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Unit IIA#2---Letter Writing Campaign.html

1. Go to Resources/Links and explore each of the newly added websites: NOAH, Mayor Barry and Noah on Channel 5 News, Office of Affordable Housing, and We're #StillIn (Sierra Club). Choose one of the issues addressed by NOAH (Affordable Housing, Criminal Justice (including closing the School to Prison Pipeline), and Income Inequality).

If you are a Davidson County resident, compose a letter to Mayor Barry expressing your concerns.  The following talking points were sent to me by Dr. Paulette Coleman, Coordinator of  NOAH's Affordable Housing Task Force, should you decide to write about affordable housing:

The students’  letters could focus on the following:

1. If the $5.2 billion referendum passes with only a broad brush stroke mention of affordable housing, how will the City see more affordable housing in the future.
2. How does the administration arrive at spending priorities such as the stadium, the tourist bridge proposed for the Gulch, etc. about $250 million each and only $35 million for affordable housing
3. If the transit plan is approved, there is not likely to be enough political will or public appetite for another big spending project
4. Experts from the Federal Reserve Bank in Atlanta indicate that light rail leads to gentrification and displacement of existing populations

Here's a link to an article in the Tennessean that offers more information about what was covered in NOAH meeting with the Mayor last week, including criminal justice and income inequality issues: 

http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/2017/10/29/barry-convene-group-community-police-oversight-board-noah-presses-housing-questions/804860001/

You may need to call the NOAH office at the number listed on the website and see if someone can tell you more about how to get involved with the School to Prison Pipeline task force, or the Police Oversight task force, etc. and to whom in the Mayor's Office you might direct a letter about the issue.

How will you address your letter? You will need to send letters about affordable housing to that department of the mayor's office. See the contact info on the link. You can send your letter electronically if you prefer. A quick call to the Mayor's Office should help you determine where and how to best get your letter where it needs to go. Again, look on the links.

After composing your letter, have someone proofread it for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, using the same four options recommended for your Argument. 

Before sending it anywhere, print off a copy of your letter first, so that I can give you credit for the process. 

If you are not a Nashville resident, follow the same procedure with the local government in your home city.

2. Sign the We're #StillIn petition. In the Personal Remarks field, explain how you came to learn about the petition, and how signing it is your way of embracing the Arthur Ashe motto "Start Where You Are;Use What You Have;Do What You Can."  Check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation carefully. Take a screen shot or print out the page before submitting, so you can get assignment credit. 

EVERYONE SHOULD COMPLETE #2 BY THURSDAY, NOV. 9TH. YOU MAY HAVE UNTIL TUESDAY, NOV. 14TH TO COMPLETE #1.