The Hippodrome Theatre and the UF School of Theatre + Dance will partner to bring George Orwell’s dystopia to life this fall.
1984, written by George Orwell and adapted by Andrew White, makes its Southeast regional premiere on the Hippodrome Mainstage. The show runs Sept. 1 through Sept. 24.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
Florida Certified Organic Growers and Consumers, Inc. (FOG) is launching a new Food Justice Study Group for local residents in Gainesville and its surrounding communities.
Every other month, we will be discussing a book or documentary that has been selected to generate a conversation about how our contemporary food system can help us better understand the complex issues of race, class, gender, both our collective and individual histories, and how we might envision and achieve a more sustainable, socially-just society.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
by Melissa Morris, NCFCLC Secretary
During the July executive board meeting and the August general body meeting, the North Central Florida Central Labor Council (NCFCLC) unanimously voted to support Parents Against Corporate Takeover (PACT) in their efforts to campaign against Charter School USA coming into Alachua County. The NCFCLC represents union members from twelve different Central Florida counties.
On June 15th of this year House Bill 7069 was signed by Governor Scott with an effective date of July 1, 2017. This bill mandates that public schools share local millage revenue with local charter schools, regardless of public or private status. Included in this bill was language for “Schools of Hope” to be opened in areas of persistently low performing schools. It also allows for these Schools of Hope to be able to apply to the state for assistance in funding the construction of the new buildings. These provisions were put in place to help students in low performing areas, yet the proposed charter school would be built in an area of Gainesville where there are two elementary schools that are historically A schools.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
Two persons are needed for part-time (25-30 hours per week) employment with a dynamic political and cultural organization.
Progressive politics and community organizing interest, skills, and experience a must.
Familiarity with databases, spreadsheets, social media, and/or graphic design all pluses; nonprofit management experience more so. Good writing/communications skills, demonstrated movement commitment, and ability to work with and inspire volunteers also required. Pay is $14 per hour.
Send your resume via email to coordinators@civicmediacenter.org. Please state a good day of the week and time for a possible future interview.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
by Joe Courter
I had this phrase as a bumper sticker years back, and while a parody of the anti-abortion slogan, I always come back to it in different situations. Most recently it came to me in regard to the First Amendment and the dilemma of the ACLU and UF when evaluating the free speech rights of the Nazis and racists who have emerged with the election of Trump.
Our community has been targeted by these new brand of racists because we are a progressive town that will put up a fight, which is what they want. I was told they are hoping to win “free speech” court cases as a financial strategy, much like that heinous Westboro Baptist Church, the folks who picket funerals of gay people and soldiers.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
– an anonymous Santa Fe employee
Over the past few years the Alachua County Labor Coalition has helped put millions of dollars directly into the pockets of working people through our efforts to combat wage theft and our living wage campaign targeting Alachua County’s largest employers. While we’ve had significant success with those institutions whose decision-making bodies are publicly elected — the City of Gainesville, Alachua County, and the School Board — other large employers who are not directly accountable to our community have been more difficult to reach. Among those employers is Santa Fe College (SFC), which is both nationally-recognized and a bedrock institution of this community.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
On April 21 1990, the Gainesville Downtown Plaza, now Bo Diddley Plaza, was rented to celebrate Hitler’s birthday (word was whoever signed the paperwork didn’t know what “the fuhrer’s birthday” meant). Much as today, authorities wanted the event ignored, but an activist-minded President of UF Student Government, as well as many community activists, turned out over 500 people for a counter rally.
The celebrants had about 18 people, an assortment of skinheads and nazis. Their “seig heils” were met with loud “fuck yous.” And of course, a large police presence was involved, with everyone required to go through metal detectors. What follows ran in the May 1990 Gainesville Iguana:
(Carol Giardina of Gainesville Women’s Liberation spoke about women, and the larger Nazi threat. Here is part of her speech at the rally.)
The Nazis are anti-woman and they’re anti-women’s liberation. They had a KKK just for women. Küche, Kirche, und Kinder. Cooking, church, and children was a Nazi slogan … For Aryan women – blonde, blue-eyed women – their function was the forced production of future fascists. Others were forced into whorehouses, for the Nazi armies. They were sterilized and exterminated. Feminists share a common enemy in Hitler with all of labor and working people …
Posted in Articles, September 2017
The 2017 September issue of the Iguana is now available! If you want to get your hands on a hard copy, check out our distro locations here.
Posted in Articles, September 2017
The Repurpose Project is excited to announce its …so not wasted fundraiser at First Magnitude Brewery at 1220 SE Vietch St., Gainesville, on July 22, 2017 from 6-10pm. Join us for a fun evening of trash carnival games, waste stream education, a serious and not-so-serious auction starring our very own fast talkin’ auctioneer, live music, the Trash Princess, raffle, silent auction, local beer, pizza and pretzels. Learn about our mission and ways to tread lightly on the planet.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
Linda Lee [L], activist with the National Farmworkers’ Association, was interviewed by Brittany Nelson [N] in July, 2013.
This is the 41st in a series of transcript excerpts from the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program collection at the University of Florida.
Transcript edited by Pierce Butler.
L: My name is Linda Deloris Lee at Apopka, Florida. I was born and raised [here]. We grew all kind of animals, ducks, geese, guinea pigs, chicken, hogs, cows—my dad and grandfather—both of them grew animals. Both had vegetables— corn, greens, peas, okra, tomatoes, a lot of different stuff, so we didn’t go hungry. There was eight of us, seven girls and one boy. My brother used to hang around with my daddy, doing farm work and a little hunting and stuff in the summer time. And also working on the farm.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
The Friends of Susan B. Anthony will celebrate Women’s Equality Day with their annual festive luncheon on Saturday, Aug. 26.
This event, which began as an informal birthday party for Susan B. Anthony over forty years ago, is now held in conjunction with the anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote.
Each year a local woman is recognized who exemplifies the spirit of Susan B. Anthony. This year, Kathy Kidder will be honored for her contribution to civic education and role as president and membership chair of the League of Women Voters.
The featured speaker will be Dr. Rebecca Nagy, Director of the Harn Museum of Art. She will be talking about “Commanding Center Stage: Women in American Art Museums Today “ and will explore the progress women have made in being represented in museum collections and assuming directorial positions.
The luncheon will be held at the Best Western Gateway Grand at 11:30 a.m., and will cost $25 for an adult.
For further information and reservations, please contact June Littler at fosba@fosba.com or at 352-374-8158; or go to www.fosba.com. Reservation deadline is August 22, and no tickets will be sold at the door. Last year’s luncheon was sold out, so please make your reservation early.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
By GUT Fest organizers
This summer, Gainesville will host an underground performance art festival.
Gainesville Underground Theatre Festival will assemble 32 performances and a community panel over the weekend of July 21-23.
Performances will be held at The Civic Media Center, M.A.M.A.’s Club, Black C Art Gallery, The Atlantic, High Dive and the Boxcar at Depot Park.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
By Fred Sowder , WGOT Financial Director
Perhaps you listen weekday mornings to the latest news of the day from Amy Goodman on Democracy Now! Or maybe you catch the jazz selections Sunday mornings on Jazzville, or the darkwave industrial sounds of Shadows at midnight on Saturdays. Or, it could be another of the dozens of locally produced and nationally syndicated Pacifica Radio Network shows we air each week.
100.1 FM WGOT-LP is your community radio station, and we can continue to thrive with your help and that of local businesses. Our studio crowdfunding campaign is ongoing; details can be found on the WGOT Facebook page. A donation of any size will get us that much closer to providing you live programming originating from the Civic Media Center studios under construction.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
By Joe Courter
I grew up with radio and it still is a huge part of my life. Fred Sowder is a real hero to me for his commitment to WGOT.
WGOT.org has a grid of their programming, which we have printed in prior issues. As I live on the Eastside, and frankly like most people, unless you live near the transmitter out near Santa Fe College NW, my car radio is my link. In years to come, streaming and a bigger range will be available. My top seven:
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
By Gainesville IWW and Fight Toxic Prisons
Last year prisoners from around the country participated in the Sept. 9 National Prisoner Strike, the first of its size and scope in U.S. history. The wave of prisoner labor strikes and other resistance actions on and around that day were led by organized groups of prisoners such as the Free Alabama Movement, the Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee, or IWOC, of the Industrial Workers of the World labor union (IWW), as well as a large number of unaffiliated prisoners.
The strike was supported on the outside by the IWW, Fight Toxic Prisons (FTP), Anarchist Black Cross chapters and other grassroots groups. Numerous rallies and demonstrations were held at prisons around the country. In Florida, the Gainesville branch of the IWW, FTP, the Green Party and others held a demonstration at the gates of the Coleman Federal Corrections Complex near Wildwood in support.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
The Alachua County Labor Coalition is spear-heading an effort that might get the Congressman’s attention better. This is, namely, a series of demonstrations against his largest local donors. We will have our first on Saturday morning on July 29. The groups Indivisible and Women’s March will be supporting this effort as well. More details to follow. Save the date! Make your signs!
In addition, we are celebrating Medicare’s Birthday Party this year on the evening of Saturday, July 22. How much do you value Medicare? Come celebrate your present coverage (which is under attack in our present government), your parents’ coverage, and what is, or should be, coverage coming up for you. We can no longer take our Medicare or Medicaid for granted.
Come join us in this evening, to learn how it might be possible to expand Medicare to all of us by hearing fiery and articulate Congressional candidate, Tim Canova from South Florida, who will help us host this event. If Ted Yoho agrees to join us, we will have a rousing debate you will not want to miss.
Again, save the date and keep your eyes peeled for more details. Bring your stories and your outrage. If you want to help us organize or get more details, call the Alachua County Labor Coalition at 375-2832 or email us at info@laborcoalition.org.
For those of us here for the hot Gainesville summer, the summer has just gotten a little hotter. Let’s get a mob at both events! Show that you care.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
by Faith C. Carr
First gather a few people around a table, get them a pitcher of beer. Then ask the question, “How can we get more people growing their own food?” Meet up with a small local “prepper” group. Toss in a random bunch of social activists who want to eat clean healthy food – and a local food movement is begun.
Create a list of things required for community resilience: give it a catchy name. Build a website, create a Facebook group, and collaborate with that MeetUp group.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
by Madison Rubert
Hundreds of LGBTQ supporters adorned in rainbow face paint and flags paraded the streets of Downtown Gainesville to march in solidarity with the Equality March for Unity and Pride in Washington D.C.
At 1:30 p.m. on June 11, local LGBTQ supporters gathered at Depot Park before the Gainesville Area Equality March for Unity and Pride, a 10-minute walk through South Main St. towards Bo Diddley Plaza hosted by the Pride Community Center of North Central Florida.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
1. Alachua County residents may install roof-top solar power now, at much lower rates and with the assistance of professional staff, by joining the Alachua County Solar Cooperative (www.flsun.org/alachua).
2. This Cooperative is being hosted by the League of Women Voters, Alachua County (LWVAC). The Cooperative is organized and administered by Florida Solar United Neighborhoods (FL SUN), a partnership of the Florida League of Women Voters and the non-profit, 501(c)(3) Community Power Network.
Posted in Articles, July-August 2017
