[Peace] AWARE minutes 11-3-02

[Karen Kohn]

Minutes for November 3, 2000
32 people in attendance

1.  Music by Matt and Tom Turino

2.  Sascha Meinrath told us about goings-on in the Champaign schools, where the administration is trying to demote Deloris Henry.  Ms. Henry is assistant superintendent and also in charge of dealing with racial issues and ending racial inequality.  The schools are having closed hearings to demote her to a classroom teacher, but the charges haven't been publicly released.  The accusation is supposedly that she's not done her job well.  In fact, the real grudge is probably that she's trying too hard to do her job.  People have tried to sit in a her hearings, and they keep kicking everyone out.  If you want to help, call the school board or go to the hearings.

3.  Sharon Dorsey from the Fellowship of Reconciliation came to tell us about a workshop to be held in Urbana in February.  It is called From Violence to Wholeness, and deals with how to live the principles of nonviolence.  The event lasts 18 hours and will be held February 21-22 at the Channing-Murray Foundation.  AWARE committed to contribute money after our fundraiser, since this workshop is expensive to put together.

4.  Carl's News of the Week

5.  Report on DC protest.  About 52 people from C-U went in 8 vans.  Two front-page articles in the DI covered the protests and send-off.  Jeff Sowers says the event was inspiring, with "seas of people," speakers, and cheerleaders.  The crowd surrounded the White House.  There are an estimated 100 000 - 200 000 people.

6.  Working Group Reports and Direct Action
  --Lois went to Springfield to protest Bush's speech there.  There were about 150 protesters, including pro-life people, NOW, and Democrats for Blagojevich.  The police were friendly but took away sticks.  Meridith got through the police line and talked to someone who said Bush didn't get a lot of applause for war.  Another AWARE person was inside and took advantage of the crowd's quiet solemnity on the issue of war to make a lot of noise!  He was kicked out after about 20 seconds.

  --Postcards for Peace.  Lisa reminded us of logistics and help still needed.  The event will be 3-6 pm Sunday, November 10 in Caffe Paradiso.  Our meeting will go on as usual from 5-7, but it will be small.  Sandra needs help with the following things:
  Tuesday 9-4 and Wednesday 7-9pm  framing at Sandra's house, 1408 Vine Street (South of Urbana middle school)
  Sunday 9 a.m. hanging frames at Caffe Paradiso.
  Sunday 2-6 pm handling money at the event itself.

  --Farmer's Market tabling is fun and going well.  However, the last one is next weekend.  Jeff called the mall management to ask if we could table there, but apparently we can't do anything political at the mall.  He and Charlotte will call stores to see if any place will let us table.

  --Protests on Prospect.  Forty-two people signed in this week, including 11 new people.  We got no press, but Jeff took some pictures.  The list of people who have signed in thus far is growing, and Ricky would like more people to help calling these people to remind them of future protests.
  We could use some more signs, and we talked generally about having a sign-making party, but nothing was decided.  Jeff talked to the city attorney, who said it's okay to distribute literature on the street, but the police department said it's illegal.  He'll go back to the police and tell them what the city attorney said.

  --Literature.  Ricky says the group has made some revisions, but he doesn't know how many copies to make because we haven't yet found a place to distribute literature after the Farmer's Market ends.  Jeff wants to make a newspaper-style thing (sorry for the inarticulateness), i.e., one large page that gets folded in fourths.  We could leave it around town like the Public I.

  --Finance.  Raia says we have >$300!  A lot of this will go to the IMC, as we are supposed to pay $10/mtg. for use of their space.  They have forgiven our debt, but she'll be paying them for future use.

7.  Announcements
  Teachers for Peace and Justice had a picnic and distributed 1500 fliers!  They're having a teach-in November 11 from 1-3 pm in the Illlini Union room 210.  This is co-sponsored by Student Peace Action.  It is preceded by a rally at noon on the quad.

  Election Day is Tuesday!!  There will be a rally on the quad at noon on Tuesday with an open mike.  Carl has specially invited AWARE to come distribute literature.  The Greens are having a party to watch the vote results come in.  There will be food, but no alcohol is allowed, due to an alliance with teetotalers.  Some report that the Green office is hard to find.  It's at 24 E. Green Street #14, right next to the railroad tracks.  The office is on the side of the building by the tracks, and I think you enter through the back (?)  The office is through a door marked 'Psychiatry.'

  Barbara Dyskant will be in town next weekend. (an early AWARE member who moved away this Spring)
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