This week (9/14 – 9/22), activists have the opportunity to attend information sessions, meetings, protests, benefit shows and engage in radical grassroots volunteerism. Read on if you want to get involved in the community fighting for racial justice, food security, indigenous rights, community gardening or international service.
- Wednesday, Sept. 14 Peace Corps Information Session @ 3 – 4 p.m.
New College of Florida
Center for Engagement and Opportunity (CEO)
The Peace Corps is a volunteer program run by the United States government to provide technical assistance and cultural exchange to other countries. The work is generally related to social and economic development. Peace Corps Volunteers work abroad for a period of two years after three months of training. Learn more about the Peace Corps and the application process in this info session. For more information, contact Kin Franklin from the CEO at 941.487.4425 or kfranklin@ncf.edu.
- Wednesday, Sept. 14 Black Lives Matter Alliance Manasota Meeting @ 7 p.m.
New College of Florida
ACE Lounge
Black Lives Matter Alliance Manasota is having their next meeting here on the New College campus. The upcoming agenda includes discussing “the new Jim Crow” and focus group community projects, including investigating gentrification in Sarasota, disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, self-care for black youth, and a “Ban the Box” initiative. For more information and for tips on how to prepare for this meeting, e-mail Shakira Refos at shakira.refos@gmail.com.
- Wednesday, Sept. 14 Potluck for Jill Stein @ 7 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Fogartyville Community Media and Arts Center
525 Kumquat Ct (Rear)
Sarasota, FL 34236
The purpose of this event is to organize volunteers for Jill Stein’s visit to Sarasota on Sept. 29. Other subjects of the meeting will be fundraising, registering voters, recruiting volunteers, and on the long term goals of the Green Party in Sarasota and Manatee counties. Art by local artist Julie Ross will be raffled. For more information, check out the event pages “Jill Stein: Reignite the Bern!” and “Calling all Greens! Manasota Green Party has Re-Ignited!” on Facebook.
- Thursday, Sept. 15 Day of Dialogue Planning Committee Meeting @ 6 p.m.
New College of Florida
Gender and Diversity Center (GDC)
Day of Dialogue was a concerted effort on behalf of members of the student body, faculty and staff to promote and facilitate conversation on issues such as unpacking racial and gendered aggressions on campus, embracing the cultural diversity within our community and acknowledging the need for spaces of radical openness. With the help of guest facilitator Micah Hobbes Frazier, the event will shed light on NCF’s opportunity to continue learning and educating towards making our campus accessible to people of all racial, ethnic, religious, sexual and gender identities. For more information, contact Miles Iton at miles.iton14@ncf.edu.
- Saturday, Sept. 17 Stand with Standing Rock in Tampa! @ 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Marathon Gas Station
5601 E Fowler Ave and N 56th St
Tampa, FL 33617-2307
Support the Indigenous-led movement to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline! Construction of the pipeline would endanger fresh water for 8 million people, impact sacred indigenous sites and release 250,000 tons of pollutants per day into the atmosphere. Join protesters outside the Marathon gas station to demand that the lives of indigenous people are more important than the profits of corporations. Water and signs will be available, but feel free to bring your own. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook and “like” Answer Suncoast.
- Saturday, Sept. 17 Food Not Bombs Benefit Show @ 4 p.m. – 12 a.m.
The Nine 10
910 5th Avenue North, St. Petersburg
This benefit show is raising money for Food Not Bombs St. Pete. Money raised will go towards special events and things like storage, dishes, cups, silverware, paper supplies, and hygiene products for homeless in St. Pete. There will be a potluck – bring your best vegan/vegetarian dish for a chance to win a prize! There is a $3 to $5 donation required at the door. For more information, check out the event page on Facebook.
- Sunday, Sept. 18 Food Not Bombs Food Sharing @ 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Five Points Park
N Pineapple Ave
Sarasota, FL 34236
Every Sunday, NCF’s Food Not Bombs club goes to Five Points Park to food-share – cooking donated food and sharing it with houseless individuals downtown in an act of radical community activism. Food Not Bombs also provides clothes, blankets, toiletries, and information about rights when police pull someone over. Any and all donations welcome. For more information, contact Cristina Harty at cristina.harty13@ncf.edu and “like” Sarasota Food Not Bombs on Facebook.
- Sunday, Sept. 18 Community Garden Volunteer Day @ 4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Orange Blossom Community Garden
1822 N Orange Avenue
Sarasota, FL 34234
Serve alongside Ringling students on this volunteer day at Orange Blossom. Volunteers will be working on the Ringling plots and helping out around the garden. There is public transportation directly available. Orange Blossom Garden intends to serve the community as a whole, representing many races, nationalities and age groups coming from a wide variety of educational and economic backgrounds. For more information, contact the Orange Blossom Community Garden at (941) 356-1532 and “like” their page on Facebook.