Ferguson police racially profiled and executed 18-year-old Michael Brown.

Tell the DOJ and local officials to hold all officers fully accountable:

I am here standing shoulder-to-shoulder in Ferguson, MO with those demanding justice for 18-year-old Michael Brown who was racially profiled and tragically killed by a police officer last week. I came to amplify your voice as well as the voices of the more than 100,000 ColorOfChange members calling for immediate accountability and an end to the deep-seated police misconduct plaguing Ferguson and cities across the country.

Tomorrow, with the world watching, we will march. Show your support by sharing this campaign with your friends and family to pressure federal officials to intervene and ensure real accountability. Justice comes only when we stand up against unlawful police abuse and racially-motivated violence. The time is now.

A lot has happened in the past 24 hours:
•The St. Louis Prosecutor responsible for bringing criminal charges against Michael’s killer defend the inexcusable police brutality of the past five days.1
•Local Ferguson Police Chief Thomas Jackson announced the name of the officer who executed Michael, but officials are now victim blaming in a shameful attempt to distract focus from the police killing.2

We must stay vigilant and continue to push for bold measures that will ensure justice for Michael — a justice which includes long-term systemic reforms to the way our communities are policed.

Thanks and peace,

Rashad

References

1.”McCulloch blasts Nixon for replacing St. Louis County Police control,” St.Louis Post-Dispatch 8-15-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3770?t=4&akid=3574.1174326.0axQQL

2. “Ferguson police chief: Officer didn’t stop Brown as robbery suspect,” CNN 08-15-2014
http://act.colorofchange.org/go/3771?t=6&akid=3574.1174326.0axQQL

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

Tell PepsiCo: #LiveForNow Shouldn’t Mean Destroying Tomorrow

08/16/2014 Nativegrl77

Around the country, demands for Pepsi to cut Conflict Palm Oil have picked up. Using Twitter, activists and volunteers are hijacking Pepsi’s darkly ironic “#LiveForNow” marketing campaign. Now, they need you to amplify their voice — click on the photos below to retweet these activists and volunteers!

Whether it’s at your local store, like Monika tweeted, or at a big Pepsi sponsored event, like Mike’s, I can guarantee that this type of brandjamming is being heard loud and clear at PepsiCo HQ. Pepsi has spent millions of dollars on advertising this campaign. We don’t have millions of dollars, but millions of people care about protecting forests and are taking action.

We also created this graphic that you could tweet. As the demand for Conflict Palm Oil grows, more species are at threat. The extinction of unique species, like the Sumatran Tiger, is simply unacceptable.

Thanks for retweeting and amplifying Mike and Monika this week. And remember, there’s a couple things you can do to help the campaign. The first is to download your own sign and start tweeting at @PepsiCo with YOUR demands and the hashtag #LiveForNow. The second is to follow #LiveForNow on Twitter and continue to retweet more activists around the world. We’ll be in touch with more updates and training opportunities soon!

Thanks for all you do to help push huge corporations, like PepsiCo, to change.

Brad Schenck
Digital Engagement Director
Rainforest Action Network.

P.S. Not on Twitter yet? Don’t worry, it’s simple to get setup and tweeting in minutes.

5 Minute Guide to Twitter Activism:

Most people have heard about Twitter, but not everybody has an account. Here’s a quick and easy guide to getting setup to Tweet your outrage over Conflict Palm Oil in less than 5 minutes.

1. Signup for your account here.

2. Create a Tweet! (Be sure to upload your photo by clicking the Camera icon).

3. Post your feelings on PepsiCo’s Conflict Palm Oil use! Use the hashtag #LiveForNow in your Tweet so others can find it.

http://www.ran.org/

~ politics petitions pollution and pop culture

The White House

08/16/2014 Nativegrl77

New Commitments to Improve College Opportunity

Following a meeting with community college leaders on Tuesday, the Administration announced several developments in our efforts to expand college opportunity for all.

Yesterday, White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford took Maker Camp campers on a virtual field trip of the White House Kitchen Garden, and answered questions about what it’s like to cook for the First Family and for special guests of the White House.

A new White House report released on Tuesday looks at the progress businesses and communities are making in raising the minimum wage for millions of workers. In fact, since the President first called for a minimum wage increase in 2013, 13 states and the District of Columbia have passed laws to increase their minimum wage, which will benefit about 7 million workers.

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Chart of the Week: Job Openings Hit a 13-Year High This Summer

American business owners advertised 4.67 million jobs in June, the highest number of openings since February 2001 — a clear signal that the economy is strengthening.

On Friday, August 1, President Obama signed a bill into law that again made it legal for consumers to unlock their cell phones. It marked the very first time a We the People petition led to a legislative fix.

Yesterday, President Obama updated the nation on two issues that he’s been monitoring closely over the past several days — America’s military operations in Iraq, and the situation in Ferguson, Missouri.

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