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Progressive Action Roundtable: A forum for progressive groups in the Greater New Haven Area where actions and ideas may be publicized so that others are aware of peace, health, justice, energy, environmental and other issues for the common good.

Posts Tagged MLK

Promoting Enduring Peace on Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

Jan 29

Posted by Progressive Action Roundtable in Human Rights | No Comments

By Augusta Girard, Program Coordinator, Promoting Enduring Peace

PEP spent the day on Monday, January 16 at the Peabody Museum. As a video of Martin Luther King and the causes he fought for played on my laptop I tried to show the children what he did to fight for equality and freedom and how it isn’t much different today. People are still fighting for what they believe in; for things that still need to change. I asked them to make a protest sign as if they were going to march as MLK started over 50 years ago. I asked them what was important to them. The ages ranged from approximately 5 to 11. Overwhelmingly most wanted peace.

The following quotes (word for word) were taken from signs made by a handful of the children:

“Give Peace a Chance” “World Peace is Important” “We should have peace to the environment, the world. And it does not matter about your skin color and don’t let that get in your way” “Your gonna be remembered for the things that you say and do!! I’m different and so you are to. Don’t abuse other people just because they are different”  “NO DISCRIMINATION We are all equal” “Save the Earth”  “Animal Abuse is Wrong” “We want people to be friends” “Stop all Racism in the world.”

In the spirit of Martin Luther King, Jr., we should all champion the diversity we find around us, by increasing our knowledge about different groups. “Fear, begot by ignorance, can be overcome, because ignorance can be remedied.”

At the end of his legacy, Dr. King was looking not just at issues of race, but he also became more broadly concerned about social justice. Environmental justice is social justice. Although the Environmental Justice movement was not directly conceived by Dr. King, it embodies his spirit. Promoting Enduring Peace has taken on the task of joining the Peace, Social Justice and Environmental movements.

“Never, never be afraid to do what’s right, especially if the well-being of a person or animal is at stake. Society’s punishments are small compared to the wounds we inflict on our soul when we look the other way.”  ? Martin Luther King Jr.

To see the presentation go to http://www.pepeace.org/ (Click on Sliderocket presentation)

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice 2012 Jan. 15-16

Dec 29

Posted by Progressive Action Roundtable in Events | No Comments

– Josue Irizarry, Peabody Museum Events Coordinator

The Yale Peabody Museum will open its doors for a FREE, two-day festival in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his efforts to ensure environmental and social justice for all people. The Museum, 170 Whitney Avenue, will host its sixteenth annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice on Sunday, Jan. 15, 12 to 4:30 p.m., and Monday, Jan. 16, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

In his tireless efforts to work toward equality for, and harmony between, all people, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. strove to raise awareness about public health concerns and urban environmental issues that disproportionately affect minority and low-income communities. We now refer to this as environmental justice, a term coined long after Dr. King’s death. In recognition of the progress that has been achieved in these areas, and with optimism for the future, we will celebrate with music, dance, children’s storytelling, teen summit, an open mic and our annual poetry slams.

On Sunday, Jan. 15, 12:30 to 5 p.m. teens from the Yale Peabody Museum’s EVOLUTIONS After School Program will host their third annual event celebrating the legacy of Dr. King. This year, they are bringing together high school students from across greater New Haven to explore the themes of “Unity & Community.” The event will feature exciting interactive sessions led by a variety of teen-centered organizations from the area. All students who participate in the full event are invited to an after party from 5 to 7 p.m, where there will be free food, good music, and much dancing. Come explore your community!

An important component of this celebration is our Zannette Lewis Environmental and Social Justice Community Open Mic and Poetry Slam, on Monday, Jan. 16, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Community Open Mic is an exciting aspect of our festival that gives people a unique opportunity to honor the spoken word legacy of Dr. King by sharing original poetry and rap or speaking their mind about issues of environmental and social justice our society faces today. The Poetry Slam includes well-known poets from around the United States.

Every poet who registers for the Community Open Mic by Friday, Jan. 6, 2012, will have at least three minutes at the mic to speak his or her truth and will receive an MLK Day T-shirt. Space is limited! To register, contact peabody.events@yale.edu. For more information on the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. festival, visit www.peabody.yale.edu/events/mlkday.html

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April 4 ‘We Are One’ Labor Solidarity Actions Across U.S.

May 4

Posted by Progressive Action Roundtable in Workers | No Comments

By Deb Malatesta, ANSWER

Unity and fightback spirit were on display April 4, 2011, on the anniversary of M.L. King’s assassination. The Communication Workers of America (CWA) called for a National Day of Action in support of unions and working people across the US. The action took place on April 4, the anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King in Memphis, Tenn., where he was organizing in support of striking sanitation workers.

From Madison, Wis., to Washington, D.C., to Illinois, more than 600 events were planned for this day of action with support from AFSCME, SEIU and other unions as well as local community and social justice organizations in a show of force in opposition to the attacks on working people.

In New Haven, nearly 150 people gathered on the Green and rallied to demand “Money for Jobs, Not for War.” They faced a gigantic rat figure labeled “Governor Rat Walker” in reference to Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, who is seeking to make public employees pay more for their health care and pension benefits. The demonstrators marched to nearby Bank of America to demand an end to corporate greed and for money to be used for education, healthcare and jobs. Bill Hendersen, president of the CWA Local 1298, told the crowd, “The real villain is the banks. They’ve put the economy on the brink of collapse.” The protesters targeted Bank of America because it paid nothing in corporate taxes to the state last year.

Speaking of the legacy of Martin Luther King, who was killed while organizing in support of workers seeking the right to bargain collectively for a voice at work and a better life, Hendersen told the crowd, “The issues haven’t changed: injustice in the workplace, corporate greed has gotten even worse.”

The demonstration was organized by CWA, Teamsters, American Federation of Teachers and attended by students, workers and other progressive allies in solidarity with Wisconsin, Ohio, Indiana and dozens of other states where collective bargaining is under attack. Demonstrators also came to speak out about local issues.

Students from SCSU came out in response to proposed budget cuts to the Connecticut State University system that would combine community colleges with state universities. Lytasha Blackwell, a student in SCSU’s Women’s Studies program, said, “There will be tuition hikes for people who can’t afford to go to a four year school.”

The rally closed with demonstrators chanting “Corporate Greed” at Bank of America and “The people united, will never be defeated.”

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Peace Council At The Peabody

Jan 29

Posted by Progressive Action Roundtable in Peace | No Comments

By Mary Compton, GNH Peace Council

As part of an activity for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Legacy of Environmental and Social Justice event held the weekend of Jan. 16 and 17 at the Peabody Museum, forty-two Peace Message cards were sent to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro, forty-three to Mayor DeStefano and two to Congressman Jim Himes, mainly from small children. The cards included quotes from Dr. King and a peace message from participants. This activity encouraged citizen participation and involvement in the many issues Dr. King advocated for: nonviolence, equality, cooperation, hope and citizen participation and action.

While creating their peace message, participants had to take a moment to reflect on the quotes of Dr. King and select one meaningful to them. Parents had an opportunity to engage their children in discussions of themes suggested by the quotes. Some children chose to take their cards home. Cards were collected and envelopes were addressed and stamped by volunteers from the Greater New Haven Peace Council. Throughout these two days, volunteers, parents and children had an opportunity to converse on social justice issues through the words of Dr. King and send a message of peace to express citizen concern to elected officials.

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