Ashanti Alston to Give Keynote Address at GARC!

1) Ashanti Alston will present the keynote

Alston is a former member of the Black Panther Party and former political prisoner (Black Liberation Army) for over 14 years. Ashanti Alston was recently the Northeast regional coordinator for Critical Resistance, a national radical prison abolitionist organization and is now a member of its New York City chapter; Estacion Libre, an organization that works to strengthen ties between people of color in the US with folks in the liberated Zapatista territories of Chiapas Mexico; and Anarchist People of Color. He sits on the Board of the Institute for Anarchist Studies., and has been an invited guest teacher for the last two summers at the Institute of Social Ecology in Plainfield, Vermont.

Alston’s keynote will be held on Thursday, March 31, 8:15 – 9 pm. (Everyone invited! Location and registration details below.)

2) Casey Neill Band will perform at opening-night reception

Casey Neill is a Brooklyn, NY based songwriter and band leader in the American musical tradition. His music fuses modern roots rock with country, punk, and Celtic styles. Living in Oregon for most of the 90's, Casey cut his teeth in the underground music community of the region. Maintaining an international touring and recording career, he has developed a widespread fan-base throughout the US, Canada, and Britain. His songs have garnered praise from radio and critics, as well as musical luminaries Jello Biafra, Pete Seeger, and Steve Earle. Casey Neill's raspy voice, well crafted songs and devotion to the emotional center of the material, has been the foundation of his career on the cutting edge of American roots music and he continues to expand his musical horizons from his current home in New York City.

The Casey Neill Band will perform immediately after the keynote, on Thursday, March 31, 9:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

GARC announced earlier this week that world-famous social justice activist Ramona Africa will give the closing address this coming Sunday, April 3, from 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. The title of her talk will be, “Animal Rights and Total Revolution.” GARC will be held at the Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 W. 179th Street, New York, N.Y. *Everyone* is invited; registration is inexpensive, or free with waiver.

GARC will be held ***Thursday, March 31 - Sunday, April 3*** at the Holyrood Episcopal Church, 715 W. 179th Street, New York, NY. ALL activists are welcomed. Below is a confirmed list of speakers and topics. FREE housing for out-of-town visitors and vegan meals will be provided, and low-cost or free (with waiver) registration. (First-come, first-served for free housing and meals.) The conference site is handicapped-accessible.

For more information,
http://www.grassrootsar.org


All attendees are asked to pre-register:
http://www.grassrootsar.org/conference_registration.html

See you at GARC!
Hillary Rettig
Organizer

FINAL LIST OF GARC WORKSHOPS
For program click here: http://www.grassrootsar.org/program.html

GRASSROOTS ACTIVISM
Building Regional Coalitions for Grassroots Community Groups - Jim Van Alstine Global Grassroots - The SHAC Campaign - Kevin Jonas National Grassroots Campaigns- Alex Hershaft National/Grassroots Relations - Angi Metler, Alex Hershaft

MOVEMENT STRATEGY / PHILOSOPHY
Animal Issues for Newcomers - Harold Brown, Erica Meier (3 hour intensive training) Animal Liberation Philosophy - Dale Jamieson Commonality of Human and Non-Human Animal Oppression - Dr. Charles Patterson, Marjorie Spiegel, pattrice jones Defending Wildlife - Bob Leonard, Stu Chaifetz, Anne Muller, Johanna Clearfield How Societal Change Happens - Alex Hershaft Population, Consumption and the State of Animals - David Hayden, Adam Weissman Socialism and Anarchism and Animal Liberation - Greg Pason, Sachio Ko Yin, pattrice jones Speciesism in the Animal Rights Movement - Karen Davis, Adam Weissman Strategic Action for Farmed Animals - Nathan Runkle, Dr. Anteneh Roba, David Cantor, Strategic Visions for the Movement - pattrice jones, Richard Schwartz, Adam Weissman Using Law As A Tool to Protect Animals & Empower Advocates - Christine Morrissey, Garo Alexanian Yes, But ...What'll We Do With All the Cows? - Lawrence Carter-Long

DIRECT ACTION / NONVIOLENCE
Direct Action Skills - Cindy Rosin (3 hour intensive training) How to Run a Successful Investigation - Lance Morosini, Garo Alexanian, SarahJane Blum, Ryan Shapiro (3 hour intensive training) Humane Trapping of Wildlife and Feral Animals - Shawn DeLeo, Karen Davis Fomer Political Prisoners: Personal Reflections - Jen Greenberg, Andy Stepanian, Benjamin Persky, Sachio Ko Yin Strategic Nonviolence - Marjorie Spiegel and Pete Cohen

ALLIANCES AND COALITION BUILDING
Animal Activism from the 'Burbs to the Bible Belt - Angi Metler, Doll Stanley, Patrick Tyrrell Beyond the Environmentalism - Animal Rights Divide: Making Alliances - David Cantor, Marti Kheel, Karen Davis Coming Out for Animals: Queer and Animal Liberation -- Marti Kheel, pattrice jones Cross - Movement Alliances That WORK - pattrice jones, Andrea Lindsey, Sachio Ko Yin Why Do They Hate US? Social Justice and Environmental Activists' Antipathy for the AR Movement – Andy Stepanian, Homefries, pattrice jones, Adam Weissman

FIGHTING THE POWER
Fighting Corporate Rule: Understanding and Undermining Their Power - Mary Zepernick, Pernilla Dixit Fighting Fire with Fire: Using Business Skills to Beat the Enemy at its Own Game - Hillary Rettig (3 hour intensive training) Legislative Activism-Practical Models--Julie Lewin, John Phillips, Peter Muller (3 hour intensive training) Resisting State Repression: Knowing the Legal System and Importance of Prisoner Support - Christine Garcia, Jamie Moran, Melissa Jameson, David Hayden (3 hour intensive training)

REACHING OUT TO SPECIFIC AUDIENCES
Animal Advocacy to Targeted Audiences - Erica Meier Cultural Evolution Toward No-Kill: Memetherapy; Changing Minds About Animals in NYC Susan Brandt, Jane Hoffman Humane Education for a Humane World- Carol Moon, Matt Wildman (3 hour intensive training) Outreaching to Students and Youth - Andy Stepanian, Tracy Basile, Jon Camp Race and the Movement - Sheila Hamanaka Reaching out to Faith Communities - Jan Fredrichs, Richard Schwartz, Saurabh Dalal, Lawrence Carter-Long

MESSAGING AND MEDIA
Delivering an Uncompromised Message to the Mainstream: Using Peaceable Kingdom -- Jenny Stein, James LaVeck Designing Your Message, Powering your Message - Josephine Bellaccomo Effective Vegetarian Advocacy and the Psychology of Meat - Dr. Melanie Joy Images of Liberation: Comics, Cartoons, and Graphics - Richard De Angelis Making Attractive Activist Visuals: Fliers, Banners, and Costumes – Mike Everson Maximizing the Media System- Nathan Runkle, Lawrence Carter-Long (3 hour intensive training)
TV: Innovative Ways to Use the Boob Tube for Animals - Nathan Runkle, Garo Alexanian

ORGANIZATIONAL SKILLS & PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT Avoiding Activist Burnout - Hillary Rettig, Michael Greger, Lawrence Carter-Long (3 hour intensive training) Fundraising & Membership Development – Lorri Bauston (3 hour intensive training) Planning Your Organizations Mission, Vision, and Campaigns - John Phillips, Adam Weissman, Tim Keating (3 hour intensive training) Organizing a Vegetarian Festival - Caryn Hartglass Recruiting, Managing and Motivating Interns and Volunteers– Elizabeth McNulty, Adam Weissman Running Effective Meetings – Speakers TBA

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