An easy way to support Stop the Sweeps is to write a simple email to our local official(s) to let them know how you feel about any or all of our asks. Feel free to use one of the sample emails below and/or add your own language as you wish. Thanks for your support of Stop the Sweeps!
Here's a short and sweet sample email you can copy to use:
Dear Elected Officials (or insert Names here)
Do the right thing and stop criminalizing homelessness. Stop the sweeps of homeless camps. Being poor is not a crime!
I support Stop the Sweeps and urge you to do the same. Respectfully,
( your name )
( your contact info )
Here's a slightly longer sample email you can copy to use:
Dear Elected Officials (or insert Names here)
I am writing to express concern about the criminalization of people experiencing homelessness and the sweeps of homeless camps that are happening in our region.
Sweeps are inhumane and do nothing to solve homelessness. Sweeps traumatize and make things even more difficult for people who are already struggling just to survive.
By sweeps, I specifically mean when people are told to "move along" where there is nowhere for them to go, and/or personal property is confiscated. Even if there was space the night before, overnight shelters do not accept new guests until late afternoon or evening. Day spaces are almost nonexistent. There are no designated legal public places to camp.
People are also criminalized and demonized for urinating and defecating in public although the government does not provide adequate or 24/7 accessible public toilets.
Where are people supposed to go? Go exist during the day? Go to get away from the elements? Go to set up outdoor shelter? Go to urinate or defecate? Go to toss garbage? Go to store their belongings safely?
This situation is only going to get worse when the eviction moratorium is lifted. Thousands more people will become homeless and end up on our streets. We MUST show compassion, not cruel indifference.
As a citizen of Spokane, I urge you to enact each of the asks in the Stop the Sweeps-Spokane Petition as swiftly as possible. Stop the criminalization of people experiencing homelessness and provide desperately needed basic services for the existence of human beings.
These are feasible and practical solutions that can be immediately enacted. Please support Stop the Sweeps and consider championing the Petition.
Respectfully,
( your name )
( your contact info )
Here's a list of email addresses for our local officials:
CITY OF SPOKANE - January 2021
Mayor Nadine Woodward is: mayor@spokanecity.org
Council President Breean Beggs is: bbeggs@spokanecity.org
District 1 Councilmember Kate Burke is: kateburke@spokanecity.org
District 1 Councilmember Michael Cathcart is: mcathcart@spokanecity.org
District 2 Councilmember Betsy Wilkerson is: bwilkerson@spokanecity.org
District 2 Councilmember Lori Kinnear is: lkinnear@spokanecity.org
District 3 Councilmember Candace Mumm is: cmumm@spokanecity.org
District 3 Councilmember Karen Stratton is: kstratton@spokanecity.org
SPOKANE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS - January 2021
Mary Kuney is: mkuney@spokanecounty.org
Josh Kerns is: jkerns@spokanecounty.org
Al French is: afrench@spokanecounty.org
CITY COUNCIL OF SPOKANE VALLEY - January 2021
Group email: CityCouncil@spokanevalley.org
Councilmember Rod Higgins - (position 1)
Councilmember Brandi Peetz – (position 2) - Deputy Mayor
Councilmember Arne Woodard – (position 3)
Councilmember Ben Wick – (position 4) - Mayor
Councilmember Pam Haley – (position 5)
Councilmember Tim Hattenburg – (position 6)
Councilmember Linda Thompson – (position 7)
ALL THREE GROUPS OF LOCAL SPOKANE OFFICIALS - January 2021
Group To: mayor@spokanecity.org; bbeggs@spokanecity.org; kateburke@spokanecity.org; mcathcart@spokanecity.org; bwilkerson@spokanecity.org; lkinnear@spokanecity.org; cmumm@spokanecity.org; kstratton@spokanecity.org; mkuney@spokanecounty.org; jkerns@spokanecounty.org; afrench@spokanecounty.org; CityCouncil@spokanevalley.org
(pic taken at Spokane City Hall during a MAC Movement event, courtesy of AnDrea Rose)
