As promised, this is your Weekly Wednesday Campaign Update.
The Save Darfur Campaign is currently planning a very exciting Library Lawn event for late October. More details on that as they get finalized, but the plan for now is to have a body bag display, symbolizing the hundreds of thousands of victims of the genocide.
Also in late October, we'll be having a Day of Remembrance for the victims. We'll be giving out pins for people to wear all day. Signups for that will be at the Library Lawn display.
This weekend we'll be having a bakesale, so look for us in your dorms Sunday night. We'll be selling baked goods from Henions as well as homemade treats. If you're interested in helping out, we'll be baking in Greenough Residence Hall Sunday afternoon and selling all over campus Sunday night, so leave a comment or send us an e-mail at UMassDarfurGroup@gmail.com and we'll fill you in on details.
And your action: Send Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifle a letter asking them to ask the candidates about Darfur at the presidential and vice presidential debates. The presidential debate, scheduled for Friday, may end up being postponed, but please get the letters in the mail as soon as you can 'cause we want to make sure the hosts have them before the debates.
Mail your letters here:
MacNeil/Lehrer Productions
2700 South Quincy Street
Arlington, VA 22206
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Update on the campaign
For future notice, unless there's a pressing issue, updates will be coming on Wednesdays, following our weekly meetings, and before and after major events and fundraisers.
On to the belated update for last week:
The MassPIRG Kickoff last Tuesday night was a big success! We had roughly 30 people attend our breakout session, which means that the Save Darfur Campaign has about 30 members, most of them new this semester. That means fresh ideas, new goals and new enthusiasm, all of which are very positive things.
The big news coming out of the kickoff is that we've decided on a weekly meeting time, so from now on we will be meeting at 6 pm on Tuesday nights. The first meeting, tomorrow night, will be in the Bluewall in the Campus Center, although in the future we may try to move to a classroom. There will be an announcement if that happens.
The other big news is that we are now officially planning for our first major event; we will be hosting a display on the Library Lawn and a Day of Silence/Remembrance, both in October and probably connected. More on that as the details get cemented.
Throughout the semester we will be petitioning presidential and vice presidential candidates, and media outlets/personalities hosting debates, asking them to address a plan for Darfur. We've already collected 50 signatures on the presidential/vice presidential petitions!
And finally last week we held our first Challah for a Dollah sale. Working with Hillel House we sell challah bread (a Jewish bread that we often help to bake, although we didn't last week), usually in Bartlett Hall. All the proceeds go to the Genocide Intervention Network, which in turn sends the money to refugee camps in Darfur and in neighboring Chad. The money goes to fund AU troops, purchase necessities for the refugees, and to launch self-sustaining businesses in the camps, which helps give the refugees a sense of purpose and control. We will be doing this four more times this semester. Last week we raised over $60, which is a great start. So look out for us in the future (I'll probably post to the blog when we know the dates we'll be selling).
More Wednesday! (Also, beginning Wednesday, each weekly post will have a news update)
On to the belated update for last week:
The MassPIRG Kickoff last Tuesday night was a big success! We had roughly 30 people attend our breakout session, which means that the Save Darfur Campaign has about 30 members, most of them new this semester. That means fresh ideas, new goals and new enthusiasm, all of which are very positive things.
The big news coming out of the kickoff is that we've decided on a weekly meeting time, so from now on we will be meeting at 6 pm on Tuesday nights. The first meeting, tomorrow night, will be in the Bluewall in the Campus Center, although in the future we may try to move to a classroom. There will be an announcement if that happens.
The other big news is that we are now officially planning for our first major event; we will be hosting a display on the Library Lawn and a Day of Silence/Remembrance, both in October and probably connected. More on that as the details get cemented.
Throughout the semester we will be petitioning presidential and vice presidential candidates, and media outlets/personalities hosting debates, asking them to address a plan for Darfur. We've already collected 50 signatures on the presidential/vice presidential petitions!
And finally last week we held our first Challah for a Dollah sale. Working with Hillel House we sell challah bread (a Jewish bread that we often help to bake, although we didn't last week), usually in Bartlett Hall. All the proceeds go to the Genocide Intervention Network, which in turn sends the money to refugee camps in Darfur and in neighboring Chad. The money goes to fund AU troops, purchase necessities for the refugees, and to launch self-sustaining businesses in the camps, which helps give the refugees a sense of purpose and control. We will be doing this four more times this semester. Last week we raised over $60, which is a great start. So look out for us in the future (I'll probably post to the blog when we know the dates we'll be selling).
More Wednesday! (Also, beginning Wednesday, each weekly post will have a news update)
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Take Action...
Our event on Tuesday night went very well; there were a number of new faces, which is always good. Hopefully some people learned more about the conflict in Darfur, and about ways that we as students and as individuals can affect change. If you have any questions, comments or critiques about the meeting, leave a comment or send an e-mail (umassdarfurgroup@gmail.com) and someone will get in touch with you soon.
Just a few updates about the group now that we are back on campus.
As I believe I've mentioned before, The Save Darfur Campaign at UMass is lucky enough to be both a registered STAND : Student Anti-Genocide Coaliton chapter and a part of MassPIRG, which is a student funded student run organization looking at non-partisan solutions to a number of pressing social issues, including Save Darfur, Climate Change, Affordable College and Textbooks, Hunger and Homelessness, and registering new voters (our goal is to have 90% of the campus registered to vote by election day - that's 19,000 people!).
If you're interested in MassPIRG but you haven't stopped by the office or filled out an interest card yet, come by (415 Student Union). There will also be a kickoff meeting next Tuesday night, September 16, 2008. Look for another post on that as soon as I know the exact time.
And now for your thirty second action...
President Bush is going to be addressing the United Nations on September 23, so go ahead and sign this petition asking him to mention Darfur and push for the International Criminal Court Charges to go ahead as scheduled. Sudan and some of its allies are trying to postpone the charges, and delay any action for yet another year.
The people of Darfur cannot wait another year.
Just a few updates about the group now that we are back on campus.
As I believe I've mentioned before, The Save Darfur Campaign at UMass is lucky enough to be both a registered STAND : Student Anti-Genocide Coaliton chapter and a part of MassPIRG, which is a student funded student run organization looking at non-partisan solutions to a number of pressing social issues, including Save Darfur, Climate Change, Affordable College and Textbooks, Hunger and Homelessness, and registering new voters (our goal is to have 90% of the campus registered to vote by election day - that's 19,000 people!).
If you're interested in MassPIRG but you haven't stopped by the office or filled out an interest card yet, come by (415 Student Union). There will also be a kickoff meeting next Tuesday night, September 16, 2008. Look for another post on that as soon as I know the exact time.
And now for your thirty second action...
President Bush is going to be addressing the United Nations on September 23, so go ahead and sign this petition asking him to mention Darfur and push for the International Criminal Court Charges to go ahead as scheduled. Sudan and some of its allies are trying to postpone the charges, and delay any action for yet another year.
The people of Darfur cannot wait another year.
Friday, September 5, 2008
TAKE ACTION: Support The Case Against Bashir
Like a lot of Darfur activists, I've had mixed feelings about the International Criminal Court's decision to charge Omar al-Bashir. However, if you look at what the refugees have been saying, the refugees want this. They want Omar al-Bashir brought to justice. They know that that is the only way that there can be peace. There is no simple option. There is no compromise.
That's why I'm asking you to take action. The UN is considering blocking the charges against Bashir. Tell President Bush that the United States can't let that happen. Tell President Bush you want justice, because right now, the refugees don't have a say.
Sign here.
That's why I'm asking you to take action. The UN is considering blocking the charges against Bashir. Tell President Bush that the United States can't let that happen. Tell President Bush you want justice, because right now, the refugees don't have a say.
Sign here.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Back to Campus...
As many of our readers know, this week is back-to-campus week at UMass Amherst, and the first official week of school. That means our group is also back, and we have certainly hit the ground running.
We were in the Campus Center for much of the day today recruiting new volunteers and increasing visibility, and of course, publicizing our event.
That's right. Our event.
Next Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 6:30 pm, we will be hosting our little mini-kickoff meeting. We're calling it our "Information Session" but it'll really be more of a celebration of what we've done, what we can, will and should do, and why we matter. It's a fabulous opportunity to come get to know us; we'll have volunteers around the room so you can chat them up about their personal experiences, and of course, it's a great chance to meet my co-coordinator Rand (who ran allllll over campus getting flyers printed for us - thanks Rand!) and myself, Liz, if you haven't already. So stop by.
Especially if you feel like you need more information about the Sudan, Darfur, the genocide, activism, and the many, many organizations working to put an end to this conflict. There will be a slideshow presentation about all of that stuff, so we can definitely clue you in.
And it's totally cool to come late or leave early if you have to, so be there!
That's Campus Center room 803, Tuesday September 9 at 6:30 pm.
If you can't make it, but want to be involved this semester, leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com)
And now on to the general MassPIRG information...
MassPIRG is a student run, student funded activist organization that tackles various important causes, from saving Darfur, to stopping Global Warming, to reducing hunger and homelessness, to getting YOU cheaper textbooks. And MassPIRG gets results. In almost every campaign, we've had major legislation passed on the state and/or national level in the last year.
AND you can get credit for helping us! We have internship opportunities available, for class credit (we're totally cool with people who just want to volunteer, too).
So if that sounds like something you're interested in doing, you should stop by the MassPIRG table in the Campus Center concourse any day this week, or at the Activities Expo on the library lawn from 4 to 7 pm tomorrow night. We'll probably also come around to one of your classes at some point in the next few weeks.
Or of course, you can leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com).
Hope to hear from you all soon!
We were in the Campus Center for much of the day today recruiting new volunteers and increasing visibility, and of course, publicizing our event.
That's right. Our event.
Next Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 6:30 pm, we will be hosting our little mini-kickoff meeting. We're calling it our "Information Session" but it'll really be more of a celebration of what we've done, what we can, will and should do, and why we matter. It's a fabulous opportunity to come get to know us; we'll have volunteers around the room so you can chat them up about their personal experiences, and of course, it's a great chance to meet my co-coordinator Rand (who ran allllll over campus getting flyers printed for us - thanks Rand!) and myself, Liz, if you haven't already. So stop by.
Especially if you feel like you need more information about the Sudan, Darfur, the genocide, activism, and the many, many organizations working to put an end to this conflict. There will be a slideshow presentation about all of that stuff, so we can definitely clue you in.
And it's totally cool to come late or leave early if you have to, so be there!
That's Campus Center room 803, Tuesday September 9 at 6:30 pm.
If you can't make it, but want to be involved this semester, leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com)
And now on to the general MassPIRG information...
MassPIRG is a student run, student funded activist organization that tackles various important causes, from saving Darfur, to stopping Global Warming, to reducing hunger and homelessness, to getting YOU cheaper textbooks. And MassPIRG gets results. In almost every campaign, we've had major legislation passed on the state and/or national level in the last year.
AND you can get credit for helping us! We have internship opportunities available, for class credit (we're totally cool with people who just want to volunteer, too).
So if that sounds like something you're interested in doing, you should stop by the MassPIRG table in the Campus Center concourse any day this week, or at the Activities Expo on the library lawn from 4 to 7 pm tomorrow night. We'll probably also come around to one of your classes at some point in the next few weeks.
Or of course, you can leave us a comment or send us an e-mail (UmassDarfurGroup@gmail.com).
Hope to hear from you all soon!
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