URGI Minutes 10/6/09

HIGHLIGHTS
- This SUNDAY Night 10/11 at 8pm MEET IN HIRST to help flier for newsletters
- This FRIDAY 10/09 from 12-2pm in Douglass, come sign petition for divestment from companies investing in DR Congo


Rochester Refugee Women’s Network
- Halloween party 4-5pm 10/31 at Lake Ave. Baptist Church, play games/ give out candy and hygiene products ( purell, Kleenex, toothbrushes, toothpaste) email BRINDA If interested in attending or helping out!

October Event
- Name? URGI’s Big Show! (Students support Sri Lanka as subheading)
- 6:30 pm tomorrow Sub-committee Meeting outside of Starbucks- delegating responsibilities and forms that need to be filled out

STANDfast Week
- Start off the week with a party! DU?
- Make t-shirts (glow in the d! ark paint)- skip line into party!
- Activities at the party ( games- corn bag toss, Kan Jam)
- Food at the party to sell ($1 a slice)
- Can collecting
- Education day ( art student?- making a movie about refugees in Rochester- whats in the community and whats going on right now)
- Visual representation (something that grows that makes a point- ribbons on a tree, chalk marks on the Wilson Common wall, numbers on white wall in Pit)
- Sports tournament ( D’lions/RAs/freshman halls involved)
- Danforth- get ethnic food night/performance/awareness night (performance by local community members such as Burmese dancers) , collaboration with PASA (MARIUS!)
- Documentary/ Speaker

Can Collection Idea
- Once a month- designate one fraternity to donate cans from a! party weekend directly to us. Anyone willing to head up this project? email ELENA!(webmaster)

Newsletters
- Fliering party? Go to designated place and flier the bathrooms
- Sunday Night? 8pm MEET IN HIRST! (flag room in Wilson commons)

Douglass Tabling Events
- Oct 9th- companies to divest from Congo ( minerals that go into electronic products- profits go to rebel groups, violence, etc.) – get people to sign petition in Douglass
- THIS FRIDAY 12-2pm. BRING COMPUTERS!
o 12pm-1pm Megan Rucker and Ruth Lindemann
o 1pm-2pm Adrienne Hloderwski and Haley Wynne

Pledge to Protect conference
- funding to allow 4 people to go. If you sign up in the next 2 day cost of going is $100 minus $25 = $75.
- held on Capitol Hill in D.C- stay at Hyatt Regency, November 6th-9th. !
- Conference has workshops, seminars on DR Congo, Burma, social mediating, activism skills, Networking events- share practices and ideas. HUGE lobbying day.
- speakers: Susan Rice, Hilary Clinton, members of Congress.
- email JOE!!! If you are interested!
o Luke, Suresh, Marius, Joseph, Cassie

Toop co-sponsorship
-The opposite of people-theater performance group. Presenting a play on dawning of Holocaust. Want URGI to host/ co-sponsor and getting involved when they talk about NOV 18th-22nd
- URGI willing to co-sponsor and lead a discussion? YES!

FASA’s drive
Do what you can to help those affected by natural disasters in the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and the Samaon Islands. Donate the following goods in residence halls or designated collection areas around campus (Corner Store, Common Connection, Hirst Lounge):

Food items! : Rice, noodles, canned goods, sugar, iodized salt, cooking oil, monggo beans and portable water.

Medicines: Paracetamol, antibiotics, analgesic, oral rehydration salts, multivitamins and medications to treat diarrheal diseases.

Non-food items: Bath soaps, face towels, shampoo, toothbrush, toothpaste, plastic mats, blankets, mosquito nets, jerry cans/water containers, water purification tablets, plastic sheetings, and Laundry soap.

Ongoing Projects
- Volunteering- Adrienne Hloderwski and Joseph Gardella
- Kenya school building- Suresh (suresh@math.rochester.edu)
- Banaa Project- Joseph Gardella
- Family Refugee Pairing- Adrienne Hloderwski
- Author of Memoirs of a Child Soldier to UR

URGI Minutes 9/29/09

HIGHLIGHTS:
-Douglass Advocacy Event: Oct. 9th ***EMAIL BHANGRA
-flyering: see attached file for regulations!
-Potluck and letter writing: Oct. 10th

Volunteering Updates
- Ramp for Iraqi family – Adge
- Tutoring: no more Wednesdays/Thursdays afternoons but other locations → Pair up with Sig Ep? – Eamonn, providing rides, 5-10 brothers to help tutor each week. (will know by Sunday)
→ Other options: school #15 during school hours (no people limit) off Eastman bus ( going with Refugee Student Alliance)
→ in the future it will be decision between these two!
→Refugee Student Alliance individual family pairing (EMAIL ADRIENNE!)
Times? Individual basis? Nature of tutoring?
&r! arr; Be the Change Day – Oct. 2nd 2-3pm Friday in Hirst, Gandhi’s Bday!
- Volunteering through Aditi 3:30– 8pm,
- email TONIGHT if you want to ( urchange@gmail.com)
- South Ave Recreation center, gardening/ playing with kids

October Event
- Oct. 24th (Sat) 8pm-10pm in Strong
-Names? Big Benefit Show/ THE BIG BENEFIT/Students Support Sri Lanka
→ Emergency Relief for Sri Lanka (basic food, blankets, etc. on demand)
→ Club responses? No from Jugglers and Bhangra (Brinda will talk to them!)
Yes- from vocal point ( 2 songs), Roc the Raas, BPG, D’motions, MCs? In between the lines (ADGE-Aleeza Wachs, Derek Crowe)
→ Start talking to event support to figure out what we need to do (Adge)
→Amnesty cant provide $ but will he! lp flyer, Emergency wants to talk about it, talk to Fraternity/Sororities (LUKE!) Families Across Borders, Hillel, AEP(JOSH!)

STAND Fast
-First meeting for subcommittee- Monday 10/05 8pm in Douglass
* Subcommittee/ head person volunteers?
**Morgan Anastasio, Lizzie, Jessica Bagley, Brinda, Danielle, Reema, Lalita Movva, Elena, Beth, Mike, Julia, Luke, Cassie
→Can collection, fraternity garbage cans in basements
→ Start off with selling T-shirts/party on Friday night!
→ speaker/movie night/book sale throughout the week
→ theme day- ex. if women affected, co-sponsor with Women’s caucus
→ how many people die/are affected- something that grows everyday ( outside/sticks for every 100 people)- something shocking that draws attention.


Newsletters
- biweekly, highlighting issues around the world/ what we are doing/advocacy- (CASSIE /LIZZY/ MIKE!)
- Have one ready by Monday (send to URGI account)- stick to cork boards/bulletin boards, NOTHING ON GLASS WINDOWS, Don’t flyer Wilson Commons, Sue B is strict, bathrooms are good ( shhh!) SEE ATTACHED FILE FOR FLYERING REGULATIONS!!!!!
→ Luke work to get the $$ -- want 400 copies

Next Events:
-Potluck and letter writing: Oct. 10th – make it a party! Bridge Lounge?
-Douglass Advocacy Event: Oct. 9th – charge companies to divest f! rom Congo (http://www2.americanprogress.org/t/1647/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=135)
→12-2pm! RUTH/MEGAN/LUKE!
→ cell phones, computers, electronics all have minerals ( tin, nickel, etc) in them, the places these corporations get them are from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the money gained from individual private companies indirectly fund atrocities (slave labor conditions, rebel groups) SO, our govt. petitioning for companies to divest from these specific areas in the DRC.
-Can collecting – Elena

Ongoing Projects:
* Refugee Student Alliance- at Med School/Undergrad. Every year med school holds coat drive, sweaters, mittens, hats boys clothes! from this Friday of October-November. Co-sponsor. ( Adge)
* Amnesty International’s book drive- children’s books! Monday through Wednesday of next week in Wilson Commons & flex machine.
* Kenya school building &nd! ash; Suresh (suresh@math.rochester.edu)
* Banaa Project – Joseph Gardella
* Family Refugee Pairing – Adrienne Hloderwski
* Get author of Memoirs of a Child Soldier to UR
* ( CAS 230 Dynamics of Conflict Resolution- JOIN THE CLASS!!!) starts 10/9 Friday 1-2:30pm- 2 credits,ends first week of December SIGN UP ONLINE REGISTRATION TONIGHT IS THE LAST NIGHT TO SIGN UP!!! ADD/DROP!!! Or email JOE!!!

URGI Minutes 9/22/09

HIGHLIGHTS
→Adrienne/Adge’s email: ahloderw@u.rochester.edu
→Weekly meetings : Tues. at 9pm- WC 121
→Douglass Petitioning Friday 09/25- BRING COMPUTERS IF YOU CAN!
12-12:30 Sunny
12:30-1 Brinda and Reema
1-1:30- Michael
1:30-2- Nate and Michael

Fliers!!
Phase- Reema
Towers-Haley
Sue B.-Lalita
Gilbert and Hoeing- Morgan and Lizzy
Tiernan and Lovejoy-Michelle and Jess
Crosby and Burton- Danielle
Latimore and Morey, B&L, Dewey, Hoyt-Luke
Hutch-Suresh
Hylan-Suresh
Carlson-Elena
Goergen Hall-Julia
Athletic Center-Brinda

Money from Mardi Gras party
$700+ going to:
Congo- shelter for tents
Darfur-protection/community service to victims of violence
→Big show money for Sri Lanka

Movie– Nate
Sept. 24th 7pm in Hoyt
Documentary-All About Darfur

Volunteering Updates
*Ramp for Iraqi family – Adge, go to Lumber 84 about wood this week.
Volunteers to help Adge? (Mike) Email her!!! She needs more people! (ahloderw@u.rochester.edu)
-Kelli’s Ukrainian friends will help build

**Tutoring for refugee students– Adge and Joe
-two locations in South Wedge- can get there by walking/public transportation. ONLY meet on Wednesdays and Thursday evenings 4:45pm-6pm,
-don’t need that many volunteers but need people that can come consistently! EMAIL JOE/KELLI!
-Thursday-Greek Church (S.clinton and Linton)
-Wednesday- St. Bonaventure Church( Gregory St. )
-Third option- Family pairing through Refugee Student Alliance. Student volunteers in groups of 5 and matched with a family, go to house- tutor kids, help parents with paperwork, constant interaction with refugees from Rochester. More flexible times, email KELLI!
-Other options- School #15 off Ea! stman bus- volunteers needed during school hours but no constraints on # of people. helping with homework. Need mentors/role models.

Ideas
Ghost of Rwanda documentary- PBS Frontline- on aftermath of Rwanda.
Book/speaker- A long way gone-Ishmael Beah

Banaa Project-
- next step, talking with Dean of Admissions. Meeting is next week. Email Joe if interested about project! Through Gandhi Institute. EMAIL JOE!
o Luke, Brinda and Mike

October Event
+ Big showcase- student groups on campus doing a performance show.
- Sub committee: Adge, Cassie, Luke, Sunshine, Suresh, Morgan Anastasio, Lizzie Huberlie, Haley, Elena, Danielle Abrams
* Time and Location? October 24th!!! Saturday, 8pm-10pm Strong Auditorium
* Start planning and figuring out details: e-mail clubs,! talk to event support, etc

Douglass Advocacy Event

- Savedarfur.org: Sign our petition urging President Obama to remember the people of Sudan.

STAND Fast week-
-can drive, fundraising, December 4th-9th. Friday-Wednesday.
-Subcommittee/ head person volunteers? Morgan Anastasio, Lizzie, Jessica Bagley, Brinda, Danielle, Reema, Lalita Movva, Elena, Beth, Mike, Julia, Luke Mike, Julia, morgan anastasio, Lizzy

Other Notes
→ email Suresh if you are interested in a trip to Kenya working with Jim Nowak to build schools. (suresh@math.rochester.edu)
→ email Adrienne if you are interested in attending a conference at Geneseo, the “ I heart Africa”, in November, open to anyone. (ahloderw@u.rochester.edu)

URGI Minutes 9/14/09

HIGHLIGHTS

1) Next week’s meeting is Tuesday 09/22 at 9pm in WC 507
2) Movie/Speaker 09/24 at 7pm in Hoyt
3) Advocacy Event 09/25 in Douglass from 12pm-2pm

• How did the General Interest Meeting go?
- with powerpoint: expand on fundraising events- amount collected, details on what we did
- more emphasis on where the money goes , who we’re helping
- more short clips from youtube about current conflicts

• Next weeks meeting (and there after): Tues. at 9pm
- Next week: WC 507
- Following weeks: WC 121

• Movie and Speaker Night

– 9/24 at 7pm in Hoyt Auditorium
- God Grew Tired of Us
- Nate spoke with Natasha who knows some Sudanese refugees who can speak – perhaps about their personal experience and how they adjusted to a new life (approx. 20 minutes) then short question and answer session, then movie
- Create a flyer (Nate!)
- Pass out flyers at next weeks meeting
- Find out if author is a motivational speaker/ maybe he’ll waive or lower price or we can get supplemental funding from the school (Luke!)

•Volunteering

- Ramp for Iranian refugee family – Adge, Michael!
- Tutoring for refugee students, GOAL: to get as many students as possible to volunteer and unify all main organizations on campus to make sure everyone is behind this idea. Most likely school will be in South Wedge– Adge and Joe!
- Banaa Project Volunteers (bringing the Sudanese student to Rochester). Joe needs a few people to give presentations. Contact Joe through email! (jgardell@u.rochester.edu)
- EXPRESS any ideas you may have!!

•October Event

- 10/23 at 8pm BIG showcase OR…Frat Party Fundraiser- 10/17 at 10pm, perhaps with ΣAM?

- Adrienne put in request for Strong reservation for performance groups sell tickets to raise money for fundraiser. Volunteers? Sandeep!

- Sub committee: Adge, Cassie, Luke -start planning and figuring out details

•Douglass Advocacy Event?

- Savedarfur.org: Sign our petition urging President Obama to remember the people of Sudan.
- 09/25 12pm-2pm in Douglass- Luke and Sunshine!
- check out: www.sudandivestment.org

•STAND fast

- subcommittee/ head person volunteers?

URGI Minutes 9/7/09

URGI Minutes 09/07/09

General Interest Meeting
-7pm Monday 9/14 Gowen Room
-show powerpoint- on what we do, contact info, show short video clip (Meet the Janjaweed?), events we did last year and questions at the end
- Start flyer-ing this week!- Time, date, place, SA funded should be on poster (Nate)
-Provide Pizza from Domino’s-3 cheese, 2 pepperoni, 1 veggie (Luke)

Volunteering
- Community work in the future-Monthly Mini Projects (first one-ramp for handicapped Iraqi veteran?-Adrienne will head this project)
- accept more ideas/suggestions from other members
- Tutoring refugee students with skills we have (ex. English to help integrate) NOT just our group, organize and work with other groups. (The Saint’s Place, School # 15, Maplewood) Look into schools with ESL classes and after school programs (middle schools/high schools)

Events
- September-event the week after General interest meeting (documentary Thursday 09/24 in Hoyt 7pm - The Human Experience, God Grew Tired of Us- hour and a half, maybe author as a speaker after?!!)
- October- potluck/letter writing drive, Big Benefit Party or another party w/ fraternity
- November- STAND conference, STANDfast week- speakers, dinner/show ( Burmese dancers)
- Eastman collaboration-perhaps a Benefit concert?

Future Meeting Format
- discussion session at the end
- quick blurb in the beginning of the meeting, facebook messages or emails with current updates

One on One Meetings w/ Kelli and Joe
-15 min with E-board members next Thursday 09/10. Sign up times on sheet.

Party!
-Friday 09/11 at 7pm at Kelli and Joe’s place in Valentine. Bring food, games, anything fun.

Lousie Slaughter Sent a Letter to Obama!

Hi all!

Thanks so much for your emails to Representative Louise Slaughter, encouraging her to write the President about the situation in Darfur.

She sent a letter to Obama today, urging him to act on the current humanitarian crisis in Darfur. It can be seen on her website at: http://www.louise.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1128&Itemid=1.

DARFUR (JEM) REBELS SENTENCED TO DEATH

A Sudanese court has sentenced 11 Darfur rebels to death for an attack on Khartoum in 2008.

The members of the Justice and Equality Movement (Jem) were found guilty of involvement in the unprecedented assault on the Sudanese capital.

Some 80 Jem members have already been sentenced to death for the attack, which left more than 200 people dead.

The Jem fighters drove across the desert to reach Khartoum and were only stopped near the presidential palace.

On Sunday, Judge Hafez Ahmed at the court in Khartoum found the 11 rebels guilty of terrorism and illegal possession of weapons, the AFP news agency reported.

"For their actions in terrorising the people, and threatening the foundation of the state... aggressive sentences are required," the judge told the courtroom.

Eight other men were acquitted.

The attack in May 2008 was the closest the rebels have ever been to Khartoum.

Local residents said the fighting lasted several hours.

Jem is currently the most significant fighting rebel force in Darfur.

In February, Jem signed a "declaration of intent" for a peaceful settlement of the war during talks with Sudan's government in Doha, Qatar.

But Jem is now refusing to return to the peace talks, accusing Khartoum of not honouring confidence-building accords.