Honk if You Can Read!
If honks were votes, Arizona would have a strong public education system.
Rush hour motorists honked and cheered for protesters challenging education cuts made by Arizona’s Republican governor and Republican-controlled legislature.
More than 100 teachers, parents, children and other activists joined in the March 4 Schools on Thursday, March 4 at the corner of Alvernon Way and Broadway Blvd. in Tucson. This was one of three protests sponsored by the Arizona Education Association in Tucson and one of several protests organized statewide.
Judging by the honks, many Tucsonans support public education and disagree with the Legislature’s short-sighted, draconian approach to a balanced budget. Pictures speak louder than words, so check out the slide show below to learn more about today’s event.
The rallies across Arizona were part of a national day of protests against cuts in public education. Here is a report from Democracy Now on the nationwide efforts.
This article and the accompanying slide show originally appeared in my Progressive Examiner column.
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Occupy encampment in Armory Park– before it was cleared out in the middle of the night by Tucson Police.
In the 1980s, the Tucson Weekly called Tucson the “Baked Apple”.
Safe Park, downtown Tucson
A giant poet’s head made up of stainless steel letters marks the stop near the UA Poetry Center.
A homeless man sleeps in the shadow of corporate America.
Protesting anti-woman laws at the Arizona state capitol.
Protesting cuts to education
Arizonans for New Economy co-directors Jim Hannley and Pamela Powers Hannley with UA Tech Park VP Bruce Wright.
Protesting migrant deaths in the Arizona desert.
There have been many lively debates in the Arizona House in 2018. This team of House Democrats fought for consumer protections and fought against risky financial deals in a “regulatory sandbox.” (Pictured are Reps. Mitzi Epstein, Kelli Butler, Athena Salman, Pamela Powers Hannley, Ken Clark and Isela Blanc.)
Ironically, I posted this blog post on the anniversary of this election on June 19. 1970ish.
Rep. Pamela Powers Hannley with members of the Tucson Chapter of NOW on opening day at the Arizona Legislature, 2018.
Jim and I were part of a contingent of Unitarian Universalists who came up from Tucson. Here I am with Rev. Ron Phares from the Mountain Vista UU Church in my district. (Jim is photobombing us.)
Visiting with PALF chairman Fred Yamashita at the 2016 Labor Day Picnic.
The Oberlin Rescuers outside of the Cuyahoga County Jail.
It was truly a honor to meet Nevada State Senator Patricia Spearman (center) in October and to confer with her regarding our efforts to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) in Arizona. Spearman led the successful Nevada efforts to ratify the ERA in 2017. Here we are with activist and NOW leader Dainne Post after the ERA workshop at the We the People Conference in Phoenix. There are a lot of Arizona women who are ready to make history in 2018. Watch my blog here and my Facebook page here for ERA updates.
Protesters hand deliver symbolic big check from corporate American to McCain.
Martin Luther King, Jr. march.
Desconocido (unknown)
#RedForEd teachers and supporters in the Arizona House Gallery, 2018.
Rep. Sally Ann Gonzales and I were interviewed by NBC at the Phoenix rally.
We often hear that corporations need migrant workers because Americans “don’t want to do these jobs.” When I hear this statement, I picture farm workers picking vegetables. Recently, I toured two dairies and an animal feed packing plant in Pinal County. The photo above from the Zinke Dairy shows a giant cow milking carousel. Nine migrant workers milk 4000 cows three times a day at this dairy. Legislators watched the two men pictured here– working at a brisk pace– bend over and pick up, lift, and attach large electronic suction cups to the cows as they ride the carousel around the giant facility. This level of automation is the wave of the future for industrial jobs.
Despite the sweltering heat, Jim and I had a great time at the Labor Day Picnic. We collected a lot of Clean Elections $5 donations and signatures. Here I am with LD9 chair Michael Dues.
PDA Tucson Coordinator Jim Hannley speaks against both the crowd management ordinance and the urban camping ban at the City Council meeting.
We are the 99%.
The Living Economy event was very informative; we had a great time hob-nobbing. My husband Jim is a small business owner and a member of Local First Arizona. I have owned two small businesses in the past– Powers/Queen Associates and Wind Dancer Design. We support Local First Arizona and buying/investing locally. We believe that supporting local small businesses with low-interest loans through a public/private partnership between a public bank and community banks and credit unions is the sustainable route to improving our local economy. Trickle down economics doesn’t work; it’s time for new ideas.
Giving the LD9 update at the June meeting. What a great crowd!
Governor Ducey had proposed increasing prison beds and funding, while cutting education. Protesters took issue with that short-sighted idea.
John Nichols of ‘The Nation’ addressed progressives and unionists at a Tucson event.
Jobs with Justice marching with Occupy Tucson in support of postal workers.
Pamela Powers Hannley, Progressive Democrat for Arizona House, LD9
This is a broken sink in the Ladies’ Room at the Arizona State Building in downtown Tucson. One of the elevators also was broken. It’s time to fix Arizona government.
PDA members, including Advisory Board Chair Mimi Kennedy, protested food stamp cuts in front of Congressman Henry Waxman’s office.
Congressman Ron Barber and Pamela Powers Hannley at Cyclovia
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