Education, Action and Witness

Monday May 3, 2004 Co-sponsored by First Unitarian Church of LA, Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE), Progressive Christians Uniting & Progressive Jewish Alliance Working Class Heroes: The State of American Labor – May Day 2004 7:00 PM First Unitarian Church, 2936 W. 8th Street Los Angeles (near 8th & Vermont, additional parking available at First Baptist Church across street) download a flyer

Speakers include

Rev. Ignacio Castuera
St. Johns United Methodist Church

Maria Elena Durazo
President, Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union, (HERE) Local 11

Suzi Weissmann
Saint Mary's College, Host of KPFK's "Beneath the Surface"

Kent Wong
Director, Center for Labor Research and Education, UCLA

And some real Working Class Heroes...
members of HERE Local 11

music by Fidel Sanchez

In order to support Clergy and Laity United for Economic Justice (CLUE) and their "Hungry for Justice" food bank for striking workers, ICUJP is asking people to bring at least one of the following items as a suggested donation:

Rice, Beans, Toothpaste, Diapers, Baby Formula, Laundry Detergent (in plastic containers)

Crisis on the Streets Summit

Presented by Center for Religion and Civic Culture at USC
Union Rescue Mission, California Council of Churches
Coalition to End Hunger and Homelessness

8:00 am- 12:00 pm

Davidson Conference Center
University of Southern California
directions

Key Note Speaker:

Antonio Villaraigosa

Panelists include:

Jeanette Rowe, L.A.H.S.A.

Paul Freese, Public Council

Sam Mistrano, S.C.A.N.P.H.

Kathy Cooper-Ledesma, California Council of Churches

Mark Casanova, Homeless Healthcare

Deirdre Skelton, School on Wheels

Kristin Ferguson PH.D, U.S.C. School of Social Work

Interfaith readings

Cathleen Ann Crayton
Regional Coordinator for Pax Christi, Southern California; Commissioner,
Office of Justice and Peace,
Archdiocese of Los Angeles

Canon Lydia Lopez
Associate for Communications and Public Affairs,
Episcopal Diocese of Southern California

Venerable Dr. Jongmae Park
Buddhist Director and Faculty Fellow at USC

Isha Saafir
Masjid Ibadallah and ILM Foundation

Swami Sarvadevananda
Minister of the Vedanta Society, Hollywood

Tobin Belzer, PhD.
Post-doctoral fellow at the Casden Institute for the Study of Jewish Role in American Life Center for Religion and Civic Culture at the USC

During the summit, we will unveil compelling findings from the CRCC gap analysis study, which focuses on the Skid Row area in downtown Los Angeles. This study confirms and quantifies the growing number of women and children in Skid Row. Further, the study reveals that there is a large gap between the needs and services available for these women and their children.

The summit will be held on Tuesday, May 4, 2004 from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm at USC Davidson Conference Center. There will be 2 moderated panel discussions which will address the issue of how the community can respond to the growing need. Together, homeless service providers; local governments; people who are/have experienced homelessness; Faith/Spiritual leaders and organizations, academic, business, advocates, and the philanthropic communities can combine efforts, resources, knowledge, and talents. We intend to not only address the findings but to define a solution together to create integrated, powerful, and effective strategies. Your participation will be a valuable part of this dialogue.

Summit seating is limited so please register today by calling (213) 740-8562 or visit www.usc.edu/crcc

Thursday, May 6, 2004

ICUJP Preaching Peace Luncheon

Speaker:
Rabbi Leonard Beerman
Founding Rabbi, Leo Baeck Temple

Respondants:
Imam Saadiq Saafir
Masjid Ibaadillah

Rev. Dr. James E. Brenneman
Pasadena Mennonite Church

12:00 Noon to 2:00 pm
download a flyer

LIMITED SEATS AVAILABLE
please RSVP to:
626 683 9004
or email
icujp@pacbell.net

Lunch: Kosher, Vegetarian
Cost: We request a donation of $10.00
Sponsored lunches available

About ICUJP Preaching Peace Luncheons
Preaching Peace Luncheons provide an opportunity for interfaith dialogue around the challenges of preaching, teaching and engaging congregations and religious communities in the work of peace and justice.

Friday and Saturday
May 14 -15, 2004

Creating a Culture of Ahimsa:
Visions and Strategies
Inaugural Conference

Friday May 14:
9:00 am to 6:30 pm

Saturday May 15:
8:30 am to 8:30 pm

California State Polytechnic University
3801 West Temple Avenue
Pomona
directions

see icujp.org calendar for full list of Speakers and Panelists

The Ahimsa Center conferences will be dedicated to experiments and innovations in Ahimsa (nonviolence). In our inaugural conference we will focus on Visions and Strategies for Creating a Culture of Ahimsa.

The Conference will:

Help us see the depth and destructiveness of violence. Violence is so pervasive, and yet so invisible—and hence so corrosive.

Make us aware of the constructive power of nonviolence and its practical significance in social, political and ecological contexts. Nonviolence is often misunderstood and hence assumed to be of little practical significance.

Engage us in building communities of ahimsaks (people committed to ahimsa). Individual as well as social transformation is critical to the creation of a culture of ahimsa.

Teach the meaning and significance of the culture of ahimsa

Investigate the role of education, training and networking in fostering respect and care for all life forms

Illuminate the role of compassion, civility, forgiveness, courage and justice in creating a culture of ahimsa

Explore individual and community level experiments and innovations in the culture of ahimsa

More information:
please contact Professor Tara Sethia at (909) 869 3868
tsethia@csupomona.edu

Saturday May 15, 2004

A Budget Issues Workshop for People of Faith

featuring

Jean Ross
Executive Director, California Budget Project

Sen. Richard Alarcon
Chair, Joint Legislative Committee on Ending Poverty

Elizabeth Shoals
Public Policy Director, California Church IMPACT

8:30 am - 12:30 pm

First AME Church
2720 S. Harvard Blvd.
Los Angeles
(from 10 fwy., exit on Western, south to Adams, left to La Salle, left to 25th St., left to Harvard)
directions

Suggested donation: $10.00 (no one turned away)

More information:
Rev. Kathy Cooper-Ledesma 323 256-3162 or email kathy@calchurches.org

Saturday May 15, 2004

Peace of Music
1st Annual Culver City High School Peace Concert

5:00 pm - 10:00 pm
tickets: $10.00 adults, 5:00 students (children under 12 free)

Robert Frost Auditorium
Culver City High School
4401 Elenda Street
Culver City
directions

featuring:
Frieden (student rock band)
Los Angeles Peace Chorus (interfaith choral)
KO (inspirational pop)
Breathable Kingdom (funky world fusion)
Brazilian Jazz
Yuval Ron Ensemble (mystical Middle Eastern)

Join the students of Culver city High School as they present an evening of music and entertainment celebrating peace, culture,and education. The concert will showcase a variety of cross-cultural rhythms and styles by diverse artists. Music will include talented choral arrangements, pop fusion, indigenous sound, Brazilian classics and sacred musical traditions. Come together for a truly inspirational event!

poster design by Monica Leon

We invite you to join us every Friday morning at 7:00 am at Immanuel Presbyterian Church, 3330 Wilshire Blvd at Berendo when we meet for reflection, education and planning. For study guides and further information please see the ICUJP website at www.icujp.org
or phone (626) 683-9004.

Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace (ICUJP) c/o the Regas Institute, 215 North Marengo, Third Floor Pasadena, CA 91101 USA tel.: (626) 683-9004 • fax: (626) 683-9485 http://icujp.org email: icujp@pacbell.net (coordinator) webmanager@icujp.org (web and email)