Show Your Love, Smile

F L I N T’ S    P R O B L E M S    A R E    E V E R Y O N E’ S     P R O B L E M S

The citizens of Flint are organized and their demands are clear. The Flint Coalition shared their demands over a conference call with partners and supporters across the US and Europe which was organized by Sound Vision in collaboration with the Charter of Compassion.

We are resolved to support Flint by organizing a National Calling Week For Flint Feb 15-19. Please join us.

The Flint Coalition has the following four demands:

1. All water pipes throughout the city of Flint must be changed.
2. Pass the Stabenow/Peters/Kildee legislation in the Congress for financial support to Flint and persuade Governor Snyder to accept its conditions.
3. Appoint an independent external auditor to monitor the influx of government capital to ensure it reaches the citizens.
4. The maximum amount of funds must be kept in the Flint area through using local labor and contractors to revive the city economy.

The Flint Coalition requests individuals and organizations to amplify these demands through their elected officials.

The Sound Vision and Justice for All team has developed the following material so that you can customize for your organization and network or to use as is:

• A sample letter to be customized and sent to your senators and representative
• A sample organizational resolution to be adopted and attached to the congressional delegation of your state.
• An Action Alert for all your members to use. You can either customize it with your organizational name or use Justice for All’s. (see below)
• A sample press release you can send to your local media about what you and your community organizations are doing to help.
• A sample newsletter that your organization can use to email your listserv subscribers.

If you need help with customization, please feel free to contact Jennifer Sawicz, media relations director at Justice for All, by e-mailing .

You can be part of a lasting solution for Flint. Please organize and mobilize your community in sending out action materials today.

This is the least we people of compassion can do.

Imam Abdul Malik Mujahid, Sound Vision
Marilyn Turkovich, Charter for Compassion

S H O W    Y O U R    L O V E,    S M I L E

If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love.
~Maya Angelou

It’s Valentine’s Day around many parts of the world on February 14. One of our Charter for Compassion members, Melanie Oslie, sent us a message a few days ago about something we could all do to celebrate this traditional day of love. Melanie has taken Maya Angelou’s quote one step further. Here is her message: I want to challenge the whole world to go out of their way to make someone they don't know smile. I believe that it will help bring the world together and create a better foundation for peace.

C A L L    O N    C O M P A S S I O N A T E    C I T I E S     &    C O M M U N I T I E S

Is your city, town, village, state or country working on a compassionate campaign? Thinking about it? Working on it and not having registered your initiative? If you've answered "yes" to any of these questions join us for this informational call.  Register for the call to occur on Wednesday, February 17, 7 am PST.

J O I N    I N    T H E    C H A L L E N G E

The Charter for Compassion has received a challenge grant from one of our supporters to double each dollar given up to $5000. We have until the end of the month to make this goal. What does $10,000 mean to the Charter? Conceivably it pays for our Maestro Conference Call and Ruzuku platform for the year, as well as our internet hosting. Please consider helping us reach this goal.  Donate here.

Share this expanded and illustrated newsletter with others.

Action Alert for Flint, Michigan

Subject: Join the National Call in Week Feb 15-19

Demand Swift, Real Solutions for Flint

The whole America now knows what is going on in Flint, Michigan. However the Flint Coalition would like all Americans to support their demands:

1. All water pipes throughout the city of Flint must be changed.

2. Pass the Stabenow/Peters/Kildee legislation in the Congress for financial support to Flint and persuade Governor Snyder to accept its conditions.

3. Appoint an independent external auditor to monitor the influx of government capital to ensure it reaches the citizens.

4. The maximum amount of funds must be kept in the Flint area through using local labor and contractors to revive the city economy.

Action Items

* Call Your Senator and Congresspersons with the above demands

o You can look up your Senator and Congressperson’s contact info here. https://www.opencongress.org/people/zipcodelookup

o Call their Washington number as well as local numbers.

o Meet your Congressional leaders in a delegation. A meeting can go a long way in making sure our leaders truly hear our concerns. There’s power in putting a face to a name. You can get some great talking points on https://medium.com/@TheCharter/ (Charter for Compassion’s web site).

* Ask the organizations you know to adopt a resolution in support of the above demands and send them to your congressional delegation * Call Gov. Snyder 517–373–3400 to #ChangePipes * Call President Obama 202–456–1111 to Declare #FlintDisasterzone

* Call 10 other friends to take the actions outlined above

Talking Points

* For two years, Flint residents are forced to drink water laced with corrosive elements running through lead pipes.

* It has poisoned of an entire city.

* It has caused irreversible brain damage to children that could have a multi-generational impact.

* Citizens are still being forced to pay water bills for water which they can’t use and which is double the rate of the neighboring cities with clean water.