Working toward a future where people and planet are valued, and our government represents all of us.

Announcing the Green Party of PA 2022 Candidates

By Co-chair Beth Scroggin, Green Party of Pennsylvania 

Greetings to all Pennsylvania Commonwealth voters as we welcome spring, a season marked with growth and renewal, along with some beautiful weather!  On March 16, the Green Party of PA began circulating nominating papers for our candidates, which has inspired a renewed sense of excitement within me for Green politics. I hope that as you learn more about our state-level candidates this year, you will feel equally as inspired. 

Just before our nominating convention on March 13, I spoke with Christina “PK” DiGiulio, who will be running for PA governor . . . . Joining Christina “PK” DiGuilio on the ballot will be Michael Bagdes-Canning, running for Lieutenant Governor of PA, and Richard Weiss, running for U.S. Senate . . . .

The Green Party has an excellent slate of candidates running for office this year, but we need your help to get them on the ballot.  Whether you’re a seasoned petitioner or have never carried a clipboard before, we would be so grateful for you to join us this year in helping our candidates achieve ballot access and get into office, where they can start making the changes we so desperately need! To join the Green Party campaign, please email [email protected] or telephone (717) 839-2395 See More

PA Green News, April 2022 

Edited by Chris Robinson. 

Green Party Co-sponsors PA Climate Convergence

The Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA) has become a co-sponsor of the PA Climate Convergence. Meeting virtually on March 13, Green Party delegates, elected by their county locals, voted unanimously to co-sponsor the event in Harrisburg, PA, on the weekend of June 11 – June 13. . . .  Hundreds of grass-roots activists from environmental organizations will join together for a weekend of actions, aimed at changing the climate conversation. They are alarmed by the backward stance of the PA General Assembly. Green Party organizer Joe Murray (Berks County) said, “Our government is keeping PA from being part of the solution to our biggest crisis by denying climate change and subsidizing fossil fuel production.”

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BREAKING: Green Party Candidate Announces Bid For Lieutenant Governor

Michael Bagdes-Canning announced that he will seek the nomination of the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA, www.gpofpa.org) for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania. . . . “After reading the most recent IPCC Report and hearing the totally inadequate response from our local, state, and national leaders to its findings, I could no longer sit by. Using the invasion of Ukraine as a pretext for more drilling, more pipes, and more export facilities is madness,” said Bagdes-Canning. “We can’t afford that kind of misl-eadership.” 

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BREAKING: Christina “PK” DiGiulio Announces Campaign for Governor of PA

“I agree with the Green Party’s Ten Key Values. I especially like that the Green Party first called for a ban on fracking for gas in 2008, when it was instituted by a Democratic Governor in PA. The Green Party provides a contrast with the gubernatorial candidates from the two corporate parties, who have remained silent about our fossil fuel problems. I also agree with the Green Party’s stand on liberating people from the confines of heteronormativity, which impacts the LGBTQIA+ community and all of our society. I hope that my candidacy for Governor of PA will build the membership of the Green Party and assist other Green Party candidates to make their mark on the electoral globe.” 

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Philadelphia Greens Elect New Leaders

GREEN STAR has learned that the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) held its election of officers on February 24. “We had eight members present, and we elected the following officers for 2022: Chair Belinda Davis, Membership Secretary Jarrett Anderson, and Treasurer Hillary Kane. The meeting nominated delegates to GPPA, and their election will take place at a future meeting.”

You may contact GPOP via email at [email protected].

You may follow GPOP on the web, https://www.gpop.org/; Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/GreenPartyOfPhiladelphia/; Twitter, https://twitter.com/GreenPartyofPHL; and Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/green_party_of_philadelphia/. 

Allegheny Greens Elect New Leaders

Jay Ting Walker tells GREEN STAR that the Green Party of Allegheny County (GPOAC) held its election of officers on February 1. “We had 50 voters, 60 attendees, and 72 RSVPs! Here's who was elected to our officer positions: Chair Matt Nemeth, Vice Chair Riley Mahon, Secretary Abi Hunter, Treasurer Steven Martinez, Technology and News Media Coordinator Theron [he/him], Working Groups Coordinator Tom Bailey, and Neighborhood Groups Coordinator Kelsey McNaul. We discussed upcoming special elections, the GPUS platform amendment to lower the voting age to 16, and endorsing a Sunrise Movement Pittsburgh Earth Day event.”

You may contact GPOAC via email at [email protected]. Please follow GPOAC on social media at @AlleghenyGreens on Facebook and Twitter, and @alleghenygreenparty on Instagram.

Campaign Updates, April  2022

Edited by Chris Robinson

GENERAL ELECTION, November 8

The following Green Party candidates have been endorsed by the GPPA meeting of delegates on March 13. [Only candidates for nomination by the two corporate parties will appear on the Primary Election ballot.] 

Christina “PK” DiGiulio (Chester County) for Governor of Pennsylvania
You may volunteer for PK’s campaign committee at [email protected].  You may follow PK's campaign here, Twitter: @PKforPA and facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PKforPA 

Michael Bagdes-Canning (Butler County) for Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania
You may volunteer for Michael’s campaign committee at [email protected]. 

Richard L. Weiss, Esq. (Allegheny County) for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania 

Richard told GREEN STAR, “As U.S. Senator from PA, my first act would be to call for a vote on Medicare for All. I oppose fracking and support a rapid transition to renewable energy. The U.S. should negotiate peace in Ukraine.”

You may volunteer for Richard’s campaign committee at [email protected].  You may follow Richard’s campaign here, Twitter: @RichardLWeiss. 

Jay Ting Walker (Allegheny County) for PA House District 23

Team Reports April 2022

Communication Team Report

By Chris Robinson

Please tell us with which movement organization your county Green Party is working. Please speak out and let the world know. We will help you publicize your organizing. If you would like to join our team, please volunteer here, https://www.gpofpa.org/team_communications_join 

Finance Team Report

The Finance Team manages GPPA’s merchandise and budget and communicates with the Steering Committee and particularly the Treasurer to provide financial information and advice and to facilitate compliance with government agencies such as the FEC. Our current goals include fundraising for GPPA, maintaining monthly sustainers, and assisting the Treasurer. Do you think GPPA can obtain more funds or spend its funds more efficiently? If you do or if you have other ideas, contact the Finance Team or attend one of our meetings, which take place on an ad hoc basis.

To join the Finance Team, please visit https://www.gpofpa.org/team_finance_join.

National ‌Green‌ ‌News,‌ April ‌2022

Edited by Noah Alter.

Revisiting a Green New Deal for DC in 2022

In Washington, DC, along with other regions of the country, there is a recognized, growing movement for a Green New Deal (GND). However, big challenges like wealth and income inequality, a reduced life expectancy, poverty, homelessness, and the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change, particularly for low-income residents, remain extremely problematic.

To establish a stronger and more assertive GND movement, we need to emphasize the ongoing struggle for economic, social, and environmental human rights in DC. By doing so, we may be able to make the denial of our fundamental political rights even more of an embarrassment both nationally and internationally — much as segregation and lynching were during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s, resulting in the Supreme Court’s decision in the case of Brown v. Board of Education.

There is an ambitious array of proposals for a GND in DC, which will all require a considerable amount of intense discussion and fine-tuning prior to implementation. Fortunately, there is a mighty amount of untapped energy within the population that could be easily channeled toward creating a more just DC. An ongoing dialogue and steadfast activism will move us toward the goal of establishing a Green New Deal for DC. An excellent presentation of the issues involved was made by David Schwartzman, chair of the DC Statehood Green Party’s political policy and action committee. 

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Global Green News, April 2022

Edited by Hal Brown

Global Greens’ Statement of Support for Ukraine

“Our principles of participatory democracy, nonviolence and respect for diversity remain as true here as at any time. We respect the need of Ukraine to defend itself, and we call upon the international community to rapidly maximize and unify nonviolent mechanisms to ensure Ukrainian sovereignty is maintained and the invasion halted and reversed . . . .”

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Asia Pacific Greens Federation on Russia-Ukraine War and its Effects on the Environment

“The APGF calls upon all stakeholders to make efforts . . . . We appeal to those countries who produce arms to review their own role in facilitating conflicts of this kind and encourage investment of those funds and resources in developing and supporting sustainable green solutions. All governments should respect and advocate for the democratic institutions and civil society organisations of Ukraine and its neighbouring countries . . . .”

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Global Greens Conference 2022: Greens Struggle for Democracy in Africa 

Leaders of Africa’s green movements, meeting virtually at the Global Greens Conference on February 5, spoke about the difficulties faced by green parties in the face of the strong predominance of “authoritarian” regimes in most African countries. During this session entitled “Greens Struggle for Democracy in Africa”, the panelists explored the multiple challenges related to the functioning and existence of green parties on the continent . . . .

Among the speakers, there was Dr. Frank Habineza, founding President of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda who first made an inventory of the situation of his party in Rwanda before explaining how his party was struggling to register and to function fully as a political party. Frank Habineza encountered enormous difficulties caused by the power in Kigali before succeeding in obtaining representation in parliaments. The Democratic Green Party (DGP) in Rwanda has two deputies in the National Assembly and one senator. Frank Habineza also evoked the horrific assassination of the vice-president of his party, André Rwisereka, who was beheaded in a ditch in July 2010. All these elements sufficiently prove the long fight that the Rwandan green party is waging for democracy in his country . . . 

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Canadian Greens Oppose Arms Exports to Ukraine

At a press conference held on March 1 . . . Canadian Green Party members of parliament and interim leader Amita Kuttner stated their opposition to sending Canadian arms to Ukraine . . . . Kuttner said, “I one hundred percent do not support them (the liberal government) sending lethal weapons. I think that in terms of aid and immigration support these are things that are open doors. It’s a Green Party stance of non-violence. We must do everything we can to support in a non-violent way. I  have a thing deep inside about not supporting weapons exports at any point. We are going to be contributing to violence in one way or another if it is sending weapons. ”

Kuttner went on to say that they do not encourage people to fight but support, “diplomacy, sanctions and freezing assets . . . 

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GPPA MEETING DATES FOR 2022

Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team Issue Credits:

EDITORS: Noah Alter, Hal Brown, and Chris Robinson
CONTRIBUTORS: Michael Bagdes-Canning, Christina "PK" DiGiulio, Joseph Murray, Chris Robinson,  Beth Scroggin, Jay Ting Walker and Richard L. Weiss. 
LAYOUT: Hal Brown, Sheri Miller and David Ochmanowicz.
GRAPHIC ARTS: Kevin Richardson

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The Green Star is an official publication of the Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2021

Green Party of Pennsylvania
http://www.gpofpa.org/