UPCOMING EVENTS
Please note: some of the events that are happening weekly are not in the main calendar anymore. They are under ONGOING EVENTS at the end of the regular calendar listings. Please don’t overlook these events - they are a critical part of our social justice movements in our area. And if you do not see an event about Peace, Social Justice or the Environment in this email - that you know about, please email me the information. Please do not email me political events unless they are educational and multi-candidate.
02/29/16 ART AT WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY
“From Apartheid to Democracy” exhibit is from the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg, South Africa. This will be held in Hunter Library, 2nd floor gallery. This runs until May 20, 2016.
02/29/16 SPOKEN WORD POETRY FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH AT UNCA
“And Still I Rise” - Spoken Word Poetry and Open Mic Night will be from 6 to 8 PM at Highsmith Union in the Grotto at UNCA. This is sponsored by Multicultural Student Programs and the Black Student Association. Contact dhylton@unca.edu for more information.
02/29/16 to 03/25/16 EXHIBIT ON THE JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT AT UNCA
The March exhibit is “The Tragedy of War: The Japanese American Internment” and will be on display until March 25, 2016. Opening reception on March 1st from 5:30 to 7 PM at Karpen Lobby and Laurel Forum at UNCA (listed below). There will be an “Emergency, Citizenship, and Democracy” Lecture by Dr. Peter Haschke, Assistant Professor in the Political Science Department. During World War II 120,000 ethnic Japanese on the west coast, two-thirds of them American citizens, were forced into a series of camps to live under armed guard. Japanese-American confinement was authorized by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and supported by Congress and the Supreme Court. Authorities feared that Japanese residents were disloyal and might aid in a Japanese invasion of the United States. Japanese Americans contested these charges throughout the war and later sought formal redress. “I was born here, and I had the Bill of Rights that should have backed me up. . . . How can they do that to an American citizen?”- Robert Kashigawa
02/29/16 PANEL DISCUSSION AT UNCA
“Know Your Rights: Police Interactions” panel discussion with the Asheville Police Department and UNCA police. Sponsored by the UNCA ACLU. Free. Held in Highsmith Union, room 221, at UNCA. Time is 6:30 PM.
03/01/16 COAL ASH PUBLIC HEARING
A public hearing on the state’s controversial cool ash pond classifications, criticized for failing to categorize many of the the toxic impoundments as “high-risk”, will be held at Ferguson Auditorium at AB Tech in Asheville. Time is 6 PM. Asheville’s two coal ash basins at the Lake Julian plant in Skyland are among the eight pits across the state that were earlier deemed high-risk under a 2014 law. However, the recent DEQ draft did not classify any new impoundments at that risk level. Sponsored by Just Us United. Free. Contact AB Tech for more information.
03/01/16 GREAT DECISIONS PROGRAM
The topic is “Global Migration” and the speaker is Natalie Teague, a multi-lingual attorney who has been specializing in immigration law and litigating in state and federal courts. She has a practice in Asheville for the past several years. The Great Decisions Program is the oldest and largest grassroots world affairs educational program of its kind in the country. Begun in 1954, it is the flagship program of the Foreign Policy Association, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization. The Great Decisions Program's goal is to discuss, debate, and learn about International Affairs, National Security, and U.S. Foreign Policy. Individual lectures are $10 each, full time students admitted free of charge. Each presentation is given at four separate locations. Tuesday, 7:30pm, Asheville (UNCA, Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center); Wednesday, 10:00am, Hendersonville (Blue Ridge Community College, Bo Thomas Auditorium); Wednesday, 3:00pm, Brevard (Brevard College, McLarty Lecture Hall); Thursday, 2:00pm, Columbus (Isothermal Community College). Contact Maureen at maureen.White@uncc.edu or 704-687-6778 for more information.
03/01/16 ASHEVILLE TRANSIT COMMITTEE MEETING
Time is 3:30 to 5 PM and location is the 1st Floor Conference Room at City Hall.
03/01/15 SPEAK UP ON COAL ASH CLEANUP - PUBLIC HEARING
It’s our turn to have a say on coal ash cleanup in North Carolina! Throughout March, NCDEQ is hosting a series of public hearings to collect citizens’ input on its draft ratings for each of the 33 coal ash impoundments in the state. NCDEQ says it will consider Duke Energy’s science and your input to finalize the rankings, which will determine both the closure clean-up process and a closure deadline for each site. You can sign up to speak or just come to show solidarity. Asheville Power Station public hearing will be at AB Technical Community College, Ferguson Auditorium at 340 Victoria Road in Asheville. Time is 6 PM. We'll also share an opportunity in the coming weeks to submit written comments online before the April 18 deadline. Those comments can be sent to ashevillecomments@ncdenr.gov. Go to http://appvoices.org/coalash/hearings/ to sign up for this event.
03/01/16 CANDIDATE FORUM FOR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Early voting for Primary Elections begin March 3rd. Did you know that candidates for Buncombe County Commissioners are on the ballot? Our county commission makes important decisions that impact early childhood programs, affordable housing, and the supportive services utilized by many families in our county. Make sure you know where they stand on these issues by joining us for a nonpartisan Candidate Forum from 6 - 8 PM, at the YWCA on South French Broad Avenue in Asheville. Join the LWV, Children First, Democracy NC and moderator Casey Blake of the Asheville Citizen-Times for a forum for primary candidates for Buncombe County Commissioner.
03/01/16 TRAGEDY OF WAR EXHIBIT AND LECTURE
“The Tragedy of War: Japanese American Internment” will be on exhibit from February 29 to March 15 in Karpen Lobby at UNCA. Opening reception and lecture will be from 5:30 to 7 PM in the Laurel Forum at UNCA. Topic of the lecture will be “Emergency, Citizenship, and Contemporary Democracy” by Dr. Peter Haschke. The Tragedy of War tells the stories of the 120,000 ethnic Japanese, two-thirds of them American citizens, who were forced into internment camps amid fears that they were loyal to Japan and might aid a Japanese invasion of the U.S. The exhibition asks a question that resonates today: when, if ever, is it acceptable to limit the rights of citizens to ensure national security? The Tragedy of War is on loan to UNCA from Kennesaw State University's Museum of History and Holocaust Education. For more information, contact Deborah Miles, director of UNC Asheville's Center for Diversity Education, at dmiles@unca.edu.
03/02/16 PLAY ABOUT RACHEL CORRIE
“My Name Is Rachel Corrie” will be performed on March 2nd at 7:30 PM at the NC Stage Theatre in downtown Asheville. This performance will be co-sponsored by Just Peace for Israel/Palestine and Immediate Theatre Project. Written by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner. This one-woman show chronicles the life of Rachel Corrie, a 23 year old American peace activist, who traveled to Gaza in 2003 with the International Solidarity Movement to defend Palestinian homes from being demolished. Maturing from an insightful young girl listing the millions of things she wants to be when she grows up, to a scattered adolescent immersed in the manic search for self while battling boys and an over-involved mom, to a young woman determined to pursue peace and justice in a place she’s never been for people she’s never met, Rachel is constantly questioning herself, her country and the world around her, and what it is to be human. The piece is based entirely on emails and journal entries written by Rachel Corrie. Directed by Josh Perlstein, and performed by Ashley Malloy. There will be a talkback immediately following the production. Donations for the Freedom Theater in the Jenin Refugee Camp gratefully accepted. $12 students and $18 adults. Contact Suchi at suchi1025@bellsouth.net for more information or contact NC Stage directly.
03/02/16 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Tim Pharis and Frosty Levy will talk about “Wildflowers and Rocky Fork State Park”. Time is 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 1 Edwin Place (Charlotte Street and Edwin Place) in Asheville. Contact judymattox@sbcglobal.net or 828-683-2176 for more information. Free and open to the public.
03/02/16 WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AT UNCA
Title is “Women's History Month: Difference and Domination: The Power of the Social Construction of Gender.” Join Multicultural Student Programs as we explore the complexities of gender and its construction. We will unpack how the definitions of gender and other social categories have been socially defined and creates categories of difference. Furthermore, we will explore how these social constructions often act as justification for acts of domination. Facilitated by Dr. Karin Peterson, Chair and Professor of Sociology, we will discuss the process of constructing categories of difference to identify the way that power is at work in our social worlds. Time is 6 to 7:30 PM. Location is Highsmith Union, Room 221, at UNCA. This is present by UNCA Multicultural Program.
03/03/16 EARLY VOTING STARTS
Early voting starts today for all offices except the US Congressional seats. We will have a second primary in June for those seats, because a number of our elected officials in Raleigh like to play games and waste time and money.
03/03/16 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE MEETING
Creation Care Alliance will hold a general meeting on this date from 5:30 to 7 PM. Location is the First Baptist Church of Asheville at 5 Oak Street in downtown Asheville.
03/03/16 HOMEWARD BOUND OF WNC TOUR
“Welcome Home Tour” is a tour of Asheville organizations that serve the homeless population. Time is 11 AM. Free to attend, but registration required. For more information, contact Homeward Bound at 258-1695.
03/03/16 LETTER WRITING NIGHT
Political prisoners letter writing night at Firestorm Cafe and Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Time is 6 PM. Free. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/03/16 WELCOMING THE EXILE - GLOBAL REFUGEE CRISES
The out-migration of political and economic refugees is a cause for grief as well as thoughtful action. Join Interfaith Conversations as an multi-faith panel outlines current activities as well as the long term implications. This program is free and open to the public. For further information, go to Facebook and please leave a post on the event page for this event. This event is co-hosted by Congregation Beth Israel, the Jubilee! Community, Urban Dharma and Mother Grove. Time is 7 PM and location is Congregation beth Israel at 229 Murdock Avenue in Asheville.
03/04/16 WOMEN IN BLACK VIGIL IN ASHEVILLE
This is on the first Friday of the month at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Pack Square in downtown Asheville.
03/04/16 TIMEBANK ORIENTATION
Asheville TimeBank will hold a potluck and orientation/information session at Kairos West, located at 742 Haywood Rd. across from Isis in West Asheville. All are welcome! Time is 6 to 8 PM. Contact Cathy at cathyfholt@gmail.com for more information.
03/05/16 COTHINKK - DIGGING DEEP & CREATING IMPACT
CoThinkk is a “giving circle” that uses our collective time, talent, and treasure towards investment strategies that address education, economic mobility/opportunity, and leadership development towards impacting some of the most critical social issues facing African-American & Latino communities in Asheville and Western NC. Time is 1:30 to 4:30 PM and location is the Asheville Art Museum at 2 Pack Square in downtown Asheville. Please RSVP by March 1st to reserve your seat at the table. Contact Tracey at cothinkk@gmail.com to RSVP or with any questions. We continue to look forward to having diverse voices and communities in the room to help shape this agenda.
03/05/16 MORAL MARCH TO THE POLLS
Join the Asheville-Buncombe NAACP and DemocracyNC in the statewide Moral March to the Polls event on Saturday, March 5. We will meet downtown at the old Board of Elections offices at 35 Woodfin Street at noon. We will march to Pack Square for a short rally on voting rights and voter suppression in NC. Immediately afterwords we will walk across the street to the downtown polling location at 200 College Street. No further information at this time.
03/06/16 AUTHOR EVENT AT FIRESTORM CAFE & BOOKS
This book tour is intended to spark critical dialogue around the questions raised in the new anthology Taking Sides: Revolutionary Solidarity and the Poverty of Liberalism (edited by Cindy Milstein and published by AK Press) in the context of the current movements and uprisings on Turtle Island against murderous policing, white supremacy, and the related violence of states and capitalism. Time is 6 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/07/16 CLASSES ON THRIVING IN DIFFICULT CONVERSATIONS
Join us for a 4 week class series offered by Roberta Wall, certified Nonviolent Communication (NVC) trainer. This is based on the work of Dr. Marshall Rosenberg and Nonviolent (Compassionate) Communication. Theme is ‘Surviving and Thriving in Difficult Conversations with your family, your community, your workplace and your world. Dates are Mondays on March 7, 14, 21 and 28. Time is 6:30 - 8:30 PM and location is the Jewish Community Center at 236 Charlotte Street in Asheville. To register or for more information, contact Polly at (828) 775-6333 or polly.medlicott@gmail.com. Registration fee is $100 per person for all four classes. Please consider adding an extra amount for scholarships for those who have limited resources. Scholarships are available.
03/07/16 AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT DISCUSSION
“It's A Good Day to Die” The Native American Student Association will present a discussion of the American Indian Movement and its effect on American politics. Dr. Heather Hawn will moderate the discussion. Time is 5 to 6 PM and location is Belk Auditorium at Mars Hill University. Call Mars Hill University for further information.
03/07/16 DINNER WITH PROGRESSIVES
Please join us for dinner, dessert or a beverage at 5:30 PM at Green Sage in Westgate next to Earth Fare. Speakers run from 6 to 7 PM. We plan to have two speakers. More information to come - but one speaker will be Darlene Azumi who is an organizer with Democracy North Carolina, which is a nonpartisan organization that uses research, organizing, and advocacy to increase voter participation, reduce the influence of big money in politics and achieve a government that is truly of the people, by the people and for the people. Darlene will discuss poll monitors for the NC primary this spring and the election in November. She may also have some answers for us about our primary situation. Please contact Cheryl at ctorengo@gmail.com for more information and to RSVP.
03/08/16 GREAT DECISIONS PROGRAM
The topic is “Cuba” and the speaker is Stan Dotson, Founder of In Our Elements, a leadership and curriculum development resource for churches and community organizations. He has spent the better parts of the last two years teaching at the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Matanzas, and will be just returning from the island to the US prior to his lecture. The Great Decisions Program is the oldest and largest grassroots world affairs educational program of its kind in the country. Begun in 1954, it is the flagship program of the Foreign Policy Association, a non-partisan, non-governmental organization. The Great Decisions Program's goal is to discuss, debate, and learn about International Affairs, National Security, and U.S. Foreign Policy. Individual lectures are $10 each, full time students admitted free of charge. Each presentation is given at four separate locations. Tuesday, 7:30pm, Asheville (UNCA, Manheimer Room of the Reuter Center); Wednesday, 10:00am, Hendersonville (Blue Ridge Community College, Bo Thomas Auditorium); Wednesday, 3:00pm, Brevard (Brevard College, McLarty Lecture Hall); Thursday, 2:00pm, Columbus (Isothermal Community College). Contact Maureen at maureen.White@uncc.edu or 704-687-6778 for more information.
03/08/16 02/09/16 VETERANS FOR PEACE MEETING
On the second Tuesday of each month, Western North Carolina Veterans for Peace meets to coordinate group activities and programs.Veterans For Peace is a global organization of Military Veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace by using our experiences and lifting our voices. We inform the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars. Our network is comprised of over 140 chapters worldwide whose work includes: educating the public, advocating for a dismantling of the war economy, providing services that assist veterans and victims of war, and most significantly, working to end all wars. Time is 6:30 PM and location is Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Contact Firestorm at info@firestorm.coop for more information.
03/09/16 JUST PEACE FOR ISRAEL/PALESTINE MEETING
This meeting will be at 9:30 AM at Black Mountain Presbyterian Church at 117 Montreat Road in Black Mountain. Contact Suchi at suchi1025@bellsouth.net for more information.
03/09/16 GREEN DRINKS
Subject is Animal Justice - Unchained. Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.
03/09/16 CONVERSATIONS ON GOD AND GOVERNMENT
Sponsored by WNC Chapter of Americans United for Church and State. Barry Lynn and Brent Walker will present "Conversations on God and Government" on March 9 at 6 PM at Kaplan Auditorium at Hendersonville Public Library at 301 N. Washington Street in Hendersonville. Since 1992, the Rev. Barry W. Lynn has served as executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, a Washington, D.C.-based organization dedicated to the preservation of the Constitution’s religious liberty provisions. J. Brent Walker is the executive director of the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty in Washington, D.C., and both a member of the U.S. Supreme Court Bar and an ordained minister. He leads the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty, defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government. Email phillip@auwnc.org or call 828.696.4990 for more information.
03/10/16 FILM AT ST. EUGENE’S CHURCH IN ASHEVILLE.
“The Stones Cry Out” will be shown at St. Eugene’s RC Church. This is a recent documentary about Christian Palestinians’ experiences in Israel and the Occupied Territory. The film, which is 55 minutes long, will be followed by discussion, led by Fr. Doug May who has spent 20 years working in the Middle East. Time is 7 to 9 PM and location is St. Eugene’s Church in north Asheville. Contact St. Eugene’s for more information. Doors open at 6:30 PM. This will be in English and Spanish. Childcare is available.
03/10/16 EARTH SABBATH CELEBRATION
The Earth Sabbath Celebration is an opportunity to gather in community to share our deep concerns as well as our joys and hopes as we face the realities of climate change, focusing on the eco-spirituality teachings of Thomas Berry, the Encyclical of Pope Francis, and the recent Paris Summit on Climate Change. Dr. Jill Crainshaw, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs and Blackburn Professor of Worship and Liturgical Theology at Wake Forest University School of Divinity, and Rev. Karen Richardson Dunn of Creation Care Alliance and the Southern Conference of the United Church of Christ, will be leading an Earth Sabbath worship service, “Flint: Lamentation and Hope.” Please join us as we come together in community to share our grief over this tragedy, and that of "other Flints," and seek God's grace and hope as we move forward together in the work of ensuring that such environmental injustices will not be repeated. Time is 5:30 PM and location is First Congregational UCC in Asheville. Please email Rev. Karen Richardson Dunn if you would like to learn more or volunteer krichdunn@gmail.com.
03/10/16 GREEN DRINKS IN HENDERSONVILLE
“Stop Working So Hard – Let Chickens Do It” Author and film producer Justin Rhodes will speak about raising permaculture chickens. Rhodes has taught thousands of folks how to live more sustainable (freedom filled) lives. Time is 5:30 to 8 PM and location is Black Bear Coffee Co. at 318 N. Main Street in Hendersonville.
03/11/16 FREE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHTS
Fridays at Kairos West there will be a four part film series and potluck. The potluck gathering will begin at 6:30 and last until 7:30. Bring something tasty to share if you can. We'll have some food and coffee/tea available also. On March 11th, we offer you our second feature “How to Change the World: the revolution will not be organised.” On March 25th, the third installment in the series is “No.” And on April 8th, the last film in the series will be “We Are Many” (tentative provided we receive a copy in time). Free and open to the public. Time is 6:30 PM for the potluck and 7:30 PM for the movie. Location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Children are welcome at this event! We will use the front room of the community center as a kid friendly space during the movie. If you'd like to coordinate with us and other caregivers on supervised childcare options, please let us know in advance! This is a facebook event, so go there for more information.
03/11/16 READING AT MALAPROP’S
Atlanta author Jim Grimsley joins us to discuss “How I Shed My Skin: Unlearning the Racist Lessons of a Southern Childhood”. This deeply affecting memoir traces Jim’s early realizations that the beliefs passed down to him about racial difference were deeply wrong. It’s also an examination of how ideas of race have evolved since de-segregation, and a searing look at just how far we have to go. Time is 7 PM and location is Malaprops in downtown Asheville.
03/11/16 SOCIAL JUSTICE FILM AT UU CONGREGATION IN ASHEVILLE
“Dream On” features political comedian John Fugelsang as he hits the road in search of the vanishing American Dream after decades of rising income inequality and declining economic mobility. Film last about 98 minutes. Environmental & Social Justice Film Night is on March 11th at 7 PM. Location is the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Asheville at One Edwin Place in north Asheville. There is no charge for viewing the film - donations are welcome. There is a possible 2 PM showing, please RSVP to mnpopi@charter.net (this RSVP is only for the 2 PM showing) and if there is enough interest, they will hold a 2 PM show. Contact Charlie at mnpopi@charter.net for more information.
03/12/16 CITIZENS CLIMATE LOBBY MEETING
Citizens Climate Lobby meets the second Saturday of each month at Kairos West Community Center, 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. We are advocating for a Carbon Fee & Dividend, which would impose a fee on fossil fuels at point entry; this fee will be refunded to individuals and families. There is bipartisan support in Congress as this will create jobs and help grow the economy, boosting renewables. Time is 12:30 to 3 PM. For more information, contact asheville@citizensclimatelobby.org.
03/12/16 TRAINING SESSION TO MONITOR STREAM HEALTH
MountainTrue relies on our volunteers to monitor stream health throughout Henderson County. Volunteers are encouraged to participate in biomonitoring twice per year, once in April and once in October. Stream Monitoring Information Exchange (SMIE) is a biomonitoring program in which we sample aquatic macro-invertebrates, or aquatic insects, as indicators of water quality. Participants will learn basic stream ecology, how to identify aquatic macro-invertebrates, why macro-invertebrates are terrific indicators of water quality, and the sampling protocol. Time is 9 AM to 4 PM and location (for the morning) is Blue Ridge Community College. Email wqa@mountaintrue.org or call 828-692-0385 for more information (including what to bring) and to register for this training.
03/13/16 CLEAN ENERGY ASHEVILLE
Clean Energy Asheville: A Report from Mayor Manheimer - Carolina Jews for Justice/West will sponsor a program that will update the community on the collaborative partnership between the City of Asheville, Buncombe County and Duke Energy on building a 21st Century electric energy infrastructure in our community. As part of the WNC Modernization Plan, Duke Energy has committed to work with our community in reducing electricity demand by 25 Megawatts/year in order to prevent the construction of a 192 MegaWatt natural gas peaking turbine. Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, Councilwoman Julie Mayfield, and a Robert Sipes, General Manager of Duke Energy’s Western Region will report on this collaboration. Q & A to follow the presentation. Your insights and participation are welcome and needed for evolving programs to succeed. Time is 3 to 4:30 PM and location is the Dave Hall at Congregation Beth HaTephila at 43 North Liberty Street in Asheville. Free and open to the public. Contact Marilynne Herbert (828) 551-7005 or mherbert1@aol.com for more information.
03/14/16 UNITED TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY MEETING
United to Restore Democracy (Asheville) is a local non-partisan citizens group that has organized to overturn the destructive Citizens United decision and reclaim the liberties and privileges guaranteed in the U.S. Constitution for real, living, breathing people. The next meeting will be the second Monday of March (March 14th, 2016) to allow us to have Paul Cienfuegos as a guest speaker, at The North Asheville Library on Merrimon Avenue at 7:00 PM. As always if you have any question or comment please feel free to contact Diana Kruk, via email at dianakruk@gmaill.com, or 828-275-0680 (call or text).
03/14/16 TRANSITION ASHEVILLE MEETING
“EarthSmart Cleaning and Grounds Maintenance” is your one-stop source for complete or “a la carte” cleaning and grounds maintenance for your home! With more than 25 years of experience in the total home care business, owner and cleaning expert, Wes Heath, knows what it takes to exceed your highest expectations. He will be presenting at Transition Asheville meeting at 6:30 PM at the Parish Hall at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church on Charlotte Street in Asheville. For more information, contact transitionasheville@gmail.com.
03/15/16 PRIMARY ELECTION IN NORTH CAROLINA
Be sure to go and vote for all offices except the US Congressional seats. We will have a second primary in June for those seats, because a number of our elected officials in Raleigh like to play games and waste time and money.
03/15/16 SOCIAL JUSTICE TALK AT UNCA
A talk by Social Justice Activist TJ Jourian will be on “Queer Middle Eastern Armenian Trans*man.” Time is noon to 1 PM and location is Karpen Hall 139 at UNCA. This social justice activist, learner and educator will give a talk and answer questions. Free and open to the public. For more information, contact Lori Horvitz at lhorvitz@unca.edu or 828.251.6590. This is present by UNCA Multicultural Program.
03/15/16 WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH EVENT AT UNCA
This will be a Lunch-N-Learn on Wage Disparities for Women. Nationally, women earn 74 cents for every dollar that men make. This wage disparity widens when you add other factors such as a race and ethnicity. Facilitated by Dr. Gwendolyn Whitfield, Assistant Chair & Associate Professor of Management, we will explore the wage disparity that exists for women, and how that impacts our society. Time is noon to 1 PM. Location is Highsmith Union, Intercultural Center, Room 114. This is present by UNCA Multicultural Program.
03/16/16 GREEN DRINKS
Subject is Invasive Species. Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.
03/17/16 WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AT UNCA
Women's History Month will present “I, Too, Am Feminism: Conversation on Intersectionality in Feminist Movements.” Past critiques of feminist movements have cited that the experiences of women of color are not always included in the conversation. In this student panel, we will discuss this critique and discuss the intersectionality that exists within feminism. We will explore the way women of color have defined their own feminism, and how feminist thinkers can be more inclusive in their fight for equality for all women. Time is 6 to 7:30 PM and location is Highsmith Union, Room 221 at UNCA. This is present by UNCA Multicultural Program.
03/19/16 HOW DO WE FIX OUR BROKEN WORLD?
We need hope, we need change, we need justice - and we have help. In this divided world Maitreya, the world teacher, is stepping forward. His mission has begun. Mastery and his group of enlightened teachers, are here to help us reverse the damage we have done to our planet and inspired us to create a new civilization based on sharing the world’s resources and justice - the way to lasting peace. Free presentations at 2 PM at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville NC. Please call McNair at 828-398-0609 for more information. Sponsored by Share International Southeast.
03/20/16 ETHICAL HUMANIST SOCIETY OF ASHEVILLE
“Sustainability through Mindfulness" will be presented by Sonia Marcus at the Sunday, March 20th meeting of the Ethical Humanist Society of Asheville, 2:00-3:30 PM, at Asheville Friends Meeting House, 227 Edgewood Road, Asheville, NC. All are welcome to attend. Join Sonia Marcus for an interactive session exploring sustainability concepts through mindfulness. Many faculty, staff and students are using mindfulness-based approaches both inside and outside the classroom to further strengthen the campus's sustainability culture and practice. Sonia will discuss UNCA's efforts and successes improving the ecological sustainability of the institution and how contemplative practice plays a part. Informal discussion and refreshments will follow the presentation. For more information: call 828 687-7759, email EHSAsheville@gmail.com.
03/22/16 BENEFIT FOR PISGAH LEGAL SERVICES
Please join us for our annual celebration. There will be a cocktail reception, live music, and awards honoring Anne Kimmel, Roy W. Davis, Jr., George Ward Hendon. Time is 5:30 PM. Contact betsy@pisgahlegal.org for more information, including how to get tickets.
03/22/16 WNC 4 PEACE MEETING
Next meeting is the fourth Tuesday of March (22nd) , at Atlanta Bread Company on Merrimon Avenue at 6 PM. Contact Craig at herbzone@gmail.com for more information.
03/23/16 GREEN DRINKS
Subject is Asheville Urban Agriculture Alliance. Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.
03/24/16 VOICE OF THE TUNISIAN REVOLUTION AT UNCA
Firebrand Tunisian singer, songwriter, and composer Emel Mathlouthi stands with the great divas of the Arab World. She gained attention when her song “Kelmti Horra (My Word is Free)” was adopted by the Arab Spring revolutionaries and soon became an anthem throughout the region. Her gorgeous, intricate sound moves between rock, trip-hop, and electronica, with a strong Arabic and north African connections. Tickets are $6 - $20. Time is 7 PM and location is Lipinsky Auditorium.
03/24/16 PALESTINIAN SPEAKER AT WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
Iyad Burnat will be speaking at Warren Wilson College, in the Canon Lounge of Gladfelter Hall, from 6 to 7:30 PM. His visit is co-sponsored by Just Peace for Israel/Palestine, and the Department of Religious Studies and Peace & Justice Studies at WWC. Iyad Burnat is the coordinator for the popular committee in Bil’in, Palestine, a small farming village 7 miles west of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, a village known as the setting for the award winning film 5 Broken Cameras. For eleven years Iyad and the Popular Committee have organized the people to Bil’in to participate in weekly non-violent demonstrations against the confiscation of their land, destruction of their olive trees, and Israel’s illegal Separation Wall and settlements. In the summer of 2014, Iyad's then 15-year-old teenage son, Majd was shot in the leg by the Israeli military while attending a nonviolent protest in Bi'in during Israel's 2014 assault on Gaza. The gunshot severed a nerve in Majd's leg, causing him to permanently loose all feeling in his foot. Recently Iyad released a book describing his village’s ongoing struggle for justice and freedom, and what inspires them to continue non-violent resistance. For more information, contact Ken at jonesk@maine.edu.
03/24/16 WAR IS A RACKET PLAY
This one-person performance is based on the book “War is a Racket” by Gneral Butler, a highly decorated Marine who retired and then spent the last years of his life opposed to the USA’s entry into WW II. This is presented by Namaya, throughs stories, dramatization and multimedia. Donations appreciated. Presented in cooperation with Veterans for Peace. Time is 7 to 9 PM and location is Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville. For more information, contact info@b4peace.net.
03/25/16 JUST PEACE ISRAEL/PALESTINE DISCUSSION GROUP
On March 25, Wednesday, JPIP again will meet for discussion from noon to 2 PM. Bring your own bag lunch to the Community Building at Brooks Howell in north Asheville. The focus on March 25 may be legislative issues --what are they and how best to communicate our concerns with legislators and their staff. We may do also want to do some training for effective conversation with people on the sidewalk at protests. Contact Suchi at suchi1025@bellsouth.net for more information.
03/25/16 AUTHOR TALK ON “WAR IS A LIE” BOOK
RootsAction campaign coordinator David Swanson will speak about the latest developments in the telling and the debunking of lies about wars. He'll answer questions and sign copies of his new book, “War Is A Lie: Second Edition”. This will be held at Battery Park Apartments at 1 Battle Square in downtown Asheville. Time is noon to 2 PM. David Swanson is an author and activist who has dedicated himself to challenging the repetitive falsehoods generated by those in power to justify armed conflict. War Is A Lie is a handbook of sorts, an engaging, always informative manual that can be used to debunk future lies before new wars have any chance to begin. For this edition of the book, the original 2010 version has been updated and expanded with material on lessons from the United States' most recent wars, more pointers on what can be done to end warmaking, and an epilogue that analyzes new trends in war lying and in resistance to it. No one to whom you give this book can claim they haven't been warned!
03/25/16 FREE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHTS
Fridays at Kairos West there will be a four part film series and potluck. The potluck gathering will begin at 6:30 and last until 7:30. Bring something tasty to share if you can. We'll have some food and coffee/tea available also. On March 25th, the third installment in the series is “No.” And on April 8th, the last film in the series will be “We Are Many” (tentative provided we receive a copy in time). Free and open to the public. Time is 6:30 PM for the potluck and 7:30 PM for the movie. Location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Children are welcome at this event! We will use the front room of the community center as a kid friendly space during the movie. If you'd like to coordinate with us and other caregivers on supervised childcare options, please let us know in advance! This is a facebook event, so go there for more information.
03/30/16 GREEN DRINKS
Subject is Pisgah National Forest Planning update by Mountain True. Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.
03/31/16 HOOD TALK MEETING
Next session will be on Thursday, March 31st, from 6 - 8 PM at the YWCA on South French Broad Street in Asheville. No further information at this time.
04/05/16 TEACHING THE HOLOCAUST
This will be held at the Hinds University center Ballroom at Western Carolina University from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM. Through the N. C. Council on the Holocaust and the UNC Asheville Center for Diversity Education, a professional development day-long workshop for 5th - 12th grade teachers (with a special focus on history and literature) will be offered in the spring in WNC. The workshop will include a lecture by Dr. Eric Roubinek in the morning and a witness testimony by Dr. Walter Ziffer in the afternoon along with excellent resources from experienced Holocaust educators. The Center for Diversity Education has additional free resources for teaching about the Holocaust as does the N. C. Council on the Holocaust. For more information, contact dmiles@unca.edu and register here
04/05/16 CREATION CARE ALLIANCE EVENT
CCA hosts Climate Scientist, Katharine Hayhoe. This will be a public keynote address at 7 PM at First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in Asheville. Katharine Hayhoe is a Climatologist, Professor in the Political Science Department of Texas Tech University and a person of faith. She is one of Time magazine's Most Influential People, and Katharine has appeared in the Showtime series “Years of Living Dangerously” and is an incredible educator. We look forward to hosting her here in Asheville. No contact information, look at Creation Care Alliance webpage for more information.
04/06/16 SIERRA CLUB MEETING
Jason Walls and Amy Musser will talk about Duke’s Power Plant and Home Energy Efficiency. Time is 7 PM and location is Unitarian Universalist Congregation at 1 Edwin Place (Charlotte Street and Edwin Place) in Asheville. Contact judymattox@sbcglobal.net or 828-683-2176 for more information. Free and open to the public.
04/08/16 FREE SOCIAL JUSTICE MOVIE NIGHTS
Fridays at Kairos West there will be a four part film series and potluck. The potluck gathering will begin at 6:30 and last until 7:30. Bring something tasty to share if you can. We'll have some food and coffee/tea available also. And on April 8th, the last film in the series will be “We Are Many” (tentative provided we receive a copy in time). Free and open to the public. Time is 6:30 PM for the potluck and 7:30 PM for the movie. Location is Kairos West Community Center at 742 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Children are welcome at this event! We will use the front room of the community center as a kid friendly space during the movie. If you'd like to coordinate with us and other caregivers on supervised childcare options, please let us know in advance! This is a facebook event, so go there for more information.
04/12/16 LUNCH N LEARN AT UNCA
Unpacking “Whitesplain” - Becoming Better Allies for People of Color. Facilitator will be Preston Keith, Assistant Director of the Intercultural Center and Multicultural Student Programs. Time is noon to 1 PM and location is Intercultural Center at Highsmith Union 114 at UNCA.
04/13/16 GREEN DRINKS
Subject is Ocean trash recycling by WNCGBC. Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.
04/15/16 GLOBAL DAY AGAINST MILITARY SPENDING
04/16/16 HOW DO WE FIX OUR BROKEN WORLD?
We need hope, we need change, we need justice - and we have help. In this divided world Maitreya, the world teacher, is stepping forward. His mission has begun. Mastery and his group of enlightened teachers, are here to help us reverse the damage we have done to our planet and inspired us to create a new civilization based on sharing the world’s resources and justice - the way to lasting peace. Free presentations at 2 PM at Asheville Friends Meeting at 227 Edgewood Road in Asheville NC. Please call McNair at 828-398-0609 for more information. Sponsored by Share International Southeast.
04/20/16 GREEN DRINKS
Subject is Legislative Session by Mountain True. Time is 5:30 PM to gather and eat. Program begins at 6:30 PM. Location is The Spot at 76 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Green Drinks is now under MeetUp. Call The Spot for more information at 828-575-2729.
04/22/16 EARTH DAY
04/23/16 HARD TO RECYCLE COLLECTION
Free to the public, recycling event, accepting items of all sorts. Now with two locations. Founded in 2011 by Rainbow Recycling, Hard 2 Recycle events are free to the public collections geared to bring awareness to other modes of recycling to our area. Four quarterly held collections to cover the four corners of the County and one central event in Downtown Asheville. Our goal is to educate, collect and divert items that would normally end up in the landfill: styrofoam, electronics, books, batteries, cooking oil and much more. Not accepting the following items: paints, stains, sealers, CFL or fluorescent or incandescent bulbs; chip & snack bags; petroleum products; hard plastics; vinyl / PVC / VHS / cassette tapes; plate glass, foam; wooden items or cement. Main collection from 8 AM to 1 PM at City Market Tailgate at 161 Charlotte Street in downtown Asheville and satellite collection from 8 AM to noon at First Baptist Church at 5 Oak Street in downtown Asheville.
04/24/16 EARTH DAY VIGIL
The Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina invites you to join us for a vigil celebrating God's creation and calling on people of faith to care for it. We will gather in the grass of All Souls Episcopal Cathedral, in Biltmore Village at 9 Swan Street in Asheville for an afternoon of song, reflection, and to hear messages of inspiration and action from local faith and community leaders. All are welcome! Time is 5:30 to 6:30 PM.
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ONGOING EVENTS
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TUESDAY
*Veterans for Peace have a weekly vigil at 4:30 PM at Pack Square, Vance Monument
*Showing Up for Racial Justice is from noon to 2 PM at Firestorm Cafe and Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Educating and organizing white people for racial justice. Free.
*Orientation session for Asheville Timebank. 4 PM at Firestorm Cafe & Books at 610 Haywood Road in west Asheville. Email help@ashevilletimebank.org for information and to register.
WEDNESDAY
*Haywood Peace Vigilers have a weekly vigil at 4 PM at Haywood County Courthouse in Waynesville
*French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org.
FRIDAY
*Women in Black have a weekly vigil at noon at the City Hall in Hendersonville
*Women in Black have a monthly vigil at 5 PM at Vance Monument in Asheville (first Friday only)
SATURDAY
*Transylvanians for Peace and WNC Physicians for Social Responsibility have a weekly vigil at noon in front of the courthouse in Brevard. Call 884-3435 to confirm.
*Third Saturdays – Asheville’s Green Grannies invites the public to “sing for the climate” at Pritchard Park at 5 PM.
*French Broad Riverkeeper has a paddle-n-plant to prevent sediment erosion most Wednesdays and Saturdays. Registration required at anna@mountaintrue.org.
SUNDAY
*Youth OUTright meeting from 4 to 6 PM at First Congregational United Church of Christ at 20 Oak Street in Asheville. Ages 14 - 23 only.
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ACTIONS AND READINGS
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Close, Don’t Move Guantanamo
Witness Against Torture Responds to Obama’s Guantanamo P
President Obama’s plan to close the prison at Guantanamo is finally here. But it’s as useless as the Executive Order he signed almost eight years ago.
Republican candidates and leaders have shoved the plan back in Obama’s face, repeating the big lie that the prison houses only “the worst of the worst.” The media has declared the proposal “dead on arrival,” quickly returning to its saturation coverage of a primary season verging on farce.
Obama’s plan proposes to close the facility but not end the legal and moral abomination it represents. Indefinitely detaining men without charge or trial in the continental United States — in supermax prisons no less — is as unacceptable as indefinite detention at Guantanamo. The Military Commissions are unworkable and unfair, and cannot be tweaked into legitimacy. Saving money by changing the zip code of an unjust system does nothing to lessen its moral cost. Any talk of expenses should be about how to offer compensation to the men the United States abused and provide proper resources for their resettlement.
The president’s plan is silent on our nation’s accountability for the torture it has perpetrated at Guantanamo. That torture continues through force-feeding those prisoners who protest their detention by hunger striking. Indefinite detention is itself a means of torture, as the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Torture has stated.
The idea that Guantanamo was ever simply about national security is a fiction. Guantanamo was, is, and will continue to be an internment camp for Muslim men that is designed to destroy human beings. It both feeds and feeds off an Islamophobia that has gripped much of the country since 9-11. It sustains the racism and fear-mongering behind the mass incarceration of African Americans, Latino/as, and the poor, challenged by a new movement Obama claims to support. There can be no true tolerance so long as the prison at Guantanamo, or its terrible spirit, lives on.
Maybe Obama is naïve enough to believe that he really tried to close the prison. Republican opposition has been sickening. But Obama’s own lack of will, his political blunders, and his failure to truly reckon with Guantanamo have been among the greatest barriers. His speech presenting the plan was all about “our security” — what holding, or releasing, the men at the prison means for American safety — and not “our crimes” — what the United States did to the men there. A sense of shame, above all, should drive action on the prison.
As we gathered in front of the White House last month to mark the prison’s opening fourteen years ago, we spoke a vision of justice beyond failed promises and the cynicism of politics:
We hear a beautiful sound.
It is the breaking of chains.
We see a path full of hope.
We have found the way.
Let them go home. Let them go home. Let them go home.
Let them go today.
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