fire in wire

Last night's Global Night Commute was an enormous success! We had almost 760 people sign in, wrote more than 350 letters to senators and the president, gave out 300 t-shirts, 400 bottles of water, and mailed artwork to the children in Uganda.

And the press was there.

Journal star coverage: preview and wrap-up.
KOLN/KGIN 10/11 News Lincoln: write-up with link to video.
Daily Nebraskan: news brief preview (full write-up to come on Monday).

Thank you for your help. This even was successful because of your participation. As cliche as it may seem, we honestly couldn't have done it without you. Thanks again.

Amnesty International has released a report about the use of the death penalty internationally in 2005. Click the image above to go to the site. Each individual image on the Amnesty page has rollover information about the number of executions and death sentences in that country last year, and below are links to full statistics and analysis.

This art is part of Amnesty's "createCHANGE!" project. You can see more art like this here.

The deadline to apply for Amnesty International USA's annual Youth Activist Kollege has been extended to Monday, April 10. Below, find a brief description and link to more information and the application. The program runs from July 13-16 at Marymount University in Arlington, VA.

From AmnestyUSA.org/YAK:

The Youth Activist Kollege is an annual summer event for up-and-coming Amnesty leaders. High school and college students from around the country are selected each year to attend a four-day human rights camp where they receive the essential skills and training needed to lead their Amnesty groups to a year of kickin' activism.

This is a great opportunity to converge with youth activists from all walks of life to develop hands-on skills, including recruiting new activists, planning powerful events, advocating for human rights, and energizing and diversifying Amnesty's student movement.

For more information, please visit www.amnestyusa.org/yak. That site provides information regarding the application process, requirements, the application form (as well as a subsidy application), and more.

FIRST Project (For Immigrants and Refugees Surviving Torture), a Lincoln-based community organization assisting refugee victims of torture, is moving downtown to the corner of 10th and 'O' streets. They need help moving, so if you're looking for an opportunity to volunteer, or if you have time to help this great organization move to a new office, please see the message below.


FIRST Project is moving downtown! Provided all construction is finished as planned, FIRST Project will be moving to 1000 'O' Street, Suite A on April 18th.

As you might imagine there are LOTS of easy one-time volunteer opportunities associated with this move:

Packers: 1-2 people for a couple of hours each. Everything must be packed by Friday, April 14, 2006. Call Vera for details 488-6760.

Movers: 2 teams of 4 people and 1 or 2 teams of 2 people. THIS IS A GOOD GROUP VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY.
When: Tuesday, April 18, 10:00am - 5:00pm
Minimum time commitment: 3 hours
Other special requirements: Each team must have at least one person who has completed FIRST Project's Volunteer Driver forms. All movers must be able to easily lift and carry boxes.
Call Jason (or Vera) for details, 488-6760.

Un-packers: Maximum of 6 people needed to help unpack boxes. Flexible time commitment prefer at least 1-2 hour minimum.
When: Wednesday, April 19, any time 9:00am - 5:00pm

Constructors: Approximately 4 people needed. We have some new furniture for the new office (i.e. desks and bookcases) that will need to be assembled.
When: Any time 8:00am - 5:00pm Wednesday, April 19 - Friday, April 21
Minimum time commitment: 2-3 hours

We will also need event organizers for an open house event (date TBA).

Thanks for all your help!

Please let us know if you can help us move to 10th & O.

Thanks!
Sarah

Sarah Barr
Program Development/Volunteer Coordinator
F.I.R.S.T. Project, Inc.
(For Immigrants & Refugees Surviving Torture)
1550 S. 70th, Suite 200
Lincoln, NE 68506
402.488.6760
Fax: 402.488.6742

Big Poppa E is the SLAM poet who will be the MC for our SLAM / Pancakes for Peace event on Friday, April 21. Below is a video, found on video.google.com, demonstrating some of his skills and giving a glimpse of what SLAM poetry is (though styles vary). The video is clean (except for one word of profanity at the end), entertaining and funny. Please enjoy it.

For anyone who may be interested, my sociology professor sent me this:

There is an all day discussion on responding to domestic violence in the Latino community on Wed. April 5, 2006 from 8:00am-4:30pm at UNL East Campus Union. Sponsored by: Equity in Nebraska, Friendship Home, Family Violence Council of Lincoln/Lancaster County, the Rape Spouse Abuse Crisis Center etc. They will have national presenters. For more information and registration info call 402.489.9292 or email mgallagher@lmep.com

This would definitly be conducive with Amnesty's Stop Violence Against Women campaign and UNL Amnesty has worked with some of these organizations in the past.

-Jenna

The following is the email update from Tuesday, 3/28 (mailed early Wednesday, 3/29).



Hey everyone,

In lieu of the lack of update last week and a rapidly approaching event (tomorrow night!), this week's update is coming early. Covered in this edition:

- Schindler's List, 3/19 at 6pm
- SLAM/Pancakes for Peace
- Global Night Commute
- Social on 4/1!
- Upcoming AI-UNL Elections
- Good News
--------------------------------------

- Schindler's List
Amnesty International-UNL and Hillel Jewish Student Association are sponsoring a presentation of "Schindler's List" on Wednesday, March 29 (which may be TODAY, depending on when you're reading this) at 6pm in the Nebraska Union Auditorium. UNL professor of history and Holocaust expert Alan Steinweis will speak beforehand to comment on the film's accuracies and misgivings. There will be a short intermission during the film. Please tell friends and classmates, and bring as many people as you'd like. This event is free and open to the public.

- SLAM/Pancakes for Peace
We continued planning for our Pancakes for Peace event, which will be held on Friday, April 21. Poet Big Poppa E, who has been featured on HBO's Def Poetry Jam, will be in town to serve as MC for the event. Please help us recruit poets to perform/compete. If you have any questions about the specifics of the event, please email us at this address, and we'll be happy to answer whatever concerns you have. Spread the word about this event! We are still undecided as to where the money raised will go - whether to AI-UNL, Amnesty USA, to Amnesty's International Secretariat, or to another human rights organization. This will be decided in the coming weeks.

- Global Night Commute
There is a meeting for those coordinating the Global Night Commute activities in Lincoln (which will happen Saturday, April 29) this coming Sunday at 7pm at Starbucks downtown (12th and 'O' streets). We will be discussing where the event will happen, what sort of entertainment, if any, will be provided there, food, logistics, promotion, documentation, and other things. Feel free to join us if you'd like to help plan the event. For more information on the GNC, please see www.invisiblechildren.com.

- Social on 4/1!
(I promise you that this is not an April Fool's joke. We will be there, I swear.) Amnesty is gathering this Saturday evening at Randy's Grill 'n Chill - "the hottest karaoke bar/grill around," according to Alaina, our social chair. It's at about 49th and Holdrege streets, and we're getting together at about 7:30p. You're welcome to swing by anytime after that, but be aware that those under 21 will have to leave at 11p. More information can be found at http://www.randysgnc.com/

- Upcoming AI-UNL Elections
On Tuesday, April 11th, we will hold nominations for next semester's/year's officers (length of elected term is still to be determined). Anyone who has attended at least two meetings this semester (including the nomination meeting) is eligible to hold an office. Members may nominate themselves or others. The following week, on Tuesday, April 18, we will hold elections. The candidates will have an opportunity to speak for a minute or two on why they would make a good officer and then secret voting ensues. Winners are announced immediately.

Our current offices are: President, Vice President, Treasurer, Secretary, Public Relations Officer, and Social Chair. Descriptions of the positions will be dictated on the 11th. We may also vote on creating or eliminating positions if we choose. If you're interested in an office but have questions about it, please contact the group. We'll be happy to talk to you about it.

- Good News
Finally, the last item of the agenda here, is that Amnesty International-UNL has an office for next year, beginning next semester. We will be in the Nebraska Union, room 348A. We share an office with Eating Disorders Education and Prevention (EDEP, 348B) and Students Taking Action for Human Rights (STAHR, 348C). So... there's some incentive to run for an office! You'll have unfettered access to our sweet human rights pad. (Of course, non-officers will be able to use the office, as well.)

Alright, that's everything. Hope to see you tomorrow night! Have a great week.

Rain in a Dry Land
Ross Media Arts Center
Friday, April 7
7:00pm
Sunday, April 9
5:30pm

"Rain in a Dry Land" documents the incredible journey of two Somali Bantu refugee families as they leave their Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya to settle into their new lives in the United States. Before the films is broadcast on PBS in 2007, the Ross Media Arts Center is holding a special advance screening of the film in Friday, April 7 at 7:00 p.m. and on Sunday April 9 at 5:30 p.m. There will be speakers at these events to discuss the issues in a local context.

For more information about the event, please contact:
Mary Riepma Ross Media Arts Center,
313 North 13 Street at the
University of Nebraska - Lincoln.
402-472-5353

A review of "Rain in a Dry Land" can be found here: Variety.com review

The Oxfam America CHANGE Initiative is now accepting student applications for the 2006-2007 academic year.

The CHANGE Initiative aims to develop capable and confident young leaders, who are active agents for positive social change. Oxfam America is looking for a diverse group of undergraduate students - rising sophomores and juniors - committed to social justice issues. Students must have an interest in issues such as the international impact of mining, Fair Trade Coffee, global hunger, and international trade, and be willing to carry out a campaign on their campus and in their community. Selected students will participate in an all expenses paid training during the summer and receive resources and support from Oxfam to help with their campaign.

Applications are due by April 1, 2006. We strongly encourage online applications at http://www.oxfamamerica.org/change . If you have any questions please call 1-800-77-OXFAM ext. 464 or email CHANGE@oxfamamerica.org.

From the Web site:

To qualify for CHANGE:

• [+] You must be willing to invest time and energy to build your skills and awareness of social justice issues. CHANGE the way you see the world and act on a global level.


• [+] You must be a college student entering your sophomore or junior year at a US based college or university. Your college need not have participated in the CHANGE Initiative in the past for you to be eligible to apply.


• [+] If accepted, you must commit to attending a week-long training program in Boston, MA during the last of week of July. All costs of attending the training will be covered by Oxfam.


• [+] You must be willing to implement an Oxfam campaign on your campus or in your community and report back regularly on your impact.

Deposed dictator Charles Taylor, former warlord-turned-president of Liberia, will no longer enjoy asylum in Nigeria, according to various news reports. Liberia's new president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, and Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo discussed the necessity of the turnover this month.

Taylor is responsible for numerous civil wars that killed more than 300,000 in western Africa in the 1990s. He was indicted for war crimes and crimes against humanity by the special court in Sierra Leone in 2003. The Nigerian government has expressed that it will allow the Liberian government to arrest Taylor and bring him to the tribunal in Sierra Leone.

From the New York Times story:

"We are very afraid of Charles Taylor coming here," said Jerry Nyuma Bongay, a 25-year-old student in Freetown. "But we want him to face justice. He hurt us too much."

Story here: Nigeria Will End Asylum for Warlord

The conditions of the arrest are complicated, though, and likely difficult to carry out. Nigerian president Obasanjo agreed that the Liberian government may arrest Taylor if and when it is ready to, implying that the Nigerian government would not hand him over.

Some even suggest that Taylor would remain in exile:

Comfort Swen, a second-hand cloths dealer in the Monrovia commercial district of Waterside added:

"The way things are now looking, it is possible that Taylor will not appear in court in person.

"He may remain in exile and make a representation in court through his lawyers."

Story from the BBC here: Taylor move challenges Liberia

Tell your friends!

I don't know who Albert Jones is, but this quote is sweet and activisty.

"It is important to be busy, but if you don't find time to change the world, you're busy keeping it the way it is."

Hey kids!

As your social chair, I've been pretty unsocial so far this semester. To make it up to you, I'd like to perform a rendition of the Whitney Houston classic, "I wanna dance with somebody" --kareoke style!! In case you didn't know, Randy's Grill N Chill is the hottest kareoke bar/grill around. I'm thinking Saturday April 1 (is that okay Collin? I know we said Friday but I have serious plans....) around 7:30. Youngters get kicked out at 11, but everything's free unless you eat or drink. Are we ready to rock out?

Laina

Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. The University of Nebraska-Lincoln chapter is committed to activism and education on campus and in the Lincoln community.

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