Chicago Peace Calendar February 10, 2005 To submit a listing to the calendar, please email a request to peacecalendar@afsc.org by Wednesday evening (see submission guidelines at the bottom of this page). To receive this calendar once a week as an email, sign up at click here. This calendar is distributed by the American Friends Service Committee as a community service. Events listed do not necessarily reflect official endorsement by AFSC. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Current Events ----------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, February 11, 8:00 PM and Saturday, February 12, 7:30 pm in Rockford, IL Event: HOLLY NEAR in Concert Description: Known for her work as a folk singer and peace ambassador, Holly Near is an example of an individual who has used her unique talents to promote justice. Composer of such songs as “The Great Peace March” and “Singing for our Lives,” Near uses music to advocate for any who are in need. Some of her many endeavors are cited in the following excerpt from her website: "Holly has traveled from the fields of central California singing in support of The United Farm Workers to El Salvador where she sang for peace amidst war and conflict. She has been a powerful voice of humanity for over 25 years. Her songs were sung clandestinely in Latin American prisons and sung boldly by Irish and English women who joined together to protest war. Whether in support of nurses striking for better conditions in the emergency room or in opposition to racist violence on the police force, Holly sings a bold truth." Tickets are $10; $8 for groups of 10 or more (Friday night), and $20 at door, $18 in advance (Saturday night). Tickets are available over the phone. Location: FRIDAY’S SHOW- North Park University, Anderson Chapel, 3225 W. Foster Ave (corner of Foster and Spaulding Avenues); SATURDAY’S SHOW - Second Congregational Church, 318 N. Church St. Contact: 773-244-5553: jpope@northpark.edu, http://www.northpark.edu/campustheme (Friday); 815-964-2238 (Saturday) ----------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, February 12, 12 noon Event: Rally for Equal Marriage Rights for ALL (on Freedom to Marry Day) Help OPPOSE President Bush's and the religious right's attempts to deprive gay people of legal equality. Please join us on Freedom to Marry Day at a rally for equal marriage rights. Location: In front of the Moody Church, Clark Street and North Ave, Chicago Contact: For more info, email LGBTLiberation@aol.com, call 888-471-0874 or check out our website: www.CABN.org ----------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, February 12, 2 pm – 5 pm Event: Gala Opening of the Unity Center A new political landmark in the city of Chicago and a newly renovated “green” building. The Unity Center includes offices for the People's Weekly World newspaper, the Communist Party of Illinois, the CPUSA National Labor Commission, the Young Communist League and Affordable Power to the People. The Workers Education Society is a not-for profit organization that will host community meetings and services, classes and a library and resource center containing archives from the left and labor movements and the former Lithuanian community in Bridgeport. The Unity Center will be home for grassroots initiatives to fight the ultra-right, to build a people's movement for jobs, democracy, equality, social justice preserving our environment, for a society that puts working people's needs before corporate greed. Refreshments will be served. Location: 3339 S Halsted Street, Chicago Contact: for more information, call 773.446.9925 ---------------------------------------------------- Sunday, February 13, 2 PM Event: Japanese American Day of Remembrance- Staged Reading of the Play “Question 27, Question 28” by Chay Yew, directed by Julieanne Ehre On Sunday, February 13, the Japanese American community will gather for its annual Day of Remembrance. This event commemorates the 63rd anniversary of the date when President Franklin Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066, which allowed the government to forcibly incarcerate over 120,00 Japanese Americans during World War II. What happened to the women of the Japanese American internment? How did these brave women keep hope in the American dream alive? Based on transcripts, documents, personal testimonies, and interviews with Japanese American female internees, Chay Yew's Question 27, Question 28, at once heartwrenching and inspiring, weaves a story of the struggles, resilience and courage of Japanese American female detainees held in the American internment camps during World War II. The staged reading will be followed by a Q&A session with playwright Chay Yew. Sponsored by Silk Road Theatre Project in partnership with Chicagoland’s Japanese American Community. Free and Open to Public. Location: DePaul University Student Center, 2250 N Sheffield, Chicago Contact: visit Silk Road Theatre Project’s website at www.srpt.org or call the administrative office at 312-236-6881 ----------------------------------------------------- Monday, February 14, 6:30 pm Event: “A New Afrikan revolutionary’s view of American Civilization on Trial and Dialectics of Black Freedom Struggle” (for Black History Month 2005) Jim Mills, writer for News & Letters, responds to Khalfani Khaldun’s review of the two books, American Civilization on Trial and Dialectics of Black Freedom Struggles. Khalfani’s review was written behind prison walls and resulted from a discussion group held under the adverse conditions of a high security unit. The review appears in the January-February issue of News & Letters and can also be found at www.newsandletters.org. Location: News and Letters Library, 36 S. Wabash at Monroe, Room 1440 Contact: call 312.236.0799, or email arise@newsandletters.org ------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday, February 16, 7-9 pm Event: Café Finjan presents Muslim and Jewish Comedy Nite Laugh and learn with Chicago's funniest Jewish and Muslim comedians. Mixing stand-up and sketch comedy, kippah and kufi, puns and politics - don't miss it! Cost of admission: $20 regular rate, $12 students and reduced rate Scheduled performers: Azhar Usman, Avi Lessing, Farheen Hakeem, Kumail Nanjiani, Triplette This Muslim and Jewish Comedy Nite is the latest in the Cafe Finjan series of interfaith arts exchanges. Co-sponsored by the Muslim Civil Rights Center, Jewish Council on Urban Affairs, Muslim Bar Association, and Inner-City Muslim Action Network. Location: Jones College Prep Academy - 606 S. State St. Free Parking in the "Park 1" Lot at State and Balbo. Contact: Tickets can be purchased on-line at http://www.jcua.org/ Or just RSVP to zubairjd@ameritech.net or rsvp@jcua.org ------------------------------------------------------------ Wednesday, February 16, 6 pm Event: “Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime that Changed America” Author Christopher Benson discusses his book on the murder of Emmett Till, Sponsored by Loyola Library Book Club. Location: Loyola University Rubloff Auditorium, 25 E Pearson ---------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, February 23, 7 pm Event: Medea Benjamin- “War and Occupation, The Costs to US and to Iraqis” Medea Benjamin is a powerful and charismatic force in human rights activism. She has struggled for social justice in Asia, Africa and the Americas for over 20 years. Founder of Global Exchange, and instrumental in the formation of United for Peace and Justice, earlier this month she addressed 120,000 people at the World Social Forum in Porto Alegre, Brazil. Medea is co-founder of Code Pink: Women for Peace, calling for reordering US budget to emphasize heath care, education and housing, not war. In February 2003, Benjamin visited Iraq and met with weapon's inspectors, women's groups and ordinary Iraqi civilians. She was arrested for speaking out against the war in Iraq at the Democratic and Republic National Conventions, and most recently at Bush's Inauguration. Listen… Participate… Get energized. Struggling for a better world. Sponsored by Lincoln Park Neighbors United for Peace with Chicago Against War and Injustice, American Friends Service Committee, Peace Pledge Chicago. Location: Assumption Church, 323 W Illinois St (b/t Orleans & Franklin off Grand; Brown line to the Merchandise Mart Contact: For more information, call 773.327.5926 -------------------------------------------------------- Thursday, February 24 Event: “The Presbyterian Divestment Question” Rev. Marthame and Elizabeth Sanders, staff of Presbyterain Church USA headquarters in Louisville, KY, speaking in favor of “phased, selective divestment” and Rabbi Herbert Bronstein, Rabbi Emeritus at Northshore Congregation Israel in Glencoe, IL, speaking in opposition. Location: Anderson Chapel, North Park University, 3225 W Foster Avenue ------------------------------------------------------------------ Saturday, February 26, 6 pm Event: Equal Marriage Rights, discussion w/ State Rep Sara Feigenholtz, members of ACLU and Equality Illinois Discussion of the current status of equal marriage rights in Illinois; Rep. Feigenholtz will specifically cover the legislative process and how to define a new direction and strategy to move toward equal marriage rights. After a question and answer session, we will also have the premiere of “The Love that Dare Speak,” a new two person play based entirely on actual love letters written by same sex couples. Location: Johnsonese Gallery, 867 W Buckingham Place, Corner of Clark and Buckingham (in Chicago’s Lake View neighborhood), lower level. Look for State Bank of Countryside on main level. Contact: Christopher Johnson, 773.525.5877, www.johnsonese.com ----------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, February 27, 4 pm Event: Film screening, “Peace, Propaganda, and the Promised Land: U.S. Media and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” Co-sponsored by Not In My Name and South Siders for Peace; free film/discussion program. Location: World Folk Music Company, 1808 W. 103rd Street Contact: For more information, call 773.239.1439 -------------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, March 5, 9:30 am-1:00 pm & Tuesday, March 8, noon-1:00 pm Event: Celebrate International Women’s Day! Theme: Confronting the Bush/US government’s Backlash on Women Conference: Saturday, March 5th, 9:30 am - 1:00 Panels, discussions, visuals, food. $5.00 donation. Listen to women talking about the impact of the Bush government on women in the U.S. and around the world. Share your thoughts. Location: UNITE hall, 333 S. Ashland Rally and March: Tuesday, March 8th, noon - 1:00 We will gather at the Daley Center and march to the Federal Building, bring signs, noisemakers. Sponsored by the International Women's Day Committee 2005, Contact: call 773-278-6706 for more information. ---------------------------------------------------------- March 4 and 5th Event: This will not be your father’s draft!!! Draft Counseling Workshop We believe that it is possible that this administration does lie and that a draft could happen within the next year. There are many indicators that unfortunately point to that possibility. In that event we want to be sure that we are prepared with trained draft resistance counselors to work with the young men and women who are opposed to military service. So here are the preliminary plans- with more specifics to follow soon: (mark your calendars) March 4th (Friday evening) there will be a free public event featuring JE McNeil; attorney and director of the Center on Conscience and War in DC- for people to come and learn general information about: the draft, selective service, conscientious objection, recruitment tactics, etc. March 5th will be an all-day workshop (conducted by JE McNeil) for people who are interested in this work as draft counselors. Contact: If anyone is interested in attending this workshop, please e-mail draftcounseling@yahoo.com; indicate your interest ASAP as we must limit the workshop to 35 people- we will send you the specifics soon. ------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, March 6, 7 pm Event: Bowl-o-rama to save the forest in Cinquera, Chicago’s sister city in El Salvador! Sponsored by Chicago-Cinquera Sister Cities Committee. Free Pizza and prizes. Bring $25 Entry fee or $50+ in pledges. Individuals, teams, beginners welcome. Let us know if you plan to bring a team. Location: Timber Lanes, 1851 W Irving Park (just west of Irving Park Ravenswood stop) Contact: 773-561-4208 or jimmyishere@hotmail.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Sunday, March 6 & Monday, March 7 (see website for specific times) Event: familyfarmed.org EXPO Know Your Food. Know Your Farmer! Come join us at the only event of its kind in the Midwest! The exciting FamilyFarmed.org EXPO is being held at Navy Pier in Chicago on Sunday, March 6 and Monday, March 7, 2005. Your support of local family farms starts here. Events include Local Organic Food Festival, Gala Celebration and Award Ceremony, and Local Organic Trade Show. Location: Navy Pier in Chicago Contact: For tickets, registration materials and more details about the FamilyFarmed.org EXPO, please contact Sustain at 312-951-8999 x120 or visit http://www.familyfarmed.org. ----------------------------------------------------------------- Saturday, March 19 Event: TBA— Protests on the 2nd Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq Join the March 19 Chicago Coalition, a new ad hoc coalition, to organize for a huge protest(s) on the 2nd anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. The Coalition currently is in a permit battle with the City of Chicago over the right to march from the N. Michigan Avenue area to Federal Plaza (see http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/52073/index.php for more on this). -------------------------------------------------------------- Sunday, March 20, 4 pm Event: Film screening, “Where We Stood: Chicago’s Resistance to the US War on Iraq” This film, nominated for a Chicago Emmy, will be screened on the two-year anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq. Join us for the documentary, an update on the civil case against the City of Chicago, and a brief discussion. On March 20,2003, at the start of the US war on Iraq, more than 500 people were arrested during planned non-violent civil disobedience actions; this documentary features interview segments fr/more than 30 protesters and organizers, taking you inside their experiences, from chaos on the street to jail solidarity to renewed personal commitment to peace. Reservations are strongly recommended and can be made by calling the number below. Ticket donation requested at door; no one will be turned away. Sponsored by Peace Pledge-Chicago. Location: Healing Earth Resources, 3111 N Ashland Ave., Chicago Contact: call 312.494.5480 or for Healing Earth Resources, call 773-327-8459 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Wednesday, April 13 Event: International Day of Action Against Caterpillar Over 50,000 Palestinians have been made homeless by CATERPILLAR bulldozers CAT supplies equipment used by the Israeli military to destroy Palestinian homes, infrastructure, orchards, greenhouses, agricultural land filled with crops and sometimes lives. On Wednesday, April 13, CATERPILLAR shareholders will once again meet in Chicago. We call on groups to organize local demonstrations that protest CAT’s sale of home-crushing bulldozers to Israel. In Chicago, the STOP CAT COALITION will send a strong message to the CAT Board of Directors and dealerships that cooperation in human rights abuses will not be tolerated. If you are interested in attending Stop CAT Coalition meetings, the next meeting will be on Saturday, February 12th at 1 pm at the New World Resource Center, 1300 N Western Avenue. To visit the group on the web, go to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/stopcat/ ------------------------------------------------------------ Ongoing Events: The Peace Museum is working on an endeavor "PEACE 2005". The museum will be offering patrons the opportunity to donate a peace crane to honor a friend, loved one or colleague. Peace cranes will be suspended from the ceiling in our gallery, creating a colorful wall. The 1000 colorful cranes will create a "wall of hope" for peace in 2005 in our gallery. Once we accumulate 1000 paper cranes,we will send the cranes to a hospital in Iraq. This will be a symbolic gesture to the Iraqi people to demonstrate that we share in their wish for peace. Contact: Peace cranes may be purchased online by visiting www.peacemuseum.org and clicking the membership button. Every Thursday at 12:30 to 1:00 pm, Northshore Women for Peace holds a vigil to “End the War, Bring the Troops Home Now” in downtown Highland Park, at Central Avenue at Port Clinton Plaza (unless there is snow or very cold weather). In spite of “democratic” elections, the war and the killing continues, our troops are dying and/or being physically or psychologically injured by indigenous insurrection and by continued American bombing. We bring the picture back to the consciousness of the inattentive and forgetful. Join us for a half hour each week, if possible (wear black or dark colors, if practical). Call 847-432-9411. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Subscribing & Unsubscribing Don't miss out on any of the exciting peace and justice events in the Chicagoland area -- subscribe to the Chicago Peace Calendar today! Sign up at http://list.afsc.org/mailman/listinfo/chicago-chi or email lists @peacechicago.org with "subscribe" in the subject line. To unsubscribe from this list, please follow the directions at http://list.afsc.org/mailman/listinfo/chicago-chi or email peacecalendar@afsc.org with "unsubscribe" in the subject line. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ GIVE THE GIFT OF PEACE Your support makes it possible for AFSC to provide services like the Chicago Peace Calendar and the Chicago Peace Alert . Your contributions to AFSC make it possible for us to maintain our Success. ---------------------------------------------------------