South Central Michigan Greens
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Calhoun, Hillsdale, and Jackson Counties Local
People and planet over profit.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: September 2, 2020
For more information:
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Monika Dittmann Schwab, Local Contact/SCMiGreens
John Anthony La Pietra, Co-Founder/SCMiGreens
South Central Michigan Greens to Clean Up Marshall
During Labor History Walk Starting 11am Sat 9/12
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Home Tour Weekend Event Will Visit Post Office,
Library, Farmers' Market, and Peace Park
Walk Creator La Pietra Says Home Tour Weekend Event
Open to All; Theme: "The People Are 99% Essential"
The South Central Michigan Greens local will celebrate Labor Day in
Marshall with a Labor History Walk starting across from the VFW Hall on
East Michigan Avenue at 11am on Saturday, September 12.
Local co-founder John Anthony La Pietra of Marshall will lead the walk
between two American Labor Landmarks. The route also links several
other sites of special significance in this election year thrown into
chaos by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The walk starts at the site of the founding of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, one of the first labor unions in the
US, in 1863. Nearby stands a monument to the 1847 Crosswhite Incident
-- in which townspeople protected an escaped slave and his family from
agents of his former owners.
Walkers will proceed to and through downtown, cleaning up as they go.
The route runs to the Post Office, the Marshall District Library and the
Farmers' Market, and the Marshall Peace Park before ending at the place
where union founder J. C. "Yankee" Thompson's home now stands at 633
West Hanover Street.
Weather and other circumstances permitting, local Greens hope to have a
lunch or coffee meeting afterward, somewhere on the way back toward the
VFW Hall. The location will be decided by all participants.
Participants should bring masks to wear in public places. If enough
people attend, the walk may proceed on both sides of the street or
spaced out in shifts, as necessary.
A rough map of the route is available at:
The walk is posted as a Facebook event, at:
"Michigan has a total of fifteen entries in the Inventory of American
Labor Landmarks, and two of them are right here in Marshall," notes La
Pietra, who has been making the walk for almost 20 years and gave this
edition its theme: "The People Are 99% Essential".
"By walking this walk, we honor what Labor Day is all about, and the
grassroots people who won us this holiday. Without their essential
efforts, our workplaces would be even less safe, the workdays and -weeks
of those who still have jobs would be even longer.
"It is now up to us to walk together on the path they showed us -- to
support each other and our communities, our lives and our livelihoods --
to win back political power for the People."
The South Central Michigan Greens local serves Calhoun, Hillsdale, and
Jackson Counties. La Pietra is running for State Representative in the
63rd District, which includes parts of Calhoun and Kalamazoo Counties.
A map of the district can be seen here:
Anyone in the area who is interested in discussing the Green Party's
values, platform, and candidates is welcome to take part. For more
details and news about the SCMiG local, please visit its Facebook page:
For more information about the Green Party of Michigan, its candidates,
its platform, and its values, please visit:
* * * * * * *
WHO:
The public at large; sponsored by South Central Michigan Greens local.
WHAT:
Labor History Walk.
WHEN:
Starting at 11 am on Saturday, September 12.
WHERE:
Starting at the intersection of Michigan Avenue, East Drive, and East
Mansion Street in Marshall -- across from the VFW Hall; through downtown
and to the current site of the J. C. "Yankee" Thompson House, 633 West
Hanover Street. (Weather and other circumstances permitting, there will
be a lunch or coffee meeting afterward -- on the way back to the
starting point. The location will be decided by all participants.)
WHY:
To celebrate Marshall's historic connections to labor and Labor Day,
honor the 99% of people who are essential to our communities, and help
clean up the town.
* * * * * * *
# # #
The Four Pillars of GPMI:
Grassroots Democracy
Social Justice
Ecological Wisdom
Non-Violence
For our Ten Key Values, add:
Community-Based Economics
Decentralization
Feminism
Future Focus/Sustainability
Personal and Global Responsibility
Respect for Diversity
