Tuesday, October 18, 2016

Baltimore Activist Alert - October 18 - 21, 2016

16] Japan’s Africa Policy – Oct. 18
17] What Does It Mean to be Undocuqueer?  – Oct. 19
18] Islamophobia as Ideology of Empire – Oct. 19
19] Occupation of the Senses – Oct. 19
20] "Is Armed Conflict with Russia a Real Possibility?" – Oct. 19
21] Vacants to Value forum -- Oct. 19
22] Baltimore Ecosystem Study Open House – Oct. 19
23] Green Party meeting – Oct. 19
24] Peoples Power Assembly meeting Oct. 19
25] Film NEWTOWN – Oct. 19
26] Get an RAF grant -- Oct. 19
27] Labor in Chile – Oct. 19
28] Debate party – Oct. 19
29] Purple Thursday – Oct. 20
30] Housing insecurity – Oct, 20
31] Abolish the Death Penalty Party -- Oct. 20
32] Pacem in Terris Annual Dinner -- Oct. 20
33] 2016 "I'll Be There" Awards – Oct. 20
34] Film NOW IS THE TIME -- Oct. 20
36] See the play THE HAZE – Oct. 20
37] "Deterring Nuclear Terrorism” – Oct. 21
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16] – Japan’s Africa Policy: From TICAD to PKO will be discussed on Tues., Oct. 18 from 2 to 3:30 PM at the Stimson Center, 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, 8th Floor, WDC 20036.RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfnSisoaKEDSKuH_acTs3H1tmchkGz6E6PYQZdFGdL3oQKROw/viewform. Japan’s policy to contribute proactively to the peace, stability, and prosperity of Africa emphasizes peacebuilding through economic development.  Since the launch of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) in 1993, Japan’s peacebuilding policy towards Africa has evolved to focus on “quality growth” principles, such as sustainability, but challenges remain in defining and implementing the policy.  Rie Takezawa, an expert on Japan’s peacebuilding policy and politics and regional security in Africa, will discuss how Japan can refine its policy to better assist Africa’s peacebuilding.

17] – What Does It Mean to be Undocuqueer?  This will be explained at the School of Education Mary Gradon Center, (MGC) 247, American University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC on Wed., Oct. 19 from noon to 1 PM at a brown bag lunch talk featuring Dr. Jesus Cisneros from the University of Central Arkansas. Dr. Cisneros will be talking about his research on the intersectional identities of undocuqueer people, negotiating ethnicity, sexuality, gender and citizenship status in the United States. He will also share strategies for serving the needs of undocuqueer students in higher education. RSVP at https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfNFX1muLV9XrghN7qlvP3azdb9QDHwYTqkcSw296ZSr5wWEg/viewform?c=0&w=. A free AU shuttle from the Tenleytown Metro will bring you to the AU campus. Contact Dr. Christian Bracho (bracho@american.edu).

18] – Islamophobia as Ideology of Empire is to be discussed in the CCAS Boardroom (ICC #241) at Georgetown University, 3700 O St. NW, WDC, on Wed., Oct. 19 at 12:15 PM.  Is Islamophobia a form of racism? If so, how does it relate to the broader history of racisms? Drawing on the work of Frantz Fanon and Stuart Hall, Islamophobia is here analyzed as a lay ideology that offers an everyday “common sense” explanatory framework for making sense of mediated crisis events (such as terrorist attacks) in ways that disavow those events’ political meanings (rooted in empire, racism, and resistance) and instead explain them as products of a reified “Muslimness.”  Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/islamophobia-as-ideology-of-empire-with-arun-kundnani-tickets-27575702669.

19] –"Occupation of the Senses: The Prosthetic and Aesthetic of State Terror" is a talk with Dr. Nadera Shalhoub-Kevorkian at The Palestine Center, 2425 Virginia Ave. NW, WDC, on Wed., Oct. 19 from 12:30 to 2 PM.  Dr. Shalhoub-Kevorkian defines one of the forms of violence used by the Israeli occupation against Palestinians as the "occupation of the senses" – a term that refers to sensory technologies that manage bodies, language, sight, time and space in the colony. The occupation of the senses, justified by the colonizer through the fusion of religious claims and nationalism, marks the spaces and bodies of the colonized as unwanted.   RSVP at http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/events/upcoming/occupation-senses-occupied-east-jerusalem-prosthetic-aesthetic-state-terror.

20] –  On Wed., Oct. 19 from 2 to 3:30 PM, Richard Shirreff, former Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe, and Michael O’Hanlon, Brookings Institute, will tackle "Is Armed Conflict with Russia a Real Possibility?" at the Brookings Institute, 1775 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC. RSVP at http://connect.brookings.edu/register-to-attend-armed-conflict-russia.

21] – Citizens Planning & Housing Association will host a forum on Vacants to Value, Project C.O.R.E, and the Green Network Plan and how these programs can revitalize Baltimore City's most distressed communities on Wed., Oct. 19 at 4 PM at the University of Baltimore Law School. 1401 N. Charles St., Room 202, Baltimore 21201.  Register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/strategies-for-revitalizing-baltimores-most-distressed-communities-tickets-28150155874?mc_cid=ddd0b0b68b&mc_eid=0a20fdb824.

22] – The Baltimore Ecosystem Study (BES) invites you to learn more about its research and educational activities at its annual Open House on Wed, Oct. 19 from 6 to 8 PM at 2100 Liberty Heights Ave., Baltimore 21217. This year, the event will feature opportunities to interact with researchers that will provide snapshots of the latest BES research on ecology and human health, water, forestry, and vacant lots and residential landscapes. This event is open to anyone interested in better understanding and improving the urban ecology of Baltimore. Light fare and beverages will be provided. Tours of the venue, Parks & People's new LEED platinum building, will be available throughout the event. Free on-site and street parking is available on or around the venue.  Go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/baltimore-ecosystem-study-bes-open-house-tickets-28155909082?aff=eswgnotif&utm_source=eb_email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email&utm_term=checkoutbtn&utm_content=EBnotification&ref=eswgnotif.

23] --- Each Wednesday, including Oct. 19, between now and the election the Baltimore Green Party will be having joint campaign meetings at the office at 100 E. 23rd St., Baltimore 21218.  The agenda is as follows -- 6 PM -- training and work sessions; 7 PM work for candidates; and 8 PM planning meeting.  Get involved at http://www.baltimoregp.org/.

24] --- The Peoples Power Assembly Community Organization will meet on Wed., Oct. 19 at 7 PM at 2011 North Charles St., Baltimore 21218. The Assembly meets at 7 PM on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Call 443-221-3775.

25] – Beyond the Classroom presents "Newtown" at 4250 Lehigh Rd., 1102 South Campus Commons, Building 1, University of Maryland, College Park, on Wed., Oct. 19 from 7 to 9 PM. Twenty months after a horrific mass shooting in Newtown, Conn., that took the lives of 20 elementary school children and six educators on Dec. 14, 2012, the small New England town is in a complex psychological tangle in the wake of yet another act of mass killing at the hands of a disturbed young gunman. The film provides access into the lives and homes of those who remain, all of whom have been indelibly changed by the events. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/148162455622345/ or www.BeyondTheClassroom.umd.edu.

26] – Research Associates Foundation (RAF) has announced its next grant cycle, for up to five small grants (maximum $2,500) to Baltimore-based progressive projects and groups. The deadline for the upcoming grant cycle is Oct. 28, 2016.  Attend an information session on Wed., Oct. 19 at 7:30 PM at the Baltimore Free School, located in the meeting room at Red Emma's Cafe and Bookstore, 30 W. North Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21201.  Email info@rafbaltimore.org

27] – There is a talk on Chile on Wed., Oct. 19 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201.  After a vicious military coup in 1973, Chile became a neoliberal test subject of dramatic proportions. The generals and capitalist economists involved developed a brand new constitution to suppress labor activity and to privatize the schools, healthcare system, and other social services. Though thousands of leftists were tortured, murdered, and disappeared, the end of the dictatorship has seen the rise of several combative social movements, including the workers struggle. As an extractive economy, ranked 37th largest in the world, it is heavily reliant on its ports. Several years of militant strikes have not only pushed for a better standard of living for many of the exploited workforce, but have challenged the oppressive labor laws limiting activity. The port workers have been leading this struggle and have been heavily influenced by the Libertarian (anarchist) movement in the country. To this end it has been building a rank and file base from which to fight for class independence from the Socialist and Communist Parties currently leading the government.

Nelson Francino Valdes is an anarchist and president of the Federation of Portworkers of Iquique. He has been involved in several struggles/strikes, including a month long national strike in 2014. He is currently Chile's delegate to the upcoming International Dockworkers Council in Miami and is participating in a national speaking tour organized by the Industrial Workers of the World and Black Rose Anarchist Federation.  The talk will be in Spanish with English translation. Call 443-602-7585.  Go to http://www.redemmas.org.

28] – COME WATCH THE LAST PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE on Wed., Oct. 19 from 8 to 11 PM at Zen West, 5916 York Road, Baltimore 21212.  Enjoy a complimentary buffet.  A $12 donation will be requested at the door.  The debate watch is sponsored by the Baltimore Club, Communist Party USA & People's World Online News Source.  Call 410-433-3269.

29] – October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month.  Wear purple on Thursday, October 20 [all day]. Make a fashion statement that really says something to honor victims and support survivors of domestic violence! This year marks the 9th annual observance of Purple Thursday, the awareness day launched by the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence that’s now gone national with Purple Thursday observances across the country. Register your organization at http://bit.ly/PurpleThursday16.

30] – Go to the D.C. Council's Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 20 from 5 to 6 PM.  The Jewish holiday of Sukkot celebrates abundance and helps us remember a time when Jewish ancestors lived in temporary dwellings. Sukkot can help remind us that, while many people in the District enjoy abundance, many also experience housing insecurity. That's why Jews United For Justice and its partners and friends are seeking policy reforms to improve rent control protections throughout the city. Gather outside the Wilson Building to show elected leaders that we have a strong public voice. Build a sukkah, sing, and learn from people who rent their homes and from diverse faith leaders.  RSVP at http://www.jufj.org/content/interfaith-sukkot-action-strengthen-rent-control. Email Sarah Novick at sarah@jufj.org.

31] –  The National Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty will be at the Mott House, 122 Maryland Ave. NE, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 20 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM.  Mark 40 years of work against the death penalty and the tremendous progress it is reaping. Relax and enjoy jazz pianist Joel Forrester and his trio.  Prepare to take the coalition's efforts to the next level. See http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ed8dj9af700a4acb&llr=mw7hpiwab.

32] --- On Thurs., Oct. 20 at 6 PM, enjoy the Pacem in Terris Annual Dinner, a feast with featured speaker Diane Randall, executive director of Friends Committee on National Legislation, the Quaker lobby and research organization. It takes place at Community Hall, Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1502 W. 13th St., Wilmington, DE 19806. Go to http://depaceminterris.org/2016-annual-dinner/.

32] – On Thurs., Oct. 20 from 3 to 4:30 PM, Nate Jones, author of “Able Archer 83: The Secret History of the NATO Exercise That Almost Triggered Nuclear War,” Thomas Blanton, National Security Archive, and Christian Ostermann, Wilson Center, will discuss "Able Archer 83" at Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC. Go to https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/able-archer-83-the-secret-history.

33] – The 2016 "I'll Be There" Awards will happen at All Souls Church, 1500 Harvard St. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 20 from 6 to 8 PM.  Each year, the DC Jobs With Justice coalition comes together to celebrate their work and recognize their leaders. The hosts will be Día Bùi & Darakshan Raja, co-directors of the Washington Peace Center.  No one will be denied entrance regardless of ability to donate. Go to https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/the-2016-ill-be-there-awards?link_id=3&can_id=3874fc01d92188ed6518e85a2f855ace&source=email-youre-invited-our-awards-celebration-is-october-20&email_referrer=youre-invited-our-awards-celebration-is-october-20___104174&email_subject=save-this-date-october-20-2016.

34] – On Thurs., Oct. 20 at 7 PM, there is a screening of "Now Is The Time" by Flowers for Senate at The Senator Theatre, 5904 York Road, Baltimore, MD 21212.  Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door.  From the producers of "The Healthcare Movie," this follow up documentary features local Baltimore activists and others who are fighting to solve the healthcare crisis with improved Medicare for All.  Following the viewing, there will be a discussion with Dr. Margaret Flowers and the producers, Laurie Simons and Terry Sterrenberg. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/688837887938496/.

We've seen enough to know that insurance-based healthcare is not effective for keeping costs down and giving everyone access to needed medical care.​ Advocates are totally committed to changing the healthcare system, and polls indicate that the general public supports the idea of universal healthcare. So it should be a no-brainer, right? Well, no. Some of the obstacles are obvious. Big money. Fear of government. But there seems to be something more, like a fog that keeps people from moving forward together. What is so difficult about the idea of looking after each other? This film intends to expose the fog, and will leave viewers examining what it means to be an American and what it takes to step into action. 

35] – There is a Book Talk on Thurs., Oct. 20 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W. North Ave., Baltimore 21201.  PETER FRASE PRESENTS "FOUR FUTURES: LIFE AFTER CAPITALISM." What happens to capitalism as productivity rises, ecological crises loom, and social movements succeed in (or fail to) change the rules of the game?  Jacobin editor Peter Frase maps the space of possibility for our post-capitalist future, tracing the future from post-scarcity full communism to brutal barbaric extermination. Call 443-602-7585.  Go to http://www.redemmas.org.  

36] --See THE HAZE play at the Betts Theater, 800 21st St. NW, WDC, on Thurs., Oct. 20 from 8 to 11 PM.  The Public Health Student Association at the Milken Institute School of Public Health and the GW Student Association present THE HAZE, a solo play documenting Heather Marlowe's efforts to expose several thousand untested rape kits in San Francisco.  Get tickets at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-haze-tickets-28538508447. Visit www.thehazeplay.com.
With deft humor and wit, and without ever feeling sorry for herself, solo performer Heather Marlowe captures the absurdity of the current untested rape kit crisis in this country while telling a stunning story that could happen to any of us. “The Haze” is one of the very few, if not only piece of solo theater in our time that can demonstrate tangible systemic change that has grown from it being performed. Those now tested kits have resulted in close to 200 cold hits on serial rapists.

37] --- On Fri., Oct. 21 from 10 to 11 AM, Jane Harman, Wilson Center, Robert Litwak, Wilson Center, and David Sanger, New York Times, will tackle "Deterring Nuclear Terrorism" at the Wilson Center, Sixth Floor, Reagan Building, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, WDC. RSVP at http://pages.wilsoncenter.org/10.21.16LitwakDeterringNuclearTerrorism_Registration.html.

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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