12 July 2004

Amnesty International

Local Group 642

 

PRESENT: Hal Bertilson, Haji Dokhanchi, Mayra Gomez, Leah Hall, Warren Howe, Auburn Powell, Travis Powell, Amy Schuler, David Stamps, Susan Stamps, Bret Thiele, and Diana Yefanova.

 EMAIL LIST: Rocky Reckstad rrreckstad@woodlandhills.org has been added to our email list.

 FUND RAISERS: David reported on preparations for wine glass and votive sales.  Twelve (12) wine glasses with Amnesty logo are shippable.  They will be sold for $6 each or $60 for a box of twelve.  It was agreed that we would order 144 of each.

 Agreed to do a Garage Sale on Labor Day weekend (Sat and Sun, from 7am to 2pm each day).  Mayra and Bret have space in basement to take things for garage sale.  They are located at 5217 London Road. Plans were made for ads in Ripsaw, Reader, etc. 

 REGIONAL MEETING.  The regional meeting will be in St. Louis .  The date for the regional meeting is 15 - 17 October.  Haji and Hal will take a van from Duluth/Superior to the regional meeting in St. Louis. 

 AL-HUMSI CASE.  Auburn will be taking the al-Humsi case to the City Council agenda setting meeting.  All members of the Local Group are encouraged to lobby their Council persons.  We plan to put Group 642 current events in the local newspaper including the al-Humsi case.  Then it can be sent to Syria.  Members are encouraged to send al-Humsi post cards whenever we travel.  Mail from different locations will make a difference.  

STOPPING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN CAMPAIGN.

-Bill Schulz on 10/24 (Sunday)

-film festival-dates still being considered

-public readings-dates still being considered

-SIF-still waiting to hear if we will receive the $1500.00 for the event (we've since received the full grant).

-Currently working with "Artists for Amnesty"

-Possibility of getting Public Access cable to air videos (Haji)

-Discussed having Bill S. do interviews with radio ahead of time-Bret has list of media and will contact

-We discussed having many things the weekend Bill is here vs. spreading things out more (for example, April is Sexual Assualt Awareness Month and having an event for that tied in with SVAW).  

-Haji said he would ask about using the Kirby Ballroom at UMD for a venue for Bill S. (it has since been confirmed that Bill Schulz will be speaking at the Kirby Ballroom on 24 October at 7pm).
(and pamphlets, etc.)

-Button Machine was brought up to spread news of campaign

-David brought up hoping to raise enough money so we are able to give back to AI group (it costs them $750/year to support one group)

-power point on SVAW created by Marya - she distributed copies

-We want to challenge the audience to take action to stop violence against women

-Theater group involvement-Haji brought up holding auditions for college students, which would in turn raise awareness among those who tried out and their family/friends

-Haji brought up doing something like "Speak Truth to Power"

-We discussed to show the SVAW Campaign Video before Bill on that Sunday and then have flyers regarding upcoming events

-Auburn brought up getting home grown music/bands involved-plug our campaign in before a group performs, etc.

-Travis is going to try and get Garrison Keilor to be involved :)

-Amy brought up Clothesline Project for April, that she contacted the Opra show and hopefully will hear a response regarding supporting this event/having a show on it, and the possibility of Chirs from Progressive Martial Arts to hold a Defense class again for women during this time or a different weekend
 
Organizations and those Responsible for Contacting them:

1)  Dads and Daughters/New Moon Magazine-already taken care of-from here on out will be refereed to as ATCO (Mayra and Amy)

2)  Domestic Abuse Intervention Project/Mending the Sacred Hoop-ATCO-will contact again (Amy and Mayra)

3)  Praxis International-Mayra e-mailed-Haji will contact again

4)  PAVSA-Mayra contacted

5)  Women Studies-UMD and Lake Superior College-CONTACTED-(Marya)

6) Men As Peacemakers-Travis will contact

7)  Safe Haven Shelter for Battered Women-Mayra contacted

8)  Women's Transitional Housing - Mayra contacted

9)  CASDA-e-mailed and will contact again (Haji)

10)  Life House-Auburn will contact
 

**Churches need to be contacted (Peace, Methodist - Copper Top, Unitarian, and Temple Israel-we need people to contact these churches)

**GLBT organizations also need to be contacted as well as any other group (people of color, other men's group and indigenous groups)

 NEXT MEETING:

-Next AI meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, August  17th at 7 pm at Sara’s Table (Chester Creek Café).  1902 East Eighth Street in Duluth. 

 ADJOURNED.