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A Call to Men: A Great Resource from Prevent Connect Conference

Way back in the year 2000, I met Edmund O'Sullivan, a important scholar and writer of Transformative Education and an early supporter of the Earth Charter. Edmund believes that one of the first efforts in our survival on earth is that men aplogize to women for violence. From ProjectConnect, this is an excellent effort to do that and to work more together, men and women, for the good of the earth and all. --NP

	NEWSLETTER   /   November 12, 2009
	In this issue of the PreventConnect Newsletter, we are pleased to share presentations from: STAND UP SPEAK OUT A CALL TO MEN 4th National Conference Held on May 21st and 22nd, 2009 at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York, NY Conference Agenda    Day One Recordings    Day Two Recordings Musical Performances    Photo Gallery    Video Gallery
	Recorded on May 21, 2009
	Welcoming Remarks
Gwen Wright	Welcoming remarks for the conference were given by: Gwen Wright, A CALL TO MEN Board President and Director of Training and Policy Development for the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence; Juan Ramos, A CALL TO MEN Core Trainer and Senior Director of Safe Horizon's Domestic Violence Accountability Program; and Bea Hanson, Chief Program Officer at Safe Horizon. (5 min) Remarks by Juan Ramos and Gwen Wright (10 min) Remarks by Bea Hanson and Gwen Wright Juan Ramos Bea Hanson
	The Role Men Play in Efforts to End Violence Against Women
Rita Smith	The first keynote address at the conference was presented by Rita Smith, Executive Director of the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence. In her address, she discusses the important role that men must play in ending violence against women. (21 min) Address by Rita Smith
	The Socialization of Men
Tony Porter	The second and third keynotes of the conference were given by: Tony Porter, author, activist and Co-Founder of A CALL TO MEN; and Paul Kivel, author, activist and violence prevention educator. These two national leaders discussed many of the cultural norms that define manhood. They set the stage for the important work that well-meaning men must do to become part of the solution to ending violence against women. (30 min) Address by Tony Porter (31 min) Address by Paul Kivel Paul Kivel
	Standing Up and Speaking Out Through Athletics
Joe Ehrmann	This presentation was given by Joe Ehrmann, coach, lecturer and President of Coach for America and Building Men and Women for Others. In this presentation, Coach Ehrmann discusses the influence of sports in the construction of masculinity and the role of athletes in the prevention of violence against women. (23 min) Presentation by Joe Ehrmann
	Standing Up and Speaking Out Through Community Organizing
Ulester Douglas	This discussion reflects on participants' experience with the Training Institute for Mobilizing Men (TIMM) project, a collaboration of A CALL TO MEN, Men Stopping Violence, several state coalitions and community partners. (85 min) TIMM Project Discussion led by Ulester Douglas Porter, Matsuchita, Tramel, Lomax, Nash, Lemmer This innovative group of community organizers included: Tony Porter, A CALL TO MEN; Jeff Matsushita, Idaho Coalition Against Sexual and Domestic Violence; John Tramel, Men Stopping Violence; David Lomax, Youngstown Police Department; Valerie Nash, Wisconsin Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and Tammy Lemmer, Michigan Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence. The discussion was led by Ulester Douglas of Men Stopping Violence.
	Recorded on May 22, 2009
	Opening Remarks
Quincy Lucas	Opening remarks for the second day of the conference were provided by: Lee Brathwaite, Vice President of Real Estate for Verizon Services Operations; and Quincy Lucas, a national advocate against domestic violence and founder of Witney's Lights, Inc. (12 min) Remarks by Lee Brathwaite (10 min) Remarks by Quincy Lucas
	Greeting and Comments
Eve Ensler	The second day of the conference was also greeted by Eve Ensler, playwright, performer, activist, author of the Vagina Monologues, and founder of V-Day, a global movement to stop violence against women and girls. Her comments provide a global perspective on the movement to end violence against women — in particular, systematic sexual violence against women in the Congo. (29 min) Greeting by Eve Ensler
	Standing Up and Speaking Out Through the Arts
Vanessa Williams	This greeting and dramatic performance was given by actress, writer and director Vanessa Williams. She discusses her role as an artist in violence against women prevention work and performs a personal monologue about her experiences growing up in a "Man's World." (26 min) Performance by Vanessa Williams
	Men As Allies
Desiree Allen Cruz	This is a discussion between national leaders in the movement to end violence against women. It highlights the challenges, concerns, accomplishments and hopes for engaging men as allies in ending violence against women. Participants in this discussion include: Bea Hanson, Chief Program Officer at Safe Horizon; Nana Fosu-Randall, President and Founder of Voices of African Mothers; Katie Gentile, Associate Professor and Director of John Jay College Women’s Center; Tonya Lovelace, Project Manager of the Women of Color Network at the National Resource Center on Domestic Violence and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence; and Pat Eng, Vice President of Programs at the Ms. Foundation for Women. The discussion is led by Desiree Allen Cruz, Domestic Violence Services Coordinator for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation. (52 min) Men As Allies Discussion led by Desiree Allen Cruz
	Child Custody and the Oppression of Women
Lundy Bancroft	This is a presentation by Lundy Bancroft, author, workshop leader and activist on trauma, abuse and healing. He discusses how the oppression of women affects the child custody arena in family courts and how men can be effective allies to women in that struggle. (32 min) Presentation by Lundy Bancroft
	Working with Offenders and the Role of Programs for DV Offenders
Ted Bunch	This is a presentation by Ted Bunch, Co-Founder of A CALL TO MEN. He discusses the belief systems and behaviors of men who are violent and abusive, as well as the importance of accountability in appropriate program development for domestic violence offenders. (33 min) Presentation by Ted Bunch
	Men Speak Out: Taking it to the Next Level
Jackson Katz	This is a discussion between national leaders in the men's anti-violence movement about expanding violence prevention work for men and boys. It focuses on the many intersections of oppression and a range of persistent social problems on the radar screen of policy makers. Participants in the discussion include: Oliver Williams, Executive Director of the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community; Etiony Aldarondo, Associate Dean for Research in the School of Education at the University of Miami and Co-Chair of the steering committee for the National Latino Alliance for the Elimination of Domestic Violence; Rob Okun, Editor of Voice Male Magazine; and David J. H. Garvin, Program Director of the Alternatives to Domestic Aggression Program at Catholic Social Services of Washtenaw County. The discussion is led by Jackson Katz, educator, author and filmmaker who has long been recognized as one of America's leading anti-sexist male activists. (65 min) Discussion led by Jackson Katz
	Young Men Standing Up and Speaking Out
Byron Hurt	This discussion highlights a group of young men who are making a significant impact in their communities and nationally with efforts to confront men's violence against women. Participants in the discussion include: Juan Ramos, A CALL TO MEN Core Trainer and Senior Director of Safe Horizon's Domestic Violence Accountability Program; Zell Miller, hip-hop artist and Boys Group Facilitator at SafePlace; Quentin Walcott, Director of CONNECT’s Training Institute and the Community Empowerment Program; Jess Nowland, Advocate at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation; and Teddy Wright, A CALL TO MEN Core Trainer. The discussion is led by award-winning documentary filmmaker, published writer and anti-sexist activist Byron Hurt. (56 min) Discussion led by Byron Hurt
	Musical Performances
Peter Buffett Bishop Freeze	The first musical performance of the conference was given by Peter Buffet, musician, composer, producer and Co-Chair of the NoVo Foundation. He performed Can We Love from his 2008 album Imaginary Kingdom. Several performances were given by socially conscious hip-hop artist Bishop Freeze. His selections were drawn from STAND UP — SPEAK OUT, an album produced in collaboration with A CALL TO MEN. The music and content of focuses on educating men and young men about violence against women and how to end it, and is available for purchase on the A CALL TO MEN website. Performances were also given by Austin-based hip-hop group PUBLIC OFFENDERS. The music of these four young artists addresses various social issues including domestic violence, police brutality and other forms of oppression. Their latest album Drop Jewels is available for purchase on the A CALL TO MEN website. PUBLIC OFFENDERS PUBLIC OFFENDERS
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	PreventConnect is a national project of the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA) and is sponsored by the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The views and information provided in our activities do not necessarily represent the official views of the U.S. Government, the CDC, or CALCASA.

Pesticide Education in Monterey, CA: Portola Plaza Nov. 12, 2009

I have lived on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula, near Salinas, a place we long have called the Salad Bowl of the World. I have also long wondered how we can live around such intense pesticide applications. I have had reproductive cancer and so have friends and now with this coming seminar, I hear children are especially being harmed. 

This glorious agricultural area has such opportunity to "go organic". Traditional farmers go out of business, selling to developers. Why not be an area of small farms as in other N. CA counties? We can be a show place for more than our wonderful coastline.

But even Michelle Obama's garden at the White House is under siege by groups such as the Mid America Croplife Association (http://www.maca.org/issues/) who appears to do "research" on pests and agriculture applications but I believe with a little research we would see them as lobbyists for Big Ag and Chem. 

I have also wondered a long while on how can we persuade chemical companies to change. But I have as much hope of that as I do a Big Pharma changing at the moment. Those that pollute the earth for profit need to be put controlled and they need to refocus their livelyhoods not just dump in third world countries.n (I guess that would be all of us consumers, in one way or another.)

Two years ago downtown Monterey was sprayed with pesticides with little notice for a moth that should be controlled other ways. We were strafed by pesticide planes. Our friends in Watsonville, where so many of those disheartened farmers sold to developers, are also sprayed with little notice; their homes were build much too near fields. Everything is connected! Will we ever get this?

If you are local and can afford the $25 fee, do consider taking in the Pesticide Education Forum this Thursday, Nov. 10, 2009. Visit the Pesticide Watch site: http://www.pesticidewatch.org/events 

And thanks to Hal Ginsburg at www.krxa540.com for having Elise on your show and for all the important community work you do.

California Education: A Loss of Vision and a History of Individualistic Values Bring Less and Less

My husband, Richard, and I returned to California some six years ago after an absence of twenty years. I was shocked at the state of the libraries and education then. Now I still can't believe that the place I grew up, in the 1960's, was a leader in education on all levels. As of a 2006-2007 ratings, CA was 47th in education. Wikipedia now rates us at 49th.

In 1978 CA passed Prop 13, something I heard about but had no concept or understanding about the consequences, from my life at a distance.

I was living, among several places, in Tennessee and doing Masters studies. There I had the privilege of excellent libraries and I was active in electing pro education leaders. Tennessee is not especially known for its education but, when I returned to CA, I saw a rather sharp contrast telling me that TN wasn't as bad as it appeared CA was becoming.

While I am sure TN and CA face many of the same problems, especially the problem of Republicans, Libertarians and individualists who do not believe that interdependence and that we are connected to all of nature, including to each other. Individualism must also embrace community life and I believe collaboration and community are of first importance, as in a First Principles. I believe the environment forms us although we have done are damnedest to dominate nature. 

An environment that does not support the good of the community will become degraded, degraded and unbalanced towards the will of those who dominate and control. All things suffer.

One of my favorite mystics, Martin Buber, said that depression can be easily overcome by the simple practice of seeing all that one meets as part of the sacred, thus he wrote I and Thou. If we do not revere education, learning and each other as well as the ground we walk on "falling" in rankings seems simply natural.

I would like to add a great inspiring link here to often some kind of hope. Right now I am not able to feel that kind of hope. I see joblessness, healthcare, war and poor education pointing to only slight betterment. I pray our president will help, more and I know I need to find my own next inspiration towards re-engaging in education that cares.    

I look for intelligent friends who are caring and creating education in the way they live every day. Maybe these times will force us, as it has forced many before, to be our own educators. As I believe that informal education is actually more effective than formal, maybe that in itself can help me, and perhaps you, feel a bit of hope. Living, learning and participating with heart and sincerity still works for me.

Save the date for Serrena, a wonderful integrative clinic serving cancer patients and others on Monterey Bay

 

For Teens and Adults: Henry Giroux, CoAction Connection and Antiracism.com Tell the Truth

 Awhile ago I posted an announcement, here, regarding an important Teen Project in film, Shades of Youth , co-created in conjunction with antiracism.com and coAction Connection (coaction.com). The film was developed from The White Privelege Conference.

I have found recently that many adults think Teens are dumb and immature, not able to handle the complexity of the world as it is. This film, these collaborations say it differently: Teens are very wise in saying what they see and feel and when they get support to be intelligent, they are.

Secondly, I want to recommend a new book by one of my favorite radical scholars, Henry Giroux. You can find a review of his new book, Youth in a Suspect Society: Democracy or Disposability? by Tolu Olorundu (http://www.blackcommentator.com/341/341_st_youth_suspect_society.html )

Racism and hatred are being inflamed during these times of change and want. I believe every adult owes it to the next generations to educate ourselves on what the youth and radical scholars are saying even as we face our own fears of loss.

This is going to be a time of either violence or compassion and understanding as the dominant paradigm. Which do you want? Are you willing to open up to what youth, people of color and the poor are saying, or are you going to work to save your sorry old ass? Wake up, adults in the US. You are meant for better things. 

Please try to stop being as afraid, especially of people who are different from yourself. If we don't model this, how much harder will life be for us and for younger people?

We Can't Wait for Health Care and the Dignity of People: REM

Remeber to watch President Obama tonigh and remember that there are many of us who also can't wait...for jobs and for health care. Thanks Vicki Noble and Aaron Eagle for sending this.