On Wed., May 12, speaker Norman Finkelstein is joined by Lowkey, Hip Hop artist from the U.K., and Jody McIntyre, international solidarity activist.

5:00 p.m. Fundraising reception at SOIF Wine Bar, 105 Walnut Ave. $100 includes a light dinner, wine, reserved seats at the 7:00 p.m. program and a copy of Finkelstein’s latest book, “ This Time We Went Too Far: Truth & Consequences of the Gaza Invasion.” 1/2 of proceeds benefit the Middle East Children’s Alliance’s “Let the Children Play and Heal” in Gaza.

7:00 p.m. Program at the United Methodist Church, 250 California St., S.C. Under 18 free. $5-$20 suggested sliding-scale donation.  $10 reserved seating tickets available.  1/2 of proceeds benefit the Middle East Children’s Alliance’s “Let the Children Play and Heal” in Gaza.

8:00 p.m. Kresge Town Hall, UCSC, FREE.

Finkelstein is author of “Beyond Chutzpah,” “The Holocaust Industry,” “Image and Reality of the Israeli Palestinian Conflict,” and his latest “This Time We Went Too Far.” Finkelstein was denied tenure at DePaul University following a campaign by pro-Israeli forces headed by Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz to overturn departmental recommendation of approval. In 2006 local religious leaders and the daily newspaper unsuccessfully attempted to force cancellation of his visit to Santa Cruz. This year his detractors will organize competing events to draw attention from Finkelstein’s visit in Santa Cruz. Support the right of Americans to a robust discussion of critical foreign policy and human rights issues.  l/2 of the proceeds from the two events downtown (not the UCSC event) will benefit the Middle East Children Alliance’s “Let the Children Play and Heal,” a program that is giving tens of thousands of children and youth opportunities to express themselves though art, dance, music, story-telling, theatre and puppetry; to get support from the larger community; and to have fun and just be children. The visit by Norman Finkelstein, Lowkey and Jody McIntyre iscosponsored by the Middle East Program of the Resource Center for Nonviolence, the Palestine Israel Action Committee, and the Committee for justice for Palestine, UCSC. www.normanfinkelstein.com

Santurday, May 1 (International Workers Day) 10:00 a.m. at the RCNV back parking lot. This is a community meeting for in-home caregivers, along with care recipients and community allies, to strategize a defense for life-line services.

The Governor has proposed cuts to in-home care which would result in over 2,000 S.C. Co. seniors and disabled people losing care and over 1,700 county caregivers losing their jobs.

For more information, contact Erik Larsen, Organizer for SEIU-United Long Term Care Workers (831) 206-4914 or erikl@seiu-ultew.org.

Tuesday, April 27, 7:00 p.m. at the Resource Center for Nonviolence
Sandino Gomez is just back from Nicaragua where he met with community leaders. He will show photos and discuss Nicaragua under the FSLN (Sandinistas) of Pres. Daniel Ortega. Successes and contradictions abound in this complicated country with a fascinating history and a warm welcoming people. Sandino coordinates the Youth Empowerment Program for RCNV He is active in the Watsonville Brown Berets and a DJ on Free Radio Santa Cruz. Suggested donation $5-$15, no one turned away for lack of funds. For more information call 831-423-1626.

The Santa Cruz Chapter of the ACLU presents:
$100 A Day -A Film Showing and Panel Discussion
Thursday, April 22, 2010  - 7pm
Santa Cruz Police Community Room
155 Center St., Santa Cruz
On December 10, 1991, East Palo Alto resident Rick Walker was convicted of a murder he did not commit. Linked to the crime by false testimony and questionable legal tactics, Walker would spend the next 12 years of his life in some of California’s most dangerous prisons. Once exonerated, he would face yet another barrier to justice: the California State legislature.

Entitled to one hundred dollars for every day spent falsely imprisoned, Walker’s attempts to receive his just due became caught in the partisan battle over the 2003 budget.

Friday, Jan. 29th, 7 – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, Jan. 30th, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Sunday, Jan. 31st, 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Participants must commit to attend entire workshop.
$50 deposit required, nonrefundable after Jan. 15, 2010.

Sponsored by the Coalition to Overcome Racism and facilitated by the Peoples Institute for Survival and Beyond, the workshop moves beyond a focus on the symptoms of racism to an understanding of what it is, where it comes from, how it functions, why it persists and how it can be undone. The core of the workshop’s systemic approach emphasizes learning from history, developing leadership, maintaining accountability to communities, creating networks, undoing internalized racial oppression and understanding the role of organizational gatekeeping as a mechanism for perpetuating racism.

$180 early registration, $200 after Jan. 4th. Some scholarships available. We are reserving space for students at half price – $100 – scholarships are available.

Contact Barbara Hayes for registration forms and info, at 423-1626 X105 or barbara@greybird.com.