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Support Ella Baker Day
Help Make April 15th Ella Baker Day in Virginia
- WHEREAS, Ms. Ella Jo Baker, 1903-1986, is a native Virginian and has served both this great nation and the Commonwealth as a leader, educator, and activist on behalf of underprivileged communities; and
- WHEREAS, Baker strongly advocated that the common (wo)man, not solely recognized leaders, are the backbone of this country; and
- WHEREAS, Baker is a model for working across party lines and ideological differences to build strong, effective coalitions; and
- WHEREAS, Baker dedicated her life to serving those less fortunate by participating in a broad base of organizations including but not limited to the American Federation of Labor, the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, and the Voter Education Project; and
- WHEREAS, the United States Postal Service honored Baker with a postage stamp as part of a special issue commemorating Civil Rights Pioneers; and
- WHEREAS, it is fitting to recognize Ms. Ella Jo Baker as one of our nation’s greatest unsung heroes, as loved and appreciated by all those who had the opportunity to work alongside her, as an eternal believer in the potential, dignity, and importance of all people, and as an honorable and dedicated citizen...
For more information, please visit www.supportellabakerday.com and sign the petition.
IYJL: Young Activist Award Recipients
Ella's Daughter, Reyna Wences, along with fellow organizer, Rigo Padilla are recipients of this year's Mario Savio Young Activist Award for their work with IYJL (Immigrant Youth Justice League), which is also a part of our Seven Sisters Campaign.The announcement of the award read as follows: "Each year we receive more and more nominations, and it is exceedingly difficult to choose one person (or even two) to receive the award from the many impressive applications we receive. Many factors go into our choice of award winner. In addition to considering the accomplishments, initiative, leadership ability and character of the nominee, we also take into consideration personal and organizational needs and other sources of support, goals and special circumstances. We were tremendously impressed by everything we heard about you and the work you are doing on behalf of the Dream Act and immigration reform. Your courage in speaking out, your willingness to reach out to form alliances with many segments of the community, and your ability to inspire and organize other young people has earned you this award." Congrats Reyna and Rigo.
7 SISTERS, SEVEN STRUGGLES, 7 STORIES
The Seven Sisters Campaign is Ella’s Daughters’ effort to hold up 7 vitally important organizations and areas of work and to highlight the ways in which they mirror, intersect and overlap with one another. We also think the women, particularly young women and women of color, who are actively giving leadership, energy and vision to these struggles are sisters we want to strengthen and nurture in any way we can.
Response to Skip Gates’ Call for Slavery Absolution By Barbara Ransby
In a recent New York Times editorial, entitled, “Ending the Slavery Blame-Game,” (April 23) Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates calls on the United States’ first Black president to end the nation’s sense of responsibility for the legacy of slavery. It is a pernicious argument, well suited to the so-called “postracial” moment we are in. Like the erroneous claims of “post-racialism,” in general, Gates’ editorial compromises rather than advances the prospects for racial justice; and clouds rather than clarifies the history, and persistent realities, of racism in America.
Read more: Response to Skip Gates’ Call for Slavery Absolution By Barbara Ransby
Kentucky Foundation for Women seeking Arts Activity Leaders
The Kentucky Foundation for Women (KFW) is looking for arts activity leaders for a special project partnering with Louisville Metro Department of Corrections to work with children and adults in the visitors lobby at the LMDC facility on 6th Street. Selected leaders will join an artist/activist team assembled in mid 2008, as part of this special project providing arts in the entrance lobby and exit lobby as well as the visitors lobby.
Read more: Kentucky Foundation for Women seeking Arts Activity Leaders
Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, leaders of the activist organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) have been granted bail
Posted November 6, 2008
Jenni Williams and Magodonga Mahlangu, leaders of the activist
organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA), were granted bail this
afternoon after being arrested on October 16, 2008 and unlawfully detained
at the Bulawayo Remand Prison. They were arrested after participating in
a peaceful protest in Bulawayo in which they demanded immediate access to
much needed food in Zimbabwe. WOZA members were ill-treated while in
custody.
WOZA declares a national disaster and demands food for all Zimbabweans in Bulawayo today - 9 arrested
Press statement - Women of Zimbabwe Arise
16th October 2008 1pm
Hundreds of members of Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) and Men of Zimbabwe Arise (MOZA) took to the streets of Bulawayo this morning, marching for several blocks to Mhlahlandlela Government Complex to declare a national disaster and demand immediate food aid for all Zimbabweans. Nine members have been arrested at the time of this release.
On arrival at the Government Complex, the group of approximately 200 sat down outside the gates whilst a delegation of four elderly women went in to request that the Regional Department Heads of all the service departments come out and address the crowd on what is being done to alleviate the humanitarian crisis facing the country.
Wall Street Takes Welfare It Begrudges to Ordinary Americans
By Mimi Abramowitz (posted on Alternet)
Why is it that the rich and reckless accept "welfare" for themselves while rejecting it for those who need it most, particularly woman?
Today we sit and watch as the high-rolling gamblers and critics of "big government" take welfare. These are many of the same people who thought it was just fine to deprive millions of women of critical resources and let them fend for themselves.
Even before the catastrophic news out of Wall Street in recent days, women have been worried about their economic security. Read More