Sunday, November 02, 2008

NDD ANNUAL KIMCHEE BOWL FUNDRAISER !!!!  NY, NY saturday NOVEMBER 8th

Saturday, November 01, 2008

EXPERIENCES TO KEEP 2008 - TORONTO, ON on NOVEMBER 8TH!!!!

-A night of poetry and sharing of life-altering experiences-
This past summer 8 women from across North America embarked on a journey to South Korea to explore the spirit of social justice movements on the peninsula through the Korean Education and Exposure Program (KEEP).

Participants met with a wide range of activists including: Women mobilizing against U.S. imperialism, U.S. base presence and camptown sex work, queer activists, irregular workers, migrant workers, farmers and many more. What they found at the core were life changing experiences, inspiring exchanges of laughter and tears, and incredible growth.

Join us on November 8th as three of these women share their experiences, their poetry and spirits at the Toronto Women’s Bookstore for ‘Experiences to KEEP’. Event is hosted by Jindap, a korean-canadian non-profit community organization. For more info: http://www.jindap.com

Light refreshments will be provided!

TIME AND PLACE: Saturday, November 8, 2008 7:00pm - 10:00pm
LOCATION: Toronto Women’s Book Store
ADDRESS: 73 Harbord Street Toronto, ON
CONTACT: 6472625836

THE WOMEN:
Jennifer Kwon Dobbs was born in Won Ju Si, South Korea. Her debut collection, Paper Pavilion, received the White Pine Press Poetry Prize and was published in 2007. Previously her poems appeared widely in anthologies, film, and journals and on radio, and have been translated into Greek, Korean, and Turkish.
She holds a Ph.D. in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Southern California. As a fellow, she served as founding director of the SummerTIME Writing Program, a college access program for Los Angeles inner-city high school students, sponsored by The Rossier School of Education´s Center for Higher Education and Policy Analysis. Currently, she is assistant professor of creative writing at St. Olaf College and lives in Minneapolis. For more on Jennifer please visit http://www.jkwondobbs.com

Michelle Cho is a Toronto based community organizer and researcher. Currently she works at the Urban Alliance on Race Relations, primarily focusing on systemic racism in public education and youth mobilizing. She was also a co-host on Frequency Feminisms (CKLN 88.1), has done tenant organizing and organized political leadership trainings for youth and women of colour. Most recently, Michelle was a participant in a life altering experience as a participant in the Korean Education and Exposure Program.

sun (장선미) is a strong advocate for positive progressions, equality and humanitarianism. She has two passions: (1) arts/music and (2) building positive change. She has worked with many community organizations in the Jane-Finch, York, and Corean Communities in Toronto.
As an artist she is known as “sun”: a poet, singer/ songwriter, and visual artist who expresses her soul through the arts. She has just finished her debut album titled RISE. As a person dedicated to building solidarity and community, she currently works with Lost Lyrics, Youth In Charge, and Nomanzland, which are all art-based youth programs in the Jane-Finch community in Toronto. sun has recently returned from a breath-taking experience traveling to Corea and California and building with other progressive movement makers in the Corean communities across the globe. Please visit: http://www.myspace.com/therealsun

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Kiryung Delegation to NYC October 2008 SLIDESHOW

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Come Show Your Support for Kiryung Women Workers!

Come Show Your Support!
Where:  Sirius Headquarter Office at 49th St. btwn Ave. of the Americas and 7th Ave. (in front of the McGraw Hill Building entrance)
When: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Why: In order to hold Sirius Accountable for long-hours of work, discriminatory labor practice, lower than low wages of the Kiryung workers. 

Press Conference and Sam Bo Il Bae* Protest
When:  Tuesday, Oct. 21, 1-3:30 pm

Final Rally
When:  Tuesday, Oct. 21, 5-6 pm

* Sam Bo Il Bae literally means “three steps, one bow.” Originally born from the Buddhist tradition, it is a uniquely Korean form of protest with a long history in Korean resistance movements. Participants will do the entire march by taking three steps, then a full bow on their knees, touching the ground. In the process, they demonstrate and renew their deep commitment to the struggle. Sam Bo Il Bae is silent, slow, physically demanding, and extremely powerful.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Listen to WBAI Interview of a Kiryung Worker!

On behalf of 200 million contingent workers, 32 Kiryung Union members have been fighting against sudden and illegal firing of all 300 production workers and the harsh working conditions. 

Two of the union members, Suk-Soon Oh and Hyang-Ran Park, among other Korean Metal Workers’ Union members came to New York to seek a meeting with Sirius Satellite Radio, the sole contractor of the Kiryung Electronics.  Kiryung has stated that their discriminatory practice has been demanded by Sirius Satellite Radio and the workers came all the way here to confirm and demand the change in the practice.  Kiryung has not listened to the recommendations of Ministry of Labor, judges of the Court system, and public prosecutors.  Kiryung has not shown any good-faith bargaining efforts with its workers at all. 

For information on Sirius Satellite Radio and its monopoly on satellite radio, check on the wikipedia, here

Suk-soon says she had to work from 8 am in the morning to 9pm at night, and about 120-150 hours of monthly overtime.  If you didn’t come to work everyday, you would get fired.  If you complain aloud, you would get fired.  Many collapsed out of exhaustion and in fear of losing their jobs.  Male workers are mostly office workers with job security, and 97% of production workers are women workers who are contingent workers without any benefits or job securities. 

Please join us! The next scheduled public actions are a Candlelight Vigil + Sam Bo Il Bae Protest* on Friday (October 17, 2008) from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at the Sirius Headquarter, at Rockefeller Center, 49th Street between 6 & 7th Avenues, a Press Conference with Sam Bo Il Bae on Tuesday (October 21, 2008) from 1:00 - 3:30 pm at the same location, finally there will be a Closing Rally at the location from 5:00 - 6:00 pm on Tuesday the 21st. 

* Sam Bo Il Bae literally means “three steps, one bow.” Originally born from the Buddhist tradition, it is a uniquely Korean form of protest with a long history in Korean resistance movements. Participants will do the entire march by taking three steps, then a full bow on their knees, touching the ground. In the process, they demonstrate and renew their deep commitment to the struggle. Sam Bo Il Bae is silent, slow, physically demanding, and extremely powerful.

For more info, call Haewon Chung of Korean Metal Workers’ Union at 347-259-7815, or Yulsan of Nodutdol at 917-568-6547.

Listen to the interview for more description.