Saturday, January 17, 2009, 2PM, State Capitol, South Steps, Austin The Austin Gaza Coalition invites you to “Austin in Solidarity with Gaza.” Stop the Killing! Stop the Siege! We demand that President-elect Obama and the US congress insist upon and facilitate sincere and open negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians which will lead to a lasting and just peace for both sides. The event will feature speakers from the Austin faith and academic communities: reverend Jim Rigby of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian … Continue reading →

Saturday, January 17, 2009, 10am, Central Presbyterian Church, E. 8th and Brazos Streets. The Austin Center for Peace and Justice invites participants to share their project ideas for 2009 with the group. There will be a short discussion on current events in Austin at the present time, since several suggestions were made at the Brunch in October along that line. Also, further discussions will take place on the proposed “First Sunday” 3-6 pm quarterly gatberings, following a Town Hall format … Continue reading →

First Annual Know Why You Are Marching Civil Rights and Film – Organizers Summit, January 17-19, 2009, San Antonio. See web page for more info and registration Join people from around the state of Texas who will gather with reverence for the dream and a dedication to realize the vision…

Friday, January 16, 8 p.m., Monkey Wrench Books, 110 E. North Loop This feature film tells the story of a 12 year-old boy who lives in an imaginary world of his own and often escapes from the surrounding violence to the beautiful Gaza countryside. One day he meets a ravishing gypsy girl with whom he falls in love. To win her, he is told to find her grandmother’s three lost jewels.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held in Austin on Friday, January 16th at 7pm, at the home of Jim O’Brien, another of Bill’s longtime friends. Several of Bill’s family members, including Bill’s sister, Gentry, will be present and really look forward to meeting all of his friends (I think they’re going to get more than they bargained for, but I digress…) PLEASE NOTE that this will be outdoors, so please dress appropriately! Directions to Jim’s: 5003 Wasson Rd. … Continue reading →

Thursday, January 15, 6:00 p.m., George Washington Carver Museum and Cultural Center’s Boyd Vance Theatre, 1165 Angelina Street Finalists from Blackshear, Campbell, Maplewood and Overton Elementary will compete in a five-minute speech based on the theme, “If you could share your dream with Dr. King, what would it be?” These inspiring young speakers will compete by delivering personally written speeches commemorating Dr. King’s legacy of peace and unity. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners will each receive a U.S. … Continue reading →

January 14: We will conduct our vigil as usual between 5:30 to 6:30 PM in front of the south capitol grounds, the intersection of Congress and 11th St. Read Star-Telegram story on Curtis Moore, scheduled to be the first prisoner executed for 2009. Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty – Austin

RSVP by January10 to rsvp@trla.org Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid Invites you to join us in honoring: Douglas Alexander and Amy Warr Pro bono appellate attorneys In re Sarah Steed, FLDS child custody case January13, 2009 – 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Parkside Restaurant 301 E. 6th Street, Austin, Texas 78701 Call (512)374-2760 for information. Co-hosted by Austin Bar Association. TRLA would like to thank the following sponsors:Brown McCarroll LLP, Martin J. Cirkiel Donations

Saturday, January 10, 2008: 3:00 – 5:00 PM, UT Student Housing Community Center, Gateway Apartments, 1618 W. 6th St. (West 6th St. at Campbell, just east of MoPac) Israel’s devastating war on Gaza has mobilized people around the world in protests and other political activity demanding an end to the carnage. Corresponding with a National Day of Action in suppport of the people of Gaza, a coalition of Austin activists is organizing a special event this Saturday, featuring speakers and … Continue reading →

Saturday, January 10, 12:30 PM, Austin City Hall, Lavaca & Cesar Chavez In 1996, the Defense of Marriage Act was signed into federal law. DOMA wrote discrimination into the Constitution with two strict regulations: 1) No state need treat a relationship between persons of the same sex as a marriage, even if the relationship is considered a marriage in another state, 2) The Federal Government may not treat same-sex relationships as marriages for any purpose, even if concluded or recognized … Continue reading →

The Palestine Solidarity Committee would like to inform you of two vigils organized this week by Austin Permanent Peace Protest. The families of some of our own Austin neighbors are being directly affected by Israel’s criminal operations. Please come out to show your solidarity with your fellow Austinites and the people of Gaza. Tuesday, January 6th from 5:30-6:30pm, a vigil will take place at 11th and Congress in front of the capitol. Thursday, January 8th at 5:30-6:30pm, a vigil will … Continue reading →

We will be meeting Sunday, January 4, 12:00 pm – 2:00pm (when the whole foods and church-exiting, downtown lunch crowd is thick) at “6th and Lamar”. Dear all, As Israeli soldiers take the most recent disproportionate and inhumane on the ground actions into Gaza, we are compelled to do something more about it than merely watch the grizzly one-sided reports on CNN and MSNBC and lament. We are as complicit in the slaughter in Gaza as the soldiers who pull … Continue reading →

January 2, 2009, 8:00pm, MonkeyWrench Books, 110 E. North Loop. The first of 4 films about Gaza is James Longley’s award-winning documentary “Gaza Strip.” This 74-minute film follows a range of people and events in Gaza, including the first major incursion into “Area A” by the Israeli Army during the second intifada. The documentary focuses on ordinary Palestinians and offers a rare look inside the stark realities of Palestinian life and death under Israeli military occupation. Free admission. Discussion will … Continue reading →

The Islamic Center of Greater Austin (ICGA) is calling upon all members of the Austin community to gather at the state Capitol (11th and Congress) this Friday afternoon (Jan. 2) at 4:30pm to offer salat-ul-ghayb (funeral prayers made in absentia for the deceased) and to make supplication/prayers for peace and an end to the current conflict in Palestine. The prayer service will be followed by a rally for peace and justice and an end to aggression, violence and the loss … Continue reading →