PGHIMC - Pittsburgh Independent Media Center

Coalition at Westminster to host Progressive Conference
by Isaac Ludwig Wednesday, Mar. 31, 2004 at 11:18 AM

A coalition of student organizations at Westminster College lead by the Green Party will host a “Regional Progressive Conference” on Saturday April 3 in the Beeghly Theater in Patterson Hall. The conference will feature six workshops, various speakers and live musical entertainment.

Westminster College Green Party
Contact: Isaac Ludwig
Phone: (724) 946-8340
E-mail: ludwigih@westminster.edu
Written: 3-29-04

For Immediate Release

Coalition at Westminster to host Progressive Conference

A coalition of student organizations at Westminster College lead by the Green Party will host a “Regional Progressive Conference” on Saturday April 3 in the Beeghly Theater in Patterson Hall. The conference will feature six workshops, various speakers and live musical entertainment.
Amnesty International is bringing recently released PA death row inmate Nicolas Yarris to speak about his experiences. Democratic candidate for congress, Steve Porter, who is running against Phil English and various Green Party candidates including two candidates for state senator, Jonah McAllister-Erickson for the 21st District in PA and Rick Otten from Columbus OH, will also speak.
The coalition of organizations includes Allies, the Sierra Club, Amnesty International, the College Democrats and the Green Party. The Thomas Merton Center, the Pittsburgh Organizing Group, the Allegheny County Green Party, the Western Pennsylvania Coalition to Close the School of the Americas, and Slippery Rock MS3/Alter Project have all formally endorsed this regional event.
The six planned workshops include; Human Rights in Latin America, Campus Organizing, Environmentalism, Civil Liberties and the Patriot Act, and Gay Marriage and Waste Management. The musical entertainment will be in the McKelvey Club room by rock band The Narrows with Nate Zuzack and Alan Higby opening. Green Party presidential candidate David Cobb will also speak on Thursday April 1 at 4 PM in the Ferguson lobby.
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. Go to http://www.westminster.edu/about/directions.cfm for directions and a map of the campus.
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Schedule

11:30pm-1:00pm Meet and Greet, registration, table set up and a pot-luck lunch (Beeghly Lobby)

12:30pm Welcome Address by WC Green Party chair Ken Jae (Beeghly Theater)

1:00pm-2:00pm 2 Workshops
1) Civil Liberties and the Patriot Act (by the Pittsburgh Bill of Rights Defense Committee) (Patterson 231)

2) Gay Marriage (by Allies, Westminster’s gay/straight alliance) (Patterson 311)

2:00pm-3:00pm 2 Workshops
1) Campus Organizing (by the Westminster College Green Party featuring OH Green Party candidate for state senator Rick Otten.) (Patterson 231)

2) Waste Management issues with a focus on college campuses (Westminster Environmental Science professor Dr. Balczon) (Patterson 311)

3:00pm-4:00pm 2 Workshops
1) Human Rights in Latin America (by the Western Pennsylvania Coalition To Close the School of the Americas) (Patterson 231)

2) Environmentalism (by the Slippery Rock MS3/Alter Project) (Patterson 311)

4:00pm-5:00pm Address by Democratic candidate Steve Porter who is running against Phil English and Green Party Candidates Jonah McAllister-Erickson for the state senate in the 21st District in PA and Rick Otten running for state senate in Columbus OH (Beeghly Theater)

5:00pm-6:00pm Dinner Break (Beeghly Lobby)

6:00pm-7:00pm Keynote Speech by former PA death row inmate Nicholas Yarris (Beeghly Theater)

7:30pm-9:30pm Live musical entertainment featuring Nate Zuzack and Alan Higby opening for The Narrows (McKelvey Club room) (FREE pop and popcorn provided)

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