Events are pretty sparse this time of year, but there’s still some good stuff going on, especially for those who like Fair Trade Shopping. For those who do, here’s a cool Human’s Rights buyer’s guide from Bill Ramsey of the Instead of War Coalition and Human Rights Action Network. And if you haven’t already, don’t forget to email me if you know of good local politics blogs.
This week’s events:
All week, the Academy of Contemporary arts is hosting a greeting card drive for members of the military. They’re asking for people to hand-make or decorate greeting cards to send to members of the military and then drop them off at the YMCA of Greater St. Louis. More info is at this link.
Monday, Deb. 15. The St. Louis Community Arts and Media Project hosts “Intercambio,” an IFCLA program that puts English and Spanish speakers in contact with one another. Half of the conversation is in English, and the other half is in Spanish. Intercambio starts at 7:30 at the CAMP building on the corner of Minnesota and Cherokee, and you can find out more at the CAMP calendar.
Tuesday, Dec. 16. IFCLA Night at Plowsharing Crafts on the Loop! From 6 to 9 PM, when you buy goods from Plowsharing Crafts, part of the proceeds go to the Interfaith Committee on Latin America. For more info about the event, go here and for more info about Plowsharing Crafts in general, go here.
Also Tuesday, the Webster Film series continues its always great selections of movies with Dhamma Brothers, a documentary about inmates at a maximum security prison whose lives were turned around through an ancient mediation practice. Find out more at the film series calendar. The movie is at 7 PM at the Winifred Moore Auditorium at Webster University, and it’s FREE!
Wednesday, Dec. 17. Claire McCaskill is hosting a “Kitchen Table Talk” in the Performing Arts Theater at Forest Park Community College on 5600 Oakland Avenue. The event is at 1:30. Maybe someone can ask her why she voted for a $700 billion dollar bailout for banks that had virtually no oversight but said she would vote against the bill to save the auto-industry. Just a thought. (to be fair, she is now working on a bill to provide oversight to the original bailout) Amended: see Clark’s comment below.
Also Wednesday, another great shopping opportunity at Plowsharing Crafts, this time for the Missouri Progressive Vote Coalition and at the Kirkwood location of Plowsharing crafts at 137 W. Jefferson. The event is from 6 to 9 PM, and you can see the flier at this link . Thursday the same event will be at the Loop location. You can join the Pro-Vote facebook group here.
Also Wednesday, a message from the Culver Way Cohousing project:
“On Weds Dec 17, we will gather for the First “Cohousing Cafe!! Time: 6-9 pm, potluck dinner at 6 pm. Bring your “stuff” you wish to exchange, give away, sell or barter! You may list services for exchange as well. You may donate, or request money for yourself, or contribute money to not-for-profits (Paneurhythmy: Circle of Joy) or to the Cohousing project. Bring Christmas/Holiday stuff if you like. The plan is to have these gatherings each month. A community response to “challenging times. Email braford@sbcglobal.net for directions.”
Thursday, Dec. 18. Shopping, for Pro-Vote, this time at the Loop location from 6 to 9 PM: More info here .
Also Thursday, Winslow’s Home is hosting a fundraiser for the “Food Outreach” program that serves those in need. It’s from 6 to 9 P at 7211 Delmar, and you can get more info at this link.
Also Thursday, some of the amazing poetry of Rumi will be read accompanied by Native American flute at St. Francis Xavier Church, 3628 Lindell Blvd from 7:30 to 8:30. More info is here.
Friday, Dec. 19. I can’t find any events for this day, but there are a couple interesting human rights-related art exhibits in town that would be worth checking out. First, the Holocaust Museum and Learning Center is hosting “Images of the Holocaust and Other Genocides”. The exhibit is open from 10 AM to 3 PM, at 12 Millstone Campus Drive. More info is here. And the Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma are holding an exhibit “Point-of-View” that shows images of teenage boys from some of the countries the program works with. The exhibit is on the 3rd Floor of the Social Sciences Building at UMSL, and you can get more info at the artszipper calendar.
Saturday, Dec. 20. A group of locals interested in establishing a citizens group to improve the connections between Downtown St. Louis and the riverfront and Arch areas will be convening this Saturday at 3 PM at the Landmarks Association of St. Louis, 911 Washington Ave, Suite # 170. If you have any questions, or would like to be added to the email list, send an email to Rick Bonasch at rbonasch@sbcglobal.net.
Have a merry and meaningful week,
Adam
McCaskill did not vote against the auto industry bailout. She opposed the pay raise for federal judges attached to the bill, and succeeded in getting it removed. I criticized her for her position that she would not vote for loans to the auto industry with the pay raise intact.