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Gearing Up for the Miami FTAA Mobilization

The moon is full, the stars are arranging themselves into a big Star of David in the sky, and major energies of transformation are being stirred up.  In two weeks, we'll be marching and doing direct action in Miami against the FTAA, the Free Trade Area of the Americas, the extension of NAFTA throughout the Western Hemisphere.  Once again, I'll be doing daily updates, sending a select few to this list but posting them all on my website at www.starhawk.org, and again at the utne reader website, www.utne.com.  Utne's last issue also has one of my stories from Palestine.

Miami needs money.  In the next two weeks, we need to raise $25,000, for the convergence center, medical supplies, flyers, food, etc. Below you'll find an appeal, with information on how to donate.  If you feel connected to the goals of the action, and have a bit of material abundance to share, please do.

And we have another urgent need for money, as well.  The permaculture projects at these actions have been inspired and organized by many of the students from our Earth Activist Trainings.  We're doing another one in early January, and we have many, many students that need scholarships.  If you are wondering how to support this work, and how to get the greatest possible 'ripple effect' from the resources you donate, consider supporting a scholarship to EAT.  And feel free to pass these appeals on to others, if you can.

Thanks so much for supporting this work,

-- Starhawk

November 4, 2003

Dear Friends,

In less than a month, tens of thousands of people will be in Miami, November 16-22 to protest the next Ministerial of the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Trade ministers from every nation in the hemisphere, except Cuba, will be there negotiating what is essentially an expansion of NAFTA, a policy that has shown itself to be a resounding failure with 10 years of experience to prove it.

People throughout the hemisphere will be speaking out loud and clear that the FTAA is a Threat to Democracy, People and the Planet! There are workshops, cultural events, marches and creative direct actions being planned throughout the week. This is a huge logistics challenge, and we need your help!

Miami is a pretty conservative city and on the ground support has been difficult to get. A handful of people and groups have been working very hard to organize housing, publicity, event and meeting spaces and more, but have had to also fend off anti-first amendment right ordinances, police harassment and an intensive media campaign criminalizing our movement.

There are still huge pieces out there that need to be pulled together and there has been no money raised to do them. Things like a convergence space, legal support, medical or food. Housing is also a huge issue and public transportation is not great. People and/or churches have not yet opened their doors to house people and the city is clearly not helping one bit. In fact, they have closed Miami Dade Community College for the week, which is right in downtown, so no one can stay there, nor can any event be held there.

To support the overall grassroots mobilization including a convergence space, medical, legal, puppet making, publicity and more please send a donation to:

United for Peace and Justice: www.unitedforpeace.org/ftaadonate (page will open in a new browser window)

You can also mail a check or money order to:  
United for Peace and Justice/FTAA Fund
P.O. Box 607, Times Square Station,
New York, NY 10108

Please designate FTAA in the memo field, as well as any particular aspect of the mobilization you want to support such as the convergence space, art-making, legal, medical or permaculture projects etc.

Just about a month ago we derailed the WTO meetings in Cancun, Mexico. That was a huge defeat for the Bush Administration’s plans for global corporate dominance. The FTAA is even more important to them now.  

With your help and participation, we just might do it again! Please send a donation today.  We have already raised about $8,000 but need another $25,000, so it really is an urgent situation!  Thank you.

Peace and solidarity,

From all of us who believe that Another World is Possible!

P.S. Latest news...tucked away in Bush's $87 billion dollar spending bill for Iraq is an $8.5 million dollar item for police and security operations against the FTAA protests in Miami! Please donate what you can to make sure our voices are heard!

November 3, 2003 - Earth Activist Trainings

Dear friends,

Two and a half years ago, Penny Livingston-Stark and I began coteaching Earth Activist Trainings, two-week courses which combine permaculture design with the skills of activism and a grounding in earth-based spirituality. We conceived of this training because we wanted to link those who are creating positive alternatives for the future with those who are actively working for political change.   

Since then, we’ve held five courses, four in Northern California and one in England, which have trained over 200 students in ecological design and organizing.

Our students have gone on to work in an amazing variety of arenas and to do some exciting, world-changing projects.  One of our students coordinates a network of permaculture villages in South India.  A group from Spain is designing a conference center for political activists in Asturias on ecological principles.  Several graduates work with City Repair in Portland Oregon, a group transforming the urban landscape by turning intersections into gathering places and creating public works of art in natural building convergences.  A Lakota woman is building straw bale homes on the Pine Ridge Reservation, and others are creating community gardens in inner city Detroit.  

The Green Bloc has taken ideas that came up over dinner in our dining hall and brought permaculture into direct action, offering trainings, planting and defending community gardens as part of mobilizations, and creating an Eco-pueblo, a permaculture installation to provide washing facilities and graywater treatment at the farmworkers encampment in Cancun, protesting the WTO.

Now, as we prepare for our sixth training January 4-18, 2004, in Western Sonoma County, California, we again need help to assure that those who most need this training can come.

The community organizers and full time activists who will multiply the effects of this program often don’t have the money to pay for it. We keep costs as low as we can, but providing food, housing, and instruction for two weeks can’t be done without resources.  So we are asking for your support.

Some of the people looking for work trade or scholarships include: Many of you have helped fund this program in the past, and we are deeply grateful for your support.  We can assure you that the resources you’ve given us have been multiplied a thousand times by the work and dedication of our students.  Won’t you help us ?

Thank you so much for your support,

-- Starhawk

A full scholarship is $1100-1600. A work trader is $550+.  Any amount is greatly appreciated.  For more information, contact Mer at 707-583-2300 ext. 119 (voicemail) or check our website, www.earthactivisttraining.org (page will open in a new browser window)

To donate directly (no tax deduction)
make check out to EAT
memo line "scholarship fund" OR "scholarship for (person's name)"
mail to:
EAT
21 Ft. Ross Way
Cazadero, CA  95421

To get a tax deduction, go thru our fiscal sponsor:
make check out to Daughters/Sisters Project
memo line very important!: "EAT scholarship fund" OR "EAT scholarship for (person's name)"
mail to:
Daughters/Sisters Project
PO Box 4492
Rolling Bay, WA 98061
They will mail official "thank you" to file with your tax records.

Starhawk is an activist, organizer, and author of Webs of Power: Notes from the Global Uprising and eight other books on feminism, politics and earth-based spirituality.  She teaches Earth Activist Trainings that combine permaculture design and activist skills, and works with the RANT trainer’s collective, that offers training and support for mobilizations around global justice and peace issues.  To get her periodic posts of her writings, email Starhawk-subscribe@lists.riseup.net and put ‘subscribe’ in the subject heading.  If you’re on that list and don’t want any more of these writings, email Starhawk-unsubscribe@lists.riseup.net and put ‘unsubscribe’ in the subject heading. Starhawk’s website:  www.starhawk.org   

Feel free to post and forward this widely.
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