Upcoming Political Events--Brooklyn (mostly)

Tuesday, May 19th: Candidate Forum
On Tuesday, May 19th, New Kings Democrats will host a candidate forum for city council candidates in Brooklyn's 33rd District. (The seat is currently held by Councilmember David Yassky).

The 33rd district runs along the East River and includes parts of Brooklyn Heights, Carroll Gardens, and Park Slope, Boerum Hill, DUMBO, the Navy Yard, parts of Williamsburg, and Greenpoint. Come learn what city council members do, and hear from all seven candidates in the race. Details below.

When: Tuesday, May 19th at 7:00 PM
Where: Harry Van Arsdale High School Auditorium (Williamsburg)
257 North 6th Street
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Go to www.NewKingsDemocrats.com for more information about the debate, to rsvp on facebook, and for links to each candidates website.

Please contact New Kings Democrats at newkingsdemocrats@gmail.com or 646-402-5825 with questions.


Thurs, May 21st, 7PM: A Young Profesionals Event with Health Care for America NOW <http://healthcareforamericanow.org/>
Join us for a conversation about what's happening in health care reform and what you can do to support the legislation of our generation!

Special Guest Speaker: Richard Kirsch <http://healthcareforamericanow.org/site/content/richard_kirschr> , National Campaign Manager, Health Care for America NOW, has spent 22 years helping lead campaigns to provide health coverage to more than 1 million working families in New York. In 2001, Kirsch was honored by Families USA as National Health Care Consumer Advocate of the Year.
Co-hosted by Nina Agrawal MD, Jonathan Arend MD, Tim Foley, Amy Miller, Elizabeth Caputo, Dave Pollack, and Reshma Saujani

Retreat NYC Bar, 37 West 17th St, RSVP: Stewart at 202-547-5797 or stewart@bhsfundraising.com. Don't miss this great oppportunity! Space is limited!


Thurs, May 21st, 10:30AM to 12:30PM: Brooklyn Clergy/Merchant Association meeting on health care reform
Elim International Fellowship Cathedral, 34 Madison Ave, Brooklyn (between Franklin and Classon Ave.)


Thurs. 5/21: Health Care For America Now Happy Hour
For a conversation about how we can help President Obama make health care a reality in 2009.

Where: Retreat NYC
37 W. 17th Street bet. 5th and 6th Aves.
From 7-9:00 pm
Hosted by Nina Agrawal MD, Jonathan Arend MD, Elizabeth Caputo, Tim Foley
Amy Miller, Dave Pollack and Reshma Saujani


Saturday, 6/6: Recession Survival Fair

Recognizing that the coming year will likely be a difficult one for many of us here in Brooklyn, Brooklyn for Barack, hosted by the Stuyvesant Heights Parents' Association, is planning a Recession Survival fair!

The fair will focus on how we can help each other get through the current economic downturn. It will both give attendees as much information as possible about programs that already exist, and allow us to come together as a community to trade skills and knowledge.

When: Saturday, June 6th from 11 AM to 4 PM
Where: Brooklyn Brownstone School
272 MacDonough St (at Lewis Ave)

Directions: A/C to Utica, B15 to Bainbridge, B25, B26 to Lewis Avenue, B43, B46 to MacDonough Street

The Recession Survival fair will have several components. First, we will have tables for organizations that offer services or programs that can give immediate help to people who've been laid off or otherwise negatively impacted by the current economic crisis. We're focusing on organizations that can offer practical help, either on site – health screenings, for example -- or in the form of information attendees can take home and act on right away.

Second, we will hold panel discussions of experts who can offer concrete information on key topics affecting our community during the recession: healthy eating on a budget, health care, jobs, credit management, and foreclosure information.

Third, we’re planning to create a more informal community exchange of services and knowledge that goes beyond what’s available through official channels. Whether through online barter, or some other form of exchange, we will pool our resources as a community to provide ongoing help to our friends and neighbors.

If you’d like to participate in the community exchange, please email us: continuethechange@gmail.com. Please let us know the following:

• Your contact info
• What skills/knowledge you feel you have to offer to your fellow Brooklynites (this may be a professional skill or simply a talent you can share, like teaching someone to knit or bake)

and/or

• What skills/knowledge you are looking to acquire (e.g.,“I’d like to learn Photoshop”)

If you are able to help plan the event (we need volunteers right now) and/or volunteer on the day itself, please let us know. Contact us: continuethechange@gmail.com.


June 11 - 25: Human Rights Watch Film Festival
(http://www.hrw.org/iff)
New York

HRWIFF Celebrates 20 Years
"A film festival that wagers hope against injustice, imagination against apathy." -- Ariel Dorfman

The Human Rights Watch International Film Festival returns to New York for its 20th year with a packed program of films dedicated to raising awareness of human rights issues around the world. Tickets are now on sale. (http://filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/hrw09/program.html)

The Reckoning
Opening Night at the HRWIFF:
THE RECKONING (NY Premiere)
A Film by Pamela Yates, Peter Kinoy and Paco de Onis, 95m
An insightful documentary that follows two riveting dramas—the prosecution of unspeakable crimes and the International Criminal Court's fight for justice. Filmmakers and ICC Deputy Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda present for Q&A following the film. Find out more (http://www.hrw.org/iff/reckoning)

Presented in association with the Coalition for the ICC (CICC) (http://www.iccnow.org) and the International Center for Transitional Justice (http://www.ictj.org)

Opening Night: Friday June 12, 7:00pm (reception to follow)
Get tickets: (https://tickets.filmlinc.com/php/calendar.php?event=11735&backurl=http://filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/hrw09/thereckoning.html#11735)| Invite friends (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=97658445026&ref=mf)

Saturday June 13, 1:30pm
Get Tickets: (https://tickets.filmlinc.com/php/calendar.php?event=11736&backurl=http://filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/hrw09/thereckoning.html#11736) Invite friends (http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=186232080485&ref=mf)

View the full festival lineup (http://hrw.org/iff)
All screenings at The Film Society of Lincoln Center, Walter Reade Theater (http://www.filmlinc.org)
West 65th Street, between Broadway & Amsterdam Aves on the upper level

Tickets Now on Sale
Click here to order tickets online (http://filmlinc.com/wrt/onsale/hrw09/program.html) or visit the Walter Reade Theater Box Office:
West 65th Street, between Broadway & Amsterdam Aves on the upper level

Would you like to receive occasional updates on special film events for the Human Rights Watch International Film Festival? Sign up for our e-mailing list (http://www.kintera.org/site/c.nlIWIgN2JwE/b.4565619/k.6A7D/Email_Center__Custom/apps/ka/ct/contactcustom.asp)

(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Human-Rights-Watch/42940254353)


GRASSROOTS VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
Health Care Reform is moving fast. We need more volunteers to help educate and activate the public. Whatever time you can contribute is helpful -an hour, a day, a week! We especially need volunteers to lead neighborhood health care tabling events. Also if you or anyone you know is a videographer interested in doing a very brief public service announcement on health care reform, please contact Nina Agrawal MD.