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Monday, February 8, 7 pm, MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop

Si Kahn, “Creative Community Organizing: A Guide for Rabble-Rousers, Activists, and Quiet Lovers of Justice” Si Kahn will discuss his book “Creative Community Organizing: A Guide for Rabble-Rousers, Activists, and Quiet Lovers of Justice,” about the work of Grassroots Leadership. This latest work by the legendary activist, musician and author, is a different kind of community organizing book. While it does outline many of the practical tactics organizers use, Kahn also examines community organizing as a way of thinking and a way of life.

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Amiri Baraka – Thursday, February 11, Free. 7 pm. Rothko Chapel, 1409 Sul Ross. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. For more information, visit www.rothkochapel.org or call 713-524-9839.

Poet, playwright and civil rights activist Amiri Baraka will be at the Rothko Chapel for a program. Amiri Baraka is the author of over 40 books of essays, poems, drama, and music history and criticism. The Essence of Reparations is Baraka’s first published collection of essays in book form exploring the interrelated issues of racism, national oppression, colonialism, neo-colonialism, self-determination and national and human liberation. He has taught at Yale, Columbia, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Tuesday. February 16, 2-3:30 pm, Location: UT campus, LBJ Conference Room (CMA 5.160)

Five Decades of Reporting from Latin America: Independent journalist John Ross is the author of 10 books, including Murdered By Capitalism – A Memoir of 150 Years of Life and Death on the U.S. Left (Upton Sinclair Award winner) and Rebellion from the Roots: Indian Uprising in Chiapas (American Book Award winner). His reporting appears in publications such as the San Francisco Bay Guardian, The Nation, Texas Observer, and Counterpunch. His most recent book, El Monstruo: Dread and Redemption in Mexico City, tells the gritty, vibrant histories of Mexico City, where he is based.

FEBRUARY 18-20 (9:30AM – 5:00PM) The Texas Union (main campus of UT Austin)

Seventh Annual Activist Scholarship Conference at the University of Texas at Austin. Abriendo Brecha is an annual conference at the University of Texas at Austin dedicated to activist scholarship; i.e. research and creative intellectual work in alignment with communities, organizations, movements and networks working for social justice. Abriendo Brecha VII calls for a renewed discussion on the meanings and practices of activist scholarship, particularly as it relates to the challenges of the present moment. Some themes for this year’s conference include: Race and Inequality throughout the Americas; Environmental Justice Movements; and The Global Economic Crisis. This year’s conference will consist of a mixed format that includes panels, workshops, poster presentations, performances and film.

Thursday, February 18, 7 pm, UT campus, GEA 105

Ali Abunimah, “From Gaza to freedom: Future scenarios for Palestine/Israel” Ali Abunimah, the editor of ElectronicIntifada.net and the author of One Country: A Bold Proposal to End the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict will speak about the current situation in occupied Palestine and scenarios for resolving the conflict.

Thursday February 18, 2010, 7:00-8:30 PM, Schmidt-Jones Family Life Center, 1300 Lavaca St

RESULTS Educational Fund Benefit featuring Jim Hightower (this is always an incredible group of people convening for this event===not to miss!). Locally baked desserts will be served

Keynote Speaker, Julia Bolz – President of Ayni Education, Building Schools In Afghanistan. JULIE BOLZ is a nationally recognized speaker and social justice advocate dedicated to engaging, educating, and empowering the poor in the developing world. She has worked with dozens of international non-profits to amend discriminatory laws, procure microloans, establish hospitals and businesses, and negotiate political challenges. Since 2002, Julie has focused on educating girls in Afghanistan, where she founded “Journey with an Afghan School”; through which she has built 19 schools and repaired over a dozen others, serving about 25,000 Afghan students.

Special Guest, Jim Hightower – America’s #1 Populist, author of Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go with the Flow. JIM HIGHTOWER is America’s most popular populist, a best-selling author, radio commentator, and public speaker practicing the credo of an old Yugoslavian proverb: “You can fight the gods and still have fun.” Twice elected to statewide office in Texas, he has long battled the “Powers that Be on behalf of the Powers that Ought to Be” – working families, consumers, the environment, small businesses, and just plain folks. His latest book, Against the Current: Even a Dead Fish Can Go with the Flow, presents inspirational wisdom from people across the country making a difference.

RESULTS and RESULTS Educational Fund are a leading force in ending hunger and poverty in the U.S. and worldwide. We mobilize support for long-term solutions to poverty by advocating for policies and programs that address the root causes of poverty – lack of access to education, lack of access to medical care, and lack of opportunity to move up the economic ladder.

RESULTS has chapters in over 100 U.S. cities whose volunteers advocate for policies and legislation that create solutions to poverty. From all over the U.S., RESULTS activists send a loud and clear message to our leaders that a commitment to the well-being of all people must be paramount. As a result, we’re leveraging millions of dollars for programs and policies that empower low-income people to escape poverty.

You will have an opportunity to give a donation that is meaningful to you. Please consider a gift that will help us reach our goal of $20,000. If you cannot attend, your donation is still welcome and will be leveraged to expand access to health care, education and economic opportunities to the poorest people in the United States and around the world.If unable to attend but you still want to support the work, donations are accepted online. Thank you.

Friday-Saturday, February 19-20, UT campus,  AT&T Conference Center on the UT Austin campus

This conference provides an opportunity to develop a comprehensive working plan to secure competitive insurance benefits for state university employees and to develop your campus initiatives on equality issues. Continuing the momentum created at last year’s conference, we are urging every public and private university in Texas to send one or more representatives. The conference is designed for university faculty and staff, and 1 student leader per school may also attend. Registration is $75 per person.

Sponsored by UT-Austin’s Pride and Equity Faculty and Staff Association and Equality Texas, with co-sponsors Texas State University and the University of Houston.

More info:

Debra Winegarten at winegarten@astro.as.utexas.edu

Saturday, February 20, Save this Date, UT Campus Room and Time TBA

THE ROOTS OF RACISM AND THE DEATH PENALTY IN AMERICA: Presenting the Campaign to End the Death Penalty’s National Speaking Tour for 2009 – 2010. Join this teach-in tour in cities around the country this fall and spring. This year’s tour looks at the historic link between the death penalty and lynching in the United States. Hear from those who have been freed from death row, activists and scholars on the role of racism in our criminal justice system and why the death penalty and unjust sentencing need to be abolished.

Saturday, February 20, 1:00 – 5:00 PM, Travis County Expo Center, 7311 Decker Ln.

“A CALL FOR REFORM” TEXAS CONVENTION FOR IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION Community members, advocacy groups, elected officials and allies from all around Texas will convene in Austin for a convention on immigrant integration. Immigrants in Texas represent 16 percent of the population, more than the national average of 12.5 percent. Some of them are forced to live in the shadows by a broken immigration system that keeps them from contributing fully to their adopted country. The United States and Texas need a comprehensive immigration reform in 2010. It’s good for the economy, good for security and good for families. Registration is free.

Sponsored by the Reform Immigration for Texas Alliance. More info: acadena@bnhr.org or (915) 253-2262

Saturday, February 20, 2010, 6:30 PM, Hyatt Regency North Dallas, 701 East Campbell Road, Richardson, TX 75081

Join us for the Muslim Legal Fund of America’s Annual Benefit Dinner and listen to an award-winning investigative journalist share her captivating journey to Islam. Yvonne Ridley is an award-winning investigative journalist from the United Kingdom. She was arrested by the Taliban while she was covering the US war in Afghanistan. She was released after 10 days and kept a promise she made to one of her captors that she would read the Quran and learn about Islam. About 30 months after her release, she converted to Islam and became an outspoken defender of Islam, Muslim causes and human rights all over the world.

Ms. Ridley authored two books, Into the Hands of the Taliban and Ticket to Paradise, and recently finished a documentary on Prisoner 650, the only known female prisoner held at the notorious Bagram prison in Afghanistan (known as the “Abu Ghraib of Afghanistan” by human rights activists). Ms. Ridley’s interviews include eye-witness accounts claiming Prisoner 650 is Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, a beneficiary of MLFA’s charitable work. Ms. Ridley is an avid supporter of MLFA and has spoken at MLFA events in major cities across America.

The Muslim Legal Fund of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization that supports legal cases impacting the Muslim community. This support includes financial support (made possible through your generous donations) as well as logistical support. MLFA also maintains a database of attorneys who agree to reduce their legal fees for members of the Muslim community who are facing legal challenges. Donations to MLFA are tax-deductible and zakat-eligible.

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February 27, 2010, 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM, Huston-Tillotson University

www.austinheritagefestival.org
Tentative Schedule

Event MC – Miss Black Texas USA! Zakiya Larry
1:00 – 2:00 The Celebration Begins! – Kickoff with the exciting Reagan High School Band Vendor Booths / Health Fair / Children’s Activities and More…
2:00 – 2:30
Festival Program
Presentation of the Colors by Boy Scouts
Welcome
Invocation
Negro Nat’l Anthem
Introduction of Representative Dukes
Introduction of Huston-Tillotson University President, Dr. Larry Earvin & Scholarship Check Presentation
2:30 – 3:15
Urban Prayze Music from Soulfruit!
Soulfruit
3:15 – 5:00 More exciting music, poetry and dance from some of Austin’s premiere talent

Land stewards, farmers, and ranchers interested in turning wildlife into real wealth on their land will not want to miss Holistic Management Texas’ Spring Conference on March 5 and 6, 2010 at T Bar M Resort in New Braunfels, TX.  This two-day event will provide a variety of information about how to work with wildlife to increase biodiversity and your bottom line simultaneously. For more information and details about pricing, please visit www.hmitexas.org or contact Amy Normand (830-868-2427). Don’t miss this great chance to learn all about Holistic Management!

“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.”

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Sat., March 20, 2010 DATE SAVER. Please check back for updates or see the website: millionmusiciansmarch.com