Wednesday, April 4, 2018

Baltimore Activist Alert - April 4 - 6, 2018

24] Sojourners will be at the End Racism Rally – Apr. 4
25] Hear from a Riverkeeper – Apr. 4
26] Marching Forward for $15 – Apr. 4
27] MLK discussion – Apr. 4
28] MLK gathering – Apr. 4
29] The Legacy of Adwa and Haiti – Apr. 4
30] "Just Eat It, A Food Waste Story" – Apr. 4
31] Commemorate MLK – Apr. 4
32] Impact of racial inequities & poverty -- Apr. 5
33] Jobs, Security, and Human Rights – Apr. 5
34] Understanding and Fighting Inequality – Apr. 5
35] Planning Meeting for a Women's March on the Pentagon – Apr. 5
36] Candidate Information Event -- Apr. 5
37] Support Maryland SPCA – Apr. 5
38] Where were you? – Apr. 5
39] CARVING OUT THE COMMONS – Apr. 5
40] A Drum Major for Justice -- Apr. 5
41] Black Lives Matter – Apr. 6
42] The First Friday Movie Nights – Apr. 6
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24] – On Wed., April 4 from 9 AM to 4 PM, Sojourners will gather with the National Council of the Churches on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., for a historic event: the Unite 2 End Racism Rally as part of the Act 2 End Racism initiative. Marking 50 years since the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, commit to eradicate the entrenched racism that grips the United States and paralyzes our ability to see every human being as equal.  Jim Wallis will deliver a keynote address (10:20 AM EDT) -- challenging the nation to join in truth-telling, to act to right the wrongs, and--with God’s grace--to bring healing, wholeness, and unity to all people. This prophetic call will urge all Americans to hear the biblical call to: AWAKEN ourselves to the truth that racism is ever-present, deeply rooted in American culture, and profoundly damaging to our communities. Visit http://www.rally2endracism.org.

25] – On Wed., Apr. 4 from 10 to 11 AM, come to the Towson University Environmental Conference, hosted by For The Generations and Delaware Riverkeeper Network at Towson University, University Union Building Rm 307, 8000 York Rd., Towson 21252.  Veteran environmentalist Maya van Rossum will discuss her new book, “The Green Amendment: Securing our Right to a Healthy Environment,” followed by a Q&A and signing. Meet Maya, pick up a copy of the book, and learn about the future of environmental advocacy! Registration is FREE.  Go to https://www.towson.edu/studentlife/activities/leadership/conferences/environmental/.

The sad truth is our laws are designed to accommodate pollution rather than prevent it. The solution, argues van Rossum, is to bypass the laws and turn to the ultimate authority: our state and federal constitutions. In 2013, van Rossum and her team won a watershed legal victory that not only protected Pennsylvania communities from ruthless frackers, but affirmed the constitutional right of people in the state to a clean and healthy environment. Following this victory, van Rossum inaugurated the Green Amendment movement, dedicated to empowering every American community to mobilize for constitutional change. Purchase the Green Amendment here: bit.ly/TheGreenAmendment.

Van Rossum is the Delaware Riverkeeper and leader for the Delaware Riverkeeper Network. The Delaware Riverkeeper Network works throughout the four states of the Delaware River watershed (NY, NJ, PA & DE) and at the national level using advocacy, science and litigation.  Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/205790576846749/.

26] – On Wed., Apr. 4 at 2 PM, get involved with Marching Forward for $15: 50 Years Later, hosted by Fight for $15 Maryland in Lawyers Mall, Bladen St., Annapolis 21401.  The Fight for 15 Maryland Coalition would like to invite you to join us in the commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's assassination.  The night before his assassination in April 1968, Martin Luther King told a group of striking sanitation workers in Memphis, Tennessee: “We’ve got to give ourselves to this struggle until the end. Nothing would be more tragic than to stop at this point in Memphis. We’ve got to see it through.”  In commemorating Dr. King’s death we will keep his dream alive through the fight to raise Maryland’s minimum wage to $15. "There is nothing new about poverty. What is new, however, is that we have the resources to get rid of it." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. See https://www.facebook.com/events/440723083030639/.

27] – On Wed., April 4 from 5:30 to 8:30 PM, hear a discussion about Wilmington: 50 Years After Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with Dr. Yasser Payne, Dr. Michael Casson, and Ms. Raheema Jabbar-Bey.  The keynote presentation will be by Dr. Darrick Hamilton, professor of Economics and Urban Policy.  The event will be at The New School at the Delaware Historical Society, Copeland Room., 504 N. Market, Wilmington, DE 19801.  Call (302) 655-7161 or email deinfo@dehistory.org.

28] –  On Wed, April 4 from 5:30 to 11 PM, The Real News Network, Studio 4, 235 Holliday St., Baltimore 21202, commemorates the 50th Anniversary of the Assassination of the Revolutionary Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., featuring acclaimed actor and activist Danny Glover and president of Our Revolution, Nina Turner. The gathering will be hosted by Eddie Conway, former political prisoner and host of The Real News Network’s Rattling the Bars.  Come celebrate the radical history of MLK’s opposition to the Vietnam War, systemic racism, a profit-driven society - and his fight for economic and political democracy.  The evening begins with a screening of the TRNN film montage of Dr. King's 1967 speech, "Why I Am Opposed to the War in Vietnam," followed by powerful presentations by our special guests.  After the event, there will be a cash bar hour at Ida B's Table, a modern soul food restaurant located in the TRNN building.  Grab dinner at Ida B's Table before the event. Reservations are strongly suggested at idabstable.com.

29] –    On Wed., Apr. 4 from 7 to 9 PM, tune in to The Legacy of Adwa and Haiti: How Unity Overcomes Oppression, hosted by Teodrose Fikre and Ghion Journal at the Kaldi's Social House, 918 Silver Spring Ave., Silver Spring 20910.  Tickets are available at ghionjournal.com.  Discuss the history and significance of two watershed events that showed oppressed people globally that tyranny has a shelf life of zero when a people are united as one.  A video will be shown about the Battle of Adwa and the insurrection of Haiti. There will also be a cultural show incorporated as well as a discussion about how to unite in our present moment to work towards justice.  Go to https://ghionjournal.com/events/adwa.

30] – On Wed., Apr. 4 from 7 to 9 PM, Greenbelt Climate Action Network [GCAN] will show a "Just Eat It, A Food Waste Story," hosted by Chesapeake Education, Arts, and Research Society (CHEARS) at the Greenbelt Community Center, 15 Crescent Road, Greenbelt 20770.  The program will focus on food waste, through the screening of a recent documentary, followed by a discussion that hopefully inspires action to reduce food waste. In May, learn more about Composting and Food Waste in Greenbelt.

The film is from 2014, and is 75 minutes long. We all love food. As a society, we devour countless cooking shows, culinary magazines and foodie blogs. So how could we possibly be throwing nearly 50% of it in the trash? Filmmakers and food lovers Jen and Grant dive into the issue of waste from farm, through retail, all the way to the back of their own fridge. After catching a glimpse of the billions of dollars of good food that is tossed each year in North America, they pledge to quit grocery shopping and survive only on discarded food. What they find is truly shocking.

Food waste leads to climate change: food sent to the landfill decomposes anaerobically, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas. Food recovery and composting of food scraps are thus the twin actions we can take to prevent this emission of methane. We can recycle carbon back into our garden soils through composting to grow more food.  As always, use the last portion of the evening for announcements and updates on local and national issues.  Contact Lore Rosenthal, Greenbelt Climate Action Network, at lore@simplicity-matters.org or 301-345-2234.  See https://www.facebook.com/events/2046354985621464/.

31] – The Peoples Power Assembly, on Wed., Apr. 4 from 7 to 9 PM will commemorate Dr. King, Jr with a film screening.  Besides the screening, there will be May Day planning, at 2011 N. Charles St., Baltimore 21218-5927. The planning meeting will begin 7 PM sharp, followed at 8 PM by the acclaimed Documentary “At the River I Stand.”  It focuses on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Final Journey and the 1968 AFSCME Sanitation Workers Strike. At 6:30 PM, enjoy refreshments. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/226630028079586/?notif_t=plan_user_invited&notif_id=1522281538968727.

32] – On Thurs., Apr. 5 from 9 to 11 AM, catch a Baltimore Dialogue With Stefanie DeLuca and Karl Alexander, hosted by the Urban Health Institute at Amazing Grace Lutheran Church in Baltimore, 2424 McElderry St., Baltimore 21205.  Tickets are available at www.urbanhealth.jhu.edu. Baltimore Dialogues are community gatherings which use a book club format to encourage discussions about the impact of racial inequities, poverty, and other issues on life in Baltimore.  This dialogue is with Stefanie DeLuca, author of “Coming of Age in the Other America,” and Karl Alexander, author of "The Long Shadow: Family Background, Disadvantaged Urban Youth, and the Transition to Adulthood."

33] – Jobs, Security, and Human Rights: Striking a Balance in U.S. Arms Export Policy will be debated on Thurs., April 5 from 10 to 11:30 AM at the Center for International Policy, 2000 M St., Basement Conference Room A, WDC 20036. Both the Obama and Trump Administrations have touted increases in U.S. arms sales and reductions in arms exports controls as a major jobs creator and boost to the U.S. economy. But how much do these efforts really improve the U.S. economy and are there any costs to this approach? Join leading experts for a deeper look at this important issue. These experts will provide insights on two main questions: 1) Are arms exports the best way to create jobs in the United States?; and 2) How should the administration and Congress balance economic, strategic, and human rights factors in U.S. arms transfer decisions?  This event is co-hosted by the Security Assistance Monitor and the Forum on the Arms Trade.

It will feature William Hartung, Director, Arms and Security Project, Center for International Policy (@WilliamHartung), Rachel Stohl, Managing Director, Stimson Center (@rachelstohl), Veronique de Rugy, Senior Research Fellow, Mercatus Center, George Mason University (@veroderugy) and Aaron Mehta, Senior Pentagon Correspondent & Associate Editor, Defense News (@AaronMehta).  Go to www.SecurityAssistance.org.

34] –  On Thurs., Apr. 5 from 2 to 3 PM, get over to Understanding and Fighting Inequality, hosted by American University Library, 4400 Massachusetts Ave. NW, WDC 20016. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com.  Why are some individuals successful and others not? What produces inequality? In this presentation, Ernesto Castañeda, assistant professor of Sociology, will share findings from his continued research, moving from the common discussion about individual virtue and merit to discuss group dynamics. Different types of inequality across time and space will be compared focusing on the experiences of immigrants and minorities. Lastly, Castañeda will describe how social movements in democratic regimes have traditionally fought to integrate excluded groups.

Ernesto Castañeda conducts research on migration, urban issues, health disparities, vulnerable populations, and social movements. He compares immigrant integration and ethnic political mobilization in the U.S. and Western Europe. He is affiliated with the Center on Health, Risk, and Society and the Center for Latin American and Latino Studies at American University, where he is an Assistant Professor of Sociology. Research in Progress events showcase research from across the American University community, with a special emphasis on innovative or multidisciplinary approaches, as well as initiatives from AU 2030. Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/345050242648210/.

35] –  On Thurs., Apr. 5 from 6 to 9 PM, there is a Planning Meeting For a Women's March on the Pentagon, hosted by Plymouth Congregational UCC Board of Social Action, 5301 N. Capitol St. NE, WDC 20011. Join peace activist Cindy Sheehan and others in planning the action. Everyone welcome. Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/184236778838247/?active_tab=about or https://www.facebook.com/events/1552295838201740/.

36] – On Thurs., Apr. 5 from 6 to 8:30 PM. get over to Beyond Citizens United: Candidate Education Event in the Silver Spring Library, 900 Wayne Ave., Silver Spring 20910, hosted by Represent Maryland.  Citizens United was a turning point in U.S.  politics, but a lot has happened in the 8 years since then. Learn about all the other ways our democracy is at risk, and what can be done about them.   If you would like to hold public office, this information is essential to your work. And if you are a first time candidate, this information is vital to your campaign.  This event is for Montgomery County candidates for local, state and federal office. Anyone is welcome to attend but this is the closest to those living in Moco. Go to http://www.facebook.com/events/172238720235873/.

37] – Join the Maryland SPCA on Wed., Apr. 4 from 6 PM to midnight at Mountain Branch Country Club, 1827 Mountain Road, Joppa, MD 21085, for a fundraiser for the ‘Festival for the Animals' to benefit homeless answers. There will be a raffle of "Baskets of Cheer," one valued at $250 and the other at $150. 100% of the raffle proceeds will be donated to the Maryland SPCA to help animals in need. Also, choose any 3-course-meal from the pre-fixed menu for $30 that evening and the MD SPCA will receive a portion of the proceeds. Visit the https://www.facebook.com/events/564607043915295/ to view the menu. Reservations are highly encouraged for the dining room. Bar-side dining also available. Guests that evening will also have the opportunity to meet adoptable pets between 5:45 to 8 PM. Go to http://www.mdspca.org/.

38] –On Wed., Apr. 4 from 6:30 to 8:30 PM, come to the MLK 50th Anniversary: Where Were You?  This is hosted by Reginald F. Lewis Museum, 830 E Pratt St., Baltimore 21202. Tickets are available at lewismuseum.org.  Do you remember where you were on April 4, 1968 when you heard about the death of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.? The museum will commemorate this day with a short film and panel discussion sharing Maryland citizens' memories of his death. This event includes performances by Slam Poet, Femi the DriFish and stage actor Keith Snipes. Visitors will have opportunities to video record their memories of King at this memorial event.  Go to https://www.facebook.com/events/803175023201837/.

39] – On Thurs., Apr. 5 at 7:30 PM at Red Emma's Bookstore Coffeehouse, 30 W North Ave, Baltimore, Maryland 21201, catch CARVING OUT THE COMMONS WITH AMANDA HURON.  Provoked by mass evictions and the onset of gentrification in the 1970s, tenants in Washington D.C. began forming cooperative organizations to collectively purchase and manage their apartment buildings. These tenants were creating a commons, taking a resource- housing- that had been used to extract profit from them, and reshaping it as a resource that was collectively owned and governed by them. In her book, Huron theorizes the practice of urban commoning through a close investigation of the city's limited-equity housing cooperatives. Drawing on feminist and anti-capitalist perspectives, Huron asks whether a commons can work in a city where land and other resources are scarce, and how strangers who may not share a past or future come together to create an maintain commonly-held spaces in the midst of capitalism. Arguing against the romanticization of the commons, she instead positions the urban commons as a pragmatic practice. Through the practice of commoning, she contends, we can learn to build communities to challenge capitalism's totalizing claims over life.  Call 443-602-7585. RSVP at http://www.redemmas.org

40] – On Thurs., Apr. 5 from 7:30 to 9 PM, hear A Drum Major for Justice - Civil Rights Lecture by Clarence Page, hosted by City of Takoma Park, MD - Municipal Government in the Community Center Auditorium, 7500 Maple Ave., Takoma Park  20912.  How would Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. have fared in the age of Twitter, the Black Lives Matter movement, and #MeToo? In an engaging lecture and discussion, Pulitzer-Prize winning journalist Clarence Page examines King’s legacy and the evolving fight for equality and civil rights. A longtime Takoma Park resident, Page was attracted to a career in journalism by the civil rights revolution in the 1960s. Through King's prophetic vision, Page suggests how we might answer King’s great question that still resonates today: “Where do we go from here?” Visit https://www.facebook.com/events/162181281104387/.

41] – There is usually a silent vigil on Fridays, from 5 to 6 PM, sponsored by Homewood Friends Meeting, outside the Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St.  The next scheduled vigil is on Mar. 23. Black Lives Matter.  

42] – The First Friday Movie Nights will continue on the lower level of Homewood Friends Meetinghouse, 3107 N. Charles St. on Apr. 6. Enter on the right side of the building after going down the steps. The films will begin at 7 PM, following the vigil and a potluck meal from 6 to 7 PM. There will be snacks and some discussion after the film.

First see three videos by Dominique Zeltzman, evoking her past, her world, and her family presented with unique perspectives. Then watch “Women Between Worlds” by Exsul VanHelden, which is about immigrant women and the experience of making a go in a new culture. Contact Megan Shook <mega330@comcast.net>.

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

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