PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Organized Resistance
by p sundance Thursday, Jan. 15, 2004 at 12:04 PM

NCOR 2004 The 7th annual National Conference on Organized Resistance�a space for radical discourse and collective empowerment�is scheduled for January 24-25, 2004 on the campus of American University in Washington, DC. That's only a few weeks away! For the latest news about NCOR, sign up for our email list.

NCOR 2004
The 7th annual National Conference on Organized Resistance�a space for radical discourse and collective empowerment�is scheduled for January 24-25, 2004 on the campus of American University in Washington, DC. That's only a few weeks away! For the latest news about NCOR, sign up for our email list.

Workshop Descriptions
The Growing Divide: Inequality and the Roots of Economic Insecurity
Herb Ettel (United for a Fair Economy) presents an overview of the massive income and wealth shift of the last 25 years. The workshop will include a discussion of the reasons for the shift; discuss the effects of gross inequality on our lives; an inspirational review of movements in the U.S. that have reversed previous trends toward inequality; and an opportunity to discuss strategy and meaningful action responses.

Corporate Globalization: Trading Away Our Right to Protect Animals
Dr. Michael Greger will share his research about how global trade agreements and institutions such as GATT, NAFTA, and the WTO have affected animals. Dr. Greger will offer his understanding of what impact the proposed Free Trade Area of the Americas will have on animals as well. This is a riveting and thought-provoking talk, infused with vast historical background and even humor, about what may be the greatest threat ever posed to animal protection.

Searching for New Super Memes: Inventing Irresistible Ideas
Activist, Paxus Star asserts it is going to take more than large street demonstrations and a different administration to change our culture. It is going to take a new set of ideas, ideas which are embraced and propagate and transform society as they move. The workshop explores how we develop these ideas and how they spread. These questions are at the heart of the development of progressive memes and super memes.

Anarchist practice, rational democracy, and community
Georgetown U professor of peace and justice, Mark Lance, presents a philosophical discussion which lays out a range of ideas about the nature of anarchism, democracy, and rationality. Tying together some philosophical ideas with ideas in political theory the result will be a conception of anarchism that starts in a rather different place from typical anarchist thought but which brings in many key anarchist themes.

The Apartheid Wall and its Effects on Palestinian society
Members of SUSTAIN and Jewish Voice for Peace present the details of the apartheid wall being constructed in the West Bank. The presentation will draw on research and personal experience to describe the wall, its historical context, and its affects on the Palestinian people. It will also discuss the links to other struggles and role of the Caterpillar Corporation in facilitating the wall.

Voices for Disability Rights: Radical Tactics & Motivations
Carol Tyson and Anais Sensiba present this workshop, which will include voices from the disability rights community to introduce the movement�s history, current issues, tactics (including ways to employ these tactics in traditional radical actions), and ways that disabled radical activists or their allies could become advocates for disability rights.

Introduction to Youth Liberation Theory and Strategy
Alex Koroknay-Palicz (National Youth Rights Association) presents this workshop, which will provide an introduction to youth liberation theory and examine the current state of youth oppression around the world with a focus on the United States. It will include discussion of the often overlooked issue of ageism and how this pervasive discrimination creates political, cultural and economic oppression of youth.

Beyond the basics: Gender Binary 201 for activists and theory-heads
Tara Jensen and Ace McArleton will examine identity as constructed in a historical and cultural time frame. Using queer theory, some history of gay liberation struggles and feminism, we will examine how different notions of identity yield models of change. These concepts will include the larger context of trends in globalization, capital, and power. The workshop addresses that how activists think about and understand gender, sex, and sexuality, or identity in general, informs political practice and thus has meaningful and important repercussions for the shape of our movements.

Confronting Spiritual Violence Against Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender People
Jake Reitan (Soulforce) will explain and lead discussion of religion as source of misinformation about lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. The workshop will attempt to answer what spiritual violence is and how it can be confronted. Other topics include the proposed anti-gay Marriage amendment to the US Constitution and how discriminatory religious policies contribute to a climate of hostility and violence against glbt people.

Independent Music as a Vehicle for Social Change
Panelists including singers, songwriters, activists, and members of various independent media outlets will discuss mobilizing bands, labels, artists and show promoters to create a cohesive movement for justice. The panel will be people from the punk/indie/underground communities whose art is intricately linked with political activism and social change work.

Internationally Adopted People and Radical Social Justice
Soo Na (Coalition Against Rape and Re-Victimization) presents the stories of young children of color who are adopted internationally into North America. Grounded in historical analysis of the traffic in children, this workshop will be a forum for open dialogue and strategizing about how radical politics of adopted people challenge the ideas of nationalism, borders and the rigidity of race.

Fighting Corporate Psychiatry
Support Coalition International members will speak about the psycho-pharmaceutical complex including the trinity of multinational drug corporation, the profession of psychiatry and the federal government. The speakers will address the de-politicization of human suffering in our society by writing off legitimate reactions as diseases. They will discuss alternatives to the complex, fighting structural oppression and institutionalized capitalism.

I�m Anti-Authoritarian and I Don't Vote (or Should I?)
A panel of anarchists and anti-capitalists will probe how anti-authoritarians can relate to the 2004 presidential race as a way to contest statecraft. Rather than responding to the race with support for a democratic or third-party candidate, or viewing the race as a forum for single-issue reform notions, this panel will explore how radicals might use the political space around the election to expand people's notion of politics.

How to Start a Food Not Bombs
The highly organized Richmond Food Not Bombs will present on the cooperative structure of FNB and how it empowers the individual to propel social change. They will discuss how the universal goals of FNB-confronting the need for equality and respect and food for all human beings- allow the FNB movement to reach out to a variety of causes. In addition to exploring the ideological framework, the group will engage in practical advice for starting a FNB in your area.

Hip-Hop Music as Free Media
Jared Ball aka TurnedTables, will offer his experience and practice as an example of the creation of independent media with the particular example of hip-hop music. The workshop will discuss the corruption of hip-hop as resistance music. In blending his various academic training and the theory of emancipatory journalism he will use the radio show, mix-tape radio project and activism as examples.

Menstrual Health and Pad-Making
Shira EtShalom (Below the Belt) explores the fact that dominant Western culture precludes open discussion of menstruation. The workshop examines the tampon industry in the USA as a monstrous polluting giant, owned and run by men, marketing menstruation as a secret, shameful business. In this workshop participants will make their own reusable cloth menstrual pads and learn about tampons and the effects they have on the body, the planet and society at large. Non-menstruators are encouraged to attend!

Nonviolence: Theory and Practice
Maritza Valenzuela (Peacemaker Training Institute) will facilitate a discussion of the history and effectiveness of nonviolence as a tactic to address social justice issues. The workshop will include discussion of interpersonal and institutional violence and nonviolence, systemic change, popular education exercises, practical planning and organizing skills and the idea of living nonviolence.

Envisioning Your Role in the Movement
The Fellowship of Reconciliation presents this interactive session around the issues of burnout and sustainability that activists face, as well as how to better focus our talents and passions within our movements. By using various group exercises and open discussion the workshop will address burnout and related issues that participants are struggling with or are interested in exploring within the group.

About Baghdad: The State of Politics, Culture, Art and Privatization in Iraq
Sinan Antoon, exiled Iraqi writer and poet, will be among the panelists discussing the picture of life in Baghdad. It will include a preview of the upcoming documentary �About Baghdad,� a documentary, which promises to be the most intimate portrait of the people of Baghdad presented to western audiences. This panel will strive to provide the audience with unprecedented exposure to the thoughts and aspirations of the Iraqi people and will assess the impact of privatization on the workers and citizens of Iraq.

Media Strategies and Public Relations: Getting Your Message Out
Alison Weir (If Americans Knew) will conduct a workshop to show how to effectively engage the media and make sure that your message gets out. She will share numerous useful techniques to help activists gain media attention and get positive media coverage. Alison will share her experience regarding a crucial aspect of the divestment campaign: gaining media attention. The workshop will engage those in attendance in helping them craft an effective approach to media relations regarding divestment and other social justice issues.

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