ProgressiveAustin.org / Calendar

1:30pm Friday March 12, 2010, Martin Middle School, 1601 Haskell St.

Taller De Arte Publico de Austin (Public Art Workshop of Austin) presents Aztec/Cobra Mural Exchange Friendship Ceremony

Students from Metz and Sanchez Elementary schools have painted murals at their respective schools and will exchange them. The theme of the murals is friendship and sharing between the schools, neighborhood and most important of children accomplishing a goal together. Painted on panels according to measurements accommodating available school walls the Sanchez mural measures 7ft x 16ft the Metz mural is 8ft x 8ft. Produced under the guidance of an artist in residence and visiting artists, at least 90% of the murals were drawn and painted by the students from both elementary schools from Kindergarten to 5th grade.

Students participants in the creation and painting of the murals from each school will start out in simultaneous parades at 1:00 p.m. from Sanchez Elementary located at 73 San Marcos and Metz Elementary located at 84 Robert Martinez, Jr. St. They will meet at Martin Middle High School where they will unveil and exchange murals in a gesture of goodwill.

Each school painted both school mascots and colors on the mural. The Cobra is the mascot for Metz and the Aztecs for Sanchez. The various images on the murals were chosen after discussions with students and staff through extensive opinion polls conducted at both schools. The project took six months to complete and included hundreds of student participants. Along with the murals the students created their own music, poetry, photographs and a video thereby turning the project into a multi-faceted learning experience. These student efforts will result in a short video production as well as a publication featuring the students’ work. Incorporated into the project were seven professional visiting artists, some visiting from as far as San Antonio to lend their expertise. The project certainly involved some unique aspects in providing a practical lesson for the optimum number of students in cooperative learning, inspiring a spirit of giving through friendship and teamwork.

The Mural Exchange Project was done with the cooperation of AISD the staff, students and parents from Metz and Sanchez elementary schools along with volunteers. The project was funded through a grant from Austin Energy’s Good Neighbor Program.

FMI contact: Contact: Raúl Valdez 512-699-4309

“Peace of the Action will be setting up Camp Out Now on the lawn of the Washington Monument beginning March 13th and this new peace camp will be the launching pad for daily direct actions against the seat of our government; A government that is involved in so many wars, invasions, bombings and other foreign violence that it is hard to keep track.”

There is a new peace coalition in town called Peace of the Action. Peace of the Action is the brainchild of Peace Mom, Cindy Sheehan, who has been striving to make the concept of peace a reality since her son, Casey, was killed in Iraq in April 2004. When asked if it is “legal” to set up Camp in Washington, DC, Ms. Sheehan was emphatic in stating, “Camping on the lawn of the Washington Monument has ‘questionable’ legality but our actions have absolute moral authority; just as the state’s actions have apparent legality, but inherent immorality.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Sunday, March 14 at 6-9pm, Jovita’s, 1617 South First Street

“Featuring Barbara K, Leeann Atherton, Noëlle Hampton, Elizabeth Wills, Karen Abrahams, and Richard Bowden with Instruments for Peace. Suggested donation: $10.”

Benefit bash for The Rag Blog, the Austin Based internet magazine featuring progressive news and cultural commentary. The Rag Blog is published by the New Journalism Project, a Texas 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.

“Y’all come y’hear? Look forward to seeing everybody. Party down!” — Thorne

Facebook event and RSVP

Monday – Friday, March 15-19

The Annual Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break (see link for info and registration) is an invaluable experience. Participants will come away with firsthand knowledge of the anti-death penalty movement and a new understanding of how they can affect public policy. Guest speakers this year include three innocent, exonerated people who together spent a total of more than 23 years on death row, Curtis McCarty, Shujaa Graham and Ron Keine. Join us for the award-winning Anti-Death Penalty Alternative Spring Break. It’s free, except for a $25 housing fee for those who need us to arrange housing for you.

Thursday, March 18, 5:00 – 7:30 PM, Texas State Capitol, South Steps

Rally for justice and peace in America . Rally against injustice, racism, corruption and hatred. Guest speakers include: exonerated inmates Shujaa Graham, Curtis McCarty, Ron Keine and Perry Cobb. Also featuring: Bill Pelke (Journey Of Hope), Delia Meyer Perez, Gloria Rubac (Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement), Family Of Clinton Young, attorneys with the Innocence Project, victims of racial profiling, Regina Kelly (subject of the film “American Violet”), and more. Plus live music.

Sponsored by: Saveaninnocentlife, Texas Moratorium Network, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement, Students Against The Death Penalty, and Journey of Hope

7pm March 19, 2010, Resistencia Bookstore, casa de Red Salmon Arts, 1801-A South First St., Austin, Tejas 512-416-8885

Red Salmons Arts presents Bitter Tears: a performance reading & book signing with Antonino D’Ambrosio, author of A Heartbeat and a Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears.

Music by Martin Perna (Antibalas & Ocote Soul Sounds) and other special guests.

Writer, filmmaker, photographer and musician Antonino D’Ambrosio first chronicled the intersection of popular music & social movements with his book Let Fury Have the Hour: The Punk Politics of Joe Strummer. His new book A Heartbeat and a Guitar tells of the collaboration of iconoclast Johnny Cash and little known folk artist Peter LaFarge, the album they created, Bitter Tears: Ballads of the American Indian, and the personal, political & cultural struggles that informed the album. The book is not a musical biography but rather a dynamic snapshot of an unknown cultural history as Cash did this record 4 years before the American Indian Movement was formed, 4 years before he performed at Folsom, and 6 years before he recorded Man in Black. D’Ambrosio will tell the story of Bitter Tears this evening with words & music, along with fellow musicians Martin Perna (Antibalas & Ocotte Soul Sounds) and other special guests.

OUTSTANDING PRAISE FOR A HEARTBEAT AND A GUITAR: Chosen as one of the best of the year by The Progressive, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Boston Globe

“This book is a truly fascinating journey, charting the historical and social context of a courageous musical statement by one of our greatest rebel voices. Long since locked away in the “denial drawer” (aren’t First Nations people just an extinct species, systematically exterminated by European “progress”?), D’Ambrosio admirably shines his investigative lantern into every darkened corner, finally offering some greatly appreciated illumination.” –Jim Jarmusch

“Antonino D’Ambrosio is the voice of a new generation—passionate, intelligent, and fierce—whose work educates and inspires. He now brings his unique voice to tell a unique story of Johnny Cash’s recording of the protest record Bitter Tears. It’s the album no one knows about but is perhaps Cash’s greatest record—and Antonino proves it.” –Chuck D of Public Enemy

“Antonino D’Ambrosio’s book on the making of Johnny Cash’s album “Bitter Tears” is much more than the story behind those extraordinary songs. It is a rich history, not only of Johnny Cash’s life, but of the Indian struggle for justice, which inspired Peter La Farge to write the song “The Ballad of Ira Hayes” and Cash to sing it. The book is full of fascinating character sketches of the great folk singers of the Sixties, and their part in the social movements of that exiting era. I believe D’Ambrosio has made an important contribution to the cultural history of our time.” –Howard Zinn

Saturday, March 20, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, Waco, TX

The white supremacist group the National Socialist Movement, in conjunction with the White Knights are “marching on Waco” on March 20. The North Texas ISO is calling anyone interested in stamping out Nazism before it can establish roots to protest. This is not a question of restricting free speech. We’re not calling for the march to be shut down by the city of Waco or by any governing body. We are calling on decent people to make their voices heard; to exercise their free speech and send an unequivocal message that this fascist garbage has no place in our community. The NSM has not yet announced where the rally will be held. Stay tuned for more details.

RSVP on Facebook

Sat., March 20, 2010, Gather at the Capitol at noon. March to City Hall at 2:00 PM. Rally at City Hall 2:30-4:00 PM

Musicians, bring your instruments. Everyone welcome. On the seventh anniversary of the invasion of Iraq, make a joyful noise for peace.

Sponsored by Instruments for Peace:
millionmusiciansmarch.com

Saturday March 27th, 2010 10am-1pm:
March begins at 10am – meet @ Terrazas Library, 1105 E. Cesar Chavez St.

Cesar E. Chavez is one of the most important leader of the 20th century. His legacy of workers rights, civil rights, environmental justice, equality for all, peace, non-violence, children and women’s rights, deserves national recognition. Cesar Chavez inspired millions of people across the country of all races and nationalities to engage in social & economic justice for farm workers.

March ends at City Hall, 301 W. Cesar Chavez St.

Call PODER for more info 512/472-9921
or poder.austin@gmail.com