Friends and Son,
I've spent many hours compiling a list of activities going on during
the DNC and want to share it with you. I apologize for any errors or
omissions.
Judy
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20
Nancy Pelosi “Know Your Power: A Message to America's Daughters,” 5:30
p.m., Tattered Cover LoDo. She will make brief remarks and take
questions, then sign her new book. Free numbered tickets for the
booksigning following the presentation will be handed out beginning at
4:30 pm. Seating for the presentation prior to the booksigning is
limited, and available on a first-come, first-served basis to ticketed
customers only. Information on security restrictions will be available
on the bookstore’s website prior to the event. (I've heard that Cindy
Sheehan and others will be protesting.)
THURSDAY, AUGUST 21
"The Eyes of Babylon," Theatre On Broadway at the New Denver Civic
Black Box Cabaret Theatre, August 21 through September 14. National
tour of the 90-minute, one-man play, a true story written and starring
Iraq war veteran Jeff Key, based on the writings in his journal. The
play follows Key through his deployment in Iraq and his struggles of
being a gay Marine, to his return to American soil to begin a new life
of political activism and philanthropy.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 22
Rally with Howard Dean, Chairman of the Democratic National Committee,
on the last stop of his "Register for Change Tour." Noon at the
Auraria College Campus’ St. Cajetan’s Chapel on Lawrence Way.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 23
Meditate '08: A Place for Quiet Contemplation at the DNC -- Opening
ceremony, 5:30-6:30 p.m., on the Green at Denver Aquarium, 700 Water
St.. An outdoor event with entertainment and invited guests. Bring a
picnic blanket or lawn chair to sit on. Outdoor meditation
retreat. An interfaith gathering with meditation teachers coming from
the Buddhist, Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Native American, and
African spiritual traditions. Teachers will offer brief talks and
short periods of guided meditation. Yoga class every morning, and
entertainment in the evenings after 7:00. The event will take place
at Fishback Landing Park, between the Downtown Aquarium and the REI
Superstore (near ConfluencePark.) Program begins Saturday morning and
continues through Thursday afternoon. For more information, go to
www.meditate08.org. All events are free and open to the public.
"In Search of Values for a New Society" -- 6:30-8:15 p.m., Capitol
Heights Presbyterian Church, 11th and Fillmore. No charge. Panelists
Dr. Vincent Harding, Gabriela Flora and Reverend Paul Kottke will
discuss the spiritual values, from both secular and religious
traditions, that form the bases for the positions taken by
progressives, showing how these values are applied to domestic and
foreign policy issues, and laying out a positive vision for our
society.
“Unity Dance ’08,” an occasion to bring together the GLBT community
and supporters for an evening of music and fun. The party will take
place at Tracks/EXDO Event Center, 3500 Walnut St.. Doors open at 7
p.m. Admission is $10 before 9 p.m. (includes catered reception), $15
from 9-11 p.m. and $25 after 11 p.m.
7:30 p.m., Mercury Café, Raging Grannies and others perform. $10.
"Rowing Toward Justice on a Murky, Turbulent Sea" -- benefit concert
co-sponsored by the American Friends Service Committee and the Rocky
Mountain Peace and Justice Center, Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church
at 11th and Fillmore, 8:45 p.m., immediately following forum. Sliding
scale $15-25.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 24
"End the Occupations" rally 9 a.m. on the west steps of the Capitol,
featuring nationally known bands and speakers, including Cynthia
McKinney and Rosa Clemente, Green Party candidates for President and
Vice-president. The march will step off at 10:30 a.m. and go to the
Pepsi Center. Raging Grannies stand on sidelines and sing. (Note:
The following are comments I've gotten about Sunday's two marches.
"You are probably not aware of the logistics of the two marches that
are occurring on August 24th. R68 march is marching down a designated
parade route to within sight of (probably not within sound of) the
Pepsi center, where the convention is being held. It doesn't really
matter though because the Pepsi center will be empty. This is the day
before the convention starts. Nevertheless R 68 has publicly announced
that they are going to push all the way to the Pepsi center and
demonstrate outside an empty building." "There are multiple anti-war
events on Sunday. The morning rally and march is sponsored by
Recreate68. I’ve heard that it’s billed as family-friendly, and I’ve
also seen their statements that say they will march beyond the
permitted route, essentially committing civil disobedience, I guess. I
can’t imagine that they really plan to be arrested on the first day, at
least surely not the main organizers, but some of their other
high-profile folks may have decided on that. Don’t know. Recreate68
has what I’ll call a modified or nonstandard nonviolence statement that
leaves room for self-defense, in solidarity with indigenous peoples and
others who have experienced violence at the hands of the state.
Recreate68 organizers have stated publicly that they do not plan
violence. In the afternoon, there’s another anti-war event, Funk the
War/Dance for Peace, sponsored by the Alliance for Real Democracy, of
which AFSC is a part and which is planned to be low-risk/family
friendly. You can find info about it at
www.tentstate.org. This is
not a permitted march as we won’t be on streets, rather along the 16th
street mall before heading to Cuernavaca Park for a rally at which Nita
Gonazles, Medea Benjamin (CodePink), Leslie Cagan (UFPJ), IVAW, and
others will speak. Organizers are in communication with city
officials, so it won’t be an unpermitted surprise to them. AFSC will
participate in the feeder march supporting IVAW from the military
processing station at the federal building near California.")
Green Frontier Fest -- Sculpture Park, adjacent to the Denver Center
for Performing Arts (where the two giant aliens are dancing),10 a.m.-6
p.m. to see some of the latest technological advances to help save our
planet from ourselves. The event is free, and there will be something
to do for all ages. Go to greenfrontierfest.com for more details.
Network of Spiritual Progressives Conference, Sunday and Monday, St.
Paul United Methodist Church & Curtis Hotel, Sunday and Monday (see
detailed listings below); speakers: Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of
Tikkun magazine, author of The Left Hand of God and many other books,
co-founder of NSP; Matthew Fox, author of 24 books, including The
A.W.E. Project: Reinventing Education; Sharon Salzberg, Buddhist
teacher, activist, author of Lovingkindness; Rep. Keith Ellison (D-MN),
sponsor of the Global Marshall Plan.
10:30 a.m. Interfaith worship service, St. Paul’s UMC, 16th and Ogden,
with Rabbi Michael Lerner and Rev. Toni Cook. Speakers: Rabbi Michael
Lerner, Rev. Toni Cook, Prof. Vincent Harding, Yogachara Hassan
Srinidhi, Imam Ibrahim Kazerooni, Venerable Claude d’Estree, Rabbi
Stephen Booth-Nadav, Sister Rose Annette Liddell; music will be
provided by St. Paul Choir, Kriya Yoga, & soloist Rene Marie.
Admission is free.
Noon-6 p.m. -- NEWSED Community Development Corporation is hosting a
"City to City Pachanga" and has invited all the DNC delegates to attend
a Santa Fe Drive street festival; the host committee includes Colorado
officials, members of the legislature, and DNC committee members and
delegates. Go to
www.citytocitypachanga.com for more info.
"Funk the War: Dance for Peace," 1 p.m.-?. Bring your drums,
instruments, moves and message. There will be four feeder marches
starting at Union Station (17th and Wynkoop), Skate Park (2205 19th
Street), MEPS Center (19th & Stout) and Curtis Park (27th and Larimer)
and converging on the 16th Street Mall. Concerts will follow in the
afternoon and evening. DROP BEATS, NOT BOMBS!
www.realdemocracy2008.org.
"The Spiritual Covenant with America" -- Michael Lerner, Peter Gabel
and Matthew Fox will discuss this in greater detail, relate these ideas
to current political issues and answer questions related to these
commitments. There will also be music and/or a poetry performance
during this time by a local artist. 1:30- 4 p.m., St. Paul’s UMC,
16th and Ogden, $15.
Tribal Unity Day Pow-Wow, Civic Center Park, 2-6 p.m.. Please bring
your own chairs, as limited seating is available. For more information
call 303-936-2688 or 303-519-2424, or visit denverindiancenter.org
“Come Together to Create Change” Lannies Clocktower Cabaret. 1601
Arapahoe, 7-9 p.m., VIP reception begins at 6 p.m.. Cocktails and hors
d’oeuvre. Sponsored by National Gay and Lesbian Task Force. General
admission tickets: $75, VIP tickets: $175.
www.theTaskForce.org/denver.
8-10 p.m. "Progressive Welcome to Denver" -- Progressive Democrats of
America, Central Presbyterian Church, 17th and Sherman; Joan
Fitz-Gerald, Mimi Kennedy, Barbara Lee, Tom Hayden, Jim Zogby.
MONDAY, AUGUST 25
Free day at Denver Art Museum.
8 a.m.-2 p.m., Buell Theater -- "Unconventional Women," a historic,
non-partisan symposium. White House Project president and founder Marie
Wilson will be one of many high-profile women speaking at the event.
9-11 a.m. “A Middle East Strategy for Spiritual Progressives” -- Rabbi
Michael Lerner, Imam Mohamad Samer Altabaa, and Jonathan Granoff
(President of the Global Security Institute); St. Paul’s UMC, 16th and
Ogden; admission: $15.
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Various discussions throughout the day on "Healthcare
not Warfare" with John Nichols, Barbara Lee, John Conyers, Richard Kim,
Norman Solomon, Donna Smith, Rocky White, Marilyn Albert, Lynn Woolsey,
Kathleen Snyder. Sponsored by Progressive Democrats of America;
tickets:
www.pdamerica.org; click on "Progressive Central" in the
green bar at the top of the page.
1-3 p.m. -- “The Global Marshall Plan,” Curtis Hotel, 14th and Curtis,
with Rabbi Michael Lerner and Congressman Keith Ellison, focusing on
spiritual values and a positive vision for a new society. No charge. By
committing 1-2% of our GDP for the next twenty years, we can help
uplift all people and demonstrate our care for all beings and make our
country safer. Admission is free.
6 p.m. Mercury Cafe, “Power to the People” -- Cynthia McKinney, Green
Party candidate for President,
www.runcynthiarun.org.
"Cinemocracy Rocks!," Red Rocks, 6 p.m. Top 10 films from a national
program, "How do you define democracy?" Tickets
www.denverfilm.org.
“Beyond Iraq: Creating a Just Foreign Policy,” 7 p.m., Capitol Heights
Presbyterian Church, 11th and Fillmore. Panel: Leslie Cagan, United for
Peace and Justice; Hari Nam Khalsa, Iraq War veteran; Dr. Ronald
Forthofer, Christian Peacemaker Teams.
7 p.m and 10 p.m., Oriental Theater, 4335 W. 44th Ave. -- Premiere of
the film, "9/11 Chronicles: Part One, Truth Rising," with special
guests Alex Jones, famed radio talk show host, and Luke Rudkowski,
founder of We Are Change. $10.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 26
11 a.m.-3:45 p.m. -- PDA, Central Presbyterian, John Nichols, Lynn
Woolsey, Tom Hayden, Jeff Cohen, Laura Flanders, Shireen Mitchell,
Maeve Conran, Chris Rabb, Steven Rosenfeld, John Bonifaz, Mimi Kennedy,
Harvie Branscomb, Lennox Yearwood on subject of "Media Reform and
Activism." Tickets:
www.pdamerica.org; click on "Progressive Central"
in the green bar at the top of the page.
World Vision and ONE Caregiver Kit Build will assemble caregiver kits
that provide essential medical supplies to volunteers caring for those
affected by AIDS. 2-5 p.m. [I don't know location.]
White House Project -- “From Soundbites to Solutions” 3-5 p.m., Starz
FilmCenter; panelists: Michele Martin, radio host, NPR's "Tell Me
More;" Maria Teresa Petersen, founding executive director, Voto Latino
and commentator for MSNBC; Jamal Simmons, political analyst, CNN;
Rebecca Traister, senior writer, Salon.com; Patricia J. Williams,
columnist, The Nation and professor of law, Columbia University.
Credentials will be supplied to all ticket holders; tickets are
available on a first come, first served basis at
www.seachangecom.com/.
Raging Grannies sing at performance of San Francisco Mime Troupe, 6-8
p.m., Los Cabos Puro Peru, 15th and Champa; co-sponsored by Rocky
Mountain Peace and Justice Center and Denver Raging Grannies; sliding
scale donation $10 - $20.
Vincent Bugliosi -- "The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder,"
7:45 p.m., Capitol Heights Presbyterian Church, 11th and Fillmore;
fundraiser for Alliance for Real Democracy, $10-20.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 27
“Tent State Music Festival to End the War” with Rage Against the
Machine, Flobots, The Coup, State Radio, Wayne Kramer. Doors open at
9:30 a.m., show begins at 11 a.m.. Tickets are free and available by
lottery. Sign up for the lottery, with a valid photo ID (person must be
present) at Tent State University at Cuernavaca Park between 11 am and
6:30 PM (look for the Tent State Music Festival booth near the IVAW
Tower) Sunday, August 24 through Tuesday, August 26 during the D.N.C.
Winners will be notified by email Tuesday evening, August 26. For
details, visit
http://tentstate.org/rage.htm or
www.sfpj.org.
11 a.m.-3:45 p.m. -- PDA at Central Presbyterian, John Nichols, Jim
McGovern, Bob Moser, Barbara Lee, David Sirota, Carmen Rhodes, Jordan
Garcia, Jonathan Tasini, Medea Benjamin, Nancy LaPlaca, Majora Carter
on "Economic Justice and Global Warming." Tickets:
www.pdamerica.org;
click on "Progressive Central" in the green bar at the top of the page.
Raging Grannies sing at soup kitchen, Trinity Methodist Church, 18th
and Broadway; meet at 11:45 a.m., sing at noon.
Reception with presidential candidate Ralph Nader and vice-presidential
candidate Matt Gonzalez prior to the "Open the Debates" Super Rally,
Gottesfeld Room, Magness Arena, West Entrance, University of Denver,
2199 South University Blvd., 5-6:30 p.m., RSVP 202-471-5833 or
events@votenader.org, casual attire, wine and hors d'oeuvre, suggested
minimum donation $100.
6-9 p.m., Denver Newspaper Agency, Join White House Project in paying
tribute to women's leadership past, present and future and celebrating
10 years of advancing women's leadership and the extraordinary
potential of the women in the leadership pipeline.
www.whitehouseproject.org.
“Stand Up for Choice,” NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado, 6-10 p.m., DC10
Lounge, 940 Lincoln.
"Open the Debates," Ralph Nader rally with Val Kilmer, Cindy Sheehan,
Rage Against the Machine's Tom Morello, Jello Biafra, Nellie McKay, and
Ike Reilly; Magness Arena, DU, doors open 6 p.m., show starts 7 p.m.;
$10 in advance (303/832-2509), $12 at door; L -- table for 9/11 Truth,
J -- table for PFLAG.
“From Corporate Control to People Power” -- Panelists David Cobb,
Liberty Tree Fellow; Richard Williams, socioeconomist; James
Hoffmeister, Publicly Funded Campaigns. 7 p.m., Park Hill UCC, 2600
Leyden St..
www.PC4C.org/.
“Delegate Service Day” -- Delegates from across the country will
volunteer at dozens of community service projects in and around Denver,
ranging from reading to children to park cleanup and tree care, to
supporting projects that aid military families, an area of special
focus for Michelle Obama.
Benefit for Free Speech TV/KGNU/Truthout at the Mercury Café, 7:30
p.m.; Raging Grannies sing.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 28
10 a.m.-3:45 p.m., John Nichols, Robert Wexler, Keith Ellison, Victory
Navasky, Steve Cobble, Leslie Cagain, Mark Silverstein, Mimi Kennedy,
Tim Carpenter, Laura Bonham, Norman Solomon, Jodie Evans, Bill Moser on
"Constitution Law and Congress" and "PDA: Onward from Denver."
Tickets:
www.pdamerica.org; click on "Progressive Central" in the
green bar at the top of the page.
March for Just and Humane Immigration Reform -- step-off at 9 a.m.,
2855 W. Howard Pl. (Rude Park) with a Colfax route to a rally at La
Alma/ Lincoln Park, W. 12th Ave. & Mariposa St.. Raging Grannies sing
along sidelines.
"Four More Years? Or Forty More Years? The Supreme Court and the 2008
Elections" -- to take place at 10 a.m.. The discussion will focus on
what's at stake for the Supreme Court this election and how it will
affect Americans' rights. Hosting the event are People For the American
Way co-founder Norman Lear, board member Kathleen Turner, and Arianna
Huffington. [I don't know the location.]
Celebration of Shirley Chisholm -- White House Project to screen
“Chisholm '72: Unbought & Unbossed.” 2-4 p.m., Denver Newspaper Agency.
Elbra Wedgeworth, President of the Denver 2008 Host Committee and
former President of the Denver City Council, will kick off the event;
other invited guests include Barbara Lee who worked on Chisholm's
campaign and Yvette Clarke who currently holds Chisholm's Congressional
seat.
Sen. Barack Obama will accept the Democratic nomination at Invesco
Field at Mile High.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
Political comedian Will Durst will perform at a benefit for KGNU,
Lannie's Clocktower Cabaret, 8 p.m., $20.
OTHER
www.realdemocracy2008.org
www.codepink4peace.org
AFSC: And don't forget the Cost of War! We're gonna need tons of
volunteers to keep the banners company along the Cherry Creek and
Platte River trails, handing out buttons, bumper stickers, and
pamphlets. We're planning on asking folks to do two-hour stints. Cost
of War banners along the Cherry Creek and Platte River trails, maybe a
couple hundred yards in each direction from REI. We need lots of
volunteers to keep an eye on the banners and hand out pamphlets and
pins. Call or email Gina to volunteer (ghuett@afsc.org or
303-623-3464, x.1).
REVOLUTIONARY LOVE: I AM YOUR WORST FEAR is the title of a two-hour
LGBT performance to be staged sometime August 25-28 near the Democratic
National Convention (DNC) in Denver. Written by artist and activist
Sharon Hayes, the production will consist of about 100 people speaking
a text about love, politics, gay power and gay liberation. Directed by
Ms. Hayes, her show is co-sponsored by the nonprofit Creative Time and
the Dialog project of Denver's Government Office of Cultural Affairs.
LGBT people are needed to volunteer to be in the Denver production.
With no acting experience being necessary, all you need to do is
memorize about 15 minutes of text and recite it (as a chorus) with
others in the show. Attendance at one rehearsal will be required. If
you would like to be in the production, send an email to
dnc@creativetime.org. Ms. Hayes has produced challenging work in
performance, video, and installation for over a decade. Staging
protests, delivering speeches, and organizing demonstrations, she
creates interventions that highlight the friction between collective
activities and personal actions. Employing the artistic and academic
methodologies of theater, film, anthropology, linguistics, and
journalism, Ms. Hayes has made work that engages history, politics, and
public space. Her creative works have been shown at numerous museums,
galleries, theaters, exhibitions, workshops, as well as in 45 lesbian
living rooms across the U.S. Her above-named piece, Revolutionary Love:
I Am Your Worst Fear, is the first of her two-part project. Her second
part, Revolutionary Love: I Am Your Best Fantasy, will take place at
the Republican National Convention.
Cynthia McKinney is planning on teaching at Tent State University and
will be part of the Peace March here in Denver on August 25, 2008 with
the Greens at Five Points in Denver.
Phil Donahue is to be in town with his new film, "Body of War.