Celebrating the Lives of Two Peace/Anti-Imperialist Activists

["Jay Moore" <research@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dave Dellinger and Elizabeth Peterson Celebration
Host Committee, 300 Maple Street, Burlington, VT 05401 (802) 862-4929

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE     OCTOBER 12, 2001

"Roots of the Struggle" Assembles All-Star Activist Cast

Burlington Performance to Honor Dave Dellinger and Elizabeth Peterson


BURLINGTON ? As the US gears up for war, dozens of activists and artists
who have been on the front lines in struggles for justice and peace over
the last 60 years will gather in Burlington on Oct. 20 for a one-time
only event, "Roots of the Struggle: The Life and Times of a Nonviolent
Warrior."  The multi-media presentation, held at Memorial Auditorium
Annex in conjunction with a gala dinner for non-violent activists Dave
Dellinger and Elizabeth Peterson at the height of the Vermont
International Film Festival, will include rare 60s film footage, music
by Rik Palieri, dramatic scenes, and remarks by dozens of special
guests.

Those scheduled to appear include Howard Zinn, renowned historian and
author of A People's History of the United States; John Froines, one of
the Chicago Eight defendants, plus Chicago Eight attorneys Leonard
Weinglass and John Tucker; Dennis Brutus, poet/ hero of the South Africa
anti-apartheid struggle and leading voice in the current worldwide
campaign for debt relief; Abbie Hoffman's life partner Johanna
Lawrenson; Ted Glick, coordinator of the Independent Political Action
Network; members of Dave and Elizabeth's family; and old friends such as
Ralph DiGia, Connie Hogarth, Bob Nichols, and Jules and Helen Rabin.

Others scheduled to speak about Dave, Elizabeth, and movements for peace
and justice from the 1930s to today include green author and activist
Brian Tokar, filmmakers Jay Craven and Robin Lloyd, labor organizer
Ellen David Friedman, Burlington Mayor Peter Clavelle, and religious
activist Miriam Ward. The program, developed by Greg Guma, will include
little-seen film footage from the late 60s assembled by Roz Payne,
period music, glimpses of Dave and Elizabeth's remarkable life journey,
messages from Ron Kovic and Leonard Peltier, and dramatized scenes for
the Chicago Eight trial.  Admission is $10, tickets at the door.

This one-time-only presentation will follow a gala dinner honoring Dave
and Elizabeth at 6 p.m. Tickets for the dinner are still available, but
seating is limited. On the following morning, October 21, related
discussions on prison justice, politics, history, and film will be held
during the Vermont International Film Festival, at the CCV Auditorium,
below Borders Books on Church Street.  At  9 a.m., Vermont's new
Alliance for Prison Justice will be unveiled after a short film,
CRITICAL RESISTANCE.  At 10 a.m., Jay Craven will lead a discussion
entitled Politics, History and the Media.  Invited panelists include
Zinn, Weinglass, Brutus, journalist/writer Gwenda Blair and others.
Admission for Sunday is $10 sliding scale.

The weekend festivities are also sponsored by Toward Freedom, whose
board of directors Dave Dellinger has co-chaired for the past 15 years.
TF is currently celebrating 50 years of continuous publication. Beyond
honoring Dave and Elizabeth, a major goal of the celebration is to
create a retirement/project fund for them.

To reserve a seat or make a contribution to the Dellinger Fund, make
checks payable to Toward Freedom, and write "Dellinger Celebration Fund"
in the memo line.  Seating for the dinner and program costs $25 per
ticket. Write to Dellinger Celebration, c/o Robin Lloyd, 300 Maple St.,
Burlington, VT 05401, or call (802) 862-4929 for further information.

*****

CALENDAR OF EVENTS, OCTOBER 18-21

Organized and sponsored by the Dellinger Gala Host Committee, Toward
Freedom,
and/or the Vermont International Film Festival

THURSDAY OCTOBER 18, 7-9 P.M. AT FLEMING MUSEUM 101

900 WOMEN, a 55 minute film, sponsored by Amnesty International, on the
issue
of abuse of women in prison. Amnesty is working on state legislation to
make
it a crime to have sex with a woman in jail. Plus, a 13 minute
short,WE'RE NOT WHO
YOU THINK WE ARE. Part of the Vermont International Film Festival.


FRIDAY, OCTOBER 19, 2 P.M. IN THE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM LOBBY

Press Event: Interview opportunities with Dennis Brutus, South African
anti-apartheid hero/poet and a leading voice in the global campaign for
debt
relief; and others coming to Burlington for the Dellinger Gala.


SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, IN THE MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM ANNEX

5:30 p.m. Dellinger Gala
A Celebration of the Life and Work of Dave Dellinger and Elizabeth
Peterson.
Reception at 5:30, Dinner at 6. $25 admission for dinner and subsequent
program.

8 p.m.: Roots of the Struggle: The Life and Times of a Nonviolent
Warrior
A unique evening of recollections, music, film, and dramatic readings on
the
remarkable career of Dave Dellinger, and movements for peace and justice
from
the 1930s to today. With radical historian Howard Zinn, anti-apartheid
hero
Dennis Brutus, Chicago Eight defendant John Froines and others who
participated in the famous conspiracy trial, plus Brian Tokar,
Bob Nichols, Ted Glick, Art Kinoy, Johanna Lawrenson, Ralph DiGia, Jay
Craven, and many more.  $10. Tickets at the door. Limited seating.


SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21

9-10 a.m., at Community College of Vermont, basement conference room
(corner of Church St. and Cherry, enter on Cherry St.)
CRITICAL RESISTANCE: half hour film on the new prison reform movement,
featuring Angela Davis. The film will be followed by a discussion of
prison issues facing Vermont. Sponsored by Toward Freedom. Refreshments
will
be available.

10-12 a.m., at the same location
Politics, History, and the Media: a panel discussion moderated by
filmmaker
Jay Craven, with historian Howard Zinn, Chicago 8 lawyer Leonard
Weinglass,
Chicago 8 defendent John Froines, journalist/writer Gwenda Blair, NPR
reporter Marty Goldensohn, and poet/activist Dennis Brutus. Among the
topics
to be discussed will be a focus on progressive media activism, in light
of
recent military actions in Central Asia. Part of the Vermont
International
Film Festival.

12:30-2:30 p.m., at the Peace and Justice Center, Church St.
Bringing Justice to Vermont's Prisons: an open community discussion,
sponsored by the Alliance for Prison Justice, on Vermont concerns,
upcoming
Alliance activities, and planning underway for a prison issues
conference in
February 2002. Buffet lunch.

*****

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