PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Westminster Green Party to host Progressive Conference
by Isaac Ludwig Monday, Mar. 01, 2004 at 9:39 AM
ludwigih@westminster.edu

A coalition of student organizations at Westminster College lead by the Green Party will host a “Progressive Conference” on Saturday April 3. The current plan for the conference will feature five workshops and a keynote speaker followed by live musical entertainment.

Coalition at Westminster to host Progressive Conference

A coalition of student organizations at Westminster College lead by the Green Party will host a “Progressive Conference” on Saturday April 3. The current plan for the conference will feature five workshops and a keynote speaker followed by live musical entertainment.

We are currently courting a variety of keynote speakers including; Democratic Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich, Green Party Presidential Candidate Lorena Salzman, and recently released PA death row inmate Nicolas Yarris.

The five planned workshops include; Human Rights: School of the America's Watch, Campus Organizing: Green Party, Environmentalism: The Slippery Rock MS3/Alter Project, Civil Liberties and the Patriot Act: Pittsburgh Bill of Rights Defense Committee, and Gay Marriage: Allies, Westminster’s gay/straight alliance.

The musical entertainment will include a performance by rock band The Narrows. The other acts are currently unconfirmed, but we are courting a Pittsburgh hip-hop group and an acoustic guitarist.

Green Party Presidential Candidate David Cobb may also be speaking on Friday April 2.

The coalition of organizations includes Allies, the Sierra Club, Amnesty International, the College Democrats and the Green Party.

The Westminster College Green Party was formed at Westminster in spring semester of 2002 and subscribes to the ten key values of the Green Party of the United States: grassroots democracy; social justice; ecological wisdom; nonviolence; decentralization; community-based economics; feminism and gender equity; respect for diversity; personal and global responsibility; and future focus. In the group’s first full year they brought Green Party PA lieutenant gubernatorial candidate Vicki Smedly and U.S. House of Representatives, PA District 3 candidate AnnDrea Benson, organized Storm and Castle and Books Not Bombs. The group was also involved in numerous regional progressive causes and worked in conjunction with Allies, Westminster gay-straight alliance, on tactics for reprimanding Senator Santorum in the wake of negative comments make about homosexual individuals.

Those wanting to formally endorse this event, request a table, participate in a forum, suggest a speaker or those simply wanting more information can contact either Isaac Ludwig ( ludwigih@westminster.edu) or Ken Jae (jaekc@westminster.edu) at 724-946-8340.

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