September 2009 Notes
Congo Action Now (CAN)
Democratic Republic of Congo Committee
September 20, 2009
Present: Coleen Houlihan, Samba Halkose, Maman Jeanne, Jackie Fletcher, Kelley Ready, Pat Aron
Congo Action Now held a very productive meeting on September 20, 2009. The meeting began with check-ins. The meeting focused on planning for the two events that we will have in October for Breaking the Silence/Congo Week II – a vigil and a house party.
The vigil will take place on Saturday, October 10 from 2:00 to 4:00 in Harvard Square (rain date October 11 – same place and time). We will meet in Harvard Square (at MBTA entrance) at 1:30. Anyone who’d like to make signs may meet at Pat’s house at noon and we’ll leave from there. The goals of the vigil are to raise awareness of the situation in the DRC and to let people know what they can do. Pat learned that we don’t need a permit for the vigil. This will be primarily a silent vigil, but we will also read short statements about the DRC. Coleen has developed a comprehensive list of facts – she and Pat will decide which to emphasize and how to present them. If the Cambridge City Council has passed its DRC resolution before the vigil, we will read it. Kelley volunteered to read the resolution and Maman Jeanne volunteered her daughter. Pat will find out the status of the resolution. The Raging Grannies may be able to perform at the vigil – Jean will let us know. We will have signs that we have made and the WILPF banner. Samba will bring DRC flags and the US-Congolese banner. We don’t have time to make tee shirts but we’d like to have them in the future. Kelley will get us information about a parking lot in Central Square.
The group discussed outreach and publicity for the vigil. Coleen will prepare a flyer and send the draft to us for ideas. Pat will email everyone the summary statement she sent the Cambridge mayor. Pat will send the finalized flyer to the WILPF list and to the director of the Cambridge Peace Commission who offered to publicize the event, and we’ll all forward it to people we know. Kelley will draft a press release about the vigil and will send us the draft. She has a media list for distribution and she’ll also contact the Bay State Banner.
We will have two handouts at the vigil. Coleen will finalize the list of facts/statements to be handed out. Pat suggested giving people a list of actions they could take but it was felt that a list could be overwhelming so we decided to provide copies of a letter that people can send. Pat will check on the status of the Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009 and will prepare a letter of support (if needed). If the act has passed, Pat will identify another issue and draft a letter. We discussed the need to take photos for our website - Coleen and Samba will take photos at the vigil.
The group then discussed the upcoming house party. The house party will be held on Saturday, October 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 at Jackie’s house in Dorchester. The goal of the house party is to raise awareness of the situation in the DRC. The program will include a welcome by Jackie, a film, and a PowerPoint presentation by Samba on her trip to the DRC and the work of VICO. We may introduce the film with an overview of political forces in the Congo. We need to decide which film to show (must be on DVD). Pat will review a 30-minute DVD identified by Samba and will find out if we have access to Breaking the Silence on DVD. Samba will try to locate a laptop with PowerPoint and Windows 2007. Does anyone have access to one? Coleen can borrow a projector. Samba will try to contact a woman in Florida who may have VICO bags that we can sell. The US-Congolese have been incorporated and can now accept donations for VICO. Samba is looking into its tax-exempt status.
Jackie’s apartment can accommodate a maximum of 20 people. Kelley will prepare an invitation using E-Invite and will send it to us for comments. Jackie has already invited several people. We will invite WILPF members and will contact other people we know. We’ll have snack foods (cheese, crackers, cookies, etc.). Jackie offered to provide food and we can coordinate other items to bring. We will have a basket for donations toward the expense of the house party and other CAN events.
Maman Jeanne asked the group to consider sponsoring a presentation with a well-known Congolese journalist who will be in the US - he could come to Boston on October 23. The group felt that this would be an excellent project but that we don’t have enough time to plan the event and to raise the required funds.
Pat asked for feedback on the proposed name for our group – Congo Action Now (CAN). Everyone liked the name, so it was adopted.
There wasn’t time to review the website at the meeting. Coleen will prepare announcements of the vigil and the house party for the website. Samba will send Coleen VICO pictures. Anyone who hasn’t written a short blurb about herself is asked to send one to Coleen.
Coleen told us that the British firm AMC has announced that it is no longer using tin from the DRC as a result of concerns about conflict minerals.
The next meeting of the group will be on Sunday, November 15, at 3:00 at Pat’s house in Jamaica Plain. Our agenda will include evaluations of the vigil and house party, review of the website, report from Mary on the Manchester Independence Day march, and follow-up on calls people have been making.
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
Democratic Republic of Congo Committee
September 20, 2009
Present: Coleen Houlihan, Samba Halkose, Maman Jeanne, Jackie Fletcher, Kelley Ready, Pat Aron
Congo Action Now held a very productive meeting on September 20, 2009. The meeting began with check-ins. The meeting focused on planning for the two events that we will have in October for Breaking the Silence/Congo Week II – a vigil and a house party.
The vigil will take place on Saturday, October 10 from 2:00 to 4:00 in Harvard Square (rain date October 11 – same place and time). We will meet in Harvard Square (at MBTA entrance) at 1:30. Anyone who’d like to make signs may meet at Pat’s house at noon and we’ll leave from there. The goals of the vigil are to raise awareness of the situation in the DRC and to let people know what they can do. Pat learned that we don’t need a permit for the vigil. This will be primarily a silent vigil, but we will also read short statements about the DRC. Coleen has developed a comprehensive list of facts – she and Pat will decide which to emphasize and how to present them. If the Cambridge City Council has passed its DRC resolution before the vigil, we will read it. Kelley volunteered to read the resolution and Maman Jeanne volunteered her daughter. Pat will find out the status of the resolution. The Raging Grannies may be able to perform at the vigil – Jean will let us know. We will have signs that we have made and the WILPF banner. Samba will bring DRC flags and the US-Congolese banner. We don’t have time to make tee shirts but we’d like to have them in the future. Kelley will get us information about a parking lot in Central Square.
The group discussed outreach and publicity for the vigil. Coleen will prepare a flyer and send the draft to us for ideas. Pat will email everyone the summary statement she sent the Cambridge mayor. Pat will send the finalized flyer to the WILPF list and to the director of the Cambridge Peace Commission who offered to publicize the event, and we’ll all forward it to people we know. Kelley will draft a press release about the vigil and will send us the draft. She has a media list for distribution and she’ll also contact the Bay State Banner.
We will have two handouts at the vigil. Coleen will finalize the list of facts/statements to be handed out. Pat suggested giving people a list of actions they could take but it was felt that a list could be overwhelming so we decided to provide copies of a letter that people can send. Pat will check on the status of the Congo Conflict Minerals Act of 2009 and will prepare a letter of support (if needed). If the act has passed, Pat will identify another issue and draft a letter. We discussed the need to take photos for our website - Coleen and Samba will take photos at the vigil.
The group then discussed the upcoming house party. The house party will be held on Saturday, October 24 from 4:30 to 6:30 at Jackie’s house in Dorchester. The goal of the house party is to raise awareness of the situation in the DRC. The program will include a welcome by Jackie, a film, and a PowerPoint presentation by Samba on her trip to the DRC and the work of VICO. We may introduce the film with an overview of political forces in the Congo. We need to decide which film to show (must be on DVD). Pat will review a 30-minute DVD identified by Samba and will find out if we have access to Breaking the Silence on DVD. Samba will try to locate a laptop with PowerPoint and Windows 2007. Does anyone have access to one? Coleen can borrow a projector. Samba will try to contact a woman in Florida who may have VICO bags that we can sell. The US-Congolese have been incorporated and can now accept donations for VICO. Samba is looking into its tax-exempt status.
Jackie’s apartment can accommodate a maximum of 20 people. Kelley will prepare an invitation using E-Invite and will send it to us for comments. Jackie has already invited several people. We will invite WILPF members and will contact other people we know. We’ll have snack foods (cheese, crackers, cookies, etc.). Jackie offered to provide food and we can coordinate other items to bring. We will have a basket for donations toward the expense of the house party and other CAN events.
Maman Jeanne asked the group to consider sponsoring a presentation with a well-known Congolese journalist who will be in the US - he could come to Boston on October 23. The group felt that this would be an excellent project but that we don’t have enough time to plan the event and to raise the required funds.
Pat asked for feedback on the proposed name for our group – Congo Action Now (CAN). Everyone liked the name, so it was adopted.
There wasn’t time to review the website at the meeting. Coleen will prepare announcements of the vigil and the house party for the website. Samba will send Coleen VICO pictures. Anyone who hasn’t written a short blurb about herself is asked to send one to Coleen.
Coleen told us that the British firm AMC has announced that it is no longer using tin from the DRC as a result of concerns about conflict minerals.
The next meeting of the group will be on Sunday, November 15, at 3:00 at Pat’s house in Jamaica Plain. Our agenda will include evaluations of the vigil and house party, review of the website, report from Mary on the Manchester Independence Day march, and follow-up on calls people have been making.
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom