HUDSON VALLEY ACTIVIST CALENDAR
May 1, 2011, Issue #663
Send event announcements to jacdon@earthlink.net
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Dedicated to Helping Build Activist
Movements in the Hudson Valley
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ACTIVIST EVENTS
Monday, May 2, ALBANY: A major rally and march to end hydraulic fracturing (fracking) for natural gas resources in N.Y. State will be held 10 a.m.-4 p.m. (check the calendar directly below for extensive information, including about buses from New Paltz, Poughkeepsie and NYC.) Information, http://www.frackaction.com/.
Monday, May 2, OLD CHATHAM: The film "Hiroshima: A Mother's Prayer" will be screened at the Powell House Quaker Conference and Retreat Center, 524 Pitt Hall Rd. from 7-9 p.m. A discussion will follow, featuring a survivor of one of the two U.S. nuclear attacks, Takaaki Morikawa. The film calls for the abolition of nuclear weapons, and world peace. Free and public, with refreshments. Information, (518) 766-2992, poetapoetus@taconic.net, http://www.oldchathamquakers.org.
Tuesday, May 3, GARRISON: Marilyn Elie, of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, will discuss what residents can do to stop re-licensing of the Indian Point nuclear plant. Her 7-9 p.m. talk is at the Desmond-Fish Library, 472 Rt. 403 from 7-9 p.m. Voluntary contributions encouraged. Sponsored by Phillipstown for Democracy. Information, (917) 273-0808, margaret@haines.org, http://p4d.us.
Tuesday, May 3, ALBANY: The New York State Prisoner Justice Network will be hosting a Legislative Awareness Day for Prisoner Justice, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m., at 100 Swan St. The aim is to bring statewide prisoner justice activists together to lobby legislators and their staffs about issues such as parole reform, and present a vision for a community-based approach to social problems. Information, (518) 434-4037, nysprisonerjustice@gmail.com, http://www.nysprisonerjustice.org/.
Wednesday, May 4, PURCHASE (Manhattanville College): In the aftermath of the disaster at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, renewed attention is being focused on the two nuclear power plants at the Indian Point Energy Center in the Westchester county village of Buchanan, N.Y., along the Hudson River. After all, over 20 million people live within its 50-mile radius, including all of New York City and part of the Hudson Valley. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission recently declared the facility was at the highest risk in the U.S. of core damage from an earthquake. Increasingly, there are calls to "Shut down Indian Point!" A free public meeting. addressed by Marilyn Elie of the Indian Point Safe Energy Coalition, will be held at 7 p.m. in the East Library, Reid Castle, on campus (about 20 miles from Indian Point). She will also show two powerful short videos. Information, Connie Hogarth Center for Social Action, (914) 323-7156.
Wednesday, May 4, NEW PALTZ: The local chapter of Amnesty International will have an informational and planning meeting at Village Hall, 25 Plattekill Ave., 6-7 p.m. All are welcome to help plan future strategies. Information, Ilgu Ozler at Ilgu_ozler@yahoo.com, http://www.amnestyusa.org/.
Thursday, May 5, DELMAR: "Inside Job" is the new documentary film that details the greed and corruption of Wall St. and the big banks that generated the global capitalist crisis known as the Great Recession. It will be screened at 6:45 p.m. at the Bethlehem Public Library, 451 Delaware Ave. Sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace. Information, (518) 466-1192, jlombard@nycap.rr.com, http://www.bethlehemforpeace.org.
Saturday, May 7, POUGHKEEPSIE: The great Paul Robeson will be honored today in a program titled "An American Life: ...of Passing the Torch Through the Arts." The event will consist of a lecture by Dr. Michael Morrison entitled, "O Worthy Pioneers," and a re-enactment of Robeson speeches by Michael Monasterial. Robeson (1898-1976), the son of an escaped slave, was a African-American concert singer, athlete, actor and a well known activist in the U.S. civil rights movement and the international struggle for peace, equality and socialism. He was the first major concert star to popularize the performance of Negro spirituals and was the first black actor of the 20th century to portray Shakespeare's Othello in a production with an all white cast. The 2-6 p.m. free public event will be held in the Lateef Islam Auditorium of the Family Partnership Center, 29 North Hamilton St. The sponsor is the Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Library, and the N.Y. Council for the Humanities. Information, odell_winfield@yahoo.com, (914) 388-3092, http://africanrootslibrary.tripod.com.
Saturday, May 7, TROY: The Northeast Animal Liberation festival will take place at the Sanctuary for Independent Media, 3361 6th Ave. at 6 p.m. A vegan BBQ pot luck will be followed by the screening of the film, "Bold Native," about the animal liberation movement. A discussion with Jenny Brown of Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary and Camille Hankins of Win Animal Rights and No Kill NY will follow. Co-sponsored by The Sanctuary for Independent Media and Adirondack Animal Rights. Information, Steve Pierce, (518) 207-6264, pierce@nyMediaAlliance.org.
Saturday, May 7, ROSENDALE: An event titled a Dancing Freedom Fundraiser is set for 7-9 p.m. at the Rosendale Theatre, 408 Main St. The event includes the screening of a new film about the one-of-a-kind dance and theater program at Woodbourne Correctional Facility for men, followed by a live dance by the Figures in Flight Dance Company. There will be a Q&A and a light fare reception. Admission is $10, and all proceeds benefit Rehabilitation Through the Arts (the sponsor) and the Figures in Flight Dance Company. Information, Michael Cacchio at (845) 943-8633.
Sunday, May 8, NEW PALTZ: Women and men are observing Mother's Day today by gathering at 1 p.m. to demand "Shut Down Indian Point," the regional nuclear power facility. They will assemble on Rt. 299 near the Wallkill View Farm Market, west of the Wallkill River about mile past the bridge. A group called Mothers and Others to Shut Down Indian Point organized the event, and asks: "Please bring a daisy or another flower of your choice. We will hold or wear these flowers for Mother's Day — to celebrate nature, life, simplicity, and beauty. For peace. We will make a long human chain to show our unity in opposing the Indian Point nuclear power plant, which is 50 miles south of New Paltz. There will be moment of silence for Japan and its people." (The rain date is the next Sunday, May 15.) Information, human4newpaltz@yahoo.com.
Sunday, May 8, NEW PALTZ: Members of Arts for Peace and friends will gather for an antiwar event 1-2 p.m. at the intersection of Main and North Front Sts. to distribute flowers to passersby and copies of the Mother's Day Proclamation written by pacifist Julia Ward Howe in 1870. We're told, "Jean Vilkelis will serenade moms with fiddle tunes, jigs and reels." Information, yo-mom@earthlink.net.
Thursday, May 12, ROSENDALE: Local activist Barbara Upton will address a 7 p.m. meeting at the Rosendale Café, 434 Main St., to discuss "raising awareness of genetically modified (GM) foods and how to live GM-free." RSVP to ClearStreamMedia@gmail.com. If you cannot make it but would like to be on the local NO GMO List, write to Barbara at that address. Information, http://www.clearstreammedia.blogspot.com/.
Sunday, May 15, NEW YORK CITY: The Annual Veggie Pride Parade and Exposition will take place, starting at Gansevoort St, and 9th Ave, at 11 a.m., and march to the north side of Union Square Park with a rally at 12 noon. Join vegans, vegetarians, and animal rights advocates celebrating a healthy life style and diet, full of compassion for other living creatures, in a more sustainable means for our only planet. Encourage carnivores and omnivores to become vegans/vegetarians as well. Sponsored by VivaVegie Society.Information, (212) 242-0011, http://www.veggieprideparade.org.
Tuesday, May 17, ALBANY: NARAL's Pro-Choice Lobby Day will take place today at Empire State Plaza 10 a.m.-4 p.m. We're told: " The War on Women is being waged at the federal and state levels. And it's time for us to take our mounting concerns about the perilous state of our reproductive rights straight to lawmakers in Albany! Tell your elected State officials that you want them to protect reproductive rights, and protect women's health in New York. Breakfast and free transportation from NYC will be provided. Information and to RSVP, http://www.prochoiceny.org/instate/lobbyday.shtml.
