Baltimore Activist Alert -- April 15, 2021

48] How Institutions Matter in Pandemic Responses – April 15

49] Parenting from behind bars – April 15

50] Implement natural climate solutions – April 15

51] Food Rescue at the Dovecote Café – April 15

52] Rep. Mondaire Jones on School and Housing Integration – April 15

53] Talk to Alicia Garza – April 15

54] Virtual Rally for a Moral Baltimore Budget – April 15

55] A memorial vigil -- April 15

56] Tax Day Teach-in – April 15

57] Armed Conflict on the Venezuela-Colombia Border – April 15

58] Apply for a Dorothy Day Fellowship – April 15

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48] – The East Asia National Resource Center [gweanrc@gwu.edu] wants you to know there is a Korea Policy Forum - How Institutions Matter in Pandemic Responses: The South Korean Case on Thurs., April 15 from 9 to 10 AM EDT. To Livestream via ZOOM, RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/how-institutions-matter-in-pandemic-responses-the-south-korean-case-tickets-148211678119?ref=estw.  Registered guests will receive a confirmation email closer to the date of the event with details for joining the Zoom event.

  A forthcoming book, Coronavirus Politics (Greer et al. 2021, Michigan University Press) identifies key threads in the global comparative discussion that continue to shed light on COVID-19 and shape debates about what it means for scholarship in health and comparative politics. Contributing a chapter to the book on the South Korean pandemic governance on COVID-19 encompassing South Korea’s public health (3Ts: Testing, Tracing, Treatment) and social policies, Dr. June Park argues that functioning institutions matter in pandemic governance and determines the level of their effectiveness by scrutinizing the case of South Korea under COVID-19. She focuses on public health bureaucracy and policy coordination supported by public participation, which are vital to effective policy response. Dr. Park highlights the technocracy at the core in public health and the significant role it has come to play as the “control tower.” The book brings together over 30 authors versed in politics and the health issues in order to understand the health policy decisions, the public health interventions, the social policy decisions, their interactions, and their reasons – analyses which will serve as a record of country responses to COVID-19 and as a case reference for future pandemics. 

49] – For San Francisco District Attorney Chesa Boudin, his mother and father were radical not for their militant New Left politics but for the extraordinary lengths they took to parent him while incarcerated. When a parent commits a crime, the system overlooks their parental obligations—and the rights of the children left behind—in favor of punishment. Boudin detailed what this meant for him personally in The Nation’s first-ever special issue on parenting.  On Thurs., April 15 at noon ET, Boudin will be in conversation with Sylvia A. Harvey, author of The Shadow System: Mass Incarceration and the American Family, and a longtime expert on the intersection of race, class, policy, and incarceration. Boudin and Harvey will share stories of parental love strong enough to scale prison walls and talk about how Boudin’s experience with his parents’ imprisonment has informed his groundbreaking work as San Francisco’s District Attorney.

  Join The Nation for a conversation with Boudin and Harvey, moderated by Dani McClain and hosted by Katrina vanden Heuvel. The talk will include ample time for audience questions and engagement. Tickets are $10.  All proceeds directly support The Nation’s journalism. If you have any questions, please email events@thenation.com. RSVP at https://www.thenation.com/events/parenting-from-prison-chesa-boudin-sylvia-harvey/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_campaign=nation-events-boudin&sourceid=1065595&ms=EMM032020212A&utm_content=EMM032020212A&utm_term=master_promotions.

50] – Get with The Nature Conservancy Southern U.S. Earth Month Webinar on Thurs., April 15 at noon ET. Listen to experts in Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia about TNC’s work to implement natural climate solutions, address renewable energy development, and restore critical lands and waters. Sign up at https://tnc.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJckcOurqTwrHdRXS5emkjwnR7FRJw1fbt1R?src=e.ch_md.eg.x.gpn.0421.n.sas.loc_md&s_src=NewSch.WJEMSA2104NPNZNZZE04Z00-ZZZZZ-ST00&lu=7475224.

51] – 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/.

52] – The Century Foundation [events@tcf.org] invites you to a Candid Conversation with Rep. Mondaire Jones on School and Housing Integration on Thurs., April 15 from 4 to 4:45 PM ET. Discuss efforts to integrate schools and housing. To join the Zoom, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/integration-efforts-in-schools-housing-a-chat-with-rep-mondaire-jones-tickets-149768279957?aff=odeimcmailchimp&mc_cid=81c7a86be0&mc_eid=0f57b5a0fa.

53] – Kelley Jackson, Democracy for America [info@democracyforamerica.com] invites you to a conversation with one of the co-founders of #BlackLivesMatter about her journey and her new book with a first-ever DFA premiere event. The DFA Book Club is launched with Alicia Garza’s “The Purpose of Power: How We Come Together When We Fall Apart.” Participate on Zoom on Thurs., April 15 at 5:30 PM ET at http://act.democracyforamerica.com/survey/Book_Club_Garza/?refcode=g-GarzaEvent210412.d-20210412.m-26421.s-165652&akid=26421%2E4066212%2EAvl1Qn.

54] – Communities United [jessi@communitiesunite.org] urges you to attend a Virtual Rally for a Moral Baltimore Budget on Thurs., April 15 at 6 PM.  Say $27M MORE for police AND $12M LESS for schools in the FY22 Budget. Mayor Brandon Scott released the proposed City budget for fiscal year 2022. In this new budget, proposed police spending has increased by $27 million - more than replacing the $22M in cuts made by the City Council to the FY21 Budget during protests following George Floyd's murder.  This budget also cuts school operating funding by $12 million while increasing the BPD's spending! Dissect, discuss, and deconstruct how the continual overspending on police makes us all less safe and keeps the most vulnerable communities under-resourced. Call 410-212-2225.

  Tell the Mayor that now is the time to refund Baltimore’s communities beyond temporary booms from the federal government. Hear from the three elected leaders of the city Board of Estimates - Mayor, Brandon Scott, City Council President, Nick Mosby and Bill Henry, Comptroller. Register for Zoom at https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAqfuyqqzkiHtxNl1ZLQQkcOhbmgRtaPp0c?emci=45cdce85-cc9b-eb11-85aa-0050f237abef&emdi=969e7f69-e29b-eb11-85aa-0050f237abef&ceid=5737738or or join on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/174321917848143/?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%2252%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22[%7B%5C%22surface%5C%22%3A%5C%22share_link%5C%22%2C%5C%22mechanism%5C%22%3A%5C%22share_link%5C%22%2C%5C%22extra_data%5C%22%3A%7B%5C%22invite_link_id%5C%22%3A911788506284010%7D%7D]%22%7D.

55] – Takoma Park Mobilization [info@tpmobilization.org] is holding a memorial vigil on Thurs., April 15 from 6 to 7:30 PM ET at the Marvin Gaye Recreation Center, Banks Place & 62nd St NE, WDC.  Dominique Williams and James Johnson were killed by an off-duty Pentagon Police Officer in Takoma Park on April 7, 2020.  Officer David Hall Dixon has been charged with second-degree murder, and also first-degree assault for his May 6, 2020 attack on Sierra Ford, both incidents taking place at the Takoma Overlook Condominium. The families will hold a memorial vigil for friends and the community, supported by Black Lives Matter DC, Silver Spring Justice Coalition, and Takoma Park Mobilization.

56] –   This Tax Day, put People, Peace and Planet above Profits!  Join a Teach-in on Thurs., April 15 at 7 PM ET.  Register https://zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMrc-qrrjMsEtSzPJ328CaAEu4EczzRg0Qp?emci=1ec439e1-7a98-eb11-85aa-0050f237abef&emdi=f8799c76-9298-eb11-85aa-0050f237abef&ceid=269591. It’s time to change what we buy with our tax dollars. The pandemic and the resulting economic crisis illuminated glaring inequalities and the human costs of budget priorities that enrich the wealthy and left people unable to protect their health, hungry and homeless, while the military-industrial complex drowns in super-profits and paves the way for new and dangerous Cold Wars. Trillions have been spent chasing demons abroad and “bad hombres” at our borders, but Covid-19 bring us to our knees.

Hear from Lindsay Koshgarian, program director, National Priorities Project, Deborah Weinstein, executive director, Coalition on Human Needs, Shailly Gupta Barnes, program director, Kairos Center; co-author of the Moral Budget of the Poor People's Campaign and Alan Palm, Director of 350 Mass Organizing, Better Future Project.  This is organized by Massachusetts Peace Action and others. Email info@masspeaceaction.org, or call 617-354-2169.

57] – The Alliance for Global Justice [info@AFGJ.org] is asking you to attend on Thurs., April 15 at 7 PM ET a webinar: Armed Conflict on the Venezuela-Colombia Border: The Battle of Apure. Hear the details about the current situation in the city of La Victoria and the measures that the Venezuelan state is taking to defend the integrity of its territory. ‌ ‌The armed aggression of criminal groups against the civilian population in the state of Apure, Venezuela, involved drug trafficking paramilitaries, used by Colombia and the US to attack the Bolivarian revolution. Once the Venezuelan military regained control of the area, they uncovered cocaine producing labs.  José María Romero, known as “Chema” is the mayor of the Páez municipality, Apure state, and a central figure in this new battle in defense of the Bolivarian revolution. He will be talking about the events that have occurred in recent weeks on the border between Colombia and Venezuela.  Register at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_qOC63qq2QxyduFHPZ3d9HA?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=a1c1b8da-8d41-4130-986b-9102c41d91af.

58] – The Dorothy Day Fellowships at Lydia’s House Catholic Worker, Cincinnati, Ohio are available but applications are due April 15, 2021 for a Summer 2021 start.  These fellowship opportunities are for women of faith who desire to spend two years living and working with families experiencing homelessness. The fellowship areas are as follows: Maternal and family health, Early childhood/Montessori education, Community based ministry, and nonprofit leadership. 

  Fellows will be offered a living stipend, a private living suite in a Lydia’s House owned property, meals with the community, and an educational grant to attend classes at nearby Xavier University. Available master’s level programs include clinical Mental Health Counseling, Montessori teaching, Theology, Nursing or Advanced Practice Nursing, and Business Administration. Educational grants may also be used to pay existing student debt, if further education is not desired.

Applicants must be available to live in the Lydia’s House community for a minimum of two years, do on call evening and weekend hours, have a bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, and have a valid driver’s license. Previous experience working with families in crisis is preferred. For full job descriptions and to complete an application, visit stlydiashouse.org/fellowship/.  

To be continued.

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