SF GREEN PARTY WEEKLY 2/18/06-2/24/06 NEWS: - 2/3: Sarah Lipson Requests Expense Records of Arlene Ackerman, Who Claims Harassment - 2/8: Ackerman's Hefty Expense Account (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1450) - 2/8: Supervisors OK Public Financing For Mayoral Races! (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1449) - 2/13: Green Party Activists Help Shut Down Bid By Wal-Mart To Build ‘Supercenter' In A Small Community Near San Francisco (http://www.sfgreenparty.org/news/newsitem-start.gem?idx=1451) EVENTS: - 2/17: Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi Hosts Art Opening of Malik Seneferu - 2/17: Victory Party for Public Campaign Financing! - 2/19: John Russo & Matt Gonzalez Screening - 2/20: Protest the execution of Michael Morales - 2/21: Housing and Land Use Platform Meeting - 2/22: SFGP FILM SALON: Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary - 3/1: Support Living Wage in San Francisco - 3/4: 21st Annual Empowering Women of Color Conference ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: - Stand Up for Our Right to Know How Our Tax Dollars Are Being Spent (Re: Arlene Ackerman) - Co-Chair Needed for GROW Working Group - Filing Period for County Council Candidates 2/13-3/10 (for details, see http://www.sfgreenparty.org/events/events-itemfromhome.gem?idx=1435) - 2006 General Membership Survey - Earn A Living Making San Francisco A More Green and Progressive City! - Become a Green Party Sustainer! JOKE OF THE WEEK: - Old Gutshot '78 (http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/images/blpic- cheneygutshot.htm) ************************************************************ NEWS: 2/3: Sarah Lipson Requests Expense Records of Arlene Ackerman, Who Claims Harassment School Board Commissioner and Green Party member Sarah Lipson has requested expense report records for Superintendent Arlene Ackerman. By law, such expense reports are a matter of public record, but that didn't stop Dr. Ackerman from claiming harassment: http://www.sfbg.com/40/19/news_expenses.html http://www.sfbg.com/40/19/news_ed_ackerman.html http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/09/ BAGQHH57611.DTL http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/02/09/ BAGQHH57611.DTL ============================== EVENTS: 2/17: Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi Hosts Art Opening of Malik Seneferu WHEN: Friday, February 17 5:00PM-8:00PM WHERE: San Francisco City Hall, 1 Carlton B Goodlett Place, Room 282 DETAILS: This month's featured artist is Malik Seneferu, Black/African American painter, draughtsman, muralist, and book illustrator, employs self-taught technique and style. Seneferu has lived, worked, mentored, and curated throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Seneferu's work has traveled to Durban South Afrika’s “War against Racism” in 2001; it has also gone to Haiti and Kenya. His artistry, which contains intense hues, are reminiscent of the ancient African Diaspora, along with confident and eloquent messages of empowerment. His work ranges political, social and spiritual issues within Black communities worldwide. --------- 2/17: Victory Party for Public Campaign Financing! WHEN: Friday, February 17 8:00PM - 10:00PM: Live music -- the Botticellis, and more... 10:00PM - 2:00AM: DJs spinning hip-hop and dance classics WHERE: Tongue & Groove, 2513 Van Ness @ Union, San Francisco, CA INFO: www.voterownedelections.org DETAILS: Now that the hard work is done -- now that Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi's legislation to bring public campaign financing to the mayoral race has passed -- its time to celebrate. All we'll be asking from you is a donation of $7 or more. What you'll be getting is a tremendously inspiring evening of celebration over having changed the face of democracy in San Francisco. We'll have hours of dancing with great DJs and bands, TBA. We'll have short inspiring speeches where we'll get the crowd riled up over our amazing victory. We'll meet and reconnect with friends who are concerned with the future of our world. --------- 2/19: John Russo & Matt Gonzalez Screening WHEN: Sunday, February 19 Starts 8:00PM WHERE: Parkway Speakeasy Theater, 1834 Park Avenue, Oakland, CA DETAILS: Matt Gonzalez (former SF Supervisor & Green pty candidate for mayor) and John Russo (Oakland City attorney) will be screening the film “Inherit the Wind,” a 1960 classic starring Spenser Tracy and discussing Intelligent Design theory. “Inherit the Wind” is about the contested origins of life, and particularly timely as schools around the country begin to teach Intelligent Design theory versus Evolution. John and Matt will discuss the current state of Creationism vs. Evolution Theory and a range of other important social issues live on stage after the screening, with a special introduction before the commentary. --------- 2/20: Protest the execution of Michael Morales WHEN and WHERE: Monday, February 20 Walk of Abolition 7am Rally at San Quntin 6:00 pm Sceduled state sponsored murder 12:01 midnight, Feb 21 Rallying Points: 6:45am Palace of the Legion of Honor, in Lincoln Park, 100 34th Ave, San Francisco, 94122. Walk leaves promptly at 7am. 8:00am South End of Golden Gate Bridge. 8:55am North End of Golden Gate Bridge. 10:40am Head of Bay Trail in Sausalito leading to Mill Valley 11:45am Miller Avenue and Camino Alto for lunch and demonstration. 2:30pm St. Sebastian Church, 373 Bon Air Road, Greenbrae. Rest Stop. Drinks provided. 3:15pm St. Paul’s Church, 1123 Court Street, San Rafael. Rest Stop. Refreshments provided. 6:00pm East Gate of San Quentin State Prison. INFO, CONTACT: Lyle Grosjean (510) 895-8203 or wejustwalk@aol.com. To find out the exact location and progress of the Walk, please call (510) 368-3368. DETAILS: Be part of a statewide protest against Michael Morales being executed! The Green Party unequivocally opposes the Death Penalty under any circumstance; we support a moratorium on the Death Penalty. San Francisco to Marin – 25 Mile Walk for Abolition The 25 Mile Walk For Abolition begins promptly at 7am rain or shine at the Palace of the Legion of Honor, in Lincoln Park, 100 -34th Avenue, San Francisco, 94122. We walk peacefully as a large group over the Golden Gate Bridge, proceed through Sausalito, Mill Valley, Larkspur, Greenbrae, into San Rafael and end at the main east gate of San Quentin at 6 pm. You can join the Walk at designated rallying points. Escort vehicles accompany the walk. You will need comfortable shoes, warm layered colorful clothing, flashlight. Back pack with a change of socks, shoes, extra clothing etc. We stop for refreshments. Escort cars carry back packs and walkers in need of rest. 2/21: Housing and Land Use Platform Meeting WHEN: Tuesday, February 21 W7:00PM-12:00AM WHERE: SF Green Party Headquarters, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco, CA 94103 DETAILS: Discuss issues and topics to include in the SFGP housing and land use platform, propose draft submisisons, and debate the relative merits of HLU policy positions. --------- 2/22: SFGP FILM SALON: Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary WHEN: Every 4th Wednesday of the month Wednesday, February 22 Previews 6:30PM Feature film 7:00 PM Discussion after this film WHERE: SF Green Party Headquarters, 1028 A Howard St (between 6th St. and 7th St.), San Francisco, CA 94103 PLEASE BRING: Potluck. We'll supply the popcorn. CONTACT, INFORMATION: bruce@brucewolfe.net DETAILS: This month we are featuring the Ironweed Films release of "Wetback: The Undocumented Documentary", a film by Arturo Perez Torres, tells the real story of immigration to the United States. Filmmaker Arturo Perez Torres follows the footsteps of the two friends traveling over land from Nicaragua, across multiple borders to the US. On their journeys, they encounter merciless gangs and vigilantes, as well as border patrol. But these immigrants navigate the real-life nightmares with uncanny calm, grace and even humor. Stay after the film for discussion with the filmmaker Arturo Perez Torres and Ironweed Films founder Adam Werbach. --------- 3/1: Support Living Wage in San Francisco WHEN and WHERE: Wednesday, March 1 12 noon – Rally, City Hall Steps – Civic Center Side 1PM – Hearing, City Hall, room 263 Take MUNI lines #49 or 47 to McAllister or Grove, #5 or #21 to Van Ness Avenue DETAILS: Support the Ammiano/McGoldrick Amendments to the Living Wage Law. Non-profit and homecare workers should not be treated as second-class and should be paid the same as for-profit workers on city contracts. The City should commit to funding non-profits to create more living wage jobs. CalWORKs mothers in the welfare-to-work transition should get a living wage. The government should not subsidize employers to pay poverty wages. The City should treat workfare workers with respect and base their grant on the living wage. --------- 21st Annual Empowering Women of Color Conference WHEN: Saturday, March 4 Registration 8:30-9:30AM Conference starts 9:30 AM WHERE: UC Berkeley campus in Barrows Hall. Barrows Hall is accessible from Bancroft Way between Telegraph Ave and Bowditch St, northeast from Sproul Hall. Wheelchair accessible. INFORMATION, HOW TO REGISTER: Pre-register online at http://ewocc.berkeley.edu starting February 5th or in-person on the day of the event beginning at 8 a.m in Barrows Hall. DETAILS: This year marks the 21st anniversary of the Empowering Women of Color Conference (EWOCC), which is acknowledged to be the longest running women of color conference in the country. Past speakers have included Nikki Giovanni, bell hooks, Angela Davis, Alice Walker, and Sonia Sanchez, among many others. This year's theme will be Nourishing Mother E.A.R.T.H, or environmental justice. Featured will be Dr. Beverly Wright, Founder and Director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Xavier University located in New Orleans, Louisiana, and a panel of five amazing environmental justice women of color activists: - Enei Begaye, Diné (Navajo) with the Black Mesa Water Coalition, Native Movement Collective, and Indigenous Environmental Network - Dr. Jenice View, Education and Train! ing Director of Just Transition Alliance - Sarah James, Board Member of the Gwich’in Institute - Dr. Ann Aurelia López, Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management - Carla M. Perez, Community Organizer for Contra Costa Communities for a Better Environment. There will also be workshops, cultural performances, and much, much more. ============================== ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACTION ALERTS: Stand Up for Our Right to Know How Our Tax Dollars Are Being Spent (Re: Arlene Ackerman) Thank Sarah Lipson for requesting Arlene Ackerman's expense report records and keeping an eye on the public purse: slipson@sfusd.edu Tell School Board Commissioner Jill Wynns, who called the request for records "vicious", that the public has the right to know how our tax dollars are being spent, and that money is desperately needed for public schools in San Francisco and should not be wasted by school district staff: jwynns@sfusd.edu. Write letters to the editor saying the public deserves to know how our money is being spent: letters@sfchronicle.com letters@examiner.com letters@sfbg.com --------- Co-Chair Needed for GROW Working Group Micheas Hermn of the GROW Working Group (tabling and voter registration) is seeking a new co-chair. Contact Micheas Herman at ... or the County Council at cc@sfgreens.org for more information. --------- 2006 General Membership Survey The County Council is conducting a survey of San Francisco Green Party members to get your opinion on several issues to help us plan and set goals for the party in 2006. Results will be discussed at a future General Meeting. You can get a copy of the survey online at the following link, and respond to us by email: http://www.sfgreenparty.org/events/events-itemfromhome.gem?idx=1464 --------- Earn A Living Making San Francisco A More Green and Progressive City! Two years ago, former organizers for the Matt Gonzalez for Mayor campaign decided it was time to stop getting 'close but not close enough' to progressive victories like public power and Matt as Mayor, and to begin a city wide, year round, grassroots campaign that would start helping us win such victories! So in January 2004, the organization Our City was born. Since then we have helped to: - Pass the ban on old polluting diesel buses - Pass Matt Gonzalez's anti chain store law - Get the downtown hotel workers back on the job, and - Get the Police and Planning Commissions put back on SF Government TV after the City tried to pull them off. Now we are campaigning to get rid of PG&E's monopoly on our electricity service, and start running the City on renewable energy like solar and wind power instead! We have just begun hiring and training new grassroots campaigners to help us win this fight. No experience necessary. Earn $280 to $400 each four day work week learning to be a strong progressive organizer. To apply, call Eric at 415-756-8844 from noon to 2pm any weekday, or send an email to jobs@our-city.org For more information, see our web site at http://our-city.org --------- Become a Green Party Sustainer! As you may know, the SFGP is supported by our wonderful sustaining donors -- 175 and growing. In the next 12 months we hope to double that figure, and you can help us achieve our goal by signing up to make a regular contribution to the Green Party. Our sustainer program nearly pays all of our basic monthly operating expenses, including rent and utilities on the office, and drastically reduces the amount of work needed to raise money. Our sustainers free us up to do what we're really here for - to pursue Green values through the democratic system. Sustainers also ensure that we are able to keep our office, which has hosted numerous campaigns' headquarters including the successful Prop A, Instant Runoff Voting initiative. Becoming a Green Party sustainer is easy, fun, and secure! For more information, see http://www.sfgreenparty.org/makeadonation/makeadonation.html ************************************************************ For more info on our activities, please see our website, http://www.sfgreenparty.org. You can also email us questions at info@sfgreens.org. To send us news items (short blurb please, plain text only) for possible inclusion in the newsletter, email news@sfgreens.org. Please don't put these addresses on mailing lists; messages not specifically addressed to us won't go through.