Dear Members and Advocates,
In just a few weeks, our president Gail Colletta will be traveling to Geneva Switzerland to meet with members of the United Nations Human Rights Committee. She will have only a few minutes to speak to the full committee in a formal presentation. Afterwards, she will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from the UN as well as guests from the United States representing agencies such as Housing and Urban Development (HUD).
As part of the Civil Society Task Force, Gail will be traveling with a team from Miami University Law School, the Miami Coalition to Advance Racial Equality (MCARE), and the national ACLU. The team goal is to address the homeless crisis in the United States with a spotlight on south Florida. While Gail is certainly ready to talk about all of the issues surrounding the Registry schema in the United States, she will be narrowly focused on how the Sex Offender Residency Restrictions (SORRs) are contributing to the increased population of homeless in Florida. SORRs are created at the state level, however we will be asking the UN to question the United States regarding the practice of SORRs.
Specifically, we are asking for the United States to ban the use of SORRs and any such practice in which a government (federal, state or municipal) can deny one’s freedom to choose where to live or deny citizens the right to choose who they want to live in their homes. We are asking the UN to convey to the United States that restricting where a person can live, and who a person can live with in their own home, is a violation of multiple articles including Article 12 of the human rights treaty on Civil and Political Rights that reads: “Everyone lawfully within the territory of a State shall, within that territory, have the right to liberty of movement and freedom to choose his residence.”
The United States is required to periodically report on compliance with the human rights treaties, but these reports often omit information on areas of human rights that are not being monitored. Such is the case with the Registry schema and the practice of SORRs. For that reason, non-governmental agencies such as FAC, can submit a “Shadow Report” that addresses omissions, deficiencies, or inaccuracies in the official government reports. In the Shadow Report submitted by FAC, we explain the use of SORRs and the impact it has on registered citizens, their families, and our communities.
This first trip to Geneva will provide guidance for future trips. FAC plans to work with national organizations next year to develop a comprehensive Shadow Report that defines all human rights violated by the Registry as addressed in our original filed Complaint with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights submitted in November 2022.
Special thanks to those who have made a donation to the FAC General Fund this month to help with the expenses for Geneva. We still need to meet our goal of $10,000 to cover expenses for a representative from FAC and MCARE to travel to Geneva. Every dollar is appreciated.
Please take a moment today to make a contribution to the FAC General Fund in any amount ($10, $15, $100 or whatever you can do). You can make a donation online at https://floridaactioncommittee.org/donations/.
If you want to contribute to the matching fund challenge or prefer to make a tax deductible donation to help with the expenses, you can send a check to Justice Transitions/FAC, PO Box 470932, Lake Monroe FL 32747. Please indicate on the memo line how you want your donation to be used.
Change starts with one small step, which was our 2022 letter to the UN. Then we reached out to MCARE and joined their fight against the homeless crisis in Miami, we were offered the next step to join the Human Rights team going to Geneva this year where we expect to build relationships that take us to the next level. We will keep taking a step forward until we reach the apex, the highest point of success. That’s who we are at FAC. Let’s step together.
Sincerely,
The Florida Action Committee (FAC)
833-273-7325 Option 1
ANNOUCEMENTS
Monday Night Support Group – Open to registered citizens and family members, every Monday at 8pmET. Call 760-548-9898 to participate in a group support call facilitated by FAC Regional Coordinators. Find comfort, motivation and encouragement with other members in this no-judgement zone as they share common concerns and interests.
Monthly Membership Call – Thu Oct 5 at 8pm ET. 319-527-3487. Topic: Legislative Delegation meetings and protocol. If you have any problem connecting to the call for free, you can text CALL ME to 319-527-3487 for a call back from Free Conference Call and you will be connected to the meeting at no charge.
New Member Orientation Call – Thu Oct 12 at 8pm ET. 319-527-3487. NO Agenda. Call in to learn more about the organization, volunteer opportunities, where to find support, get resources and referrals, or just share information. If you have any problem connecting for free, you can text CALL ME to 319-527-3487 for a call back from Free Conference Call and you will be connected to the meeting at no charge.
Family Support Group – Sat Oct 14 from 11am-1pm. By Invitation only for non-registered family members with loved ones on the Registry. Must be an FAC member. To participate, contact [email protected] or call 833-273-7325, Option 1.
SHINE Women’s Group [Women Forced to Register]. For details and more information, contact Danell at [email protected] or leave message at 772-494-1947.
Legislative Delegation Meetings – Check schedule for meeting near you. This is your opportunity to speak publicly on issues that concern your family and our community. For help in preparing a 3-minute speech, or to learn more about the meetings, join the legislative team by contacting [email protected] or leave message at call 822-273-7325.
MEET and GREETS
Sat Sep 30-New Port Richey (Pasco) -2pm-5pm RSVP to [email protected] or call or text 727-999-4716.
Sat Oct 14- Apopka (Orange) – Noon -3pm – Guest Employment Specialist. How to win over the job interview with No Labels. Learn to market yourself based on your skills, talents, and strengths. RSVP to [email protected] or 833-273-7325 Option 1.
Sat Oct 21–Palatka (Putnam) – noon- 3:00pm – Enjoy an Outdoor BBQ meeting on the property of a member. Bring your fishing pole and lawn chairs. For details and location RSVP to [email protected] or 833-273-7325 Option 1.
Sat Nov 4–Clearwater (Pinellas) 1-4pm RSVP to [email protected] or call 217-218-2749.
Sat Nov 4-Apopka (Orange) – Noon -3pm RSVP [email protected] or 833-273-7325 Option 1.
Sat Nov 11–Tallahassee (Leon) 1-4pm RSVP [email protected] or 833-273-7325 Option 1.
Sat Nov 18–Sebring (Highlands) 1-4pm [email protected] or leave message at 863-256-3026
Sat Nov 18–Hollywood (Broward) 2-4pm RSVP [email protected] or 833-273-7325 Option 1.
With Unity Comes Change -Get Involved and Volunteer Today!
Florida Action Committee
www.floridaactioncommittee.org
[email protected]
833-273-7325
Thank you Gail!
Be sure to show how it started as a simple costco membership (based on false information and unconstitutionality) and has grown into the MONSTER it is!
[moderator’s note:
While Gail is certainly ready to talk about all of the issues surrounding the Registry schema in the United States, she will be narrowly focused on how the Sex Offender Residency Restrictions (SORRs) are contributing to the increased population of homeless in Florida].
Awesome!!
Thank you so Gail Colletta for taking up for us little guys who for decades have tolerated the abuse from these lists. The community deserves a safe environment for all children. On the other hand, do these lists create an assassination list for targeting us? Please hear my encouragement, anytime anyone does something never done before it can seem daunting at the onset, but extremely easy in reflection. You can do it! We are all rooting for you, and even if you are not perfect do not worry this is just the beginning! You will get better and better until you become an unstoppable force for good. While these crimes should have never happened in the first place, lifetime registry for any sexual in nature crime with a victim under the age of eighteen can leave people, like me, with just an exposure charge, uneasy about their daughter now a teenager receiving unwarranted abuse from a crime long before they were even born. [moderated]. So please, when you get up there, remember to breathe, remember God is with you, and do your best! With enough practice of your best, your best will get better and better until you are unstoppable!! You and everyone at the Florida Action Committee are truly making a positive difference and I tell as many people as I can about your organization! So, thank you from the bottom of my heart in everything you are doing to help eliminate cruel and unusual punishment.
Something we need to think about is how we’re going to get our names and addresses off of sites like google and Facebook.
If possible please look into the issues faced by registrants who have been forced to leave America because the Sornas are going as far as to restrict whom we can and cant marry. My wife and I are 50 and 48 years old. As soon as the US government realised we were married they used SORNA to destroy all my wife’s legal transportation paperwork and force deport her from America , then they blacklisted me so that I would be unable to travel to her country of birth . We have been fighting this battle for 15 years by ourselves.We have papers filed with the department of justice in my wifes county who is possibly receptive BUT We could use some help. So far we have fought this entire battle alone even though a victory by us would possibly benefit everyone. Gail should remember me or you can always email me for info if you decide to lend a hand.
That is just a sickness to separate families because of something you did in the past. I have a friend who is a military veteran and even though he is not an offender, the U.S government denied his bride entry into the U.S, accusing him of marrying her just so she could get citizenship.
They finally gave up and they divorced since he did not want to move to her country, and she was banned from the U.S due to the claim the marriage was a ruse.
Sometimes I am ashamed to be an American.
This makes me think of asking foe asylum from Sorna in another country. Don’t know if that is possible. Would Switzerland take us?