Safer Communities Summit, Local Events, and more

June 23, 2023


 
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Dear Neighbor,

Although you would never know based on this weather, summer has officially begun! This week's email includes what I've been up to since session ended, upcoming local events, and an important summer sustainability tip. You can use the helpful bullet points below to navigate between sections.
     
    Safer Communities Summit
     
    Last Friday, I had the distinct privilege of attending the Safer Communities Summit, hosted by Senator Chris Murphy, to celebrate the one year anniversary of the signing of the Safer Communities Act, the first major piece of gun violence prevention legislation in nearly three decades. It was deeply powerful to hear from survivors and victims of gun violence including Nelba Márquez-Greene, Gabby Giffords, and several students who survived Parkland as well as community gun violence. Tre Bosley shared that while gun violence has been the leading cause of death for children since 2022, it has been the leading cause of death for Black children since 2006.

    The words of our own Miguel Cardona - now Secretary of Education - were profound. To paraphrase, he said that when we’ve put the profits of gun manufacturers above the lives of children, we have lost our way.

    Thankfully, President Biden reminded us that these fights, while exhausting and incremental, are worth fighting because change is possible, as has been evidenced in the bipartisan passage of the Safer Communities Act and these hard-fought victories will mean more lives saved and less lived trauma. Of course, when the progress is incremental it means that we must press on and this work continues with a renewed sense of urgency and hope.
     
    Major Public Acts Report
    Every year, Connecticut's nonpartisan staff in the Office of Legislative Research put out a "Major Public Acts Report," summarizing the most significant, far-reaching acts adopted by the General Assembly in our latest session. You can find this year's report here.

    The report details bills ranging from education, the budget, elections, and much more. I hope you'll take a look through the report to read about all of the critical legislation we passed this year. If you have questions about any piece of legislation, please reach out to me or OLR at OLRequest@cga.ct.gov.
     
    Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County Arts & Culture Empowerment Awards 
    Earlier this week, I had the privilege of attending the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County Arts & Culture Empowerment Awards. Congratulations to Fairfield Museum and History Center for being awarded the NonProfit Award for their work leveraging art and the humanities in their programming. Our community is lucky to have this enriching and educational resource here!

    I was also inspired by the words of Fairfield's own Michelle McCabe who was the keynote speaker as the Executive Director for the CT Main Street Center. She spoke about the centrality of the arts in bringing people together and helping us recognize and respect our shared humanity. This is something I think is more important than ever before, and I'm grateful for the Fairfield Museum and the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County for embracing the power of art to help us all find connection and meaning. 

    If you are interested in learning more about arts and culture events across the county, I highly recommend signing up for the Cultural Alliance's eblast. https://culturalalliancefc.org/fcbuzz-events/
     
    Fairfield Public Library Summer Reading Challenge 
    I hope you'll take a moment to read about the Fairfield Public Library's Summer Reading Challenge. Summer is a great chance for people of all ages to catch up on all the books you've been meaning to read. So why not make it into a game? The summer reading challenge encourages readers to read, write book reviews, attend events, and complete bonus activities to earn points and reach your goal this year.

    The challenge is run through a program called Beanstack, which makes keeping track of individual and family reading plus activities easy. You can read more about the program here, and can register here. This is a great event that encourages creativity and engagement with your family and the community, and I hope you sign up!
     
    Pequot Library Bike Parade
    This 4th of July, celebrate with the annual Pequot Library bike parade! This even is great fun for the entire family. Bring your festively decorated bike, scooter, or wagon to Five Corners in Southport Village, and parade to the Great Lawn for some festivity and games, including:
    • Face-painting, sack races, hula hoop contest, and crafts
    • Free Super Duper Weenie hot dogs
    • Ice cream and drinks

    The event is free and open to all ages, with no registration required. I hope to see you there!
     
    Green Team Tip of the Week
    Each year, 6,000 tons of sunscreen washes into our oceans, damaging our coral reefs. Spray sunscreen is particularly damaging, as it contains aersols with harmful nanoparticles. So this week's Fairfield Public School Green Team's tip of the week is slather, don't spray! The Green Team recommends using mineral based sunscreens containing Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide, or even opting for UV-blocking clothing. Now that we are officially in summer season, it's more important than ever to be mindful of how we treat our environment!
     
    Starlight Gala
    Tomorrow is the Fairfield Museum and History Center's Starlight Gala, a great way to kick off the summer! The event will have fantastic food and drinks prepared by AMG Catering and Events, music by jazz great Chris Coogan, and remarks by 11-time Emmy Award winning journalist and celebrated author Armen Keteyian. There will also be a live auction, so you could be going home with luxury items and experiences.

    Can't make it to the gala this year or interested in pre-bidding on auction items? Use the link below to bid prior to the event on June 24. https://bit.ly/442spdm
     
    Sidewalk Sale and Street Fair
     
    Mark your calendars! The annual Fairfield Sidewalk Sale and Street Fair will be held Saturday, July 15! There will be special deals and discounts at participating shops and in booths set up on Sherman Green. From the latest fashion apparel and jewelry to sporting goods and best-selling books, there’s something for everyone! Shop the summer’s hottest deals offered by Fairfield’s local merchants.
     
    Businesses and vendors interested in either participating in or sponsoring this year’s event should contact the Office of and Economic Development via email at cedoffice@fairfieldct.org!
     
    I'm committed to ensuring your voice is heard. Please don't hesitate to call my office at (860) 240-8585 or email me if there's anything I can do for you. Be sure to follow @LeeperForFairfield on Facebook and Instagram to stay up-to-date on everything I'm doing at the Capitol.

    Sincerely,

    Jennifer Leeper
    State Representative
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