Wednesday, March 21st, 2007

Going to Chicago (from the CIW)

Remember, you can buy tickets for the buses from NYC to Chicago right here (see the big yellow button on the right) or at FAIRFOODNYC (at) GMAIL.COM .

Payment is needed ASAP since we need to pay NOW for buses on the 12th!

See our CHICAGO pages for more details.

Caravaners for Fair Food, Farmworker Justice, and Dignity

Dear Caravaners for Fair Food, Justice, and Dignity –

Thank you for all the amazing work you are doing to bring your communities to join the CIW’s Behind the Golden Arches Tour in Chicago this April! These are exciting times leading up to what promises to be a mobilization of historic proportions. We keep hearing from communities like yours across the country who are mobilizing towards Chicago! Utah, Washington state, and Ohio have recently joined the list of nearly 30 states who will be sending groups to join us in Chicago, and, as you may have already heard, AFL- CIO President John Sweeney just confirmed for April 14th!

Many of you have been asking good questions about logistical, financial, and other issues for the actions. We try to address some of those general logistical issues here. Of course, details are coming together for the mobilization every day, and we will keep you all up-to-date as information becomes available.

Our ability to plan and make the two days of action flow problem-free will depend on us knowing your numbers and arrival times with as much lead time as possible. To help us, we ask that you please fill out the attached “City Form” and email it to:

workers@ciw-online.org

ASAP so that we can get a handle on the numbers and plan accordingly.

For the most up-to-date information, check our website at: www.ciw-online.org/2007truthtour/index.html

APRIL 13-14 LOGISTICS INFORMATION-

Housing: The Chicagoland Advance Team is still working on securing housing (mostly floor space) for all of our Caravaners. The sooner we know your expected numbers, the better we’ll be able to provide housing. Please make us aware ASAP of any special housing needs and note them on the attached City Form. Depending on your estimated arrival time we will have a better idea where your bus/vans should go. We are looking into possible “convergence” sites, where caravans can come and for orientation and materials for the weekend’s events.

Transportation: If you are not coming in a vehicle or bus, we are looking into transportation from Chicago to Oak Brook for Friday’s rally at McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook and then back to Chicago that evening. Please note on your city form if you will need transportation. Buses and vehicles will be able to park in a designated space near McDonald’s Headquarters, and we will be in touch with details about where this is.

Saturday’s events in downtown Chicago will begin and end at Federal Plaza, which is accessible by the public transportation in Chicago (the “L” train or buses), which is both easy to navigate and inexpensive. Buses can also drop people off at Federal Plaza and then go elsewhere. More information to come on this front, too.

Networking Opportunities: Many of you coming to the Chicago actions come from organizations leading exciting struggles, and the two days of action are an excellent opportunity to share news of your organizations, campaigns, and upcoming actions with activists from around the country. To facilitate that there will be time for workshops during Planton Esperanza during the morning hours of April 13th and tabling during the afternoon rally on the 14th. If you are interested in tabling or possibly organizing a short workshop, please let us know and indicate this on the city form as soon as possible so that we can make the appropriate arrangements.

WHAT TO BRING-

The following is a suggested list of items that you may need or choose to bring:
• - Spending money for food and public transportation
• - Sleeping bag
• - Change of WEATHER-APPROPRIATE clothes- the weather changes rapidly, so please check the forecast before coming.
• - Personal items and toiletries
• - Towel
• - Noise makers
• - Banners, and protest art
• - Information about the organization you represent
• - Snacks
• -First aid kit

While the CIW is doing everything possible to provide logistical information and support for groups who will be coming to Chicago, we ask that you do as much possible to self-organize your group and also communicate to us any needs you have. … Also, stay tuned for a mobilization guide in the coming weeks.Please let us know if there are other issues you have questions about. We can’t wait to see you in Chicago!

Coalition of Immokalee Workers Student Farmworker Alliance Interfaith Action of Southwest Florida

Wednesday, March 21st, 2007

3/21 CIW E-Action Alert!

-please circulate widely-

http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/araw_mcdonalds

American Rights At Work, a leading voice for workplace democracy in the country today, is taking on the CIW’s McDonald’s campaign with a national E-Action Alert!

Click here (http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/araw_mcdonalds ) now to participate in an online petition demanding that McDonald’s implement fair wages and real rights for the farmworkers who pick its tomatoes. And after you sign the petition, you can help spread the word by sending the following message to 10 friends:

“Farmworkers who pick tomatoes for the fast food industry are among this country’s most exploited workers: subpoverty wages, no rights to overtime pay, no benefits of any kind.

Two years ago, Taco Bell did something about it — agreeing to pay a penny more per pound of tomatoes to double the workers’ earnings, and establishing a real code of conduct to ensure safe working conditions. But fast food giant McDonald’s has refused to follow Taco Bell’s lead.

Consumers have joined together with religious, human rights, student, and workers’ rights groups across the country to protest McDonald’s refusal to advance real rights for these workers.

I just signed a petition to McDonald’s to urge them to do better. Will you join me? Just click here ( http://action.americanrightsatwork.org/campaign/araw_mcdonalds ) to tell McDonalds these workers deserve real rights and fair wages.”

__________
Marc Rodrigues
Student/Farmworker Alliance
(239) 292-3431
http://sfalliance.org
http://ciw-online.org
http://myspace.com/sfalliance

Monday, March 19th, 2007

3/24:Benefit to Support Fair Food NYC and the Starbucks Workers Union

The people, united, will never be defeated–and they will have a *crazy* good time….

Fair Foodistas,

*Join us on Saturday for a night of music, art, food and fun to benefit two wonderful organizations in NYC.*

What: Benefit to support the Starbucks Workers Union and Fair Food NYC

The Starbucks Workers Union has been working tirelessly to organize underpaid, overworked folks against the trendy coffee monster, Starbucks. Starbucks is using everything in its power to fight the organizing attempts and these workers are sticking their badass necks out anyway and could use some solidarity.

Fair Food NYC organizes with the Coalition Of Immokalee Workers, a group of outta hand farmworkers in southern Florida who are changing the way companies view farmworkers in their supply chains and are, one by one, demanding that mega corporations like Taco Bell and McDonalds own up to their responsibilities and pay them what they deserve.

When: Saturday March 24th
2 o’clock: Art Making
We’ll be making posters, banners, puppets, and creative signage for upcoming actions–come lend a hand!
4 o’clock: BBQ ($5/plate)
Don’t worry, they’ll be veggie stuff too
6 o’clock: Music Starts ($5-$7 suggested donation at the door)

Who: We will be listening to the musical talents of Rebel Diaz,
Spiritchild, Dynamite Plan, AbstractVision plus a great DJ.

Where: This exciting afternoon/evening is taking place at 71 Troutman in
Brooklyn (Bushwick)

Why: To help these rockin’ groups raise some dough! To learn more about the Starbucks Workers campaign check out www.starbucksunion.org and to learn more about Fair Food NYC and the McDonalds campaign check out www.fairfoodnyc.org and www.sfalliance.org

Meet the musicians:
REBEL DIAZ (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=7514111)
SPIRITCHILD (http://www.myspace.com/spiritchildmentalnotes)
DYNAMITE PLAN (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=70874804)
ABSTRACTVISION (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=103958646 )

How to get there:
Take the JMZ to Myrtle Avenue.  Upon exiting, cross over Broadway and
walk up Myrtle one block.  Take a left on Troutman Street.  We are two
blocks down on the left.  # 71.

Take the L to Morgan Avenue.  Take the Bogart Street exit.  Upon
reaching the street swing a right, and walk till you hit Flushing
Avenue.   Take a right on Flushing, and a quick left on Central.  Walk
up Central till you hit Troutman Street.  Take a right.  Walk a block
and a second, we are on the righthand side.

Lost? Call 516 458 3454 and we’ll help!

See you Saturday,
Fair Food NYC

Sunday, March 18th, 2007

3/31 JUSTICE NOW!: ORGANIZING IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES

Join us for an historic roundtable discussion on the new era of immigrant justice Organized by the NYU Immigrant Justice Collective*

When: Saturday, March 31, 2007 12 - 3 PM
Where: Judson Memorial Church’s Assembly Hall, 239 Thompson St.

Free and Open to the Public; Refreshments Provided.
Wheelchair accessible; ASL translator available upon request; please RSVP below

Justice Now!: Organizing Immigrant Communities is an open roundtable forum that will bring together cultural workers and activists from diverse movements– including immigrant rights, labor rights, youth activism, and queer rights– who are actively working to build new models for immigrant justice organizing. This roundtable will examine questions such as detention, deportation, profiling, borders, torture, and surveillance. We believe in using this space to highlight the intersectional, interstitial, and intervening issues within immigrant justice organizing that are often collapsed under the sometimes reductive banner of “immigrant rights.” This roundtable discussion will be an opportunity to brainstorm collectively and share best practices and dynamic strategies that respond to the immigration crisis defining our political times.

FEATURING community organizers from:

Make the Road By Walking/Se Hace El Camino Por Andar

Asociaciïon Tepeyac de New York

Queers for Economic Justice

CAAAV: Organizing Asian Communities

New York Taxi Workers’ Alliance

New Immigrant Community Empowerment

Audre Lorde Project

SPONSORS:

Judson Memorial Church Program in American Studies, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, NYU Asian/Pacific/American Studies Institute, NYU

CONTACT US:

WEBSITE: http://immigrantjusticeroundtable.blogspot.com EMAIL: immigrantjustice@gmail.com

* NYU Immigrant Justice Collective is composed of first year graduate students in American Studies, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis: Leticia Alvarado, Maxime Berthemy, Juan Jos� Bermudez de Castro, Sven Cvek, Joanna Dee, Lezlie Frye, Ronak Kapadia, Devin Murphy, and Lena Sze
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