Thursday, October 15, 2015

Baltimore Activist Alert - October 15 to 17, 2015


35] Fast for Shaker – Oct. 15 until?

36] Take on Big Food – Oct. 15 - 17

37] Future of Bipartisanship on Israel – Oct. 15

38] From ancient seed to salsa – Oct. 15

39] Indigenous peoples in Venezuela – Oct. 15

40] 15th anniversary of DC Jobs With Justice – Oct. 15

41] Film THE HUNTING GROUND – Oct. 15

42] Labor standards for immigrants – Oct. 15

43] Peace Academy courses – Oct. 15 & 22

44] Film "He Named Me Malala" – Oct. 15

45] Book “The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America” – Oct. 15

46] Pledge of Resistance meeting – Oct. 15

47] Trans poetry and digital writing – Oct. 15

48] West Bank after wave of destruction – Oct. 16

49] Peace vigil at White House – Oct. 16

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35] – Shaker Aamer needs your help--pledge to fast for his freedom!  Shaker is the last UK resident imprisoned at Guantanamo.  After 14 years at the prison, he has been told by the US government that he will be released by the end of the month.  But Shaker continues to suffer physical abuse and is fearful he will not make it out of Guantanamo alive.  In protest, he has begun a new hunger strike.  His attorneys and advocates are organizing a global solidarity fast and need people to participate.  The fast will begin on Thurs., Oct.15 and run until Shaker is released.  The campaign, #FastForShaker, is already accepting sign-ups for the fast on its website: www.fastforshaker.org.uk  



The site has info about both Shaker’s case and the solidarity campaign, as well as a solidarity poster you can pose with, photograph, and send to the campaign. IT WOULD BE GREAT TO GET A BUNCH of FAST PLEDGES BY Sun., Oct. 18, 6PM EST, WHEN THE CAMPAIGN WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE UK MEDIA.  IF YOU SIGN UP BEFORE THEN, DO NOT TWEET ABOUT IT OR OTHERWISE BROADCAST IT ON SOCIAL MEDIA.  AFTER SUNDAY AT 6, YOU MAY PROMOTE THE FAST HEAVILY. Contact Witness Against Torture at www.witnesstorture.org.



36] -- Join OCA at #FoodJustice Events from Thurs., Oct. 15 through Sat., Oct. 17! On October 7, about 125 Big Food and biotech company executives jetted in to Washington D.C., compliments of Monsanto and Big Food’s Coalition for Safe Affordable Food, a front group. They attended more than 140 meetings on Capitol Hill. Now, it’s our turn. Can you come to Washington, D.C. for three days of #FoodJustice events focused on defeating H.R. 1599, Monsanto’s DARK—Deny Americans the Right to Know—Act. On Thurs., Oct. 15, help paint banners and make butterfly and bee costumes for the march and rallies. RSVP to alexis@organicconsumers.org.



On Fri., Oct. 16 participate in the DARK Act lobby day from 9 AM to 5 PM. Join Organic Consumers Association, Moms Across America and the Truth In Labeling Coalition for meetings with Senate offices. RSVP to alexis@organicconsumers.org.



Join OCA, March Against Monsanto and allies for a narrated march that will begin at 3 PM and end at dusk in Lafayette Park on the Pennsylvania Ave. side of the White House. Stops along the way will include the White House, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, the U.S. Chamber of Congress, Monsanto and the Grocery Manufacturer’s Association and the EPA. .Then there will be a reception from 7 to 9 PM at Restaurant Nora, the nation’s first organic restaurant. RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cooling-a-warming-world-tickets-18855709936.



On Sat., Oct. 17 gather on the West Lawn of the Capitol for Education Workshops from 10 AM to noon.  Stop the DARK Act rally and potluck picnic goes from noon to 1:30 PM. Speakers will include OCA international director Ronnie Cummins, Steven Druker, author of Altered Genes, Twisted Truth, Dr. Edward Group of the Global Healing Center,  Anthony Gucciardi of the Natural Society. 



37] – Go to Headquarters & Conference Center, 1800 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 15 from 12:15 to 2:30 PM for a discussion The Future of Bipartisanship on Israel.  A light catered lunch will be served before the panel.  The United States' deep ties with Israel and the evolving relationship between the two countries has broad ramifications that range from the local to the geostrategic. In this panel discussion, hosted by the Institute for Palestine Studies, four experts will explore the evolution of Republican and Democratic Party positions on Israel and Palestine, Congress as an actor in shaping U.S. foreign policy, how U.S. policy toward Israel and the Palestine question impacts broader U.S. national interests, and the influence of Islamophobia and the role of the Evangelical community in shaping U.S. policy. The panelists are as follows: Paul Pillar: Non-resident Senior Fellow, Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University and former CIA analyst; Maya Berry: Executive Director, Arab American Institute; Yousef Munayyer: Executive Director, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and Policy Analyst at Arab Research Center; and Nihad Awad: Executive Director and Founder, Council on American-Islamic Relations. The moderator is Rashid Khalidi, editor of the Journal of Palestine Studies and Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University Go to http://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-future-of-bipartisanship-on-israel-tickets-18246009305.



38] – On Thurs., Oct. 15 from 12:30 to 2 PM, hear about the book “Milpa! From Seed to Salsa” at the Institute of Policy Studies, Conference Room, 1112 16th St. NW, Suite 600, WDC.   Join us for a celebration and panel discussion with Phil and Kathy Dahl-Bredine, former Maryknoll Lay Missioners and authors of the book, which lays out ancient ingredients for a sustainable future. This book event and panel discussion is sponsored by the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS), the Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns, Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, and National Family Farm Coalition. RSVP at ogc@maryknoll.org   Go to www.ips-dc.org.


  After 15 years living in Mixtec indigenous civilization in the mountains of southern Mexico, Phil and Kathy have worked with the Mixtec campesinos of the Center for Integral Campesino Development of the Mixteca to express this rich cultural alternative. This bi-lingual book features the brilliant photography of Judith Haden, recipes from dozens of campesina chefs organized by Susana Trilling, and narratives from indigenous villages. The book contains a prologue by indigenous campesino leader Jess Leon Santos, a Goldman prize recipient, and an afterword by noted agroecologist, Miguel Altieri. 

39] – Come to Bolivarian Hall, 2443 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 15 at 6:30 PM to join Lisa Lynn Henrito and David Hernandez Palmar for a discussion on issues such as legislative protection for the human rights of indigenous populations, community life at the border with neighboring countries, and the process for the election of indigenous representatives to the National Assembly during the upcoming December 6 elections.  Their talk will be followed by a Q and A session. Indigenous peoples in Venezuela have accomplished numerous achievements over the past 15 years in what has been an interesting road of struggles and experiences.



40] -- Fifteen years ago, a small group of courageous labor leaders and community volunteers united to help local parking garage attendants win a union contract and sustainable, improved working conditions. Through their vision, DC Jobs with Justice was born along with the mission to protect and advance the rights of DC area workers. 2015 marks the 15th anniversary of DC Jobs With Justice! Come to All Souls Church Unitarian, 1500 Harvard St. NW, WDC 20009 on Thurs., Oct. 15 at 6 PM and celebrate the extraordinary achievements of Metropolitan Washington Labor Council President Joslyn Williams! This year's event will 1) Honor and "roast" the career of our visionary founder, President Joslyn Williams of the Metropolitan Washington Labor Council, AFL-CIO; and 2) Honor the incredible impact of local leaders Courtney Stewart, Reverend Kendrick Curry, and Jean-Louis Ikambana. Also enjoy live music.  Email nikki@dcjwj.org or visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1670390943237085/.



41] -- Join The Loveisrespect Campus Network and GW Students Against Sexual Assault for a free screening of “The Hunting Ground,” a startling exposé of sexual assault on U.S. college campuses, institutional cover-ups, and the brutal social toll on survivors and their families. The event will take place at 2201 G St. NW, Funger Hall 103, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 15 from 6:30 to 8 PM.  After the screening, hear from a panel featuring End Rape on Campus co-founders Annie Clark, Andrea Pino, and Sophie Karasek, and GW senior Maya Weinstein -- all of whom are survivor activists profiled in the film. Former White House Advisor on Violence Against Women Lynn Rosenthal will moderate the discussion. Email aneckritz@ndvh.org or https://www.facebook.com/events/873971515985539/.



42] -- On Thurs., Oct. 15 from 7 to 9 PM, Ai-jen Poo, the director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance, and Gustavo Torres, executive director of CASA, will talk about structural changes in the job market that have resulted in many day laborers, especially among immigrants and people of color. They will focus especially on how we can help build power, respect, and fair labor standards for the 2.5 million nannies, housekeepers, and elderly caregivers in the United States. Rachel Micah-Jones, founder and executive director of CDM: Centro de los Derechos del Migrante, will moderate. This event at the Enoch Pratt Free Library, Wheeler Auditorium, 400 Cathedral St., Baltimore, is part of Open Society Institute–Baltimore’s Talking About Race Series, co-sponsored by the Enoch Pratt Free Library, which continues to explore the many facets of this complex subject.  Visit https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/events/rights-domestic-workers.



43] – The Peace Academy has four course offerings ranging from family peace-keeping strategies to nonviolent communication tactics. Each is to be conducted at The Perry School, 128 M St. NW, WDC, or interested parties can arrange a course at their particular sites. Registration can be completed online at www.lffp.org or by contacting MJ Park at mjpeace@gmail.com or 240-838-4549. Details for the next course is listed below.



Course II: Practicing Peace in Daily Life has two sessions: I] Using the Wellness Wheel and facilitating a Peace Circle on Thurs., Oct. 15 from 7 to 8:30 PM and II] Learning and practicing nonviolent communication, Thurs., Oct. 22 from 7 to 8:30 PM.  The cost is $45 per session.



44] – Come to the Landmark's E Street Cinema, 555 11th St. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 15 from 7 to 9 PM as the U.S Fund for UNICEF and GW UNICEF invites you to the screening of "He Named Me Malala." Tickets are $10 (with student ID).  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/779432832184386/.



45] – Get over to the Potter's House, 1658 Columbia Rd. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 15 at 7 PM for a discussion of “The Beast Side: Living and Dying While Black in America - Searing Dispatches from the Urban Zones Where African American Men Have Become an Endangered Species.”  To many in the age of Obama, America had succeeded in “going beyond race,” putting the divisions of the past behind us. And then seventeen-year-old Trayvon Martin was shot by a wannabe cop in Florida; and then eighteen-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri; and then Baltimore blew up; and then gunfire shattered a prayer meeting at a church in Charleston, South Carolina. Suddenly the entire country awakened to a stark fact: African Americans—particularly young black men—are an endangered species.



Now the country’s urban war zone is brought powerfully to life by a rising young literary talent, D. Watkins. The author fought his way up on the east side (the “beast side”) of Baltimore, Maryland—or “Bodymore, Murderland,” as his friends call it—surviving murderous business rivals in the drug trade and equally predatory lawmen. Throughout it all, he pursued his education, earning a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins University, while staying rooted in his community.



When black residents of Baltimore finally decided they had had enough—after the brutal killing of twenty-five-year-old Freddie Gray while in police custody—Watkins was on the streets when the city erupted. He writes about his bleeding hometown with the razor-sharp insights of someone who bleeds along with it. Here are true dispatches from the other side.  He holds a master’s in Fine Arts and teaches writing at Coppin State University in Baltimore. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1643351295936840/.



46] – The Pledge of Resistance-Baltimore now meets on Thursdays at 7:30 PM, and the meetings take place at Max’s residence.  There will be a meeting on Thurs., Oct. 15 at 7:30 PM.  The agenda will include Keep Space for Peace Week, killer drones, protests at City Hall, the Democratic Party presidential debate and the Sept. 22 & 23 action in D.C. Call 410-366-1637 or email mobuszewski at verizon.net.



47] – On Tues., Oct. 15 at 7:30 PM @ Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, there will be a Topside Press Poetry Reading.  Featured poets are Merritt Kopas, Lilith Latini, Allison Parrish, Charles Theonia and Tyler Vile. "Rhythms & Methods: trans poetry and digital writing" combines work from two of the most vibrant areas of trans writing today, shakes it all up, and waits to see what will happen: explosive reaction, or unexpected synthesis? The evening will be presented by Topside Press and Instar Books. Call 443-602-7585.  Go to http://www.redemmas.org



48] – At the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Oct. 16 from 9:30 to 11:30 AM, Kareem Jubran and Chelsey Berlin will discuss the recent escalation in demolitions and displacements of Palestinians under occupation--The West Bank after a wave of destruction.  Jubran is the field research director at B'Tselem, and joined B’Tselem in 2004. Berlin is the director of B'Tselem USA. Previously, Chelsey served as B'Tselem USA's associate director.



49] – On Fri., Oct. 16 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! This vigil will take place at the White House on Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contract Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416. 



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 

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