Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Baltimore Activist Alert - March 24 - 27, 2015

44] Challenge Ron Wyden – Mar. 24
45] Talk and Q&A with Bituaya, an Afro-Venezuelan band – Mar. 24
46] Film “Seven Songs for Malcolm X” – Mar. 24
47] Workers rights – Mar. 25
48] Resolved: If Iran fails to make an agreement with the P5+1, immediate action should be taken against them. -- Mar. 25
49] The 43 disappeared students – Mar. 25
50] One Fair Wage Campaign – Mar. 25
51] Project Impact Future -- Mar. 25
52] Green Corps - Mar. 25
53] Write prisoners -- Mar. 25
54] "Equitable Development in DC: Sustainability from Below” – Mar. 26
55] 43 Ayotzinapa students – Mar. 26
56] Social Justice Happy Hour with Hollaback! -- Mar. 26
57] Garment workers' new ground-breaking successes – Mar. 26
58] Cows are an environmental mess – Mar. 26
59] Angela Davis in D.C. -- Mar. 26
60] Resist navy base – Mar. 26
61] Climate Justice Support Group -- Mar. 26
62] Book talk about “The Occupiers” -- Mar. 26
63] Black Lives Matter -- Mar. 26
64] Angry Black man play -- Mar. 26
65] "Asylum in Underserved Communities" – Mar. 27
66] Sign up with Washington Peace Center
67] Join Fund Our Communities
68] Donate books, videos, DVDs and records
69] Do you need any book shelves?
70] Join Global Zero campaign
71] Join Peace Park Antinuclear Vigil
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44] – On Tues., Mar. 24 from 5 to 7 PM, gather at the upscale Bistro Bis restaurant near Capitol Hill, 15 E St. NW, WDC 20001. Sen. Ron Wyden, supporter of Fast Track, is holding a fundraiser with big business lobbyists. This "Bribe Wyden for Fast Track" event deserves a public spotlight on it. Greet Wyden and tell him not to take corporate bribes and make back-room deals! Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/861155790612186/.

"Friends of all industries are welcome to attend," said the invitation sent to business lobbyists. Industry, but not the public, were invited to the dinner, continuing the trend of secrecy around Fast Track and corporate "trade" deals. Ron Wyden is in a key position, as head Democrat on the Senate Finance Committee, to stop Fast Track. He is being pressured from both sides. Obama and corporate interests are pushing him to sign off on this dirty deal while people across the country have been telling Wyden not to sell out. The bill is slated to be introduced in a matter of weeks so now is the time to escalate! Contact Mackenzie McDonald Wilkins at mackenzie@PopularResistance.org or 734-474-2984.

45] – On Tues., Mar. 24 from 6:30 to 8 PM in the IPS Conference Room, 1112 16th St. NW, Suite 600, WDC, join IPS for a talk and Q&A with Bituaya, an Afro-Venezuelan band that has played an integral part in the advancement of urban artistic movements in Caracas through their leadership and involvement in Tiuna el Fuerte. Bituaya will follow up their performance at SXSW 2015 in Austin with a concert in DC, but this will be an opportunity to listen and interact with a band whose commitment to social justice is evident in their lyrics and activism. Go to http://www.ips-dc.org/events/art-action-venezuela-talk-bituaya/.

46] – At Bloombars, 3222 11th St. NW, WDC 20010, on Tues., Mar. 24 from 7 to 9 PM, BloomBars and DC Moving Pictures present a thought-provoking look at civil rights leader, Malcolm X. “Seven Songs for Malcolm X” (1993, 52 min), by John Akomfrah, is an homage to the inspirational African-American civil rights leader, Malcolm X, who was assassinated in 1965. In his documentary, Akomfrah collects testimonies, eyewitness accounts and dramatic reenactments to tell the life, legacy, loves, and losses of Malcolm X. Featuring interviews with Malcolm's widow Betty Shabazz, Spike Lee, and many others, SEVEN SONGS looks for the meaning behind the resurgence of interest in the man whose X always stood for the unknown. Go to http://tinyurl.com/seven-songs-trailer. The screening will be followed by audience discussion and Q&A with filmmaker Can Tuzcu, and Chis Rue, of DC Moving Pictures – a movie screening project dedicated to showcasing great movies and great filmmakers at local spaces in and around the District. The suggested donation is $10. Proceeds support BloomBars. Enjoy free organic popcorn. BloomScreen Indie Film Night is a weekly series of independent and foreign films, accompanied by discussions with filmmakers, experts and other guests. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/1608753576025688/.

47] – On Wed., Mar. 25 at noon at the Kay Spiritual Life Center Lounge, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, American University, WDC, hear from Judy Gearhart, Executive Director of the International Labor Rights Forum and an adjunct professor at Columbia University's School for International and Public Affairs. ILRF hold corporations accountable, advances protection laws, and helps workers advocate for their rights. Also speaking is Jessica Champagne, the director for Research and Advocacy at the Workers’ Rights Consortium. WRC conducts investigations of working conditions in factories around the globe. RSVP at KLSC@AMERICAN.EDU, and go to www.american.edu.

48] – The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), Second Floor Hess Room, 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW, WDC on Wed., Mar. 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 PM will host a debate Resolved: If Iran fails to make an agreement with the P5+1, immediate action should be taken against them. It features Dr. Matthew Kroenig, Associate Professor and International Relations Field Chair, Georgetown University, and Dr. Ted Galen Carpenter, Senior Fellow, Defense and Foreign Policy Studies, Cato Institute. The Project on Nuclear Issues (PONI) is pleased to invite you to a live debate on whether the P5+1 should take immediate action against Iran if no agreement is reached during negotiations. Since a temporary accord was reached in November 2013, Iran, the United States, France, Germany, Russia, China and Britain have been engaged in negotiations aimed at curbing Iran's pursuit of a nuclear program. The negotiations have been extended twice and the most recent extension promised a political agreement by March and a comprehensive deal by June 30. What should the P5+1 do if no agreement is reached by the end of June? Dr. Matthew Kroenig and Dr. Ted Galen Carpenter will debate this issue at the next PONI Live Debate.

The debate will also be webcast live. Viewers can ask questions of the debaters in real-time by emailing SMinot@csis.org. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1Ux87HbJy5ocDO3O2xrtSg34sWuk4GtyB3ARGJcbDGQA/viewform?c=0&w=1. Visit http://csis.org/event/poni-live-debate-failure-iran-now-what.

49] – On Wed., Mar. 25 at 6 PM, Casa de Maryland will be hosting an open panel discussion with the Latino community in Maryland and the DMV at 8151 15th Ave., Hyattsville. 20783. Panelists include Vidulfo Rosales Sierra, a lawyer at the highly respected Tlachinollan Human Rights Center, which promotes and defends the rights of the indigenous and poor people of Guerrero, Mexico. Vidulfo has worked closely with the families of the 43 disappeared students and is highly informed about their case. Another speaker is Felipe de la Cruz Sandoval Sandoval, a member of the faculty of the Rural Teachers College of Ayotzinapa in Guerrero. His son, a student at the college, survived the police attack that resulted in the death of six people, the wounding of 25, and the forced disappearance of the 43 Ayotzinapa students. Maria Luisa Rosal, Field Organizer for SOA Watch, will moderate the discussion. Contact Arturo J. Viscarra at arturo@soaw.org at 617-820-3008.
50] – Hear the latest from Saru Jayaraman and others about the Restaurant Opportunity Center (ROC) United’s national One Fair Wage Campaign, including a DC Ballot Initiative, and help to establish a unique community restaurant & hub for building a sustainable food system in D.C. Come to 1100 Florida Ave. NW, WDC on Wed., Mar. 25 from 6 to 8:30 PM and see the Raw Space. Enjoy Food by the Florida Avenue Grill. Spend the Evening with Old and New Friends. Leave informed about the One Fair Wage campaign and COLORS DC. Tickets are $120, and purchase also gets you an annual Consumer Membership to ROC United and all proceeds benefit ROC United and COLORS DC. Contact elspeth@rocunited.org if cost is prohibitive. See https://www.eventbrite.com/e/an-evening-to-benefit-colors-dc-roc-united-tickets-16086300558.

51] – The Future Project and Impact Hub DC are launching Project Impact Future, which will serve as a creative space to connect members and the broader network of innovators with The Future Projects students and their projects. Come to Impact Hub DC, 419 7th St. NW, Suite 200, WDC on Wed., Mar. 25 from 6 to 9 PM. This will be a 2 hour interactive skill share filled with 20+ creative professionals paired with 30+ young people set up throughout Impact Hub DC to assist Dreamers in making progress on their projects. Some will assist students with branding, design, strategy, event or business planning, grant or proposal writing, and more! Email adwoa@impacthubdc.com.

52] – Green Corps & friends are celebrating 23 years of training environmental organizers on Wed., Mar. 25 at 6 PM at Lavagna DC, 539 8th St. SE, WDC. Green Corps & friends mission is to train organizers, provide field support for today’s critical environmental campaigns and graduate activists who possess the skills, temperament and commitment to fight and win tomorrow’s environmental battles. Call 202-546-5006, email info@lavagnadc.com.

53] – Come to the Potters House, 1658 Columbia Rd. NW, WDC on Wed., Mar. 25 at 7 PM for an opportunity to bring together folks in a wide variety of movements, in hopes of building relationships and linking struggles. Write to prisoners. They'll have everything you'll need to write, and will give new folks a quick orientation about how to write to a stranger in prison for the first time. They will provide a list of prisoners to write to, though they also encourage you to bring names and addresses of prisoners you would like to write. While they are specifically focusing on people imprisoned for their political activism, they also recognize that all prisoners are political. Mass incarceration is, as Michelle Alexander writes, the New Jim Crow. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/411149199046549/.

54] – On Thurs., Mar. 26 from 9 AM to 3 PM, there is a conference at the Cafritz Conference Center, George Washington University, 800 21st St. NW, WDC. You can learn the conceptual framework for an approach to Climate Justice. "Equitable Development in DC: Sustainability from Below” will bring together residents, organizers, students, scholars, elected officials and others who are engaged in efforts to create sustainable equitable grassroots development and more opportunities for wealth accumulation for residents of traditionally underserved communities, many of whom are experiencing rapid gentrification and displacement.

Mindy Fullilove, professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University and author of several books including “Root Shock: How Tearing Up Cities Hurts America and What We Can Do About It” and “Urban Alchemy: Restoring Joy in America’s Sorted-Out Cities,” will deliver the keynote address. Two panel discussions and a working lunch will follow to provide discussion--and debate--about national strategies and local initiatives to practice democratic economics in our communities, including living wage jobs, affordable housing, social entrepreneurship, and cooperative economic strategies. The goal is to stimulate action to create the communities we envision. Register at http://www.eventbrite.com/e/equitable-development-in-dc-sustainability-from-below-tickets-15951673886.

55] – On Thurs., Mar. 26 at 5 PM, members of the #Ayotzi43DC will hosting a vigil in front of the Mexican embassy to mark six months since the 43 Ayotzinapa students went missing. The vigil will be followed by a march to the US Department of State. 1911 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC. Contact Arturo J. Viscarra at arturo@soaw.org at 617-820-3008.

56] – On Thurs., Mar. 26 at 5 PM @ Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201, enjoy a Social Justice Happy Hour with Hollaback! Join the Red Emma's collective and local organizers from the rad anti-street harassment organization Hollaback! for an evening of food and drink & networking. Call 443-602-7585. Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

57] – Join Estela Ramirez -- General Secretary of Salvadoran garment workers' union Sitrasacosi and Global Chairperson of the Int'l Union League -- to hear about garment workers' new ground-breaking successes in organizing multinational apparel companies in El Salvador and around the world. The event at Teamsters - 25 Louisiana Ave. NW, WDC on Thurs., Mar. 26 at 5:30 PM is hosted by the Teamsters Global Strategies Department and Young Workers Council. We will be raising funds so that cash-strapped garment workers' unions can put more organizers to reach workers at key factories in El Salvador, India, and Sri Lanka. See https://www.facebook.com/events/1415926908709973/.

58] – The Institute for Policy Studies hosts a talk and book signing with co-author Denis Hayes on his new book about “The Hidden Impact of 93 Million Cows on America’s Health, Economy, Politics, Culture, and Environment” at 2021 14th St. NW, WDC 20009 on Thurs., Mar. 26 at 5:30 PM. Join the New Economy Working Group of IPS, the Center for Food Safety, the Democracy Collaborative, the Environmental Working Group, the Humane Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Real Food Challenge, the Sierra Club DC Chapter, Teaching for Change Bookstore, the Town Creek Foundation, and Busboys and Poets, for this book signing with Hayes, the CEO of the Bullitt Foundation and served as the national coordinator of the first Earth Day in 1970. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/1598628347038220/.

59] – Go to Matthews Memorial Baptist Church, 2616 Martin Luther King Jr. Ave. SE, WDC on Thurs., Mar. 26 from 6 to 9 PM to hear from speakers including Angela Davis. Contact Assistant US Attorney Ademuyiwa Bamiduro at (202) 698-1456 or Ademuyiwa.Bamiduro@usdoj.gov.

60] –The Resistance to the U.S. Naval Base, Korea’s Jeju Island, US National Speaking Tour is taking place on Thurs., Mar. 26 at 7 PM at the Calvary United Methodist Church, 48 St. & Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia PA 19143. Hee Eun “Silver” Park and Paco Michelson, peace activists, will speak about the nonviolent resistance campaign. The South Korean government and the US Navy is building a new naval base on an island, designated a World Heritage Site by the United Nations. Visit http://savejejunow.org/. Watch “Jeju: In the Crosshairs of War” at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT2rQ4eoU0w.

61] – Come to the Friends Meetinghouse, 2111 Florida NW, near Dupont Circle Metro., WDC on Thurs., Mar. 26 from 7 to 9 PM to get more involved in the DC Climate Justice Support Group. Contact Jim Driscoll, DC Climate Justice Support Group at 520-250-0509 or JimDriscoll@NIPSPeerSupport.org. Go to www.NIPSPeerSupport.org.

62] – A book talk about “The Occupiers: The Making of the 99 Percent Movement” by Michael A. Gould-Wartofsky takes place at 37th and O Sts. NW, WDC 20007 on Thurs., Mar. 26 from 7 to 8 PM, hosted by Georgetown University's Center for Social Justice Research, Teaching & Service, the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor and the Program on Justice and Peace. Occupy Wall Street burst onto the stage of history in the fall of 2011. First by the tens, then by the tens of thousands, protesters filled the streets and laid claim to the squares of nearly 1,500 towns and cities, until, one by one, the occupations were forcibly evicted.

In “The Occupiers,” Gould-Wartofsky offers a front-seat view of the action in the streets of New York City and beyond. Painting a vivid picture of everyday life in the square through the use of material gathered in the course of two years of on-the-ground investigation, Gould-Wartofsky traces the occupation of Zuccotti Park—and some of its counterparts across the United States and around the world—from inception to eviction. He takes up the challenges the occupiers faced and explores the ways in which occupied squares became focal points for an emerging opposition to the politics of austerity, restricted democracy, and the power of corporate America. Dr. Andria Wisler can be reached at akw28@georgetown.edu.

63] – A discussion will occur at the UWD office, 1900 L St. NW, Suite 900, WDC on Thurs., Mar. 26 at 7:30 PM. Share updates about ongoing Black Lives Matter, DC Ferguson, and solidarity organizing in the area. Email devanshea@gmail.com.

64] – Go to Busboys & Poets, 2021 14th St. NW, Langston Room, WDC on Thurs., Mar. 26 from 8 to 10 PM for a play by papi kymone freeman—“A Bottle of Wine. A Picket Sign. And the Truth.” Enjoy an angry Black man in therapy #ABMIT from the comfort of your seat. Be the first to witness the production before it hits the theatre stage. Tickets are $10. RSVP required at www.abmitplay.eventbrite.com.

65] – On Fri., Mar. 27 from 9:30 AM to 3:30 PM, the Network of Arab-American Lawyers of ADC (NAALA) presents "Asylum in Underserved Communities," a CLE program that will educate attorneys on the nuts and bolts of filing asylum claims and claims for temporary protected status. The CLE program is targeted towards attorneys that would like to learn how to file asylum claims and those attorneys who want to refresh their knowledge. The program is specifically geared towards filing asylum and TPS claims for persons from Arab countries, and will be held at American Bar Association 1050 Connecticut Avenue NW 5th Floor, Conference Rooms A-C, WDC 20036. To register, send an email to legal@adc.org and include your name, bar number, and state where you would like to receive CLE credit. Please indicate whether you will be attending in person or via webcast. See http://www.adc.org/fileadmin/ADC/Pdfs/Agenda_Asylum_in_Underserved_Immigrant_Communities.pdf.

66] -- The Washington Peace Center has a progressive calendar & activist alert! Consider signing up to receive its weekly email: info@washingtonpeacecenter.org.

67] -- Fund Our Communities campaign is a grass roots movement to get support from local organizations and communities to work together with their local and state elected officials to pressure Congresspersons and senators to join with Congresspersons Barney Frank and Ron Paul, who have endorsed a 25% cut to the federal military budget. Bring home the savings to state and county governments to meet the local needs which are under tremendous budget pressures. Go to www.OurFunds.org.

68] -- If you would like to get rid of books, videos, DVDs or records, contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

69] -- Can you use any book shelves? Contact Max at 410-366-1637 or mobuszewski at verizon.net.

70] -- 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.

71] – 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 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/.

"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

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