Thursday, April 30, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
TOMORROW @NOON @ CSULB, rally against Anti-choice organization.
So, some anti-choice demonstrators will be on our campus tomorrow. So will we.
Protect a Woman's Right to Choose!!!
Calling all genders to
STAND UP.
Protect women's rights everywhere
Rally on the Speaker's Platform
(In front of CSULB Bookstore)
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Noon
The group was invited by an on-campus organization, and is responsible for highly slanderous, highly graphic images.
Warning, GRAPHIC: http://abortionno.org/
Sunday, April 5, 2009
F.O.R.C.E. Newsletter - 4/6/09
Mondays, 12:30-1:30pm in the Women’s Resource Center (WRC), LA3-105
UPCOMING EVENTS:
- Women and War presented by WSSA
Monday, April 13, 2009 in the Beach Auditorium
1pm to 4:30pm
Performances and lectures on the impact and consequences of war as they relate to women. Performances by June Gao Sith and Linda Straley; lectures by Moriah Meeks, Lucia Munoz, Sonali Kolhatkar, and Dr. Elizabeth Philipose. Contact wssacsulb@gmail.com
- Framing Your Women’s Studies Degree
Wednesday, April 15, 2009 in the University Student Union
3pm
Presented by the Women’s Studies Department: A speaker’s panel, networking and resume workshop. Find out more at: http://friendsofwomensstudies.blogspot.com
- V-DAY Long Beach Vagina Monologues hosted by Charlene Chandler and WSSA
Friday, April 18, 2009 in the Beach Auditorium
2pm and 7pm
Those interested in participating in the Vagina Monologues should attend the rehearsal on March 11, 2009, at the Rehearsal Hall in Wardlow Park. Rehearsals are every Wednesday at this same time and location. For more information, contact
wssacsulb@gmail.com.
- Denim Day at CSULB
Wednesday, April 22 at CSULB, all day.
In 1998, an Italian Supreme Court decision overturned a rape conviction because the victim wore jeans, reasoning she must have helped her attacker remove them. People all over the world were outraged. Wearing jeans became an international symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual assault. The campaign’s purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public about rape
and sexual assault.
- 11th Annual Speak Out hosted by SACA
Friday, March 24, 2009 at the Soroptomist House
An evening of healing and empowerment for sexual assault survivors, presented by SACA, Project Safe, and the Women’s Resource Center. The night will consist of a Speak Out, Clothesline Project display, and free self defense workshop.
- Take Back the Night
Thursday, April 30, 2009, Maxson Plaza and Soroptomist House, CSULB
7pm-10pm
F.O.R.C.E. presents Take Back the Night, an event in global solidarity to protest and raise awareness about sexual violence. The night will consist of speakers, a march, music, candlelight vigil, and a speakout facilitated by the Sexual Assault Crisis Agency. It is an opportunity to raise the voices of those who have been silenced by victimization, and a chance for men and women to reclaim our dignity and sexuality through awareness and empowerment. Contact: force4change@yahoo.com .
NEWS (via feminist.org):
Afghan Women's Rights may be Severely Restricted by New Law
4/1/2009 - A new Shia family law signed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai sometime last month, but not yet published, would severely restrict women's rights in Afghanistan. Karzai, according to news sources, signed the bill to court the Hazara vote in the upcoming presidential election. The law has not yet been published, but according to The Guardian contains provisions that would restrict women from leaving their homes, working, going to school, or obtaining medical care without their husbands’ permission. The law also includes a provision that women cannot refuse their husbands sex and a provision that grants child custody only to men. Ustad Mohammad Akbari, leader of the Hazara party, told The Guardian that the law gives women the right to refuse sex with their husbands if they are ill or have a "reasonable excuse" and allows women the right to leave their homes without permission in an emergency. Shinkai Karokhail, a woman MP who worked against the legislation, told The Independent UK that the law "is one of the worst bills passed by the parliament this century….It is totally against women's rights. This law makes women more vulnerable." The Globe and Mail reported that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told reporters that the law "is an area of absolute concern for the United States….My message is very clear. Women's rights are a central part of the foreign policy of the Obama administration." Also yesterday, UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon addressed the International Conference on Afghanistan at The Hague. Among his remarks, the Secretary General said "we will continue to work to protect human rights, especially for women and girls. Women should be free to work, teach and live without oppression and fear. And children -- especially girls -- must be given the education that will help them build a better future for Afghanistan."
Iowa Supreme Court Rules Same Sex Marriage Ban Unconstitutional
4/3/2009 - The Iowa Supreme Court ruled unanimously today that the Iowa Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional because it violates the equal protection clause of the state constitution. According to the New York Times, the same-sex marriage licenses could be issued in Iowa in about three weeks. Iowa is now the third state in the US to permit homosexual couples to marry. Prior to this ruling, same-sex marriage was legal only in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The ruling states that "A new distinction based on sexual orientation would be equally suspect and difficult to square with the fundamental principles of equal protection embodied in our constitution. This record, our independent research, and the appropriate equal protection analysis do not suggest the existence of a justification for such a legislative classification that substantially furthers any governmental objective." According to the Iowa Independent, Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit on behalf of six same-sex couples and their children in Iowa in 2005. The lawsuit challenged the 1998 Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as only between a man and a woman. An Iowa District Court ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in 2007, leading dozens of couples to apply for marriage licenses and one couple to marry before the District Attorney filed an appeal to bring the case before the state Supreme Court. The Iowa Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the case in December 2008.
Vermont House Approves Same Sex Marriage Bill
4/3/2009 - The Vermont House voted 95 to 52 yesterday in favor of a bill that would allow same-sex marriage in the state. A version of the bill was overwhelmingly passed in a 26 to 4 vote by the state Senate in March. After a vote in the Senate today to reconcile changes made by the House, the bill will go to Republican Governor Jim Douglas, who has said he will veto the measure. Vermont currently allows civil unions, but the current bill would expand benefits offered to same-sex couples. In a statement released last week, the Governor reinforced his position: "Vermont's civil union law has extended the same state rights, responsibilities and benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. I believe our civil union law serves Vermont well and I would support congressional action to extend those benefits at the federal level to states that recognize same-sex unions....I believe that marriage should remain between a man and woman." The House vote followed nearly five hours of debate on the subject, according to Vermont Freedom to Marry. The final tally is only five votes short of the two-thirds vote needed to override a veto by the governor. Beth Robinson, Vermont Freedom to Marry's spokeswoman, told CNN that the House vote was "a testament to the power of telling our stories....We know we've got more work to do in the run-up to the override vote." Vermont became the first state to give civil recognition to gay and lesbian couples with the passage of legislation that established civil unions in the state in 2000. At the time, this law granted same-sex partners the most comprehensive system of domestic partner benefits in the nation, qualifying them for the some 300 rights and benefits available to married couples in the state.
Report Released on Los Angeles Rape Kit Backlog
4/1/2009 - A Human Rights Watch report released yesterday found that there are at least 12,669 untested rape kits in Los Angeles County, the largest known backlog of its kind in the US. A September 2008 LA city controller's audit showed a backlog of approximately 7,000 kits. The report (see PDF) is based on interviews with rape victims, rape treatment providers, police officers, public officials, and criminalists as well as data from the LA Police and Sheriff’s Departments and the 47 independent police departments in LA County. The report found that of the 12,669 kit backlog, 499 kits are past the statute of limitations in California rape law and at least 1,218 are from unsolved cases where the attacker was a stranger. It is estimated that thousands more kits have been destroyed in LA County untested. According to interviews with rape treatment providers, the report found that many victims assumed that DNA did not match in the database or that no evidence was found when they did not hear the results of their rape kit. Sarah Tofte, the report's author, said in a press release "women who are raped have a right to expect police to do all they can to thoroughly investigate their case, but in LA they often feel betrayed to learn that their rape kits are never even tested….And in some cases, failure to test means that a rapist who could have been arrested will remain free." A LA rape treatment provider told Human Rights Watch that "We go through the motions of collecting the kit, and then it doesn't get tested. Either we stop collecting rape kits, or we test every rape kit. It's now standard procedure to encourage every rape victim to report the crime and get a rape kit collected. If we think it's unconscionable to discourage a rape victim from reporting and getting a rape kit collected, then it’s unconscionable to have a rape kit backlog."
Virginia Governor Signs Legislation that Will Fund Fake Clinics
3/31/2009 - Virginia Governor Tim Kaine signed legislation Monday that will enable the sale of a "Choose Life" license plate in the state. According to the Washington Post, $15 of the $25 fee for the license plates will go towards funding crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs). CPCs pose as legitimate health centers and offer "free" pregnancy tests. Some CPCs coerce and intimidate women out of considering abortion as an option, and prevent women from receiving neutral and comprehensive medical advice. They are typically run by anti-abortion volunteers who are not licensed medical professionals. In a press release, Governor Kaine defended his decision: "I sign this legislation today in keeping with the Commonwealth's longtime practice of approving specialty plates with all manner of political and social messages. Furthermore, if Planned Parenthood--an organization that is already a recipient of state budget funds--or another similar organization ever chooses to seek a specialty license plate in Virginia, I believe the Constitution would require the state to approve that plate to protect against any viewpoint discrimination." NARAL Pro Choice America released a statement from National President Nancy Keenan and Virginia NARAL President Tarina Keene. Both leaders said "the revenue from the 'Choose Life' plates would go to many CPCs that use deceptive, intimidating, and emotionally manipulative tactics to block women from learning the facts about, or choosing, legal abortion…No pro-choice license plate would make that right." Virginia NOW released a statement that they are “outraged by Governor Kaine's shameful decision to allow 'Choose Life' license plates to be sold by the state. His rationale in today's press release – basically, there are lots of message license plates out there, this is just one more – ignores women's health and safety. It also insults us by suggesting that the remedy is for pro-choice supporters to get their own license plate. Virginia NOW does not think that license plates are the place to debate this sensitive personal issue."
Ongoing art events…
Nine Lives: Visionary Artists from LA
March 8 to May 31st, Sundays only.
Hammer Museum
Exploring the idea of reinvention, Nine Lives: Visionary Artists from LA illuminates the creative undercurrent of a city that has long been synonymous with "the industry." Works such as Victoria Reynolds' sickly sensual raw-meat paintings, Lisa Anne Auerbach's subversive sweaters, and painter Llyn Foulkes' innovative explorations of dimension and illusion each occupy their own room, moving the viewer through an ethereal landscape of pop culture, alternate universes, and reconstructed identities. The exhibition and associated programs highlight the idiosyncratic essence of life in the Southland, coalescing the installations, videos, paintings, drawings, photographs, and textiles into a single narrative that extols the beguiling spirit of the City of Angels.
Art of Two Germanys/Cold War Cultures
January 25, 2009–April 19, 2009
Los Angeles County Museum of Art
For East and West Germany during the Cold War, the creation of art and its reception and theorization were closely linked to their respective political systems: the Western liberal democracy of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the Eastern communist dictatorship of the German Democratic Republic (GDR). Reacting against the legacy of Nazism, both Germanys revived pre-World War II national artistic traditions. Yet they developed distinctive versions of modern and postmodern art—at times in accord with their political cultures, at other times in opposition to them. By tracing the political, cultural, and theoretical discourses during the Cold War in the East and West German art worlds, Art of Two Germanys reveals the complex and richly varied roles that conventional art, new media, new art forms, popular culture, and contemporary art exhibitions played in the establishment of their art in the postwar era.
Monday, March 9, 2009
Update: March 9, 2009
+ + +
The definitive date for this year's Take Back the Night is Thursday, April 30th. We're still looking for speakers and donations of any kind, so if you or your boss would like to make a tax-deductible donation to a worthy cause, please let us know! We can always use donations of candles and refreshments (although any small monetary donation will also do!).
Additionally, if you think you would like to perform your powerful, feminist artistry for this year's TBTN, give us a heads up!
+ + +
As always, we are looking for submissions for this semester's 'zine. The theme is International Women, so if you have anything that can be Xeroxed that includes or talks about women on a global scale, or to a country outside of our own, or of experiences as global women or really anything in ANY form (poetry, recipes, collage, rants, comics), send them our way at theragzine@gmail.com . We would love to see them. :)
+ + +
As always, FORCE meetings are on Mondays, 12:30-1:30pm in the Women's Resource Center (LA3-105).
Keep loving, keep fighting,
F.O.R.C.E.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Feminism, the OTHER F-Word, March 9th
So now that everyone's all nice and settled into their schedules, it's time for the first F-Word event of the semester! What is F-Word?
Basically, it's a space to ask and discuss feminism, how we feel about it, and for newbies to come into a safe space to ask any questions that they might have for our facilitator or speaker. Sometimes they follow a theme or topic. As this is the first one of the semester, we will try to touch base with the very basic fundamentals of feminism, and we encourage all nay-sayers and good sports to come and ask questions. After all, we are on a University campus, and if we're not supposed to encourage discussion, then what are we doing?
12:30-1:30pm
Speaker's Platform/Lawns (Across from the 49er bookstore)
As it is lunchtime, you are all encouraged to tote your snacks or lunches around.
Feminist peace and love!
F.O.R.C.E.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Saudi Arabia Names First Woman Minister
2/17/2009 - King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia named Norah Al-Fayez to be the new Deputy Minister for Women's Education and replaced a number of high-ranking government officials last week. Al-Fayez is the first woman to be named to a ministerial post in the country. Advocate Wajeha al-Huwaider told CNN that "I think it's going to be the first step toward the reform that he promised," but that she is skeptical that Al-Fayez will have real power, in part because the country's guardianship system continues to paralyze women.
Al-Fayez said that her appointment "is an honor not only for me but for all Saudi women. In the presence of a comprehensive operational team, I believe I'll be able to face challenges and create positive change," according to the Guardian
Women's rights in Saudi Arabia are currently limited on a number of fronts including marriage rights, freedom to travel, property ownership, education, and work. According to Human Rights Watch, although some human rights laws have been introduced in Saudi Arabia, little implementation or enforcement of these laws has occurred. At a meeting earlier this month, members of the United Nations Human Rights Council urged Saudi Arabia to actively work to end pervasive human rights violations in the country, particularly those against women and children.
Media Resources: The Guardian 2/16/09; Feminist Daily Newswire 2/9/09; Human Rights Watch 2/4/09; CNN 2/15/09, via Feminist.org
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
F.O.R.C.E. Newsletter - 2/2/09-2/8/09
February 4 & 5 (Wednesday and Thursday)
11am-2pm at the Friendship Walk
F.O.R.C.E. will be tabling Wednesday and Thursday at the Student Organization Fair. The purpose is to reach out to CSULB students seeking involvement in campus groups, as well as to get the word out on what our group has done in the past and what we hope to do in the future. We will also sell our Sex Positive Zine and distribute other feminist literature.
We need volunteers to help table! If you are free either day any time during 11-2, email us at force4change@yahoo.com.
- SACA seeks volunteers
The Sexual Assault Crisis Agency’s mission is to provide caring support and advocacy for all survivors of sexual assault and their significant others, and to work toward the elimination of rape and sexual assault by raising community awareness and providing prevention education. SACA is still accepting volunteers for their Winter session of the 45-hour State Certified Rape Crisis Counselor Training. Training begins February 6. If interested, contact Hilda Jimenez Crisis Intervention Specialist at (562) 989-0309 x102 or hilda@sacastoprape.org. Flyer attached.
- S.T.A.R. Diversity Workshop
February 21, 2009 in the Multicultural Center
12pm-6pm / FREE
Dr. James Manseau Sauceda, the MCC’S professional Diversity Trainer, will be conducting the Students Talk About Race Workshop. Sign up before February 18th in the MCC or email Cindy at cschulth@csulb.edu.
- Fem Talk: Virgin/Whore Chicana Feminist Dichotomy
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
7pm-8:30pm at ROYCE 130 at UCLA
Join the Bruin Feminists for Equality for a discussion on the Virgin/Whore dichotomy that exists within Chicana Feminism. They will be looking at the images of the Virgen de Guadalupe and Malintzin (aka Malinche). Through the discussion we can also make bridges to other female figures in history, as well as possible solutions to these stereotypes within history and in society.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Spring 2009 meeting times (and other updates)!
F.O.R.C.E. meetings for Spring 2009 will be held on Mondays from 12:30-1:30 in the Women's Resource Center LA3-105. The first meeting of the semester will be held on Monday, February 2, 2009. Please spread the word about our organization and meetings, and encourage friends to join!
We encourage all new, veteran, active, inactive, curious and established feminists to attend. :) We'll be discussing Week of Welcome and outreach, but most importantly, we'll gp around the room to make sure we all know each other.
Also, as some of you may know, we are currently down to Justine as chair of F.O.R.C.E.. With all the great things that our organization hopes and is expected to accomplish this semester, we will not be able to do so without at least one other co-chair. If you are passionate about F.O.R.C.E.'s mission and are willing to commit time and energy, please consider yourself for a co-chair position. It is an incredibly valuable opportunity and experience - personally, academically, and professionally. If you are interested, please, let us know!
Feminist peace and love!
F.O.R.C.E.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Well Educated and Undocumented
Well-educated and undocumented
Thousands of undocumented college graduates face major hurdles while looking for employment. Most were brought here by their parents.
Carried into the United States in her mother's arms, Maria became a criminal when she was just over 2-weeks-old.
Of course, she did not know that at the time. Maria found out that she was an illegal immigrant when she began applying to colleges at 17, and told herself that if she was unable to gain U.S. citizenship by the time she was 30, she would leave the country forever.
Now 22-years-old and a graduate student at Cal State Fullerton, Maria, who is still undocumented, said that she tries not to think about her lack of citizenship and the obstacles it could create for her future.
Maria is one of thousands of students in Orange County who have been able to attend college through AB 540, a California law that allows undocumented students to pay in-state tuition, rather than the higher fee charged to non-California residents.
The Register is withholding the full names of the undocumented students at their request and under newspaper policy that recognizes the potential for retaliation against them.
Undocumented students are ineligible for state or federal financial aid, but do get help under a policy that allows them to pay the same fees as California residents. For example, non-California residents pay an additional $20,608 a year at the University of California; up to $10,170 at the California State University: and up to $170 per unit at community colleges.
Since AB 540 was enacted in 2001, a growing number of undocumented students in California have been able to pursue college degrees. There are no statewide numbers on how many undocumented students receive help through the program or how much they receive.
While the bill has opened doors to some undocumented students, it has also created a big debate about the legality and merit of subsidizing education for illegal immigrants. And for students like Maria, who would not otherwise have been able to afford higher education, AB 540 has created a huge unanswered question: What happens after graduation?
Every year an estimated 50,000 undocumented students graduate from U.S. high schools. About five percent of those students continue on to college, according to Roberto Gonzales, an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Washington, who conducted several studies about undocumented students in Southern California.
For some U.S. citizens, that is five percent too many.
"(California Lt. Gov.) John Garamendi came out last week and said California education is on a starvation diet," said Ira Mehlman, communications director for FAIR, the Federation for American Immigration Reform.
"The idea that California is starving its once proud education program and at the same time turning over these very valuable seats to people who are in the country illegally flies in the face of logic," Mehlman said.
The debate is heading toward the state Supreme Court
One of the attorneys leading the fight against AB 540 is Kris Kobach, chairman of the Kansas Republican Party. Kobach represents a group of students who attended California universities and paid the much higher out-of-state tuition rate.
The students' attorneys argue that, among other things, AB 540 conflicts with federal immigration laws limiting the ability of states to provide certain benefits to undocumented immigrants, said Nicholas Espiritu, staff attorney for the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund.
In 2006, the case was dismissed by the Yolo County Superior Court and has wound through various appellate panels. Both sides are now petitioning the state Supreme Court to weigh in. In the meantime, the law stands in effect.
Adding to the complexity of AB 540 is that the law also benefits U.S. citizens who attended high school in California for more than three years and moved out of state after graduation. They too can qualify for in-state tuition through AB 540. In fact, advocates stress that the majority of people taking advantage of the law are U.S. citizens.
According to a 2008 annual report, all but 455 of the 1,639 students who received in-state tuition in the UC system through AB 540 were citizens. Currently, the CSU system does not track AB 540 students, and paperwork varies among community colleges. Fullerton College had 571 students enrolled through AB 540 this fall, but was unable to provide the Register the potential percentage of those students who are undocumented.
Regardless of how people feel about illegal immigration, most of these students are here to stay, argued Josh Bernstein, director of federal policy at the National Immigration Law Center, a pro-immigration think tank.
"The question is would we rather have them in an uneducated state or allow them to be educated and contribute to society?" Bernstein said.
Unlike Maria, Daniel, a 25-year-old senior computer science major at UCI, was originally a legal immigrant. He was 13 when his parents emigrated from Korea to the United States on a business visa. The visa expired and when Daniel turned 21, he became an undocumented student.
"I left Korea when I was in middle school. If I went back now I would be a 13-year-old again," Daniel said, pointing out that his Korean vocabulary and cultural understanding are stuck at an adolescent level.
Daniel said that many of his undocumented Korean friends have gotten married after graduation, hoping to gain citizenship through their spouse. A growing number are returning to Korea to teach English.
"They teach English and earn a lot of money, actually," Daniel said. "Four times as much as a Korean man who graduated from a Korean college."
A growing number of undocumented students who feel stuck in limbo find the answer to the big "what next" question in graduate school, hoping that immigration reform will be passed by the time they earn a master's degree.
"College at least offers some safety for students. I wouldn't call it sanctuary, but at least it's the one legal option they have. Those who aren't (in school) face a day-to-day life of looking over their shoulders," Gonzales said.
Being a full time college student provides no protection from deportation, said Virginia Kice, Spokeswoman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"Are we specifically targeting individuals who are in this country illegally and going to school?" Kice said. "I would say any individual in the country illegally is subject to arrest and deportation. However, like any law enforcement agency, we have a finite number of resources so we have to prioritize what cases we pursue."
Maria doesn't spend much time looking over her shoulder. A petite woman whose language is peppered with California slang like "chillax," Maria believes, in an admittedly naive way, that she would not be deported because she is so obviously a "Cali girl."
"I want to break down stereotypes," Maria said. "We are here, we are getting an education and we want to make the world better too."
Facing graduation, Claudia, a 28-year-old student at Cal State Long Beach, is having a hard time figuring how to use her double major in psychology and sociology.
"There is really nothing happening with immigration reform," Claudia said. "I am trying to look for other options."
Although Claudia still has family in Mexico and has considered moving back there, right now she is considering graduate school in Spain.
"Here in the States, after college you can go for your master's, but what after that? If I move somewhere else, maybe I can find other options," she said.
Claudia considers herself to be American, even though she wasn't born here. Moving to Spain would not only mean leaving her family behind, it would mean leaving her adopted country behind too, with no guarantee of ever returning.
It is a choice that not many undocumented students make.
"We are waiting for things to change so we can use our degrees," said Matias, a recent graduate of University California Los Angeles.
Many undocumented students have attached their hopes to the federal Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act, proposed legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for undocumented high school graduates who arrived in the U.S. before the age of 16.
Some – who've built an education on one bill – may not be willing to stake their future on another bill.
"I am not turning any younger. I want things. I want a job. I want a house. All I have right now is my clothes and my car," Claudia said. "I hope the Dream Act passes, but I don't want to depend on it all my life."
Contact the writer: Contact the writer at jterrell@ocregister.com or 714-796-7722
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Last meeting of the semester! Bring snacks!
This week (tomorrow) we will be having our last meeting of the semester. We'll be getting together just to hang out and make plans for the next semester and/or winter break.
Hope to see you all there!
For equality,
F.O.R.C.E.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Newsletter 12/01/08
F.O.R.C.E. Meetings
Mondays, 1-2pm in the Women’s Resource Center (WRC)
Ongoing Events…
“The Art of War: American Posters from WWI and WWII” Art Exhibit
Sep 5 – Jan 26, 2009
Mondays (noon–6pm), Wednesdays–Thursdays (noon–6pm), Fridays (noon–9pm), Saturdays–Sundays (noon–6pm)
Norton Simon Museum (411 W Colorado Blvd), 626.449.6840
When searching for a means of drumming up support for World War I, officials in Washington didn't have to look much further than two-dimensional art. Upon being asked to lend a hand to the war effort, Society of Illustrators President Charles Dana Gibson and his fellow artists began pumping out graphic masterpieces dripping with propaganda. The Art of War: American Posters from World War I and World War II is a timely exhibit culled from the Norton Simon's own collection. Works include Norman Rockwell's picture-perfect portrayal of the American family gathering and James Montgomery Flagg's iconic I Want You for the U.S. Army, which brought us the enduring image of the white-bearded Uncle Sam.
“War as a Way of Life” Art Exhibit
Sep 29 – Dec 19 Mondays–Fridays (11am–5:30pm)
18th Street Arts Center (1639 18th St), 310.453.3711
18th Street wraps up its yearlong, four-part examination of sociopolitical issues with War as a Way of Life. The exhibit includes the work of 16 artists who demonstrate how war, in all its forms — overseas, at home, in our minds — has become an integral part of the way we live. The unveiling of the show coincides with Art Night, a quarterly extravaganza featuring live music, dancing, and, of course, striking visual art. Intriguingly, the gallery doubles as a polling location on November 4. With images of protest and devastation on display, expect a controversial meeting of politics and art.
In December…
Wednesday, December 3
Die In
To go along with our international women’s issues theme for November, we will be hosting a “Die In.” More details will be announced in the coming weeks. The event will be a way to raise awareness to the number of women that are dying due to various factors and atrocities around the world. We will be wearing all black and speaking about these issues, on the friendship walk on upper campus.
Facebook event page: here.
December 4-6
Black Consciousness Conference
December 4: Talent Showcase, 6pm
December 5: Lecture Series I featuring Michaela Angela Davis, 12-9pm
December 6: Lecture Series II featuring Merira Kwesi, 12-9pm
Flier: here.
Saturday, December 6
Community Meeting Against Discrimination and Police Violence
3:30-6pm
Flier: here.
December 21
Eid-ul-Adha EID Carnival (Muslim Student Association CSULB)
10am-5pm
Flier: here and here.
Die-In this Wednesday!
Hope you're all having a great weekend. As you know, F.O.R.C.E. will be putting on a Die-In this Wednesday, Dec. 3 from 11-2 on the grass near the Friendship Walk, across from the University Bookstore. The purpose of the Die-In is to raise awareness about the Global Gag Rule by dressing in black, laying down and "playing dead" in order to represent the hundreds of thousands of women that have died as a result of this policy. We will also be distributing factsheets about the Global Gag Rule, as well as ways to help.
We want to make sure this event gets a lot of attention. Tell all your friends about it, mention it to your classmates, and don't forget to WEAR BLACK ON WEDNESDAY!
We will need a couple people to help set up and take down the event; we will have more specific information at the F.O.R.C.E. meeting on Monday at 1pm. What I also need, though, is one or two people willing to e-mail CSULB professors about the event (we should have done this earlier, but better late than never), asking them to mention this event to their classes if they can, and perhaps suggest extra credit. Departments of which this topic is most relevant are probably the Political Science and Women's Studies Departments, but feel free to contact more. We need someone to just go to the department websites, copy and paste the e-mail addresses of the professors, and send out a mass e-mail.
You can take information from forceclub.blogspot.com, the Die-In event
page on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=41223147753&ref=mf, or go to http://www.globalgagrule.org/ for more information.
Let me know if you have time to do this, or if you have any other questions about this event.
Thanks!!!
-Justine / F.O.R.C.E.
(760) 670-5483
justineeemarie@gmail.com
Monday, November 24, 2008
The Pink Sari Gang
India's 'pink' vigilante women
By Soutik Biswas
BBC News, Banda
They wear pink saris and go after corrupt officials and boorish men with sticks and axes.
The several hundred vigilante women of India's northern Uttar Pradesh state's Banda area proudly call themselves the "gulabi gang" (pink gang), striking fear in the hearts of wrongdoers and earning the grudging respect of officials.
The pink women of Banda shun political parties and NGOs because, in the words of their feisty leader, Sampat Pal Devi, "they are always looking for kickbacks when they offer to fund us".
Two years after they gave themselves a name and an attire, the women in pink have thrashed men who have abandoned or beaten their wives and unearthed corruption in the distribution of grain to the poor.
They have also stormed a police station and attacked a policeman after they took in an untouchable man and refused to register a case.
Poorest
"Nobody comes to our help in these parts. The officials and the police are corrupt and anti-poor. So sometimes we have to take the law in our hands. At other times, we prefer to shame the wrongdoers," says Sampat Pal Devi, between teaching a "gang" member on how to use a lathi (traditional Indian stick) in self defence.
Banda is at the heart of the blighted region that is Bundelkhand, one of the poorest parts of one of India's most populous states.
It is among the poorest 200 districts in India which were first targeted for the federal government's massive jobs-for-work programme. Over 20% of its 1.6 million people living in 600 villages are lower castes or untouchables. Drought has parched its already arid, single-crop lands.
To make matters worse, women bear the brunt of poverty and discrimination in Banda's highly caste-ridden, feudalistic and male dominated society. Dowry demands and domestic and sexual violence are common.
Locals say it is not surprising that a women's vigilante group has sprung up in this landscape of poverty, discrimination and chauvinism.
Sampat Pal Devi is a wiry woman, wife of an ice cream vendor, mother of five children, and a former government health worker who set up and leads the "pink gang".
"Mind you," she says, "we are not a gang in the usual sense of the term. We are a gang for justice."
'Uproot the corrupt'
Her seeds of rebellion were sown very early on when in face of her parents' resistance to send her to school, she began writing and drawing on the walls, floors and dust-caked village streets.
She finally ended up going to school, but was married off when she was nine in a region where child marriages are common. At 12, she went to live with her husband and at 13 she had her first child.
To keep the home fires burning, Sampat Devi began to work as a government health worker, but she quit after a while because her job was not satisfying enough.
"I wanted to work for the people, not for myself alone. I was already holding meetings with people, networking with women who were ready to fight for a cause, and was ready with a group of women two years ago," she says.
Sitting outside a home in Attara, Sampat Devi waves her calloused hands, breaks into a rousing song to "uproot the corrupt and be self reliant", and animatedly talks to women - and men - who flock to her with their problems.
A mother brings in her weeping daughter who has been thrown out by her husband demanding 20,000 rupees from her parents.
"He married me for the love of money," sobs Malti.
Sampat Devi tells her "gang" that they will soon march to the girl's house and demand an explanation from the husband. "If they don't take her back and keep her well, we will resort to other measures," she says.
'No handouts'
The pink sorority is not exactly a group of male-bashing feminists - they claim they have returned 11 girls who were thrown out of their homes to their spouses because "women need men to live with".
That is also why men like Jai Prakash Shivhari join the "gulabi" gang and talk with remarkable passion about child marriages, dowry deaths, depleting water resources, farm subsidies and how funds are being stolen in government projects.
"We don't want donations or handouts. We don't want appeasement or affirmative action. Give us work, pay us proper wages and restore our dignity," he says.
The women in the "gulabi gang" echo the same sentiment - but Sampat Devi has a separate agenda for women.
"Village society in India is loaded against women. It refuses to educate them, marries them off too early, barters them for money. Village women need to study and become independent to sort it out themselves," she says.
Where do the pink women go from here?
They already claim to have done some work in combating crime and corruption in the area. Last year, Sampat Devi contested the state polls as an independent candidate and mustered only 2,800 votes.
"Joining politics is not my chosen way to help people. We will keep up our good work, so the state does not take us for granted," she says.
In the badlands of Uttar Pradesh where nothing seems to work for the poor, this itself is a laudable aim.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
California Supreme Court will hear Prop 8 arguments
LINK to the story and court order
BREAKING: (Press Release) The California Supreme Court today denied requests to stay the enforcement or implementation of Proposition 8, and at the same time agreed to decide several issues arising out of the passage of Proposition 8.
The court’s order, issued in the first three cases that had been filed directly in the state’s highest court challenging the validity of Proposition 8, directed the parties to brief and argue three issues:
(1) Is Proposition 8 invalid because it constitutes a revision of, rather than an amendment to, the California Constitution?
(2) Does Proposition 8 violate the separation-of-powers doctrine under the California Constitution?
(3) If Proposition 8 is not unconstitutional, what is its effect, if any, on the marriages of same-sex couples performed before the adoption of Proposition 8?
The court issued its order in three cases filed on behalf of a variety of parties, including same-sex couples who seek to enter into marriage despite the passage of Proposition 8, a same-sex couple who married in California prior to the adoption of Proposition 8, and a number of cities and counties whose officials seek to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Petitioners in each of these cases seek an order directing the relevant state officials to refrain from implementing, enforcing, or applying Proposition 8.
In response to the petitions, the Attorney General filed a preliminary opposition, in which he urged the court to assume jurisdiction over these cases to decide the important legal issues presented, but also argued that the court should not stay the operation of Proposition 8 pending the court’s resolution of the issues. The proponents of Proposition 8 also responded to the petitions, seeking to intervene as formal parties in the action and also urging the court to accept the cases for decision. The court’s order granted the motion to intervene filed by the proponents of Proposition 8.
In its order, the court established an expedited briefing schedule, under which briefing will be completed in January 2009 and oral argument potentially could be held as early as March 2009.
Six justices — Chief Justice Ronald M. George, Justice Marvin R. Baxter, Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar, Justice Ming W. Chin, Justice Carlos R. Moreno, and Justice Carol A. Corrigan — signed the court’s order, although Justice Moreno indicated that he would grant the requests to stay the operation of Proposition 8 pending the court’s resolution of these matters.
Justice Joyce L. Kennard would deny these petitions without prejudice to the filing in the Supreme Court of an appropriate action to determine Proposition 8’s effect, if any, on the marriages of same-sex couples performed before Proposition 8’s adoption.
New York City Sexbloggers 2009 Calendar
This amazing sex positive calendar is only $20! AwesomeThanks, Becky, for the tip!
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Newsletter - 11/15/08
F.O.R.C.E. Meetings
Mondays, 1-2pm in the Women’s Resource Center (WRC)
This week…
Tuesday, November 18
Practicing Peace (Center for Peace and Social Justice - CPSJ)
The Center for Peace and Social Justice along with the College of Liberal Arts is hosting a campus & community festival for Peace. An all inclusive event of dialogue, performance, action and celebration dedicated to creating a more peaceful and just world.
Activities include: A human peace symbol, “It takes a Village to Rape a Woman” Domestic violence workshop presented by WSSA, Workshop on Hate Crimes in Long Beach Presented by The Human Dignity Program of Long Beach and CCEJ, Guests Speakers, and a candlelight vigil honoring all those lost to violence world wide.
Flier: here.
Tuesday, November 18
Islamic Awareness Month: Misconceptions of Jihad
12:00-2:00pm, Speaker’s Platform
Speaker: Amir Abdel Malik
Wednesday, November 19
Islamic Awareness Month: Lost History
12:00-2:00pm, USU Ballrooms
Speaker: Michael Morgon
Wednesday, November 19
Fall 2008 Women’s Research Colloquium
Theme for 2008-2009 "Advocates for Action: Women...Equity...Change!"
(Sponsored by The President’s Commission on the Status of Women)
5:00pm-7:30pm (Dinner begins at 5:00pm; Presentations begin at 5:30pm)
The Pointe, Pyramid
Presenters: Deborah Hann, "Maps in Children's Literature: Their Uses, Forms, and Functions" and Dr. Lina Kawar, "What Keeps Jordanian Immigrant Women from Participating in Breast Cancer Screening"
Cost: $20 for faculty, staff, guests, and students.
RSVP by Wednesday, November 12, 2008 to Cynthia Angiuli via email - cangiuli@csulb.edu or by phone - (562) 985-1688
After RSVP, payment may be made in advance or at the door on the evening of the event.
To pay in advance, please: Forward check payable to CSULB Foundation to Cynthia Angiuli, Presidents Office, BH 300. Include name, department and guest list.
Thursday, November 20
Record Swap
12pm-3pm
Bring VHS, DVDs, books, mixtapes, LPs, CDs, etc.!
There will be no selling of items. If you do not bring anything to the swap, please take no more than 2 items.
If you would like to drop off your stuff before the swap, please email F.O.R.C.E. to set up a pick-up: theragzine@gmail.com
Otherwise, just bring your items on the day of the swap!
Flier: here.
Facebook event page: here.
Thursday, November 20
Islamic Awareness Month: Evolution
4:00-6:00pm, USU Ballroom A
Speaker: Mustafa Umar
Thursday, November 20
Transgender Day of Remembrance Film Screening
5:00pm, Multicultural Center
We will be screening Transamerica and discussing transgender issues in honor of Transgender Day of Remembrance.
Facebook event page: here.
Friday, November 21
Spain in the Americas & The Americas in Spain
AS110 (Karl Anatol Center)
2pm-5pm Panel, 5pm Reception, 7pm Flamenco
2:00-5pm: Shirley Mangini, CSULB: “Maruja Mallo: International Artist” &
Luis Martín-Cabrera, UCSD: “Towards a Model of Global Justice? ‘El Caso Pinochet’ and the Limits of Human Rights and International Law”
The event is free & open to public. RSVP to cmccarty@csulb.edu or call (562) 985-4318.
Ongoing Events…
“The Art of War: American Posters from WWI and WWII” Art Exhibit
Sep 5 – Jan 26, 2009
Mondays (noon–6pm), Wednesdays–Thursdays (noon–6pm), Fridays (noon–9pm), Saturdays–Sundays (noon–6pm)
Norton Simon Museum (411 W Colorado Blvd), 626.449.6840
When searching for a means of drumming up support for World War I, officials in Washington didn't have to look much further than two-dimensional art. Upon being asked to lend a hand to the war effort, Society of Illustrators President Charles Dana Gibson and his fellow artists began pumping out graphic masterpieces dripping with propaganda. The Art of War: American Posters from World War I and World War II is a timely exhibit culled from the Norton Simon's own collection. Works include Norman Rockwell's picture-perfect portrayal of the American family gathering and James Montgomery Flagg's iconic I Want You for the U.S. Army, which brought us the enduring image of the white-bearded Uncle Sam.
“War as a Way of Life” Art Exhibit
Sep 29 – Dec 19 Mondays–Fridays (11am–5:30pm)
18th Street Arts Center (1639 18th St), 310.453.3711
18th Street wraps up its yearlong, four-part examination of sociopolitical issues with War as a Way of Life. The exhibit includes the work of 16 artists who demonstrate how war, in all its forms — overseas, at home, in our minds — has become an integral part of the way we live. The unveiling of the show coincides with Art Night, a quarterly extravaganza featuring live music, dancing, and, of course, striking visual art. Intriguingly, the gallery doubles as a polling location on November 4. With images of protest and devastation on display, expect a controversial meeting of politics and art.
In November and beyond…
Wednesday, December 3
Die In
To go along with our international women’s issues theme for November, we will be hosting a “Die In.” More details will be announced in the coming weeks. The event will be a way to raise awareness to the number of women that are dying due to various factors and atrocities around the world. We will be wearing all black and speaking about these issues, on the friendship walk on upper campus.
Facebook event page: here.
If you would like to help plan the Die In, please email Justine at justineeemarie@gmail.com
December 4-6
Black Consciousness Conference
December 4: Talent Showcase, 6pm
December 5: Lecture Series I featuring Michaela Angela Davis, 12-9pm
December 6: Lecture Series II featuring Merira Kwesi, 12-9pm
Flier: here.
Immigration Awareness Week
Tuesday, Nov. 18:
"The Life of an Undocumented University Student"
Room ED1-40
10:30am-12:00noon
Wednesday, Nov. 19:
"Women, Labor, and Migration"
Film: Maquilapolis
Room: MultiCultural Center
12:00pm-2:00pm
Thursday, Nov. 20:
"Immigration, Health, and Well-being"
Room: AS-122 (Near Beach Hut)
7:00pm-8:30pm
Sponsored by-
The Long Beach Immigrant Rights Coalition
Sociology Department, Psychology Department, La Raza Student Association, WSSA, Center for Community Engagement, F.U.E.L., ASI
for more info, contact: longbeachimmigrantrightscoalition@yahoo.com
or Annette Quintero @ 714-335-5297
Friday, November 14, 2008
CSUN student released on bail in Iran
Esha Momeni, 28, a dual U.S. and Iranian citizen who was visiting Iran to research a master's thesis, may not leave the country and must still stand before a political tribunal to face charges of "acting against national security" and "propagating against the system," said Reza Momeni, her father.
[Image here]
In a brief telephone interview, Momeni said his daughter had lost about 15 pounds but otherwise appeared to be in good health. He said he had to put up the deed to his family's Tehran apartment as collateral to win his Los Angeles-born daughter's release.
"I hope she will go back to L.A. soon," he said. "But for now, the authorities told us she is forbidden to go out. Tomorrow, we will be in court, and they will tell us what the next step will be."
She was arrested and locked up in a political ward inside Tehran's Evin prison Oct. 15 after what at first appeared to be a routine traffic stop. Instead of issuing a ticket, however, police escorted her to her parents' home, where she was staying, searched the flat and seized her computer before taking her away.
News of the arrest spread abroad. Her classmates at Cal State Northridge launched a website, for-esha.blogspot.com, calling for her release. Italy's ambassador to Iran last week lodged a formal complaint about her detention, Italy's official ANSA news agency reported.
On Friday, her father was quoted by Iran's official Islamic Republic News Agency as saying he disapproved of his daughter's activities.
"I had no knowledge about the illegal activities of my daughter," he said. "But now I have realized that her work was illegal."
He also denied reports that he had been barred from seeing her, saying that he and his wife "did not want to visit her" in prison "because of our anger in connection to her activities."
Mostaghim is a special correspondent. Daragahi is a Times staff writer.
daragahi@latimes.com
An intellectual makeover for Iranian women
An intellectual makeover for Iranian women
For the women in her neighborhood, Nazanin Gohari has become a savior of minds.
[Image here]
First she stocked them with trashy novels, poetry and how-to and self-help titles. But the demand for cookbooks and sewing patterns eventually gave way to requests for college-preparation books and literature. The girls leafing through illustrated children's books bloomed into strong-willed women eager to pursue higher education.
Gohari remembers one girl, a 17-year-old named Sedigheh, who came to her crying, distraught that her parents couldn't afford the study materials for college entrance exams. Scoring high would place the bright teenager on the fast track to a potentially glorious future, maybe even including medical school. Not taking the test would mean a life more ordinary, perhaps married to a man twice her age, tending to babies and home.
"She was ashamed because she couldn't afford the books," Gohari said.
The older woman put her hand out to the girl. "I said, 'Study here.' " And then Gohari handed her the books.
A plump, bespectacled woman now in her late 50s, Gohari delights in the women in her impoverished district, recounting the details of their triumphs and ordeals. She sprinkles her sentences with folksy praises of God as she speaks excitedly about her adventures as a grass-roots activist, filling a social and even political vacuum created by Iran's rapid transition from a largely rural nation where people tended to neighbors' needs to today's impersonal urban society where most fend for themselves.
Obscured from public view, Iran's women have quietly navigated restrictions of politics, religion and tradition over the last three decades to bolster their status and advance into positions of power.
Although the conservative clerics who took over the country after the 1979 ouster of Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi hoped to ossify women's traditional roles, they set in place dynamics that liberated them. As the clerics launched literacy drives and built hundreds of colleges around the country, Iran's literacy rate rose from less than 50% in the 1970s to as high as 85% today.
Instead of creating a powerful new Islamic generation, they pushed the country into the modern age, raising the ambitions and savvy of young Iranians, half of them women, who began to question society's rules and strictures.
"It's one of the ironies of the revolution that women's sense of self has become much stronger," said Pardis Mahdavi, an Iranian American anthropologist who teaches at Pomona College and wrote the 2008 book "Passionate Uprisings," about the evolution of sex and gender in Iran. "The revolution has given birth to a stronger women's movement."
Gohari, a mother of two and the wife of a civil servant, began embracing community activism in the early 1990s, shortly after the Iran-Iraq war and the death of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Wartime restrictions loosened and the revolutionary leader's charismatic spell was broken. The country began to focus on practical matters such as rebuilding a ravaged infrastructure and promoting better health. A social worker dispatched to Gohari's neighborhood, the ancient district of Rey, charmed her into attending a breast cancer awareness workshop.
She didn't want to go at first. But from the beginning of the initial session, on breast self-examinations, it was a revelation. One of her best friends had died of breast cancer. "It was eye-opening," she said. "Those 10 minutes changed my life."
The reluctant student became a cheerleader for women's health, encouraging her neighbors, many of them poor recent arrivals from the countryside, to come to workshops on prenatal care, child development, breast cancer awareness, nutrition, sex education and mental health.
"I would offer women discounts on hairdos if they would come to the courses," Gohari said.
She began organizing the women to demand better municipal services, better-lighted streets clear of drug addicts and criminals, and parks where mothers could take their children without fear of being accosted by panhandlers or stumbling over used needles.
Gohari was elected head of a women's council that she and her neighbors created. They began demanding meetings with municipal leaders.
One top official for the Ministry of Electricity resisted. His excuse: He didn't like dealing with women.
[continue reading here...]
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Newsletter - 11/08/08
F.O.R.C.E. Meetings
Mondays, 1-2pm in the Women’s Resource Center (WRC)
F.O.R.C.E. does NOT support the passing of Prop 8. We plan to work hard to fight this along with other progressive organizations in California and nationwide. We will post information on our blog as we get it.
This week...
Wednesday, November 12
What is Really Happening in Venezuela?: Chavéz, Bush and the U.S. Media
CBA Rm. 229, 4-7 pm
Free pizza and refreshments.
This forum will include reflections from students who visited Venezuela last summer, short clips from a documentary made by Luis Testa, a recent graduate of the journalism department, and commentaries by Professor Raul Reis and anthropology major Patricia McHugh. Open discussion/debate about media, politics and foreign policy will follow.
Friday, November 14
iCULTURE: An informal discussion on today's social issues
topic: Democracy in America
6:30pm
Mirage Cafe, 538 E. Bixby Ave., LB
Flier here.
Next week…
Tuesday, November 18
Practicing Peace (Center for Peace and Social Justice - CPSJ)
The Center for Peace and Social Justice along with the College of Liberal Arts is hosting a campus & community festival for Peace. An all inclusive event of dialogue, performance, action and celebration dedicated to creating a more peaceful and just world.
Activities include: A human peace symbol, “It takes a Village to Rape a Woman” Domestic violence workshop presented by WSSA, Workshop on Hate Crimes in Long Beach Presented by The Human Dignity Program of Long Beach and CCEJ, Guests Speakers, and a candlelight vigil honoring all those lost to violence world wide.
Wednesday, November 19
Fall 2008 Women’s Research Colloquium, Theme for 2008-2009 "Advocates for Action: Women...Equity...Change!"
(Sponsored by The President’s Commission on the Status of Women)
5:00pm-7:30pm (Dinner begins at 5:00pm; Presentations begin at 5:30pm)
The Pointe, Pyramid
Presenters: Deborah Hann, "Maps in Children's Literature: Their Uses, Forms, and Functions" and Dr. Lina Kawar, "What Keeps Jordanian Immigrant Women from Participating in Breast Cancer Screening"
Cost: $20 for faculty, staff, guests, and students.
RSVP by Wednesday, November 12, 2008 to Cynthia Angiuli via email - cangiuli@csulb.edu or by phone - (562) 985-1688
After RSVP, payment may be made in advance or at the door on the evening of the Colloquium.
To pay in advance, please: Forward check payable to CSULB Foundation to Cynthia Angiuli, Presidents Office, BH 300. Include name, department and guest list.
Thursday, November 20
Transgender Day of Remembrance film screening
CSULB Multicultural Center
5:00pm
Facebook event page: here.
Thursday, November 20
Record Swap
12pm-3pm
Bring VHS, DVDs, books, mixtapes, LPs, CDs, etc.!
There will be no selling of items. If you do not bring anything to the swap, please take no more than 2 items.
If you would like to drop off your stuff before the swap, please email F.O.R.C.E. to set up a pick-up: theragzine@gmail.com
Otherwise, just bring your items on the day of the swap!
Ongoing Events…
“The Art of War: American Posters from WWI and WWII” Art Exhibit
Sep 5 – Jan 26, 2009
Mondays (noon–6pm), Wednesdays–Thursdays (noon–6pm), Fridays (noon–9pm), Saturdays–Sundays (noon–6pm)
Norton Simon Museum (411 W Colorado Blvd), 626.449.6840
When searching for a means of drumming up support for World War I, officials in Washington didn't have to look much further than two-dimensional art. Upon being asked to lend a hand to the war effort, Society of Illustrators President Charles Dana Gibson and his fellow artists began pumping out graphic masterpieces dripping with propaganda. The Art of War: American Posters from World War I and World War II is a timely exhibit culled from the Norton Simon's own collection. Works include Norman Rockwell's picture-perfect portrayal of the American family gathering and James Montgomery Flagg's iconic I Want You for the U.S. Army, which brought us the enduring image of the white-bearded Uncle Sam.
“War as a Way of Life” Art Exhibit
Sep 29 – Dec 19 Mondays–Fridays (11am–5:30pm)
18th Street Arts Center (1639 18th St), 310.453.3711
18th Street wraps up its yearlong, four-part examination of sociopolitical issues with War as a Way of Life. The exhibit includes the work of 16 artists who demonstrate how war, in all its forms — overseas, at home, in our minds — has become an integral part of the way we live. The unveiling of the show coincides with Art Night, a quarterly extravaganza featuring live music, dancing, and, of course, striking visual art. Intriguingly, the gallery doubles as a polling location on November 4. With images of protest and devastation on display, expect a controversial meeting of politics and art.
In November and beyond…
Wednesday, December 3
Die In
To go along with our international women’s issues theme for November, we will be hosting a “Die In.” More details will be announced in the coming weeks. The event will be a way to raise awareness to the number of women that are dying due to various factors and atrocities around the world. We will be wearing all black and speaking about these issues, on the friendship walk on upper campus.
Facebook event page: here.
If you would like to help plan the Die In, please email Justine at justineeemarie@gmail.com
Also…
Study abroad in Oaxaca!
ANTH 440/540 (3 units)
January 5-19, 2009
Open to all majors (Faculty permission required)
ETHNOGRAPHIC FIELD SCHOOL
OAXACA, MEXICO
Estimated cost: $2,275
Included:
Course tuition, Roundtrip fare LAX -->Oaxaca, Land transportation, Medical insurance, Hotel/2 meals per day, Entry to sites
Not Included:
Passport fee, Some meals, Personal expenses
You will be…
Learning to collect and analyze data, Visiting museums, schools, and historic and cultural sites that shape Oaxacan identity, Interviewing farmers, artists, teachers and students about family and community life, Participating in everyday activities in Oaxaca City and farming and artisan villages
For information and application please contact:
Dr. Jayne Howell, Department of Anthropology: jhowell@csulb.edu
Deadline: Registration and payment of all fees Nov. 15, 2008
