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Conference

MOVE THE OFFICE??
yikes!!!
Our great office space, which is rented to us for $100/month, may have run it's course. CCS will be remodeling the entire house for another use. It's great for them - but leaves us without an office. Can you HELP?
Please call the office [733-2233] or speak with a board member if you have any leads for a donated or very inexpensive office space for WHRTF.
Present Location: Indian Street, Bellingham

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Ferndale Diversity Coalition Meeting
2nd Monday and 4th Wednesday of each month
7:00 pm
Location: Ferndale City Hall Annex
5694 Second Avenue
Ferndale, WA

World Events Forum at Fairhaven College
November 7 - Wednesday - noon to 1pm
Dr. Bilal Hashmi will speak on The Taliban.
Dr. Hashmi is a visiting sociology professor at WWU and an expert in the areas of Middle East and South Central Asia. He is an expert on nationality issues, race and ethnic relations, and Islam and the Islamic World. He has taught development and organizational behavior in a number of countries including Russia (USSR), the Ukraine, People's Republic of China, Ghana (West Africa), Mexico, Canada and the United States. He has received Fulbright Fellowships to study nationality issues and population in Thailand, Egypt, Jordan, India and Pakistan. He is retired faculty emeritus at Eastern Washington University.
Location: Fairhaven College auditorium
Western Washington University

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YWCA Middle East Forum Series
November 9 -Friday
"Understanding the Middle East" -follow up to the November 1st Middle East forum.
Location: YWCA
1026 North Forest
Bellingham, WA

Documentary film, 1st for WAM
November 9 - Friday, 6:30 pm
The Western Antiwar Movement presents a free screening of the Academy Award-winning documentary "THE PANAMA DECEPTION"
The film will be followed by a discussion of what we can learn from the conduct of the government and media during the Panama invasion, and how it can help us interpret the current war on Afghanistan.
This is WAM's first big public event --please come, bring your friends and share your comments after the film!
Location: Western Washington University
Building Fraser Hall 2

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Community Bridges potluck dinner
November 11 - Sunday - 6 pm
Potluck dinner sunday night with Sikh and Islamic commmunities.
more info: lisamariefox@hotmail.com
Location: Faith Lutheran Church ( same place as this year's awards banquet)
Northwest and McLeod Roads
Bellingham

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Western Washington Univesity - Day of Reflection
The Middle East: Up Close and Personal
November 12 - Monday - noon to 7pm
Noon-1:30 p.m.
In conjunction with Western's day of reflection, a panel of faculty, students and community members share their personal experience and academic expertise on the Middle East and South Asia. Free
Location: Fraser Hall 2
(360) 650-7545

2-3:15 p.m.
Responding to Crisis on the Homefront
As a part of Western's day of reflection, community and emergency management experts discuss how the local community is responding, and preparing to respond, to concerns about safety. Free
Location: Fraser Hall 2
(360) 650-7545

3:30-5 p.m.
Is Peace Possible?
A panel looks at war and peace, historically and in the current context as a part of Western's day of reflection. Free
Location: Fraser Hall 2
(360) 650-7545

5:15pm Reception in PAC lobby
6 p.m. - lecture
Turning Points Lecture: "American Resiliency After Sept. 11"
The community is invited to attend psychology professor David Sattler's Turning Points Faculty Lecture on coping and resiliency after the Sept. 11 attacks.
A reception will be held at 5:15 p.m. in the PAC lobby. Sattler will present his new research that indicates that a strong majority of college students say they have reprioritized their lives and are exhibiting positive signs of coping and resiliency since Sept. 11. Sattler and two graduate students surveyed college students at Western, in New York, Colorado and South Carolina in early October.
Free
Location:Performing Arts Center Concert Hall
Parking: 11G, 25G & 14G
(360) 650-7545

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Extra WHRTF Board Meeting
November 14 - Wednesday - 6 pm
Walter Atkinson, Conciliation Specialist from the U.S. Department of Justice (Community Relations Service) is meeting with the board tonight.
Location: WHRTF Office

Unitarians and Spectrum sponsor event
November 15 - Thursday - 7 pm
"Peacemaking in the midst of Terrorism"
"How Can We Create Peace?"
This is the first of a six-month series!
The Socal Justice Committee of Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship and Spectrum are co-sponsoring this event at no cost. This is a follow up to the October 31st event " Give me Liberty or give me Anti-Terrorist Legislation -- a discussion".
Panel presentations:
Barbara Zine Rofkar, Cultural Anthropologist, Fairhaven College, WWU;
Dr. Bilal Hashmi, Visiting Professor, WWU and Fulbright Scholar;
Harmit Gill,; Sikh Gudwara Representative (also WWU student)
Marion Robinson, Executive Director, Fraser Basin Council, BC, Canada
(invited)
representative of a Canadian international cultural organization; Rev. Alfred Dale, Peace w/Justice Educator, Global Ministries, UMC (Retired)

BACKGROUND: This program is a merger of two activities from two groups who decided to co-sponsor this Forum. Each group proposed programs on the theme of this world issue after the tragedy of September 11th.
-- the Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship's congregational Social-Justice program for this semester ("Peacemaking in the Midst of Terrorism") and
-- the civic-political group "Spectrum", which has been active in Whatcom community issues.

The Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship (BUF) is a welcoming and diverse community of individuals and families. Through fellowship, worship and service, we nurture the personal, spiritual and intellectual development of our growing congregation and promote respect and compassionate action for all people and our interdependent world. BUF is an affiliated congregation of the Unitarian Universalist Association, and welcomes all who come in the spirit of good will.

Spectrum believes that public participation is the foundation of democracy. Our goal is to engage people in self-government and community action. We work to creat opportunities where people can freely and openly debate issues, discuss events and obtain information connecting the governed to government.

Location: Unitarian Fellowhsip Hall
1708 - "I" Street
Bellingham, WA

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YWCA Middle East Forum Series
November 16 - Friday
"Racism, Anti-Semitism and Anti-Arab Prejudice"
Location: YWCA
1026 North Forest, Bellingham, WA

WALK AND RALLY FOR GLOBAL PEACE AND JUSTICE
a mass demonstration in Vancouver, British Columbia
Saturday - November 17, 11 a.m -2pm
In support of the "September 11th Peace Coalition Cross Canada Day of Non-Violent Action for Global Peace and Justice".
Meet at Peace Flame Park - 11am
walk to Vancouver Art Gallery- 12:00 noon
rally at North end of Vancouver Art Gallery - 1:00 p.m.
more information about the rally contact:
End the Arms Race at (604) 687-3223
Location:Meet at Peace Flame Park(south end of the Burrard Street Bridge), Vancouver,B.C.

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(Washington, D.C.) press release
Nov. 21, 2001
Contact: Liz Hill (202) 466-7767

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) - the country's oldest, largest and most representative national American Indian and Alaska Native organization - will hold its 58th Annual Session Sunday, Nov. 25 through Friday, Nov. 30 at the Spokane Center (334 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.), Spokane, Wash.
The theme of this year's meeting is "Reflecting Our Traditional Ways in a Modern World." General assemblies will begin at 8:30 a.m. each day. The Annual Session will end at noon on Friday, Nov. 30.
This year's meeting will be the organization's most well attended in its 58-year history, with more than 2,500 American Indians expected at the week-long gathering.

Speakers include:
Washington State Governor Gary Locke
U.S. Department of Interior Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Neal McCaleb;
U.S. Department of Interior Deputy Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs, J. Steve Griles
Alaska State Governor Tony Knowles;
Oklahoma State Senator Enoch Kelly Haney

"The last NCAI Annual Session was held during the tenure of Quinault Tribal leader Joseph DeLaCruz, who was NCAI President back in 1984 - NCAI lost a great leader when Mr. DeLaCruz passed away last year," said NCAI President Susan Masten, who also is Chairwoman of the Yurok (Calif.) Tribe."In honor of his memory, I encourage everyone who attends this meeting to hold themselves to the standards he represented in spirit and deed for the advancement of NCAI and for all of Indian Country. We welcome the opportunity to host the NCAI 58th Annual Session," said NCAI Portland Area Vice-President and Chairman of the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, Ernest Stensgar."The theme of this year's meeting captures what many Tribes in the Northwest and across the country are facing - we must recognize that our past provides many answers as we face the challenges of the future."

The annual session will focus on important issues affecting American Indian Tribes and people, including: trust reform; protection of sovereignty; economic development in Indian Country; health, including HIV/AIDS; land; housing; energy; welfare reform; alcohol and substance abuse; repatriation and protection of sacred sites; telecommunications needs; and many other topics.

The NCAI Youth Commission, a national group comprised of Native high school and college students with interest in political science, Tribal government and Native American legislative and government affairs also will meet during the week. The young people will discuss a variety of issues of concern to Native youth.

Five members of the United States Congress:
Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-Hawaii)
Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.)
Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.)
Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.)
Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) ,
will be in Spokane for only a brief period of time before they need to report back to Washington, D.C., will deliver remarks on Monday., Nov. 26, from 9:05-10:30 a.m. in the General Assembly Hall.

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Special events taking place throughout the week include
* "Welcome Reception" (Sunday, Nov. 25, 6-8 p.m. at the Doubletree Hotel (322 N. Spokane Falls Court) hosted by the Tulalip Tribes;
* "Miss NCAI Pageant" (Monday, Nov. 26, 7-10 p.m., Spokane Center);
* Elders Honoring Luncheon which will honor long time former Chairwoman of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Kathryn Harrison (Wednesday, Nov. 28, noon-1 p.m., Spokane Center)
* Cultural Celebration hosted by the Coeur d'Alene Tribe (Wednesday, Nov. 28, 7-10:30 p.m. at the Tribe's Powwow Grounds in nearby Plummer, Idaho).

NCAI's Gala Banquet will take place on Thursday, Nov., 29, beginning at 7:30 p.m. The keynote address will be delivered by long-time Native rights advocate and lawyer Frank Ducheneaux. Native comedian Drew LaCapa will provide entertainment. LaCapa, who is Hopi, Tewa and Apache, is one the country's rising stars in the world of comedy. One-hundred-and-fifty exhibitors will display and sell American Indian arts, crafts and other products in the Spokane Center's Exhibitor Hall. The Hall is open to the public Monday, Nov. 26 through Thursday, Nov. 29, 9 a.m.-5 p.m., and Friday, Nov. 30, 9 a.m.-noon.
An agenda and other information about the Annual Session is available at www.ncai.org.

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WHRTF Monthly Film Series
November 29 - Thursday - 7-9 pm
Film: HATE.COM - EXTREMISTS ON THE INTERNET
with guest speaker: Paul de Armond

"This chilling program, narrated by the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Morris Dees, addresses the use of the Internet to spread messages of hate and violence."

This powerful film informs its audience about the dangers of being passive receivers of information on the web. Groups are using the net to reach our children with their hateful messages. White supremacy organizations advertise their extreme ideologies on their various web pages.

Discussion follows the film.
We are pleased to have Paul de Armond as a guest speaker. Mr. de Armond is nationally recognized published researcher of the far right. He is a recipient of WHRTF's 2001 Human Rights Award.

Be an educated user of the Internet. Don’t allow your child to learn their values or morals from these radical groups…come learn about what the web is teaching its viewers. * NOTE: (This video contains inflammatory language and imagery. Not suggested for young audiences)

Anyone interested in supporting human rights is welcome at this free event.
Childcare and snacks are provided
Sponsored again this month by Village Books and the Communication Class 297 from WWU.
More info: Call Robin Elwood, WHRTF office 733-2233
Location: Bellingham Public Library
downstairs lecture room
210 Central, Bellingham, WA

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Northwest Native American Community Symposium on Environmental Justice and Peace and the Justice Concert
December 2 - Sunday, 12:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Seattle University- Pigott Auditorium
Northwest Native American Community Symposium on Environmental Justice

Symposium and Speakers: 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm
The Indigenous Environmental Network is organizing the event which is open to tribal officials, tribal leaders and members, and anyone interested in environmental justice issues.
Local and national speakers:
- Yalonda Sindè, Community Coalition for Environmental Justice
- Daniel Morfin, Washington Farmworkers Union
- Tom Goldtooth, Indigenous Environmental Network TBA, Southwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice
Justice Benefit Concert: 7:30 pm - 11:00 pm
Tickets $8-12
(Sliding scale at the door- Pigott Auditorium)
For the Northwest Network for Environmental and Economic Justice
Performances by:
- Mary McQuillan (Makah)
- Storyteller Rudy Vendiola (Swinomish)
- Coast Salish Song & Drum Jah Breeze & Nyabinghi
- West African Tulalip Prevention Program Youth
- Hip Hop Tim McHugh & the Lost Poets
- Acoustic Rock Peru Kulpa (Andean)
- Traditional Peruvian Songs
And more multi-cultural performances...
For more information on symposium or concert:
Shelly Vendiola (IEN): 360 202-5610, website www.ienearth.org - email Msvendiola@earthlink.net
Matt Remle (CCEJ): 206 720-0285, website www.ccej.org , email justice@ccej.org
Location: Seattle University
Directions to campus: www.law.seattleu.edu/welcome/contact.asp members?

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YWCA Middle East Forum Series
December 7 - Friday
"Islamic Fundamentalism"
Location: YWCA
1026 North Forest
Bellingham, WA

YWCA Middle East Forum Series
December 14 - Friday
"U.S. Policy towards Israel: Past, Present and Future"
Speaker: Rabbi Yossi Leibowitz from our local Beth Israel synagogue.
Location: YWCA
1026 North Forest
Bellingham, WA

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