families struggling with the murder of a loved one. The day proceeded with two rounds of well-attended workshops. Stacy Rector led the
workshop, Death Penalty 101, with the help of Michael McCormick, the 125th death row exoneree and the first in Tennessee. Denver Schimming and Dixie Gamble, representing the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), provided an informative and thought provoking workshop on
mental illness and the death penalty. And, Shane Truett, one of our Sharing Our Stories (S.O.S.) speakers, shared his story about the murder of his brother and his journey from death penalty supporter to death penalty opponent.

After lunch, we heard from Amnesty International’s Southern Regional Director, Jared Feuer, who joined us from Atlanta, GA. He spoke about the death penalty in a human rights framework and used the case of Troy Davis to highlight the flaws off the system. To finish up the day, students attended a lobby training workshop becoming better equipped to advocate directly to legislators for change in public policy.

Thanks to Diana Stapp, volunteer organizer, for her incredible efforts in planning and organizing this wildly succesful event!

Write a Letter to the Editor
TADP plans to provide monthly letter writing resources to you in order to keep the issue of the death penalty in the headlines statewide. One way to accomplish this goal is for you to regularly send timely letters to your local papers on this issue.

As you know, the state of Tennessee is facing huge budget shortfalls with the prospect of laying off hundreds of state workers as well as cuts to Tenn Care. However, neither the Governor nor the General Assembly is talking about the exorbitant costs of the ineffective, unfair, and inaccurate system that drains resources away from effective crime prevention measures and for surviving family members of homicide. TADP invites you to submit letters to the editor in your area to address this issue. Below is an example that you can use to draft your own letter.Email Stacy Rector if you submit a letter and if your letter is published.

"Can someone please explain to me how Tennessee can make such drastic budget cuts with no discussion about the costs of the death penalty to taxpayers? With only 6 executions in 50 years, 2 exonerations, and nearly 90 on death row, how can the death penalty system be viewed as anything but a bloated, ineffective, inaccurate, and expensive government program that makes no one safer?"

You will need to include your name, address, phone numbers, and email address with your letter.

Click here to keep up with TADP organizing on the TADP Blog - TADP: On the road to abolition!

• The TADP Lifelines Newsletter is available online at the TADP website HERE. If you would like a hard copy of the newsletter sent to you, please email us at tcask@tcask.org and we'll be happy to send you one.

UPCOMING EVENTS:

• 09/06 - Highlander Homecoming and Apple Fair
   
• 09/11-13 - Greek Festival
  
  
• 09/12 - Festival of the Nations at the State Fair
  
  
• 09/18-20 -  22nd Annual African Street Festival
  
  
• 09/25 - WTI in Knoxville
  
  
• 09/27 - TIRRC Monthly Campaigns Meetings
  
  
• Knoxville Beginner's Spanish Class
  Every Tuesday from 7:15 to 9:00 P.M.
  From September 15th to December 15th.
  Cost: $85 plus text book.
  Where:  Church Street UMC Room E-03
  Taught by: Koji Nishida, UT PhD Student (ABD)
  Open to anyone interested in learning the language.
  
  
• 22nd Annual Greek Food Festival
  Greek Food- Greek Dancing Entertainment
  Friday Sept. 11 and
  Saturday Sept. 12
  10:00 am - 9:00 pm
  Sunday Sept. 13
  12:00 noon -7:00 pm
  Admission $2
  Children under 12 free
  Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church
  
  
• Highlander Homecoming and Apple Fair
  This year we are celebrating the 25th Anniversary of Highlander's Children's Camp. Come and hear the remarkable things our former campers are doing. There will be great music, children's activities, workshops and dinner, as well as hayrides to our apple orchard.
  Sunday, September 6--2:00 – 9:00 p.m.
  1959 Highlander Way · New Market, TN 37820
  
  
• Scarritt Bennett Dialogues on Immigration
  Join the community in talking about racism, diversity and immigration
  DIALOGUES ON RACISM
  FALL: Tuesdays, Sept. 22, 29, Oct. 6, 13 & 20
  DIALOGUES ON IMMIGRATION
  FALL: Mondays, Sept. 21, 28, Oct. 5, 12 & 19
  TIME: 6:30 - 8:30 pm
  FEE: $25 for all 5 sessions (if needed, financial assistance available)
  WHERE: Scarritt-Bennett Center, 1008 19th Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212
  Note: Participants must commit to all 5 sessions, as these are progressive in nature and build from one to the other.
  PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED.  To register or for more information
  contact: Diana Holland at dholland@scarrittbennett.org
  
  
• Campaigns Meeting
  Join us at the monthly TIRRC campaigns meeting. Let's sustain the momentum and come together again to review our progress and brainstorm more ideas so we can move forward. Much has happened this past month that gives us hope. But, of course, there is much work to be done.
  09/27 2:00pm CAMPAIGNS: Immigration Reform Meeting
  09/27 2:00pm CAMPAIGNS: Racial Profiling
  
  
• 27th Annual African Street Festival
  Hosted by the African American Cultural Alliance (AACA), this phenomenal, family-oriented festival has grown continuously and now attracts thousands.Featuring: African Dance and Music~ African Expo~African Art~Storytelling~ Children's Pavillion~ and much much more!
  Tennessee State University Main Campus 
  Friday Sept. 18th--6-10pm
  Saturday and Sunday Sept. 19-20--10am-9p
  Free Parking - Free Admission
  
  
• Festival of the Nations at the State Fair
  International cultural & music festival --International parade
  International street markets -- Career Expo
  $8 Adults $5 Children and Seniors (includes admission to TN State Fair)
  Saturday, September 12th 11 am - 8 pm at the Tennessee State Fairgrounds
  
  
• Celebration of Cultures Save the Date
  Sat., Oct. 3, 2009--10 am - 6 pm
  FREE ADMISSION
  Centennial Park, Nashville
  
  
• Welcoming Tennessee Documentary Screening and Panel Discussion
  Join us as the Welcoming Tennessee Initiative hosts a screening of a short documentary from Nashville Public Television's series of documentaries called Next Door Neighbors about Immigrant and Refugee Communities in Tennessee. The screening will be followed by a panel discussion.
  09/25 Knoxville Welcoming Tennessee Panel Discussion & Screening

Working for health care justice
Access to health care is a human right
Health Care Reform will happen this year!
Your U.S. Congress will pass a health care reform bill before their August 3 break.
Register for our Annual Conference TODAY
Friday, June 19 and Saturday, June 20th, 2009, Scarritt-Bennett Center, Nashville, TN
Get the latest and learn how your voice can be heard at our Annual Conference, http://www.thcc2.org/Anniversary/home.html

There are many questions. What are the answers? How will you get engaged in this important debate?

1. Will reform cover everyone or just 95% of every American?
2. Will reform be affordable for all? What are the out-of-pocket costs?
   
3. Will you get good benefits, such as the same as Congress, or something like CoverTN?
   
4. Will the insurance industry still be able to deny you coverage or charge you higher premiums?
   
5. Will coverage be voluntary or mandatory?
   
6. How will this all be paid for? What will it cost me?
   
7. How can my voice be heard?

Upcoming Write-a-Thons
To mark the occasion of International Death Penalty Abolition Day on March 1st, TCASK will hold write-a-thons across the state. Handwritten letters are easy to write, and the impact is significant.

Below are the write-a-thons that are scheduled. If you cannot attend a write-a-thon but would like to write your legislators, contact Isaac Kimes at (615) 256-3906 or isaac@tcask.org.

Memphis:
Saturday, March 21, 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Caritas Village, 2509 Harvard Ave. (corner of Merton and Harvard)
Contact: Jenny Case, (901) 826-6112, casejennifer@yahoo.com

Murfreesboro:
Thursday, March 26, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Mellow Mushroom, 2955 South Rutherford Blvd.
Contact: Nichole Hunt, (615) 564-0905, AmnestyNichole@gmail.com

Bristol:
Tuesday, March 31, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Anderson Street UMC, 954 Anderson St.
Contact: Barbara Clark, (423) 764-4535 ,baclarkcja@aol.com

Justice Day on the Hill
TCASK's 2009 Justice Day on the Hill will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2009.
TCASK encourages you to save the date and plan to attend Justice Day.
REGISTER FOR JUSTICE DAY ON THE HILL

Fighting Poverty with Faith: A Week of Action
Resources Now Available!
As part of our Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America, Catholic Charities USA is joining 19 other national faith-based organizations in an interfaith week of action, Sept. 10-Sept. 16. The goal of the week is to elevate the issue of poverty in the 2008 election debate. It will urge candidates for local, state, and national office to outline what, if elected, they will do in their first 100 days in office to address poverty in America.

Take Action Now
Visit the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America web site at http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/poverty for sample press releases, resources, and other materials to facilitate your agency's participation and engage in interfaith volunteer projects, community relations building, and public education on the issue of poverty in America. 

More Information
Participate in a conference call to learn more about the interfaith week and share ideas with your Catholic Charities network peers, Thursday, August 21 at 1:30pm Eastern. Call 1-877-771-7176 and enter code 462708 to join.

Stayed tuned to Washington Weekly and the Campaign to Reduce Poverty in America Web site for updates and activities. Learn more and share what you plan to do by visiting Fighting Poverty with Faith: A Week of Action at http://www.fightingpovertywithfaith.com/, a Web site sponsored by Catholic Charities USA. Add your events to the calendar. We hope you will join us in our efforts. By coordinating our messaging, holding joint events, and promoting partnerships with other faith groups, we hope to enhance our work to build the political and public will to end poverty.

Sincerely,
Rev. Larry Snyder
President
Catholic Charities USA

Our Partners

1. Alliance to End Hunger
2. Association of Jewish Family and Children's Agencies
3. Bread for the World
4. Catholic Charities USA
5. Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
6. Interfaith Youth Core
7. Islamic Relief
8. Islamic Society of North America
9. The Jewish Council for Public Affairs
10. Jewish Reconstructionist Federation
11. The National Council of Jewish Women
12. MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger
13. National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
14. National Council of Churches
15. NETWORK: A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
16. Presbyterian Church (USA) Washington Office
17. The Righteous Indignation Project
18. A Sojourners
19. Union for Reform Judaism
20. United Jewish Communities

Dates are subject to change

 Check back for additional events and information!!