Baltimore Activist Alert -- September 15 -20, 2023

62] Day of Action to End Detention and Deportations – Sept. 15

63] Peace vigil at the White House – Sept. 15

64] Women in Black vigil – Sept. 15

65] DNC podcast – Sept. 15

66] Common Cause Election Protection phone bank – Sept. 15 & 20

67] Meet Little Amal – Sept. 15 - 16

68] Food Pantry and Food Donation Center – Sept. 16

69] DNC podcast – Sept. 16

70] Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power – Sept. 16

71] DSA Social Housing canvass – Sept. 16

72] Vegan Block Party – Sept. 16

73] Medical supplies are needed in Ukraine

74] Tell JHU president to renounce nuclear weapons contracts

75] Read Dave Eberhardt’s book "For All the Saints- a Protest Primer"

76] Do you need a doctor?

77] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records

78] Do you need any book shelves?

79] Join the Global Zero campaign.

80] Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil

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62] – Luis Suarez [mailto:campaign@detentionwatchnetwork.org] informs us that the National Day of Action to End Detention and Deportations is Fri., Sept. 15. Throughout his campaign, the Biden administration pledged to create an immigration system that is just and humane, including ending for-profit immigration detention. However, after taking office, enforcement, detention, and surveillance have only increased and in July 2023, over 90% of detained immigrants are incarcerated in facilities owned and operated by private prison corporations that rake in billions of dollars in revenue. 

Twenty years since the U.S. consolidated several security and enforcement agencies to create the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), total spending on Homeland Security has reached a staggering $1.4 trillion. Approximately one-third – $442 billion of the $1.4 trillion – has gone to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) (Source: National Priorities Project). Hold the administration accountable for these broken promises. Register at bit.ly/BidenDOA.

63] – The Dorothy Day Catholic Worker will host a peace vigil at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Fri., Sept. 15 at noon.  Contact the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker: 202-882-9649 or artlaffin@hotmail.com.

64] – Every Friday from noon to 1 PM, Baltimore Women in Black vigil for peace with men and women who live in Roland Park. WIB invites all to join, and any peace sign is welcome, such as "Defuse Nuclear War."  The vigil takes place outside Roland Park Place at the corner of West 40th Street and Elm Street. Parking is free at RPP or at the Rotunda across the street. Contact Ann Vinup at annvinup@gmail.com.

65] – The Democratic National Committee is holding a Weekly Town Hall Podcast on Fri., Sept. 15 from noon to 1:30 PM ET.  Tune in at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/546677/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual. The podcast will continue through Fri., Jan. 26 from noon to 1 PM ET.

66] – On Fri., Sept. 15 & Wed., Sept. 20 from 4 to 6 PM ET, there is a Common Cause organized Election Protection phone bank.   Work together to demand bold changes to our democracy to create a government that represents all of us, not big corporations or special interests. Register for a shift to make calls and help strengthen the phone bank team to protect our democracy. These shifts will also always include training for first-timers before you make calls, so if this is your first time, no worries! Register at https://www.mobilize.us/dfadcoalition/event/376178/?followup_modal_context=organization_newsletter_custom_recommendations.  

67] – Little Amal is the 12 foot puppet of a 10 year old Syrian refugee child at the heart of The Walk.  She has become a global symbol of human rights, especially those of refugees. Since July 2021, Amal has travelled over 6,000 miles to 97 towns and cities in 15 countries and been welcomed by more than a million people on the street, including hundreds of artists and civil society and faith leaders, as well as by tens of millions online. Her journeys are festivals of art and hope that draw attention to the huge numbers of children fleeing war, violence and persecution, each with their own story. Her urgent message to the world is “Don’t forget about us.”

Between 7 September and 5 November 2023, Amal is journeying 6,000 miles across the United States in one of the largest free public festivals ever created. Visit https://walkwithamal.org/. On Fri., Sept. 15 at 4:30 PM, Little Amal is officially welcomed by Mayor Brandon Scott and Faith Leaders at Baltimore City Hall. On Sat., Sept. 16 at 11 AM, Little Amal gets ice cream!  Begin at Inner Harbor, Rash Field, end at Baltimore Aquarium.

At 2 PM, Little Amal meets a new friend from Mexico, who is also alone.  Begin at Patterson Park Entrance, Curley and Pratt Streets, and end at Creative Alliance. Finally, at 4:30 PM, Little Amal visits the Love Groove Festival in the Black Arts District, Robert C. Marshall Park.

68] – On Sat., Sept. 9 from noon to 2 PM EST, get over to the Food Pantry and Food Donation Center at First and Franklin Presbyterian Church, 210 W. Madison St., Baltimore. This Food Pantry is open every Saturday. Get a grocery bag – breakfast, jelly and peanut butter (a good source of protein) for lunch, the makings for a balanced dinner such as beans and rice, pasta and sauce, soup, vegetables, fruit, and a paper goods. Also added is a little fun food, such as popcorn or cookies, for everyone enjoys a treat.  Contributions of shelf stable foods can be brought to Reid Chapel every Saturday between noon and 2 PM. If shopping is difficult for you, monetary donations earmarked food pantry may be sent to the church.  How else can you help? Volunteers are needed to help collect and distribute food. Contact the church office to volunteer. You can also help by spreading the word to those you know who are facing food insecurity. See https://www.facebook.com/firstfranklinbaltimore.

69] -- The Democratic National Committee is holding a Weekly Town Hall Podcast about Media & Democracy on Fri., Sept. 15 from noon to 1:30 PM ET.  Tune in at https://www.mobilize.us/mobilize/event/546677/?followup_modal_context=nonexclusive_newsletter_most_popular_virtual. The podcast will continue through Fri., Jan. 26 from noon to 1 PM ET.

70] – The Metro DC DSA [info@mdcdsa.org] on Sat., Sept. 16 from 3 to 5 PM ET will screen Lowndes County and the Road to Black Power followed by a panel discussion. DSA will partner with the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) Legacy Project for this free screening of the film, which is about SNCC's electoral organizing in Alabama. Hear from SNCC activist Jennifer Lawson and MDC DSA members about how to apply the lessons of people power to the present and future of DC. The screening and panel will be at the Anacostia Neighborhood Library, 1800 Good Hope Road SE, WDC 20020. You will be required to wear a mask to protect each other from the new COVID strain going around. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/lowndes-county-and-the-road-to-black-power-film-screening-and-panel?link_id=25&can_id=4b9d4061aec5469758759317ac0f5285&source=email-metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-august-25-2023&email_referrer=email_2033182&email_subject=metro-dc-dsa-weekly-newsletter-for-september-1-2023

71] – The Metro DSA Social Housing working group canvassing operations will take place on Sat., Sept. 16 from noon to 5 PM ET at the H St. Festival, H St. NE & 3rd St NE, WDC 20002. Come out and talk to your neighbors about social housing! Gather petition signatures, connect with the residents with their council members, and gather stories about what social housing would mean for DC! This event is open to both DSA Members and supporters, and will take place again on Oct. 7.  https://actionnetwork.org/events/canvass-for-social-housing-3

72] – On Sat., Sept. 16 from 3 to 8 PM ET, get over to a Vegan Block Party, 100 N. Charles St. Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/vegan-block-party-2023-tickets-549828280187. Come see zero waste and reuse in action! If you can be a Zero Waste volunteers, reach out to steph@energyjustice.net.

73]  --  If you are able to donate any kind of surplus medical supplies for field hospitals in eastern Ukraine, please email Brendan.walls@seaseton.org or call 410-721-5770 x231.  There is a colleague whose father is a medic on the front line. One container is shipped every month to the Donbass region. Donations can be picked up in Baltimore and Columbia every Thursday, and on other days in Annapolis and Crofton.

74] -- This is A PLEA TO CONVINCE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY TO OBEY INTERNATIONAL LAW. The world reached a historic milestone on January 22, 2021: The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons [TPNW] entered into force and become binding international law -- https://www.icanw.org/the_treaty.

Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland has called attention to the growing danger of nuclear war and the outrageous $1.7 trillion dollars we are spending to upgrade the nuclear arsenal. On July 18, 2017, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, a U.S. Navy - affiliated research center received a seven-year, $92 million contract to continue its systems engineering and research-and-development services for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center. Help convince JHU to renounce nuclear weapons contracts. Contact the president, Ron Daniels, to urge him to reject all nuclear weapons contracts: Office of the President, 242 Garland Hall, The Johns Hopkins University, 3400 N. Charles St., Baltimore, Maryland 21218.  Call his office at (410) 516-8068 or email president@jhu.edu.

75] – David Eberhardt was a member of the Baltimore Four with Father Philip Berrigan, Tom Lewis and Rev. James Mengel.  The group poured blood on draft files on October 27, 1967.  They would be convicted and sentenced to prison. Dave has written a book "For All the Saints- a Protest Primer"- documenting the Baltimore Four action and many others up to and including the most recent Plowshares action – Kings Bay Plowshares 7.  

  Dave just printed 50 new copies of For All the Saints, a Protest Primer- 250+ pp w photos-therefore #'s 351-400 making it o so collectable with two Berrigan book reviews added. The books are signed, and the price remains $25. Will send free if need b- he is not in it for the money! If you want one, send him a check: or contact Dave Eberhardt, 4 Hadley Square North, Baltimore, MD 21218 by email at 1941mireille@gmail.com . 

76] – Yousef Zarbalian [mailto:yzarbali@gmail.com] started his own medical practice in December before the pandemic hit. It is called East-West Medicine and Rheumatology, and its website is EastWestMD.com.  Yousef is licensed in Maryland and Virginia. He is doing primary care as well as rheumatologic care (focusing on joint problems and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and sjogren's).  He is offering telemedicine visits, and he has very reasonable rates for uninsured individuals.  He makes use of herbs (which can be sent directly to patients from the herbal dispensary) as well as prescribing medications to their local pharmacy if needed.  

77] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs, records, tarps and table cloths, contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

78] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at comcast.net.

79] -- Join an extraordinary global campaign for the elimination of nuclear weapons: http://www.globalzero.org/sign-declaration. A growing group of leaders around the world is calling for the elimination of nuclear weapons and a majority of the global public agrees.  This is an historic window of opportunity.  With momentum already building in favor of Zero, a major show of support from people around the world could tip the balance. When it comes to nuclear weapons, one is one too many.

80] – A Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil takes place every day in Lafayette Park, 1601 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 24 hours a day, since June 3, 1981. Go to http://prop1.org; call 202-682-4282.

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/.

“One is called to live nonviolently, even if the change one works for seems impossible. It may or may not be possible to turn the US around through nonviolent revolution. But one thing favors such an attempt: the total inability of violence to change anything for the better" - Daniel Berrigan