Join the Party: Build the Movement!

by Connecticut Working Families Party

The Connecticut Working Families Party (WFP) was built on a simple idea: When working people come together, we win. WFP helps elect transformational leaders who fight for fair wages, racial justice, immigrant rights, and a democracy that works for ALL of us—not just the wealthy few.

To keep that work independent and people-powered, we rely on dues-paying members. Any recurring gift—at any amount—makes you a member. Your dues help us train candidates, organize communities, and win elections for the working class. If you believe in a Connecticut where everyone can thrive, not just the elite—join us. https://tinyurl.com/9ww2zxhw.

News from the First Unitarian Universalist Society

From 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Nov. 30, the First Unitarian Universalist Society will feature guest speaker Robin Greenfield at our service, at 608 Whitney Ave.

Robin is an activist, social reformer and servant to Earth, humanity and our plant and animal relatives. Robin lives simply and sustainably to be the change he wishes to see in the world and in active resistance to destructive and exploitative systems. His life is an experiment with truth and integrity. This year he devotes the entire year to foraging the entirety of his diet and teaching others how to forage. He also embarks on the One Million Community Fruit Trees Initiative with a goal of planting 1 million fruit and nut trees from 2025 through 2035. Read more at robingreenfield.org.

Lynne Charles will facilitate the service, which will be followed by a vegan potluck hosted by the UU family.

For more information about our congregation and how to Zoom our services, please visit uunewhaven.org.

TEDxProspectHill is Coming to New Haven on Dec. 14, 2025 at the Foote School!

 

Join us for a day of impactful talks featuring eight inspiring speakers, all coming together to spark conversations and new ideas. Interested in attending? Get your tickets at tedxprospecthill.eventbrite.com. Student tickets are $5, general admission tickets are $10. The Foote School is located at 50 Loomis Place, New Haven, and is wheelchair accessible. The event is from 4-8 p.m.

TEDxProspectHill is an independently organized TEDx event licensed under the global TEDx platform. Rooted in the Prospect Hill neighborhood of New Haven, this event brings together voices from the community, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, and academia to foster dialogue, build connections, and create opportunities for meaningful partnerships. By bridging gaps between groups, TEDxProspectHill seeks to amplify diverse perspectives and strengthen collaboration across sectors.  This year we are exploring the theme “What If?”, inviting community to share perspectives that spark conversation and reimagine the systems we live within. For more information visit tedxprospecthill.com. To get in touch with our organizing board, please email hello@tedxprospecthill.com.

Some No Kings Next Steps

Some No Kings Next Steps: There was a No Kings Next Steps video conference last night [Oct. 21]. Here are some things that they talked about:

  1. A) Budget battle/government shut-down: Call senators and tell them to hold the line on asking the GOP to negotiate on healthcare. Or text “shut-down” to 30403 and they will text back what to do.
  2. B) Take control of the narrativeand share your posts on your social media of your stories of how the actions of Trump Administration are affecting/hurting you, criticism of organizations that preemptively capitulate to the Trump Administration, and to showcase stories or resistance (“social proof”).

The next meeting of the Greater New Haven Indivisible group is on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Stetson Library (2nd floor) at 197 Dixwell in New Haven.

For more info: greaternewhavenindivisible@gmail.com.

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News from Greater New Haven Indivisible

Thanks! to everyone who attended the No Kings New Haven event this past Saturday. Across the US, it was the largest peaceful protest in American history – and it was amazing to see so many people on the New Haven Green having a good time while fighting for democracy and progressive values and against autocracy! Way to go, everyone!!

Photo: Chris Volpe for the New Haven Independent

There are Indivisible groups across the US, CT, and in the area. You can check the National Indivisible website where groups are (https://groups.indivisible.org/). Every local Indivisible group decides their own actions in order to work towards change, fight back against rising authoritarianism, and prove—action by action—that courage is contagious.

People Have the Power!

Janis Underwood, Greater Westville Indivisible

In the middle of September, a small group of neighbors were talking about the October 18 nationwide call to action put out by the national Indivisible organization. We noticed New Haven did not have a No Kings Rally in the works. We decided New Haven was not about to be left out of standing up to the authoritarian overreach of this current administration.

Over the next few weeks we mobilized an army of volunteers who came to help in droves and brought expertise, enthusiasm and themselves. We were determined to showcase unity and an action for a peaceful, action-oriented protest that resulted in the New Haven No Kings rally.

Photo: Chris Randall

Over 20 community groups came to share their organizations’ mobilization efforts with sign-up opportunities and information. Much to our joy, several thousand people came to march together with their signs, songs, slogans, puppets, umbrellas and HUGE spirit. The wonderfully diverse community of New Haven made this happen!

Did we know what we were doing? Not exactly, but we had a goal in mind and found people who shared their expertise and talents to help make it happen. Did we make mistakes…certainly. Would we do it again? After a little R & R … maybe!

People never realize their power until they exercise it. You Can Too!!!

Contact Nan to get involved. Her email is greaterwestvilleindivisible@gmail.com.

ICE Raids Dixwell Avenue Car Wash

ICE and Homeland Security Have Kidnapped Immigrants in the Greater New Haven Area

In the past month, employees at a car wash in Hamden have been taken by ICE, and a man on the New Haven Green was grabbed by Homeland Security. Below are excerpts from articles about these cases

 

by Mona Mahadevan and Thomas Breen Oct. 15, 2025, New Haven Independent

Hamden’s mayor, town council president, and two dozen immigrant rights activists and fellow politicians gathered on Dixwell Avenue Wednesday afternoon [Oct. 15] to denounce an ICE raid that took place at a nearby car wash Wednesday morning.

Still looking for answers as to what exactly happened, the elected officials said that federal agents seized a total of eight people.

An eyewitness to the raid, meanwhile, said she saw at least 10 agents show up — some wearing masks and tactical gear — and described a man being slammed to the ground and a woman being hauled away into an unmarked van.

Hamden Mayor Lauren Garrett said at Wednesday’s press conference at the Keefe Community Center that the raid happened at the Optimo Car Wash, located at 1126 Dixwell Ave., at approximately 10:20 a.m.

She said that, as part of this raid, federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents detained a mother and father while their kids were in school.

“The acts from the administration and ICE are deplorable, they are disgusting, they are not what we represent in Hamden,” Garrett said. “People are living in fear because of an inhumane presidency.”

[See entire article at bit.ly/4qxO2hG]

Feds Seize Immigrant On Green; Girlfriend Shaken

Laura Glesby, Oct. 21, 2025, New Haven Independent

A Fair Haven woman watched from a distance on the New Haven Green as a group of federal immigration agents arrested her boyfriend of 10 years on Tuesday.

She was too afraid to come closer, as she too is undocumented.

She watched late Tuesday morning as three agents surrounded her boyfriend on the southeast corner of the New Haven Green, across the street from CVS. They handcuffed him and took him inside an unmarked black van, where a fourth agent waited with the door open.

One of the agents wore a jacket identifying him as “Police HSI,” short for Homeland Security Investigations. Another covered the bottom half of his face with a black mask.

The woman, who spoke with the Independent on Tuesday afternoon, had reported an incident of domestic violence from her boyfriend to the police over a year ago.

He was charged at the time with breach of peace in the second degree, assault in the third degree, and interfering with an emergency call. She said that he completed a domestic violence rehabilitation program.

Following his successful completion of the program, he appeared in court on Tuesday morning for a dismissal of the case.

Norma Rodriguez-Reyes contributed reporting and interpretation. Paul Bass contributed reporting.

[See entire article at bit.ly/4oCWQkz]

Estimates from DataHaven Show SNAP Cuts Threaten Food Security and Local Economies Across Connecticut

by DataHaven

Today [Oct. 20, 2025], DataHaven released a new report titled “Food Assistance and Local Economies at Risk: Projected Federal SNAP Cuts by Connecticut Town and District,” analyzing the projected losses of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits tied to recent federal policy changes.

The report (ctdatahaven.org/snapcuts) includes links to interactive data visualizations and maps, showing the number of families projected to lose benefits as well as the total amount of benefits lost each month for each Connecticut town and state legislative district.

These projected losses stem from federal legislation (the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”), which introduces work requirements, administrative hurdles, and additional cost burden for states. Under the new law, even as Connecticut pays more to sustain its SNAP program, many residents are likely to see essential nutritional benefits diminish or disappear entirely.

“Feeding hungry people should not be a political problem. Food is the most basic building block for a healthy, thriving community. When we cut SNAP, we’re not just cutting benefits — we’re cutting stability, long-term health, and opportunity. Food is medicine. Food is educational success. Food is jobs. Every dollar invested in SNAP pays dividends in healthcare, education, and economic resilience,” said Meg Hadley Zimmerman, Program Manager at End Hunger CT!, about the new report.

“These cuts to SNAP benefits are coming at a time when rates of food insecurity in Connecticut have reached historic highs, putting even more pressure on families and local main streets alike. This new report is important because it provides town- and district-level estimates that can help legislators and advocates understand the on-the-ground impacts of recent legislation,” said Mark Abraham, Executive Director at DataHaven. “In addition to putting food on the table and ensuring that all children have the nutrition they need to succeed, SNAP benefits keep dollars flowing through neighborhood businesses and help support local jobs. These data make it clear how cutbacks in SNAP as a result of work requirements and other federal policy changes are going to have a significant impact on communities across the entire state.”

A media advisory is also available on our website. Visit ctdatahaven.org for this and other reports.

News from the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK)

Thanksgiving has always been a cornerstone program at DESK. Although it’s just one day out of the year, Thanksgiving offers an important symbol for those we serve, reminding them that they are part of a warm and caring community.

Help us bring warmth and compassion to those who are most in need this Thanksgiving!

There are plenty of ways to get involved this year. Here is how YOU can help make this Thanksgiving special for those most in need in your community:

  1. Host a Thanksgiving Food Drive
    Email donate@deskct.orgor call 475-238-8778 to learn about our current donation needs and to get a customized flyer to help spread the word. These items will be distributed at our Thanksgiving Pantry on the day before the holiday, feeding over 250 households.
  2. Donate
    Love to help, but don’t have the time?
    Donate now at deskct.org/tfaand we’ll do the shopping.
  3. Become a Thanksgiving-for-All Sponsor
    Your sponsorshipwill help ensure that over 1,000 individuals won’t go hungry this holiday. Visit deskct.org.
  4. Volunteer
    Sign up forvolunteer shiftsfor Thanksgiving-related events in the days leading up to the holiday, including Thanksgiving Day. Each opportunity will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis and will fill up fast!

If you have any questions about this year’s Thanksgiving-for-All program, don’t hesitate to contact volunteer@deskct.org or 475-238-8778.

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