MLK Seattle Celebration 2013

Workshop Schedule

Monday, January 21, 2013

9:30 to 11:00 a.m. | Garfield High School | 23rd & East Jefferson |Seattle

Civil Rights

"A Call to Conscience": Video Presentation & Discussion of MLK's 1967 Anti-VietNam War Speech

Explore video of one of Martin Luther King's greatest speeches, "Beyond Viet Nam: A Time to Break Silence, and engage in discussion of its relevance today.

Convened by:

Thomas Ewell, Friends Committee on W Public Policy (Quaker) and representatives from WA State Religious Campaign Against Torture, Western WA Fellowship of Reconciliation

Witch-Hunts Then and Now: Relating the FBI's Historic Persecution of Civil Rights Movements to Current Investigations of NW Anarchists

Work against the forces of repression! We will discuss the inherent threat witch-hunts pose to freedom through the lens of recent grand jury trials of anarchist activities in the Northwest and the historic persecution by the FBI of the Black Liberation & Civil Rights movements.

Convened by:

Cody Lestelle, Seattle Anti-Repression Committee and representatives from Seattle United Against FBI Repression,

Community Organizing

Nothing About Us, Without Us - Tools for Community Organizing

Too often the norm that policies, practices, and institutions affecting the lives of street-involved people are determined from the top-down. Change this power dynamic by gaining the tools to become powerful self-advocates.

Convened by:

John Page, The Defender Association and Community Organizers

Economy/Jobs

Fairness in Contracting for "Legitimate Minority Businesses"

Workshop to examine the reasons why there is a low level of participation by African Americans and other People of Color in contracts and jobs created by our tax and consumer dollars. Enforce Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 NOW

Convened by:

Eddie Rye Jr., MLK/CCCJ and representatives from Truckers Consortium, City of Seattle

Living Wage Jobs for All

Our workshop will explore unemployment in the US today, the history of the Jobs for All program, and how we can organize toward Living Wage Jobs for All in the US and locally in Seattle.

Convened by:

Brian King, National Jobs For All Coalition and representatives from Working Washington, National Jobs for All Coalition

Fighting for Justice on the Sound Transit Light Rail Project

Panel discussion with African American workers who were discriminated against while working on the Sound Transit U-Link project. The workers will tell their stories of abuse, discrimination and their fight for justice.

Convened by:

Verlene Jones, Seattle/King County Branch NAACP and representatives from Local 440

Education/Youth

Pen or Pencil- The Children's March

Watch 40 minute video "The Children's March " The Civil Rights Movement was the greatest single movement in our nation’s history followed by discussion

Convened by:

Hazel Cameron, 4C Coalition & National Alliance Faith and Justice and representatives from 4C Coalition & Seattle Cares Mentoring Movement

Self-Esteem Really Does Matter for Youth!

For young people, self-esteem matters. The level of self-esteem you feel may influence your choices in life. We will explore how creating and maintaining high self esteem can determine the quality and direction for the rest of our lives.

Convened by:

Amanda Licorish, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Incorporated and representatives from Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Archonette Club

Campaign for Educational Excellence (CEE)

2.7+ is a Must for American students. An overview providing the strategic initiative to set & improve Black Student' GPA's by help family, home, church & community in the effort to support a dedicated campaign for K-12 Black students.

Convened by:

Charlie James, Martin Luther King Institute and representatives from Ujima

Health/Healthcare

Finding Freedom from The Shackles And Strongholds Of Obesity and Other Chronic Diseases

Let freedom ring through the movement that is medicine. Dr. King said that an injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane. The greatest thing we can do to help the health care crisis is to move more, eat better, pass it on to others.

Convened by:

Willie Austin, Austin Foundation and representatives from WSU

Immigrants, Baby Boomers and Health Care -- What Do They Have in Common?

As the baby-boomers age, our country faces a crisis in care, with millions of people seeking the freedom to age with dignity in their own homes. Come learn how you can help transform care, for ourselves, our families and the workers providing care!

Convened by:

Araceli Hernandez, CASA Latina and representatives from National Domestic Workers Alliance, WA CAN

Health Care is a Human Right: Moving Beyond the Affordable Care Act

Using the framing of Health Care as a Human Right we will present the case for moving beyond the Affordable Care Act to a much more comprehensive Medicare for All or Single Payer health care system

Convened by:

james squire, Physicians for National Health Care and representatives from Physicians for a National Health Program, United for Single Payer

Housing/Homeless

WE SHALL NOT BE MOVED: Strategies to Fight Bank Foreclosure

HomeSight & SAFE (Standing Against Foreclosure & Eviction) will present ways to help tenants and homeowners fight the foreclosure crisis. HomeSight will let you know your legal rights; SAFE will show how we can publicly pressure the banks.

Convened by:

Stephen Price, SAFE (Standing Against Foreclosure & Eviction) and representatives from HomeSight, SAFE

Labor Rights

Let Freedom Ring for the Future: Intergenerational Organizing

This workshop will look to discuss the changing face of labor activists and their vision for the future of the labor movement.

Convened by:

Cheryl Coney, WA Young Emerging Labor Leaders (YELL) and representatives from WSLC/WA YELL/OPEIU 8, IATSE 15/WA YELL

Legal/Justice

Enough is Enough: Fighting Bias in the Criminal Justice System & Seattle Police Department

The workshop will call for freeing the wrongfully incarcerated and breaking the bars of racial profiling and police abuse

Convened by:

Patt Butler-Lathan, Pacific NW Alliance to Free Marissa Alexander and representatives from Mothers for Police Accountability

Eliminating Mandatory Life Without Parole for Juveniles: Impact on WA State.

At the workshop entitled, "Addressing Juvenile Life Without Parole and Virtual Life Sentences in Washington State," speakers will discuss the Supreme Court's recent decision in Miller v. Alabama and its impact on Washington State.

Convened by:

Nick Allen, Columbia Legal Services and representatives from Columbia Legal Services, UW School of Law

Racial Disparity and Injustices in the Criminal Justice System

Examine the role of the U.S. system of mass incarceration as the mainstay of institutional racism in the United States and explore the life limiting barriers faced by former prisoners.

Convened by:

Steve Leigh, No New Jim Crow Coalition and representatives from The Post-Prison Education program, NW Defender Association

Veterans Rights

Advocating for our Veterans

As our veterans return home and we end more than 10 years of war. Veterans face many challenges reintegrating back to civilian life, including dealing with the physical and emotional scars of war and finding a job in a tough economy.

Convened by:

Raymond Miller, Vets Place Northwest-Welcome Home and Veterans