OSR’s Free School is so excited about the speakers who will be with us this week at the 6th session of the Brown Bag Economic Justice Series! On the lawn in front of Rendezvous Bistro, across from Courthouse Square!

From public banking to peak oil preparations, from buying local to barter – we’ve got something for you!

Join us as we learn and grow and build solidarity networks between people and communities who are creating resilient local economies.

BUILDING RESILIENT LOCAL ECONOMIES (click for event page)

WHEN: Thursday, May 17, 12 – 1:30pm

WHERE: Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa – On the lawn at the corner of 4th and Mendocino. Look for our Free School banner!

WHO:
• Richard Heinberg, Senior Fellow at the Post-Carbon Institute, author of Powerdown: Actions and Options for a Post-Carbon World and The End of Growth: Adapting to Our New Economic Reality
• Janeen Murray, GoLocal Coop and 2011 Fellow of the Leadership Institute for Ecology and the Economy
• Joanne Brion, urban economist with Santa Rosa’s Share Exchange/Local Economy Institute

Janeen will give an intro to the GoLocal philosophy and purpose; Joanne will tell us about her experiences preventing big box development and cultivating a local economy through the Share Exchange; and Richard will share part of his immense knowledge of peak oil and post-carbon possibilities.

As Richard shows in his most recent book The End of Growth: “We can thrive during [economic and ecological] transition if we set goals that promote human and environmental well-being, rather than continuing to pursue the now-unattainable prize of ever-expanding GDP.” Let’s do it!

Occupy Santa Rosa is committed to reclaiming public space for public conversation about human dignity and economic justice. Join us, and bring your friends, a blanket and lunch! See you in Courthouse Square!

Members of all of Sonoma County’s Occupy groups united with Sonoma State faculty and students this past Saturday to protest the awarding of an honorary degree to Sanford Weill, former CEO of Citigroup, dismantler of Glass-Steagall, and donor of $12million to SSU.

During the May 12th afternoon commencement ceremony at SSU, a pointed commencement speech was made by Marc Lamont Hill. He addressed Sandy’s crimes without mentioning his name, and called for the business graduates in particular to behave more responsibly.

He emphasized the need to stand up for what is right, even if you are criticized. During this speech, Ruben Armiñano and Sandy Weill sat quietly and listened.

That set the stage for the silent protest that followed. When the honorary degree was presented, over 100 people, including several dozen graduating students, many in the first few rows, stood up, removed their hats and hung their heads in shame. Witnesses say at least six faculty on the stage joined in as well.

Click here to listen to SSU graduate Melanie Sanders and Occupy Sebastopol member Shepherd Bliss on KPFA, and learn about CitiBank’s shady dealings in the Congo, too.

ATTENTION ANY ONE WHO ATTENDED THE SANTA ROSA WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKET ON 05/09/12: WE NEED WITNESSES TO COME FORWARD

A Santa Rosa Police Officer targeted and physically abused a very good and decent citizen and member of OSR on Wednesday, May 9th, at the Wednesday Night Market in Santa Rosa. ANYONE WHO WITNESSED THIS UNFAIR POLICE BRUTALITY OR TOOK PICTURES OR VIDEO PLEASE COME FORWARD.

PLEASE CONTACT OSR THROUGH OSRGA.NET OR www.facebook.com/OccupySR.

This unjust police action followed on the heels of the police theft of our Occupy Santa Rosa banner on Wednesday during the day. The officer who took the banner cited an inappropriate City code and is refusing to release the banner until we can prove its ownership. PUBLIC SPACE and PUBLIC CONVERSATION BELONG TO ALL OF US!

More Breaking News:

Witnesses have reported to the Shame on SSU Truth Coalition that almost all of the current issues of the Sonoma State Star were removed this morning from the SSU campus stands.

The front page of the Star is running this article about the Shame on SSU protest against the awarding of a honorary degree to Sanford (Sandy) Weill, the Former CEO of Citigroup, in exchange for a $12 million donation to SSU.

The controversy centers around Mr. Weill’s key role in the creation of the financial crisis, including the latest revelations about the mushrooming costs of education and student loans.

The Coalition and the Sonoma State Star have received scattered and conflicting reports about the missing issues. The SSU administration is denying any involvement and the campus police are investigating the matter.

The following message was sent at 2:30pm, May 10th to the SSU Senate:
______________________________________
The editor of the Star estimates that 95 percent of newspapers have been removed as of today. This is unacceptable and a shot across the bow of the First Amendment. These so called cleaning efforts that included the Star removal are an affront to free speech on our campus. The Day of Shame is now. Is this some attempt to cover up our controversies? I join with those who believe in freedom of speech to ask that a full accounting of what happened to these papers be made.
Chip McAuley, faculty advisor to the Sonoma State Star
______________________________________

For updates please go to shameonssu.org.

The 1% of Sonoma County are being honored by Sonoma State University for their economic violence. The University plans to award an honorary degree in Humane Letters to Sanford (Sandy) Weill, former CEO of Citigroup and one of the 25 people responsible for the economic crisis we are experiencing, according to Time Magazine.

Please join us in solidarity this Saturday. It is not necessary to have a ticket to attend and you can participate in any or all of the scheduled events below.

For more information, including FAQs, please go to www.shameonssu.org – and be sure to sign the petition.

A Statement, including details for Saturday’s action, from the Shame on SSU Coalition:

The “Shame On SSU Coalition” is committed to non-violence and non-disruption of the SSU graduation ceremonies on May 12th. We are wholly committed to a silent and respectful protest. We will refrain from yelling, heckling, and all signage in the ceremonies as to not be distracting. We stand strongly opposed to honoring Sandy Weill, and his wife Joan, in conjunction with the SSU graduation ceremony and Rubin Armiñana’s unilateral decision to present Sandy Weill with a “paid-for” honorary degree.

If you are drowning in student debt or your job prospects are diminished because of the economic crisis; if you have lost your home, are in foreclosure, or have seen your rent increase dramatically; if you oppose the corporatization of public education; if you oppose the racist aspects of the sub-prime crisis; if you support democracy then:

WE INVITE YOU TO JOIN US IN SILENTLY TURNING YOUR BACK ON HONORING THE WEILLS, as they have dis-honored and destroyed the lives of so many hardworking Americans.

WE SUPPORT, HONOR AND CONGRATULATE the SSU GRADS who have worked so hard TO EARN their degrees – MAY 12th IS THEIR DAY and we hope this protest restores some dignity to the event.

Schedule: (please join us for all or part of these events)
8am meet at stairs of Persons Theater. We will pass out educational flyers and congratulate students
9am- First Ceremony: we will stand up silently, and turn our backs, remove caps and bow our heads during the conferral of Sanford Weills degree.*
11:30- Rally at Green Music Center
2:00- Meet again at stairs of Persons Theater to pass out more flyers and congratulations.
3:00- Second Ceremony (we will do the same)*

* Note: It is unclear whether Weill will receive a degree during the first, second or both ceremonies. Either way, our response will be the same.

WWW.SHAMEONSSU.ORG

Here comes week number 5 of 8 in the OSR Free School Working Group’s Brown Bag Economic Justice Series! This week’s teach-in topic will be Fair Trade and Grassroots Globalization. Come learn practical ways to support the lives of people locally and globally.

FAIR TRADE AND GRASSROOTS GLOBALIZATION

WHEN: Thursday, May 10 – 12 noon – 1:30pm

WHERE: Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa – On the lawn at the corner of 4th and Mendocino. Look for our Free School banner!

WHO:
• Tim Lohrentz, Insight Center for Community Economic Development & Occupy Petaluma
• Julie Kawahara, Kindred Fair Trade Handcrafts
• Scott Leonard, Indigenous Designs

WHAT: Tim, Julie & Scott will team up to explain Fair Trade, give us a picture of a vibrant grassroots globalization movement, and explain its connection to broader economic justice struggles.

The sun is shining and the time is perfect for lounging, learning and meeting new people! Everyone is welcome so please join us and invite your friends as we build a global economy worth occupying, from the bottom up!

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About the Teach-Ins

This is the 5th in an 8-week “Brown Bag Economic Justice” Teach-In Series sponsored by the OSR Free School Working Group. The series will reveal everyday dimensions of the U.S. and global economic crisis, and ways to be part of the solution.

All of the series teach-ins are held in Courthouse Square, as part of Occupy Santa Rosa’s commitment to reclaiming public space for public conversation about human dignity and economic justice.

And if you are interested in joining the Free School Working Group, we currently meet at 10:30am on Thursday in Courthouse Square. Please email amy@turningplanet.org if you plan to attend.

Bring your lunch, bring a notebook, and join us on the lawn!

Upcoming Brown Bag Economic Justice Teach-Ins:

May 17: Building Resilient Local Economies
• Janeen Murray (GoLocal) and Rebecca Valentine (Share Exchange)
May 24: Good Jobs and Living Wages for All
• Bonnie Petty (Sonoma County Living Wage Coalition)
May 31: Solidarity: What does movement-building mean for the 99%?
• Carl Patrick, OSR Action WG and guest TBA

Looking for a way to continue the good energy of International Workers’ Day? Join us for our 4th Brown Bag Economic Justice Teach-In:

DEMOCRACY IN THE WORKPLACE – Worker-Owned Businesses

WHEN: Thursday, May 3 – 12 noon – 1:30pm

WHERE: Courthouse Square, Santa Rosa – Under cover on the stage

WHO: • Georgia Kelly, Executive Director of the Praxis Peace Institute in Sonoma
• Jamie Mitchell, Alvarado Street Bakery, Petaluma

WHAT: The Praxis Peace Institute works to nourish and support an economics of peace. Georgia will talk about her experiences with the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation in Spain, a 60-year-old, thriving consortium of worker-owned companies that places workers, not shareholders, first.

Jamie will then bring it on home to Sonoma County, telling us the story of a local, thriving worker-owned business, the wonderful Alvarado Street Bakery. Alvarado, founded in 1978, is a worker owned cooperative committed to using whole grain and organic ingredients. The bakery has 118 worker owners. It was featured in Michael Moore’s film “Capitalism: A Love Story.”

Let’s build an economy worth occupying, from the bottom up!

RSVP on Facebook – and don’t forget to invite your friends!

This is the 4th in an 8-week “Brown Bag Economic Justice” Teach-In Series sponsored by the OSR Free School Working Group. The series will reveal everyday dimensions of the U.S. and global economic crisis, and ways to be part of the solution.

All of the series teach-ins are held in Courthouse Square, as part of Occupy Santa Rosa’s commitment to reclaiming public space for public conversation about human dignity and economic justice.

And if you are interested in joining the Free School Working Group, we currently meet at 10:30am on Thursday in Courthouse Square.

Bring your lunch, bring a blanket, and join us on the lawn!

Upcoming Brown Bag Economic Justice Teach-Ins:

May 10: Fair Trade and Grassroots Globalization
• Scott Leonard (Indigenous Designs) and Julie Kawahara (Kindred)

May 17: Building Resilient Local Economies
• Janeen Murray (GoLocal) and Rebecca Valentine (Share Exchange)

May 24: Good Jobs and Living Wages for All
• Bonnie Petty (Sonoma County Living Wage Coalition)

May 31: Solidarity: What does movement-building mean for the 99%?
• Carl Patrick, OSR Action WG and guest TBA

OSR General Assembly is now being held only twice per week. Its location has shifted from City Hall to Courthouse Square. Please come out for GA and to Courthouse Square whenever you can – we are there almost all day, every day!

The new GA times, effective immediately, are:

Thursday 5:00-7:00pm
Sunday 2:00-4:00pm

See you there in Courthouse Square!

No Work. No School. No Shopping.

May Day Protests tomorrow! Meet us at one of these times in Courthouse Square: 5am, 9am, Noon, and 3pm! Or join us for the May 1st Coalition Rally and March at 3:30pm, starting from 665 Sebastopol Rd. (corner of West). Spread the word, text your friends, send out emails. Tomorrow we will shut down Wall St. in Santa Rosa, challenge oppressive laws and wealth inequality, and we will join with thousands of immigrant workers and their families to stand united for the 99%. WILL YOU BE THERE?

Acciones del Primero de Mayo manana! Lleguen a unos de estas horas en Courthouse Square (en el centro): 5 am, 9am, Mediodia, 3pm! O vengan a la manifestacion y marcha de la Coalicion Primero de Mayo a las 3:30pm, empezando como siempre en Sebastopol Road. Pasen la voz, manden textos y email a sus amigos. Manana vamos a cerrar los bancos de Wall St. en Santa Rosa, desafiar los leyes opresores, y la desigualdad de riqueza, y nos vamos a unir con miles de trabajadores y sus familias para alzar unidos para el 99%. Estaras presente?

And follow this link for a good explanation of “May’s Day’s Radical History: What Occupy is Fighting For This May 1st.”

Join Prairie Fire Working Group of #OSR on Tuesday, May 1st at Court House Square, gather between 11am-12noon. Mic Check against State Budget cuts to vital social and public services. Raise Taxes on 1%-Budget for Human Needs-Not corporate Greed.

Who: Organized by #OSR Prairie Fire Working Group. Fighting against Class privilege of 1% and corporations.

What: Mic Check against State Budget cuts to vital social and public services.

Why; Raise Taxes on the 1%, Budget for Human Needs Not corporate Greed.

Where and When: Gather on Tuesday, May 1st @ 11am Court Square Santa Rosa

Join us for our 4th Brown Bag Economic Justice Teach-In – on worker-owned businesses and their promise for our struggling economy.

What a perfect way to follow up on International Workers Day!

WHO: • Georgia Kelly, Executive Director of the Praxis Peace Institute in Sonoma
• Jamie Mitchell, Alvarado Street Bakery, Petaluma

WHAT: The Praxis Peace Institute works to nourish and support an economics of peace. Georgia will talk about her experiences with the Mondragón Cooperative Corporation in Spain, a 60-year-old, thriving consortium of worker-owned companies that places workers, not shareholders, first.

Jamie will then bring it on home to Sonoma County, telling us the story of a local, thriving worker-owned business, the wonderful Alvarado Street Bakery. Alvarado, founded in 1978, is a worker owned cooperative committed to using whole grain and organic ingredients. The bakery has 118 worker owners.

Let’s build an economy worth occupying, from the bottom up!

WHERE: We will be at Courthouse Square, on the lawn at the corner of 4th and Mendocino – or under cover across the street if it rains

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This is the 4th in an 8-week “Brown Bag Economic Justice” Teach-In Series sponsored by the OSR Free School Working Group. The series will reveal everyday dimensions of the U.S. and global economic crisis, and ways to be part of the solution.

All of the series teach-ins are held in Courthouse Square, as part of Occupy Santa Rosa’s commitment to reclaiming public space for public conversation about human dignity and economic justice.

Bring your lunch, bring a blanket, and join us on the lawn!

Upcoming Brown Bag Economic Justice Teach-Ins:

May 10: Fair Trade and Grassroots Globalization
• Scott Leonard (Indigenous Designs) and Julie Kawahara (Kindred)

May 17: Building Resilient Local Economies
• Janeen Murray (GoLocal) and Rebecca Valentine (Share Exchange)

May 24: Good Jobs and Living Wages for All
• Bonnie Petty (Sonoma County Living Wage Coalition)[IMG][/IMG]

May 31: Solidarity: What does movement-building mean for the 99%?