FSP Black History Month Celebrations

During Barack Obama’s campaign for president, the media promoted the idea that the U.S. had become colorblind by embracing his candidacy. But is colorblindness even a worthy or achievable goal in this country? How does the supposed “post-racial” society measure up to the reality of poor and working people’s lives, 60 years after the Black civil rights movement? Join a freewheeling discussion and celebrate the ongoing struggle for “Freedom Now!”

Here's listings for FSP Black History Month celebrations in San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Portland and Los Angeles:

San Francisco

Speakers:

Richard Brown: Former Black Panther, victorious SF 8 defendant and longtime Western Addition community organizer.

Merle Woo: revolutionary feminist lesbian educator, and Coordinator, Bay Area Comrades of Color Caucus of Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women.

The celebration will be held at New Valencia Hall (for address and travel information, click here.)

Doors open at 6:00pm, $3 donation requested. At 6:00pm there will be a Louisiana Cajun-Creole Feast for a $10 donation. Work exchanges are available for students, low-income and unemployed people.

For more information or childcare arrangements: call 415-864-1278 or email bafsp@earthlink.net.

Seattle

Speakers:

Jacob Greenberg – Graduate student and agitator with Democracy Insurgent currently defending rank and file workers at UW.
Alton McDonald – Jamaican-born founder of New Century Justice Network and a determined fighter against bigotry.
Annaliza Torres – Pinay activist, coordinator of NW Comrades of Color Caucus, and member of OPEIU Local 8.
Jennell Hicks– Education specialist for the county, President of Association of Black Student Social Workers at UW and single mom with three adult children.
Oscar Rosales Castañeda – Contributing writer for Harry Bridges Center for Labor Studies and dedicated student of revolution.

Begin the evening at 6pm with a Louisiana Cajun-Creole Feast served for a $9 donation. Program starts at 7:30pm, $3 door donation requested. Sliding scale and work exchanges available.

Everyone is welcome to attend. The event will be held at New Freeway Hall (for travel information and address, click here.)

For information contact 206-722-2453 or FSPseattle@mindspring.com. To request rides or childcare, please call three days in advance.

New York

Speakers will include Norma Abdulah, a retired school teacher and longtime Harlem civil rights leader; Kenyon Farrow, from Queers for Economic Justice and co-editor of Letters from Young Activists; and Emily Woo Yamasaki, representing the Comrades of Color Caucus of Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women.

Doors open at 6:00pm, $3 donation requested. Also at 6:00pm there will be a Savory Southern Supper for a $9 donation. Work exchanges are available for students, low-income and unemployed people (please call in advance).

The forum will be held at Freedom Hall (for address and travel information, click here.)

Childcare provided. For information contact 212-222-0633 or fsp@nyct.net.

Portland

Speakers include:

Kent Ford - Founder of the Portland chapter of the Black Panther Party and father of political prisoner Patrice Lumumba Ford

Sylvia Evans - Candidate for Portland City Council, Position 2 and founder of REPOWER (Re-Establishing People Oregonizing With Empowered Residents)

Mike Neyland - Student of Black history and target of racial profiling by Portland Police

Eduardo MartÍnez Zapata - Member of Comrades of Color Caucus of Freedom Socialist Party and Radical Women and immigrant rights organizer

The event will be held at the Bread & Roses Center(for address and travel information, click here.)

A Southern-Style Feast will be served at 6pm for a $10.00 donation. There is a Door Donation of $2.00. Partial proceeds will go towards aid for the Haitian people. The event is co-sponsored with Radical Women.

For more information call 503-240-4462 or email fsp@igc.org.

Los Angeles

Victorious San Francisco 8 defendant Ray Boudreaux, L.A. public school teacher Linda Guthrie, and Chicana feminist Beatriz Paez discuss the so-called “post-racial” society and how it measures up to the reality of poor and working people’s lives, 60 years after the civil rights movement.

Doors open at 6:00pm, $3 donation requested. At 6:30pm there will be a Louisiana style feast for a $9 donation. Work exchanges are available for students, low-income and unemployed people. A portion of the evening’s proceeds will benefit Haiti relief.

The forum is co-sponsored by Radical Women and will be held at Solidarity Hall (for adress and travel information, click here.)

For information contact 323-732-6416, or fspla@earthlink.net. To request childcare, please call three days in advance.