"The Homeboys" and the IMANI Theatre Ensemble recover the true definition of “reality show
A troop of young actors, led by director Michael A.A. Yawn, examine the repercussions of gang life in "The Homeboys", a play set in Rochester that raises issues that play out on our streets today.
Farmworkers March for Justice
Ongoing accounts and photographs of the 10 day, 200 mile Farmworkers March for Justice across Upstate NY.
On Friday night, we gathered at St. Michael’s Church in Rochester for a send-off rally and dinner in support of the march. About 400 people came to express their solidarity with the Justice for Farmworkers Campaign and wish us well on our journey to Albany.
Welcome to the new Rochester Indymedia site
As I am sure you have noticed we have, once again, updated our website. Hopefully you will find the new page much easier to use then before. This is the first in a multi-step process to improve our site. This upgrade is less focused on the design and more of a feature upgrade. Expect a cosmetic redesign in the coming months. With that in mind, I wanted to take a minute to go through some of the new features.
"Eight hours shall constitute a legal day's labor from and after May 1st, 1886" -- American Federation of Labor Resolution, 1886
International Worker's Day is celebrated on the first of May. Although the holiday began in the United States in 1886, and is observed worldwide there is little official celebration here in the U.S. The day commemorates the execution of five anarchist trade union organizers by the state of Illinois. The United States Government named Labor Day in September to distance the holiday from its militant roots.
Community Members Speak out at the City School Budget Hearings
Concerned citizens packed into the East High School auditorium last Thursday to voice their concerns about the school budget recommendations for 2004-2005. More than 50 people spoke at the two-hour long hearing, expressing unanimous disapproval of the proposed closing of schools and reorganization of school programs. Strong concerns were raised about the lack of transparency and community involvement in the school budget process. Rochester IMC report, Community Comments at the Hearing.
Rochester Indymedia Launches Monthly Video Screenings
Why does the media hire generals to discuss the war in Iraq but not the doctors treating the wounded, nor historians and peace activists in order to give a full perspective on such a traumatic event? How else will people fully understand the complexity of the important issues of today unless they are given balanced viewpoints from a variety of sources?
These are just some of the questions raised by Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! in the video Independent Media in a Time of War. The video was screened by Rochester Independent Media to open the first in their monthly series of free video screenings and public discussions on issues on modern media.
Entire Story
Audio Interview Clips: "Cracking the Silence"
Poor People United Holds Talk by Welfare Rights Leader
Poor People United (PPU) hosted a talk by Willie Baptist and Mary Bricker- Jenkins of the Kensington Welfare Rights Union (KWRU) last Friday evening. The event, at 152 Baden Street, was the result of weeks of outreach work and planning by PPU. To visually reinforce themes of the talk, clotheslines were stretched across the gym holding dozens of T-shirts covered with handwritten stories of American poverty.
The Weekly Best of Worldwide Indymedia
[April 21] Each week, a regular contributor to Portland IMC publishes a conglomeration of stories from around the IMC network. The stories focus on resistance, community building, hope, and tactics; as an attempt to show readers that these things do exist in the world. And to help break people out of the small space of convenience and illusion that has enveloped many in industrialized nations, and look out into the world. Hopefully every week these stories will help raise awareness and hope that a different world is possible and we are the ones that will fight for it...and eventually win.
Amy Goodman on the Task of Authentic Journalism: “Going to Where the Silence Is”
Amy Goodman, executive producer and co-host of Democracy Now! , opened her talk Monday, April 5th, at Syracuse’s Le Moyne College with the topic of peacemaking. “I consider it a sacred mission to be talking about peace and the possibility of the media promoting peace, unusual in this country, in this day and age.” The theme of peacemaking was in keeping with the 4th annual Daniel Berrigan International House Peacemaker lecture. The International House, co-founded by renowned peace activist Daniel Berrigan, hosts this event in an effort to keep “important justice issues in the forefront of the entire Le Moyne community and serve as a catalyst for action.”
Read More
Interview with Amy Goodman
Metro Justice is currently running a campaign to get Democracy Now! On the airwaves in the Rochester, NY area. To get involved call 585-325-2560.
Amy Goodman’s talk at Le Moyne and her interview with Rochester Indymedia will be featured on the TV Dinner show on RCTV (Ch 15)in the coming weeks, check the IMC Calendar for TV Dinner schedule.
9/11 Commission Avoids the Hard Questions
[April 7, 2004] The 9/11 Commission, reluctantly agreed to by President Bush, is a bipartisan committee designed to protect the Republican and Democrats, not find the truth. Many key questions about 9/11 are not being asked as National Security Advisor Rice is finally about to answer questions under oath.
Last week the National Commission on Terrorists Attacks Upon the United States held its eighth public hearing. Two and one half years after 3,000 people were killed in the World Trade Center in New York City, not only do most questions remained unanswered about 9/11, they remain unasked.