Baltimore Activist Alert -- April 25 - 26, 2019

41] Protect the Venezuelan embassy – April 25 -- ?

42] Korean women documentaries – April 25

43] Fund Our Future Rally – April 25

44] Fueling Jihadi Fires – April 25

45] Movie Night for Charity -- April 25

46] SURJ Legislative Wrap Up – Apr. 25

47] Beyond Coal meeting – April 25

48] Green Dems April Meetup – April 25

49] CUT PENN'S TIES TO ENDLESS WAR  – April 26

50] WIB peace vigils – April 26

51] White House vigil – April 26

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41] – This is an urgent call for activists to come to the Venezuelan embassy, 1099 30th St. NW.  Over the past two weeks, there have been 24/7 vigils inside the embassy. The U.S. State Department has said the remaining Venezuelan diplomats from the Maduro government must leave the country by Wednesday, April 24, paving the way for the illegitimate Guiado opposition to move into the embassy on Thursday. Many will refuse to leave the building and some are willing to risk arrest. Contact Medea at medea.benjamin@gmail.com | 415 235 6517.  On March 18, the Venezuelan opposition took over the military attaché building on 2409 California St. in Washington DC, with the help of the DC Police and Secret Service. On that same day, the opposition also took over the Venezuelan Consulate in New York City.

42] – The Institute for Korean Studies and the Latin American & Hemispheric Studies Program Present “Korean Women, Argentine Documentaries: A Look at "La chica del sur" (2012) and "Una canción coreana" (2014).  The speaker is Chisu Teresa Ko, Associate Professor of Spanish, Ursinus College.  Hear the lecture on Thurs,, April 25 from 1 to 3 PM in the Conference Room 503, Elliott School of International Affairs, The George Washington University, 1957 E Street NW, WDC 20052.  Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1IRXWyw5MV2Ku1ZiDWJ72VmeYL5m2b-jip9PaXMIyZXs/viewform?edit_requested=true.  Light refreshments will be served.

This talk examines two recent Argentine documentaries focused on Korean women. "The Girl from the South," 2012) by José Luis García features the iconic South Korean student activist, Lim Su Kyung, who shocked the world in 1989 by visiting North Korea for the 13th World Festival of Youth and Students, a transgression for which she would be sentenced to five years in a South Korean prison. "A Korean Song," 2014 by Yael Tujsnaider and Gustavo Tarrío sets out to depict the daily life of Ana Jung, a Korean immigrant in Buenos Aires, as she works on her artistic, business, and familial pursuits.

43] – On Thurs., April 25 from 4 to 6 PM, get involved in the Fund Our Future Rally, hosted by the Washington Teachers' Union and AFT - American Federation of Teachers in Freedom Plaza, 14th St., WDC 20004.  Parents, students and all those who care about DC public schools are joining the Washington Teachers' Union in a rally to demand that the DC Council fully fund public schools.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/1326584687495883/.

44] - The COMMITTEE FOR THE REPUBLIC is hosting Fueling Jihadi Fires: How the U.S. and Saudi Arabia Relationship Stirs Up Global Conflicts.  This is a      book party for Terence Ward, moderated by Chas Freeman on Thurs., April 25 from 6 to 8 PM, hosted by John Henry and Ann Crittenden, 3412 Lowell St. NW, WDC 20016.   RSVP at James@CommitteefortheRepublic.org.  It is said that war is how Americans learn foreign geography and history, now that our schools no longer teach much of either. Since 9/11, the American people have become aware that the split between Shi`ism and Sunni Islam is an important element in the animosity between Saudi Arabia and Iran and a driving factor in the savage civil strife in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen. But few understand the schism in contemporary Sunni Islam, which is experiencing divisions reminiscent of those that catalyzed the Thirty Years War in Christendom. Wahhabism — the ultra-conservative doctrine of Saudi Arabia – parallels and in some ways inspires the Salafist (“originalist”) theologies of ISIS, Al-Qaeda, the Taliban and Boko Haram, though these Jihadi movements have distinctive origins, histories, and goals. Does this make Saudi Arabia a potential ally or a hidden enemy in international efforts to hold Islamist terrorism at bay? Terence Ward’s new book "The Wahhabi Code: How the Saudis Spread Extremism Globally" takes a critical look at the role of Saudi Arabia in fostering Salafist extremism in the Muslim world. It asks questions like: Will Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (aka MBS) face a Muslim as well as a Western backlash from the Khashoggi murder, the war in Yemen, and the imprisonment of women activists? Will MBS bring about a more moderate Islam or is he setting the stage for a conflict with Iran that could plunge America into yet another unconstitutional forever war? Go to http://edition.cnn.com/videos/tv/2018/12/21/amanpour-terence-ward-the-wahhabi-code-how-the-saudis-spread-extremism-globally.cnn.

45] -- On Thurs., April 25 from 6 to 9 PM, get over to a Movie Night for Charity, hosted by Johns Hopkins Postdoctoral Association, 1830 Building, West Lecture Hall, Wood Basic Science Building, G level, Monument St., Baltimore 21217.  See "A Separation," an Oscar winner and rated 8.3 on IMDb! Enjoy free pizza, snacks and drinks.  The purpose of this movie night is to support a local charity organization, so make a donation! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2299641356723341/.

46] – On Thurs., April 25 from 6 to 8 PM, get over to the SURJ Legislative Wrap Up, 2108 Erdman Ave., Baltimore 21218-3111.  SURJ members who were involved in the Legislative Session will come together to assess what we accomplished, how many folks we engaged, what we struggled with, and how we can improve next year. Another major discussion point will be: where do people want to go from here? There's still plenty of organizing that can happen between legislative sessions, and many different ways to do it. Join us to share what you are interested in, and how to take the skills learned from the leg session with you. Look at https://www.facebook.com/events/412003292882031/.

47] – On Thurs., April 25 from 7 to 9 PM, there is a Baltimore County Beyond Coal House Meeting, hosted by Sierra Club Maryland Chapter in Towson. Tickets are at act.sierraclub.org.  Did you know Maryland still has six dirty, polluting coal fired power plants? Join the Maryland Sierra Club in Towson at the home of a Sierra Club member for a conversation about how we can move Maryland Beyond Coal. You can RSVP here https://bit.ly/2UCYcSL  Our coal power plants still produce 9 million metric tons of CO2 annually, equivalent to nearly 2 million passenger vehicles. The Sierra Club is undertaking a coal community transition campaign to retire the remaining coal fleet in the next decade, while ensuring there is state funding to support impacted workers and communities. Learn more about this exciting campaign, and how you can be involved. Address will be provided upon RSVP. Light refreshments will be served. Contact Matt Dernoga at matt.dernoga@mdsierra.org.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/353784378602462/.

48] – On Thurs., April 25 from 7 to 9 PM, get over to a Green Dems April Meetup, hosted by Montgomery County Green Democrats at Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Dr., Rockville 20852.  A lot has changed since the time two years ago that Mike Ewall first came to speak to a Montgomery County Green Democrats meeting about our county's dirtiest polluter, Covanta's incinerator in Dickerson. Mike returns this month to share news of some recent clean air victories in nearby counties and states as well as the inside scoop on progress towards closing the Covanta facility.

Andy Banks lives in our area but works around the country on strategic organizing for the Teamsters Union. Andy will join us to talk about efforts to bring a state-of-the-art recycling facility to Montgomery County and the important role that a coalition of labor organizers and environmentalists can play in making this happen. Meetings of the Green Democrats are open to any interested members of the public, so bring along a neighbor or friend! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/402388793887458/.

49] – On Fri., April 26 at noon, come to the Penn/Relays, University of Pennsylvania, 34th & Walnut Streets, Phila., PA and demand  CUT PENN'S TIES TO ENDLESS WAR  (& Penn Wharton School grad Trump is bringing on his Wars and Walls of Hate).  Did you know that Penn president, Amy Guttman, is on the board of the Vanguard Group, the $3 trillion investment firm whose top beneficiary is the world's #1 war profiteer, Lockheed Martin, and she receives $3.4 million a year from the university and another $1.2 million from Vanguard?  As in the past, let the thousands coming to the Penn Relays on April 26 Know. Make a noise!  Call the Brandywine Peace Community, 484-574-1148.

50] – On Fri., April 26 from noon to 1 PM, join a Women in Black peace vigil. A vigil will take place in McKeldin Square at the corner of Light and Pratt Sts.  STAY FOR LUNCH at Baba's Kitchen.  Warm-up, dry off, and enjoy a vegetarian chili lunch and lots of good conversation. Bring a side or topping for the chili.  There are still places at the table; invite a friend to come along with you.

Another vigil is at Roland Park Place, 830 W. 40th St, Baltimore. 21211. However, if weather is iffy, contact Anne at awyattbr@gmail.com.  Lunch will take place at 1 PM at the RPP Café, 830 W. 40th St., Baltimore 21211.

A third vigil will be in Chestertown, Kent County at Memorial Park at Cross Street and Park Row.  This vigil is looking for more peace bodies on the Eastern Shore.  Welcome to the network, Chestertown Women in Black.

Wear black. Dress for who knows what kind of weather.  Peace signs will be available. When there are others to stand with, you don't need to carry the burden alone. Do this to be in solidarity with others....when everything around us says “Be afraid of the stranger.” Carpool and parking available. Just send an email that you need a ride to: wibbaltimore@peacepath911.org.

51] – On Fri.,  April 26 from noon to 1 PM, join the Dorothy Day Catholic Worker in a vigil urging the powers that be to abolish war and torture, to disarm all weapons, to end indefinite detention, to close Guantanamo, to establish justice for all and help create the Beloved Community! This vigil will take place at the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Contract Art @ artlaffin@hotmail.com or at 202-360-6416.

To be considered

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  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

Baltimore Activist Alert -- April 23 - 25, 2019

23] Separate and still unequal – April 23

24] Peace Vigil – April 23

25] No Drone Research DEMO – April 23

26] Race, Equity & the 2019 Legislative Session – Apr. 23

27] Diversity Speaker Series – April 23

28] RACISM, PRISONS, AND EMPIRE – April 23

29] Food Rescue – April 24

30] Putin's Foreign Policy: The Case of BRICS – Apr. 24

31] Nigeria’s Energy Future – April 24

32] School of Food and Food Rescue Baltimore – April 24

33] American Hate – April 24

34] LGBTQ Homelessness in Baltimore – April 24

35] Baltimore City Fy2020 Budget – April 24

36] Poor Peoples Campaign meeting – April 24

37] Mass Transit Options – April 24 & 25

38] Venezuelan Humanitarian and Refugee Crisis – April 24

39] Occupation Free DC meetings – April 24

40] Restoring the Promise of Community Colleges – April 25

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23] – On Tues., April 23 from noon to 2 PM, check out Separate and Still Unequal: Race in America's Schools at the JW Marriott, 1331 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC 20004.  This spring marks the 65th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark Brown v. the Board of Education decision. In recognition of this occasion, ASCD--a nonprofit membership organization devoted whole child education--will be holding a special live event in our nation's capital to explore challenges and opportunities surrounding race in America's school today. This month, ASCD published a special issue of Educational Leadership, its flagship publication, on the theme of “Separate and Still Unequal: Race in America's Schools.” The issue, which will be available for attendees of the event, will include articles by Pedro Noguera, Vanessa Siddle Walker, Beverly Daniel Tatum, Monique Morris, Mathew Kay, and H. Richard Milner IV.

Founded in 1943 and dedicated to ensuring that every child is healthy, safe, engaged, supported, and challenged in school, ASCD has a long history of supporting equity and cultural diversity in U.S. education. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1677993159013594/.

24] –  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 April 23.  Call 215-426-0364.

25] – Vigil to say "No Drone Research at JHU" each Tuesday at 33rd & North Charles Sts. The next vigil will be on April 23 from 5 to 6 PM. Contact Max at mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net or 410-323-1607. 

26] – On Tues., April 23 from 6 to 9 PM, catch up with Race, Equity & the 2019 Legislative Session, hosted by the NAACP - Baltimore City Branch at the Greater Baltimore Urban League, 512 Orchard St., Baltimore 21201.  Every year the MD General Assembly passes a new budget and dozens of new laws. How did Baltimore fare this year? Join for a recap of the session and what we need to get ready for the next session.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/267616684165980/.

27] – On Tues., April 23 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, get over to the Diversity Speaker Series featuring Melissa Harris-Perry, hosted by the Center for Student Diversity and Towson University, University Union, Suite 313, 8000 York Road, Towson 21252.  For questions or accommodations, contact diversityworks@towson.edu or 410-704-2051. Melissa Harris-Perry is the Maya Angelou Presidential Chair at Wake Forest University. Committed to diversifying American journalism and mentoring emerging public voices, Professor Harris-Perry has developed and implemented innovative mentoring efforts including the Elle.com scholars program centering the stories of women and girls of color and BLACK ON CAMPUS, a national student journalism program in partnership with The Nation. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2112912458789836/.

28] – On Tues., April 23 from 7 to 9 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 1225 Cathedral St., Baltimore 21201, the discussion is RACISM, PRISONS, AND EMPIRE: WHAT DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS HAVE IN COMMON.  Despite clear (and important!) differences, as well as notable exceptions, the bulk of our two party system is in profound agreement on maintaining a racialized status quo, a carceral state, and American imperialism. Democrats and Republicans largely share a bipartisan commitment to the military-industrial complex and US Empire. Together, they inspired and shaped the bipartisan commitment to mass incarceration. Conservatives and liberals have shared a commitment to markets and private property that has allowed and fostered persistent racial segregation and inequality—even in the absence of any formal or explicit codification of that inequality, except as guided by longstanding ideologies of paternalism. Call (443) 602 7611 or go to https://www.redemmas.org/.

29] -- Wednesdays at the Free Farm, 3510 Ash St., Baltimore 21211 by Food Rescue Baltimore continue on Wed., APR 24, May 1 & May 8 from noon to 1 PM. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See  https://www.facebook.com/events/2335352913149645/?event_time_id=2335353063149630.

30] – On Wed., April 24 at 12:30 PM, hear about Putin's Foreign Policy: The Case of BRICS with Dr. Rachel Salzman, Johns Hopkins SAIS; US Department of Commerce, hosted by Professor Charles Gati in Conference Room 806, 1619 Mass. Ave. NW. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ees-russia-eurasia-forum-tickets-55100583328.

31] –  On Wed., April 24 from 12:30 to 2 PM, hear about Nigeria’s Energy Future, hosted by SAIS ERE - Energy, Resources & Environment in the Rome Building, Rome Auditorium, 1619 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20036. Nigeria is Africa’s biggest country and biggest economy. Yet, per capita electricity consumption is the lowest in the world relative to income—nearly 80 percent below where it should be given other economic conditions. Residential access to electricity is just 59 percent, while nearly all businesses have to rely on generators for power. At the same time, Nigeria is a major energy producer and is forced to flare gas. Successive presidents have promised to solve the country’s electricity problem, but progress has been utterly dismal. Todd Moss will highlight the key issues affecting Nigeria’s energy future—and why failing to solve this conundrum will have profound consequences for the country, region, and far beyond.  Moss is founder and executive director of the Energy for Growth Hub. He is also a visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development, a nonresident scholar at the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute, and a fellow at the Colorado School of Mines’ Payne Institute. RSVP at https://isepmoss.eventbrite.com.  Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/579472465795100/.

32] – On Wed., April 24 at 2 PM, and every Wednesday until July 24, 2019, School of Food and Food Rescue Baltimore will give out food at 1412 N. Wolfe St., Baltimore 21213. Bring a bag, bring a friend, and take delicious, nutritious, free rescued food. See https://www.facebook.com/events/2105994779640314/.

33] –  On Wed., April 24 from 4 to 6:30 PM attend an author talk and workshop on American Hate, hosted by Teaching for Change at the Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E. Pratt St., Baltimore 21202. Meet the author of "American Hate: Survivors Speak Out", Arjun Singh Sethi, and receive a free copy of the book, and learn about a lesson you can use to bring stories of hate crime survivors to the classroom.  This is a free event. Register at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd4ajKO6ZCwOHtAnYe_8EB9R3OX3OfBQzz3vjRxM9L-4v1NMQ/viewform.  This workshop will also be held in Washington, D.C. on May 9 (https://www.dcareaeducators4socialjustice.org/events/american-hate-author-talk-and-workshop-1).  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/842936779377846/.

34] --On Wed., April 24 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM, check out LGBTQ Homelessness in Baltimore: Folks with Lived Experience at Chase Brexton Health Care, 1111 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21201.  Are you someone, or do you know someone in the LGBTQ community who is currently experiencing, or has previously experienced homelessness? A task force of organizations and individuals working in housing, human services, public health, law and government are coming together to tackle homelessness in the LGBTQ community. Dinner will be provided. Join a conversation about how to improve current conditions, and eventually end homelessness for the LGBTQ community in Baltimore City.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/348414072479491/.

35] --On Wed., April 24 from 6 to 7:30 PM, go over the Baltimore City Fy2020 Budget at a Public Forum, hosted by Councilperson Eric T. Costello at Eutaw-Marshburn, 1624 Eutaw Place, Baltimore 21217.  Want to learn more about Baltimore City's budget? Curious about where taxpayer dollars are being spent and what new initiatives the City is rolling out this year?  Please join Councilman Eric T. Costello, Chair of the Budget & Appropriations Committee and Baltimore City Bureau of the Budget Director Bob Cenname for a presentation on the City’s Proposed FY2020 Budget.  If you can't make it, please note there will be another forum the following evening, on Thursday, April 25th, at Digital Harbor High School, details here: https://www.facebook.com/events/408023973085949/.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2271313673092014/.

36] – The Baltimore Poor People’s Campaign is holding its next General Meeting on Wed., April 24 from 6 to 8 PM at the Oak Hill Center, 2239 Kirk Ave., Baltimore 21218. If you can attend, have any questions, need a ride (or can give a ride), or would like to help bring food, please email ashley.hufnagel@gmail.com! Look back at the work the Baltimore PPC Committee has done over the last year. A big task is creating an organizing plan for the summer!

37] – MDOT-SHA recently roused anger by dropping mass transit options from plans for Larry Hogan’s pet project, private toll lanes on I-494 and I-270. The agency has scheduled new informational meetings, and there are four in Montgomery County on Wed., April 24 at 6:30 and then at 7:30 PM at Eastern Middle School, 300 University Blvd. E., Silver Spring 20901 on Thurs., April 25 at 6:30  and 7:30 PM at Thomas Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Parkway, Rockville 20850. Visit https://495-270-p3.com/your-participation/upcoming-events/.

38] – On Wed. April 24 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, hear about the Venezuelan Humanitarian and Refugee Crisis, hosted by No Lost Generation at American University, American University School of Communication, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20016.  Hear from three panelists, one from The Brookings Institution, another from the Organization of American States (OAS), and the last from the Washington Office on Latin America. They will speak about the humanitarian and refugee crisis that is on-going in Venezuela and the surrounding countries. Enjoy a catered reception featuring traditional Venezuelan food following the event. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2250956518555847/.

39] – There are Occupation Free DC meetings hosted by Jewish Voice for Peace - DC Metro on Wed., April 24 and on Wed., May 15 at 7 PM. Contact the group via Facebook Messenger or info@occupationfreedc.org to RSVP and receive the address of each meeting. It's an exciting time to join the Occupation Free DC campaign! Help build power for a campaign to end DC Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) participation in US-Israel police exchanges. Newcomers are always welcome!  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/2254594541451285/?event_time_id=2254594574784615.

40] – The Century Foundation is offering Restoring the Promise of Community Colleges on Thurs., April 25 from 9 to 11 AM at The National Press Club, 529 14th St. NW, WDC 20045.  How can we ensure that community colleges—America's quintessential institutions for the aspiring middle class—receive the funding and support they need to provide students an adequate education? That's the question a working group of twenty-two of the nation's leading experts, convened by The Century Foundation, has tackled over two years of in-depth exploration, culminating in a final report to be released later this month. Former U.S. secretary of education John B. King, Jr. and a panel of experts, including Sara Goldrick-Rab, Gail Mellow, Adam Gamoran, Bruce Baker, and more, will discuss the challenges that America’s community colleges face and what we can do to fix them. 

The title of the discussion is Restoring the Promise of Community Colleges. The event will coincide with the release of a new report by an expert panel of more than 20 education leaders and researchers who have been studying community college funding for the past two years.  Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-introduction-to-instructional-spending-in-higher-ed-tickets-59954661005.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  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

Extinction Rebellion in Baltimore/New York City Passes Historic Climate Legislation

   Dick Ochs is urging you to hear Russell Gray of Extinction Rebellion who will speak at Johns Hopkins University’s Garland Hall while the students occupy the building on the Homewood Campus on Monday, April 22 at 6 PM.  His talk is about climatastrophe. Then at 8 PM, Extinction Rebellion will gather by the Washington Monument in Baltimore’s Mt. Vernon neighborhood.  Hold signs, wear animal costumes and sing songs.

Published on Portside (https://portside.org/)

New York City Passes Historic Climate Legislation

Alexander C. Kaufman

April 18, 2019

Huffington Post

   The nation’s largest and most economically influential city passed a historic bill Thursday capping climate-changing pollution from big buildings and mandating unprecedented cuts to greenhouse gases. 

   The City Council approved the legislation in a 45-to-2 vote Thursday afternoon, all but ensuring its passage by a mayor eager to burnish his climate bona fides ahead of a potential run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020. 

   “We are on the precipice of climate disaster, and New York City is acting,” Corey Johnson, the council speaker, said in a statement. “I hope other cities follow suit.”

 The effort demonstrates one of the clearest examples yet of what a municipal version of the Green New Deal, the national movement for a multi-trillion dollar climate-friendly industrial plan, might look like. The legislation is forecast to spur thousands of blue-collar jobs and make it easier for the city to take advantage of future state and federal funding for clean energy projects and climate change-ready infrastructure.  

   The measure, introduced by Councilman Costa Constantinides, a Democrat from Queens, is the centerpiece of a suite of six climate bills packaged together as the Climate Mobilization Act. 

   The legislation sets emissions caps for various types of buildings over 25,000 square feet; buildings produce nearly 70% of the city’s emissions. It sets steep fines if landlords miss the targets. Starting in 2024, the bill requires landlords to retrofit buildings with new windows, heating systems and insulation that would cut emissions by 40% in 2030, and double the cuts by 2050.

   “This legislation will radically change the energy footprint of the built environment and will pay off in the long run with energy costs expected to rise and new business opportunities that will be generated by this forward thinking and radical policy,” said Timur Dogan, an architect and building scientist at Cornell University.

   Its proponents bill the legislation as the largest single mandate to cut climate pollution by any city in the world. The new rules would create demand for more than 3,600 construction jobs per year, by one estimate, and another 4,400 jobs in maintenance, services and operations, fueled by the sheer magnitude of the investment required to meet the emissions goals.

   “The market signals sent by this legislation are significant,” Nilda Mesa, a senior research scientist at Columbia University and a former director of the Mayor’s Office of Sustainability, wrote in Crain’s New York. “The largest real estate market in the U.S. will be seeking products and services to cut energy.”

    The Climate Mobilization Act’s other components include a bill that orders the city to complete a study over the next two years on the feasibility of closing all 24 oil- and gas-burning power plants in city limits and replacing them with renewables and batteries. Another that establishes a renewable energy loan program. Two more that require certain buildings to cover roofs with plants, solar panels, small wind turbines or a mix of the three. And a final bill that tweaks the city’s building code to make it easier to build wind turbines. 

   The cost to landlords is high. The mayor’s office estimated to The New York Times that the total cost of upgrades needed to meet the new requirements would hit $4 billion. 

   There are loopholes for houses of worship and buildings with at least one rent-regulated apartment in hopes of preventing the law from triggering large-scale improvements that would allow landlords to jack up rent and evict working-class tenants. The Real Estate Board of New York, the powerful lobby that represents large developers and property owners, came out against the legislation last year, arguing it provided too many carve-outs for smaller buildings and put an unfair burden on big landlords. 

   But the lawmakers forged ahead anyway, vowing to update the legislation if state legislators in Albany win better protections later this year for the city’s dwindling stock of roughly 990,000 rent-regulated apartments.

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Alexander Kaufman is reporter at HuffPost, based in New York. He covers climate change, environmental policy and politics. He has reported from Greenland, China, Vietnam and Brazil. His climate reporting won a 2018 SEAL Award. He is a member of the Society of Environmental Journalists, and a frequent guest on public radio. Before joining HuffPost in 2014, he reported for The Boston Globe, the International Business Times and The Wrap. Reach him at 917-606-4668 or alexander.kaufman@huffpost.com. Direct message him on Twitter @AlexCKaufman for his phone number on the encrypted messaging apps Signal and WhatsApp.

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Source URL: https://portside.org/2019-04-21/new-york-city-passes-historic-climate-legislation.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  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

Baltimore Activist Alert April 21 – July 28, 2019

Baltimore Activist Alert April 21 – July 28, 2019

"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 mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net.

1] Books, buttons and stickers

2] Web site for info on federal legislation

3] Get involved with NCNR   

4] Buy an Anti-War Veteran hat  

5] Lawyers Against War

6] “Explore & Live Palestine” from July 11 through July 25, 2019

7] SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE

8] CODEPINK NEEDS YOU AT THE VENEZUELA EMBASSY

9] Shadows and Ashes: The Peril of Nuclear Weapons – through May 31

10] Community Land Trusts – April 21

11] Get involved with a Butterfly Garden Cleanup – April 21

12] Baltimore Green Party meeting – April 21

13] ERA Call – April 21

14] Civil Rights double header – April 21

15] Persecution of Julian Assange – April 21

16] Pentagon Protest – April 22

17] Bird Banding – April 22

18] Earth Day giveaway – April 22

19] Food Rescue – April 22

20] Food Rescue Pop-Up – April 22

21] Artificial Intelligence film – April 22

22] Get the Money Out conference call – April 22

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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 U.S. wars.

To join the ORGANIZING List, please send your name, group affiliation, city and email address to mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.  Different local chapters of a national organization are encouraged to subscribe.  

4] – Get a good-looking black hat which says Anti-War Veteran in the front and Viva House 50^th in the back.  The cost is $10. Contact Max at 410-323-1607 or mobuszewski2001 at Comcast dot net.

5] – Jeff Ross, an attorney in Maryland, is interested in gathering with other lawyers to discuss ways in which the legal profession and the law generally can be conceptualized as a peace-building and war-resisting institution and redirected to these ends. Areas to explore might include: 1) ways in which this group could support with legal analysis/writing those lawyers who are representing peace-builders/war-resisters in criminal prosecutions; 2) ways in which, from a more theoretical perspective, the law might be grounded in an ethic of non-violence; and 3) ways in which law students and young lawyers might be exposed to a non-violent vision of the law. All religious, philosophical, and critical perspectives on the law are welcome. The group might want to call itself Lawyers Against War. Jeff can be reached at 443-690-6872 and jross50@hotmail.com.

6] – If you are 18 to 35, don't miss this unique opportunity to visit Palestine! Registration is Now Open at https://kthps.org/join. For more information, please visit: https://kthps.org/.  Know Thy Heritage, Inc. is offering a Leadership Initiative “Explore & Live Palestine” from July 11 through July 25, 2019.  This is a program of The Arab American Institute.  Visit http://www.aaiusa.org/.

7] -- SUPPORT AMAZON WORKERS OF CONSCIENCE.  We are in a deep struggle to support conscience within the high tech community, which may be the only way to prevent a major leap into artificial intelligence warfare that we see the beginnings of in the expanding global U.S. drone war system.  This may be of particular interest to Johns Hopkins' Navy-funded researchers, some of whom have been working on swarming drone technology.

These are not major asks and can be a powerful reinforcement of conscience at an extremely critical moment.  Please consider circulating this link to your lists encouraging people to sign the linked RootsAction petition - https://www.knowdrones.com/blog/2019/3/6/support-amazon-workers-who-dont-want-to-work-for-war and leafletting Whole Foods in your areas. This is a link to the leaflet -- https://gallery.mailchimp.com/dd110b000ca250d868d4f419b/files/107fc695-8af9-4f7e-a523-ecd1d1dfd28f/Wholefoods_Leaflet.pdf. Should you have interest in circulating the links and possibly leafletting, contact Nick Mottern at  nickmottern at gmail.com.

8] – Urgent: CODEPINK needs you at the Venezuela Embassy, 1099 30th St. NW, WDC, through all of next week.   A group of activists have been living in the embassy to protect it from a hostile takeover by the opposition, in violation of international law.  We’ll also have events all week long. For a list of all the activities, see https://www.codepink.org/washington_dc_24_7_protection_of_dc_venezuelan_embassy.

The events are part of an ongoing presence at the Venezuelan embassy by the Embassy Protection Collective. We have been staging a round-the-clock vigil inside the embassy for the past two weeks, including overnight shifts, and organizing activities at the embassy every night.  We think this will be the week that the opposition comes to take over. So this coming week is critical, especially Thursday and Friday. You can come anytime, or join us overnight. 

The opposition already took over the Venezuelan military attaché office in Washington, DC and the Venezuelan consulate in New York City in violation of Article 22 of the Vienna Convention and has announced its intention to take over the Embassy next week.  Call 415-235-6517.

9] – An important art exhibition continues at the Takoma Park campus of Montgomery College through May 31.  The exhibit is named Shadows and Ashes: The Peril of Nuclear Weapons, and features works by photographer Gary Schoichet; drawings by the child survivors of Hiroshima; ceramic masks by multimedia artist Marion Held; the poetry of John Canaday; and the Program on Science and Global Security at Princeton University  This is a traveling exhibition from Princeton University, sponsored by Montgomery College’s Institute for Race, Justice, and Civic Engagement, Peace Action Montgomery, and Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland, and it will be on view at Montgomery College’s Cultural Arts Center, 7995 Georgia Ave., Silver Spring. It will be accompanied by various events, including films, lectures, and discussion.

This exhibition of art and science examines the role of nuclear weapons in our society and reflects on their results. By combining artwork and scientific information, it opens conversations on the practical and the philosophical implications of humans’ continued efforts to create and to dismantle nuclear weapons. This multi-faceted exploration of the implications of nuclear weapons includes photographs, drawings, masks, and technical information. Photographer Gary Schoichet provides portraits and reflective comments of Hiroshima survivors, as well as documentary photographs of the historic 1982 Anti-Nuclear Rally in New York City. All Souls Church in Washington, D.C., contributes Hiroshima Children’s Drawings in crayon from 1947 by young survivors. In commemoration of the human catastrophe in Japan, multimedia artist Marion Held has made ceramic masks as a response to her exploration of the site of the bombing at Hiroshima. Related events will be posted throughout the time of the exhibition on the website, www.peaceactionmc.org/. For information on exhibit hours and parking, visit mcblogs/montgomerycollege.edu/cac. 

10] –Usually, the Baltimore Ethical Society, 2521 St. Paul St., Baltimore 21218, meets on Sundays, and generally there is a speaker and discussion at 10:30 AM.  On Sun., April 21, the platform address is “Community Land Trusts: Tools for Uplifting Community Values.”  The Charm City Land Trusts is a resident-led organization designed to hold land together and cultivate a neighborhood vision that promotes the values, prioritizes the needs, and creates a path for community ownership of its residents. CCLT is active in East Baltimore, a historically redlined community that is stewarding vibrant community green space, reclaiming vacants, and organizing for policy change that will support the CLT movement. CCLT is becoming a tool through which neighbors values are made evident in the space we inhabit, especially as we grapple with market forces that displace and disorganize our communities.

Adriana Foster is a leadership organizer with United Workers and a co-facilitator of the Baltimore Housing Roundtable. She lives and works in East Baltimore and is a member of Charm City Land Trusts. Her work centers on the human right to land, housing, and development that meets community needs. Call 410-581-2322 or email ask@bmorethical.org. 

11] –  On Sun., April 21 from 2 to 5 PM, get involved with a Butterfly Garden Cleanup, hosted by JHU Students for Environmental Action, outside of the FFC, JHU.  Come help prepare the butterfly garden for spring! Weed and prepare the ground for later plantings. The garden is full of native plants to support native species!  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/553668908473875/.

12] – On Sun., April 21 from 4 to 6 PM, there is a General Membership Meeting of the Baltimore City Green Party.  Following that meeting, there are meetings on Sun., May 19, 4 to 6 PM and Sun., June 16 from 4 to 6 PM.  These meetings will be at the University Of Baltimore Law School Library, top floor. 1401 N. Charles St. The meeting of the Baltimore City Green Party is an opportunity for members and interested individuals to discuss, debate, decide and plan for the work of the Baltimore City Green Party.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/1967876273521515/?event_time_id=1967876276854848.

13] – On Sun., April 21, April 28 and May 5 from 4 to 5 PM, get on The CALL - ERA Education Program at Katrina's Dream, PO Box 32003, WDC 20007.  Tickets are at www.katrinasdream.org.  Please come each Sunday and help build the groundswell. The collaboration of grassroots organizers, lobbyists, and professionals is dedicated to promoting and educating folks across the United States of America to empowering women around the world.

The CALL IN NUMBER is 563.999.2090, the CONFERENCE NO: 898879#.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1710130249022424/?event_time_id=1710130255689090.

14] – On Sun., April 21 from 5:45 to 9:40 PM, see a Double Feature: “Nothing But A Man” and “The Cool World” at the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Road, Silver Spring 20910.  Tickets are at silver.afi.com.  NOTHING BUT A MAN [1964] is set against the stirrings of the Civil Rights Movement and a rising wave of burgeoning black pride.  It tells the story of Duff (Ivan Dixon), who went on to direct 1973's THE SPOOK WHO SAT BY THE DOOR), a railroad section hand who is forced to confront racial prejudice and self-denial when he falls in love with Josie (Abbey Lincoln), an educated preacher's daughter. The film explores the painful nuances of life in the 1960s South, and themes of fatherhood and sacrifice.

THE COOL WORLD [1963] was produced by famed documentarian Frederick Wiseman and propelled by the sounds of Dizzy Gillespie.  This is a fictional snapshot of teenagers surrounded by pimps, prostitutes and corrupt cops in turbulent 1960s Harlem which packs a punch still undiminished five decades later. The enigmatic Duke is a wannabe gangster who dreams of procuring guns so he can walk tall with the thugs he idolizes. Tickets can be had at https://bit.ly/2Gx8g7j.  This is part of the "Library of Congress Film Preservation Showcase." The full schedule and tickets are at http://bit.ly/LOCPreservationShowcase.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/571425056670717/.

15] -- On Sun., April 21 from 7 to 8 PM, hear about the Persecution of Julian Assange, hosted by the Embassy Protection Collective at the Venezuela embassy, 1099 30th St., WDC.  Joe Lauria, editor of Consortium News and host of the Friday night #Unity4J online vigils, will speak about the current situation with Julian's incarceration and the future of WikiLeaks.  Events are being held at the Venezuelan embassy to protect this space from a take-over by the opposition. Children and families are welcome. The entrance is in the back. See https://www.facebook.com/events/664322450655312/.

16] – 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 Apr. 22, 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. 

17] – On Mon., April 22 from 9 AM to noon , do Earth Day Bird Banding with BMore Food Parks, hosted by Baltimore Free Farm and Baltimore Foodparks, 3510 Ash Street, Baltimore 21211.  Even small patches of green space can serve an important purpose in the local ecosystem and can go a long way in improving a neighborhood.  Through his project Baltimore Foodparks, a program of Fusion Partnerships Inc., Eric Fishel is working to improve vacant lots, conduct scientific research, and help conserve Baltimore’s greenspace and wildlife all while educating and engaging communities.  Working with the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, he will be responsible for banding local birds and then work with community members to observe the birds in public green spaces and vacant lots. Through research, Fishel hopes to expose young people in Baltimore City to careers in scientific research and spark a passion for science and nature. Even if they don’t pursue a career in science, they will learn more about research and develop new skills in the process.  Eric’s passion for connecting people to nature has been evident throughout his career as a naturalist. Eric Fishel is working with schools and community groups to learn more about conservation and conduct migratory bird research. Meet at the Ash Street Community Garden.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/413872946056313/.

18] – On Mon., April 22 from 11 AM to 2 PM, get over to an Earth Day Giveaway, hosted by CARE at the JHU Breezeway, Baltimore 21218.  Join PHSF (Public Health Student Forum) and CARE (Compassion, Awareness, and Responsible Eating) for free metal straws, reusable bags, eco-friendly snacks and the usual CARE merch including stickers, buttons, and posters! Pass by the Breezeway to celebrate THE EARTH with compassionate choices that take public health into consideration! Check out https://www.facebook.com/events/2203310216663618/

19] – On Mon., Apr. 22 at noon, there will be a Food Rescue at Land of Kush, 840 N. Eutaw St., Baltimore 21201. Food Rescue Baltimore is honored to partner with The Land of Kush each and every Monday to bring access to free vegan/plant-based food in the community. Bring a bag. Take what you want from noon to 1PM or while supplies last. No purchase is necessary to take advantage of the Food Rescue Baltimore give away. Items from The Land of Kush's menu are not included in the give-away but will be available for sale. See https://www.facebook.com/events/415842178868197/.

20] –On Mon., April 22 and 29 from 3 to 4 PM, there is a Food Rescue Pop-Up at Flourish, 3418 Belair Road, Baltimore 21213-1233.  Bring a bag, and take home healthy, free food! View https://www.facebook.com/events/301851223848295/?event_time_id=301851250514959. 

21] – On Mon., April 22 from 4 to 5:40 PM, see a SCREENING of "CyberWork and the American Dream," hosted by The Cato Institute, 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20001.  Tickets are at www.cato.org.  The perceived threat of artificial intelligence (AI) to the American workforce and society more broadly has become a common topic of discussion among policymakers, academics, and the wider public.  But is AI a threat? And if so, are there appropriate policy solutions? History is replete with examples of disruption caused by past technological advances. Are the lessons from those advances applicable to AI? These are just some of the questions addressed by the PBS television documentary. Enjoy a discussion after the film. REGISTER at https://www.cato.org/event/cyberwork-american-dream. If you can’t make it to the event, you can watch it live at www.cato.org/live and join the conversation on Twitter using #CatoTechnology. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/827872140901039/.

22] – Join the Get Money Out of Maryland Teleconference on Monday, April 22 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM.  Call 605-475-6711, code 1136243#.  Work only on brainstorming ideas for participation in the upcoming General Election.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218.  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