Save Our Communities: Books Not Bombs, Jobs Not Jails, Families Not Foreclosures

Transcription

1 Save Our Communities: Books Not Bombs, Jobs Not Jails, Families Not Foreclosures Join us for a weekend of community-building to begin mapping out plans to reinvest our tax dollars in Greater Cleveland. There will be workshops (see list below), action- planning sessions, street theatre, musical entertainment, poetry, interactive games, and more. Keynote Bill Fletcher Schedule for Friday party and Saturday conference Workshops How your organization can support this event Why we need to hold this community forum In these times of budget deficits and wars, local communities are in a world of hurt. Basic social services are rationed, while military spending keeps growing. This kind of government spending is killing local communities. It s time to get our priorities straight. Join us April to Share our ideas Invite each other into our struggles Envision a better future Organize action campaigns to make our visions become reality! Keynote: Bill Fletcher (Saturday, April 16, 1:15pm) Leading Labor, Racial Justice and International Solidarity Leader Bill Fletcher, Jr., is a longtime labor, racial justice and international activist. Fletcher, the executive editor of The Black Commentator web magazine and founder of the Center for Labor Renewal, is the immediate past president of TransAfrica Forum, a national non-profit organization that organizes, educates and advocates for justice for the peoples of Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. He is also a founder of the Black Radical Congress and a senior scholar for the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, D.C. Fletcher is the co-author of Solidarity Divided, The Crisis in Organized Labor and A New Path Toward Social Justice (University of California Press, 2008). He was formerly the vice president for international trade union development at the AFL-CIO s George Meany Center. He also served as education director and assistant to the president of the AFL-CIO. Fletcher got his start in the labor movement as a rank and file member of the Industrial Union of Marine and Shipbuilding Workers of America. Combining labor and community work, he was also involved in ongoing efforts to desegregate the Boston building trades. He later served in leadership and staff positions in District 65-United Auto Workers, National Postal Mail Handlers Union and Service Employees International Union (SEIU). Fletcher is a graduate of Harvard University and has authored numerous articles and speaks widely on domestic and international topics, racial justice and labor issues.

2 SCHEDULE Friday, April 15: Old Stone Church 4:30 gather on Public Square 5:00 street theatre on Public Square 6:00 gather at Old Stone Church for music, poetry, games, food, and more 8:30 end Saturday, Apr 16: Trinity Commons (E 22 nd and Euclid) 8:30: registration/ coffee & donuts 9:00-9:20: welcome 9:20-9:50: ice-breakers 9:50-10:20: 2-minute presentations by participating groups 10:30-11:15: workshop session 1 11:30-12:15: workshop session 2 12:15-1:15: lunch/networking 1:15-2:00: keynote Bill Fletcher 2:15-3:00: workshop session 3 3:00 4:00: plenary/conclusion WORKSHOPS War on the poor Foreclosing on families Justice for the Imperial women War tax resistance Raw food revolution Democratizing our money system Racism and xenophobia Military culture: impacts on bullying, misogyny, racism Militarization of foreign policy Building a movement to redirect our tax money home From Cairo to Columbus: why protest? Profiling Islam: faith under surveillance Mobilizing for the 10 th anniversary of the war Death Penalty: can we afford it? New trade policy needed to protect jobs, consumers, and the environment Post-combat Mental Health: impacts on the soldier, their family, the society Criminal justice system: targeting the poor and people of color where s the justice? Closing schools while opening up military recruiting centers Impacts of Middle East policy on the people of Ohio Neighborly needs: the excellence of giving back to the community Bringing women to the peace table Presenters from these organizations and others American Friends Service Committee Betsy Russ Organic Enterprises Black on Black Cleveland Nonviolence Network Cleveland Peace Action

3 Cleveland Teachers Union Council on American-Islamic Relations Dorothy Day Peace Tax Fund Family Connection Center Food Not Bombs Greater Cleveland Immigrant Support Network Imperial Women InterReligious Task Force on Central America Interfaith Ministries of Lorain County Labor Party of Ohio Middle East Peace Forum Northeast Ohio Anti-War Coalition Ohioans to Stop Executions People s Forum Veterans for Peace Women Speak Out for Peace and Justice Ways that your organization can be involved in the Save Our Communities forum: 1. forward this 2. publicize the event 3. invite your members to attend and register before April endorse the event ($50 endorsement includes one registration and an info table on Saturday) 5. make a two-minute presentation about your work/issues Thanks for joining together with us to build a better future and save our communities.

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