To subscribe contact us at jacdon@earthlink.net.
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The Calendar is updated with new events every few days
throughout the month. Check in again later this month. New items begin with this mark: √√.
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The new Activist Newsletter will be posted June 10 at http://activistnewsletter.blogspot.com/
For the last Newsletter click on May 15,
NEWSLETTER
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SUMMERTIME, AT LAST, JUNE 20!
Wednesday, June 1,
ALBANY: The documentary titled The
AOGIRI — Phoenix Tree will be shown
at 6 p.m. at the Albany Public Library (Delaware Branch), 331 Delaware Ave. This
free public film reveals details of the suffering of a young woman who in one
horrific instant lost her leg in the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and
experienced severe despair for a number of years. She eventually became an
"atomic bomb storyteller for peace." The Aogiri tree (Chinese parasol
tree) also survived the A-bomb and is now standing in Hiroshima Memorial Peace
Park. Satomi Nakamura, who produced the film, will attend. She is also a song
writer and musician and will perform a couple of the songs from the film if
there is time. A discussion will follow. Co-sponsored by Bethlehem
Neighbors for Peace, Upper Hudson Peace Action and Women Against War.
Free and public. Information: (518) 466-1192.
Thursday, June 2,
POUGHKEEPSIE: A free screening of Michael Moore's excellent new film Where to Invade Next will take place at
7 p.m. in the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie, 67 South
Randolph Ave. This event is in conjunction with MoveOn's call for showing the
film on this day in hundreds of locations across the U.S. Information, linda@earthkindenergy.com.
 |
| The famous tree in Hiroshima, still standing. |
Friday June 3, OLD
CHATHAM: The documentary titled The AOGIRI — Phoenix Tree will be shown at 7 p.m. in the
Old Chatham Quaker Meetinghouse, 539 County Rt. 13, across from Pitt Hall Rd.
and Powell House. This free public film reveals details of the suffering of a
young woman who in one horrific instant lost her leg in the atomic bombing of
Hiroshima and experienced severe despair for a number of years. She eventually
became an "atomic bomb storyteller for peace." The Aogiri tree
(Chinese parasol tree) also survived the A-bomb and is now standing in
Hiroshima Memorial Peace Park. This tree is famous and its seeds have been
spread around the world as part of the campaign against nuclear weapons.
Refreshments will be served and a moderated discussion will follow. Information
(518) 766-2992, www.oldchathamquakers.org.
Friday, June 3,
KINGSTON: There will be a 7 p.m. screening of the documentary The Occupation of the American Mind:
Israel’s Public Relations War in the United States at the Unitarian
Universalist Congregation of the Catskills, 320 Sawkill Rd. This film offers a
sophisticated analysis of the Zionist strategy to keep Washington policymakers and
the U.S. public on Israel's side despite its subjugation of the Palestinian people.
Sponsored by Middle East Crisis Response (www.mideastcrisis.org) and Hudson
Valley Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (www.hudsonvalleybds.org.) Information, Jane.toby7@gmail.com, or (518) 291-6808. A
review of the film is at http://mondoweiss.net/2016/03/the-occupation-of-the-american-mind-documented.
Saturday June 4, NEW
PALTZ: Every Saturday, 12:45 to 1:30 p.m., New Paltz Women in Black
conducts a vigil for peace and justice in front of the Elting Library, corner
of Main and North Front Streets. This is their 15th year. Join them. (Also
Saturday 11,18, and 25.). Information, AnaHataSun@aol.com.
Sunday, June 5,
POUGHKEEPSIE: An interfaith demonstration "in solidarity with our
Muslim brothers and sisters" will take on the Walkway Over the Hudson
today, the day before Ramadan. Participants include Dutchess County Interfaith
Council, Jews of Dutchess County, and members of other faith communities.
People will assemble at 5:30 p.m. at the Poughkeepsie side of the Walkway at
Parker Ave. At 6 p.m. they "will walk hand in hand over the bridge."
At 7 there's an iftar meal at a nearby location (TBA) This meal traditionally
breaks the fast every evening during Ramadan; "bring a vegetarian dish to
share if you'd like." A half hour discussion starts at 8 followed by
Sunset prayers. Information, Marian Schwartz at socialaction@vassartemple.org,
or (845) 849-0025.
Sunday, June 5, NEW
PALTZ: This town's annual gay pride march and festival begins with a 1 p.m.
march from the Middle School parking lot (Main St. and South Manheim) and winds
up at Hasbrouck Park where the 2-4 p.m. festival will be held. Everybody's
invited.
Monday, June 6,
DELMAR: Vigil each Monday, 5-6 p.m. at the four corners intersection of
Kenwood and Delaware Aves.. Bring your sign or use one of ours. Stay for a few
minutes or an hour. Let's stand together for peace. Information, (518)
466-1192.
√√ Tuesday, June 7,
ALBANY: People of Albany United for Safe Energy (PAUSE) will converge from
11:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. in front of Department of Environmental Conservation headquarters
in downtown Albany (625 Broadway) to demand that the DEC and Governor Cuomo
rescind the building permit for the Global Partners Crude Oil Heating Facility
in the Port of Albany. The DEC has until June 13 to respond to Global’s
application. It is charged that permission would allow the transport of tar sands oil through New York. PAUSE says: "Come tell DEC that approval of this facility will
further decrease air quality for South End residents, risk permanently
contaminating the Hudson River and put more CO2 into the atmosphere. This is
NOT the path to 100% renewable by 2030." Information, pausenergy@pause.emailnb.com, http://www.pausenergy.org/
√√ Wednesday, June 8,
KINGSTON: A teach-in on the imperfections of American democracy will take
place 6:30-8:30 p.m. at City Hall, 420 Broadway. According to Citizen Action:
"A #DemandDemocracy agenda is being pushed statewide by everyday folks who
are fed up with the status quo of our political system where corrupt
politicians are working for the benefit of their wealthy corporate donors and
not for the people they're supposed to represent. The moment is here to
demand a world where the people in our communities have space in the decision
making process on issues that affect us. The moment is here to
#DemandDemocracy. Information, http://demanddemocracy.org/,
cjayne@citizenactionny.org.
Wednesday, June 8,
POUGHKEEPSIE: ENJAN (End The New Jim Crow Action Network) will meet 6-8
p.m. in the Sadie Peterson Delaney African Roots Library, Family Partnership
Center, 29 N. Hamilton St. ENJAN is a Hudson Valley network dedicated to
fighting racist policies of racial profiling, police brutality, and mass
incarceration. The next meeting is June 22. Information, (845) 475-8781 or www.enjan.org.
Wednesday, June 8, DELMAR: Albany Law School Professor Stephen
Gottlieb
will speak on "Democracy and the Roberts Court" 7- 9 p.m.
at
Bethlehem Public Library,
451 Delaware Ave.
Gottlieb will discuss the topic of his recent book, Unfit for Democracy: The Roberts Court
and the Breakdown of American Politics. Information, (518) 466-1192.
Thursday, June 9,
WOODSTOCK: Middle East Crisis Response (MECR) will meet from 7-8:30 p.m. in
the Woodstock Public Library, 5 Library Lane. MECR is a group of Hudson Valley
residents joined together to promote peace and human rights in Palestine and
the Middle East. (The following meeting is June 23.) Information, (845)
876-7906 or www.mideastcrisis.org.
Friday, June 10, BEACON: The new environmental documentary Dear President Obama will be screened at 7:30 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church of Beacon, McKinley Hall, 50 Liberty St. The film takes a cross-country look at drilling for oil and gas, highlighting its variety of contaminations, the stories of its victims, and the false promise of an economic boom, with a focus on clean energy solutions. Interviews with scientists, economists, health professionals, geologists and whistle-blowers provide the information that they hope will help convince Washington to take significant steps to fight global warming. Public and free (donations accepted). This is an Oceans 8 Film, written and directed by Jon Bowermaster and narrated by Mark Ruffalo. Check out this powerful 2-minute trailer at https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=KcZ98FpSqXo
Information http://www.moviesthatmatterbeacon.org.
Saturday, June
11, ALBANY: The Capital Pride Parade steps off at 12 noon in Washington
Park at the intersection of Robin and State Sts. From there the march continues
down State St., over Lark St., up Madison Ave. and back into the park at the
intersection of Madison and New Scotland Aves. A Pride Festival and Rally will
begin immediately following the parade, lasting the entire afternoon. We're
told, "There will be fabulous entertainment on the festival stage and
activities for the entire family!" Information, http://www.albany.com/event/capital-pride-58748/.
Monday, June 13,
KINGSTON: The End The New Jim Crow Action Network (ENJAN) will meet 6-8
p.m. at the New Progressive Baptist Church, 8 Hone St. ENJAN is a Hudson Valley
network dedicated to fighting racist policies of racial profiling, police
brutality, and mass incarceration. (The next meeting is June 27) Information,
(845) 475-8781 or www.enjan.org.
√√ Wednesday, June
15, ALBANY: A protest will take
place here today starting at 12 noon against Gov. Cuomo's executive order
banning the state from doing business with any group that formally cuts ties to
the state of Israel as part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.
The action will take place in the Capital building's 2nd floor outside of Gov.
Cuomo's office. BDS is a global movement committed to fighting nonviolently to
end the illegal occupation of Palestinian land and the subjugation of the
Palestinian people in the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip. The
organization has been under increasing attack by those threatened by the
support for human rights it has galvanized worldwide and for shining a critical
light on the abusive policies of the Israeli government when it comes to the
treatment of Palestinians. The event is sponsored by Jewish Voice for Peace
(Albany chapter), Palestinian Rights Committee of Upper Hudson Peace Action,
CodePink, Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace, Middle East Crisis Response and
others.
Saturday June 18,
KINGSTON and NATIONWIDE. A Celebration of Juneteenth takes place
here today at the New Progressive Baptist Church, 8 Hone St. promptly at 5 p.m.
Appearing will be Professor A. J. Williams-Myers, famed civil rights
photographer Jim Peppler, and the Redwing Blackbird Theater performing a short
mask and puppet show. All are invited. (Information, Odell Winfield, [914] 388-3092). Juneteenth is also known as Juneteenth Independence Day or Freedom
Day. Juneteenth is a holiday that commemorates the announcement of the abolition
of slavery in Texas in June
1865, and more generally the emancipation of African-American slaves
throughout the Confederate South. Celebrated on June 19, the term is a portmanteau of June and
nineteenth and is recognized as a state holiday or special day of observance in
most states. The holiday is observed primarily in local celebrations.
Traditions include public readings of the Emancipation
Proclamation, singing traditional songs and Lift Every Voice and
Sing, and readings by noted African-American writers such as Ralph Ellison and Maya Angelou. Celebrations
may include parades, rodeos, street fairs, cookouts, family reunions, park
parties, and reenactments. "Lift Every Voice and Sing" was originally
a poem by James Weldon Johnson (1871–1938), now often referred to as the
"Black American National Anthem." For a 3 minute 32 second version of
this powerful song (with lyrics) go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ya7Bn7kPkLo.
The May 15 Activist Newsletter is just below
