1. GATHERING THE GRASSROOTS: THE FRONTLINE OF ASIAN AMERICAN MOBILIZATION
Saturday, September 15th, 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm
Gathering the Grassroots:
The Frontline of Asian American Mobilization
Sat, Sep 15 from 12 noon – 8pm, a whole day festival of Asian Americans
Along with Bayan USA and CAAAV, Nodutdol is participating in this Gathering. This would be an Asian American Moim, so to speak!!!
MOCA presents Gathering the Grassroots, a day-long public event celebrating the work of New York’s foremost Asian American and Pacific Islander grassroots organizations. The event will attempt to capture a snapshot of the current issues and responses of Asian American and Pacific Islander working class communities. MOCA will provide the space for these key groups to assemble with the goal of fostering discussion between organizations and across respective missions.
Representation of participating organizations is broad, including East Asian, Pacific Islander, South and Southeast Asian groups. MOCA will be transformed into a stage for these groups to present their work, with a focus on working class, immigrant and LGBT issues. The program will feature keynotes by Asian American organizers Dennis Chin and Helen Gym, panels meant to trigger dialogue between organizations and engagement with the public, and musical performances by established Asian American Artists.
EVENT GOALS
Bring grassroots Asian American organizations together for a full day, in the spirit of the Occupy Movement
Foster discussion, unity and solidarity between organizations and across demographics
Give organizations an opportunity for public exposure that they may otherwise not have.
Celebrate the work of Asian American grassroots organizing
DETAILS
Open to the public, free admission
Organizations provided with a space to table and engage the public
Focus on poor, working class and immigrant issues.
Broad representation, including East Asian, South Asian, Middle-Eastern, Southeast Asian organizations.
Inclusion of LGBTQI organizations.
Performances by well-known Asian American artists
Talks by well-known Asian American activists
Panel: “What is the State of Asian American Organizing?
2. BAYAN, CAAAV and NDD – ECONOMIC AND MILITARY ASPECTS OF “PACIFIC PIVOT” JOINT STUDY
Come for the joint study on the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) and new military bases alignments in Pacific regions and South East Asia with Nodutdol along with our long-time allies, BAYAN and CAAAV!
Sunday, September 16th, 12-4pm
Location: CUNY Grad Center, 365 Fifth Avenue, Rm. 5409 (Take BDFNQR trains to 34th Street, walk to 5th Ave.) Please bring ID.
What is the TPPA? The Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPPA) are secret trade negotiations between the US and other countries whose goals are to further liberalize the economies of the Asia-Pacific region. We know from experience that trade agreements rarely benefit those it claims to help, rather it further increases the rights and protections of multinational corporations and the rich.
Do you know currently how many military bases the U.S. is using or planning to use in South East Asia, in addition to its PAC Command?
So what does this PACIFIC PIVOT mean to us? Why are we studying it? What are some of its features? And what are people doing in Asia and other parts of the world to resist? Come and find out!
We are excited to have Joseph Gerson, of the American Friends Service Committee and longtime anti-war activist, who will share his expertise with us.
Please RSVP to , since we’re planning on feeding you. (And there will be a suggested donation of $5 for food)
Also, when u RSVP to caav to attend, pls cc nodutdol@nodutdol.org so we can know how many NDD heads are going.
Suggested reading list:
“American Pivot to Asia divides the Philippines” by Catherine Traywick, July 2012
http://world.time.com/2012/07/23/american-pivot-to-asia-divides-the-philippines/
“Paper Workers Picket Obama Over Secretive Trade Negotiations” by Alexandra Bradbury, August 2012
http://labornotes.org/blogs/2012/08/paper-workers-picket-obama-over-secretive-trade-negotiations
“America’s Pacific Century” by US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, November 2011
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/11/americas_pacific_centuryhttp://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/10/11/americas_pacific_century
“The American Pivot to Asia” by Kenneth Lieberthal, December 21, 2011
http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2011/12/21/the_american_pivot_to_asia
Speech by US Secretary of Defense Leon E. Panetta, Singapore, Saturday, June 02, 2012
http://www.defense.gov/Speeches/Speech.aspx?SpeechID=1681
“U.S. model for a future war fans tensions with China and inside Pentagon” by Greg Jaffe, Washington Post, 1 August 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-model-for-a-future-war-fans-tensions-with-china-and-inside-pentagon/2012/08/01/gJQAC6F8PX_story.html
IBON (research group in the Philippines) mid-year report
http://ibon.org/includes/birdtalk/Btalk%202012%20Midyear_20120712.pdfhttp://ibon.org/includes/birdtalk/Btalk%202012%20Midyear_20120712.pdf
Given the possibility of a Romney Administration , there is an interview with chair of Asia-Pacific working group for the Mitt Romney presidential campaign at —
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/interview-with-aaron-friedberg-is-china-going-to-displace-the-us/2011/03/29/gIQA10AjmL_blog.html
On economic issues and security issues a good source is reports and hearings by U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission – their 2011 report to Congress is http://www.uscc.gov/annual_report/2011/annual_report_full_11.pdf
See e.g. the January 2012 hearings on “China’s Global Quest for Resources and Implications for the United States”
http://www.uscc.gov/hearings/2012hearings/written_testimonies/hr12_01_26.php
US Plans new Asia Missile Defence
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/business/wall-street-journal/us-plans-new-asia-missile-defence/story-fnay3ubk-1226456703916
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