Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Baird Represents Who?

Brian Baird is coming to Olympia for a town hall style gathering at Capital High School, starts at 7pm. BE THERE to express your thoughts on his support for the continuation of the occupation of Iraq. Driving Directions. Check Intercity Transit for buses

For those of you new to the area, Brian Baird is the U.S. Representative for Olympia, Washington. Baird was elected to act as a representative of his constituents, a vast majority of whom want the occupation of Iraq to end, but instead has decided to support Bush's occupation.

For more information about Brian Baird's stance on support Bush's lack of a plan for Iraq check out Evergreen Professor Steve Niva's article in The Tacoma News Tribune or the Baird Watch Blog.

Monday, September 17, 2007

Cindy and Craig Corrie Lose Lastest Appeal

Laury Kenton
Sep 17, 2007 16:34

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has refused to reinstate a lawsuit brought against Caterpillar Inc. by Rachel Corrie's parents. Rachel Corrie, 23, of Olympia, was run over in 2003 by a 60-ton Israeli bulldozer operated by the Israeli Defense Forces. She was standing before a Palestinian home in the Gaza Strip when she was killed. Cindy and Craig Corrie sued Caterpillar, seeking to hold the company liable for aiding and abetting human rights violations. Four Palestinian families whose relatives were also killed or injured when their homes were flattened joined the Corries in filing suit (continue)

Learn About Iraqi Refugees

SESAME is pleased to announce in early October Zahra Hamid Sultan, Iraqi social worker and refugee, will be coming to the Evergreen campus.

Ms. Sultan lived and worked in Baghdad until 2001 and now lives in exile in Jordan. While working with refugees from Palestine, Iraq and Sudan, she assists Iraqi refugee children with medical needs to access care abroad.

Keep an eye out for information on campus . Location and date will be posted on the blog and website.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

SESAME -Taking "The Orient*" Out of Orientation Week

*ORIENTALISM - Edward Said's term for an entire discourse through which the colonial Other (the Orient) is represented by the West as subordinate, thus providing an intellectual foundation for material domination (ie. for imperial and economic exploitation). Wanna learn more? Check out Edward Said's prolific and amazing work in his book "Orientalism".

Tuesday, September 4, 2007

SESAME Orientation Potluck

When:
Thursday, Sept. 20th

6pm

Where:

Phan's House

611 Milroy SW

Olympia's Westside

Students Educating Students About the Middle East (SESAME) would like to invite you to a TESC orientation event of a different sort:

  • Learn about student organizations SESAME builds coalitions with
  • Connect with local people organizing to end the occupation of Iraq and Palestine
  • Introduce yourself to faculty and staff at Evergreen who work with SESAME
  • Bring food to share, if you can.
Directions:
Both the 41 and 48 arrive close to Phan's house Check http://www.intercitytransit.com for schedules.

Get off on Decatur and Harrison.
Head south on Milroy (away from the Olympia Food Co-op).
Phan's House is on the right side of Milroy, second house down from 6th Avenue

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.