SESAME 2007-2008

Students Educating Students About the Middle East (SESAME) is in its fifth year as a student organization at The Evergreen State College.

This academic year SESAME strives to become an inclusive, anti-racist student organization.

SESAME aims further involvement in the work of the Appearing Task for on Anti-Oppression and continues to observe Day of Absence/Day of Presence on campus.

In the past, SESAME co-sponsored a variety of events with other student groups at Evergreen including the Environmental Resource Center, Women of Color Coalition, Carnival, Women's Resource Center, Queer People of Color and many others. To find out more about other student groups checkout Student Activities on the 3rd floor of the CAB building.

We have also gained experience and support from local and national organizations including the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, Council on American-Islamic Relations, Arab American Community Coalition of Washington, Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project, Port Militarization Resistance and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

SESAME welcomes input and participation in the planning of upcoming events and actions (email: sesame@evergreen.edu). In autumn, events include Olympia and Evergreen community forums on the current situation in Middle East, refugees, racism and academic freedom. Co-sponsorships include Dahr Jamal and Suheir Hammad at the Olympia Film Society for the 24th annual Olympia Film Festival. We are hosting the Israeli Coalition Against House Demolition (ICAHD) photo exhibit on the Jerusalem Dispossessed in mid-October. Our Annual Middle East Film Festival is planned for Winter Quarter in January of 2008. Throughout the year we will continue our work to publicizing The Evergreen State College Foundation’s lack of a socially responsible investment policy, which includes investing in companies that profit from war and occupation in the Middle East.