Tag: MLK

Posted in General Interest

PEN CENTER USA ANNOUNCES NATIONWIDE WRITERS RESIST CAMPAIGN

Posted on by Jamie Dedes

Join the Nationwide Campaign
Writers Resist

PEN Center USA’s mission of defending freedom of expression is more important than ever. We want you to join us as we are shifting our Freedom to Write campaigns to sharply focus on domestic issues. We are excited to co-sponsor the LA event for Writers Resist with Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center. If you cannot attend the event we have listed other ways you can take action below.

Writers Resist is a national event on January 15, 2017, the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., when writers around the world will come together for a “re- inauguration” of our shared commitment to the spirit of compassion, equality, free speech, and the fundamental ideals of democracy.

Events are planned in NYC, Houston, Austin, New Orleans, Seattle, Spokane, Los Angeles, London, Zurich, Boston, Omaha, Kansas City, Jacksonville, Madison, Milwaukee, Bloomington, Baltimore, Oakland, Tallahassee, Newport, Santa Fe, Salt Lake, and Portland (Oregon AND Maine) and many other cities. More info HERE.  There are seventy-five cities in all so far.

↓ TAKE ACTION ↓

ATTEND THE EVENT
January 15, 2017
Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, California
1pm – 4pm (with an intermission)
Free and open to all
R.S.V.P. on Facebook

READERS: William Archila, Ishmael Beah, Aimee Bender, Ron Carlson, Victoria Chang, Geoff Dyer, Blas Falconer, Amy Gerstler, Dana Goodyear, Naomi Hirahara, Doug Kearney, Meme Kelly, Vandana Khanna, Michele Latiolais, Douglas Manuel, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Alicia Partnoy, Mona Simpson, Christine Schutt, Safiya Sinclair, Lynne Thompson, David Ulin, Vanessa Villarreal, and Amy Wilentz.

Announcement courtesy of PEN CENTER USA

Posted in General Interest, justice, Peace & Justice

MLK’s Legacy … in his footsteps

Posted on by Jamie Dedes

2016015699419aee083by Rev. Ben Meyers, Unitarian Universalists of San Mateo (UUSM), CA

This past Saturday (January 16), in the North Central Neighborhood of San Mateo, the children in the county school system gathered at the Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center to listen and support the poets, essayists, and artists who participated in this year’s (the 31st annual) event. Afterward, everyone was invited to gather at UUSM, to celebrate the children and to honor Martin Luther King, Jr. and his legacy with activities, music and buffet.

In most communities across the country, the practice of inviting school-age children to ponder King’s legacy and its impact on the American culture and society is fast becoming a standard practice and tradition. This year’s MLK contest topic encourages an exploration of other leaders who were influenced by King’s message of hope, unity, enfranchisement, and peace. It is right that the “next” generation engage in the continuance of King’s impact because we live in a time when those ideas are daily challenged by continued despair, disparity, and violence. We can yet ask, “Where do we go from here?”

FullSizeRender-1As we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birth today, let this be a time when, along with paying our respects to the memory of King’s life and his historic legacy, we raise our consciences from our “moments of comfort and convenience” and ask ourselves in ways never before, “Where are we standing among the current challenges and controversies that yet plague our communities, thwarting our dreams of equality and shredding the network of mutuality of which Dr. King spoke so eloquently?” It is time to know where, or even if, we stand for justice and equity and peace.

If we do not like the answer to our inquiry, let us have the courage and the audacity to move ourselves from our comfort and complacency to a place more inconveniently situated, and stand tall.

© Rev. Ben Meyers, all rights reserved