[Antiracism] [Solidarity Calendar] Upcoming Events

[WMass Jobs With Justice]

[Solidarity Calendar] posts events of interest to the Western Mass Jobs with
Justice Coalition that don't show up on other WMJwJ Listserves. See below
...

Wednesday June 11 
	POEMS FROM GUANTANAMO: A Reading
	7pm, Broadside Bookshop, 247 Main St, Northampton. Readers: Martín
Espada, Buz Eisenberg, and Bill Newman. Poems from Guantanamo contains some
22 poems composed by 17 detainees at Guantanamo. Often written with found or
improvised materials, these are poems of remarkable honesty, lucidity, and
power, expressing a whole array of responses - some stoic, some religious,
some despairing - to life under conditions of indefinite detainment.
Co-sponsored by Pioneer Valley Committee against Secrecy and Torture,
Broadside Bookshop, and Poets for Peace. Info: Broadside, 586-4235.

Thursday June 12
	DONNA SCHAPER: GRASSROOTS GARDENING
	7pm, Odyssey Bookshop, 9 College St (Routes 116 at 47), in the
Village Commons, S Hadley, 534-7307 or 800-540-7307; odysseybks at aol.com;
www.odysseybks.com (www.odysseybks.com/directions.html). Former Western
Mass. minister Donna Schaper (now Senior Minister, Judson Memorial Church,
New York) reads from and signs her book, "Grassroots Gardening: Rituals for
Sustaining Activism". In 2003, Rev. Schaper wrote an op-ed for The New York
Times detailing her rejection from the Coral Gables Garden Club. It seems
that the ladies of the club thought she'd bring inappropriate people into
the club (meaning gays and blacks). Because of this piece, Schaper was
invited to join other clubs around the country. Schaper
(www.DonnaSchaper.org) argues that gardening is a way to sustain activism -
a ritual for radicals, urbans, nomads, and for anybody who is sufficiently
angry.

Saturday June 14
	SEEDS OF SOLIDARITY VISITING DAY
	10am, Seeds of Solidarity Farm and Education Center, 165 Chestnut
Hill Road, Orange; directions: www.seedsofsolidarity.org. Free 2-hour tour.
No registration required. Shine or Rain. Interested in practical and
inspiring ideas to grow food and use renewable energy, and unite with others
towards a more hopeful future? Founders and farmers Ricky Baruc and Deb
Habib provide an engaging tour of solar greenhouses, energy efficient
buildings, abundant market gardens, solar electric and hot water systems,
and biodiesel fueled vehicles, plus information about their programs that
teach North Quabbin youth to "grow food everywhere." An optional potluck
lunch follows the tour. The event is geared towards adults, but all ages are
welcome. There will be another Solidarity Saturday on October 4. Info: Deb
Habib, 978-544-9023, deb at seedsofsolidarity.org, www.seedsofsolidarity.org.

Sunday June 15
	WELCOME THE PASTORS FOR PEACE CARAVAN
	5-7:30pm, First Churches, 129 Main St, Northampton (584-9392).
Welcome the 19th Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba and consider a donation
of medical or educational supplies or a financial contribution. This WELCOME
and SEND-OFF event, sponsored by Pioneer Valley Cuba Solidarity Committee,
includes: Food - a Cuban meal; Music - Tom Neilson, The Raging Grannies and
more; Speaker - Caravan member Lisa Valenti will speak on how the travel ban
to Cuba affects our lives and theirs; a warm community send off to local
folks joining the Caravan; Other performing artists. The caravan has three
missions: To challenge the immoral and illegal US trade embargo and travel
ban; To collect and deliver medical, educational, and musical equipment and
supplies; and To practice people-to-people diplomacy. 
	Local residents and hundreds of volunteers from across the nation
will join the Pastors For Peace Caravan to Cuba to challenge the illegal US
blockade and travel ban against Cuba. The Caravan is collecting over 100
tons of supplies during its two week journey from communities all across the
country and will traverse 13 separate routes stopping in 47 states on its
way to Cuba through Mexico. Caravan volunteers are advocating a new US-Cuba
policy based on respect for sovereignty and non-aggression. Please help with
a donation of MEDICAL EQUIPMENT, MEDICINES, EDUCATIONAL SUPPLIES, MUSICAL
INSTRUMENTS AND ACCESSORIES, OR A FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION. Call 625-9543 or
625-9671 or 585-9314 for information about supplies needed, where to leave
donations, donation pick-up, and how to make a financial contribution.
Financial donations may be tax deductible. Info: gandhi0324 at comcast.net.

Wednesday June 18
	NUCLEAR ENERGY: AT WHAT COST?
	7pm, Bangs Community Center, Boltwood Walk, Amherst (off Kellogg St
off Pleasant St). Citizens Awareness Network and SAGE present Nuclear
Energy: The True Cost; The Options: Energy Supply, Efficiency, and
Renewables; Jobs Creation: Renewable vs Nuclear; Health, Environment: Damage
Assessment; Questions/Answers; & Action Steps. Speakers include Deb Katz -
CAN Executive Director; Michael J. Daley - Trustee, New England Coalition;
Chris Williams - sustainable energy policy activist; Hattie Nestel - CAN
outreach educator. Info: Emily Lewis, 256-1760, lewis.emily at comcast.net.

June 19-22 
	SOCIALISM 2008
	Crowne Plaza, Chicago O’Hare. A weekend of revolutionary politics,
debate, and entertainment. Over 100 debates and discussions about changing
the world: How can we end racism? What kind of organization do we need? Can
the Democrats make a difference? How can we confront imperialism? What would
a future socialist society look like? For a full list of speakers and
conference schedule visit www.socialismconference.org. Sponsored by the
Center for Economic Research and Social Change, publisher of International
Socialist Review and Haymarket Books. Co-sponsored by the International
Socialist Organization.
	To go with other activists from Western Massachusetts, email
contact at isonoho.org.

Friday June 27
	RUDY PERKINS: IRAN TODAY
	7pm, Lyman Hall, First Churches, 129 Main St, Northampton
(584-9392). Rudy Perkins, a long-time peace activist, attorney, and
co-founder of Swing the Vote (www.swingthevote.us), will give a slideshow
and talk on his recent trip to Iran, discussing Iran today and the
possibility of improving US-Iran relations. Rudy will give a brief history
of US-Iranian relations and will discuss some of the issues which have
caused tension between the US and Iranian governments, and what we can do to
improve relations between our two countries. Info: paki43 at gmail.com.


MORE EVENTS AT www.westernmassafsc.org/calendar/calendar.html. And please
post your events there by emailing Roger Conant,
mailto:conant at ecs.umass.edu, with Event for AFSC Calendar as the Subject,
with this information in the body of the email: Date and Time; Location;
Brief description of the event; How to get more information about the event.
Please help Roger keep the recurring events page accurate - see
www.westernmassafsc.org/calendar/calendar2.html#recurring. 


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[Solidarity Calendar] posts events of interest to the Western Mass Jobs with
Justice Coalition that don't show up on other WMJwJ Listserves. Those are

[Workers' Rights] - The core mission of Jobs with Justice, affirming that
workers' rights are human rights. Opportunities for you to learn about and
show solidarity with workplace and working class struggles. And these events
are opportunities for JwJ members to fulfill their pledge: "I'll be there
for workers' rights at least five times a year!" 

[Health Care Action] - Events and information that support the large and
vibrant Western Mass. movement for health care justice. Nationwide, Jobs
with Justice (www.jwj.org) has prioritized Health Care as a basic human
right. 

[People's History] - Supporting work related to a people's history of
Western Mass.

[WMJwJ] - Events and information that would be posted to all lists. 

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Western Mass Jobs with Justice
640 Page Blvd #101
Springfield MA 01104
(413) 827-0301