Thursday, May 1, 2014

Baltimore Activist Alert - April 23-24, 2014

23] Logging Concessions Enable Illegal Logging Crisis in the Peruvian Amazon – Apr. 23
24] Accountability for Drone Strikes – Apr. 23
25] Rana Plaza factory & Wal-Mart – Apr. 23
26] NSA Surveillance and Ongoing Revelations – Apr. 23
27] Meet Brian Frosh – Apr. 23
28] The Palestinian Struggle – Apr. 23
29] Watch BORDERLAND – Apr. 23
30] Climate Change’s effects on the poor -- Apr. 23
31] Tyler Vile at Red Emma’s – Apr. 23
32] Candidates Forum -- Apr. 23
33] Faith In Equality – Apr. 24
34] Humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons – Apr. 24
35] Stand with culinary workers – Apr. 24
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23] – On Wed., Apr. 23 from noon to 1:30 PM, Amazon Watch Invites You to a "Green-Bag Lunch" presentation: Logging Concessions Enable Illegal Logging Crisis in the Peruvian Amazon. Matt Finer, Amazon Conservation Association (ACA) , and Melissa Blue Sky, Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), will be the speakers at Amazon Watch / CIEL conference room, 1350 Connecticut Ave. NW #1100 (South Dupont, above Panera/Cosi). Despite major efforts to achieve sustainability, including a modern Forestry Law and an important Forestry Annex in the US-Peru Trade Promotion Agreement, illegal logging continues to plague the Peruvian Amazon. Matt and Melissa have a new peer-reviewed paper out today that presents evidence that the legal logging concession system is in reality enabling an illegal logging crisis in the Peruvian Amazon despite the important reform efforts. As a consequence, logging is not contained to concessions and instead threatens all forested areas, including protected areas and indigenous territories. They will present the findings of the study and discuss the conservation and policy implications.

24] – Accountability for Drone Strikes is happening on Wed., Apr. 23 from 2:30 to 5:15 PM at American University, SIS Abramson Family Founders Room, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW. Watch a screening of Robert Greenwald's documentary "Unmanned: America's Drone Wars" as part of an international effort to expose the financial & humane costs of the U.S. military industrial complex. Greenwald will provide opening remarks, and there will be a post-screening discussion.

25] – One year ago from Thursday, the Rana Plaza factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh collapsed, killing more than 1,100 garment workers and injuring thousands more. The factory produced clothing for many of the world's retail giants - including Wal-Mart. Yet Wal-Mart has failed to fairly compensate the families of the workers killed or injured, and it continues to refuse to sign onto the legally-binding Accord on Fire and Building Safety. It is the largest retailer on earth, with more than 10,000 retail locations and $15 billion in annual profit. Its labor practices and standards affect the lives not only of its 2.2 million direct employees, but also of millions more workers in its global supply chain. And while Wal-Mart claims its "Standards for Suppliers" keep supply chain workers safe, workers themselves and the Rana Plaza tragedy tell a different story. On Wed., Apr. 23 at 6 PM, D.C. Jobs with Justice will lead a community and worker delegation to deliver a letter to a local Wal-Mart store manager demanding that Wal-Mart take responsibility for the safety and dignity for workers in each facet of its supply chain. Around the country, other JWJ coalitions will hold similar delegations as part of a national Week of Action. Visit http://www.dcjwj.org/ or 202.543.1540. Contact the organizers for Location at info@dcjwj.org or 202.543.1540.

26] – The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, WDC 20071, will host "Behind the Headlines: NSA Surveillance and Ongoing Revelations" on Wed., Apr. 23 at 6:30 PM. Join the journalists behind the 2014 Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage as they pull back the curtain on the most compelling angles of the scandal. The building is three blocks east of the Farragut North Metro (Red Line), and two blocks north of the McPherson Square Metro (Orange and Blue Lines). To RSVP and submit a question for the panel, email behindtheheadlines@washpost.com.

27] – Wendy Rambo Shuford [mailto:ramboshuford@gmail.com] wrote that she is hosting a Meet and Greet to learn about Brian Frosh, candidate for Attorney General, on Wed., Apr. 23 at 7 PM. She added that this is not a fundraiser.

28] – You are invited to an update of the Palestinian struggle on Wed., Apr. 23 at 7 PM at 810 Winston Ave., Baltimore 21212. Ellen Barfield made a solidarity trip to Palestine with Veterans For Peace last November. With photographs and in words, she will describe the Palestinian resistance and acquaint us with the liberation fighters whom she met. Start with a potluck dinner at 7 PM with the presentation at 7:45 PM. RSVP to Cindy at 443-604-2298.

29] – The D.C. Fair Food goes to watch Al Jazeera America present's BORDERLAND, a film at the Newseum on Wed., Apr. 23 at 7 PM at the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC 20001. A number of activists appear in this documentary series, including Lis-Marie Güegüense. See https://www.facebook.com/events/242759179242459/?source=1.

30] – On Wed., Apr. 23 from 7:30 to 9 PM, St. Raphael’s Earth Community presents “A Challenge of our Faith: Climate Change and the Effects on the Poor and the Common Good” at its Duffy Center, Falls and Dunster Rds., Rockville 20854. The presenter is Daniel Misleh, director, Catholic Climate Covenant. He will elucidate the science of climate change and ways we can integrate into our lives an attitude that will, in the words of Pope Francis “consider nature a gracious gift we must care for, and set at the service of our brothers, including future generations."

31] – Tyler Vile reads at Red Emma's, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, on Wed., Apr. 23 at 7:30 PM in the Free School Classroom. This will be a night of poems, stories, and radical ramblings. Her tales of coming out and coming of age with a disability in the Baltimore punk scene are irreverent, heartfelt, and hard-won. With influences ranging from Helen Keller to Laverne Cox, a wild-eyed taste for the surreal, and a healthy dose of punk attitude, her syllables will send her stumbling into your memory. She is a physically disabled queer transwoman who writes poetry, fiction, creative non-fiction, essays, and much more and maintains a blog, tylervile.wordpress.com. Call 410-230-0450. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

32] – On Wed., Apr. 23 from 7:30 to 9:30 PM, there will be a Montgomery County Executive Candidates Forum at the Shrine of St. Jude, Thaddeus Room, 12701 Veirs Mill Rd., Rockville. It is sponsored by the Montgomery County Justice and Advocacy Council and moderated by Msgr. John Enzler, CEO of Catholic Charities for the Archdiocese of Washington. This event will feature all four candidates running for Montgomery County Executive. The major ISSUES are 1) budget competition for scarce resources; 2) vision for regional cooperation amid displacement due to Purple Line; 3) affordable housing; 4) workforce issues; and 5) funding for mental health. Contact Tony Bosnick at 301-853-5340 or abosnick@adw.org.

33] – On Thurs., Apr. 24 from 9:15 to 11:45 AM, the topic to be explored is Faith In Equality: Economic Justice and the Future of Religious Progressives. The religion, policy and politics project at The Brookings Institution, Falk Auditorium, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC, will host a forum to release a major new report, “Faith In Equality: Economic Justice and the Future of Religious Progressives.” The report discusses particular challenges facing the religious movement for social justice, including the decline of congregations and unions and the challenge of coalition building. Brookings Senior Fellow, E.J. Dionne, will present the report. Gary Dorrien, Union Theological Seminary, will offer an historic perspective.

A second panel, including Jennifer Butler, Rev. Gabriel Salgeuro and Dorian T. Warren will focus on the current landscape and provide a look forward. Sr. Simone Campbell, executive director of NETWORK and author of “A Nun on the Bus” (HarperCollins, 2014), will provide closing remarks. This event will be live webcast. Register at http://connect.brookings.edu/register-to-attend-faith-in-equality%20.

34] – On Thurs., Apr. 24 from 9:30 AM to 4 PM, join Jon B. Wolfstahl from the Monterey Institute, Andrew Kanter from Physicians for Social Responsibility, Walter Pincus from the Washington Post and numerous leaders from faith-based and secular advocacy groups, including Marie Dennis, Co-International President of Pax Christi International, and government leaders who will come together for an in-depth discussion of the humanitarian impact of nuclear weapons. Is there a Muslim viewpoint on nuclear arms? A Buddhist one? Does the US budget process offer new opportunities to address our national priorities and move in a more humane direction? Come to the United States Institute of Peace, 2301 Constitution Ave. NW, WDC., for this conversation, sponsored by Saka Gakki International. The conference is free, but registration is required. Register at https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07e8zfdpssb08f9b5e&c=8eedc610-8542-11e3-8b15-d4ae52843d28&ch=8f199100-8542-11e3-8b19-d4ae52843d28.

35] – Stand with Seasons Culinary Workers on Thurs., Apr. 24 from noon to 1 PM at the National Education Association Building, 1201 16th St. NW
The company, Seasons Culinary, is not meeting the standard for food service workers in this city. Join these workers as they fight for a fair contract that meets the standard for food service workers across the city. Go to http://www.dcjwj.org/events/stand-with-seasons-culinary-workers-in-the-nea-cafeteria/.

To be continued.

Donations can be sent to the Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 325 E. 25th St., Baltimore, MD 21218. Ph: 410-366-1637; Email: mobuszewski [at] verizon.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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