Thursday, January 28, 2016

Baltimore Activist Alert January 30 – February 5, 2016

Baltimore Activist Alert January 30 – February 5, 2016

"I speak as an American to the leaders of my own nation. The great initiative in this war is ours.
The initiative to stop it must be ours." -Martin Luther King Jr.

Friends, this list and other email documents which I send out are done under the auspices of the Baltimore Nonviolence Center.  Go to www.baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com.  If you appreciate this information and would like to make a donation, send contributions to BNC, 325 East 25th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218.  Max Obuszewski can be reached at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski [at] verizon.net.

1] Books, buttons and stickers
2] Web site for info on federal legislation
3] Join Nonviolent Resistance lists  
4] Buy coffee through HoCoFoLa
5] Two friends are looking to buy a house in Baltimore
6] Plant trees – Jan. 30
7] Voice of a community – Jan. 30
8] Affordable Housing Tech-In – Jan. 30
9] Hear from Sandra Bland’s sister – Jan. 30
10] “Mentoring Our Youth” – Jan. 31
11] Playing for Life: Art Under Tyranny – Jan. 31
12] Jews United for Justice Montgomery County Community Meeting – Jan. 31
13] Gentrification – Jan. 31
14] Rep. Elijah Cummings at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse – Jan. 31
15] Pentagon Vigil – Feb. 1
16] Marc Steiner on WEAA – Feb. 1 – Feb. 5
17] ONE DC meeting – Feb. 1
18] Art collective evicted – Feb. 1
19] Women and drugs – Feb. 2
20] Philadelphia Peace Vigil – Feb. 2
21] Protest JHU drone research – Feb. 2
22] Black History Kick-Off – Feb. 2
23] A Nuclear-Free, Carbon-Free Energy Future – Feb. 2
24] Vigil Black Lives Matter – Feb. 5
24] Film BEYOND HATRED – Feb. 5

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1] – Buttons, bumperstickers and books are available.  “God Bless the Whole World, No Exceptions” stickers are in stock. Call Max at 410-323-1607.

2] – To obtain information how your federal legislators voted on particular bills, go to http://thomas.loc.gov/.  Congressional toll-free numbers are 888-818-6641, 888-355-3588 or 800-426-8073. The White House Comment Email is accessible at http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/.

3] – THE ORGANIZING LIST will be the primary decision-making mechanism of the National Campaign of Nonviolent Resistance [NCNR].  It will be augmented by conference calls and possibly in-person meetings as needed.  It will consist of 1 or 2 representatives from each local, regional, or national organization (not coalitions) that wishes to actively work to carry out the NCNR campaign of facilitating and organizing nonviolent resistance to the war in Iraq.

To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski at Verizon.net.  Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.  

THE NOTICES LIST will include only notices of NCNR actions and related information and is open to any interested person to subscribe.  It will be moderated to maintain focus & will include periodic notices about getting involved in NCNR national organizing.  To join the NOTICES List, send an email message to ncnrnotices-subscribe@lists.riseup.net. You will get a confirmation message once subscribed.  If you have problems, please write to the list manager at ncnrnotices-admin@lists.riseup.net.

4] – You can help safeguard human rights and fragile ecosystems through your purchase of HOCOFOLA Café Quetzal. Bags of ground coffee or whole beans can be ordered by mailing in an order form. Also note organic cocoa and sugar are for sale.  For more details and to download the order form, go to http://friendsoflatinamerica.typepad.com/hocofola/2010/02/hocofola-cafe-quetzal-order-form-2010.html. The coffee comes in one-pound bags.

Fill out the form and mail it with a check made out to HOCOFOLA on or before the second week of the month.  Be sure you indicate ground or beans for each type of coffee ordered.  Send it to Francine Sheppard at 5639B, Harpers Farm Rd., Columbia 21044. The coffee will arrive some time the following week and you will be notified where to pick it up. Contact Francine at 410-992-7679 or FrancineMSW@aol.com.

5] – Janice and Max are looking to buy a house in Baltimore.  Let Max know if you have any leads—410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at Verizon dot net.

6] – Are you interested in learning how to be a better advocate for things that you feel passionate about?  If so, consider attending Casey Trees' Advocacy Workshop on Sat., Jan. 30 from 9 AM to 2:30 PM with breakfast & lunch provided at the Casey Trees office at 3030 12th St. NE, WDC 20017.  The workshop is free and called, "Stand Up For Trees."  You can register for the workshop at www.caseytrees.org.  Offered twice yearly, Casey Trees' signature Stand Up For Trees course empowers participants with the tools and techniques necessary to stand up for D.C.'s trees.

7] – The Voice of a Community, Part II A Talk With Devin Allen and Fellow Activists is happening at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 East Pratt St., Baltimore 21202 on Sat., Jan. 30 from 1 to 5 PM.  Call 443-263-1800 or go to www.rflmuseum.orgRSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-voice-of-a-community-part-ii-a-talk-with-devin-allen-and-fellow-activists-registration-19965748090.  The event is free with the purchase of a museum ticket. Meet Allen, the photographer whose photographs of the protests in Baltimore in spring 2015 went viral and ultimately graced the cover of TIME magazine in May 2015. The day will include a community forum dialoguing on the aftermath of the Baltimore uprising with Allen, JC Faulk, Micheal Wood, Kwame Rose and Tawanda Jones. Author and activist Kondwani Fidel performs a spoken word presentation. Augusta Fells Savage High School and Connextion High School also give live theatrical performances. There will be opportunities to explore Allen’s exhibit with the artist in a meet-and-greet following the performances. 

8] – Come to a Coffee & Community Action: Young Souls Teach-in On Affordable Housing at The Potter's House, 1658 Columbia Rd. NW, WDC, on Sat., Jan. 30 from 2 to 3:30 PM.  Organized by Young Souls’ Social Justice Task Force and the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), this teach-in will focus on charting the power landscape of the DC affordable housing movement. Organizers with experience forming tenants' associations, fighting the Mayor on the housing budget, and driving coalition-building efforts will offer y'all ways to get engaged on this issue over the short- and long-term. Afterwards, grab a coffee and catch up with friends. Visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13UA3Hugej1C-EZ3ptHBnyas77IK77KyIvm1MGY_EIu4/viewform?c=0&w=1.

9] – On Sat., Jan. 30 at 5 PM come to Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, hear “Be a voice, not an echo: A talk by Sharon Cooper.” This will be an intimate discussion with Sharon Cooper, sister of the late Sandra Bland as she shares her personal journey towards becoming a social activist in the wake of her sister's tragic, untimely death.  Passionate about the empowerment of fellow citizens through mentorship and education, prepare yourself for an engaging conversation with Mrs. Cooper regarding current civil rights and social issues as well as how you can harness the power that lives within YOUR VOICE to address the ongoing racial inequities within minority communities specifically related to the deprivation of civil liberties and fundamental integrity. The talk is co-sponsored by UMBC and the Department of American Studies and doctoral program in Language, Literacy, and Culture. Call 443-602-7585.  Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

10] – 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 Jan. 31, the topic is “Mentoring Our Youth.”  The UMB CURE Scholars Program is a groundbreaking program that prepares sixth- to 12th-grade students in Baltimore for competitive, lucrative, and rewarding research and health care careers at UMB and other health institutions in the region. What is the CURE Program? The National Cancer Institute’s (NCI) Continuing the Umbrella for Research Experiences (CURE) program was established by the NCI’s Center to Reduce Cancer Health Disparities (CRCHD) in 1999 to help support underrepresented students in biomedical research and career development. CURE utilizes a pipeline approach and provides career navigation, workforce training, and mentorship to diverse scholars at all stages of academic and career development. The CURE program is driven by a mission to build a diverse biomedical workforce, which is critical to addressing the health needs of all Americans and to eliminating cancer health disparities in the nation. 

Robin Saunders, EdD, MS, is the executive director of the UMB CURE (Continuing Umbrella of Research Experience) Scholars Program. She has worked in K-12 settings, community colleges, and comprehensive universities around the country. Most recently, she served at Kennesaw State University in Kennesaw, Ga., as program coordinator for the Master’s in Education program, departmental assessment coordinator, and assistant professor. She is originally from Columbia, Md., and earned both her master’s and doctorate degrees from Johns Hopkins University in educational leadership – teacher leadership development. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org.

11] – Playing for Life: Art Under Tyranny takes place at the Jewish Museum of Maryland, 15 Lloyd St., on Sun., Jan. 31 from 1 to 2:30 PM with Gail Prensky, Executive Producer, The Jüdische Kulturbund Project.  Attendance to the Sadie B. Feldman Family Lecture is included with Museum admission.  The Jewish Kulturbund was a cultural association of Jewish musicians and performing artists who survived Nazi Germany. This multimedia presentation features stories based on filmed interviews with members of this unique group plus other contemporary artists living around the world.  We will explore the story of their heroic stands for artistic freedom and response to unjust control and repression. Through her Meteopa Productions, Gail produces independent projects focusing on advocacy, art, human rights, international, and music themes.  She holds a Bachelor of General Studies from the University of Maryland and a Master’s of Science-Applied Art from the University of Wisconsin. Call 410-732-6400 or go to www.jewishmuseummd.org.

12] – On Sun., Jan. 31 from 3:30 to 6 PM, there is a Jews United for Justice Montgomery County Community Meeting at Ohr Kodesh Congregation, 8300 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase 20815. Some of the issues are guns, budget cuts, abusive scheduling practices, and expanding sick days to all of Maryland. Food will be provided. RSVP at http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5483/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=80485.

13] – Come to Busboys and Poets, 625 Monroe St. NE, WDC, on Sun., Jan. 31 at 6 PM for a panel discussion on Gentrification: The Good, The Bad, and the Incarcerated.  Explore the intersection of gentrification, poverty, and the criminal justice system. The panel will feature activists, economic developers, and policy experts who will discuss the effects of gentrification on low-income communities. Following the panel discussion, attendees will participate in a design thinking exercise where they will generate innovative, tech-centered ways, to bring equitable and just development to our city. This event done in partnership with Busboys and Poets and is sponsored in part by Belnouvo, a company based the District’s 8th Ward. January’s forum will be recorded live as the first installment of the Capitol Innovation Podcast series.  To purchase tickets and find more information about the panelists or the event generally, visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/capitol-innovation-forum-the-good-the-bad-the-incarcerated-tickets-19893897182.

14] – On Sun., Jan. 31 from 3 to 4:15 PM, Rep. Elijah Cummings will speak at Homewood Friends Meeting House, 3107 N. Charles St., on the topic of “One Baltimore” and “What can concerned citizens do to make things better in Baltimore?" The event is free, and open to the public.  There will be a Q & A.   The talk is sponsored by Homewood Friends Meeting.  Call 410-235-4438.

15] -- 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., Feb. 1, 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. 

16] – The Marc Steiner Show airs Monday through Friday fr6m 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.

17] – Go to the New Community Church, 614 S St. NW, WDC, on Mon., Feb. 1 from 6 to 7:30 PM for the ONE DC meeting. Engage with ONE DC’s work, whether it be through the People's Platform, the Black Workers Center, or one of the committees, such as Resource Development, Admin, or Community Learning & Member Development.  Your talents and time are essential to make ONE DC a viable and powerful organization because of your direct involvement in the work. Member Orientation is designed to allow you to identify exactly what activities you want to devote your time and energy to, engage with staff and member-leaders, and join other members to keep the work strong and growing. Contact organizer@onedconline.org

18] – On Mon., Feb. 1 at 6:30 PM, come to a meeting at 441 One Judiciary Square, WDC 20001.  The Union Arts building at 411 New York Ave NE is the last collective art space of its kind in Washington, DC. It has been home to more than 100 artists and numerous organizations for many decades working as a catalyst of creativity for many communities throughout the city.  Regrettably, the building was sold to development groups who plan to evict all – the resident artists and organizations – by September 1. They intend to build an 11-story luxury boutique arts hotel. The DBLee and Brook Rose development groups have enlisted Cultural DC to convert the now affordable and diversely accessible art space into a chic hotel, where only 7 art studios will be made available to no more than 20 artists. This is far fewer than the number of artist collectives currently working in the building, who after being displaced will then be forced to compete for studios at a significantly higher price. In addition, the new building will greatly alter the character of the area into another sterile development, not suited for creative inspiration.  To find out more about the sale and what action you can take, visit https://www.facebook.com/events/232235183782617/.

19] – The Inter-American Commission of Women (CIW) will host a roundtable discussion that will focus on presenting a guide on policy reform related to women's incarceration for drug-related crimes at the Organization of American States, 17th St. and Constitution Ave. NW, WDC, on Tues., Feb. 2 from 10 AM to 1 PM.  See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/women-drug-policies-and-incarceration-tickets-20700772568.

20] – Each Tuesday from 4:30 - 5:30 PM, the Catholic Peace Fellowship-Philadelphia for peace in Afghanistan and Iraq gathers at the Suburban Station, 16th St. & JFK Blvd., at the entrance to Tracks 3 and 4 on the mezzanine.  The next vigil is Feb. 2.  Call 215-426-0364.

21] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. join this ongoing vigil on Feb. 2  from 5:30 to 6:30  PM.  Call Max at 410-366-1637.

22] –  Go to the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum, 1925 Vermont St. NW, WDC, on Tues., Feb. 2 from 6 to 8 PM and join DC Black History Celebration Committee & African/American Civil War Museum for DC Black History City-Wide Kickoff Program and Reception.  Dr. Frank Smith will be the keynote speaker.  This event is free and open to the public. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1000525560016735/.  Call (202) 421-8608/(202) 667-2667.

23] – NIRS invites you to Paris and Onward: the Path Forward to a Nuclear-Free, Carbon-Free Energy Future, a Tele Briefing on Tues., Feb. 2 at 8 PM EST.  This will be an inspiring discussion of the global climate agreement negotiated in Paris in December. Two acclaimed energy experts will explain what the climate agreement achieved and what its implications are for our energy future and nuclear power here in the U.S.  Hear from Dr. Mark Jacobson, Stanford University; The Solutions Project (http://thesolutionsproject.org/) and Dr. Arjun Makhijani, Institute for Energy and Environmental Research (IEER.org).  The moderator is Tim Judson, Executive Director, Nuclear Information and Resource Service. Register at http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5502/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=80620 to obtain call in details.

24] –There is usually a silent peace vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends and Stony Run Meetings, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on Feb. 5. Black Lives Matter.  Since this is a First Friday, there will be a potluck dinner afterwards, followed by a DVD showing.

25] – The Hiroshima-Nagasaki Commemoration Committee, Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee of Homewood and Stony Run Meetings and Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility are continuing the FILM & SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS DVD SERIES.  The DVDs will be shown at Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218, usually on the First Friday. At 7:15 PM, from January through June, a DVD will be shown with a discussion to follow.  There is no charge, and refreshments will be available. The series theme is CHANGE IS INEVITABLE.

On Fri., Feb. 5 see BEYOND HATRED [France, 2007]. In September 2002, three skinheads were roaming a park in Rheims, France, looking to "do an Arab," when they settled for a gay man instead. Twenty-nine-year-old François Chenu fought back fiercely, but he was beaten unconscious and thrown into a river, where he drowned. The acclaimed French vérité documentary is the story of the crime's aftermath; above all, of the Chenu family's brave and heartrending struggle to seek justice while trying to make sense of such pointless violence and unbearable loss. With remarkable dignity, they fight to transcend hatred and the inevitable desire for revenge. Call 410-323-1607 or email mobuszewski [at] verizon.net.

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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