The Antechamber Collective
UW Critical and Activist ScholarshipSITE UPDATES
Detail of former mural at 23rd Ave and Union St, Seattle. The mural was commissioned in the 1990s to pay tribute to three African American leaders: Madame CJ Walker (pictured), Malcolm X (see detail here), and Edwin Pratt (former executive director of the Urban League, murdered on his doorstep in Shoreline in 1969). The artwork was repeatedly defaced in the last year, and has recently been completely covered over, marking a great loss of community history.
Ever since the first Common Spaces Northwest took place last month, core participants drew back socially, went into a period of recovery, and changed focus to get back to the projects we had set aside for the last several months. The way this site is updated might change: we’ll evaluate how it has been useful, how it can be altered, or how it can be brought together with other means of sharing information. Nothing will be deleted from the site, and it will continue to be built as a resource.
A number of new and old connections have been made by this group that never made it to the site; all of these organizations are worth getting engaged in. In no order, the groups are here:
Social HeArtistry Educators, Puget SoundOff, Washington Bus, Boundless Art Theatre Company, eSe Teatro, Homestead Community Land Trust, Youth Media Institute, The Service Board, Hilltop Urban Gardens, NDNs for Justice, Seattle Icarus Project, From the Streets Productions, Black Orchid Collective, Autonomia, All Power to the Positive!, Seattle Street Youth Empowerment Program, 1stGenStudent, WAPI Community Services, People’s Harm Reduction Alliance, Capoeira Angola Seattle, and Rogue Scholar.
Common Spaces NW Gathering
After three full months of focused planning, Common Spaces Northwest (CSNW) will be brought to fruition starting tomorrow, Thursday through Saturday, 21-23 April at various locations on UW Seattle campus and in the U District. Make sure to come by the Quad tomorrow between 11:00am – 2:00pm for the opening luncheon and to learn about organizations involved and the forum itself! The full schedule of the three days is available here.
“Common Spaces Northwest began from an idea: what sort of incredible fusion of prowess and flowering of community can happen if we just got people together to talk? What kind of concepts or changes can we inspire? So often the barriers between activism, theory, and feeling are so high–Common Spaces Northwest seeks to bring them down and open this conversation to everyone who wants to participate, everyone who’s concerned with these problems. Join us this weekend at Common Spaces NW and get this conversation started!”
You can also download a copy of the program here.
SOLE: Day of/Break the Silence
As a conclusion to the National Day of Silence, local student activist group Students Organizing for LGBTQ Equality (SOLE) will be closing the day by showcasing one of the more expressive forms of speech: poetry. From 7:00 – 10:00pm this Friday, April 15 in Red Square on the UW Seattle campus, there will be a night of outdoor poetry and spoken word. Please sign up here if you would like to perform!
“This event will conclude the Day of Silence, a day when LGBTQ folks and their allies choose to stay silent to symbolize the voices that are silenced by anti-LGBTQ slurs, bullying, and harassment.
Breaking the Silence will be a night of poetry and spoken word, with some scheduled performers as well as an open mic section. Anybody from the University community will be able to perform, and poets from Manic Mouth Congress are specifically invited to participate. Poets are encouraged to speak on bullying and queer issues.”
USAS: Sodexo Truth Tour
This upcoming Thursday, 14 April from 5:30 – 7:00pm in Savery 260 on the UW Seattle campus, United Students Against Sweatshops (USAS) will be host a “truth trial” to feature Carina Mieses, an employee of Sodexo who has traveled all the way from the Dominican Republic, as part of a national Truth Tour. The campaign to kick Sodexo off of campuses nationwide is running strong (you can read more about the local fight here, and check out the national USAS site for context).
Here’s the full notice for the event: “Come hear from Carina Mieses, a Sodexo worker from the Dominican Republic, as she exposes the truth about Sodexo’s global human rights abuses. Carina’s presence at the UW is part of a nationwide Sodexo Truth Tour that students have organized after 18 months of intense campaigning to transform Sodexo’s labor practices by urging universities to sever contracts with the company.
BUT WHY SODEXO?? Sodexo is the 22nd biggest company in the world and serves more food to U.S. college students than any other company. BUT it pays sub-poverty wages and flouts workers’ freedom of association worldwide, including on many US campuses.
Sodexo does NOT deserve to do business with OUR university. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN THAT!”
SADL: World Week for Animals In Laboratories
From 16-23 April, the Seattle Animal Defense League will be locally participating in the World Week for Animals in Laboratories (WWAIL); see below for their own description and a preliminary outline of the event series.
“Each year from April 16th to 23rd, animal advocates and activists across the world come together to call for an alternative to the antiquated and unnecessary usage of animals in biomedical experimentation. Billions of tax dollars are wasted and millions of innocent lives are lost under the fraudulent guise of science. We at the Seattle Animal Defense League will be banding together with other activists worldwide to protest these atrocities for WWAIL. We ask you to join us at the events listed below:
Friday, 15 April (7:00pm at Wayward Vegan Cafe, (5253 University Way NE)): “Chattel” Documentary Screening (view an excerpt here).
Saturday, 16 April (12:00 – 2:00pm, corner of 15th Ave. and 45th St.): Kick-off demonstration at UW campus, with a Potluck/Prisoner support letter writing party, location TBA, at 7:00pm.
Sunday, 17 April (7:30pm, Wayward Vegan Cafe (5253 University Way NE)): SADL General Meeting/Vivisection 101 Workshop.
Monday, 18 April (4:00 – 6:00pm): Leafletting at the UW Medical Center.
Tuesday, 19 April (4:00 – 6:00pm): Demonstration and Leafletting at the South Lake Union Facility.
Thursday, 21 April (8:00pm): A candlelight vigil will be held at the corner of Montlake Boulevard and NE Pacific in mourning of all the unnecessary lives lost to the falsehood of vivisection.
Friday, 22 April (Meeting time TBA): We will be meeting at the Burke Museum on the UW Seattle Campus and marching to Montlake & NE Pacific with an ending demonstration in front of the medical center on NE Pacific.
Other events will be posted to the facebook page as the information becomes more available. Please join us!”
Duwamish Alive!
Also click here for a full-color PDF of the event poster.
Next Saturday, 16 April, from 10:00am – 2:00pm all around the south side of Seattle, the Duwamish Alive Coalition is organizing restoration work sites to improve areas along the Duwamish River. Examples of these sites include river cleanup by kayak and canoe, shoreline salmon habitat restoration, and native forest revitalization.
Afterward, from 2:00 – 4:00pm at Pigeon Point Park (part of the West Duwamish Greenbelt, by 20th Ave. SW and SW Genesee St.), Nature Consortium is holding the Duwamish Alive Festival with free food, live music, and hands-on arts activities. Here is a detailed map of the designated cleanup locations around Seattle.
Here is more information provided by the event website: “The event is hosted by the Duwamish Alive Coalition, which is a partnership of non-profit organizations, government agencies, community groups and local businesses. Restoration is on-going throughout the year, but it’s only during Duwamish Alive that our organizations come together to host hundreds of volunteers at multiple
sites to make a huge impact on the same day!
• No experience necessary — we will discuss safety and give an overview of the project.
•The event will take place rain or shine.
• Dress for the weather (rain gear in case of bad weather or sunglasses and a hat if it’s sunny).
•Wear sturdy foot gear (boots, sneakers, etc. but no sandals).
• Long trousers and long sleeves are helpful where there are blackberries
•Bring work gloves and weeding tools if you have them. Bring a refillable water bottle.
•We will provide work gloves, tools, snacks, and beverages.
•Children 10 and under must have one-to-one adult supervision.”
The 13 restoration locations are as follows:
South Park:
Duwamish Waterway Park
River trash cleanup by kayak and canoe
Georgetown:
Gateway Park/8th Avenue South
White Center:
Roxhill Bog
West Seattle:
Alki: Seacrest Park
Delridge / Pigeon Point::
Brandon Street Natural Area
Puget Creek Natural Area
West Duwamish Greenbelt/ Pigeon Point
Herring House Park/T-107
Tukwila:
Cecil Moses/NorthWind’s Weir
Duwamish Hill Preserve
Codiga Farm
In order to volunteer, email contact@duwamishalive.org, or call 206 923 0853.
Voices Rising: Evelyn Harris
On 15 April, Voices Rising will be having a show featuring Evelyn Harris of legendary a capella ensemble Sweet Honey in the Rock. Doors will open at 7:00pm, and the show will begin at 8:00pm. There is a $10-$25 admission on a sliding scale, which you can access through Brown Paper Tickets. The show will be held in the historic Washington Hall (153 14th Ave).
Additional performers will be Rosco Kickingstone, Fabiola Romero, and Christine Cruz Guiao & April Nishimura.
The mission of Voices Rising is to “create a safe and nurturing community for LGBTQ artists of color and in so doing empower them to strengthen the whole LGBTQ POC community as they raise awareness of the community and its issues within the entire LGBTQ community and beyond to the majority community/society.” For more history on this dynamic project, check out the group’s site and past shows!
CORE: Sexual Assault and Relationship Violence Activism
This short video examines the ways in which sexual assault and relationship violence impact underrepresented communities and the importance of giving members of these communities the chance to speak about these issues (prod. 2010 by then-UW WAC Director Cassie Hoeprich and CORE Director Jocelyn McCurtain).
Throughout the month of April, the Committee Organizing Rape Education (CORE), has organized a series of events in recognition of sexual assault and relationship violence, drawing attention to what goes on and finding pragmatic ways to collectively work against intimate violence. Below, you can find event information and descriptions. Absolutely make it to one, if not all, of these if you can, since it couldn’t be more crucial that we end the forms of intimidation and abuse that could threaten the safety and happiness of anyone. In the most basic description put out by CORE, it is a month of “sharing, learning, and healing.”
Green Dot Bystander Training (Saturday, 23 April from 10:00am – 4:00pm in McCarty Hall A, B): “Come learn how to do green dots, how to recognize the warning signs (“red dots”), how to change culture at UW by being an active bystander. To sign up please visit washington.edu/greendot.”
Through Our Eyes (12 April from 4:30 – 6:00pm at the Ethnic Cultural Theater (3931 Brooklyn Ave)): “A collaborative event featuring a documentary film, spoken word, and other performances that bring light and give voice to experiences with sexual assault relationship violence in underrepresented communities.”
Take Back the Night Rally (19 April from 6:15 – 9:00pm, beginning at the flag pole behind Kane Hall on UW Seattle campus, moves to the Ethnic Cultural Theater (3931 Brooklyn Ave) at 7:00pm): “Join us for a powerful evening to commemorate survivors of sexual assault and relationship violence. There will be performances, speeches, and an open mic portion where people can share their own stories and feelings surrounding these issues. Meet at 6:15 at the flag pole behind Kane Hall for an empowering march to break the silence or at 7pm at the ECT.”
Huskies on Healthy Relationships, “What’s Good Sex to You?” (all month in various buildings around campus and online): “Let’s raise awareness about what relationships are like at the University of Washington! Get real students’ perspectives on healthy relationships. If you are interested in being featured on a poster, email Cassie with your answer or check out the Facebook event page!”
Rock Riot Run (1 May from 10:00am – 12:00pm in the E5 Parking Lot): “Join us for a 5k walk/run on the University of Washington campus to raise awareness on sexual assault and relationship violence. All participants will receive a complimentary Rock Riot Run t-shirt. Food, beverages, and prizes will also be available. Be sure to bring your friends, family, and fellow Huskies! There is no entry fee, but we ask you bring a donation for Eastside Domestic Violence. See the the race website for more information.”
Also keep an eye out for these other events:
Silent Witness: “This event consists of Red Silhouettes depicting stories of men, women and children who have been killed as a result of relationship violence.”
The Clothesline Project: “View how University of Washington students are affected by sexual violence. Each shirt is decorated by a student to show how they feel about violence against women.”
If you’d like to get involved, either stop by the CORE office (Condon 406), email asuwcore@u.washington.edu, or call at (206) 543-4238.
COINTELPRO 101 Screening
On Saturday, 9 April from 7:00-9:00pm at American Friends Service Committee (814 NE 40th St.) there will be a showing of the new documentary COINTELPRO 101 with Claude Marks of the Freedom Archives in San Francisco. The screening is sponsored by the local organization Seattle Jericho. For more information and to view the film trailer, follow this link.
Here is the full description of the film: “COINTELPRO 101 is an hour long gem of a documentary that sheds light on the history of the FBI’s secret government program, Counterintelligence Program (COINTELPRO), launched in the 1960s and officially active until 1975 used illegal means to disrupt, destroy and devastate movements for social change inside this country. While doing so it details the history of the Black, Chicano/Latino, Puerto Rican and Native American movements for freedom in this country. The film links the racialized mentality that allowed COINTELPRO to operate freely until Congress shut it down with what is happening in communities of color and movements for social change today. COINTELPRO 101 is both a primer about a vital historic period and a conversation started about the links today. This is not just dead history, but a living legacy for all those who believe in freedom around the globe.”
First Nations @ UW Spring Pow Wow: Our Legacy Thrives
From Friday, 8 April at 7:00pm to 10 April at 8:00pm, First Nations @ UW will hold their 40th Annual Spring Powwow in the Alaska Airlines Arena at Hec Ed Pavilion (3870 Montlake Blvd NE). The theme this year is “Our Legacy Thrives“: “This is the largest student-run event on campus bringing in an average of 8000 people every year. It’s free to get into but we highly suggest you bring some extra money to support the Native American artists that will be selling their work as well as buying concessions (Indian Tacos) sold by First Nations. This is a zero tolerance event: No drugs. No alcohol. No weapons. No fighting.” All should come, and see the link at the bottom of this post if you are able to volunteer! First Nations also created a powerful video that stands as a testament to the importance of this event: you can view it here.
Friday 8 April: Grand Entry at 7:00pm
Saturday 9 April: Coastal Grand Entry 1:00pm, Grand Entry 7:00pm
Sunday 10 April: Grand Entry 1:00pm
HOST DRUMS:
Northern: WILD ROSE
Southern: WHITE HAWK NW
HEAD STAFF:
Master of Ceremony: André Picard
Arena Director: Ross Braine
Head Man: Darryl Bolton
Head Woman: Abriel Johnny
Contest Powwow:
Drum Contest
Golden Age Men/Women
Women: All categories
Men: All categories
Teen Girls/Teen Boys
Jr. Girls/Jr. Boys
Specials:
One Man Hand Drum (1st: 500, 2nd: 300, 3rd: 200)
Victoria Retasket: Tiny Tots Special
Tiana Valdez (Miss First Nations 2010): Women’s vs Men’s fancy (500-winner take all)”
For general questions contact fnuw@uw.edu; for specifics regarding powwow contact the powwow chair, Brittany Barrett at
brittb6@uw.edu; for vendors contact Autumn Thomas at art23@uw.edu. If you’d like to volunteer for this event you can sign up using this link, and if you have questions about volunteering contact the volunteer coordinator Rich Summers at summersrw@hotmail.com.
The Antechamber Collective 