Thursday, June 18, 2020

Baltimore Activist Alert -- June 19 - 21, 2020


68] END The Mini Pig Experiments!  June 19
69] Juneteenth Peace Rally – June 19
70] Concerned Catholic Activists will fast and witness – June 19 - 21
71] Food rescue – June 19
72] White House vigil – June 19
73] Cancel the Rent – June 19
74] HIAS Book and Film Club -- June 19
75] DEFEND BLACK LIVES EVENT – June 19
76] CITY WASTE PLAN – June 19
77] “Get Organized, Get Online!” training – June 19
78] Bear witness for Juneteenth – June 19
79] Black Lives Matter Juneteenth Protest June 19
80] DC Vigils against Racism – June 19  
81] Peace and justice vigil – June 19
82] Have dinner, see a movie and go to jail. – June 19
83] Black freedom and Black resistance – June 19
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68] – Tell Charles River to END The Mini Pig Experiments!  This is organized by The Franny Project on Fri., June 19 through Wed., June 24. Start helping out by signing the change.org petition. http://chng.it/Hqb5K6XJ.  Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/697732707711466/?event_time_id=697732791044791.

69] – On Fri., June 19 from 11 AM to noon, attend a Juneteenth Peace Rally, hosted by the Arlington County Virginia – Government at the Ellen M. Bozman Government Center, 2100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington, VA. Join the Arlington Black Employees Council for a 2020 Juneteenth Peace Rally.  The event will include a George Floyd tribute and recognition of victims of violence. Social distancing and face coverings are required.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/557698541782661/.

70] –  On Fri., June 19, Sat., June 20  and Sun., June 21 from 11 AM to 5 PM, Concerned Catholic Activists will fast and witness to urge the Baltimore Archdiocese to stop investing in military contractors.  Contact Jeff Ross, jross50@hotmail.com, 443-690-6872 and Janice Sevre-Duszynska, rhythmsofthedance1@gmail.com. 859-684-4247. On May 11, 2020, five Roman Catholics, seeking to `follow the nonviolent Christ, sent a letter to Archbishop William E. Lori of Baltimore expressing their concerns about the financial investment practices of the Archdiocese. It was intended to spark a conversation: Does the Archdiocese invest in companies that are involved in manufacturing weapons? The five people who wrote the letter are: Gary Ashbeck, a former member of Jonah House and Catholic parent of two; Suzanne Fontanesi and Jeff Ross, parents of children in an Archdiocesan school; Max Obuszewski, a longtime Baltimore peace and justice activist; and Janice Sevre-Duszynska, a peace activist and former Prisoner of Conscience for SOA Watch.

  Unfortunately, there has been no response from the Archdiocese. Thus Sevre-Duszynska, Fontanesi and Ross will do a three-day fast and witness with Fontanesi and Ross alternating in order to care for their children.  The fast will be In front of the Baltimore Basilica, 400 Cathedral Street in Baltimore. Pope Francis inspired them:  “In a world where millions of children and families live in inhumane conditions, the money that is squandered and the fortunes that are made through the manufacture, upgrading, maintenance and sale of ever more destructive weapons, are an affront crying out to heaven.”

71] –  On Fri., June 19 from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM, come to the Grace Baptist Church, 3201 The Alameda., Baltimore 21218, for a Food Rescue. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. This will continue every Friday through Sept. 4.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/479389629278759/?event_time_id=479389689278753.

72] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., June 19 at noon.  Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649 or artlaffin@hotmail.com.

73] – On Fri., June 19 at noon, get over to a Juneteenth Cancel the Rent / Defund MPD Rally & March! It is hosted by ONE DC at the DC Landlord & Tenant Court, 510 4th St. NW, WDC 20001.  In commemoration of Juneteenth, join this global uprising against racist police terror, putting out a call to Defund the Police and Fund the People by Cancelling the Rent! Mayor Bowser's proposed budget for the Metropolitan Police Department is over a half a billion dollars, and she has proposed an $18 million increase from last year's budget. This is happening in the midst of a pandemic and recession. Over 100,000 workers in DC filed for unemployment since March. Thousands of families in DC have not been able to pay their April, May, or June rent, and July's rent is now coming due. While the courts have been closed, the moratorium on evictions is expiring soon. Masses of people are facing homeless.

Meet at Judiciary Square, and march by MPD Headquarters and the DC Council (John A. Wilson Building), and then join the Movement for Black Lives Juneteenth demonstration on the National Mall.  To ensure everyone's safety, participants should wear masks (and gloves, if recommended) and practice social distancing. If you are feeling sick or have a high temperature, please stay home. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/733271390775329/.

74] – The FACILITATED BOOK AND FILM CLUB will continue on Fri., June 19 or Mon., June 22 from noon to 1 PM EST.  The HIAS Book and Film Club can be either a do-it-yourself or HIAS-led experience. This form is for those who wish to participate in a HIAS-facilitated session. For those who wish to take part in a guided experience, HIAS will offer a guided book or film discussion (we will switch between a book and a film from month to month) with a staff member. Guided discussions will take place in the middle of each month, at which time the book or film for the next month will also be announced. Discussion groups will be capped at 20 participants, but multiple sessions will be offered. The first guided book discussion will discuss "Exit West" by Mohsin Hamid. After you register, you will receive an email with a Zoom link and additional information: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=aGR7CM-38ES7ZcDyaE2c-Ua49WV6FcBHpSuRrGPGURlUMVhIM01YTVMzMkRMM1Y1SThIRVJQOVVNNC4u.

75] – The DEFEND BLACK LIVES EVENT will include a Freedom Day March on Juneteenth 2020, starting at 1 PM.  This is part of the peaceful movement seeking to dismantle a systematic imbalance through the encouragement of policy reform, public education, and community-building. The nature of this event is grassroots to its core.  Begin the March at The National Museum of African American History & Culture, 1400 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC 20560. Then make your way to The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to pause, to reflect and to kneel in solidarity. From there march to the final location, The Lincoln Memorial, where you will hear from speakers, enjoy performances, and come together as a community.  Sign in at https://act.sixnineteen.com/event/attend/153?akid=s864..9TVuLW.

76] – There is a PUBLIC MEETING ON CITY WASTE PLAN on Fri., June 19 from 2 to 4:30 PM.  This is a "Virtual Community Meeting" about Baltimore's new Recycling and Solid Waste Master Plan.  Department of Public Works and their consultant, Geosyntec, will be giving a one-directional presentation responding to all of the comments submitted on this plan. Find info on this Webex presentation at https://publicworks.baltimorecity.gov/lesswaste.  You can read the plan and all of the comments on it (in the yellow bubbles) at
https://baltimoreplanning.konveio.com/lwbbmasterplandraft.  Note that this biased pro-incinerator plan is very controversial and was outright opposed by all of City Council when it started in 2018. In many ways, it contradicts plans and proposals that the Institute for Local Self-Reliance, Energy Justice Network, and United Workers have been calling for in the last few years. This plan was supposed to be completed late last year and nearly half a million dollars of city money went to create this mess of a plan. Read the background on it and why it is opposed from the start: http://www.cleanairbmore.org/solidwasteplan/.
 

77] – On Fridays through June 19 at 2 PM EST, join a weekly “Get Organized, Get Online!” training, open to all United for Peace & Justice state coordinating committee members, state leaders, and partners organizing toward June 20. This week new digital organizing techniques will be covered. Register here for this week's training: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9qhHHZwcef3fMLtMTHIP5GpcNCuYVAQFIwmv4iUHfNeWkzg/viewform?link_id=6&can_id=38b6b11c389689cadce2bab94c8bff03&source=email-stayalive-take-action-and-important-updates&email_referrer=email_812934&email_subject=ppcncmr-weekly-update-join-the-digital-mass-meeting-keep-up-the-calls-and-emails.

78] – On Fri., June 19 from 4 to 5 PM, bear witness for Juneteenth, hosted by First and St. Stephen's United Church of Christ, 6915 York Road, Baltimore 21212. Join members of the Church and stand for Blacks Lives Matter. Bring a chair, a sign, sidewalk chalk, or whatever you need to stand for social justice. Talk, sing and bear witness.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/4243515159004185/. On Fri., June 19 from 4 to 7 PM, Say Her Name: March for Black Women and Femme Survivors, hosted by Amorous Ebony at the Ynot Lot, 1904 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218.  Juneteenth (June 19th) is a day that honors Black freedom and Black resistance, and centers Black people’s unique contribution to the struggle for justice in the U.S. One in five black women are survivors of rape. Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/978513889267970/.

79] – On Fri., June 19 from 5 to 8 PM, there is a Black Lives Matter Juneteenth Protest, hosted by The Maryland Protest Network at Patriot Plaza, 401 Bosley Ave., Towson 21204. Water and Gatorades will be provided like last time, but any donations of drinks/snacks for the people would be greatly appreciated. See https://www.facebook.com/events/208368183556941/.

80] – On Fri., June 19 and 26 from 5 to 6 PM, get with DC Vigils against Racism, sponsored by All Souls Church Unitarian, 16th Street NW, WDC 20009.   BLACK LIVES MATTER TO [GOD AND TO] US!  The goal is to bring people together (safely!) from various congregations, organizations, and neighborhoods to take a public action against racism and police violence. This is a public, prayerful, meditative response to the murder of George Floyd (and far too many more), as well as a way of being in solidarity with the people protesting in downtown DC and across the country.

This is a decentralized action. There is no program other than 45 minutes of public vigil and then silent witness starting at 5:45 when participating institutions toll their bells for 8 minutes and 46 seconds—the amount of time the officer’s knee was on George Floyd’s neck. If you are not near a bell tolling, you can go to the All Souls Church website, https://all-souls.org, for an audio file of the bell tolling (recorded at a vigil June 2), or simply use a timer and be silent. At the end of 8:46, you are invited to pray or meditate, either silently or out loud, on your commitment to ending racism. RSVP via Facebook or Google Form to get updates on plans and resources. If you’re adding your organization as a participant, email Rev. Rob Keithan at rkeithan@allsouls.ws.

 The plan is to cover as much of 16th NW as possible, although everyone is welcome to hold vigil on major streets in their own neighborhood. There are confirmed additional vigils: Connecticut Avenue @ Quebec Street NW (Adas Israel Congregation) and around St. Joseph’s Seminary in Brookland (12th and Varnum NE). Please wear masks and stay 6 feet apart. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/558616331688689/?event_time_id=558616341688688.

81] -- There is usually a Quaker Vigil for Racial Justice on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, hosted by the Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee (BQPJC) outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on June 19. From 6 to 6:30 PM strategize. Black Lives Matter. Stop the Killing. Physical distancing applies. Wear your face mask. Email homewoodfriends@gmail.com or call 410-235-4438.

82] - On Fri., June 19 from 7 to 10 PM, have dinner, see a movie and go to jail.  This gathering is hosted by Brian and Shorty at 401 E. Eager St., Baltimore 21202-4214. The film is 13THl. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/259074795359896/.

83] To mark Juneteenth, a day that honors Black freedom and Black resistance, join the nationwide weekend of action by attending this local event! Defund the police, invest in Black communities, and Donald Trump must resign.  This is a candlelight expression of support asking all the neighbors to put candles up to show solidarity. It would go from 8 to 10 PM on June 19th and 20th in Roland Park.  Go to https://act.sixnineteen.com/event/action/100?source=map&akid=.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Baltimore, MD 21212.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.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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