Category Archives: 2024 Articles

Cinema Verde, a non-profit dedicated to environmental education, will host its 15th annual film festival at Cypress and Grove Brewing Company in Gainesville, featuring films directed by an array of artists who value the natural environment. 

On April 20-22, the festival promises an enriching cinematic experience and counters misleading information surrounding climate change. In light of various educational bodies’ recent decisions to feature climate-related content that is derived from industry and may not be valid scientifically, Cinema Verde remains dedicated to delivering accurate information rooted in science.

The Southern Labor Studies Association awards the Robert H. Zieger Prize at the biennial Southern Labor Studies Conference for the best unpublished essay in southern labor studies written by a graduate student or early career scholar, journalist, or activist. The Zieger Prize includes a $1,000 award.

The Robert H. Zieger Prize was established in 2013 with the cooperation of the Zieger family and members of SLSA. The prize is named in honor of the late Robert H. Zieger – a teacher, scholar, and tireless union activist. Zieger was a prolific, award-winning writer whose books include For Jobs and Freedom: Race and Labor in America since 1865 and The CIO, 1935-1955, and three field-defining edited volumes on southern labor history. 

by Heather Halak, Owner, Third House Books

“I was a library kid,” is my short answer when I’m asked how I got into running a bookstore. In elementary school I checked out books so voraciously at Miami-Dade’s West Miami branch that I won their summer reading contest annually.

But the longer answer is, “By accident.” Third House Books wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for my tumultuous not-even-a-year in New York City, return to Gainesville, and ninth circle of hell relationship. But mostly, it wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for Kiren Valjee, the founder, someone who’d become like family.

by Helen Warren and Ellen Siegel

Attention, faith communities: Join an interfaith climate program on April 16 for the National Faith and Climate Forum. Regardless of your faith, come together for an afternoon of climate education, spirituality, and action. Leave empowered and connected to a community making a difference. 

The free program begins at 11:30am, including a light lunch, and ends at 5:15pm. Some segments will be live in person, and some will be broadcast on Zoom. 

We are delighted to welcome both county and city staff, GRU, and several Alachua clergy as local speakers. 

Email esiegel@CLEOinstitute.org for more details, location and how to register. 

by Joe Courter

This story resonates with me on a number of levels. Back in May 1980, I was on the last Greyhound bus to make it all the way across the Sunshine Skyway bridge. The next bus in the morning made it halfway, and then into the drink, killing 35 people. Watching the news the next morning was kind of eerie. A bit personal.

But this event, and the videos. Wow. You see the cargo ship Dali under power, then its lights go out. Then they get it started, smoke belching from the engines. Cars and trucks are still going by. Its lights come back up, but it is too late to prevent what’s coming, they’ve lost control of the massive ship. Amazingly, you can also see traffic has disappeared. Then, the impact splash and down it comes. A tragic fluke, but overall, the infrastructure worked well, especially getting traffic stopped after the quick Mayday call. 

April 17, 5-6:30pm

by United Faculty of Florida, UF Chapter

In conjunction with the American Association of University Professors and faculty at campuses across the nation, the United Faculty of Florida-UF will participate in the National Day of Action for Higher Education for the Public Good on April 17 by holding a virtual teach-in on Academic Freedom, Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, and the Future of Higher Education in Florida on Wednesday, April 17, 5-6:30 pm. This teach-in will be conducted via Zoom.

by Eva A. García Ferrés, Co-President of Graduate Assistants United

On Tuesday, March 26, members of the University of Florida along with community supporters and representatives from national organizations such as the ACLU,  joined to protest the passing and implementation of SB 846. The bill is more commonly known as the “Countries of Concern” bill, as it codifies entities (i.e., universities, organizations, applicants) from Cuba, Syria, Russia, China, Iran, Venezuela, and North Korea as potentially dangerous for national safety. 

by the Gainesville Radical Reproductive Rights Network

On Monday, April 1, the Supreme Court of Florida issued two decisions impacting abortion access for Floridians. First, the Court upheld the 15-week ban on abortion, which will trigger a 6-week ban for Floridians starting May 1. Second, the Court decided that Amendment 4 (Right to Abortion Initiative) will be on the November general election ballot, despite a Florida Attorney General challenge. While the ballot decision is a win for Floridians fighting for reproductive rights, thousands of Floridians being denied health care access by the impending 6-week ban is tragic.

The April-May issue of the Iguana is now available, and you can access it here! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.

‘Better than Jesus’: How far will the cult of Trump go?
MAGA has been persuaded that Trump is the savior who will face down the demons
by Chauncey DeVega | Salon | March 2 | tinyurl.com/Iguana1979
It has been very difficult for the American people, the news media, and the country’s responsible political elites to stop Donald Trump and the larger neofascist movement precisely because he and they are launching so many attacks simultaneously on the country’s democracy, institutions, political culture and collective sense of reason – and reality itself. 

Biden and Sen. Sanders deliver remarks on lowering health care costs (35 minute video w/ transcript)
They describe successes, but there’s still much to do
MSNBC | April 3 | tinyurl.com/Iguana1981
At a White House event, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Pres. Joe Biden discuss their successes in lowering health care costs for Americans, their plans to keep doing so, and the evils of Big Pharma. Biden: “I promise you, with a democratic congress, Kamala and I will make Roe v Wade the law of the land again.”