Local Human Rights Events in Detroit Metro This Week

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AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL  –

Oct 29-31 (Fri-Sun) Amnesty International Midwest Regional Conference: Shine A Light: 50 Years of Activism. Join Detroit area Amnesty groups and hundreds of Amnesty International members and supporters for our Annual Mid-West Regional Conference.  Doubletree Hotel Downtown /Ft Shelby, 525 W Lafayette Blvd, Detroit, 48266.

For info and to register: http://www.amnestyusa.org/regional-conferences/midwest/page.do?id=1650037

AND ON SUNDAY AT 10:30AM – free and open to the public:

Oct 31 Sunday at 10:30 a.m., Amnesty International Midwest conference will turn attention to an issue that has been front-and-center locally:  the right-sizing of Detroit. Panelists will discuss implications for the human rights of inhabitants facing joblessness and reductions in essential services as Detroit’s population continues to shrink.  Panelists include: Peter Hammer, Wayne State University Law Professor; Bankole Thompson, editor of the Michigan Chronicle; Heaster Wheeler, Executive Director, Detroit Branch, NAACP; Ron Scott, Director, Campaign Against Police Brutality; Shea Howell  of Oakland University and Kurt Metzger  of Data Driven Detroit.

Oct 31, Sun 10:00 am-12.  Education: What about the children?  Where are we going? There is an alternative:  What happens after Bobb? Boggs Center 3061 Field, Detroit, 48214. Coffee, juice, bagels, conversation. Bring your thoughts, your dreams and your fears to a conversation with:  Grace Lee Boggs, Elizabeth Bauer,  State Board of Ed member  http://www.bauer4stateboard.com/ Julia Putnam, a founder of the Boggs Educational Center and preparing to open a school in 2011. http://boggseducationalcenter.org/ Info: Rich Feldman, 248-225-8037 www.boggscenter.org &  www.boggsblog.org

Mon. Nov. 1, 7:00 p.m. Screening of new documentary, JUSTICE ON TRIAL: THE CASE OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL. 5920 Second Ave. at Antoinette, North of WSU Campus. Free. As one of the nation’s most closely-watched death row cases heads to the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals on November 9, Baruch College Professor of American History Johanna Fernandez teams up with director Kouross Esmaeli of Big Noise Films to investigate the controversial case of Mumia Abu-Jamal in their new film, Justice on Trial: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.  MECAWI Info: 313.671.3715, E-mail: panafnewswire@yahoo.com, URL: http://www.mecawi.org.

Nov 1, Mon 5:30pm Michigan Welfare Rights Organization Utilities Committee Meeting, MWRO Offices 23 E Adams (4^th flr). Report Back: November visit of newly formed ‘People & Energy’ coalition and other issues and strategies related to utilities security for those in greatest need.  Info (313) 964-0618, http://michiganwro.blogspot.com/.

Nov 3, Wed 7:00 PM John Gallagher, author of Reimagining Detroit, “Opportunities for redefining an American City”. Grosse Pointe Woods Public Library, 20680 Mack,  GP Woods 48236. John Gallagher, joined the Free Press in 1987 to cover urban development and architecture.  He wrote the book “Great Architecture of Michigan” and coauthored AIA Detroit: The American Institute of Architects Guide to Detroit Architecture.  He and his wife live along Detroit’s east riverfront. Sponsored by Pointes for Peace.  Info: http://pointesforpeace.org

Fri Nov 5 LIVING JUSTICE – Celebrating the Life and Work of Edward Said and Rachel Corrie on the evening of November 5, 2010. MPT will be hosting Cindy and Craig Corrie, parents of Rachel, and Grace Said, sister of Dr. Edward Said.  The event, an important fundraiser, will be held at the Greenfield Manor, 4770 Greenfield in Dearborn, MI 48126. Michigan Peace Team sends teams of peacemakers to areas of conflict. (http://www.michiganpeaceteam.org/).  Most of their outstanding work has been in Palestine where they seek to prevent illegal home demolitions, work in olive harvests and, by their presence, try to reduce violence against the farmers. Recently a Michigan Peace Team has gone to Ciudad Juarez on the Northern Mexican border where they are working in a community center serving women and children in a community literally dying for want of peace (see their blog  http://mptinjuarez.blogspot.com/. )

Nov. 8, MON 7 p.m., Building Peace in Colombia, Father Alberto Franco, a Colombian priest and outspoken peace and human rights advocate. U of D – Mercy, Livernois @ McNichols, Ford Life Sciences Bldg, Room 113. Fr. Alberto is a renowned leader in the Colombian human rights movement; executive secretary of Inter-church Justice and Peace Commission, a 22 year-old Colombian human rights and community organizing group. Despite repeated death threats, Fr. Alberto has worked for human rights and accompanied the resistance processes of Afro-Colombian, indigenous and mixed race farmers for over 20 years.” Fr. Alberto will come with his translator supplied by Witness for Peace. Sponsored by CLASA and co-sponsored by the Gesu Peace and Justice committee.

Also speaking Tues Nov 9, 7-9pm in Ann Arbor First Baptist Church, 517 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor. Light refreshments will be provided. Free and open to the public. Sponsored by ICPJ and Witness for Peace. Info: Jessica@icpj.net or call (734) 663-1870.

Nov. 10, Wed, 7pm. American Sons: Reflections on Being Muslim in America. Arbor Public Library (Downtown Branch, 343 South Fifth Avenue). Dr. Sherman Jackson, the Arthur F. Thurnau Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Visiting Professor of Law and Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Michigan, will moderate a panel of five Muslim men, in a discussion about being Muslim in America from their own experiences and local perspectives. Discussion will center on the diversity of our community, how Muslims deal with the issues of multiculturalism and several tensions and barriers that exist in tackling issues from within the Muslim and the broader community. This event is co-sponsored by the Ann Arbor Public Library, U of M Muslim Students’ Association and the Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice. For more information contact Jessica@icpj.net or (734) 663-1870.

Nov. 11, Thus, 7-9pm. Faith & Faith Video Premiere, Ecumenical Theological Seminary, Detroit. “I wish I could tell my mother I was gay.”“I wish my church accepted my sexuality.”“My religion says homosexuality is a sin.  Maybe I should kill myself.” Phrases like these are explored through these two DVDs on the tensions between some expressions of faith and Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people.  While faith is a source of comfort and hope to many, some religious teachings have troubled LGBT people, leading to depression, isolation, suicide, and hate crimes against them. These videos are part of a larger project by the Michigan Roundtable focused on building bridges of understanding and acceptance in faith communities for LGBT individuals throughout Michigan so that can be fully included in their faith traditions.

Register here for LGBT & Faith Video Premiere, Info: Steve Spreitzer, 313-870-1500 x109 sspreitzer@miroundtable.org This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Sat, Nov 13 Noon WOMEN IN BLACK silent peace walk. Eastern Market, gather at corner of Russell & Wilkens (northwest parking area).  Please wear black, all are welcome – women, men and children. To subscribe to email notice of future WIB monthly walks:  WIB-Detroit-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

Thus Nov 18 4pm. Essential: Advocacy for Community Justice. Van Jones activist for human rights and a clean energy economy addresses Detroit, free lecture prior to awards fundraiser.  660 Woodward Ave, Suite 300, Detroit, 48226. Van has been a pioneer in the effort to make sure clean energy jobs and investment go to hard-hit communities, not just the privileged. Van is a co-founder of the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, Color of Change and Green For All. He wrote The Green-Collar Economy, the definitive book on green jobs. In 2009 Van served as White House advisor on green jobs. TIME Magazine named him one of the world’s 100 most influential people, and the World Economic Forum designated him as a “Young Global Leader.” Van is currently a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress and a Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Princeton University. 5:30-8: Van will receive the 2010 Sugar Voice for Justice Award at a fundraising reception following the open talk. GEQ Jazz: Live music, Hors d’oeuvres, cash bar. Tickets $50 in advance ($60 at the door); Student/low-income $25, Click to purchase. For more information, call Sugar Law Center at 313-993-4505 or www.sugarlaw.org.

Nov 19-21, (Fri-Sun) Say “No” to oppression, exploitation, and U.S.-sponsored militarism. Get on the bus to protest at the School of the Americas, Gates of Ft. Benning, GA. Bus leaves Ann Arbor on Fri., Nov. 19th around 5pm and returns early morning on Monday, Nov. 21. The School of the Americas (renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation in 2001), based in Ft. Benning, Georgia, has trained some of the worst human rights abusers in Latin America. Join ICPJ as we take a delegation to the annual vigil to unite our voices with thousands community members, union members, students, teachers, activists, clergy, families, and others to close the SOA/WHINSEC. Bus leaves Ann Arbor on Fri., Nov. 19th around 5pm and returns early morning on Monday, Nov. 21st. Read more and register today! Questions: Contact Jessica@icpj.net or call 734-663-1870. Web: http://www.icpj.net/.

Nov 20, Sat 8:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Boys of Color: Perilous Times.   Marygrove College, 8425 West McNichols, Detroit. Detroit’s African-American and Latino young men are in a crisis of epic proportions. Come join the first of a series of community conversations and be a part of finding the solution. The Skillman Foundation – along with a number of other agencies and universities – is organizing a series of discussions on the future of Boys of Color in our community.

Nov 20, Sat, 2010.  Youth Diversity Leadership Summit, VistaTech Center, Schoolcraft College, Livonia. This year’s summit will feature workshops and dialogues led by our youth interns.  Topics at the summit will include immigration, disability rights movement, structural segregation in our region, and sexual orientation.  Registration is $15 for students and $30 for adults. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER ONLINE

Nov 20 Sat,  8:30 – 4 p.m.  CONFERENCE: IMMIGRATION REFORM & LGBT RIGHTS. Statewide conference features workshops on how responding with love to the oppression of immigrants and persons from LGBT communities, calls for understanding their  stories and advocating for policy changes in Michigan.  Earlybird registration: $30. For low income or students – $15  Includes breakfast, lunch and child care.  Sponsored by Michigan Unitarian Universalist Social Justice Network. Call Randy: 248-549-5170. To register, go to:  www.uujustice.org/conferenceregistration.html

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Wednesday events 7pm at the Jeanie Wylie Community, 4689 Larkins, Detroit, MI 48210. Nov 3, Documentary Night: Iron Jawed Angels. This is an incredible movie (not a documentary) about women’s suffrage. Nov 10 Craft Night. Bring some knitting, crocheting, glue and magazines, sewing, anything you like! Come and craft together. Nov 17, Clarification of Thought, Conversation with Elena Herrada. Conversation about the reality of the struggles and injustices that face undocumented people in SW Detroit.  Info: jeaniewyliecommunity.blogspot.com, all are welcome!

“TROUBLE ON THE BORDER” presented by MICHIGAN  COALITION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS (MCHR).

The presentations will be held at the following dates and locations: Thus, Nov 4, 6 PM IHM motherhouse, 610 W Elm Ave, Monroe, MI 48162-7909, (734) 241-3660.  Sat, Nov 6, 10 AM, Royal Oak Senior Center, 3500 Marais Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48073-2401, (248) 246-3900. Near Main & 13 Mile Road. Wed, Nov 17, 7 PM, Huntington Wds Library (downstairs), 26415 Scotia Rd, North of 10 Mile Rd.  248-943-9720. Long-time MCHR board members, Charlie and Jean Rooney, have been living in Tucson Arizona. They have been working with No More Deaths, one of several humanitarian groups seeking to prevent death and injury to these desperate people migrating for work in the United States. In the last decade, between 5,000 to 20,000 border crossers died in the deserts that lie between Tucson and the Mexican border. Why do they choose this most deadly route? What has American policy to do with the deaths? Are their deaths “their own fault” or the unintended consequences of a misdirected policy? Also screening of sections of the powerful film “The 800 Mile Fence.” one of the most controversial aspects of the US effort to keep immigrants out.