Democracy for New Mexico

DNC Seeking Applicants for Candidate Training for LBGT People of Color

From Parag Mehta at the DNC:
Please forward this info and the flyer linked below to any LGBT people of color you know who might be interested in running for office.

The Gay and Lesbian Leadership Institute is partnering with the Democratic National Committee and the National Black Justice Coalition to host a training for LGBT candidates of color - including African, Asian, Hispanic, Native and Pacific Islander Americans. It will take place in Baltimore, Maryland from April 23-26, 2008. To learn more or apply, please go to: www.glli.org/training. Scholarships are available. Click for flyer (pdf).

Saturday: Celebrate César Chávez Day

From the Recuerda A César Chávez Committee: The 2008 César Chávez celebration in Albuquerque will take place on Saturday, March 29th. The theme of this year’s celebration –- “Celebrating the Past, Continuing the Struggle” -– is meant to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the long walk, highlight the importance of the Latino vote in the 2008 elections and to call for a César Chávez national holiday. We have a lot to celebrate, but realize that the struggle continues. Click for FLYER (pdf).

The day will begin at 9 AM at the Sanchez Farm (Lopez and Arenal) with a service learning project, including planting seeds and working the land. Bring a shovel! There will also be live music and a planting ceremony. At 11 AM we will then march from the Sanchez Farm to the National Hispanic Cultural Center (4th Street and Avenida César Chávez), where a rally and cultural celebration will be held from noon until 3 PM with speakers, poets, performances and live music. This year, our featured performance is the musical group Nosotros! Food will be available for purchase from La Fonda del Bosque Restaurant. Learn more.

Two Excellent Analyses of the Obama Speech on Race

Glenn Greenwald and Commentary on Greenwald's piece.

The man crying to the left of Michelle is Marty Nesbitt, the Obama's best friend and the woman to Michelle's right is Valerie Jarrett.

Another one:

Major Speech: Obama Addresses Race

Full prepared text of Barack Obama's major speech on issues of race given today in Constitution Center on Independence Mall in Philadelphia. The 37-minute video above captures the entire speech as given. I decided not to provide any excerpts because I think it's essential to take in the speech in its entirety, from start to finish, to experience its power and clarity. I kept thinking as I listened, imagine having a president talking in these terms, in this manner, for eight years, to all the people, persuasively and inclusively, as we take on the immense challenges and changes in motion in almost every area of human endeavor. This time ....

Bilingual Production of 'The Vagina Monologues' to Benefit Enlace Comunitario

LAS MEGANENAS & FRIENDS PRESENT
A Bilingual Production of Eve Ensler's
The VAGINA MONOLOGUES
ONE NIGHT ONLY!
South Broadway Cultural Center
1025 Broadway SE, ABQ
Thursday, March 20, 2008 / 7:00 PM
Reception to follow

All Proceeds Benefit Enlace Comunitario / www.enlacenm.org
Tickets $15.00 thru Enlace Comunitario / 246-8972
Tickets purchased thru SBCC $1.00 surcharge / 848-1320
Co-Sponsored by UNM Women's Resource Center

What You May Not Know About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Note: Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03) will offer remarks and State Treasurer James Lewis will deliver the keynote address during King holiday celebrations at the state Capitol today at 1:00 PM. The event, organized by Santa Fe's chapter of the NAACP, will also feature music and other speakers who will highlight King's support for higher wages and better conditions for working men and women.

From the War on Greed campaign and Brave New Films: Today we honor Dr. King's birthday. We all know him because of his historic impact on civil rights, but many don't realize that later in life he fought just as passionately for the rights of workers and against the entrenched institutions of injustice.

"Equality means dignity. And dignity demands a job and a paycheck that lasts through the week."

The War On Greed is exactly this kind of fight. The livelihoods of families have been directly attacked by the actions of buyout billionaires like Henry Kravis putting Wall Street's special interests ahead of his 800,000 employees... and pocketing $51,000 an hour in the process.

The first step must be taxing these buyout billionaires at a fair tax rate. It will not solve all the problems, but it is a strong and forceful beginning. With the presidential campaigns underway, it is the perfect time to force this issue into the campaigns the way we did with Wal-Mart and Iraq for Sale.

As our friend Rev. Yearwood, leader of the Hip Hop Caucus, has said: "We are facing a lunch counter moment for the 21st century."

Please join us at our virtual lunch counter by signing the petition to presidential candidates demanding they pledge to close the loopholes and tax the tax dodgers. Buyout billionaires are a menace to our economy. People are hurting, badly, and we must take beginning steps to bring the issue of corporate greed and economic equality to the nation's attention.

1/13/08: Join Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Parade March

Click for more information. (Click on image for larger version.)

Dem Women: Apply Now for Candidate Training

From Emerge New Mexico:
Have you considered running for office? Do you know a fantastic woman who should run for office? Help her get the training and support she needs to run and win. Encourage her to Emerge! Emerge New Mexico seeks Democratic women with evidence of political leadership experience or meaningful workplace or community involvement to apply to its program.

The Emerge program provides seven Saturdays of training and networking over seven months. Training includes fundraising, public speaking, campaign strategy and planning, fieldwork, media skills and messaging, ethics in politics, labor and endorsements, and running an anti-racist and culturally competent campaign.

Applications and organizational information can be located and downloaded at www.emergenm.org. Applications for the 2008 class are NOW being accepted— APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 15, 2008!

Emerge's model is successful: over 60% of Emerge graduates nationally hold public office. In 2007-08 so far, another 15% of graduates are running for office. Emerge is proud that 46% of our graduates are women of color. Emerge New Mexico is part of Emerge America, with 7 state affiliates nationally.

JOIN US IN IDENTIFYING WOMEN TO HELP SHAPE THE FUTURE OF New Mexico. Please share this information with women you think may be interested in emerge!

For more information: please contact:
Anita at 505-899-0392
Emerge New Mexico
PO Box 27207
Albuquerque, NM 87125
www.emergenm.org

Tonight on Espejos: The UNM Mexican Flag Incident

Check out KUNM 89.9FM tonight, Monday, October 15th, 2007, at 8:00 PM for a half-hour live interview with several UNM students about the recent weeks of deliberation, both on campus and nationally, following the tearing down of a Mexican flag on the UNM campus one month ago. Reportedly, a student tore down the Mexican flag, which was flying in celebration of Mexican Independence day, because it wasn't accompanied by an American flag. Last Sunday, local bikers held a rally to raise money for that student's legal defense fund.

Concurrently, subsequent discussions have surfaced deeper questions about acts of hatred and Anglo-American superiority over people of color. Many students on campus are demanding further action from the University to address and prevent such actions of hate and to talk about the diguising of racism as patriotism. Tonight's Espejos de Aztlan discussion will focus on the latter.

Also, KUNM is hosting its Fall 2007 Membership Drive this week (Oct. 13-19, 2007). Espejos de Aztlan, just like many other programs on KUNM 89.9FM, is able to conduct programming on news, culture and music (particularly that which can only be found on KUNM and not highlighted by mainstream media)-- but the station is only able to do so through the financial support of listeners like yourself. More than 50% of KUNM's annual operating funds come from listener contributions.

Please consider calling during tonight's Raices Collective Show, anytime between 7:00 PM and 10:00 PM to make a donation and become a member of KUNM 89.9FM. Contributors can have their names read on the air and for a minimum contribution of $20.00, contributors will receive "Zounds!," KUNM 89.9FM's monthly program guide. For more information on the Fall 2007 Membership Drive, please visit https://kunm.org/pledge/.

Espejos de Aztlan has been on-air since 1979 and is part of the Raices Colectiva which conducts programming on news, culture and music from a Latino perspective on KUNM 89.9. For more information or to submit input about Espejos de Aztlan, please visit the "Raices" link at https://kunm.org/culture/.

NM ACLU Reacts to Sweeps of Border Immigrant Communities

From the American Civil Liberties Union of NM:
LAS CRUCES, NM—The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico condemned recent immigration raids by Otero and Doña Ana County Sheriff's deputies in the border towns of Chaparral and Vado today. The local police agencies are assisting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials to conduct sweeps of immigrant neighborhoods, knocking on doors and checking identification. Authorities also are stopping motorists and entering private businesses. 

The ACLU is investigating multiple reports that sheriff's deputies retrieved children from schools and entered homes without consent or warrants. The ACLU has filed public records requests with both sheriff’s departments seeking information about the collaboration with federal immigration agencies.

“This is irresponsible policing,” said Maria Nape, Director of the ACLU's Border Rights office. “Immigrants in these communities may never again trust that they can report crimes to sheriff’s deputies, even if they are the victims. When local police become border patrol agents, it rips a hole in the fabric of public safety that takes years to mend. It’s not just immigrants that are affected.”

The raids stem from a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) program called "Operation Stonegarden" which gave New Mexico roughly $1.6 million in support of local law enforcement participation in immigration enforcement along the border. In total, the four Southwest border states received $12 million in grant awards.

“These raids are symptomatic of the same reactionary policies that have failed to address nationwide concerns about immigration for decades,” Nape said.  “Do we want to live in a country that makes life so intolerable for hundreds of thousands of families who live and work here that they leave? Or would we rather live in an America that brings immigrants out of the shadows of society and enables them to be taxpaying, contributing citizens?

Download the public records requests: https://www.aclu-nm.org/News_Events/news_9_14_07.html

The mission of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico is to maintain and advance the cause of civil liberties within the state of New Mexico, with particular emphasis on the freedom of religion, speech, press, association, and assemblage, and the right to vote, due process of law and equal protection of law, and to take any legitimate action in the furtherance and defense of such purposes. These objectives shall be sought wholly without political partisanship. For more information, visit us on the web: www.aclu-nm.org.

Visit the ACLU of New Mexico's new blog. To donate to the ACLU of New Mexico securely online, click here.