The Legislature is in session—which means it’s time storm the Capitol. Take your pick of issues this week, starting with Utah’s homeless. Hell, it doesn’t hurt to bank a little karma by educating yourself about the life and times of those less fortunate.
nHope for the Homeless
nThursday, Jan. 29
nSchool vouchers and bribery scandals may come and go, but a few issues will never go away—like the guy on the corner with a cardboard sign and a sad little dog. Luckily, you can do more to help Utah’s homeless by educating yourself. The University of Utah’s Hinckley Institute of Politics is hosting a forum with advocates including Pamela Atkinson and Matt Minkevitch, director of The Road Home.
University of Utah, Hinckley Caucus Room, 260 S. Central Campus Drive. Jan. 29, 9:30 a.m., 801-581-8501 Hinckley.utah.edu
nHousing Day on the Hill
nMonday, Feb. 2
nUtah’s low-income communities—up just a notch from the homeless on the totem pole of marginalization—will be the focus of Democracy Day and Housing Day on the Hill, sponsored by the Utah Community Action Program. The UCAP folks can get you involved in a great local cause right at the neighborhood level. The free event gives participants a chance to have breakfast with their legislator and give ’em an earful about the housing crunch. Hopefully, your legislator won’t be among the dozens also employed as realtors and/or slumlords.
30 State Capitol Building, Feb. 2, 8:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Register at UtahCAP.org
nPlanned Parenthood Action Council Annual Dinner
nWednesday, Feb. 4
nPlanned Parenthood Association of Utah is hosting its own legislative pep rally and coming out strong at its cocktail and dinner fund-raiser with one hell of a keynote speaker— Pulitzer Prize-winning author Anna Quindlen. From The New York Times to her regular editorials in Newsweek to her best-selling novels—Quindlen is a maven wordsmith and a top voice among feminist literati. Her comments alone will be well worth the $100 ticket price—and her appearance also comes with food and wine!
Salt Lake City Marriott Downtown, 75 S. West Temple, Feb. 4, cocktails 6 p.m., dinner 7 p.m., 801-328-8939, e-mail ppac@ppau.org
