Baltimore Activist Alert - Part 3

57] Vigil for the Guantanamo Detainees – Mar. 27


58] Film "Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel," Part 3 – Mar. 27

59] "Nuclear Priorities 2013" – Mar. 27

60] Land rights activist continues tour – Mar. 27

61] White without Privilege – Mar. 27

62] Film “Venezuela Rising” – Mar. 27

63] Holy Week Faith and Resistance Retreat – Mar. 27-29

64] Grant info session – Mar. 27 & Apr. 5

65] National Peoples Assembly meeting – Mar. 27

66] Films "At Risk" -- Mar. 27

67] Film “Guardabosques" – Mar. 27

68] Music for Peace – Mar. 27

69] Mayors Against Illegal Guns National Day to Demand Action – Mar. 28

70] Film "Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel", Part 4 -- Mar. 28

71] Vigil for the Gitmo Hunger Strikers – Mar. 28

72] Ignite Baltimore – Mar. 28

73] Living Without Fossil Fuel -- Mar. 28

74] Conversation with Junot Diaz and Bob Moses -- Mar. 28

75] "Expanding the Civil Right to Counsel: 50 Years After Gideon“ – Mar. 29

76] MUPJ Conference – Apr. 12 & 13, 2013

77] Job opportunity with PSR

78] Support Red Emma’s in its move

79] Do you possess any Tom Lewis artwork?

80] Sign up with Washington Peace Center

81] Join Fund Our Communities

82] Submit articles to Indypendent Reader

83] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

84] Do you need any book shelves?

85] Join Global Zero campaign

86] Digital Information and the Criminal Justice System

87] War Is Not the Answer signs for sale

88] Click on The Hunger Site

89] Fire & Faith

90] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil



57] – Be at an EMERGENCY VIGIL IN SUPPORT OF THE PRISONERS & THOSE IN THEIR 7TH WEEK OF A HUNGER STRIKE AT THE GUANTANAMO PRISON CAMP on Wed., Mar. 27 at noon at the White House. Prisoners at the US Military prison camp in Guantanamo are entering their 7th week of a hunger strike and may die soon. Many prisoners were falsely accused and sold for a bounty to the US. Around half of all the prisoners of Guantanamo have been cleared to be released but are still being held indefinitely. Most of the prisoners have been held for over 11 years without charge or trial. This is illegal and morally wrong. Because they are in an indefinite or apparently never-ending imprisonment without being convicted of any crime they have little options to help themselves and no hope left. So they stopped eating at the beginning of February. They want to be with their loved ones. Go to www.witnesstorture.org.



58] – On Wed., Mar. 27 at 12:30 PM, see the film "Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel", Part 3 at The Jerusalem Fund, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW. As ordinary people voice their own memories, contradictory beliefs and contrasting opinions appear in Khleifi and Sivan’s masterful “Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel,” the historical truth of Palestine- Israel is gradually revealed like never before in a documentary film. This process captures one sense of the journey in the film’s title: a journey through the present to a still active, still determining past. Hence, Khleifi and Sivan adopt the virtual partition line of UN Resolution 181 of 1947 as a route of travel. The other sense of journeying is equally crucial, for both the directors’ cinematic project and their project of critique. Journeying means the act of contributing to a collective effort of change and transformation in the future. The screening is free. Go to http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/contactus. Call The Jerusalem Fund at 202-338-1958 or email info@thejerusalemfund.org.



59] – On Wed., Mar. 27 from 12:30 to 1:30 PM, Anita Friedt, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Nuclear and Strategic Policy, will discuss "Nuclear Priorities 2013" at the American Security Project, 1100 New York Ave. NW, Suite 710W, WFC. RSVP at events@americansecurityproject.org.



60] – On Wed., Mar. 27 at 1 PM, GHRC presents Lolita Chávez Ixcaquic, a spokesperson for the K’iche’ People’s Council, an organization which represents 87 Mayan communities in the department of Quiché, Guatemala, at The QED Group, 1250 Eye St. NW, Suite 1100, WDC. She is continuing her U.S. tour. Go to ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org. And on Mar. 27 at 6 PM, Lolita will be at American University @ Hughes Formal Lounge.

61] – White without Privilege: The Impact of a Designation, an open conversation about Arab American Identity, is happening on Wed., Mar. 27 from 6 to 8 PM at the ADC Office, 1990 M St. NW, Suite 610. In an ongoing campaign, ADC is challenging the government definition of what it means to be "Arab." As the US government designates Arab Americans as "white" the reality on the ground is that Arab Americans are "white without privilege." The impact of the discrimination faced by community members has an exponential impact on all areas of daily life, including the limits the designation places on business owners and employment opportunities.

Speakers include Mr. Omar Kader, who for decades has been assisting Arab American business owners overcome hurdles and discrimination, and, Ms. Randa Kayyali, who is one of the experts on the history of Arab American identity and the government treatment of Arab Americans. Representing ADC will be director of Legal and Policy Affairs, Abed Ayoub, who will discuss ADC's work on the matter. Contact ADC at 202-244-2990 or adc@adc.org or www.adc.org.

62] – See the film “Venezuela Rising” on Wed., Mar. 27 from 6 to 8 PM at the IPS Conference Room, 1112 16th St. NW, Suite 600. The screening is about the most demonized democratically elected president in world history. As seen through the eyes of grandmother and community organizer Gladys Bolivar, “Venezuela Rising” follows Gladys and her compatriots in 2004, five days before it is to be decided by popular referendum whether Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will continue in office or step down. The entire nation has been mobilized – will it be SI – yes he will be recalled, or NO – he will remain in office. Most in Venezuela feel that no less than the entire future of their country is at stake.

The screening will conclude with a discussion featuring a panel of experts on Venezuela, to discuss the post referendum situation and prospects for a Venezuela without Hugo Chavez. Visit http://www.ips-dc.org/events/film_venezuela_rising.

63] – Join with the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker, Jonah House and other peacemaking friends for the upcoming Holy Week Faith and Resistance Retreat, beginning Wed., Mar. 27 at 6 PM through Good Friday, Mar. 29. This will be a time of prayer, reflection, community building and acts of nonviolent resistance focusing on the theme: "PUT AWAY THE SWORD." The retreat, which will include time for communal reflection and several nonviolent actions, will commence with dinner and conclude on Friday following a nonviolent witness at the White House from 11:30 to 12:30 PM. The retreat will be held at St. Stephen and the Incarnation Church, 1525 Newton St. NW, WDC 20010 (corner of 16th St. and Newton). Contact the Jonah House at disarmnow@verizon.net or 410-233-6238.

64] – Research Associates Foundation provides grants up to $2500 to selected Baltimore-area organizations and individuals who are engaged in transformative community activism. Completed applications are due by Mon., Apr. 22. See www.rafbaltimore.org for guidelines, application forms and a list of previous grantees. Email info@rafbaltimore.org.



Attend an information session which will answer specific questions about the application process on Wed., Mar, 27 at 6 PM at the Village Learning Place, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218. Another session will occur on Fri., Apr. 5 at 7:30 at Red Emma's, 800 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21202.



65] – There is a National Peoples Assembly meeting on Wed., Mar., 27 from 7 to 9 PM at the Solidarity Center, 2011 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218. Call 443-221-3775.



66] – The Baltimore Ethical Society offers abundant opportunities to learn and have fun! On Wed., Mar. 27 at 7:30 PM, Wide Angle Youth Media presents "At Risk." a selection of short films made by Baltimore youth about their lives. Visit http://meetu.ps/yPjJg. Go to http://www.bmorethical.org. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

67] – See a screening of "Guardabosques" on Wed., Mar. 27 at 7:30 PM at La Casa, 3166 Mt. Pleasant St. NW. Support Manovuelta Films. On April 15, 2011, when organized crime thugs teamed up with the logging industry and different government agencies to pillage precious and sacred forests at gun-point, the indigenous Purepecha community of Cheran, Michoacan, Mexico rose up with sticks, rocks, and bottle rockets against what can only be described as their local narco-government. Since then, they have taken the authority’s offices, weapons, and pick-up trucks, ousted all political parties and all local and state police, and have re-established a traditional form of self-governance that includes its own council of elders, a community “police,” known as a “ronda”, and its own forest defense team, or forest keepers, known as the “Guarda Bosques.” The suggested donation is from $5 to $15. Email susanna.duncan@gmail.com.

68] – Discover music as a means to communicate and connect across cultures. Listen, play, or learn. The event will feature an open mic forum, guitar lessons, and the chance to meet and connect with other musicians in the city. Music for Peace takes place at 7:30 PM on the last Wednesday of the month at the HI Baltimore Hostel, 17 W. Mulberry St. Call 410-576-8880 or go to http://www.baltimorehostel.org.



69] – On Thurs., Mar. 28 get involved with a National Day to Demand Action organized by Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Watch the New TV Ad and make a donation of $33 or more to expand the campaign to pressure key senators while they're home for the Easter Recess. Go to https://donate.demandaction.org/donate/Recess-Ad-1/.



When senators go back to Washington, we need to be absolutely sure they hear our call for comprehensive, enforceable background checks, a ban on military-style assault weapons, a limit on high-capacity ammo magazines, and tough penalties for gun trafficking.

70] – On Thurs., Mar. 28 at 12:30 PM, see the film "Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel", Part 4 at The Jerusalem Fund, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW. As ordinary people voice their own memories, contradictory beliefs and contrasting opinions appear in Khleifi and Sivan’s masterful “Route 181: Fragments of a Journey in Palestine-Israel,” the historical truth of Palestine- Israel is gradually revealed like never before in a documentary film. This process captures one sense of the journey in the film’s title: a journey through the present to a still active, still determining past. Hence, Khleifi and Sivan adopt the virtual partition line of UN Resolution 181 of 1947 as a route of travel. The other sense of journeying is equally crucial, for both the directors’ cinematic project and their project of critique. Journeying means the act of contributing to a collective effort of change and transformation in the future. The screening is free. Go to http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/contactus. Call The Jerusalem Fund at 202-338-1958 or email info@thejerusalemfund.org.

71] – There’s a Vigil for the Gitmo Hunger Strikers at 5:30 PM on Thurs., Mar. 28 at the Garmatz Federal Courthouse, 101 W. Lombard St. “Try and focus on the sunshine brought by the hunger strike to this dark and cold place known as GTMO and not the physical pain.” – Fayiz

al-Kandari, Kuwaiti hunger striker.



AS MEN AT GUANTANAMO HUNGER STRIKE, HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS RESPOND WITH FAST AND DEMONSTRATIONS. Contact Witness Against Torture at www.witnesstorture.org. On Sun., Mar. 24 human rights activists throughout the United States began a seven day fast and series of actions in solidarity with the men currently on hunger strike at the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.



Dozens of men, according to detainee lawyers, are entering their seventh week of a hunger strike to protest their indefinite detention and a new wave of alleged abuses. The U.S. Navy now reports that three hunger strikers have been hospitalized and that ten are being force fed — a practice condemned by human rights organizations and used in efforts to “break” prior hunger strikes at Guantanamo. Attorneys also report that some hunger strikers have lost consciousness and are experiencing severe drops in body weight.

72] – On Thurs., Mar. 28 at 6 PM Ignite Baltimore will be performed at MICA's Brown Center with 16 speakers giving 5-minute talks. See http://meetu.ps/yBSbY.

73] – On Thurs., Mar. 28 at 7 PM @ Red Emma's, 800 St. Paul St, hear about Living Without Fossil Fuel: Living free of fossil fuel and corporate dependence. Taking charge of our future, find out how. How do peak oil, climate change, and the limits of growth affect income equality and civil liberties? The presentation will examine the hidden connections between ecology, economics, politics, and social justice, and how to use those connections to effect real, long-lasting change.



Alexis Zeigler will conduct a presentation and discussion about practical technologies and political strategies that will allow us to consciously choose our own future. Alexis is the author of "Integrated Activism: Applying the Hidden Connections between Ecology, Economics, Politics and Social Progress" (North Atlantic Books, August 2013). He is a member of Twin Oaks Community, founder of Woodfolk House in Charlottesville and co-founder of the Living Energy Farm, a radical fossil-fuel free, income sharing community in central Virginia. Call 410-230-0450 or email info@redemmas.org.

74] – A conversation with Junot Diaz and Bob Moses is happening on Thurs., Mar. 28 at 7 PM at Busboys and Poets, 2021 14th St. NW. Join Busboys and Poets and Teaching for Change for a conversation with Diaz, a Pulitzer Prize winning author, and a civil rights icon and founder of The Algebra Project. They will share their thoughts about education, activism, and participation in organizations such as The Young People's Project and the Algebra Project. Visithttp://www.busboysandpoets.com/events/event/a-conversation-with-bob-moses-and-junot-diaz.

75] – The 2013 UDC Law Review Symposium, "Expanding the Civil Right to Counsel: 50 Years After Gideon" takes place on Fri., Mar. 29 from 9 AM to 5 PM at the University of the District of Columbia. The morning sessions will provide a historic overview of the right to counsel and then move into access in immigration cases, appeals, and in tribal courts. The afternoon discussions will be solution-oriented, focusing on the ways we can increase access to counsel through statutes, amendments, pilot projects, non-lawyer representation, and court rules Contact Megan Challender at mchallender@gmail.com or 785-317-4715.



76] – The 28th Annual Maryland Peace, Justice and the Environment Conference [www.mupj.org] will take place Fri., Apr. 12 and Sat., Apr. 13 at the Turner Memorial AME Church, 7201 16th Place, Hyattsville. Save these dates. Email paulette.d.hammond@questdiagnostics.com.



77] – There is a job opening for a Climate & Health Organizer with Physicians for Social Responsibility, 1111 14th St. NW, suite 700, WDC 20005. Call 202.587.5234. Go to http://www.psr.org/about/employment-opportunities.html#ches.



78] – Red Emma's is in the process of closing down the location at 800 St. Paul St., and reopening in a much larger new space on North Avenue in the fall. The collective is seeking your help. It's time to reinvent the project started in 2004 to build a self-sustaining progressive space in Baltimore, committed to providing a daily reminder that another world was possible and that there were people working in the city to build it.



Here's how you can help: donate money, buy books at the current store, provide skilled help, and share these needs. Email john@redemmas.org or go to http://indiegogo.com/redemmas2.



79] – Stephen Kobasa is hoping to do an exhibit of the work of Tom Lewis opening in May 2013 in New Haven, CT. It would include a variety of his paintings, drawings, silkscreen prints, book illustrations, posters, banners and sketchbooks. This would not only be a display of objects on a gallery wall, but would also involve events which would return Tom's art to the streets where it was originally meant to make conscience visible.

Contact Stephen if you are in possession of original work and would consider loaning it for a month long display. You can reach him at stephen.kobasa at gmail.com or 203-500-0268.



80] – The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org.



81] – Fund Our Communities campaign is a grass roots movement to get support from local organizations and communities to work together with their local and state elected officials to pressure Congresspersons and senators to join with Congresspersons Barney Frank and Ron Paul, who have endorsed a 25% cut to the federal military budget. Bring home the savings to state and county governments to meet the local needs which are under tremendous budget pressures. Plan to join FOC on the March 23 Peace Bus from Baltimore to D.C. Go to www.OurFunds.org.



82] – MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD. Baltimore's Indypendent Reader is looking for individuals interested in creating media - written, photo, audio, or video - that relates to issues like...economic justice, race, prisons & policing, environment, gender & sexuality, war & peace and more! If you would like to create social justice media, then email indypendentreader@gmail.com. Visit http://www.indyreader.org.



83] – If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.



84] – Can you use any book shelves? Can you use any file cabinets? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.



85] – Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees. This is an historic window of opportunity. With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.



86] – Visit the Digital Information and the Criminal Justice System at http://www.onlinecriminaljusticedegree.com/. This link presents a wide range of insightful articles for criminal justice and legal professionals, both current and future. The project aims to be an objective, authoritative resource in the ever-changing court system.

87] – WAR IS NOT THE ANSWER signs from Friends Committee on National Legislation are again for sale at $5. To purchase a sign, call Max at 410-366-1637.

88] – The Hunger Site was initiated by Mercy Corps and Second Harvest, and is funded entirely by advertisers. You can go there every day and click the big yellow "Give Food for Free" button near the top of the page; you do not have to look at the ads. Each click generates funding for about 1.1 cups of food. So consider clicking.

89] – Go online for FIRE AND FAITH: The Catonsville Nine File. On May 17, 1968, nine people entered the Selective Service Offices in Catonsville, Maryland, and burned draft records in protest against the war in Vietnam. View http://www.prattlibrary.org/digital/.

90] – Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218. Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/.

"One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan