Virginia Grassroots Coalition

Outreach Events around the Region
Events are posted to this section on a space-available basis. Submit announcements in the format above to info@vagrassroots.org and keep ‘em short. Always include links for more info and questions.
Standing Events
Metro DC Progressive Network’s calendar - http://www.metnet.blogspot.com/
Got Night School -- http://www.dfalink.com/group.php?id=1118
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Wednesday, Aug. 30^th, 11:30am, Richmond Labor Rally. United Food & Commercial Workers Union will hold a national rally and march while top officials and stockholders from the Smithfield Foods corporation meet here for their annual meeting. Smithfield owns the largest pig processing plant in the country, in Tar Heel, N.C. The workers, most of whom are Black or Latino, work under very brutal conditions and for years have been trying to organize a union. Even the federal National Labor Relations Board has had to admit that the company has employed viciously repressive means to stop the union drive. The union's plans so far are to rally at 11:30 a.m. at the Cedar Street Baptist Church at 23rd and Cedar streets in Church Hill. Then they'll go to the Jefferson Hotel at 101 W. Franklin St. where the Smithfield meeting will take place. They plan to march around the hotel. http://www.smithfieldjustice.com/Anual_Meeting.php Contact - philwilayto@earthlink.net

Tuesday, September 5^th – 21^st, Camp Democracy Hits DC. See the schedule at http://campdemocracy.org/schedule
Housing is needed for participants. If you can lend a room, go here - http://campdemocracy.org/housing Thursday, September 7^th, 4pm, Immigration Mobilization in DC at the National Mall at 3rd Street. March to the White House and then a rally on the National Mall
Contact: Juan Carlos Ruiz, National Capitol Immigration Coalition, (414) 758-0600 or (202) 232-3810 jcruiz@ncic-metro.org Sunday, September 10, 5:45 - 8 PM, The Sunday Supper Club at the home of Bill Day, 7700 Frytown Rd. Warrenton, VA; phone 540-347-3952.
Please join us! Our guest speaker will be Mike Medley of Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, VA who will talk with us about a situation that has been unfolding there over the past months. It involves the community of Kurdish folks who are residents of Harrisonburg, some of whom have been charged under new provisions of the Patriot Act for sending money home to their families. Many in the Harrisonburg community have joined together to assist them in ways such as raising money for their legal defense. You can read about the situation here. We hope many of you will come to the meeting to welcome him and learn about what has been happening right here in Virginia. Our meetings are always pot luck suppers followed by a speaker or video and discussion. Please bring a dish to share if you can. For information about the SSC, call 540-349-7862 or email linda@baldwinridge.com Sunday, September 24^th, from noon till 7 pm Hampton Roads Pride will be hosting our 18th annual Out in the Park Pride Festival at Chesapeake City Park. This is a family friendly event with music, vendors, food, and our infamous dunk tank. Our event has an annual attendance of over 3000 Virginians. A not for profit booth rental is $40. Our theme this year is Stand Up for Love, Equality, and Pride! Check us out on the web at www.hamptonroadspride.org Contact - Louis DePasquale at louisdepasquale0@yahoo.com

Friday, October 27, from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m The Virginia Organizing Project’s 3^rd Annual Social Justice Bowl at Westminster Presbyterian Church, 190 Rugby Road, in Charlottesville. Please join us for a soup and bread supper, a participatory social justice quiz bowl and singing. Then take your bowl, donated by a local potter, home. More information about ticket sales later, but each ticket will cost $25. Please call Sally for more information at 434-984-4655 x229.
Part of the beauty of VOP is that VOP encourages the participation of those who have traditionally had little voice in our society, and builds relationships with diverse individuals and groups. The Social Justice Bowl is a community building event as well as a fundraiser, but many who would like to attend cannot afford the $25. Please consider becoming a SPONSOR by donating an extra $25-200, so one to eight others can attend the Social Justice Bowl.