Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

...White Allies Training...

Posted by MarkDilley on 21. January 2005

What does it mean to be a white activist working with communities of color? How does white privilege affect our organizing? How do we make better groups and better coalitions?

January 28th, Friday, 6pm
Michigan League, Henderson Room

rsvp: dasbates@umich.edu

Student Voices in Action is sponsoring a training led by Anjali Thakur, Vice-President of the Leadership Council on Civil Rights, the nations oldest civil rights organization. The council has years of experience creating diverse coalitions, and also helping white activists work in solidarity with communities of color on civil rights issues. The format of the training will be that of a moderated discussion between activists from the progressive communit, gear toward white progressives sharing, elaboratng, and workshopping their experiences as allies, and how to learn from one another please contact Ryan Bates ( dasbates@umich.edu ) or Lisa Bakale-Wise ( lisabw@umich.edu: lisabw@umich.edu ) with questions, and RSVP to Ryan.

UMich protesters report from DC and Diag

Posted by Murph on 21. January 2005

The Daily covers Michigan protesters’ experiences yesterday in Washington and in Ann Arbor, including being pepper sprayed,

One violent clash occurred during an evening demonstration near the Pennsylvania Avenue parade route. A group of protesters were angered by the long wait to enter the parade route — an area into which they said they had been told they would be allowed.

After the line extended several blocks, some protesters began to push, lift and even break the eight-foot steel fence that separated them from police.

To push them back from the fence, police began firing pepper spray. Some protesters left the scene red-faced, crying with bloodshot eyes.

and chased by riot police,

Immediately after this incident, the police called for backup. In a few minutes, a train of vans and squad cars arrived at the scene with 50 riot police who dismounted and headed toward the crowd. Moving in a solid black and blue line, they swept down the street, pushing away protestors — some running away while others were pushed down a street that ran into the parade route. Few were hit, and none were assaulted with pepper spray. Once they reached the end of the street, police reinforced the fence and assumed a defensive position.

Protesters began to taunt the police, goose-stepping, giving the fascist salute and yelling “Sieg Heil!� A few of these protesters staged a sit-down protest in the middle of the street in front of the police.

While police action may not have been completely without reason, “Few were hit,” is not exactly a high standard to hold the police to, and pepper spray as a first response seems a little extreme.

The Daily article goes on to discuss less exciting protests.

Comment [1]

Ward Connerly ends term as UC Regent

Posted by Murph on 21. January 2005

Ward Connerly’s 12-year term as a UC Regent ended yesterday; the Daily Californian reviews his accomplishments.

To some, his departure is a victory. Affirmative action advocates say California now has the opportunity to bring race back into consideration in admissions.

“The people of California who support equality are rejoicing today,� says Ronald Cruz, UC Berkeley student and a member of BAMN, who has never been silent about his contempt for Connerly’s policies. “We now have the opportunity at UC to move forward.�

But Connerly says his hard-nosed approach to race in education is not about restricting access, as some critics allege, but instead about true equality.

“For the life of me, I don’t know why it’s contentious,� he says. Connerly points to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which bars discrimination on the basis of race.

Though maybe not so much a victory for some of us outside of California:

Although Connerly says he is “free at last� from the board and is ready to relax, he will continue to push a measure in Michigan similar to California’s Proposition 209.

“Passion doesn’t die,� he says. “You can leave one forum, but you don’t need to be an elected official or a regent to have a voice.�

Wireless Washtenaw aims for countywide access by 2007

Posted by Murph on 21. January 2005

Business Direct reports that Wireless Washtenaw, a group that hopes to provide wireless high-speed internet access to all of Washtenaw County, has gained high profile supporters and is hoping to begin a pilot program next year with full rollout in 2007.

Wireless Washtenaw is early in its development, or what Washtenaw County IT Director David Behen described as its “visioning” stage. He was scheduled to outline the program to the county Board of Commissioners at a Jan. 20 work session.

There are several reasons public wireless systems are taking hold: wireless technology is widely available, it is dropping in price and it is improving constantly.

Municipalities also are growing tired of waiting for cable television or telecommunications companies to serve rural areas, and many municipalities are looking for ways to save money through applications such as automated reading of water meters and more-efficient communications.

Widespread broadband availability also is regarded as an economic development issue because the perception is growing that high-speed Internet access needs to be as available as utilities such as water and electricity, said Washtenaw Development Council President Susan Lackey.

Take Back the Night organizing

Posted by MarkDilley on 20. January 2005

I’d like to announce that the Take Back the Night organizing committee will be meeting every Tuesday starting on January 25th to begin planning the 26th Annual Take Back the Night rally and march. Meetings will be from 7pm to 8:30ish in room B-684 in the School of Social Work. We’d love to have anyone that is interested in the cause help out with advertising,
fundraising and programming. No experience necessary! Faculty, students, staff and community members are encouraged to come.

The rally will be in mid-April, so we’ll have plenty of time to get to
know each other and have some fun, all while planning an important event to promote awareness of sexualized violence in this area. Please email Susie or myself if you have any questions or need clarification. Please feel free to forward!

Hope to see you there!

Amber Weisheim, BSW, Co-facilitator, Take Back the Night
MSW Candidate, University of Michigan School of Social Work
aweishei@umich.edu
734.255.0690

Susie Hamilton, M.S., Co-facilitator, Take Back the Night
Research Assistant II, University of Michigan Health System
sueileen@umich.edu
734.945.0460

Comment [1]

Google attacks 'comment spam'

Posted by Matt Hollerbach on 19. January 2005

From the Google Blog:
> Preventing comment spam

Broadway Village Underway in Lower Town

Posted by Brandon on 18. January 2005

Demolition has begun in preparation for the Broadway Village mixed-use development at Maiden Lane and Broadway. In a story available only in the print edition, today’s Ann Arbor News reports:

A 75,000-square foot athletic club, a steak and seafood restaurant and a 96-suite hotel will be among the tenants in the Lower Town project northeast of downtown Ann Arbor.

Demolition began early this month at the site of the ambitious 6.4-acre project at the corner of Broadway and Maiden Lane, a shopping are once anchored by a Kroger store.

The Ann Arbor Athletic Club will be an upscale health and exercise facility with a swimming pool and state-of-the-art fitness equipment, said Ken Polsinelli, senior vice president of Ann Arbor-based McKinley, who is lining up tenants for the development.

[...]

Adjoining the athletic club will be a 96-suite hotel, said Polsinelli, who is in the final stages of negotiating a lease. He declined to name the hotel, but described it as a name everyone would recognize. Blake’s Chop House and University Bank have also signed on, he said.

McKinley, a property management and real estate investment firm, is negotiating with a number of other local and national tenants, from eateries to specialty stores.

>Previous Arbor Update Lower Town stories

Comment [12]

Labor Rights are Human Rights: Carrying Forward the Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Posted by MarkDilley on 18. January 2005

JANUARY 19TH

I. 12:15 – 1 p.m. **Legal Internships & Careers in the New Labor Movement
Hutchins Hall 218
Andy Levin, AFL-CIO Voice@Work
Roland Zullo, Labor Studies Center
co-sponsored by Office of Public Service and Office of Career Services

II. 1:15 p.m. – 2 p.m. **“A River Runs Through It”
Hutchins Hall Room 236,
Documentary on Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Struggle

III. Jan, 19th, 4:45 – 6:15 p.m. – **Unions and the Struggle for Rights, Respect, and Equality
Hutchins Hall Room 100
Andy Levin, AFL-CIO Voice@Work – General Baker, Black Men in Unions Institute – Andre Wilson, Graduate Employees Organization –
6:15-7:30 p.m. – ** It’s a Small World: Connections Across Borders
Hutchins Hall Room 100
Alison Paul, Labor Education in the Americas Project – Nelson Enrique Quijano Lozada, Colombian Petroleum Workers Union – Student Activist, Students Organizing for Labor & Equality (SOLE) –
7:30 p.m. – pizza and informal talking with guest speakers

Detroit Guerrilla Queer Bar

Posted by MarkDilley on 18. January 2005

january event announcement

the new year is here and so is our first event for 2005. clear your calendar and be sure to join us on thursday, january 20 at 8:30pm.

as always, we will reveal all of the details a day or so before the event by email and website.

Comment [1]

Student Affairs Official Notice

Posted by MarkDilley on 17. January 2005

One week left….

.....to nominate and celebrate those outstanding students, student
groups and faculty and staff for their co-curricular commitments that have contributed to the vitality of campus at the University of Michigan.

Awards are presented in eight categories:
Outstanding Student Leader
Outstanding New Member
Program of the Year
Outstanding Student Organization
Advisor of the Year
Tapestry Award
Student Legacy Award
Yeoman Service Award (new this year)

Descriptions for each category are outlined in the nomination form that can be found on our website: http://www.umich.edu/~salead The deadline for submission is January 21st, 2005. For more information and/or questions, please email Jackie Simpson, jdsimps@umich.edu , phone 763-5900.

Director of Admissions, Ted Spencer stated during his convocation
speech this year that, ”[students] perform well at Michigan because it consists of students who are exceptional in both academic and extra curricular endeavors, and who will contribute to the vitality of the University of Michigan.” We couldn’t agree more. The Michigan Leadership Awards have been tailored to recognize the true spirit of leadership at the University of Michigan that values integrity, initiative, stewardship reciprocity, and respect. In addition, recipients are expected to value diversity of perspectives, demographics, life experiences, disciplines, and expression among students, recognizing these differences to be both stimulating and beneficial.

Also, the awards ceremony will be held in the Michigan Union Ballroom on April 5, from 4:00pm-6:00pm in the afternoon. Please mark this date on your calendar. Those individuals recognized will look forward to sharing this time of celebration with you.

Thank you!
Office of Student Activities and Leadership
Division of Student Affairs

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