02-04-15 Feb. CALENDAR

FEBRUARY CALENDAR

02-04-15, Hudson Valley Activist Calendar, Issue #688

To subscribe contact us at jacdon@earthlink.net

Online: http://activistnewsletter.blogspot.com/

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For The Latest NEWSLETTER, Click: 02-18-15 NEWSLETTER

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Editor’s note: There will be more events announced during this month. Check back in several days. We update each calendar online as new events are announced until the next full calendar is posted. The additional items will begin with this mark: √√.

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                                                       Welcome Black History Month

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Wednesday Feb. 4 to Friday, Feb. 20 (Eighteen day showing), LOUDONVILLE (Siena College campus): 
”Boycott!  The Art of Economic Activism” is an exhibition that highlights the power of dramatic poster art to secure people's rights and achieve justice. It was created by the American Friends’ Service Committee and the Center for the Study of Political Graphics. This free public showing is at the Standish Library, 515 Loudon Rd. Featured are The Montgomery Bus Boycott, United Farm Worker grape and lettuce boycotts, Anti-Apartheid Movement, Anti-Sweatshop campaigns, the Immokalee workers campaign against Taco Bell, and the Palestinian call for Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS), among more than 20 nonviolent campaigns. On Feb. 9. There will be an opening reception with AFSC representative Martha Yager on Monday, February 9, 5- 7 p.m. On Feb. 11 a panel presentation with leading activists will share stories of their boycott campaign experiences and answer your questions. This program is sponsored by Upper Hudson Peace Action and hosted at the college by its Fair Trade and Social Justice Program. The exhibit is co-sponsored here by the Albany chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace, Women against War, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, and the Solidarity Committee of the Capital District. Information, (518) 966-5366, kprehm@aol.com, tomellis107@gmail.com.

Wednesday, Feb. 4, KINGSTON: The NYS Public Service Commission's Informational Session and Public Statement Hearing on the Reforming the Energy Vision (REV) proceeding, will be held at 6 p.m. at Kingston City Hall, Common Council Chambers, 420 Broadway. For talking points and to learn more go to the Citizens for Local Power website: http://www.citizensforlocalpower.com/community-choice--cca-.ht

Wednesday, Feb. 4, POUGHKEEPSIE: A public forum on solving various problems confronting residents of the Mid-Hudson city will take place at 6:30 p.m. in the Public Safety Building, 505 Main St. Lawyer Michael Sussman will be the guest speaker. All are welcome. Information, host ShaRon McClinton, mcclintonforpoughkeepsie@gmail.com, (845) 232-8783.

√√ Saturday, Feb. 7, NEW PALTZ: A free public screening of the feature-length environmental film “Cowspiracy” will take place 6-8 p.m. at the Town of New Paltz Community Center, 3 Veterans Drive, just off Rt 32. We’re told: "This documentary shows why animal agriculture is the leading cause of deforestation, water consumption and pollution.... As seating is limited, please RSVP to wildwatch@verizon.net." Hosted by Wildlife Watch (www.wildwatch.org), and Nava Atlas (wwwVegKitchen.com).

Monday, Feb. 9, KINGSTON: The End the New Jim Crow Action Network! (ENJAN), a Hudson Valley group dedicated to fighting racist policies of racial profiling, police brutality, and mass incarceration (the "new Jim Crow"), meets 6-8 p.m. at the New Progressive Baptist Church, 8 Hone St. (Also meets here Feb. 23.) Information, (845) 475-8781, http://www.enjan.org.

Wednesday, Feb. 11, POUGHKEEPSIE: The End the New Jim Crow Action Network will meet 6-8 p.m. at the Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Library, Family Partnership Center, 29 N. Hamilton St. (Also meets here Feb. 25.) Information, (845) 475-8781, http://www.enjan.org.

The young Charles  Darwin.

√√ Thursday, Feb. 12, NEW PALTZ (SUNY CAMPUS): Today is International Darwin Day, a celebration of the great scientist’s 206^th birthday. The free public SUNY event will take place 5-8 p.m. in Lecture Center 108. The 
keynote speaker is Dr. Gabrielle Starr, Dean of the College of Art & Sciences at NYU, who says: "Celebrate the birthday with an artistic flair. Explore why humans are the artistic ape.” After the talk there will be a panel of local scholars with interests in the interface between evolution and art. A reception will follow. The American Humanist Association, which sponsors the event, declares: “International Darwin Day will inspire people throughout the globe to reflect and act on the principles of intellectual bravery, perpetual curiosity, scientific thinking, and hunger for truth as embodied in Charles Darwin. It will be a day of celebration, activism, and international cooperation for the advancement of science, education, and human well being." 

Campus map: http://www.newpaltz.edu/map.

Thursday, Feb. 12, NEW PALTZ: A public discussion called “Learn how to block Pilgrim Pipeline's (PP) access to our neighbors' land (and ours)” will take place 6:30-7:30 p.m. at New Paltz Village Hall,  25 Plattekill Ave. The proposed oil pipeline is set to pass through towns along the New York State Thruway, including New Paltz, from Albany to refineries in New Jersey. It would transport explosive, volatile crude oil from the Bakken Shale fields of North Dakota. This meeting is sponsored by New Paltz Climate Action. Information, newpaltzclimateaction@gmail.com.

Thursday, Feb. 12, WOODSTOCK: Middle East Crisis Response, a group of Hudson Valley residents joined together to promote peace and human rights in Palestine and the Middle East, will hold its regular meeting tonight, 7-8:30 p.m. at Woodstock Public Library, 5 Library Lane. (Next meeting Feb. 26, same place.) Information, (845) 876-7906, http://www.mideastcrisis.org.

√√ Friday, Saturday, Feb. 13-14 and beyond, HUDSON VALLEY, U.S.A., WORLD: This weekend and later dates will feature V-Day, One Billion Rising meetings, protests, dancing and other events. A number of cities and towns in the Hudson Valley will observe this annual day dedicated to opposing sexual violence against women. Actions are scheduled in Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Goshen, Newburgh, Purchase, Nyack, and other locations. Information about these events is available on the One Billion Rising website at http://www.onebillionrising.org.  For events:

/http://www.onebillionrising.org/events/#!/41.078580231039126/-73.32044642629393/13/

Note that in some cases there are two or three events. Also there probably are more events than this in the region. If we missed your event let us know right away at jacdon@earthlink.net.

√√ Friday, Saturday, Feb. 13-14 and beyond, HUDSON VALLEY, U.S.A., WORLD: This weekend and later dates will feature V-Day, One Billion Rising meetings, protests, dancing and other events. A number of cities and towns in the Hudson Valley will observe this annual observance of a day dedicated to opposing violence against women. Actions are scheduled in Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Goshen, Newburgh, Purchase, Nyack, and other locations. Information about these events is available on the One Billion Rising website at http://www.onebillionrising.org.  For events:

/http://www.onebillionrising.org/events/#!/41.078580231039126/-73.32044642629393/13/

Note that in some cases there are two or three events. Also there probably are more events than this in the region. If we missed your event let us know right away at jacdon@earthlink.net.

Ella Baker as a young leader of  Student
Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

SNOW. Rescheduled for Saturday Mach 14. 
Saturday, Feb. 14, KINGSTON: In honor of Black History Month,  the film “Fundi,” the story of African-American civil rights fighter Ella Baker, will be screened at 5 p.m. followed by a lively panel discussion. This public event, the first of a series on Women of the Movement, will take place at the New Progressive Baptist Church, 8 Hone St. Baker was a key figure in the struggle against segregation in Amerrica. She was also an adviser to Martin Luther King Jr. The panel consists of Rita Worthington (Black Lives Matter), Teresa Washington (School to Prison Pipeline), Evelyn Clarke and Esther Taylor-Evans (Storytelling and the Arts as Teaching Tools). All are welcome; refreshments served. Information, Odell Winfield,  odell_winfield@yahoo.com.

Saturday, Feb. 14, ALBANY: The marvelous documentary “Pete Seeger: The Power of Song” will be screened at 7:30 p.m. in Channing Hall of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany, 405 Washington Ave. This is the first authorized film biography of the great folksinger and left political activist. His inspiring story, accompanied by wonderful music, is told by Bruce Springsteen, Joan Baez, Tom Paxton, Bob Dylan, Arlo Guthrie, and Seeger himself. This showing is part of the film aeries of the Solidarity Committee of the Capital District. This free public event is is co-sponsored by Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, the Social Justice Center, and Upper Hudson Peace Action. Information, (518) 462-6005.

√√Tuesday, Feb. 17. KINGSTON (New Paltz & Rosendale): New Yorkers Against Fracking is urging people to attend a meeting of the Ulster County Legislature at 7 p.m. at the County Office Building, 244 Fair St. in the 6th floor chambers. New Paltz Climate Action is organizing car pools from New Paltz (Village Hall, 6 p.m.) and Rosendale (Community Center, 6:15 p.m.) “If you'd like to catch a ride, please contact (845) 255-7711. A brief period of public comment will be held before each resolution is voted on. Sign up when you arrive if you'd like your voice to be heard." The Legislature will be voting on two resolutions, and holding a public hearing on a third proposal. (1) Resolution 38: Opposing Pilgrim Pipeline. YES! (2) Resolution 314: Establishing A Pilot Program For Alternative Fuel And Committing To Create A Green Fleet Policy. NO! "This is a green Trojan horse, promoting propane, just another fossil fuel.” (3) The public hearing is for a local law banning Styrofoam food containers.

Wednesday, Feb. 18, ALBANY: Gail Walker, the executive director of the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO), will speak at 6 p.m. on the topic of President Obama’s decision to resume diplomatic relations with the Cuban government and Havana’s response.  Gail’s father, whom she assisted for years, was the late Rev. Lucius Walker, the long time leader of IFCO Pastors for Peace, an organization that devoted much of its work to offering solidarity to besieged Cuba. This important meeting will be held at the Albany Public Library161, Washington Ave. It is sponsored by Albany Cuba Solidarity. Information, AlbanyCubaSolidarity@gmail.com.

Tuesday, Feb. 24, NEW PALTZ (SUNY campus): A free public screening of the documentary 

“Citizen Koch,” will take place at 6 p.m. in the Coykendall Science Building auditorium. This enlightening film traces the money behind the rise of the Tea Party and its aligned “Americans for Prosperity,” a group founded and lavishly financed by billionaires David and Charles Koch. At 8 p.m. there will be a Q&A by the directors, Carl Deal and Tia Lesin. The video was contracted by PBS to be shown and then the showing was removed when the Koch brothers threatened cancelling its financial support of PBS if the video was shown. Information, bomsm@newpaltz.edu. 

√√ Friday, Feb. 27, MILLBROOK: Cary Institute scientist Dr. Emma Rosi-Marshall will discuss the effect that pharmaceutical and personal care product pollution has on rivers and streams. This free public event will take place at Cary Institute auditorium, 2801 Sharon Turnpike (Rt. 44).  Pharmaceutical pollution includes an array of contaminants, from prescription medications and over-the-counter drugs to antimicrobials and cosmetics. These compounds enter streams and rivers from our households, and are often not removed by wastewater treatment facilities. Information, (845) 677-7600, ect.121 or freemanp@caryinstitute.org.

√ √ Saturday, Feb. 28, NASSAU (Rensselaer County): The group Stop N.Y. Fracked Gas Pipeline will conduct a public forum 12-3 p.m at the Nassau Sportsman Club (370 Boyce Rd.), which is sponsoring the event. The proposed pipeline in question is the Kinder Morgan Northeast Energy Direct (NED) pipeline project. The event will feature videos, a PowerPoint presentation illustrating the community’s many concerns about the project, and a Q&A session. Information, (518) 781-4686, raconnors@yahoo.com.

For The Latest NEWSLETTER, Click: 02-18-15 NEWSLETTER