In This Issue
- Fall Fundraising Drive
- 2010 Chinook Book
- Join CAGJ’s Facebook Page!
- THE PEOPLE'S SUMMIT Nov 27-29
- CAGJ’s 7th Teach Out! with FEEST
- Local Roots and Jubilee Farm Teach-Out Report
- ACTION ALERT: Stop Big Ag in the White House
- The Plot Thickens: Honduran Coup Regime
- SweatFree Policies Gain Ground
- Cascadian Edible Landscapes Request
- Community Calendar
Upcoming CAGJ Organizing Meetings
- Steering Committee Meeting: Nov 3, 6:30-8:30pm at the CAGJ Office
- Food Justice Project Meeting: Mon Nov 9, 6:30 - 8:30
-AGRA Watch Meeting: Tues Nov 17, 6:00 - 8:30
- Book Group, "In Defense of Food" by Michael Pollan: Wed. Nov. 18, 7:00-8:30 @ Caffe Vita on Capitol Hill
-Seattle+10 Organizing Committee: Weekly Meetings thoughout November!
Contact us for more info!
Fall Fundraising Drive: Your Chance to Secure CAGJ’s (and the World’s) Future! Call for support from Danielle Abbot, CAGJ Fundraising Chair
At this critical economic and climactic time, the Community Alliance for Global Justice can significantly influence food and trade policy locally and globally. We work hard all year long to build community and the food justice movement, offering many free or low cost community gatherings. In order to continue our work, however, we must secure funding to keep our doors open, the electricity on, and to pay our Director/Lead Organizer a fair wage. We need YOU! This November, we are holding phone banks Nov 10 & 12, and launching a major donor drive to ask CAGJ supporters and friends to make monetary donations – so expect to hear from us! What does global justice mean to you? How about fair wages and safe working environments for you and workers everywhere? How about safe, nutritious food for your children and all children in the years to come? How much you can contribute to help CAGJ bring its vision closer to reality? You may choose to become a member who donates once a year but we urge you to consider becoming a monthly sustainer. Sustainers have a set amount ($5, $20, $50, etc.) automatically deducted from their bank accounts each month which guarantees CAGJ income over the course of the entire year. We need to double the number of sustainers in November in order to stay financially solvent. I am a sustainer and have found that it’s an extremely easy and rewarding way to give. When I look at my statement each month and compare the value and amount of my CAGJ donation to other expenditures (a $7 sandwich, a night at a club, $30 car gas bill), I know that at least one of my expenses was meaningful and lasting!
Each one of us giving a little each month will make a big difference.
- Become a member, sustainer, or major donor right now!
- Volunteer for a shift at the November phone bank: contact Chris Iberle at 84chris.w@gmail.com.
2010 Chinook Book Fundraiser is Here – One other way to support CAGJ is by buying a 2010 Chinook Book from us. This book features great savings on local services and products. $20/ each (CAGJ gets about half of the proceeds!) Buy yours today!
On Facebook? A "Fan" of Global Justice? Join CAGJ’s Page!
CAGJ has a facebook Page to utilize social networking power for organizing, keep people updated on our work, encourage discussion, post photos, and more. Already part of the CAGJ "Group"? Make the switch! We'll be using only the “Page” from now on. You'll be able to find out about news on trade, food, and global justice issues as they happen, see photos from past CAGJ events, RSVP for upcoming events online, and see or interact with other Fans of CAGJ. Invite your friends and join here!
THE PEOPLE'S SUMMIT is almost here! Nov 27-29
Amy Goodman & The Yes Men to Kick off the People’s Summit on Friday November 27! People’s Summit Program - Watch for updates:
Seattleplus10.org
Workshops offered by CAGJ: Exploiting the Politics of ‘Need’: AGRA and the Gates Foundation, Farmworker Voices: Looking Forward
Partial List of Workshops: Art & Activism: Being a Cultural Worker, Battling Poverty at the state level- advocacy and action, Cross Border Organizing, Cross-cultural alliances and activism, Dispossession and Climate Refugees, How Local Living Economies are inherently just and sustainable, Ganging Up on the Bosses: a New Take on a Classic Model of Direct Action Organizing, Grow a carrot, build a movement: Connecting urban gardening with movements for justice, Grassroots Media and the Global Justice Movement, Industrial Aquaculture: A People’s Perspective on the “Blue Revolution”, Movement building for the U.S. Social Forum in Detroit 2010, Putting Agribusiness on Trial: Strategies for Confronting the Food Crisis, Queers Against the WTO – Reunited, Street Speech: Your Right to Protest , WTO Turnaround 2009 – Building for Global Justice 10 Years Later, Youth Organizing in the Movement for Social Justice
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED, throughout November, and at The People’s Summit! Please contact us if you can help with publicity, child-care, housing, rides, etc! Email volunteer@seattleglobaljustice.org
PLEASE HELP SPREAD THE WORD!!
CAGJ’s 7th Teach Out! Food Education Empowerment and Sustainability Team (FEEST) Community Potluck!! Wednesday, November 25th 3:30pm – 7pm at the Youngstown Cultural Arts Center in West Seattle.
CAGJ members and supporters will join other great people for food and community-building at FEEST’s November Community Potluck:
Bring a dish that is meaningful to you made with local and organic ingredients if possible. Join us for cooking in the kitchen at 3:30pm, the potluck begins at
5:30pm, Clean up at 7:00pm
(please plan to stay and clean up. It’s an important part of FEEST’s community agreements). FEEST is a youth-run program out of Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. FEEST youth participants gather every Wednesday at 3:30 PM to kick it in the kitchen, prepare a delicious and healthy meal, and then eat all together family-style while learning more about food in our communities. At the end of every month, FEEST throws Community Potlucks where people of all ages are invited to share and dialogue. FEEST’s blog entries are written by FEEST leaders and feature photography by the wonderful youth and staff. More information about FEEST. Space is limited and RSVP REQUIRED! RSVP to Teresa at fjp@seattleglobaljustice.org
Report from Local Roots and Jubilee Farm Teach-Out by Valentina de la Fuente, CAGJ Intern - At a recent Teach Out to Jubilee and Local Roots farms in Carnation, we heard from farmers on their experiences farming in the Snoqualmie Valley, one of the last remaining regions in King County designated specifically as farm land. Some themes that emerged from both of the farms were their feelings on organic certification, and the impacts of institutional bodies such as the Agricultural Commission Board and FEMA on small farmers. They both shared thoughtful reflections on how they see their farms relating to social justice and sustainability in both practice and thinking....Read the rest of the report
ACTION ALERT: Stop Big Ag in the White House - Say no to Monsanto – CropLife
During the campaign, President Obama talked about closing the revolving door between powerful corporate interests and government service. And now we're finding that he hasn't lived up to his word. Last month, he nominated two “Big Ag” power brokers--Roger Beachy and Islam Siddiqui--to key government positions, putting agribusiness executives in charge of our country's agricultural research and trade policy. Please join us in telling the President that this isn't the change we were hoping for: we don't want Big Ag running the show any more. SIGN THE PETITION TODAY
The Plot Thickens: Honduran Coup Regime and Landowning Elites Enlist the Support of Foreign Paramilitaries by Reed M. Kurtz, NACLA
Even more evidence has come to light regarding the desperation and disregard for human rights of the Honduran coup regime and its elite backers. On Friday, October 9 a United Nations human rights panel issued a warning concerning the presence of contracted foreign paramilitary forces operating inside the troubled country. According to the UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries, an estimated 40 members of the infamous United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) have been hired by wealthy Honduran landowners to defend themselves "from further violence between supporters of the de facto government and those of the deposed President Manuel Zelaya." As Zelaya's Foreign Minister Patricia Rodas notes, it is widely believed that these mercenaries are being used to "do the dirty jobs that the armed forces refuse to do." In addition, the panel established direct links between President Roberto Micheletti's coup-installed government and foreign paramilitaries, stating that an additional group of 120 hired soldiers from several countries throughout the region had been created to provide support for the coup regime. This report confirms allegations made by the Colombian newspaper El Tiempo back in September. Noting that Honduras is a signatory to the international convention against the use of mercenaries, the panel, comprised of a diverse array of security and human rights experts, expressed its deep concern and called upon the Honduran golpistas to take action against the use of paramilitaries inside Honduran territory. In response, Micheletti rejected the allegations, denying any recruitment of paramilitaries for protection. This report represents yet another condemnation from the international community of the de facto Honduran government and offers further evidence of the degree to which Micheletti's regime and its supporters have undermined democracy and human rights in the region. The AUC, essentially an umbrella organization of various right-wing death squads, many of which also collaborate with Colombian drug traffickers, is one of the region's most notorious paramilitary organizations and is classified as a terrorist group by the U.S. State Department. Supposedly "demobilized" in 2006, the AUC has largely continued to carry out its drug-dealing activities and campaign of violence and intimidation against campesinos, indigenous peoples, stigmatized social groups such as homosexuals and prostitutes, labor organizers, critical journalists, and human rights advocates. Read rest of article here
SweatFree Policies Gain Ground Update from Kristen Beifus, WFTC
Nick Licata and his staff, along with the MLK County Labor Council (MLK CLC) and WA Fair Trade Coalition, have worked to bring a SweatFree Purchasing policy to the attention of the Seattle City Council. Councilmember Tom Rasmussen has also been supportive of exploring the option of a SweatFree Purchasing policy for the City of Seattle. The offices of Richard Conlin and Sally Clark have also expressed interest. Cities and states throughout the US have passed policies to ensure that the apparel/uniforms for police, fire and other public employees that they purchase are made in healthy, safe working conditions, where workers have basic rights. Governments are important consumers and collectively can influence companies to improve the working standards of their workers and everyone who is part of the manufacturing chain. Rep. Steve Conway in the WA State Legislature has also brought the concept of a SweatFree Purchasing policy for WA State to the House Commerce and Labor Committee, which he chairs. The Washington State Labor Council (WSLC) and WFTC are working with Rep Conway to put a SweatFree Purchasing policy on the agenda for the WA State Legislature this year. Let your city council members and state legislators know that you want your tax dollars used to purchase apparel that supports workers rights everywhere! Get involved-contact Kristen at the SweatFree WA Campaign of the WFTC, kristen@washingtonfairtrade.org
Farmers Markets Protected by Legislation Update from Richard Conlin
On Monday, September 21, Seattle City Council unanimously approved a Council Bill cutting the permit fees charged to Farmers Markets by approximately 90% and putting into law a set of waivers and permit fee modifications that were called for as part of my Local Food Action Initiative approved by the Council in April, 2008. Under the new fee structure, base street use and parking waiver fees and Fire Department permit fees are reduced from $11000 to $550 for a 28 week market. Fees for the use of Park property are set at a fixed rate, waiving the previous requirement that Parks receive 10% of the revenues received by vendors. This legislation is necessary because widespread redevelopment of property in Seattle's neighborhood business districts has meant that existing farmers markets are experiencing difficulty staging markets on privately owned sites, and therefore market sponsors have asked the City to assist them in securing more stable locations on public property. One of the impediments to using City-owned property for farmers markets is the frequency and expense of obtaining the required permits. There are also permitting costs and fees associated with the staging of farmers markets on private property. Council Bill 116612 authorizes the establishment of a Farmers Market Program, making permanent a Farmers Market Pilot Program which was put into place for the 2009 season under an Administrative Rule. This means that the Parks, Transportation, and Fire Departments along with the Office of Economic Development can waive or reduce fees in order to encourage and support Farmers Markets, which the legislation declares 'provide valuable public benefits', including 'improved access to high quality fresh fruits and vegetables; increased use of adjacent City-owned property or rights-of-way for desirable purposes such as pedestrian and recreational uses; the provision of a regular gathering place for people to interact in their neighborhood business districts; increased commerce for adjacent businesses due to greater pedestrian traffic on market days; and preservation of local farm land from redevelopment'. This legislation supports the commitment made in the Local Food Action Initiative to ensuring that Farmers Markets will have access to affordable sites on City property, a commitment that has already led to a new location for the Queen Anne Farmers Market and greater security for several others.
A Request from Cascadian Edible Landscapes
Cascadian Edible Landscapes is helping to transform public and private spaces in and around Seattle into a network of sustainable community food systems. We build food gardens and do our work at sliding-scale rates so people of all incomes can afford to grow healthy food. Additionally, we grow edible plants for farmers market and for the first-and-only-in-the-nation Community Supported Plant Starts Program. We are currently looking for greenhouse space and would like your support in finding one. We are offering $100 in plants (seedlings, fruit trees, etc) to anyone who connects us to our new site. Please contact Michael Seliga-Soulseed at 206-708-9298 for more info!
Community Calendar
Local Community Currencies Presentation and Discussion Elliott Bay Book Co. in Seattle at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 4th.
Community and monetary economist, educator and consultant Thomas H. Greco Jr. will be discussing his latest book, "The End of Money and the Future of Civilization,” which demystifies money, banking, and finance and provides specific design proposals for exchange-system design, strategies for local, regional, national, and global financial systems, as well as a plan for grassroots implementation. In addition to the November 4th lecture, BALLE Seattle supporters are invited to two group conversations about launching and supporting a local community currency. The first is on Tuesday, November 3rd at 3:00 p.m. and the second is on Monday, November 9th at 7:00 p.m. For more information please contact Brian Allen at brian@appropriatetechgroup.com, and mention your BALLE affiliation. For more information about these opportunities, visit http://www.balleseattle.org/the-end-of-money-thomas-greco-talk
CARA Popular Education Workshops, Nov 4 & 11, 6 – 8pm
We are excited to share CARA's analysis of some of the most pressing issues facing activist communities, particularly communities of color and our allies. Please forward to your networks and encourage friends and allies to register - ALL ARE WELCOME! All workshops will take place in the Pigott Building at Seattle University
11/4: Community Organizing vs. Social Service Work (Pigt. 108, Seattle
University)11/11: Building a Global Resistance Movement (Pigt. 108, Seattle University); $10/workshop; To register, send an email with your name, address, phone #, and email address to infocara.seattle@gmail.com. Online payments via PayPal: www.cara-seattle.org (click on "Make a Donation"). For more information, email infocara.seattle@gmail.com or call (206) 322-4856
Eat Local Now! Stone Soup Project - Urban Farming, November 7, 2009
Doors 9:30 a.m., Workshop 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Location: Cascade People's Center - 309 Pontius Avenue North, Cascade, Seattle
Eat Local Now! invites you to the first convening of the Stone Soup Project, where we will take on the challenge of expanding Urban Farming to meet the needs of our communities. Through a broad sharing of our community's knowledge and energy, we can discover a new recipe to grow hyper-local food, improving the health and resilience of our local food economy. Tasty! Please RSVP today to receive additional information and an invitation. If you have questions, please contact emmajohnson@w-link.net
No Olympics on Stolen Native Land Speaking Tour
November 10th 7 PM Cascade People's Center (309 Pontius Ave N)
In February 2010, Vancouver (Canada) will be host city for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Due to the negative impacts of the Olympics, including homelessness, ecological destruction, huge public debt, and a greatly expanded police state, a movement has arisen to challenge the Olympic industry & expose to the world its true nature. Beginning in mid-November, 2009, organizers from No2010, an Indigenous anti-Olympics organization, will travel down the West Coast of the US to conduct a speaking tour on the resistance to the 2010 Olympics, to share their experiences, and to promote an anti-colonial & anti-capitalist convergence that will coincide with the opening days of the Games in February, 2010 (Feb. 10-15, the Olympic Games begin Feb. 12). The event will feature speakers from No2010 and the Olympic Resistance Network, a short video, with time for questions and discussion.If you have any questions about accessibility or require any other accommodations, please call 206-612-2962 or E-mail lambert@riseup.net. If you require childcare call or Email and we will work to arrange it upon request. For more info: www.No2010.com, www.OlympicResistance.net
GOOD FOOD on KCTS/9 November 12 at 10 p.m.!
Please spread the word! The TV premier follows screenings in many festivals, some theaters, university classes, and many food and farming activist settings….As we discover how precarious the global food system may be, something remarkable is happening in the fields and orchards of the Pacific Northwest. After leaving the land for 50 years, family farmers are making a comeback. They are growing much healthier food, and more food per acre, while using less energy and water than factory farms. For decades Northwest agriculture has been focused on a few big crops for export. But climate change and end of cheap energy mean that each region needs to produce more of its own food and to grow it more sustainably. GOOD FOOD visits innovative farmers, farmers’ markets, stores, restaurants and public officials who are developing a more sustainable food system for all.
Ten Day Summer Service and Solidarity Trip to Guatemala: Jan 2 -10, 2010 Guatemala is in crisis: according to the BBC, 54,000 people in the country are at risk of starvation, and as a result, their president declared a "state of public calamity" in September. We work in Alta Verapaz, Guatemala, a beautiful mountainous region north of Guatemala City where there is both serious poverty and strong organizations of campesino farmers. Participants will learn about sustainable agriculture, rural development, and campesino/indigenous communities in Guatemala. We work with CONIC, a social movement organization that fights for land reform, food sovereignty, and campesino and indigenous rights. Participants will work to set up computers at schools and farmers cooperatives, live in campesino and indigenous communities, build ventilated stoves so women don't suffer from eye and lung problems from cooking over open fires, plant trees and community and school gardens using donated vegetable seeds, discuss local issues and visions for the future with community leaders, women’s groups and youth, and learn how to the expansion of plantation agriculture for sugar and African palm in driving campesinos off the land and what they are doing to defend their lands and rights. Approximate costs: Students: $1300 Non-students: $1500 (Based on airfare of $350 RT New York to Guatemala City) Deadline to apply: December 7 Knowledge of Spanish not required. For information contact William Kramer at 732-589-8024 or wkramer@access4less.net Organized by the Farmer Solidarity Project.
THE PEOPLE'S SUMMIT Nov 27-29
PROGRAM – Look for Updates: http://seattleplus10.org/?page_id=161
Friday Nov 27th:
The Yes Men’s new documentary premieres at NW Film Forum, Screenings at 7 and 9pm, Yes Men in attendance!
Amy Goodman speaks at Town Hall!
Saturday Nov 28th:
9 – 5pm: Seattle University - Morning plenary followed by multiple educational, movement building & skills-building workshops
6pm: Dinner & Evening plenary at New Hope Baptist Church, 116 21st Ave, Seattle
Sunday Nov 29th:
All Day-time events at Seattle University
10 – 11:30 Workshops
12:30 – 1:30 Plenary: Cross-Sector Organizing
1:30 – 5pm Catch the Buzz: Cross-Pollinating our Movements (Strategy Session)
1:30 – 3:00 Workshops (simultaneous with optional Strategy Session)
7pm: Evening Plenary at Town Hall, 1119 8th Ave, Seattle
ALL EVENTS FREE, OR BY DONATION.
FOR MORE INFO: http://seattleplus10.org/
Community Alliance for Global Justice | 206-405-4600 | contact_us@seattleglobaljustice.org
606 Maynard Ave S #252
Seattle, WA 98104