Baltimore Activist Alert -- February 18, 2021

47] Health Equity Summit -- Feb. 18

48] Democracy Amendment Resolution – Feb. 18

49] Foreign Policy Effectiveness and Nuclear Proliferation – Feb. 18

50] Peace in Korea – Feb. 18

51] Foreign Policy Effectiveness and Nuclear Proliferation – Feb. 18

52] Pandemic relief package – Feb. 18

53] Closing the Racial Wealth Gap -- Feb. 18

54] Eileen Patricia McMahon Zogby Irish Lecture -- Feb. 18

55] Food Rescue at the Dovecote Café – Feb. 18

56] “Anti-Racism, Allyship, and Action” -- Feb. 18

57] First Hundred Days – Feb. 18

58] Sarbanes Town Hall -- Feb. 18

59] Food Rescue Giveaway -- Feb. 18

60] Sierra Club meeting – Feb. 18

61] White Fright and the Targeting of Black Muslims -- Feb. 18

62] Film LANDFALL – Feb. 18

63] Peace with Iran – Feb. 18

64] Peace in Korea – Feb. 18

-----

47] – The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation “Policy for the People” Virtual Summit Series presents a two-part Health Equity Summit on Thurs., Feb. 18. Part One: Understanding the Impact of the COVID-19 Vaccine on the Black Community takes place from 10 to 11 AM ET. Register at https://cbcf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_W8DXQgjFSwCKAIhg5aPHUw?emci=2e4c9b58-9f70-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=4f604ea3-a170-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&ceid=136680Have a question you'd like to ask during the event? Submit your questions in advance by visiting https://forms.gle/c2seWsmDHd9fVT739. Part Two: Mental Health Realities for Black America will happen from 2 to 3 PM EST. register at https://cbcf.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_oQ1jX6eBRtSJg0dXM5qnBw?emci=2e4c9b58-9f70-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=4f604ea3-a170-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&ceid=136680.

48] – The Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee will Hear the Democracy Amendment Resolution on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 11 AM virtually. Oral testimony will be very limited on the matter of SJ 7.  Note that if you want to testify regarding any legislation, you must have a MyMGA account.  In this matter, it will be too late to upload your testimony as it was due on Tuesday.  Nevertheless, you need that account for other opportunities to testify. MyMGA, which is part of the Maryland General Assembly website, can be set up by going to https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Account/Register/Tracking. You can watch the hearing on SJ 7 via YouTube: http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Meetings/Day/02182021?budget=show&cmte=ehe&updates=show&ys=2021rs.

49] – On Thurs., Feb. 18 at from noon to 1 PM, hear about The Right Tool for the Job: Foreign Policy Effectiveness and Nuclear Proliferation [Online].  The speaker is Ariel Petrovics from the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center. Petrovics uses original data from 1945-2012 and within-case analysis of Iran and North Korea to test the effectiveness of common engagement strategies for combating nuclear proliferation. She shows that often cooperative inducements are more effective than coercive strategies, leading to nuclear reversal more often and with a lower risk of inadvertently increasing proliferation instead. Register for this event sponsored by the University of Maryland's Center for International and Security Studies at https://cissm.umd.edu/events/cissm-global-forum-right-tool-job-foreign-policy-effectiveness-and-nuclear-proliferation.

50] – The Muslim Grassroots Movement is honored to announce that three Muslims have been freed from outrageous extended ICE detention. On Thurs., Feb. 18 at noon ET, explore next steps.  Hear from two of the three freed Muslims at https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_wUsWWUSZS6q2k3En6fceRQ?_x_zm_rtaid=H0l8Qes7Qla-f6I93QMdJg.1613617346850.456a5f3f4785e5ae43b41f3fc60ccf74&_x_zm_rhtaid=845.

51] – Rabbi Alissa Wise [info@jewishvoiceforpeace.org] wants you to talk to Facebook about holding the Israeli government accountable on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 1:30 PM ET, hosted by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign UK. How would Facebook's proposed change keep us from holding the state of Israel accountable? What are the potential global impacts in terms of our ability to hold other governments accountable for human rights violations and anti-democratic policy? Join in conversation with Omar Shakir, Palestine Director at Human Rights Watch, and Ryvka Barnard, Senior Campaigner on Militarism and Security at War on Want. Look at https://facebookweneedtotalk.org/.

52] –   Next week the House of Representatives is expected to vote on the $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package. The importance of this legislation cannot be understated. Close to 500,000 people have already died from COVID-19 and tens of millions have seen their lives upended. The Coalition on Human Needs [info@chn.org] and its coalition partners have already sent roughly 220,000 letters to members of Congress and made thousands of phone calls demanding swift passage of this critical legislation.  Join CHN on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 2 PM ET for a special webinar featuring Jared Bernstein, an economist for President Biden who is serving on the White House Council of Economic Advisers.  Bernstein will explain how the COVID relief legislation now moving through Congress is the right size, with the right policies, to get us on the road to economic and pandemic recovery. RSVP at  https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_yA3rphkNS6irJffMJPmF_A?link_id=1&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-thursday-at-2-pm-et-join-chn-and-top-biden-economist-to-detail-the-american-rescue-plan-2&email_referrer=email_1077877&email_subject=thursday-at-2-pm-et-join-chn-and-top-biden-economist-to-detail-the-american-rescue-plan.

53] – Remaking the Economy: Closing the Racial Wealth Gap and the Case for Reparations will happen on Thurs., Feb. 18 from 2 to 3 PM. NPQ’s latest webinar in the Remaking the Economy series looks at the racial wealth gap, focusing on Black Americans. In 2017, a report titled The Road to Zero Wealth noted that at current trends, by mid-century the median wealth of a Black family in the US would fall below zero (i.e., more than half of all Black Americans would be in a net debtor position).  As the movement against anti-Black racism has gained support, so too has the movement for reparations. Reparations would provide formal acknowledgement of the tremendous costs, economic and otherwise, of slavery, Jim Crow, redlining, and other racist policies. But how would the mechanics of reparations work and what does repair require? Register for the webinar at https://info.nonprofitquarterly.org/reparations-wealth-gap.

54] – Join Jim Zogby [jzogby@aaiusa.org] for the Inaugural Eileen Patricia McMahon Zogby Irish Lecture on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 3 PM ET.  The lecture title is "A Genius for Politics? Irish Immigrants and the Battle to Expand American Democracy, 1830-60." Eileen had a passion for justice and political empowerment that extended beyond her own Irish ancestry to the struggles of others, including those who embrace Arab ancestry. This series is part of the tribute made in her memory, and Eileen saw so many similarities in the Irish and Arab struggles. She hoped that people would take the time to learn more about both communities and their achievements here in the U.S. She believed that when people know their story and understand the journey of their ancestors, our nation moves closer to realizing the American ideal. Led by Professor Sean Farrell (Northern Illinois University), this lecture will focus on the stories of Irish and Irish-American canal workers, who fought and voted in communities from Maryland to Illinois. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/the-ambassadors-hour-a-genius-for-politics-tickets-138432668839?emci=82b85add-7170-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=dea0741b-6371-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&ceid=389907.

55] – Thursdays in Reservoir Hill at the Dovecote Café, 2501 Madison Ave., will continue through May 27 from 4 to 5 PM.  This event is supervised by Food Rescue Baltimore.  Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See https://www.facebook.com/foodrescueday/.

56] – Join Rev. William Barber online Thurs., Feb. 18 at 4 PM ET, for a virtual discussion on “Anti-Racism, Allyship, and Action” hosted by Lewis University. Register at https://www.lewisu.edu/Anti-Racism-Allyship-Action/?emci=2609ca20-466f-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&emdi=782d3ed2-a56f-eb11-9889-00155d43c992&ceid=2588083.

57] – The first 100 days of the Biden Administration is a critical time to make our voices and priorities heard! So, every Thursday at 5 PM ET, from February 18 to April 29, gather virtually as a faith community to make calls to Congress—advocating for citizenship for all and an end to the inhumane practices of detention and deportation. The Interfaith Immigration Coalition [media@interfaithimmigration.org] will provide you with training and answer any questions you may have. Your voice is critical for advancing justice in this moment, so join in on the phones! Sign up at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeiPmAzR0NfAttWLz7f1TG0tHsg9JUecaQW3dtjE_p_GimUoQ/viewform.  Email media@interfaithimmigration.org.

58] – On Thurs., Feb. 18 at 5:45 PM, Rep. John Sarbanes will be holding a telephone town hall to answer your questions about the important issues facing our nation.  If you'd like to ask a question, or if you'd just like to listen in, please sign up here: https://sarbanes.house.gov/TTH. You can also livestream the event at https://sarbanes.house.gov/live.

59] – On Thurs., Feb. 18 from 6 to 8 PM ET, check out the Food Rescue Giveaway! This is the Thursday Evenings at Old Major, 900 S. Carey St., Baltimore, which will continue through April 29. Go to https://www.facebook.com/OldMajorBaltimore/. This is a long-awaited evening Rescue, and Rescue in Southwest Baltimore, all in one! Get prepacked boxes from the carryout window on the Herkimer Street side of the building. Use the window bell or call 443-873-7363. And please, masks must be worn at the window. 

60] – On Thurs., Feb. 18 from 7 to 8:30 PM ET, join the Lower Eastern Shore Sierra Club for its first general member meeting of 2021. Talk about the events and projects to work on this year, goals, and key legislation. Meet the elected Lower Eastern Shore Executive Committee members. Rabbi Nina Beth Cardin, from the Maryland Campaign for Human Rights, will speak about the Environmental Human Rights Amendment bill being debated in the 2021 Maryland Legislative Session.  Contact Cindy Dillon at cindy.dillon@mdsierra.org or (443) 945-4030.

61] – On Thurs., Feb. 18 at 7 PM ET, watch the documentary  White Fright and the Targeting of Black Muslims in Islamberg followed by a talkback with JMC Racial Justice and Equity advisor Maryam Abdul-Kareem, Attorney for the Islamberg community Tahirah Amatul-Wadud, and the Director of White Fright, David Felix Sutcliffe.  See https://form.jotform.com/210307202615137?mc_cid=ac9eb294c2&mc_eid=5ae22dbd02.

62] – Watch a free screening of a new Puerto Rican documentary, LANDFALL on Thurs., Feb. 18 at 7 PM.  Sign up at bit.ly/landfalliba. An award-winning documentary set against the backdrop of protests that toppled Puerto Rico’s governor in 2019, this film offers a prismatic portrait of collective trauma and resistance. LANDFALL examines the kinship of two storms – one environmental, the other economic – and juxtaposes competing utopian visions of recovery. Featuring intimate portraits of Puerto Ricans as well as the newcomers flooding the island, LANDFALL reflects on a question of contemporary global relevance: when the world falls apart, who do we become? See https://repeatingislands.com/2021/02/02/immerse-yourself-in-a-cautionary-tale-for-our-times-landfall/.

This documentary is produced and directed by the talented Cecilia Aldarondo and advanced screening of the film will be streaming for FREE.  Additionally, co-producer and film collaborator, Lale Namerrow Pastor, and IBA’s Chief Executive Officer, Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, invite you to join the Q&A LIVE Zoom session on February 25th at 7 PM where they’ll discuss the film and answer questions previously submitted by viewers.

63] -- The Time for Peace with Iran is Now with Trita Parsi takes place on Thurs., Feb. 18 from 7 to 8 PM.  Time is running out for the United States to rejoin the Iran Nuclear Deal… The Iranian government has said that we have until February 21st. After that the Iranian government will withdraw permission for United Nations inspectors to monitor some nuclear facilities. We’ve been down this road before and know that the consequences of abandoning diplomacy can be dire. The president of Iran has been clear. If the United States returns to the landmark Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action as it was negotiated, they will accept immediately. We must do everything we can to encourage the Biden Administration and the Congress to choose peace. Trita Parsi is an award-winning author and the 2010 recipient of the Grawemeyer Award for Ideas Improving World Order. He has authored three books on US foreign policy in the Middle East, with a particular focus on Iran and Israel.  Sign on at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJcod-6vqz4qHtXk2W1cWyCspcuB8QuQdwFQ.

64] – On Thurs., Feb. 18 from 8 to 9:15 PM, check out For Peace in Korea, No More War Drills!  This is a webinar on the 60-plus year history of the costly and provocative annual US-ROK combined military exercises, and why it’s critical to end them to achieve peace on the Korean Peninsula. Go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_j9nn-Z2RTUOHPIXPzmH7Rw, and hear from Wooksik Cheong, Director of Peace Network (South Korea), Catherine Killough, Advocacy and Leadership Coordinator of Women Cross DMZ (US), Jovanni Reyes, Member Coordinator of About Face: Veterans Against War (US), and moderator Ann Wright, Retired U.S. Army Colonel, Former US Diplomat, and Coordinator of the Korea Peace Campaign of Veterans For Peace.

To be continued

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt.206, and 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