Fwd: Weekly Update for DC
Tony R. Lee
From: Jennifer Horwitz <JHor...@aiusa.org>
Date: Dec 4, 2007 6:54 PM
Subject: Weekly Update for DC
To:
|
AIUSA Mid-Atlantic Weekly Update
December 4, 2007 ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. HOPE FOR HUMANITY | |
| In this
issue
1. Highlight
Calendar 12/7: 25th
anniversary of the first lethal injection
| Highlight
Greater Philadelphia Area
Global Write-a-thon
Take Action Action of the Month- 2007
Global Write-a-thon
December 10th is International Human Rights Day. To mark this day, join thousands of people across the United States and all around the world as they participate in Amnesty International's Global Write-A-Thon. Need help with the day of your write-a-thon?
|
| Expert
Organizing Tip: Make
your Write-a-thon and all of your other events more effective by doing
outreach to your community! Here are some creative approaches to recruiting
your community for your event:
Post the event on sites like www.craiglist.com or www.idealist.org AND the Mid-Atlantic events page Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper Post on the community events calendar in your local newspaper (most papers give you the option of doing this online and in the printed version) | |
| Opportunities
25th Anniversary Of The First Lethal Injection Execution When: Friday, December 7 from 1:00pm-2:00pm Why: December 7th marks the 25th anniversary of the first lethal injection execution in the U.S., and is exactly one month before the Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the constitutionality of lethal injection). That day, AIUSA will be hosting an online chat with Attorney Ty Alper, Associate Director of the Berkeley Law Death Penalty Clinic and Counsel of Record for one of the amicus briefs in the lethal injection case that will be heard by the Supreme Court next month. For more information about the Supreme Court Case visit: http://www.law.berkeley.edu/clinics/dpclinic/LethalInjection/Public/overview.html Submit your questions in advance by visiting: http://www.amnestyusa.org/askamnesty/live/display.php?topic=87 Local Events Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Info and Happy Hour You are invited to a Happy Hour Fundraiser sponsored by the Amnesty International's DC Women's Human Rights Action Team and the DC Stop Modern Slavery Group. During this hectic time of year, come take some time to relax, meet cool people, and support a great cause! Proceeds will benefit Shakti Samuha, a Nepalese survivor-run NGO that provides an array of critical services to sex trafficking victims, and Amnesty International. Wednesday, December 5th, 2007 6:30-8:30pm at Café Citron 1343 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington DC Upstairs balcony area Metro: Dupont South 2008 DC State Meeting – Saturday, February 9th Your State Meeting is coming up! Help us to make the 2008 DC State Meeting the best yet! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you hope to get out of this year's meeting, what topics most interest you and your group members, and how we can best meet your needs by filling out a QUICK survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Kv10r5tUZPD_2fV1gGZ9FAGA_3d_3d
We are currently looking to add one or two experienced AI members or others with relevant background to this volunteer leadership group. You don't have to be an arms export to join our group – just enthusiasm for the work! Ideal candidates for the current openings will have some mix of the following skills and knowledge: creative campaigning skills; knowledge of AI structures and culture; writing ability; experience mobilizing activists; knowledge of and/prior interest in the dynamics of the international arms market; knowledge of and/or interest in US military aid, police aid, and/or weapons transfer programs; knowledge of and/or interest in weapons systems; and energy and enthusiasm. Volunteer leaders are asked to donate about 10-15 hours per month and make a commitment of two years to this position. Individuals who wish to apply should send a cover letter and a resume or CV to the address below. In the letter, please describe why you want to work with AIUSA's Military, Security and Police Working Group and highlight your relevant qualifications and experience. Mail applications to:
| |
| For questions or comments please contact the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office (MARO) at aiu...@aiusa.org . | |
Jen Horwitz
Field Organizer - PA, DE, DC
Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 5th Fl
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202.544.0200 ext.344
Fax: 202.546.7142
--
Tony R. Lee
OUTfront Coordinator
National Resolutions Committee
AGM Planning Committee
Mid-Atlantic
Amnesty International, USA
tony...@gmail.com
(202) 390-7888 cell
(202) 973-4654 direct/work
"When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a communist."
-Dom Helder Camara
Tony R. Lee
Also, no one has responded to my previous email about the meeting schedule. Can someone inform me, please?
T
From: Jennifer Horwitz <JHor...@aiusa.org>
Date: Dec 12, 2007 7:31 PM
Subject: Weekly Update for DC
To:
|
AIUSA Mid-Atlantic Weekly Update
December 12, 2007 |
ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS.
HOPE FOR HUMANITY |
| In this
issue
1. Highlight 2. Take Action 3. Opportunities |
| •
Be an Educator
• 2008 Board Elections 4. Local Events • State Meeting • New Orleans Housing Rally - DC |
| 5. Regional & National
Events
|
| •
Register for the AGM
• January 11th, 2008 |
| 6. Volunteer Opportunities
• Regional Planning Group |
| Calendar
12/13: New Orleans Housing Solidarity Rally 12 – 1pm |
|
1/11: Denounce Torture event in Washington, DC 1/25-27: Mid-Atlantic Action Camp 2008: Take the Mystery Out of Recruiting on Your College Campus 2/9: DC State Meeting For more information or to add an event to the calendar contact: main...@aiusa.org . |
| Highlight
Successful Write-a-thons Throughout the Region More than 50 Mid-Atlantic groups registered to host a write-a-thon and individuals pledged more than 2,650 letters! At a write-a-thon in Media PA members wrote more than 225 letters and holiday cards. And in Arlington, VA, people came from across Northern Virginia to write nearly twice the number of letters the organizers had set as their goal. To tell us what you did visit: http://tinyurl.com/3xps5c Send pictures and highlights of your write-a-thon to bpet...@aiusa.org (MD, VA, WV) or jhor...@aiusa.org (PA, DC, DE). Take Action Child Soldier Prevention Act Contact Your Senators Today an estimated 250,000 children are serving in armed conflict and hundreds of thousands more are members of armed forces who could be sent into combat at any time. These "child soldiers" include boys and girls, sometimes as young as six years old, serving in government armies, government-linked militias, and armed opposition groups. The Good News: The House of Representatives just passed a bill that will prevent governments that use child soldiers from getting U.S. military funding. What Now: Please contact your Senators and urge them to cosponsor and support the passage of the Child Soldier Prevention Act (S. 1175). (Don't know who to talk to? Just call 202 224-3121, ask to be connected to your Senator's office, then ask the receptionist who in the office covers issues relating to child soldiers.) For more information about the Child Soldier Prevention Act visit: http://tinyurl.com/2ajvmp | |
| Expert
Organizing Tip: Does
your AIUSA group chapter need a financial pick-me-up? Amnesty International
is proud to be teaming up with Equal Exchange to provide an easy
way for your group to raise funds (and help farmers and their families
around the world in the process)!
Groups earn 4 percent profits selling organic and fair trade coffees, teas and chocolates. You can order directly from Equal Exchange by calling 774-776-7371 or visiting http://www.equalexchange.com/fundraiser . Make sure to mention Amnesty International USA! | |
| Opportunities
Be an Activist, Be an Education, Be an Inspiration Amnesty International's Human Rights Education Service Corps (HRESC) trains university students to facilitate a 9 week human rights course in a DC public high school. Facilitators will receive educational training and curriculum, attend support meetings, and gain a unique teaching and volunteer experience. Last week, our facilitators taught about the Death Penalty. One student was so enraged by the injustice of the death penalty that she exclaimed, "This makes me so sick, the way they kill people makes me sick." Another student was so moved by the Troy Davis case that she grabbed extra petitions from her teacher so she could make her friends sign it at lunch time. The teacher continues to print out more blank petitions for his students. Because of HRESC, many of our students are engaging with human rights issues such as poverty, genocide, violence against women, and the death penalty every week. Our facilitators are exposing them to new ideas and helping the students turn their frustrations into passion for human rights work. Be a part of educating students in DC about timely human rights issues. Make a difference and sign up to teach human rights for Spring 2008 now. For more information or to apply to be a facilitator contact Janet Mui at MA2in...@aiusa.org or (202) 544-0200 x299. 2008 Board Elections Get Ready to Vote To be eligible to vote in the 2008 Board elections you must be an individual member of Amnesty International USA and have paid your dues or received a dues waiver between Jan. 1, 2007 and Jan. 31, 2008. Petition Candidate Procedure for the 2008 Board Elections If you would like to run for the Board but haven't been nominated you still have a chance to run as a petition candidate. Petition candidates must collect 100 signatures of current national dues paying AIUSA members endorsing their candidacy (we recommend collecting 150 signatures to be certain those who signed are current members), and submit a ballot statement. All original, signed petitions and the ballot statement must be received by Eva Kadrey at AIUSA (5 Penn Plaza, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10001-4808) before 5 p.m. EST on Jan. 4, 2008. To request petition forms, you may contact a member of the Nominating Committee or Eva Kadrey at e kad...@aiusa.org or 212-633-4287, fax: 212-627-1451. The petition form is also available online – http://www.amnestyusa.org/members/board/index.html . Regional & National Events Close Guantanamo – Join us on January 11th! January 11th 2008 marks the 6th anniversary of the first detainee at Guantanamo. Congress, the White House, the Supreme Court need to hear from the American people that a sixth anniversary is unacceptable. 767 people have been unjustly detained since the first transfer of detainees took place in 2002. We need you and your group members to attend a rally on the National Mall to help us send a clear message to stop torture and close Guantanamo. Event details: When: 11am on Friday, January 11th, 2008 Where: National Mall, Washington, DC (Smithsonian Metro) | |
Annual General Meeting The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is in our region this year! This year's theme is Ignite Hope, Advocate Change. Every year the AGM unites AIUSA members and staff with prominent human rights activists and international guests to provide a forum to discuss AIUSA's initiatives to prevent human rights violations around the world. This year AIUSA will embark on a Congressional lobby day (Monday, April 28th). To celebrate early you can register at the Early Bird Rate (a $25 savings)! For More information and to register for the AGM visit: www.amnestyusa.org/agm |
Local Events
|
2008 DC State Meeting –
Saturday, February 9th
Your State Meeting is coming up! Help us to make the 2008 DC State Meeting the best yet! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you hope to get out of this year's meeting, what topics most interest you and your group members, and how we can best meet your needs by filling out a QUICK survey at: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Kv10r5tUZPD_2fV1gGZ9FAGA_3d_3d |
|
| For questions or comments please contact the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office (MARO) at aiu...@aiusa.org . |
Jen Horwitz
Field Organizer - PA, DE, DC
Mid-Atlantic Regional Office
Amnesty International USA
600 Pennsylvania Ave SE, 5th Fl
Washington, DC 20003
Phone: 202.544.0200 ext.344
Fax: 202.546.7142