Minutes/Notes

Amnesty International Group #642

February 24, 2006

Dunn Brothers Coffee House

PRESENT: Mayra Gomez, Bret Thiele, Warren Howe, Janet Karon, Garrett Simiyu, and Thomas Charging Hawk.

 NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AIUSA.  Bret and Mayra reported that Larry Cox was recently appointed by the Board as the new Executive Director of AIUSA.  Larry was hired by the Board of Directors unanimously and "with great enthusiasm".  Larry has experience on staff at AIUSA and at the IS in London. He started the Abolish the Death Penalty Program at AIUSA and is a proven leader in the area of economic, social and cultural rights; women's rights; LGBT rights; and in social movement mobilization. He is warmly welcomed by membership and staff.   

NEW SPECIAL FOCUS CASE.  Our new Special Focus case may be found at http://www.amnestyusa.org/action/special/leh.html
 Auburn has already begun research on the case.  We can go online and sign the petition.  We need to get together to write letters for this case.  And prepare a press release.

 FORCED EVICTIONS IN ANGOLA.  We signed a petition against forced evictions in Angola.

 IDEAS FOR FUTURE ACTIONS BY THE LOCAL GROUP.  We took Guantánamo cards to send to President Bush.  Invite Larry Cox to Duluth.  Suggested that there be a newsletter to all local and student groups to report on what the groups are doing and to network the groups.  

The Green Mercantile window is available.  Bret will see if he can reserve it for us.  We could include all local and student groups in a joint meeting and find posters for the window.  One idea is to use the Denounce Torture posters and promote the local and students groups in Duluth and Superior.

DENOUNCE TORTURE TEACH INS.  There will be 250 Denounce Torture Teach ins around the country.  The posters may be found at http://denouncetorture.amnestyusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fnKNKUOyHqE&b=1293543 <http://denouncetorture.amnestyusa.org/site/pp.asp?c=fnKNKUOyHqE&amp;b=1293543>

 One Thousand Women.  There is a one-thousand women for Peace for the Nobel Peace Prize program.  It may be found at http://www.alternet.org/story/23629/

 Prepared by Hal Bertilson (2-25-06)