"The aim of this conference is to provide an opportunity for activists to network, build alliances, and discuss how to further the goals of the movement. This conference is designed for people who have already accepted the premise of animal rights and are ready to take the next step. Although we don't presume to know what this next step should be, we hope that this conference will produce constructive results.

The format of this conference will include:

* round-table discussion
* hands-on
* workshops
* lectures
* film screenings
* musical performances

Tickets will be $5-20, sliding scale."

Come and paint a tile that will be permanently displayed in the Olympia-Rafah Mural on the Olympia Labor Temple building. Add your voice for peace, in the form of a painted ceramic olive leaf, which will be one of many leaves of a giant painted olive tree. Visually express solidarity with our sister city of Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, and your desire for peace in the middle east -- no experience necessary!

Come Check us out! We'll be in the Alley between Last Word Books and Quality Burrito on 4th Ave. in Downtown Olympia on Friday April 25th, between 5-9pm, and on Saturday, April 26th between 12pm and 4pm.

Don't miss an exciting performance by Olympia's own Holly Gwinn Graham, and other talented local performers in the Alley by the Free Wall behind the Capital Theater to celebrate the Olympia- Rafah Mural Project on Friday evening at 7pm.

For questions or volunteer opportunities, please contact 754-3998 or mural@rachelcoriefoundation.org

This is to find out if there is interest on OlyBlog in creating a more wholistic view of how social justice, peace, environment, and other issues interrelate. Sometimes I feel alienated by the presentation of issues of sustainability in Olympia without mention of vegetarian diet, and I feel that the mention of peace without a view which addresses local poverty or animal rights actually helps perpetuate the habit of stratification rather than alleviates it.

When visiting the Emma Goldman Finishing School in Seattle, I admired the way they would create community by offering a monthly potluck with a themed presentation related to social justice along with a vegetarian potluck to support sustainability and prevent needless suffering in animals. By contrast, my experiences in interacting here in Olympia has been that the organizations I've explored pretty much pick a cause rather than addressing the root of stratified thinking. This results in unsustainable fundraisers that also victimize animals to support organizations that may be very effective and adept at addressing issues related to human suffering or the arts, or education, etc, and I have difficulty investing where I see one injustice perpetuated to support a relatable, but as of yet not related in practice, cause.

I'm so sad that Whirligig closed. That was one of the most environmentally sound concepts for a store I've ever seen. And I'd just discovered the store!! Lovely gifts, too. I bought several hand-made plantable paper cards with flower seeds in them and now have no idea how to get more of the cards, which made wonderfully mailable gifts. Any ideas?

SNBL USA is one of the largest a contract testing organizations in the country. They are in the business of animal cruelty - conducting animal experiments for businesses such as Pfizer, Inc and Eli Lilly. On January 31, 2008 KIRO 7 broke an investigation that revealed horrible animal suffering at the Everett facility (They also have a facility in Alice TX). In one case, a female monkey was scalded to death during a 20 minute wash cycle inside of a searing hot 180 degree cage washer. Whistle blowers have also alleged that monkeys are sprayed with acid, dropped on their heads and that when monkeys are not fed or cared for as required by law, employees are required to fake entries in official records.

To read these stories see:
KIRO TV
KIRO TV
Seattle Times

"The problem always is, how can you, as an individual activist, really make a difference? The world is so vast, so complex, sometimes you despair of making any kind of difference. I think the real lesson to be learnt from what Henry has done is that you can make a difference." ~Peter Singer

I had planned to spend the day at the history museum at Tacoma where there will be a presentation about Katrina survivors but my friend, who is a Katrina survivor, cancelled due to illness and I've decided to celebrate by posting about The Feminist Book Project at the Olympia Free School instead.

The project focuses on works by women with emphasis on works by women of color. I've volunteered to do the initial set-up for the project including creating the section dividers and lettering on the sign above the display. I'd like to invite you to go in to take a look, check out a book and even, if you feel so inclined, to donate a feminist book...especially a book by a woman of color.

I'll be posting more about this project in the future.