Monday, February 13th, 2012, 3:00-3:45 PM. Statewide Webinar: LOBBYING 101: Becoming An Effective Citizen Lobbyist. The legislature and the administration will be revisiting portions of the approved two-year state budget after the March 6th primary. This mid-biennium budget review is sure to mean policy changes that affect health, human services, and early care & education in Ohio. If you’ve never met with your lawmaker (or it’s been a while since your last meeting), you will learn how to effectively advocate to maintain vital public services at a level that protects our state’s most vulnerable populations. This webinar will cover: Four simple steps for 1-on-1 visits with lawmakers; where to go for help with finding out who your legislators are, finding proposed laws, and finding AOF materials to leave with lawmakers; general do’s and don’ts; and how you can get involved with Advocates for Ohio’s Future. You can register for the Advocates for Ohio’s Future webinar at http://www.anymeeting.com/AccountManager/RegEv.aspx?PIID=EB58DC87864E.
Monday, February 13th, 2012, 7:00 PM. Central Ohioans for Peace Meeting. Special program: Peace Studies Initiative at OSU. John Carlarne is new to Columbus and his presentation will primarily focus on the peace studies initiative at OSU. He is interested in sharing some of his ideas concerning peace and then would like our thoughts on what is needed. Carlarne is peace studies coordinator at The Ohio State University. He teaches several courses on peace studies through the International Studies program and will be involved in setting up a minor in peace studies, an online certificate in applied peace studies, and an academic conference. Carlarne's research focuses on nonviolence broadly conceived, with particular emphasis on the role of civilian actors in fostering change within unraveled and unraveling states. A specialist in multi-context research, he has worked in 14 countries including post-conflict Bosnia and Croatia, where he conducted a detailed analysis of peacebuilding initiatives by the international community. He is also a member, since 1996, of Peace Brigades International (PBI). He has served in a number of capacities within PBI and is currently a member of the organization’s International Council. Location: Columbus Mennonite Church (35 Oakland Park Ave., Columbus OH 43214). The latest information about our upcoming meetings can be found on our new website at https://sites.google.com/site/centralohioansforpeace/
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012, 4:30 – 6:30 PM. Rising to Meet the Challenges of Food Justice. Eric Holt-Gimenez, Executive Director of Food First, has extensive experience working with small-scale farmers, food producers and efforts to change food systems domestically and internationally since 1977. He has worked within and studied food system intervention projects throughout the U.S., Latin America, El Paso, Mexico, Africa and Central America. Currently, Food First is exploring corporate food chain investments in urban areas and its impact on land acquisitions in the urban environment in Detroit and Oakland. Drawing from his experience, join us for a conversation following Eric’s comments as we explore how Columbus’ vibrant food justice community can draw from and may already be responding to his work and that of Food First. Location: Ohio Union (12th and N. High St., lower level meeting room, OSU Campus. Sponsored by OSU’s School of Environmental and Natural Resources and Center for Latin American Studies & the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity. Please contact Wendy Ake @ 614-595-8650 to RSVP Parking garage adjacent to Ohio Union / 1739 North High Street. Food First Website : http://www.foodfirst.org/ Photo Credit : http://www.ediblegeography.com/landgrab/
Wednesday, February 15th, 2012, 7:00-8:00 PM. Bob Fitrakis Interviews Activists on “Fight Back” Radio Show. Legendary citizen advocate and political agitator Bob Fitrakis revives his talk radio public affairs program Fight Back, on Talktainment Radio. Bob interviews activists and leaders every Wenesday. Here’s how to call in to the LIVE INTERNET radio show:(on your computer – not on your broadcast radio dial). Go to: http://talktainmentradio.com when the program airs at 7 pm Weds, Click on “Listen Live” and call 877-932-9766. The program is also broadcast on WCRS-FM radio at 8 pm Weds.
Thursday, February 16th, 2012, 7:30 PM. Transportation as ‘The Commons’: God’s Design for Our Communities. U.S. transportation policy — choices and their consequences. What kind of public space and/or transportation system would God design for us, and why? How might we reconcile some of the fissures our transportation choices have caused? Identifying the opportunities for our communities in reflecting upon transportation. YAY Bikes! is sponsoring a series of conversations in February at the Summit United Methodist Church called "Transportation From a Faith Perspective." YAY Bikes! (YB!) Exec Director Meredith Joy is excited about this "new conversation" that breaks the mold of the usual bicycle advocacy talking points. See her blog for more details on the series. Location: 82 E. 16th Ave, Columbus, OH 43201.
Thursday, February 16, 2012, 9:30 - 11:00 AM. League of Women Voters of Greater Columbus Morning Unit Meeting. Bob Erickson of the Ohio Hunger Network will present on the topic "Fighting Poverty: Key State and Federal Initiatives." Location: Wesley Glen, 5155 North High Street, Columbus, OH 43214. Coffee, tea and cookies will be served.
February 16-18, 2012. Amy Lecture: Where Do You Draw the Line? Dr. Ward L. Kaiser. Borders and Boundaries — on Maps, in Faith and in Everything Else that Matters. After a career with the National and World Councils of Churches, Ward Kaiser turned a sharp eye on how maps profoundly shape how we act in the world. His analysis and provocative views have resulted in being published, interviewed, or teaching from Bangkok to Boston and Berlin, and in Canada, Australia and the UK. He has led map seminars under the auspices of the Smithsonian, for the National Council for Geographic Education and for the NYC Teachers Federation. Previous books include Seeing through Maps: Many Ways to See the World. Another book, How Maps Change Things: A Conversation about the Maps We Choose and the World We Want, will be released in March. The Lectures will open up issues far beyond cartography - faith, justice, ecology and more - highlighting the essential unity of life. The Amy Lecture Series was established by the children of Dr. Bill and Flo Amy in honor of the ministry of their parents. Dr. Amy was professor of World Religions at Otterbein University from 1962 -1978 and 1993- 2005. The Amy Lecture At Otterbein University and Church of the Master United Methodist. Session 1: Thursday, February 16, 4:00-5:30 PM at Otterbein University, Towers Hall, Room 112. Session 2: Saturday, February 18, 3:00-4:30 PM. Conversation and Tea at Church of the Master, Conversation and Tea, Church Fellowship Hall. Session 3: Saturday, February 18, 6:00-8:30 PM. Panel Discussion and Banquet at Church of the Master, Church Fellowship Hall. Please RSVP to the church office for the Saturday sessions so we can plan for food. Location: Church of the Master United Methodist, 24 North Grove Street Westerville, Ohio 43081. Phone: 614.882.2153 office@chmaster.org
Thursday and Friday, February 16 & 17, 2012. Insurrection Author Comes to Trinity. Through lectures, books, and stories, Peter Rollins brings Christian faith face-to-face with itself in light of the cultural changes expressed through the various hyphenated "posts"-post-Christendom, post-denominational, post-liberal, post-modern. He is the founder of ikon, a community of faith that expresses itself through "transformance art," a community-based blending of theology, art, and ritual. Dr. Rollins gained his education at Queens University, Belfast. His critiques and challenges are reminiscent of the work of Soren Kierkegaard and Dietrich Bonhoeffer. He is the author of several books, including, How (Not) to Speak of God, The Fidelity of Betrayal, and Insurrection: To Believe Is Human, to Doubt, Divine. Join Rollins during two plenary sessions, beginning Thursday evening, February 16. A small number who register early will have the opportunity to join him in the classroom with seminary students on Thursday afternoon. View a full schedule and register online.
Thursday, February 16th, 2012, 8:30 PM. Tune in to Health Care for All with Deb Silverstein. Deb's guest will be Dave Steil, businessman and President of Health Care 4 All PA, speaking on the effects of the current health care system on business, what single-payer could do for business, and how to convince your legislator. During the show you can call 1-800-921-2204 with your questions or comments or email them to wcanradio@yahoo.com . To listen to the program http://www.wcanradio.com and click the icon captioned “Click Here to Listen.”
Saturday, February 18th, 2012, Noon – 1:30 PM. Move To Amend Central Ohio Meeting. Bring a brown bag and learn what you can do locally to move a constitutional amendment to reverse the Supreme Court’s decision in Citizen’s United. Corporations are not people! Money is not protected speech! Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Road. Contact: E-Mail: mgreenman@wowway.com.
Saturday – Sunday, February 18-19, 2012. OEFFA’s 33rd Annual Conference: Sowing the Seeds of Our Food Sovereignty. Online Registration Now Open! Registration is now open for the Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association’s (OEFFA) 33rd annual conference, Sowing the Seeds of Our Food Sovereignty, February 18-19, 2012 in Granville, Ohio. The event draws more than 1,000 attendees from across Ohio and the Midwest, and has sold out in advance the past two years. This year’s conference will feature keynote speakers Woody Tasch, “Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms and Fertility Matter” and Andrew Kimbrell, “The Future of Food”; more than 70 informative, hands-on workshops; two featured pre-conference events on February 17; a trade show; a fun and educational kids’ conference and child care area; locally-sourced and organic homemade meals, and Saturday evening entertainment. Get all the details on speakers, workshops, special events, the preconference on Slow Money Investing, and more right here. Location: Granville Ohio. Contacts: Renee Hunt, Program Director—(614) 421-2022 Ext. 205, renee@oeffa.org or Lauren Ketcham, Communications Coordinator—(614) 421-2022 Ext. 203, lauren@oeffa.org.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012, 2:45-4:15 PM. Andrew Kimbrell Keynote at OEFFA on The Future of Food. Our food system is at a crossroads. Kimbrell will describe the conflict between a food system increasingly reliant on pesticides, fertilizers, monocultures, and genetic engineering and surging consumer demand for healthy, local, organic, humane, and environmentally safe food. He will provide an up-to-date summary of this struggle and ways consumers and farmers can work together for a new food future. Earlier in the day, from 9:30-11:30 a.m., Kimbrell will lead a workshop, titled “Genetic Engineering: The Battle for Safe Food, Public Health, and Environmental Protection.” He will describe the negative health and environmental effects of GE food, and CFS’s public education, advocacy, and legal work intended to safeguard the food system against a flood of deregulated GE products. In response to the USDA’s unrestricted approval of GE Roundup Ready alfalfa, Kimbrell said the USDA has become “a rogue agency in its regulation of biotech crops and its decision to appease the few companies who seek to benefit from this technology comes despite increasing evidence that GE alfalfa will threaten the rights of farmers and consumers, as well as damage the environment.” More info here that includes links to the full OEFFA conference program. Location: Granville Middle and High Schools, 248 New Burg St. in Granville.
Sunday, February 19th, 2012, 12:30 PM. Screening of “Economics of Happiness.” ‘Going local’ is a powerful strategy to help repair our fractured world – our ecosystems, our societies and our selves. Far from the old institutions of power, people are starting to forge a very different future… the film Features Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten, Michael Shuman, Juliet Schor, Richard Heinberg, Rob Hopkins, Andrew Simms, Zac Goldsmith, Samdhong Rinpoche! Don't miss this one! Discussion to follow. Contact: Chuck Lynd or call 614-354-6172. Location: First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 West Weisheimer Road, Columbus OH 43214.
Monday, February 20th 2012, 6:00 – 7:30 PM. Ohio AFL-CIO, Join Us In Debriefing Labor 2011/Issue 2 Campaign & Get Ready For Labor 2012. We won big in the defeat of SB5/Issue 2 but with the possibility of Right To Work (For Less), a presidential election, the chance to take back the Statehouse for the working people and a voter suppression issue set for November, our work is just beginning. We need your input so please try to make any attempt possible to attend. Let's make sure the election of 2012 will be in our history books as the year the middle class and those who aspire to be united our voices, crossed party lines and voted in politicians who will work for us, the 99%, not the 1%. After all, we are the people despite what Mitt Romney and others say who believe corporations are people, too. If you plan to attend, please click here to RSVP by email to Ohio AFL-CIO Field Director Jeanette Mauk. Please include your name, phone number and that you are attending the meeting in Columbus. Location: Central Ohio Labor Council (Walt Workman, Ex. Sec.), 1545 Alum Creek Dr., Columbus, Ohio 4320.