The general election may be over but the need to organize in our community is stronger than ever. Here is a summary of some of the Kansas Green Party’s activities from November-March and what we are planning for the rest of this year!
Social Media & Communication
The Kansas Green Party is now back on Instagram! We are looking forward to connecting with more Greens and other organizations through this platform. It is probably the easiest and most direct way to reach us on social media so please give us a follow! [@ksgreenparty on insta]
We have also tentatively started a Discord server to allow members statewide to communicate and organize in between regular Zoom meetings. The server is still under construction but please feel free to join and leave suggestions so we can get things up and running! [https://discord.com/invite/nDF6S4dNXV]
We will also be committing to increasing communication with statewide party members via our email list and regular newsletter updates such as this.
Tabling & Outreach
It is important to connect with voters in person as well as online. In addition to our monthly in-person meetings open to the public, Green Party outreach volunteers have been able to talk to new potential members and organizers both on the streets and via tabling events. Kansas Greens have held informational booths and given presentations at events and schools throughout the state such as Wichita State University and Johnson County Community College.
We are also proud to be one of the sponsors of this year’s WEALTH Day event in Topeka where we were able to connect with many other organizations fighting to address the climate crisis across the state and promote sustainable clean energy solutions to Kansas legislators.
Direct Actions
At WEALTH Day, Kansas Greens joined the Climate & Energy Project in their call to action against corporate monopoly Evergy and their plan to construct two new fossil gas plants here in Kansas and make customers pay for it. Kansas Greens submitted their video and written testimony to the Kansas Corporation Commission recording their opposition and we encourage others to do the same. (Public comments close on April 7 so hurry and tell the KCC to oppose Evergy’s request!)
Green Party members in Wichita testified to city council last December about the danger of the new city ordinance criminalizing homelessness and continue to take direct action to protect vulnerable communities in their city.
Johnson and Sedgwick/Reno County Greens have also been out on the streets regularly for the past year along with many other organizations and voters alike continuing to protest the genocide in Gaza and the US government’s complicity and rising fascism during both the Biden and Trump administrations.
Members of our Kansas City chapter also joined with the Kansas City Missouri Green Party and Workers Strike Back in March to defend union rights and call for the release of Mahmoud Khalil and all other student activists and residents illegally detained by ICE.
Mutual Aid
Going forward, mutual aid is going to be one of our biggest areas of focus outside of politics.
The Kansas City chapter of the Kansas Green Party proudly partnered with Project 10-20 this winter to collect donations of food items at all of our in-person meetings to be distributed at the shelter to residents in need, as well as prepare a hot meal for the shelter on the last day of seasonal operations March 31. Project 10-20 is Johnson County’s only emergency warming shelter serving unhoused residents locally.
We encourage everyone to donate to their organization here:
We look forward to increasing direct mutual aid efforts in the future as well as other community outreach projects.
Upcoming Projects
As the party continues to grow, the next big issues we are looking to focus on politically are the housing crisis and minimum wage. Across the state prices are rising, landlords are subjecting renters to predatory & unfair housing practices, property taxes are increasing so much that even homeowners can’t afford their homes, and yet the statewide minimum wage is still locked at $7.25/hr. This is unlivable for any Kansan and we need to make a change.
This election year Kansas Green Kiel Corkran announced his candidacy for city council in Fairway, KS and he will be running on a platform supporting fair housing and a living wage in his city. We are still seeking other candidates for local offices and encourage anyone with an interest in running to contact us so we can support your campaign!
Johnson and Wyandotte County Greens plan to hold a free community education workshop about tenants’ rights this summer (stay tuned for official announcement).
Greens in Lawrence, KS are in talks to organize in-person meetings again in their area and we are continuing to build the party in other key cities around Kansas. Please email ksgreenparty@gmail.com or contact us through the form on the website if you are interested in joining the Lawrence meetings or starting your own local chapter!
We will be increasing local direct action efforts, however as it is no longer election season our statewide Zoom meetings will soon be returning to a biweekly schedule instead of weekly. Stay tuned for an updated schedule and event calendar.
Thank you for growing this movement with us!
Kansas Green Party 