Community Resource Directory

Agenda created the Community Resource Directory (CRD) to give Ann Arbor community organizations a forum in which to publicize their activities and available resources. The information in the CRD is written by the organizations, though it has been edited in order to fit the allotted space and format. If you would like to find out more about any of the groups described in the CRD, simply contact them at the names and addresses listed. They'll be happy to hear from you.

NOTE TO READERS:

   You may recognize some familiar information in listings that have appeared in Agenda in previous months. Statement of Purpose, for instance may have remained the same for a particular group. This is pertinent information to new readers. Be careful not to dismiss the rest of the text out of hand. Each group updates its listing each month. If you know all the background on a group, skip to the Current News and August Events sections.

NOTE TO PARTICIPANTS:

   Several of the entries in this issue were edited more extensively than they have been in the past. This was necessary in order to more fairly distribute the allotted space among participating organizations. Great care was taken to distill the most essential information that each group submitted for publication. If you think we left out something important, be sure to let us know. In the future, if you can keep your entries to two typed, double-spaced pages or less, we will have to do only minimal stylistic editing. Thanks for your support, and we look forward to receiving your entry for the September issue by August 19th.

NEW ORGANIZATIONS:

   Call 996-8018 or write Agenda at P.O. Box 3624, Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 to find out how to be included. If you write be sure to include a phone number where we can contact you.

ENVIRONMENT

Big Mountain Support Group

2619 S. Main Street

Ann Arbor, Ml 48104

663-9119

Statement of Purpose

   Approximately 10,000-15,000 Navajo people at Big Mountain are slated for removal from their land in Arizona because of the perceived energy needs of the U. S. government, which is in the process of destroying the land, air and water of the Big Mountain area at the expense of current and future Navajo generations. Faced with the pollution of mines already stripping their lands and the psychological trauma and injustice of relocation, the Navajo people have united in resistance to the Relocation Act and ask our support. The local group is one of many others nationally and internationally responding to requests from Big Mountain, with the primary goals of publicizing facts about the relocation, writing letters to senators and representatives, and raising funds for the people at Big Mountain.

Meetings

Cali BMSG for times and places. All are welcome and encouraged to attend; weekly meetings are held at varying locations.

Upcoming Events

The slide show, "Trouble on Big Mountain," and a video of a PBS documentary are available for showing. Ongoing events include a button sale at the Wildflower Bakery to raise money for the people at Big Mountain. A benefit is planned for early fall and the movie "Broken Arrow" will be shown in September.

The Ecology Center of Ann Arbor

417 Detroit Street

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

761-3186

Statement of Purpose

   The mission of the Ecology Center is to channel community resources into meaningful action on environmental issues. The Center pursues its broad aims through education, advocacy, demonstration, and service, all the while maintaing a balance between involvement at the local level and involvement on a wider scale.

Meetings

   Meetings of Ecology Center committees and task forces, including an issues steering committee, pesticides task foce, environmental education committee and others, take place at 3 to 5 week intervals. New volunteers are invited. Informal orientation meetings with a staff person prior to involvement are usually scheduled.

Membership

   The Ecology Center has over 2000 member households, mostly in the Ann Arbor area. Members include over 150 businesses and approximately 200 volunteers. Membership rates are $15 per household, $5 for seniors. Regular volunteers receive a free membership. Member benefits include a year's subscription to Ecology Reports (the Center's monthly newsletter), environmental alerts on critical local issues, discounts on Center publications and merchandise, energy visits, voting rights to elect board members, and invitations to member activities. Sponsorships, bequests, and special contributions are welcome.

Community Services

Environmental Information and Referrals: By phone, Mon.-Fri., 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Sat., 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. The Library and Resource Center is open Mon.-Fri., 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm and Sat., 9:30 am to 1:00 pm. Presentations and slide shows are also available upon request.

Recycle Ann Arbor: The Center provides scheduled monthly pick ups of recycleables on every city street. Trucks pick up newspapers, glass, tin cans, aluminum, used motor oil and batteries. Call the Ecology Center to determine your pickup day. Special pickups may be arranged for local businesses and institutions. Call the Center for further information. The Center also operates a drop-off station for nonresidents and those who just can't wait for their pickup day. The station is open Fri. and Sat., 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Home Energy Works: The Center's Energy Team offers weatherization, energy education, and comprehensive audits to renters, homeowners, and property managers, and is available for community development contracts. Services are often free to low-income households. Call the Ecology Center to see if you qualify for a free home visit.

Issues Programs: Issues programs involves research, policy analysis, and lobbying. These programs are primarily carried out by volunteer members. Current project areas include: Household Toxics, Pesticides and Herbicides, Community "Right to Know" About Toxics, and the Environment Education Outreach Program.

Volunteer Opportunities: All program areas at the Ecology Center utilize the involvement of members and the local community. Individuals interested in any aspect of the Ecology Center's work, or who simply have some extra time to lend a hand, should contact the Ecology Center.

Current News and Coming Events

 Ecology Center Picnic! Everyone is invited on August 10, 4 to 8 pm to the Leslie Science Center, 1831 Travel Rd., Ann Arbor. Bring your own picnic supper, and we'll supply fruit, drinks, ice cream, softball, volleyball and more! Special Volunteer Awards Ceremony will take place at 5 pm. Call 761-3186 for more information, or just show up!

   The "Michigan Household Hazardous Substance Handbook," written by the Ecology Center in cooperation with the Michigan Environmental Health Association and the Cooperative Extension Service, will be available for $15 at the Ecology Center beginning this month. It is a new guide to precautions, alternatives, and safe practices in the home.

   Home Energy visits will be conducted again beginning in September. Call the Ecology Center if you are interested in having a home visit then. The annual Household Hazardous Substances Drop Off Day is tentatively scheduled for October 4th; call for more information.

Greenpeace

400 W. Washington

Ann Arbor, MI 48103

761-1996

Statement of Purpose

​​​​​​​   Originally founded in Canada in 1971 to oppose U.S. nuclear testing at Amchitka Island in Alaska, Greenpeace is now a global network extending across 15 nations. We are ecologists actively working to protect a fragile world. Ecology teaches us that all forms of life are interconnected and interdependent and that we need to respect the diversity of life as we respect ourselves. For that reason we are involved in a variety of environmental campaigns: curbing the use of toxic substances, stopping the whale and seal slaughters, challenging the nuclear powers to stop testing as a step to ending the arms race, supporting the people of the Pacific in their efforts to keep their islands nuclear free, seeding to make Antartica a world preserve.

   While direct action is Greenpeace's best known tactic, it is but one approach we have. Greenpeace investigators also document scientific, financial and political roots of environmental problems. We prepare carefully researched briefs, which we present to the courts, the press, governments and the world, to support our cases for major changes in public and private policy. We see ourselves as education whether the forum is a United Nations conference, downhill meeting, or a schoolroom. We publish papers and articles, produce films, videotapes and slideshows in an effort to disseminate critical information to the public. Greenpeace also operates a citizen outreach program to educate and bring awareness to individuals in a more personal nature. Greenpeace is expanding this program nationwide which has led to the opening of a Greenpeace office here in Ann Arbor.

Current News

​​​​​​​   Greenpeace Great Lakes and Greenpeace Canada are currently in the midst of our "Water for Life" campaign here in the Great Lakes area. The goal of the campaign is to bring the discharge of toxics into the Great Lakes down to zero using source reduction technology. The first stop was in Toronto where we climbed the municipal sewage treatment plant smokestack and hung a banner which read: "WE ARE WHAT WE DRINK –– WATER FOR LIFE" to protest and demand tougher governmental action against industries dumping toxic wastes into a sewer system which is designed to treat human sewage.

   The second stop was at the Niagara River area where we announced Niagara's "Toxic Ten" who are most responsible for the toxic contamination in the Niagara River. Among the worst polluters was Occidental Corp. which was responsible for the Love Canal contamination. Two Greenpeacers scaled the Niagara Falls gorge wall and hung a banner which read: "GOVERNOR CUOMO: REVOKE OXYS LICENSE TO KILL THE NIAGARA. STOP MAKING TOXIC WASTE." We also blocked a sewer line (it used to be a stream) which runs by Occidental's Durez plant. The discharges there are believed to contain the highest dioxin levels ever found in water. Dioxin is a known carcinogen and in certain forms is the most deadly substance known to man.

   From Niagara we will focus on the other well known toxic hotspots in Sarnia, Ontario, Midland, Michigan and Indiana Harbor. All of these sites have been identified as areas of concern by both Greenpeace and the International Joint Commission. We hope that by increasing public awareness and keeping pressure on both private corporations and the government we can accomplish our goals of source reduction and zero discharge.

   Greenpeace is also currently working to stop the pollution and exploitation that is turning the Mediterranean into the largest "dead sea" on the planet. Greenpeace is also trying to stop the Norwegians from slaughtering the protected Minke whales in violation of a moratorium banning international whaling passed by the International Whaling Commission.

   On July 10 we mourned the first anniversary of the bombing of our flagship the Rainbow Warrior and the killing of our crew member Fernando Pereira by the French government. We have not wavered from our commitment to peace and are actively working to stop the nuclear arms madness by pushing for the signing of a Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty.

GAY RIGHTS

Gay Liberation

c/o 4117 Michigan Union

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

INFO: 763-4186

HOTLINE: 662-1977

Statement of Purpose​​​​​​​

​​​​​​​   To provide information, counseling, and related social services for people concerned about sexual orientation: (1) maintain Hotline for crisis intervention, peer counseling, referral; (2) help provide factual information to offset prejudice and misinformation about lesbians and gay men; (3) work to obtain human and civil rights for lesbians and gay men; (4) consult and cooperate with other community groups and agencies; (5) help other lesbian and gay male groups organize.

Meetings and Membership

​​​​​​​Hotline: Crisis intervention, peer counseling, referral.

Education: Workshops and conferences on lesbian and gay male concerns, with an emphasis on how people in the helping and teaching professions can work positively with lesbian and gay male clients, patients and students.

Speakers Bureau: Call for information.

Civil Rights: Information and referral to help people who are being discriminated against because of their actual or presumed sexual orientation or gender characteristics; lobbying for human civil rights.

Community Organization: Information and help on organizing groups, setting goals and objectives, resolving interpersonal and group conflict.

Current News

​​​​​​​   "The times they are a-changin'," and for lesbian and gay men, not necessarily for the better. On July 14 more than two hundred people gathered at the Federal Courthouses in downtown Detroit to protest the U.S. Supreme Court's recent anti-sodomy ruling. In a 5 to 4 split, the Court endorsed Georgia's right to declare (CONT. ON NEXT PAGE)

​​​​​​​GAY LIBERATION (CONT. FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

sodomy a crime, rejecting as "facetious" the argument that such a law is invasive of privacy and "strikes at deeply personal, basic liberties" (New York Times, July 2, 1986).

   More than 2500 people mounted a nonviolent street blockade in New York City's Greenwich Village following the Supreme Court's decision. At the blockage Joyce Hunter, Co-Director of the Institute for the Protection of Gay and Lesbian Youth declared, "the message is that we're second class citizens, the atmosphere is parallel to pre-war Germany. Don't think that it can't happen here, 'cause it's already started" (New York Native, July 14, 1986).

   In San Francisco, a spirited rally was held at Harvey Milk Plaza, where a statement from Michael Hardwick, primary victim of the Court's ruling, was read by a friend of his from Atlanta. Hardwick wrote, "It is inconceivable in this day of enlightenment that our highest court should express and demonstrate a mentality that would be more suitable for the hierarchy of the Spanish Inquisition than the Supreme Court of the United States in 1986." Harwick concluded, "We did not lose today. If this arcane decision emphasizes how important it is for people to be visible and out of the closet, then we have not lost."

   In Michigan, a sodomy conviction can result in a maximum prison sentence of fifteen years, although repeat offenders can receive a life sentence. Although the Michigan statue may have been seldom used in recent years, it has been selectively enforced against persons who have engaged in same-sex relationships.

   Further, the Michigan law can be used to "justify" the denial of basic civil rights to lesbians and gay men. Detroit-area gay rights' attorney David Piontkowsky has noted that people may interpret the Supreme Court's decision to mean that gay men and lesbians have no constitutional rights whatsoever. Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, stated that "The court ruled that government has the right to police the bedrooms of America and to criminalize private intimate relationships." Simon was careful to explain that Michigan lawmakers and state courts can still interpret the state constitution as allowing the right of privacy for sexual relationships: "The Michigan legislature is free to decide that there is no purpose other than harassment and privacy violations to enforce these laws. . . the Michigan courts are not obligated by the ruling, they are free to act on the grounds provided in the Michigan Constitution to decide that no rational purpose is served by the laws" (Detroit Free Press, July 1, 1986).

   People who would like to help the lesbian and gay rights movement in this crucial time are invited to contact the Michigan Organization for Human Rights, 17520 Woodward, Detroit, MI 48203; by phone –– 869-MOHR. Locally, call the Lesbian-Gay Male Programs Office at U-M for information, 763-4186. In particular, note that the U-M office is organizing Hotline and Educational Program trainings for late August and early September. Volunteers are greatly needed: please call!

HOUSING

The Inter-Cooperative Council (ICC)

4002 Michigan Union

Ann Arbor, MI 48109

662-4414

Statement of Purpose

​​​​​​​   The ICC is a student owned and operated housing corporation that offers quality housing below market rates. The ICC owns 17 co-op houses near the U-M campus which house over 500 students. Unlike dorms and apartments which are controlled by landlords or the University, cooperative houses are owned and controlled by the students who live in them. Students decide everything from what color the house will be painted to what type of meals will be served. Because each house member must do 4 to 5 hours of work per week around the house (cooking, cleaning, maintenance, etc.) and because no profiteering landlords are involved, co-ops are considerably less expensive and more fun than other housing options.

   The economic alternative offered by ICC co-ops is only part of their attraction. A strong sense of community exists in co-ops; each house has its own personality and members get to know each other very well by sharing work, meals, and fun. ICC houses also host special events such as poetry readings, meet the candidates night, coffee houses, parties, etc. The ICC is opening an education center this fall that will be a gathering point for many of these activities and other events such as classes about cooperatives and movies.

History of Ann Arbor Cooperatives

​​​​​​​   Student cooperatives in Ann Arbor began in the 1930's as impoverished students banded together in order to survive the Great Depression. Michigan Socialist House opened in 1932 and is said to have been the first room and board housing cooperative in the United States. The ICC was incorporated several years later in order to gain greater efficiency in common functions such as maintenance and new housing purchases. Michigan House Co-op enters its 55th year of operation this fall, continuing to thrive along with the 16 other ICC houses purchased over the years.

   The ICC promotes a system of housing that is based upon human worth as opposed to other housing systems that are based upon monetary worth, social standing, or how many goldfish you can swallow. We emphasize cooperation not only as a means to low cost quality housing but also as a way to self empowerment, economic democracy, and as a way of life!

   For more information about ICC cooperative housing, drop by the ICC office weekdays, 10 am to 4 pm, or drop by one of the houses anytime for a tour.

Current News

​​​​​​​   We are currently renovating our three new houses so that they will be ready to run as co-ops this fall. We are also setting up our education center and working on what types of programs we'll have there. A few of our houses still have open spaces for fall/winter (including the new houses). Call our office for more information.

INTERGENERATIONAL ISSUES

Ozone House

608 N. Main

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

662-2222

​​​​​​​   Ozone House is a volunteer-staffed collective which provides crisis intervention services and short-term counseling to youth and families free of charge. We advocate for youth and recognize the need to support parents, families, and larger systems, all of which influence the lives of young people. Our confidentiality policy creates an environment in which clients can be comfortable seeking the help and support they need to help themselves.

Community Services

​​​​​​​Ozone House offers the following services free of charge:

Crisis Counseling: 24-hour counseling by telephone for the community at large.

Non-Crisis Counseling: Walk-in and ongoing –– for runaways, youth, families, and adults with family issues. Available 11 am to 11 pm.

Foster Care: Short-term emergency placements.

Independent Living Program: Program to help homeless youth find jobs, housing and acquire skills for independent living.

Community Education: Presentations to schools and community about issues related to adolescence and families.

Support Groups: Presently, a gay/lesbian youth support group exists and we are planning a group for teens of divorced/separated parents.

Food: Emergency kitchen for youth.

Referrals: Information about other resources.

   Ozone House is a nonprofit, collectively run organization. We are dedicated to creating a supportive, empowering environment for ourselves as well as our volunteers, we focus on consistently improving our counseling skills through extensive, ongoing training and both formal and informal consultation.

   Crisis counseling at Ozone can often be amazingly intense. All new workers are involved in 60 hours of training and are asked to make a six month commitment of client and collective work, averaging 4 to 8 hours per week. Most counselors offer more time as occasions demand it. New worker trainings are held three times a year and each prospective member meets with two current members to assess the applicant's commitment and skills. People of all ages and backgrounds are encouraged to call for more information.

LABOR

Industrial Workers of the World (IWW)

Southeastern Michigan General Membership Branch

42 S. Summit

Ypsilanti, MI 48197

483-3478

Statement of Purpose

​​​​​​​   The IWW Union advocates the ownership and control of all means of production and distribution by the working class. It promotes this purpose through workplace organizing and education. Tactically it differentiates itself from conventional unions through emphasis on direct action rather than reliance on the courts and government to achieve the ends of the working class. In the short run, the IWW helps workers organize for increased decision making power in the work place as well as improved wages and benefits.

Meetings

​​​​​​​   General membership meetings are on the second Monday of every month, 5:45 pm, Room 4304, Michigan Union, 530 S. State, Ann Arbor. Informal working meetings are every Monday, same time and place. Meetings are open to observers. There will be no meeting on Mon., Sept. 1: Happy Labor Day!

   The IWW has approximately 110 members in this area. The initiation fee is $5. Dues are $5 per month for workers making more than $300 per month, $2 per month for anyone making less than $300 per month.

Community Services

​​​​​​​Labor-organizing: Members of the IWW are available to advise and assist anyone engaged in organizing which will promote worker control, regardless of whether the organizers ultimately desire affiliation with the IWW.

Current News

​​​​​​​   Since its founding in 1905, the IWW has always been in the forefront for promoting progressive causes among workers. In recent years elements of the labor contract between the IWW and the University Cellar have served as a model in negotiations for worker rights and worker self management in other shops. In the current round of negotiations at the Cellar, tentative agreement has been reached on addition of a new section of the anti-discrimination clause which will prohibit discrimination in hiring and continued employment on the basis of a worker having a disease which is not comunicable through normal contact in the workplace, such as Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. To our knowledge, this will constiteficiency Syndrome. To our knowledge, this will constitute the first contractual protection.

LATIN AMERICAN ISSUES

HAP-NICA

Humanitarian Assistance Project for Independent Agricultural Development in Nicaragua

802 Monroe

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

761-7960

Statement of Purpose

​​​​​​​   HAP-NICA is a non-profit organization conducting a national campaign of aid for Nicaraguan agriculture. Our goal is to help the Nicaraguan people to achieve economic development and self-sufficiency. Toward that goal, we work with the Nicaraguan Union of Small and Mid-Sized Farmers and Ranchers (UNAG), the Farmworkers Union (ATC) and the Higher Institute of Agricultural Science (ISCA), through our full-time coordinator in Managua. When we accept a development project proposed to us by one of these organizations we work to raise funds for it or to arrange for other groups across the country to take responsibility for raising all or part of the necessary money.

   We are a project of the Guild House Campus Ministry of Ann Arbor (an ecumenical ministry devoted to principles of human justice) and the New World Agriculture Group (NWAG).

Meetings

​​​​​​​  HAP-NICA meets on alternate Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. at the Michigan Union. Meetings in August will be on August 7 and 21.

Recent Activities

​​​​​​​   Some HAP-NICA members attended a conference in Madison, Wisconsin on June 27-29, at which people from all across the country met to share knowledge about Sister City relationships in Nicaragua and other topics concerning material aid. In addition to participating some useful workshops, the HAP-NICA representatives showed our slideshow and made some good contacts with people interested in HAP-NICA. A group in Wisconsin has purchased a copy of the slideshow with plans to show it extensively.

New Projects

​​​​​​​Honey Cooperative: In the Mountains of the Matagalpa region in Nicaragua, where 65% of Nicaragua's coffee is grown, there are a large number of coffee workers. Also in Matagalpa, the Nicaraguan Farmworkers Union (ATC) operates a school of labor studies, in which students who are also laborers can learn about the history, law and politics of labor in Nicaragua. Because the availability of such an education is essential if workers are to retain control over their wages and working conditions, the ATC is requesting HAP-NICA's assistance in establishing a honey production cooperative for the school, which would enable it to raise its own operating funds through the sale of honey and wax. The estimated cost of the project is $11,500. HAP-NICA has been asked to raise $5,250.

Latin American Solidarity Committee (LASC)

4120 Michigan Union

Ann Arbor MI 48109

665-8438

Statement of Purpose

​​​​​​​   LASC is a nonprofit group dedicated to supporting the legitimate aspirations of Latin American peoples to self-determination. Its goals are to increase awareness here about contemporary realities in Latin America and the U.S. role in perpetuating these, and to pressure our government to change its military, political, and economic policies toward Latin America.

Meetings

​​​​​​​   Meetings are every Wednesday at 8 pm in the Michigan Union. Stop at the information desk for room number or call the LASC office. The office is normally staffed from 12 to 2 pm on weekdays, and messages can be left on the answering machine at all other times.

Community Services

​​​​​​​   LASC sponsors educational events such as films and speakers. The outreach committee also sends people to University or high school classes or any place else they're invited to talk about the issues. The LASC newsletter La Palabra is sent to about 800 subscribers and contains a summary of local activity, upcoming events, and some national and international news. (CONT. ON NEXT PAGE)

LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE (CONT. FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

Recent Events

​​​​​​​   On June 26th, LASC hastily organized a demonstration against aid to the contras, which passed the House of Representatives the night before. About 200 people showed up at the Federal Building in Ann Arbor to express their anger and frustration at the complicity of our so-called representatives, including Carl Pursell, in this hideous crime. The size of the crowd was considerable, in light of the extremely short notice.

   On Sunday, July 19th, LASC participated in a day-long celebration of the 7th anniversary of the Nicaraguan revolution organized by A2MISTAD. The event took place in Ann Arbor's West Park and featured a number of performances by folk musicians such as Dave Lippman, Jim Kirk, the Chenille sisters, and others; political theater by U.A.W Local 735's "Not Ready for the Soup Line Players," and participation from other local solidarity groups such as the Free South Africa Coordinating Committee.

   The event was an important demonstration of solidarity with the Nicaraguan revolution by a broad range of Ann Arbor political groups, at a time when Nicaragua is under attack by even the "liberal" critics of the Reagan administration's aggression. (The New York Times approved of the House of Representatives June 25 vote for aid to the contras.) The celebration was also a financial success in raising funds for the A2MISTAD construction brigade.

Current News

​​​​​​​   There are two major battles that our movement is waging in the next few weeks that could have a tremendous influence on the struggle for peace and justice in Central America. The first is the upcoming vote on aid to the contras in the Senate. It is important to realize that the aid to the contras has not yet passed the Senate and may be stopped there if we generate enough pressure. Since the total amount of aid in question, when CIA "logistical" support is included, may amount to as much as $600 or $800 million, many lives could depend on our ability to stop this bill in the Senate.

   Some weeks after the contra aid packages passed the House on June 25, a group of about fifteen Senators met in Ted Kennedy's office to plan a filibuster of the corresponding Senate bill. They will attempt to prolong the debate until the Senate, anxious to recess in order to begin consigning for the November elections, gives up on the bill.

   Write or call our Senators (Carl Levin and Don Riegle) and tell them to vote no cloture (that is, the vote to end debate) and no on aid to the contras. Levin should be also be pressured to take the lead in encouraging other Senators to hold firm on the filibuster. Washington addresses: Levin, 140 Russell Senate Office Building, and Riegle: Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington D.C., 20510. Levin's Detroit office can be called at 226-6020, and Riegle's at 226-3188.

   To coincide with the beginning of the filibuster in the Senate, the National Pledge of Resistance and the Nicaragua Network are planning a "People's Filibuster" in Washington D.C. at 12 noon on Aug. 4 which will include civil disobedience. Here in Ann Arbor, we will protest at the Federal Building (at Fifth and Liberty) on Monday, Aug. 4 at 5 p.m. This will coincide with he national protest and similar local actions around the country. Join us!

   The second major nationwide effort that LASC is participating in is to remove or limit the military aid included in the proposed $514 million dollar aid package to the government of El Salvador. As of this writing, proposals are being made in the appropriations committee of the House to eliminate military aid. LASC is participating in the national effort organized by CISPES (the Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) to do educational campaigns in the districts of Congresspeople who are on the appropriations committee.

   Carl Pursell is on the House appropriations committee; you can call his Ann Arbor office at 761-7727 or write to him: 1414 Longworth Bldg., Washington, DC 20515. Urge him to vote against military aid to El Salvador.

LASC Endorses Dean Baker for Congress: VOTE August 5th!

​​​​​​​   LASC activist Dean Baker (not the Regent) will be challenging Carl Pursell in November if he can win the Democratic primary on August 5th. Many members of LASC and other local solidarity groups are working on this campaign as a way to bring the issue of the war in Central America to the voters, and to force Carl Pursell to answer for his war votes.

   Through mailings and door-to-door canvassing we have already reached thousands of people who we would not ordinarily reach with our message of non-intervention. We have the opportunity to reach tens of thousands more people if Dean wins this nomination. Very few people vote in this primary. In order to win, we need only to turn out a fraction of the people who voted for Proposal A last April. So don't forget to vote! To help with the campaign call 665-2167.

Nicaragua Medical Aid Project (NMAP)

2007 Washtenaw

Ann Arbor, MI 48104

764-7442 or 769-1442

Statement of Purpose

   In January, 1984 a group of Ann Arbor people formed the Nicaragua Medical Aid Project to support the Nicaraguan government's efforts to improve the health of its people. NMAP collects medial supplies and money to meet specific requests by health care facilities in Nicaragua. We also believe that mobilizing public opinion against further funding of the contras, whether governmental or private, is as important as providing material aid. NMAP's membership is made up public health and health care professionals, students, and concerned community people. Membership in NMAP ($20/year regular, $10 low income) includes a subscription to LINKS, a national journal on Central American health rights.

Meetings

   Our meetings are small, informal, and held in homes. Work focuses on activities outside meetings, and we sometimes get help from other organizations on specific projects. Call NMAP for times and places.

Community Services

In Nicaragua: Delivering requested medical supplies to the Hospital Infantil in Managua and to rural health centers, repairing microscopes throughout Nicaragua and providing spare parts, buying pharmaceuticals at 3% of cost through the Medicines for Central America Fund, sending emergency medical kits for use in war zones and rural health posts, contributing to the purchase of generators for health care facilities needing electric power, and supplying repair parts for U.S. made medical equipment.

In the United States: Speaking and showing slides about health care in Nicaragua, working with the National Central America Health Rights Network (NCAHRN) to coordinate our efforts with those of more than 50 local medical aid groups across the United States. To host a speaker/slide presentation in your home, classroom, place of worship, club, etc., call Rev. Robert Hauert at 764-7442

Current News

   We received urgent requests for microscope parts from Nicaragua's Ministry of Health and two major women's and children's hospitals and sent down spare parts and bulbs to partially meet the need. For two years now, Ann Arbor NMAP has made microscopes, parts and repair a special committment. We need people to take these small, but expensive items, so please contact us if you're going to Nicaragua.

   A statewide meeting of established and fledgling medical aid projects was held in July to discuss ways we may cooperate and attempt large projects together.

   Our Art Fair booth and swimming party for new members were successful in helping recruit and involve more people. For those interested in working with NMAP, the month of August should be a good time to get to know members before the busy schedules of September return.

Ann Arbor Central America Sister City Task Force

c/o City Clerk, City Hall

100 North Main

Ann Arbor, MI 48107

Purpose

   Ann Arbor's Central America Sister City Task Force came into being through the passage of Proposal A, an ordinance establishing local initiatives for peace in Central America. By a vote of 61.5% to 38.5%, Ann Arbor voters expressed overwhelming support for peaceful initiatives in Central America, opposing U.S. military policies in the region.

   The proposal established the Sister City Task Force to select sister cites in Central America, to continue the community education effort begun by the campaign to pass Proposal A, and to work with community groups to facilitate educational and cultural exchanges, as well as encourage material aid assistance to the war torn communities of Central America.

Meetings and Membership

   The Task Force has seven official and four ex-officio members, appointed by City Council. But participation doesn't stop there. All interested persons are encouraged to join the work of the Task Force and to fully participate in its meetings and deliberations. The members appointed by Council are: Jane Pogson, a Spanish teacher in the Ann Arbor Public Schools; Gregory Fox, a free lance photographer; Jim Burchell, an aide to State Representative Perry Bullard; Thea Lee, a doctoral candidate in economics at the University of Michigan and LASC activist; Robert Wallace, senior minister of the First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor, which has recently established a sister church relationship with a Nicaraguan congregation; Kim Kratz, the canvass director for SANE, the Committee for a Sane Nuclear Future; and Isaac Jacobin-Campbell, the chair of Ann Arbor's Hospitality Committee.

   Ex-officio members of the Task Force are: LeRoy Cappaert and Benita Kaimowitz, co-chairs of the Coalition for Peace in Central America which organized the campaign for Proposal A; Jeff Epton, Third Ward Council member; and Winifred Northcross, Ann Arbor's City Clerk.

   If you would like to work with the Task Force or be kept informed about its work, please write to the above address. When writing please provide the following information: name, address, phones (home and/or work), occupation, skills (language, organizing, writing, graphics, etc.). Also please indicate whether you want to be kept informed about the Task Force's work, whether you want to work with the Task Force, what types of work or projects you would like to undertake, what you would like the Task Force to work on, and any comments you would like to share. We ask for this information so we can better involve you in specific projects or call upon you when we a specific need arises, such as the need for a translator or writer.

   The Task Force usually meets every Thursday evening at 7:30 pm. Every effort will be made to meet in the second floor conference room in the Fire Station, accross from City Hall, 111 North Main. Sometimes, however, we are unable to secure the conference room. Look in the calendar section of Agenda or the community calendar of the Ann Arbor News, or listen to WUOM for the exact time and place for our weekly meetings. Call Jim Burchell at 769-5051 as a last resort.

Organizational Structure

   As mentioned above, all interested persons are invited to work with the Task Force. To help with the selection of the sister cities, subcommittees have been formed to focus on El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Honduras. We anticipated that we will organize around interest areas such as education, health, labor, women, arts and culture, and religion by establishing project areas or committees to focus on such topics, once the sister cities are selected. We have a great deal of work ahead of us and we will need the help of many people to achieve our goals.

Current News

   The Task Force has focused its energies on selecting the sister cities. Gregory Fox and Ellen Rusten recently travelled to a conference on sister cities in Nicaragua held in Madison, Wisconsin and brought back the names of some possible cities. After some discussion by the Task Force, it seems that two towns are under serious consideration: Juigalpa, a town of about 30,000 people located about six hours west of Managua; and Yali, a much smaller town of 1,100 people located in northern Nicaragua. By the next issue of Agenda, we should have completed the selection.

   We also were fortunate to have Pilar and Aurelio Celaya, two members of a sanctuary family living in Ann Arbor, speak to the Task Force about El Salvador. They have suggested that we take an interesting route of selecting the national university of El Salvador as a sister-university relationship. The university was brutally shut down several year ago and effectively gutted. It is slowly reopening but there is pressure by the U.S. embassy and the government to prevent that from happening.

   The Task Force is also trying to schedule a meeting with Congressman Carl Pursell whose office promised such a meeting long ago. Mayor Ed Pierce and Council member Jeff Epton wrote a letter requesting such a meeting but they have received no reply.

Coming Events

Thurs., July 31, 7:30 pm: Task Force meeting in the 2nd floor confernce room in the fire station across from City Hall.

Thurs., Aug. 7, 7:30 pm: Task Force meeting in the 2nd floor confernce room in the fire station across from City Hall.

Thurs., Aug. 14, 7:30 pm: Task Force meeting place to be announced.

MISCELLANEOUS

Amnesty International (AI)

U.S. Group 61

Ann Arbor, MI

761-1628 or 761-3639

   Amnesty International (AI) is a strictly nonpartisan worldwide movement of people working for the release of prisoners of conscience, for fair and prompt trials for all political prisoners, and for an end to torture and the death penalty in all cases. AI defines prisoners of conscience as men, women, and children who are detained anywhere because of their beliefs, color, sex, ethnic origin, language or religion provided they have neither used nor advocated violence. AI is independent of all governments, political factions, ideologies, economic interests, and religious creeds. Its mandate is based on the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights. For its work, AI was awarded the 1977 Nobel Peace Prize.

   One of the key guidelines of AI's approach is to do practical work for practical results on behalf of individual prisoners. Members of AI send letters, cards, and telegrams on behalf of the imprisoned and tortured to government and other influential officials. In addition, members organize public meetings and arrange special publicity events, such as vigils at appropriate government offices or embassies. Members collect signatures for international petitions and raise money to send relief, such as medicine, food, and clothing (and often greetings and words of support) to the prisoners and their families. The hope and encouragement that this provides prisoners is reflected in the words of a former prisoner in Taiwan: "I can never forget how I was moved to tears when unexpectedly I was handed in a solitary cell a brief letter from Amnesty International."

   Since it was founded in 1961, AI has intervened on behalf of more than 20,000 prisoners in over 100 countries. In many cases, AI's strategies, in combination with other factors, have improved conditions for prisoners and promopted their release. A key to AI's effectiveness is its scrupulous research and documentation of prisoners' cases. The International Secretariat in London (with a staff of 150, recruited from over 20 nations) has a research department which collects and analyzes information from a wide variety of sources and AI (CONT. ON NEXT PAGE)

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

(CONT. FROM PREVIOUS PAGE)

representatives frequently go on missions to collect on-the-spot information. The accuracy of AI's findings is recognized throughout the world.

Membership and Activities

   AI is a volunteer organization with 500,000 members and supporters in more than 150 countries. One of the most popular ways of becoming involved in AI activities is to join an Adoption Group, which consists of 10 to 30 members and works on behalf of individual prisoners whose cases have been researched by the International Secretariat. The Ann Arbor group, AIUSA Group 61, holds official meetings on the second Tuesday of every month at 7:30 pm at the Michigan Union. Its primary work is letter writing to foreign countries on behalf of the group's "adopted" prisoners until those prisoners are released.

   It is often asked whether writing letters does any good, particularly in countries with dismal human rights records. At the very least, letters help prevent a prisoner from getting lost in the system. Prisoners who have been released have reported that their treatment in prison improved significantly once letters began to arrive. With regard to torture, many governments who us it, "officially" condemn it, and are embarrassed at being exposed as practitioners. In the absence of diplomatic pressure, letter writing is sometimes the only way such abuses are exposed. Group 61 requires its members to write a minimum of two letters per month, one on behalf of each of its two adopted prisoners.

   In addition to letter writing, Group 61 members staff literature tables at the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market and the Art Fair, and coffee and literature tables in the Fishbowl and Modern Languages Building at the U-M. Members also work on publicity and fundraising.

   Membership in the national organization is independent of membership in local groups. AIUSA depends on people throughout the country to participate in special campaigns for designated prisoners. Worldwide, AI coordinates the Urgent Action Network, in which members are periodically called upon to send telegrams or airmail letters to assist persons in extreme danger (torture or extra-judicial execution, for example).

   To learn more about AIUSA programs, contact the national headquarters at AIUSA, 322 8th Ave., New York, NY 10001, (212) 807-8400. To join the U.S. Urgent Action Network, contact AIUSA, Urgent Action Office, P.O. Box 1270, Nederland, CO 80466, (303) 440-0913

Current Events

Tues., Aug. 12: Group 61 meeting, 7:30 pm at the Michigan Union. Call 761-1628 or 761-3639. Presently, Group 61 works on the cases of two adopted prisoners, Tatyana Velkanova of the U.S.S.R, and Ahmet Isvan of Turkey. A third prisoner, A. Vettithasan of Sri Lanka, whose case is still under investigation, may be adopted by Group 61 in the coming months. Group 61 also needs help staffing an information booth at the Saturday Farmer's Market from 9 am to 1 pm. The group is presently organizing a September or October event to celebrate the 25th anniversary of AI. There is also an urgent action group in Ann Arbor which works on Latin American cases, call 668-0249 after Sept. 2 for more information.

Ann Arbor Coors Boycott Committee

1537 McIntyre

Ann Arbor, MI 48105

995-5767

Statement of Purpose

   Over the past several years, the Adolph Coors Brewery has expanded distribution of Coors beers into the midwest. Coors beer is now available in many local bars, restaurants, and stores. Many people are aware that Coors has been the object of a nationwide boycott by labor, minority groups, and environmentalists. The purpose of the this local boycott committee is to institute an effective boycott of Coors beer here in Ann Arbor.