Plug Into Your Progressive Community!

Bridges Not Walls is organizing this Conference. In collaboration with KAYCK, CIELO, North Mason County Literacy, from the South Sound area and beyond, we unite in solidarity to build a human rights movement that supports a sustainable future for all.

Hold the dates, May 15 through May 18, for the Immigration and Border Dialogues Conference, at The Evergreen State College in Olympia. The conference will bring together speakers from human rights organizations working both regionally and along the US/Mexico border. Presenters and performers join to offer panel discussions, workshops, theater, art and seminars.

Through this conference, we will examine barriers, real or perceived, that divide our communities. Topics will include political and socioeconomic status, culture and ethnic heritage, and current immigration policy. Together we will examine current realities faced by undocumented migrant workers and refugees. We will discuss inclusive immigration approaches, and encourage the emergence of a more just and humane future.

The conference allows time for participants to build specific strategies to reclaim our common humanity. Using shared values, we will build multicultural alliances across class, race, ethnicity, gender, age, national origin and legal status.

Panel Discussion topics include:
• Border News, Militarization of the Border, How Border Communities are building Solidarity and Why Immigration is a Human Rights Issue
• Detention Center Response, The Experiences of detainees, Dehumanization of Detainees and Immigrants
• Framework of the politics of faith-based groups working in Sanctuary movement in the NW as well as SW, migration policy, sustainability, bi-national relationships between Mexico and the USA, border crossers from Central America, Death in the Arizona Desert, Border Art.
Workshops include:
• Arab-Muslim Detentions and Community Activism, Potential for Arab-Latino Alliances
• Collaborative Workshop with Rosalinda Guillen and Maria Cuevas of Community to Community with Las Margaritas from Bellingham —Women Organizing and Moving Towards Leadership Development (this workshop will be presented in Spanish)
Performances Include:
• The Mamalogues—Local performance about migration and matrilineal legacies
• Pablo Peregrina—Singer/Songwriter from the Tucson/Nogales border
• Rodrígo Duarte Clark—Chicano playwright: La Victima

Some of our participants:
From the Southwest—
Jennifer Allen, Executive Director, Border Action Network. http://www.borderaction.o...
The Border Action Network (BAN) works with immigrant and border communities in southern Arizona to ensure that rights are respected, with human dignity upheld. BAN has a long-term goal of building a human rights movement nationally.

From the Northwest—
Rosalinda Guillen and Maria Cuevas from Community to Community (C2C) –Comunidad a Comunidad, Bellingham, WA. http://www.foodjustice.or...
C2C is a women-led, place based, grassroots organization working for a just society and healthy communities. C2C is committed to systemic change and to creating strategic alliances that strengthen local and global social justice.

Please join us in the dialogue. Invite neighbors, church members, local politicians. These issues (human rights, environmental, economic) affect us all. Each presence will contribute to the content and outcome of this conference, leading South Puget Sound to action.

For more information, please check the BNW website, send an email or call:
bridgesnotwalls@riseup.net
http://oly-wa.us/bridges
(360) 280-6480
(360) 539-4825

The Global Food Crisis And How To Develop Food Security and Sustainability
Thursday May 22
Traditions Cafe 7:00 PM
A digital slideshow
by Dave Sansone

Skyrocketing fuel costs, increasing price of food, and food riots around the world are illustrating just how precarious our food production and distribution system is. Learn about the factors affecting the world’s food supply and actions that we can take here at home to develop secure and sustainable food systems.

Dave Sansone, Director of Perennial Harvest, has been focusing on food security and sustainability since 1999 and asserts that it is possible to develop sustainable land management practices that actually offer increased productivity and biodiversity.

For more information, contact Dave Sansone at 360-333-5051 or perennialharvest@gmail.com
In Olympia, contact Michael Kelly at 360-866-1331 terracommons@gmail.com
www.terracommons.us

Location(s)

The Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Committee, Vets for Peace 109
Present: Wayne Smith, peace activist. Wayne will address where tax payer funds are going, and how communities across the country are approaching a massive stop the war movement. Attendance is free of charge. Join us at 2:00 pm for Justice Sunday.

As the eldest son of 11 children, Wayne Smith learned important life-lessons following the death of his father at the age of 10. By overcoming despair, poverty, and racial prejudice, Wayne became aware of an inner strength and his ability to be responsible and compassionate towards others.

After high school, Wayne joined the U.S. Army Medical Corps, spent 18 months in Vietnam as a combat medic and had the good fortune to work with the Vietnamese people. After the war, he struggled like many veterans and eventually became one of our Nation's leading voices addressing the causes and consequences of war.

In 1998, Wayne returned to Vietnam, with 20 American veterans. Together with 20 Vietnamese former enemy soldiers, they rode bicycles 1,200 miles from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City to promote peace and reconciliation. Wayne is one of the veterans featured in the 1999 Emmy Award winning documentary, "Vietnam: A Long Time Coming".

For more than 30 years, Wayne has been an advocate for human rights and social justice. He has served in a leadership capacity with a number of prominent organizations, including the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, a co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Peace Prize and as president of the Black Patriots Foundation. As executive director of The Justice Project, he successfully lobbied for passage of the Innocence Protection Act, a law that helped change the way the courts and the American people think about the death penalty.

Today, Wayne manages national and international programs with the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee where he has the unique opportunity to defend civil liberties eroded by the Global War on Terror.

He has appeared on numerous radio and television programs including ABC Nightline, NBC News, CBS Evening News, the New York Times and National Public Radio.

Location(s)

WHAT: A Progressive Community-Building Event: This time we are going to the movies! Body of War “In March 2004, Thomas Young returns after time in Iraq a broken man, paralyzed due to a bullet shattering his spine...Body of War is his story as he evolves from a bitter disenfranchised veteran...through his transformation into an outspoken activist..." Directed by Ellen Spiro and Phil Donohue

Why be a progressive activist in isolation? Let’s build community and solidarity and all go together to the movies. Just for fun, we can take over “Stage Left” (audience’s right) at the Capitol Theater downtown. EVERYONE IS WELCOME! BRING A FRIEND!

WHEN: Monday June 9 @ the 6:30 showing. After the movie, we can head on over to HANNAH'S for snacks, drinks and social networking.

WHO: All of us! You, me your family, friends, friends from work, folks in your grassroots groups, Blues, Greens, Dems, Contemplators, fence sitters, All! This is a great opportunity to bring new folks to the progressive community.

WHY: Why Not??? This is an easy and enjoyable way to build community and solidarity, meet new friends, and have fun at the same time. This works best when we personally invite friends and neighbors to come along. See you there!!

Green Party of South Puget Sound forum is on TCTV Monday at 5:00 pm and Wednesday at 8:00.

January topic is Port of Olympia, Part 1
February will be Port of Olympia, Part 2.