Baltimore Activist Alert - Mar. 21 - 27

17] African People’s Socialist Party conference – Mar. 21
18] Nonviolent Communication – Mar. 21
19] West Chester, PA demo – Mar. 21
20] Spring Rising rally & march – Mar. 21
21] Remember Howard Ehrlich – Mar. 21
22] Spread Magazine – Mar. 21
23] Anti-racism – Mar. 22
24] Kindness II – Mar. 22
25] Green Forum – Mar. 22
26] NEW STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY – Mar. 22
27] Pray for Peace – Mar. 22
28] Pentagon Vigil – Mar. 23
29] Marc Steiner on WEAA – Mar. 23 – Mar. 27
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17] -- The African People’s Socialist Party will host a conference on African Women in the U.S. and England at 821 Varnum St. NE, WDC, from Sat., Mar. 21 at 9 AM to Sun,, Mar. 22 at 4 PM, with the goal of consolidating the African National Women’s Organization (ANWO) which will assume for itself the responsibility of bringing women into political life while attacking the myriad of deep and profound political, social and economic issues with which African women have to confront daily. The conference will also deal with the growing numbers of African women being pushed into the prison system, an issue that is only now beginning to achieve public attention. Register at http://aiwomensconference.uhurumovement.org/index.php.

18] – Nonviolent Communication (NVC), or Collaborative Communication, is a powerful tool for resolving and mediating interpersonal, intra-personal, organizational, and inter-group conflicts. It is used worldwide by parents, teachers, doctors, social workers, managers and others to improve their work and home life. The practice of NVC can help us understand ourselves more fully, provide us with a sense of power and choice in our lives, and open our hearts to compassionately connect and collaborate with others. Come to American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC on Sat., Mar. 21 from 9 AM to 6:30 PM for this This day-long public event will bring together DC-area NVC trainers to offer a variety of interactive sessions on various topics for participants with a variety of skills levels to choose from. Topics may include social change, mediation, reconciliation, communication, leadership, parenting, trauma-healing, romantic or family relationships, and workplace conflict. Childcare is available. Visit http://capitalnvc.org/node/937. Email maassive@gmail.com.

19] – Each Saturday, 11 AM – 1 PM, Chester County Peace Movement holds a peace vigil in West Chester in front of the Chester County Courthouse, High & Market Sts. Go to www.ccpeace.org. Email ccpeacemovement@aol.com.

20] – The Spring Rising concludes on Sat., Mar. 21. Meet at White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC at noon. Reject the false logic of the Obama administration’s decision to commit the United States to wage “endless war” for generations to come in Iraq, Syria and throughout the Middle East. The confirmed speakers are Cindy Sheehan, Debra Sweet, David Swanson and Brian Becker. At 1 PM, march through Chinatown and end at the Capitol where there will be a brief rally. Along the march route, stop at designated intersections and locations for mini rallies, actions and speakers. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/820422891338373/.

21] – Our god friend and colleague Howard Ehrlich passed away on February 2. His friends are preparing a Celebration of His Life to be held on Sat., Mar. 21 from 6 to 9:30 PM at the 2640 Place (2640 St. Paul St, Baltimore 21218). There will be an informal reception from 6 to 7 PM with light refreshments. A program will be held from 7 to 8:30 PM, followed by another reception. In lieu of flowers, tax deductible contributions can be made in Howard's name to the Research Associates Foundation, P.O. Box 26152, Baltimore, MD 21210.

22] – On Sat., Mar. 21 at 7:30 PM @ Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, celebrate the ten year anniversary of the launch of $pread, the first US magazine by, for and about sex workers and their allies. Feminist Press is bringing its most memorable voices back to life with the book $pread: The Best of a Magazine That Illuminated the Sex Industry and Started a Media Revolution. Join editors Eliyanna Kaiser and Rachel Aimee in a discussion about the new book and the history of $pread. Call 443-602-7585. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

23] – Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102, Baltimore 21201-4661, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion from 10:30 AM to noon. On Mar. 22, the platform address is “Humanist Anti-Racist Activism” by Hugh Taft-Morales. He challenges himself and all humanists to deconstruct systemic racial privilege so we can all benefit from a more empowering multicultural perspective that honors the inherent worth of all. Too often predominantly white progressive communities deny invisible racism and stumble over “liberal guilt.” In the light of the “Black Lives Matter” movement, how can humanists become more effective anti-racist activists? What can we draw upon from humanism and our Ethical Culture history to help insure that the worth of people of all colors is honored? Can we live up to President Obama’s challenge at the foot of the Edmund Pettus Bridge? Are “strong enough to be self-critical” so we can help “remake this nation to more closely align with our highest ideals?” Hugh Taft-Morales joined the Baltimore Ethical Society as its professional leader in 2010, the same year he was certified by the American Ethical Union as an Ethical Culture Leader. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

24] – KINDNESS II--the Second Annual Animal Welfare Inspired Art Collection presented by the students of Perry Hall Middle School is happening on Sun., Mar. 22 from 11 AM to 1 PM. Maryland SPCA's Project Adopt is taking place at the White Marsh Mall, 8200 Perry Hall Blvd., Baltimore 21236. It is a Name-your-donation art sale! Proceeds from "KINDNESS II" support the homeless pets at the Maryland SPCA. Adoptable cats and kittens will also be on-site during the reception. Go to www.mdspca.org.

25] – The BALTIMORE GREEN FORUM, a monthly environmental education and discussion forum, will occur on Sun., Mar. 22 starting at 4 PM at the Maryland Presbyterian Church, 1105 Providence Road, Towson 21286. This month learn about The Baltimore City Recycling Program Your Chance to Learn Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Recycling with Robert Murrow, coordinator, Baltimore City Recycling Program Baltimore recycles almost 30% of its trash. This is a complicated and challenging endeavor. There are many questions which we have all had about recycling but never had the chance to ask when face to face with a person in charge of a huge and multifaceted recycling program. Well, this is your chance to ask those questions.

For an overview of the Baltimore City program that is provided by the Maryland MDE click on http://www.mde.state.md.us/programs/Land/RecyclingandOperationsprogram/EducationandOutreach/Documents/www.mde.state.md.us/assets/document/recycling/Baltimore_City.pdf. For the website of the Baltimore City Recycling Program click on http://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/Recycling.aspx.

The Forum seeks to educate and stimulate dialogue about what humans can do to make modern civilization more sustainable, including adjusting to finite resource limits and preserving biodiversity and a healthy environment. This is done through 8 monthly meetings a year. The topics are far ranging. They vary from local to planetary and from philosophical to scientific to very practical. The Meeting Format: There is a speaker and Q&A from 4-5:15 PM. Then there are brief announcements by representatives of other organizations that also seek sustainability and environmental protection. The idea is to promote collaboration among these organizations. Next, there is an optional roundtable discussion until 6:30 PM. Finally, there is often a small gathering at a nearby restaurant.

BGF is open to the public and is free of charge, but donations to Maryland Presbyterian Church are collected during the meeting to thank the church for their generous gift of the space to us. Call Sam Hopkins at 410 554 0006 or email baltimoregreenforum@gmail.com. Visit http://www.baltimoregreen forum.org.

26] – On Sun., Mar. 22 at 7:30 PM @ Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, hear NEW STRATEGIES FOR ORGANIZING IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY: A Panel Discussion of Worker Leaders from El Salvador and Baltimore. Estela Ramirez is the Secretary General of the Sindicato de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores Sastres Costureras y Similares (SITRASACOSI), a national industrial union of garment workers in El Salvador affiliated to the Frente Sindical y Social Salvadoreño. She is also the Global Chairperson of the International Union League for Brand Responsibility, a coalition of garment workers’ unions in twelve countries in the Global South including Argentina, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, India, Indonesia, Nicaragua, Turkey, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

Estela became a union activist while sewing Adidas garments at a factory called Hermosa Manufacturing, where she led an occupation of the factory to protest the employer’s theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars owed to workers. Gilberto Garcia is coordinator of the San Salvador-Based Centro de Estudios y Apoyo Laboral (CEAL). He has two decades of experience leading successful labor rights campaigns with workers of multinational corporations in El Salvador, Mexico, and beyond.

Mike Hachey is an organizer for UNITE HERE Local 7 in Baltimore and a member of the US Committee in Solidarity with the International Union League, a network of activists in a dozen cities in the US. Over the past two years, the committee has raised tens of thousands of dollars to fund labor organizing in the Global South and has organized actions in solidarity with successful campaigns to unionize garment factories in Central America, raise the minimum wage in Cambodia, and protest violent repression against union leaders. Call 443-602-7585. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

27] – Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem. Pray for Peace at 7:30 PM on Sun., Mar. 22 at St. Thomas’ Church, 1108 Providence Road, Towson, (100 yards north of 695, exit 28 .) Email Charles Cloughen, Jr., Interfaith Peace Partners, coordinator at ccloughen@episcopalmaryland.org or call him at 410-321-4545.

28] -- There is a weekly Pentagon Peace Vigil from 7 to 8 AM on Mondays, since 1987, outside the Pentagon Metro stop. The next vigil is Mon., Mar. 23, and it is sponsored by the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker. Email artlaffin@hotmail.com or call 202-882-9649. The vigil will be outside the Pentagon's south Metro entrance and in the designated "protest zone" behind bicycle fences across from the entrance to the Metro. By Metro, take Yellow Line and get out at the "Pentagon" stop. Do not go to the Pentagon City stop! Go up south escalators and turn left and walk across to protest area. By car from D.C. area, take 395 South and get off at Exit 8A-Pentagon South Parking. Take slight right onto S. Rotary Rd. at end of ramp and right on S. Fern St. Then take left onto Army Navy Dr. You can "pay to park" on Army Navy Dr., and there is meter parking one block on right on Eads St. Payment for both of these spots begin at 8 AM. No cameras are allowed on Pentagon grounds. Restrooms are located inside Marriott Residence Inn on corner of S. Fern and Army Navy Dr.

29] – The Marc Steiner Show airs Monday through Friday from 10 AM to noon on WEAA 88.9 FM, The Voice of the Community, or online at www.weaa.org. The call-in number is 410-319-8888, and comments can also be sent by email to steinershow@gmail.com. All shows are also available as podcasts at www.steinershow.org.

To be continued.

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/.

"The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose--especially their lives." Eugene Victor Debs