World-Famous Activist Ramona Africa to Give Closing Address at GARC!

[Guest guest]

World famous activist Ramona Africa will give the closing address at the

Grassroots Animal Rights Conference (GARC) this coming Sunday, April 3 from

5-6pm. The title of her talk will be, “Animal Rights and Total Revolution.”

 

Africa is a member of MOVE, which has a thirty-year history of animal and other

activism. In the 1970s, MOVE staged peaceful demonstrations at zoos in

Philadelphia and the Bronx, and at Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus.

 

In May 1985, Philadelphia police bombed and destroyed the house and the entire

block where MOVE lived. Eleven people were killed, including MOVE’s founder,

John Africa. Ramona Africa was the only surviving adult, and she was sentenced

to--and served--seven years for conspiracy, riot, and multiple counts of simple

and aggravated assault. Although a special commission was established that

heavily criticized the Philadelphia police for their actions, no one was

indicted.

 

“John Africa taught us to respect and revere life, " says Africa, " based on that

belief, members of MOVE don't see ourselves as superior to any form of life

because we understand that all life comes from one source, is coordinated by one

source . . . whether you call it ‘Allah,’ ‘Jehovah,’ ‘Jesus,’ or whatever.

Because of this, we protect the air, we protect the water, we protect the soil,

we protect animals. We don't allow anybody to abuse animals around us. We

don't allow anybody to abuse babies around us, or the elderly. We confront

industry that poisons, pollutes our air, our water, puts toxic waste in our

soil.”

 

GARC will be held ***Thursday, March 31 - Sunday, April 3*** at the Holyrood

Episcopal Church, 715 W. 179th Street, New York, NY. ALL activists are

welcomed. Below is a confirmed list of speakers and topics. FREE housing for

out-of-town visitors and vegan meals will be provided, and low-cost or free

(with waiver) registration. (First-come, first-served for free housing and

meals.) The conference site is handicapped-accessible.

 

For more information,

http://www.grassrootsar.org

or email hillary

 

All attendees are asked to pre-register:

http://www.grassrootsar.org/conference_registration.html

 

See you at GARC!

Hillary Rettig

Organizer

 

FINAL LIST OF GARC WORKSHOPS

(subject to change)

For program

<http://www.grassrootsar.org/program.html>http://www.grassrootsar.org/program.ht\

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GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM

Building Regional Coalitions for Grassroots Community Groups - Jim Van Alstine

Global Grassroots - The SHAC Campaign - Kevin Jonas

National Grassroots Campaigns- Alex Hershaft

National/Grassroots Relations - Angi Metler, Alex Hershaft

 

MOVEMENT STRATEGY / PHILOSOPHY

Animal Issues for Newcomers - Harold Brown, Erica Meier (3 hour intensive

training)

Animal Liberation Philosophy - Dale Jamieson

Commonality of Human and Non-Human Animal Oppression - Dr. Charles Patterson,

Marjorie Spiegel, pattrice jones

Defending Wildlife - Bob Leonard, Stu Chaifetz, Anne Muller, Johanna Clearfield

How Societal Change Happens - Alex Hershaft

Population, Consumption and the State of Animals - David Hayden, Adam Weissman

Socialism and Anarchism and Animal Liberation - Greg Pason, Sachio Ko Yin,

pattrice jones

Speciesism in the Animal Rights Movement - Karen Davis, Adam Weissman

Strategic Action for Farmed Animals - Nathan Runkle, Dr. Anteneh Roba, David

Cantor,

Strategic Visions for the Movement - pattrice jones, Richard Schwartz, Adam

Weissman

Using Law As A Tool to Protect Animals & Empower Advocates - Christine

Morrissey, Garo Alexanian

Yes, But ...What'll We Do With All the Cows? - Lawrence Carter-Long

 

DIRECT ACTION / NONVIOLENCE

Direct Action Skills - Cindy Rosin (3 hour intensive training)

How to Run a Successful Investigation - Lance Morosini, Garo Alexanian,

SarahJane Blum, Ryan Shapiro (3 hour intensive training)

Humane Trapping of Wildlife and Feral Animals - Shawn DeLeo, Karen Davis

Fomer Political Prisoners: Personal Reflections - Jen Greenberg, Andy Stepanian,

Benjamin Persky, Sachio Ko Yin

Strategic Nonviolence - Marjorie Spiegel and Pete Cohen

 

ALLIANCES AND COALITION BUILDING

Animal Activism from the 'Burbs to the Bible Belt - Angi Metler, Doll Stanley,

Patrick Tyrrell

Beyond the Environmentalism - Animal Rights Divide: Making Alliances -

David Cantor, Marti Kheel, Karen Davis

Coming Out for Animals: Queer and Animal Liberation -- Marti Kheel, pattrice

jones

Cross - Movement Alliances That WORK - pattrice jones, Andrea Lindsey,

Sachio Ko Yin

Why Do They Hate US? Social Justice and Environmental Activists' Antipathy

for the AR Movement – Andy Stepanian, Homefries, pattrice jones, Adam Weissman

 

FIGHTING THE POWER

Fighting Corporate Rule: Understanding and Undermining Their Power - Mary

Zepernick, Pernilla Dixit

Fighting Fire with Fire: Using Business Skills to Beat the Enemy at its Own

Game - Hillary Rettig (3 hour intensive training)

Legislative Activism-Practical Models--Julie Lewin, John Phillips, Peter Muller

(3 hour intensive training)

Resisting State Repression: Knowing the Legal System and Importance of Prisoner

Support - Christine Garcia, Jamie Moran, Melissa Jameson, David Hayden (3 hour

intensive training)

 

REACHING OUT TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCES

Animal Advocacy to Targeted Audiences - Erica Meier

Cultural Evolution Toward No-Kill: Memetherapy; Changing Minds About Animals in

NYC Susan Brandt, Jane Hoffman

Humane Education for a Humane World- Carol Moon, Matt Wildman (3 hour intensive

training)

Outreaching to Students and Youth - Andy Stepanian, Tracy Basile, Jon Camp

Race and the Movement - Sheila Hamanaka

Reaching out to Faith Communities - Jan Fredrichs, Richard Schwartz, Saurabh

Dalal, Lawrence Carter-Long

 

MESSAGING AND MEDIA

Delivering an Uncompromised Message to the Mainstream: Using Peaceable Kingdom

-- Jenny Stein, James LaVeck

Designing Your Message, Powering your Message - Josephine Bellaccomo

Effective Vegetarian Advocacy and the Psychology of Meat - Dr. Melanie Joy

Images of Liberation: Comics, Cartoons, and Graphics - Richard De Angelis

Making Attractive Activist Visuals: Fliers, Banners, and Costumes – Mike Everson

Maximizing the Media System- Nathan Runkle, Lawrence Carter-Long (3 hour

intensive training)

TV: Innovative Ways to Use the Boob Tube for Animals - Nathan Runkle, Garo

Alexanian

 

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

Avoiding Activist Burnout - Hillary Rettig, Michael Greger, Lawrence Carter-Long

(3 hour intensive training)

Fundraising & Membership Development – Lorri Bauston (3 hour intensive

training)

Planning Your Organizations Mission, Vision, and Campaigns - John Phillips, Adam

Weissman, Tim Keating (3 hour intensive training)

Organizing a Vegetarian Festival - Caryn Hartglass

Recruiting, Managing and Motivating Interns and Volunteers– Elizabeth McNulty,

Adam Weissman

Running Effective Meetings – Speakers TBA

 

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