Amnesty International, Eastern PA

AIUSA Mid-Atlantic Weekly Update
May 13th, 2009

ACTION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS. HOPE FOR HUMANITY
In this issue
1. Highlight: Special Focus Case Rally
2. Take Action: Global Day of Action for Troy Davis
3. Opportunities
- Get Connected to MARO On-line and on Twitter
- Film Available on Juan Melendez
- Seeking Candidates for AIUSA Board of Directors
5. Local Events
– Local Events for Troy Davis
– June is Torture Awareness Month
– Tiananmen Demonstration
6. Volunteer Opportunities
– SAC
– Apply to be part of the RPG

Calendar

5/19: Global Day of Action for Troy Davis
5/28: AI’s 48th Anniversary

June is Torture Awareness Month!
6/3-4: Anniversary of Tiananmen Crackdown

For more information or to add an event to the calendar contact:
maintern4@aiusa.org & maintern5@aiusa.org

HIGHLIGHT

Special Focus Case Rally
This past Saturday, May 9th, over 60 Amnesty International supporters gathered at the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, DC to rally in support of Filep Karma and Yusak Pakage, the Mid-Atlantic Region’s Special Focus Case Prisoners of Conscience. The rally included speakers from ETAN, Amnesty International, and NonViolence International, chanting, and the use of flags that activists from across the region have created over the past year.

We would like to thank everyone who attended, who helped to create the flags used for the action, and who helped to collect petition signatures on this case. We sent a strong message to Indonesian embassy officials that this is an important case and that we demand justice for Filep and Yusak. To keep the pressure on the Indonesian government, we will be organizing monthly actions outside the embassy. Stay tuned for more details!

We would also like to acknowledge the hard work of Claudia Vandermade, our volunteer Special Focus Case Coordinator, for all of her help in organizing the event, promoting flag making kits, and helping to support the work of activists throughout the region on this case.

TAKE ACTION

Global Day of Action for Troy Davis
Join Amnesty International supports from around the world on Tuesday, May 19th for a global day of action for Troy Davis. Amnesty International members will be organizing events and actions to demonstrate solidarity with Troy Davis, support for justice in his case, and to show the state of Georgia that the whole world is watching!

Need ideas for what you can do? Download an action guide at:
http://www.amnestyusa.org/uploads/file/IdeasforGlobalDayofAction.pdf

Once you have an idea, make sure to register your event. You can complete a registration form or find events in your area by visiting:
http://tinyurl.com/DayForTroy

Expert Organizing Tip: Using a personal story about why you got involved with Amnesty International can be a powerful tool for inviting others to join us. Couple your story with the personal story of someone who we’re working for, like Troy Davis, and you’ve built a very strong case for why involvement with Amnesty International is so important. Keep this in mind while inviting people to attend an event for Troy Davis on May 19th! For more information on Troy’s story visit www.amnestyusa.org/troy

OPPORTUNITIES

Get Connected to MARO On-line and on Twitter

Did you know the Mid-Atlantic Regional Office is on Facebook, and Twitter? Become one of our friends or followers to see photos from recent actions and receive important campaign updates, event invitations, and calls to action on-line or via text message. You can find us at:

Become our friend on Facebook! We’re Aiusa Maro.
Join our Facebook Group! Check us out at Amnesty International USA Mid-Atlantic Region
Sign up to follow tweets (Twitter updates) from @AIUSAMARO

Film Available on Juan Melendez

Juan spent 17 years on death row in Florida for a crime he didn’t commit before becoming the 24th (!!) person released from death row in that state, and the 99th nationwide. Juan now lives in New Mexico, where he was instrumental in supporting abolition. There is a really good new film about his experience, titled “Juan Melendez – 6446.”

To request a copy contact the SDPAC from your state or your field organizer.
For DC, DE & PA: Jen Horwitz at 202-544-0200 x344 or jhorwitz@aiusa.org
For MD, VA & WV: Breanna Peterson at 202-544-0200 x269 or bpeterson@aiusa.org

Seeking Candidates for AIUSA Board of Directors

The AIUSA Nominating Committee is conducting an intensive, nationwide search to assemble a qualified, diverse, and representative slate of candidates for the 2010 Board of Directors election.

AIUSA’s 18-member Board is a working Board; first and foremost. Candidates are needed who are willing and able to give considerable time and effort to AIUSA Board work during their three-year term.

We are looking for candidates who have a thorough understanding of the workings of AI, both in the U.S. and internationally. Interested members should contact the Mid-Atlantic Nominating Committee member Eve Wider, ewider@gmail.com, to receive a questionnaire and more details on the process.

Please note that completed questionnaires and resumes must be received by 1 June 2009.

For more information visit:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dk789qk_8d375kkdw

LOCAL EVENTS

Global Day of Action for Troy Davis Events in PA

Rally for Troy Davis in Bethlehem
When: Tuesday, May 19th at Noon
Where: 4th & New Sts, Bethlehem, PA
For more information on this event contact CalvinJohn Smiley, PA SDPAC, cjs719@gmail.com

Evening prayer service for Troy at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Yardley
When: Tuesday, May 19th at 6:00 pm
Where: St. Andrew’s Church, West Afton Ave., Yardley, PA 19067
For more information on this event contact: Bob Anderson, anderbobsox@gmail.com

SAVE THE DATE- June is Torture Awareness Month!

As you begin to make summer plans, don’t forget that June is torture awareness month. We’ll have house party and tabling kits ready for you in the coming weeks, so carve out sometime this June to help spread the word about why torture is wrong!

SAVE THE DATE! KEEP THE MEMORY OF TIANANMEN ALIVE

June 3 and 4 mark the 20th anniversary of the 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Heavily armed troops and armored military vehicles stormed into Tiananmen Square to clear peaceful, unarmed demonstrators who were calling for an end to corruption and for political reforms in China. Hundreds of civilians were killed, and tens of thousands of demonstrators were arrested in the aftermath. While the authorities have moved away from branding the events of 1989 as a “counter-revolutionary rebellion” towards labeling it a “political incident,” they have refused to respond to long-standing calls for justice by the victims or their families.

Amnesty International is commemorating this anniversary by organizing actions to increase awareness about the continued repression of freedom of expression in China. Join us in calling on the Chinese authorities to allow their citizens the right to freedom of expression to openly discuss the Tiananmen crackdown and to mourn those killed publicly without fear of arbitrary detention, harassment, or surveillance. Stand in solidarity with the Tiananmen Mothers – a network of relatives of those killed in the crackdown — and the Tiananmen prisoners still in detention. Plan a vigil or rally, take part in the upcoming online action or write messages of support and hope to the Tiananmen Mothers.

For more information on how to get involved in AIUSA’s activities for the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen, please write to iar@aiusa.org

We will have a demonstration in Lafayette Park, across from the White House on the evening of June 3rd. Stay tuned for more information about this event.

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Student Area Coordinator
Be A Human Rights Student Leader!

As this school year draws to a close we are searching for some dedicated, talented, human rights youth volunteers to become student area coordinators for the 2009-10 school year!

SACs are responsible for keeping in touch with student groups around the state, answering questions, keeping up to date on all of AIUSA’s priority campaigns, and staying in touch with the regional office.

If you or someone you know is interested in becoming an SAC for next school year, please contact your field organizer:

VA, MD, WV: Breanna Peterson at 202-544-0200 ext. 269 or bpeterson@aiusa.org.
PA, DE, DC: Jen Horwitz at 202.544.0200 ext. 344 or jhorwitz@aiusa.org

Help Support AI’s Activist Work in the Mid-Atlantic
Apply to join the Regional Planning Group

The Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Group seeks to fill several open spots. Each new member serves a two-year term with an option to renew one time. The RPG functions as a diverse advisory body to the regional staff and members. Members of the RPG are activists from all over the region with different interests, genders, ages and varying levels of experience. The RPG charter provides most of the job description: http://www.amnestyusa.org/events/mid-atlantic/marrpgcharter.pdf

Our tradition in this region is to seek members who have few other AIUSA volunteer leadership responsibilities, so they can devote the necessary time to doing the RPG work. Members need to spend several weekends (Fall leadership meeting, one all-day RPG organizing strategy meeting in the
Summer, the regional conference, and on monthly conference calls (usually one to one and half hours) on RPG business. RPG members are also strongly encouraged to attend the Annual General Meeting. We are particularly looking for members, particularly youth/student activist from the States
of West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland and the District of Columbia in order to maintain geographical diversity of the group. However, others are encouraged to apply!

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis. If you have any questions, please email Folabi Olagbaju.

Please apply by including the following information:
1. Why do you want to join the RPG and what qualities would you bring to the RPG work?

2. What is your AIUSA experience? What leadership roles have you held?

3. What other responsibilities (AI and non-AI) will you have in next two years? What gives you confidence that you will be able to meet your RPG responsibilities in addition to these responsibilities?

4. What is the greatest challenge that faces AIUSA and/or the Mid-Atlantic Region? How would you help solve/address it?

Please send all applications to
Folabi Olagbaju
Amnesty International USA-MidAtlantic Regional Office
600 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. 5th Floor
Washington, DC 20003
Phone 202.544.0200 x284
folagbaj@aiusa.org

For more resources and information for the Mid-Atlantic Region visit:
www.amnestyusa.org/MARO
For questions or comments please contact us at aiusama@aiusa.org