Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Baltimore Activist Alert - May 28-29, 2014

19] Kogi sacred sites – May 28
20] Life and work of Hisham Sharabi – May 28
21] Call for fair wages – May 28
22] Electoral Process Forum – May 28
23] GreenScape 2014 – May 28
24] Film “Years of Living Dangerously” – May 28
25] Jeremiah Fellows Graduate – May 28
26] Music for Peace – May 28
27] Book talk I MADE IT – May 28
28] Mass will be offered for immigrants – May 29
29] Affordable Housing Hearing – May 29
30] Protest Starbucks – May 29
31] Yoga opportunities – May 29
32] Lisa Sullivan in Howard County – May 29
33] Dave Zirin at Red Emma’s – May 29
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19] – Amazon Watch and Amazon Conservation Team invite you to a "Green-Bag Lunch" presentation on Kogi sacred sites of the Sierra Nevada, Colombia, featuring Kogi mamo Pedro Juan Nuevita and Kogi Governor Jose de los Santos, on Wed., May 28 from noon to 1:30 PM at Amazon Watch / CIEL conference room, 1350 Connecticut Ave. NW, #1100, (south of Dupont, above Panera / Cosi). Kogi mamo Pedro Juan Nuevita and Kogi Governor Jose de los Santos will speak on the quest of the four indigenous groups of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta to regain control of their sacred sites. They come to celebrate the successful acquisition and protection of the first site – Jaba Tañiwashkaka, one of the four pillars that sustain the Sierra - and to encourage other to join their efforts.

The ancient world understood long before the advent of modern conservation that certain spots on the Earth were especially important to the preservation of life. Over time, these places were declared sacred sites by the spiritual leaders of local tribes, and their cultures evolved to safeguard them. The sites frequently coincide with areas of exceptionally high biodiversity. They are often located at the headwaters of rivers, in fragile transitional zones, or in areas of vital habitat for endangered species. The Kogis are living exemplars of this tradition and will talk about their progress to date and their unique vision for the future. Juana Londoño and Liliana Madrigal will accompany the Kogi and talk about the relationship between Organizacion Indigena Gonawindua Tayrona, the Amazon Conservation Team and other partners.

20] – Ambassador Clovis Maksoud will discuss the life and work of Hisham Sharabi, his dedication to precision, and will also address how he believes Sharabi would view the current state of the question of Palestine and the broader Middle East today. It will take place at the Palestine Center, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW, WDC 20037, on Wed., May 28 from 12:30 to 2 PM. Call 202.338.1290. Visit http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/ht/d/EventDetails/i/44145.

21] – Join UFCW LOCAL 1994 MCGEO, A VOICE FOR WORKING AMERICA, and tell Park and Planning: Stop trying to mow us over! Show the Commission that you care about fair wages by coming to the Sheraton, 4095 Powder Mill Road, Beltsville 20705, on Wed., May 28 from 4:30 until 6:30 PM. Members at the Park and Planning Commission are struggling for a fair and equitable wage package, but the Commission is playing hardball. Bargaining has reached impasse. RSVP to Alicia Valentin at avalentin@mcgeo.org.

22] – On Wed., May 28 from 6 to 8 PM, catch the panel for the Electoral Process Forum. It will discuss options for improving the electoral system to encourage greater involvement by citizens and to provide a voice to all. Only 25% of registered voters cast a ballot in the April 1, 2014 primary, down from the 37% who voted in the September 2010 primary. Join the League of Women Voters, DC, DC Appleseed, DC Vote and the UDC David A. Clarke School of Law for a forum on election reform with a reception to follow. Get over to the 5th Floor Moot Court Room, UDC Clarke School of Law, 4340 Connecticut Ave. NW to hear the panelists, including Rob Ritchie of Fair Vote, DC Councilmember David Grosso and Peter Rosenstein. Go to http://www.law.udc.edu/event/Vote.

23] – GreenScape 2014: Baltimore’s Green Schools Summit is hosted by the Baltimore Office of Sustainability, Baltimore City Public Schools, the Baltimore Community Foundation, and Constellation Energy, along with the Student Environmental Leadership Action Team (SELAT), a committee of the Baltimore Green Schools Network. SELAT involves students, teachers, parents, and other supporters from all over Baltimore in giving youth a voice in environmental policy. It will take place on Wed., May 28 from 6 to 9 PM at the National aquarium, 501 E. Pratt St., Baltimore 21202. Contact Abby at abby.cocke@baltimorecity.gov or 410-396-1670.RSVP at http://www.eventbrite.com/o/student-environmental-leadership-action-team-selat-and-baltimore-office-of-sustainability-3811034801.

24] – Join the Baltimore Ethical Society and the Rainforest Action Network for a potluck dinner and film screening on Wed., May 28 at 6:30 PM for dinner. At the Baltimore Ethical Society, 306 W. Franklin St., Suite 102, see at 7:30 PM the first episode of a new TV program on Showtime called “Years of Living Dangerously.” The show features a star-studded cast and focuses on the devastating social justice impacts that will occur from climate chaos. It touches on one major issue which is harming the environment – clear cutting the rainforest for palm oil production. View the trailer: http://yearsoflivingdangerously.com/. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1420005514943572/. Sign up to bring a potluck dish: http://ur1.ca/hdv7l.

25] – For the past year, Jews United for Justice's 16 Jeremiah Fellows have been meeting twice a month to learn different models of putting ethics and values into action, for intimate conversations about urgent local issues with local leaders, and for intensive study of Jewish texts and traditions. As they graduate from the program, you are invited for dessert and inspiring stories from the Fellows as they share how the training has changed them. It is happening on Wed., May 28 from 7to 9 PM at Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, 600 I St. NW. A reception (kosher-certified) will follow. RSVP at http://org2.salsalabs.com/o/5483/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=71140.

26] – Music for Peace takes place at 7:30 PM on the last Wednesday of the month at HI Baltimore Hostel, 17 W. Mulberry St. Discover music as a means to communicate and connect across cultures. Listen, play, or learn. The event will feature an open mic forum, guitar lessons, and the chance to meet and connect with other musicians in the city. Call 410-576-8880 or check out http://www.baltimorehostel.org.

27] – Vance Benton presents "I Made It! How Not Achieving Your Dream Can Lead to Ultimate Success" on Wed., May 28 at 7:30 PM @ Red Emma's. "Even though all dreams don't come true, the effort and experiences an individual has in pursuit of their dream will ultimately open the door for other aspirations to reveal themselves." The author overcame personal tragedy in pursuit of his one, true dream. Against all odds, Vance was determined to become an NFL superstar. With that dream well within his grasp, his hopes of football superstardom came crashing down.

28] – On Thurs., May 29 at 8:30 AM, a Mass will be offered for immigrants and their families who are being subjected to separation because of our broken immigration system. Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski (Miami), Bishop Eusebio Elizondo (Seattle), Bishop Oscar Cantu (Las Cruces, NM), Bishop Gerald Kicanas (Tucson) and Bishop John Wester (Salt Lake City) will preside at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Church, (Capitol Hill neighborhood), 313 2nd St. SE, WDC 20003. Contact Christine Donnelly – Communications Manager, USCCB – at cdonnelly@usccb.org or (202) 541-3064.

29] – Are you a member of the LGBTQ community and have had difficulty finding stable housing? Have you felt unsafe, been bullied, and/or harassed at homeless shelters? Are you homeless and have little to no support to sustain stability? Do you know your voice matters? It DOES! Testify at 10 AM on Thurs., May 29th at the Affordable Housing Hearing at the John A. Wilson Building, Room 120, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Speak for more funding and shelters for homeless people who identify as LGBTQ. Write your testimony. Say your testimony. Let your struggle be heard! Contact Maria Laughinghouse at amaryllis2012@gmail.com.

30] – From noon to 1 PM, join Organic Consumers Association political director, Alexis Baden-Mayer, at the "What the Starbucks?!" protest on Thursday, May 29! There will be speakers, a cow costume, signs, banners, and lots of fired-up consumers! Green America, through its GMO Inside campaign, are putting pressure on Starbucks to provide organic dairy milk from cows not fed GMOs.

After sending several letters and more than 80,000 petitions to Starbucks’ CEO Howard Schultz, Green America has received no real response from executives in their offices in Seattle. So, take the message directly to a local store manager in Washington, D.C. to encourage a bottom-up approach. Show Starbucks you’re serious about boycotting Starbucks products until the company takes the lead on organic milk! Email Alexis@organicconsumers.org.

31] – Shanti Yoga Ashram will be starting a new session of two very special classes: Foundation of Yoga (FOY), and Shanti Marga (The Road of Peace.) Both are taught by Vyasa Deva (Victor Landa), founder and director of SYA. They lead to a clear understanding of the Spiritual Science of Yoga. FOY is a 5 week course that combines asanas (postures) with Yoga Theory and puts the asanas practice in proper context. A complete classical yoga routine is taught step by step. It begins with a free lecture on Thurs, May 29 from 7 to 8:30 PM.

Shanti Marga is an in-depth study of yoga philosophy for the purpose of learning to live according to the spiritual and practical principles of yoga. This program comprises beginner through advanced levels, and is open to those who have taken FOY, or, who have sufficient background (decided by the Teacher.) Finally, those who enroll in Shanti Marga also become eligible to join the School of Life, which provides even greater opportunities to make the spiritual practice a preparation to attain a real philosophy of life and part of daily life. Please reply to this email to learn more about these options. Email shantiyoga2@schooloflife.org.

32] – Guest speaker Lisa Sullivan will present "What I will share is what this reality looks like from the perspective of the poor, with whom I have lived and worked for over 30 years” at the Miller Branch Library, Patapsco Room, 9421 Frederick Rd., Ellicott City on Thurs., May 29 at 7 PM. Sullivan is the Latin America Coordinator for the School of the Americas Watch, a nonviolent grassroots movement that works to stand in solidarity with the people of Latin America, to close the U.S. Army School of the Americas (SOA). This event is sponsored by Howard County Friends of Latin America. Call Leslie Salgado at 410-381-4899.

33] – On Thurs., May 29 at 7:30 PM @ Red Emma's, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, Dave Zirin will discuss his book “Brazil's Dance with the Devil The World Cup, the Olympics, and the Struggle for Democracy.” The people of Brazil celebrated when it was announced that they were hosting the World Cup and Olympics. Now they are protesting in numbers the country hasn't seen in decades. This book, relying on field work from the most dangerous corners of Rio to the halls of power in Washington DC examines how sports and politics have collided in spectacular fashion. Named one of the UTNE Reader's "50 Visionaries Who Are Changing Our World," Zirin writes about the politics of sports for the Nation Magazine. He is their first sports writer in 150 years of existence. Call 443-602-7585. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

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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