Democracy Now Tri-Cities

Joan Baez is Coming to Boone!

2009-07-13T19:56:00.001-05:00

JOAN BAEZ, THE FOLK SINGER and songwriter whose voice became the soundrack for a generation of social and political activists, is coming to Appalachian State University in Booone, NC, for the first time. She will sing at the University's Farthing Auditorium on Thursday, July 23, at 8:00 p.m.

Joan Baez is a musical force of nature whose influence is incalculable. At a time in our country's history when it was neither safe nor fashionable, she sang about freedom and Civil Rights from the backs of flatbed trucks in Mississippi to the steps of the Lincoln Memorial at Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King's March on Washington. Her earliest recordings fed a host of traditional ballads into the rock vernacular—"House of the Rising Sun" (the Animals); "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" (Led Zepplin); "Jackaroe" (Grateful Dead); and "Long Black Veil" (the Band), to name a few. In 1963, she began touring and recording with Bob Dylan—a bond that came to symbolize the folk music movement. After eight gold albums and six Grammy nominations, she received the highly prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007, at the 49th Annual Grammy Awards. Just last year she stood alongside Nelson Mandela when the world celebrated his 90th birthday in London's Hyde Park.

Joan Baez continues to show renewed vitality and passion in her concerts and recordings with her mix of traditional ballads, blues, lullabies, cowboy tunes, Woody Guthrie songs and ethnic folk staples. Over the past five decades, during crucial moments in America's history, Baez's albums have served as critical barometers of our times.

Putting a Human Face on Homosexuality

2009-07-01T19:49:00.001-05:00

A PRESENTATION TITLED "PUTTING A Human Face on Homosexuality" will be presented on July 19 by Sue Null, mother of homosexual grown children --a son and a dauhter, at the July meeting of the Ethical Society of Asheville, NC. The meeting will be 2:00-3:30 at Asheville's Botanical Gardens Visitor Center, 151 W.T. Weaver Blvd. Following the presentation there will be a discussion period and following the meeting, there will be time for informal conversation. All are welcome! For more information contact: asheville@aeu.org, or (828) 687-7759.

Ethical Culture is a humanist, educational, philosophical, non-theistic alternative to traditional religions. It is affiliated with the American Ethical Union and the International Humanist and Ethical Union. Members are inspired by the ideal that the supreme aim of human life is working to create a more humane society. Their commitment is to the worth and dignity of the individual and to treating each human being so as to bring out the best in him or her.

WETS to Broadcast Amy Goodman's Talk at ETSU

2009-06-12T14:48:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, June 15, at 7:00 p.m., WETS-FM will broadcast the talk that Amy Goodman gave at ETSU's D.P. Culp Center Auditorium on Tuesday, April 7, to raise funds for the station. The presenter of Democracy Now! spoke before several hundred fans of the show, who packed the auditorium. She gave an energetic speech filled with insightful observations about the present conditions of the progressive movement in the United States, as well as about the importance of persisting through activism to ensure that change will remain on the agenda of the new Administration in Washington. Amy's original speech was over 100 minutes-long, but was edited to just under 60 minutes for brevity and to eliminate redundancies. So, if you missed Amy's speech, you can listen to it again on your radio or online, at the WETS-FM website, this coming Wednesday at 7:00 p.m.
.
.

How Did DN! Do in the Recent WETS Fundraiser?

2009-05-01T14:35:00.003-05:00

We received this message from Wayne Winkler, WETS Station Director, about the performance of Democracy Now! in the station's recent fundraiser. Long story short, there was a slight drop in fundraising support for the program, but it still generated better results than most hours on WETS. Read below for Wayne's message to the hundreds of DNTC friends and supporters in our area.

FIRST OF ALL, I WOULD like to thank everyone who came out to hear Amy Goodman on April 7 on the ETSU campus. We had a good house and it was a very interesting and inspiring lecture. Amy had insisted that her book tour for Standing Up to the Madness include a stop in Johnson City, due in large part to the strong support WETS has received for Democracy Now! For those of you who didn't have a chance to hear the lecture, WETS will air it in the very near future; check our website.

Several people have asked me how Democracy Now! did in our recent fundraising campaign. While the 6-7 p.m. hour is still one of our strongest in terms of fundraising, we did notice a slight drop in support during that hour. Since we reached our goal, there is the strong possibility that many who previously pledged during DN! were still supporting the station; they just didn't make their pledges between 6 and 7 p.m.

If there was a drop in support for DN! during our most recent campaign, it might be attributable to several factors. After four years on the air, many people may feel that DN! is a "safe" program, one that is not in danger of being eliminated from our broadcast schedule. The election in November may have reduced the sense of urgency associated with DN!'s broadcasts on WETS. Another possibility is that with a new president, many people no longer want to hear reports that are in any way critical of this administration. More than a few people decided for forgo a pledge in favor of buying a ticket to Amy Goodman's lecture. Last but certainly not least, the economy has many of us tightening our budget, reducing our financial support for things that are important to us.

These are just theories; it could well be that the spring fundraiser reflected a one-time drop in support (and again, I must stress that although there were fewer pledges made during Democracy Now! during this fundraiser, the program still generated better results than most hours on WETS).

As Amy Goodman pointed out in her lecture, a free, "unembedded" source of news is still vital to a democracy. Even those who believe that President Obama is putting this country on the right track should realize that a free press is our best guarantee that the county and the President hear voices and ideas that are not always represented in the corporate media. And whether we agree with the president or not, as Americans we should recognize the value of dissent, which is one of America's great freedoms, For much of the past eight years, as corporate media reported the administration's views without question, Democracy Now! was one of the few voices of dissent most of us were able to hear on a regular basis.

These are uncertain times and many of us have cut back on charitable giving. However, all of us together can insure the continuation of Democracy Now! on WETS. If you once gave $100, you can reduce that to $50 or $25. The amount of the individual gift is not important; what is important is that everyone who values Democracy Now! has a responsibility to help support it. Democracy Now! accepts no government funding and no corporate funding. The program is completely dependent of the support of listeners like you.

Thanks to everyone who participated in our recent fundraiser, If you have not yet made a pledge, you can do so online. All pledges received before June 30 will be added to our budget for Fiscal Year 2010, which begins July 1. Your support makes public radio possible.
Wayne Winkler, Director, WETS-FM
.
.

Two Regional Opportunities to Engage in Healthcare Reform

2009-04-10T15:38:00.003-05:00

The best chance in a generation to reform American healthcare is here, and local organizers are inviting you to be part of the change. On Saturday, April 18, Northeast State Community College (NSCC) in Blountville, TN, will host Tennessee Healthcare Campaign's regional conference. The conference is free and open to the public, and there is even free lunch for those who RSVP by emailing jmgarland50@yahoo.com or calling (423) 926-1219. There will be several talks by guest speakers and workshop discussions on local strategies for reform. Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. and the conference starts promptly at 10:00 a.m. For directions to NSCC click here. To download a .pdf flier for the event click here.

Another gathering to discuss healthcare reform will take place on Thursday, April 16 at the Oxbow Center in St. Paul, VA. The event, which will start at 6:30 p.m., is organized by the Virginia Organizing Project and the Appalachian Office for Justice and Peace. Both organizations invite community members to share their vision of health care reform in 2009, and they urge everyone in the area to come out and share their opinions with other Southwest Virginians and local decision makers. To download a .pdf flier for the event, click here. For more information about the St. Paul town hall meeting, contact Brian Johns at at 276 619-1920 or bjohns@virginia-organizing.org.
.
.

A Message to DNTC from Amy Goodman

2009-04-08T00:53:00.004-05:00

Following Amy Goodman’s talk at ETSU on April 7, 2009, DNTC asked the award-winning journalist for a brief message to DNTC members and supporters, who represent the committed organized listener base of Democracy Now! in our region. You can hear what she had to say by clicking below.

DNTC also caught up with Wayne Winkler, Managing Director of WETS FM, and asked him for a brief evaluation of four years of Democracy Now on WETS. Wayne also talked about what it means for the station to know that Democracy Now! is systematically promoted by an organized listener base in our region. You can hear Wayne's responses in the above audio report. Observers have described Democracy Now! as the media voice of the American progressive movement of today. If this is so, then Democracy Now Tri-Cities is placing our region on the progressive map. Thanks to everyone who supports this grass roots effort.
.
.

Amy Goodman's Talk in Johnson City a Great Success

2009-04-07T00:06:00.002-05:00

Even before Amy Goodman arrived at East Tennessee’s State University’s DP Culp center, on the evening of April 7, 2009, the organizers of her talk knew she would be exhausted. The presenter of Democracy Now! was in Florida early that morning, from where that day’s edition of Democracy Now! had been aired. She then flew to Asheville, NC, where she gave an early afternoon talk. Then she braved the snowstorm and drove, along with the show’s outreach director, Dennis Moynihan, to Johnson City, TN, for her scheduled fundraiser for WETS. This represents a typical day’s schedule for Amy, who is currently on a 70-city tour of the United States to promote the show and her new book, Standing Up to the Madness.

Along with its parent organization, Appalachian Peace Education Center, Democracy Now Tri-Cities staffed an information table at the event, which was attended by several hundred fans of the show. Amy delivered an energetic speech filled with insightful observations about the present conditions of the progressive movement in the United States, as well as about the importance of persisting through activism to ensure that change will remain on the agenda of the new Administration in Washington.

Following Amy’s talk, a few dozen people joined the Democracy Now presenter for a book signing reception, where she was literally overwhelmed with friends and supporters. DNTC had an interesting conversation with Democracy Now’s outreach director, Denis Moynihan, who essentially confirmed that it is much more beneficial for the program to receive listener funds channeled through local subscriber stations, such as WETS, rather than to receive listener funds directly.

Speaking to DNTC, Amy expressly thanked the show’s many supportive listeners in the Tri-Cities for putting Democracy Now! on the air and for keeping it there. She also promised to return to the region for another talk soon.
.
.

Calendar of Progressive-Interest Events (by county)

2009-04-06T17:49:00.000-05:00

DEMOCRACY NOW TRI-CITIES (DNTC) brings together the largest network of progressive organizations in northeast Tennessee, southwest Virginia, and northwest North Carolina. As a result, the DNTC calendar contains the most complete listing of progressive and progressive-interest events in the region. To submit a progressive event please click here.
REGION-WIDE EVENTS
07/07-08: TN Health Care Campaign action alert (Tennessee)

[TN] CARTER COUNTY
07/13: Roan Mountain Community Park monthly meeting (Elizabethton)

[TN] GREENE COUNTY
07/09: Film "Lincoln and Emancipation" (Greeneville)

[TN] JEFFERSON COUNTY
07/19-26: Seeds of Fire youth leadership camp (New Market)
08/07-09: Literacy and Social Change gathering (New Market)

[TN] SULLIVAN COUNTY
07/11: Democratic candidate forum (Piney Flats)
07/16: Martin Luther King Memorial Team meeting (Bristol)

[TN] WASHINGTON COUNTY
07/09: TN Equality Project Tri-Cities meeting (Johnson City)
07/10: A Tribute to Janis Joplin (Johnson City)
07/14-18: African Storyteller performances (Jonesborough)
07/16: PFLAG Tri-Cities meeting (Johnson City)
08/07: East TN Clean Fuels Coalition meeting (Johnson City)

[VA] WASHINGTON COUNTY
07/15: Film "Buying the War" (Abingdon)
07/25: Peace vigil to protest US wars (Abingdon)

[VA] WISE COUNTY
07/14: Clinch Coalition meeting (Tacoma)

[NC] BUNCOMBE COUNTY
07/16-19: Southern sustainability conference (Asheville)
07/19: Putting a Human Face on Homosexuality (Asheville)

[NC] WATAUGA COUNTY
07/09: Film "The Underground Orchestra" (Boone)
07/10: Patagonia's Environmental Film Festival (Boone)
07/23: Joan Baez concert (Boone)

WETS Joined by OK NPR Station in Airing DN! Daily

2009-04-03T00:40:00.000-05:00

For a long time we've been saying that WETS is the only NPR station in a traditionally red state that airs Democracy Now! on a daily basis. We are glad to point out that this is no longer the case. In February 2009, KCCU, a public radio station based in Lawton, in southwestern Oklahoma, became the first radio station in that state to air the program. To do so, the station took Day to Day off the air and replaced it with Democracy Now! Now every weekday, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., local listeners can hear Amy Goodman and her guests on the public airwaves. Way to go KCCU!
.
.

Amy Goodman Coming to the Tri-Cities!

2009-04-01T00:15:00.001-05:00

Amy Goodman, the host of Democracy Now!, will give a lecture at ETSU's D.P. Culp Center Auditorium on Tuesday, April 7, at 7 pm. Amy’s appearance in Johnson City is a benefit for WETS-FM. Tickets for the lecture are $10. Tickets for the after-lecture reception in the D.P. Culp Center's East Tennessee Room are $25. Tickets are available now at the WETS-FM studios —open this week between 7 am and 7 pm— and at the auditorium box office the night of the lecture; doors will open at 6 pm. Goodman founded the program Democracy Now! on New York’s WBAI-FM in 1996. Since then, Democracy Now! has been called "probably the most significant progressive news institution that has come around in some time" by professor and media critic Robert McChesney. The Los Angeles Times describes Goodman as "radio's voice of the disenfranchised left". Join us for an entertaining and enlightening evening with Amy Goodman on April 7. For more information contact DNTC, or WETS-FM.
.
.

Maya Angelou Comes to Mars Hill (Again)

2009-03-17T00:05:00.000-05:00

Mars Hill College in Mars Hill, Madison county, NC, has announced the return of Dr. Maya Angelou for an evening of wisdom through poetry and prose on April 16 in Moore Auditorium, beginning at 7:30 pm. Angelou captivated a crowd of approximately 1500 in November of 2006 when she spoke on the campus on the theme: “This Little Light of Mine.” Angelou told of her own life and the people whose shining lights pointed the way for her to overcome the challenges she faced, and pointed to examples of that light being reflected from unexpected places and people.

Tickets to the upcoming event at Mars Hill College will go on sale to the general public on April 1. Tickets are $35 each, and will be available through the college web site at and at the Mars Hill College Bookstore on Main Street in Mars Hill.

Seating will be open, not reserved, and seats may not be held or saved for groups. The auditorium will open for seating on April 16 at 6:30 p.m. Patrons are encourage to purchase tickets as soon as possible, since Angelou’s visit in 2006 was a sold-out event.

Dr. Maya Angelou is a remarkable Renaissance woman who is hailed as one of the great voices of contemporary literature. As a poet, educator, historian, best-selling author, actress, playwright, civil-rights activist, producer and director, she continues to travel the world, spreading her legendary wisdom. Within the rhythm of her poetry and elegance of her prose lies Angelou's unique power to help readers of every orientation span the lines of race and Angelou captivates audiences through the vigor and sheer beauty of her words and lyrics.
.
.

DNTC Parent Group Endorses Antiwar, Civil Disobedience Events

2009-02-28T23:42:00.003-05:00

DNTC's parent organization, the Appalachian Peace Education Center (APEC) is among the official endorsers of a talk by Justin Raimondo, Editorial Director of Antiwar.com, at East Tennessee State University's Culp Center Auditorium, on March 4. The talk will take place on the first floor of ETSU’s D.P. Culp Center at 6:00 p.m., and it is free and open to the public. Justin Raimondo, who writes the popular online column Behind the Headlines, will deliver a speech titled "Obama's Wars", in which he will detail the planned wars and interventionism of the Obama Administration. To view a flier for the event click here. APEC has also endorsed the Capitol Climate Action in Washington DC, scheduled to take place on March 2nd. At least two APEC members will be attending this event, which many environmental observers have described as potentially historic. On March 2, 2009, downtown Washington DC will be the site of the largest mass civil disobedience for the climate in American history. The action, which is expected to be joined by thousands of people in a multi-generational act of civil disobedience, will take place at the US Capitol Power Plant. This plant powers Congress with dirty energy and symbolizes “a past that cannot be our future”, the organizers say. For more information about the event, please visit the Capitol Climate Action website.
.
.

Campaign to Build Regional Rail Infrastructure Building Steam

2009-02-07T16:36:00.004-05:00

RAIL Solution’s campaign to get Congress to grant the money to build a "Steel Interstate" rail infrastructure and service in the 5-state I-81 Corridor is building up a head of steam. On January 27, the City of Bristol, Virginia, and Washington County supervisors joined those in Staunton and Rockbridge County by unanimously endorsing the RAIL Solution Resolution. The Resolution is on the agenda in a growing number of counties, cities, and towns.

The following senators and delegates signed our Endorsement petitioning Congress for a grant to build our Steel Interstate railroad: Sen. Creigh Deeds, Sen. John Edwards, Sen. Roscoe Reynolds, Sen. Phillip Puckett, Del. Ben Cline, Del. Onzlee Ware, Del. Morgan Griffith, Del. Jim Shuler, Del. Ann Crockett-Stark, Del. Charles Carrico, Del. Joe Johnson, Del. Dan Bowling, Del. Bud Phillips.

Missing from the above list are Sen. Wampler and Del. Kilgore. You can help by giving them a call in Richmond. Ask them to sign the RAIL Solution Endorsement petitioning Congress to build a Steel Interstate in the I-81 Corridor.

RAIL Solution organizers say they are very proud that the campaign is succeeding so beautifully after only three weeks, and they ask you to join them in this campaign that is nurtured by its grass roots. Anyone ready to help take this to the Abingdon, Damascus or Glade Spring town councils, please contact RAIL Solution by clicking here.

Group Organizes Gaza Peace Rally and Vigil

2009-01-24T20:59:00.004-05:00

In response to the recent atrocities in Gaza, concerned citizens of Johnson City are reaching out in solidarity to the victims of the attacks and to cry out for Justice and Peace for both Palestinians and Israelis. On Sunday (January 25) afternoon, at 3:30 pm at the Carver Recreation Center, a Vigil for Peace with representatives of all three Abrahamic faiths (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), each closely tied to the events in the Holy Land, will remember those who have died and those who continue to grieve and suffer in Gaza and Israel.

The purpose of this Vigil is to awaken our community to the situation in Israel/Palestine, to cry out for peace through equal justice for all, and build and strengthen bonds of friendship among our diverse communities here in Northeast Tennessee. Our vision is to heal and bridge our lives and communities and to recognize the value of every human life in all peoples and places.

Before the vigil, at 3:00pm there will be a Silent March for Peace from ETSU to the Carver Recreation Center where the vigil is to take place. Please gather in the ETSU parking lot across the street from McDonalds on University Parkway at 2:45pm before the march begins. The Vigil for Peace will commence at 3:30pm at Carver Recreation Center (322 W. Watauga Ave.), and will finalize by 4:30pm.

Following the Vigil, there will be a time of fellowship for all those in attendance. You are welcome and encouraged to bring a dish, snack or hors d'oeuvres to share if you wish. We cordially invite and welcome the entire community to this event. In this period of global uncertainty, we thank you for participating in this vision to bring lasting peace and hope to Palestine and Israel. Please contact RJ Powell at (804) 683-9589 or rjpowell [at] gmail [dot] com for more information or questions regarding this event.
.
.

Bristol MLK Memorial Team meeting in February

2009-01-22T22:38:00.001-05:00

Bristol’s Martin Luther King Street Renaming Team, the group that in 2007 led the renaming of Randall Street Expressway and part of Edgemont Avenue to Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, has changed its name to Martin Luther King Memorial Team (MLKMT). The team continues to meet on a monthly basis while preparing a community project addressing racism and injustice. The team will meet again on February 19, at 3:30 p.m., at the John Wesley United Methodist Church, which is located on 311 Lee St, Bristol, VA 24201. The team invites everyone who is concerned about issues of racism and injustice to attend the meeting. For more information about the MLKMT and its mission, contact DNTC. .
.
.

PFLAG Notes Upcoming Film With Local Connection

2009-01-16T20:52:00.001-05:00

This message is from Tri-Cities PFLAG President, Kerry Holland: On Saturday, January 24 at 9pm EST, the Lifetime Network will premiere Prayers for Bobby. This is the true story of Mary Griffith and her son, Bobby. Because of her religious beliefs, Mary is unable to accept it when Bobby comes out as a young, gay man. Mary's rejection and the rejection of the culture results in Bobby's suicide. This is the story of a parent who pays the price of losing her child to suicide before coming to realize how valuable her child was --gay or straight. When parents bring a child into this world, they typically do so with a promise in their hearts: to love and cherish their child. This promise should not be discarded when you realize your child is gay. Gay teens are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual peers. Suicide can often be prevented if the family is able to provide loving support of their gay teen. Suicide or other destructive behaviors are not caused by the gay identity of the adolescent - it is caused by the rejection by the culture and by those who are important in the life of the teen.

Prayers for Bobby will be rebroadcast on Sunday, January 25 at 8pm EST, and Tuesday, January 27 at 9pm EST. Prayers for Bobby also has a local connection. It will feature an original song written and performed by a former local resident, Megan McCormick. Megan is a former student in ETSU's Bluegrass Music program. She currently lives in Nashville and works as a professional musician.

PFLAG Tri-Cities (Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) is a local chapter of a national not for profit organization which provides support, education and advocacy for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community and their families and friends. We are here to help families come together and rally around each other in an oppressive society. Our meetings are held on the third Thursday of the month at 7pm on the campus of ETSU. I want to encourage parents to remember the promise you made to yourself and to your child when you brought him or her into this world...to love unconditionally. For teens who might be struggling, The Trevor Project is a free, confidential hotline available 24/7 for gay teens who might be considering suicide. The number is 1-866-4-U-Trevor. The phones are staffed by trained counselors who care and understand. Please, parents, do not make the same mistake Mary Griffith did.

VOP's Grass Roots Work Featured on NPR

2009-01-14T23:06:00.000-05:00

In 1995, when the Virginia Organizing Project was created, its grass roots campaigners could only dream that one day community organizing would become a successful part of any statewide campaign throughout the state of Virginia, not to mention a presidential election campaign. At the time, they were fighting a private prison in southwest Virginia, and were hopeful that others around the state would join in their cause. They stopped that private prison and have witnessed VOP’s incredible growth as a statewide group during the past decade and a half. On January 12, National Public Radio began a multi-part analysis of the impact of grassroots organizing on the Obama Administration by telling the story of the VOP. The piece is titled "Community Organizers Seek Unity, Leverage" and can be read and listened to here. For more information about the Virginia Organizing Project, visit their website.
.
.

"11th Hour" Documentary to be Shown in Gray

2009-01-12T22:58:00.002-05:00

The TriCities Voluntary Simplicity group will be hosting a showing of the film documentary The 11th Hour on January 21st at 7:00 p.m. in the main sanctuary of the Holston Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Gray, TN. Narrated, produced and spearheaded by Leonardo DiCaprio, this documentary about how humans have damaged the earth and what chance we still may have of reversing the destruction is hard to summarize, since it's a breathless amalgam of fact and opinion from dozens of experts and pundits. At fault is the overproduction of non-sustainable manufactures, the immense waste and destruction, and the sustaining (unsustainably) of vastly more people than the planet can support. Behind all this the primary cause is the fuels we use, petroleum being the primary one. Admission is free, and there will be refreshments and conversation afterwards. If you need more information, please contact Sam Jones at simpleintn@yahoo.com.
.
.

Local VOP Chapter to Meet

2009-01-11T21:04:00.002-05:00

The local chapter of the Virginia Organizing Project (VOP) will meet on Wednesday, February 4 at 7:00pm at the Washington County Public Library, 205 Oak Hill Street, Abingdon, VA. The Virginia Organizing Project (VOP) is a statewide grassroots organization dedicated to challenging injustice by empowering people in local communities to address issues that affect the quality of their lives. VOP especially encourages the participation of those who have traditionally had little or no voice in our society. By building relationships with individuals and groups throughout the state, VOP strives to get them to work together, democratically and non-violently, for change. For more information about the upcoming meeting contact VOP regional representative Brian Johns at (276) 619-1920.
.
.

ETSU Lecture to Focus on Applachian Healthcare Problems

2009-01-06T21:14:00.004-05:00

On January 20th, at 7:00pm, in the Grand Soldiers’ Ballroom of the Carnegie Hotel, Dr. David R. Williams (photo) will provide a special lecture titled “Building a Healthier America”. Dr. Williams is the Norman Professor of Public Health at the Harvard School of Public Health, and is serving as the Director for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Commission to Build a Healthier America. The Commission looks beyond the medical care system to investigate how factors such as education, environment, income, housing and personal health choices impact the health of all Americans and ultimately provide better opportunities for Americans in every community to grow up and stay healthy. The lecture will be followed by an extended question and answer period during which the Commission members hope to hear, from the audience, about issues of importance to the Appalachian region. In addition to several other members of the Commission staff, Dr. Williams will be joined by the Honorable William H. Frist, Former US Senate Majority Leader who is a member of the Commission. Dr. Williams lecture will be a part of a fact-finding visit to ETSU and to our region, that the Commission will be conducting on January 20th and 21st, to learn more about the distinct health challenges facing rural America. This is a unique opportunity to learn about, and participate in a national and comprehensive effort to better understand the health challenges that the United States faces. It is also a very important opportunity to assure that the perspectives of east Tennessee and central Appalachia, are reflected in the Commission’s work. The public is invited to attend this lecture and participate in this important dialogue. For more information, contact Dr. Randolph Wykoff, Dean of ETSU's College of Public Health, at (423) 439-4243.
[Thanks to D.S.R. for this report]
.

APEC Board of Directors to Meet

2009-01-04T21:04:00.001-05:00

The Board of Directors of the Appalachian Peace Education Center (APEC) will meet on Tuesday, January 13, at 7:00 p.m., in Abingdon. The meeting will take place at the Elderspirit Community common rooom in Abingdon, VA. To participate and to get involved with APEC, call (276) 944-5355. APEC is the Tri-Cities (TN/VA) region's most historic active citizens' group fighting for peace and social justice. You can contact the group by clicking here.
.

Nyumba Ya Tausi-Peacock museum opens Obama exhibit

2009-01-03T14:43:00.001-05:00

The NYUMBA YA TAUSI-Peacock Museum in Bristol, VA, will celebrate its annual KWANZAA with a President-Elect Barack Obama Exhibition. The exhibit opened Saturday, December 27, and will be available through January 31, 2009. The theme of the exhibit is “KWANZAA 08: The Obama Focus On The Seven Principles of Kwanzaa”. The Nguzo Saba (seven principles) are the foundation of the Kwanzaa celebration. They are: UMOJA (Unity); Kujichagulia (Self-determination); UJIMA (Collective Work and Responsibility); UJAMAA (Co-operative Economics); NIA (PURPOSE); KUUMBA (Creativity); IMANI (Faith).

A variety of the ’08 election paraphernalia, printed materials, African art and other related items are spotlighted in the exhibit. The exhibit is designed to enable the viewer to be the judge of the role of the “Seven Principles of Kwanzaa”, negative or positive, in Obama’s successful campaign to become the first African American President- Elect of the United States of America.; the role and impact of the more than 40 years tumultuous Civil Rights Movement on the campaign victory; the significance of race, economic and voting power, past, present, future; the effect of Obama’s victory on African-American in general and youth in particular; future expectations from the Obama legacy of change, faith and hope instead of hopelessness; and, the many other related new and never before real life concerns for all, black and white.

On exhibit also are items representing several other African American political campaigns and firsts, including the first African American Congresswoman; first Virginia Governor; first African American Mayor of New York; Jessie Jackson’s 1984 and 1988 presidential campaigns; and, Al Sharpton’s senatorial, mayoral and 2004 presidential campaign.

The museum is open on Saturday from 1-5 p.m. and during the week by appointment for a group of five or more. Admission is $5 for adults and $3 for children under twelve. For additional information please call Wilhelmina S. Banks at 276-669-4596.
.

APEC to Host 22nd Annual MLK Celebration

2008-12-30T23:52:00.001-05:00

APPALACHIAN PEACE EDUCATION CENTER (DNTC's parent organization) is pleased to announce its 22st Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. The Celebration will be held on Saturday, January 17th, with the march starting at 1:30 pm at Charles Wesley Methodist Church and the celebration starting at 2:00 pm at Abingdon United Methodist Church, at 101 East Main Street. Following the program, there will be a reception at the church's Fellowship Hall. For more information about the Celebration, please call Buckey Boone at 276-628-8446. To see a flyer with the program of events, please click here. Note that due to a scheduling conflict the celebration part of the event has been moved to Abingdon United Methodist Church, at 101 East Main Street. The march will still start at Charles Wesley Methodist Church at 1:30 p.m.
.

Group Working to Aid Victims of Kingston Disaster

2008-12-29T22:42:00.000-05:00

United Mountain Defense is a group of environmentalist volunteers who are currently doing humanitarian aid and water sampling to help the individuals affected by the Kingston, Tennessee fly ash breach. Like most nonprofit organizations they are in financial need at this time. But they are in greater need because they are in the middle of an environmental disaster. Please take some time to visit the following web page and this frequently updated blog as a first step in educating yourself about the true impacts of this disaster.

Please donate to help United Mountain Defense through paypal on their website, or send a check in the mail. They will put your money to good use, keeping their nonprofit operating, sampling water, taking video footage that regular media outlets will not provide, even handing out bottled water to the individuals in the area whose homes have been damaged or destroyed.

If you can watch videos on your computer, be sure to check out their blog where United Mountain defense posted ground footage of their canoe trips up the much polluted Emory River. If you have been following this story in the national and local news, you will notice that many facts are being omitted. One big example is that this water is not drinkable. The fish in it are dying. And pets are getting sick from exposure to the water and polluted fish. This story is vastly being unreported. Only a few independent news sources like Democracy Now!, have picked up on the magnitude of this fly ash spill.

Please remember TVA has not yet agreed to dispense bottled water to families that need it. United Mountain Defense workers have taken it upon themselves to disperse this water. If you can donate even five or ten dollars, it will help considerably. Remember that clean coal does not exist. No coal is clean coal. [thanks to DNTC member M.H.]
.

YWCA Bristol Accepting Tribute to Women Award Nominations

2008-12-28T22:51:00.000-05:00

YWCA Bristol TN/VA is accepting nominations for the 2009 Tribute to Women awards. Tribute to Women recognizes the contributions and achievements of outstanding women throughout the Tri-Cites. “Every day our region is impacted by the talent, dedication and hard work of exceptional women,” says Rebecca Duncan, chairwoman of the Tribute to Women Steering Committee. “This event allows the YWCA to recognize and honor their efforts.”

This year, 12 women will be chosen and honored at a banquet in April 2009. Nominees who have made significant contributions in the fields of art, business and professional, education and community service are sought for this prestigious award. Businesses, clubs, civic groups, churches, schools and corporations may nominate up to three women. The deadline for nominations is Feb. 16, 2009.

Tribute to Women serves as the largest fundraiser for the YWCA, allowing the organization to provide programs that make a difference in the lives of all ages – small children, young adults, middle-aged and the elderly. During the past 17 years, more than 1,200 women have been honored through a nomination for Tribute to Women, while more than $1.5 million has been raised to support the YWCA mission.

“YWCA Bristol is the only YWCA between Roanoke and Knoxville, and we want to recognize the accomplishments of women throughout our region,” says Kathy Waugh, executive director of YWCA Bristol. “This is the third year we are accepting nominations from throughout the Tri-Cities, and it has been very successful.”

The YWCA will provide nomination workshops throughout the Tri-Cities to assist with preparing nomination forms and to view videos of past award recipients. See the calendar on the right for dates of nomination workshops.
.