Greetings, RMM Notes for February 2010

RMM Notes
February 2010

Welcome to another edition of RMM Notes

It with great sadness that we note the passing of long time board member Emily Paulson. A member of the Walkill Reformed Church, Emily represented the Reformed Synod of New York on RMM's Board for a number of years, including several on the Executive Committee. Emily brought a wonderful common sense to the Board that was rooted in a belief that RMM needed to "serve people"! Emily was always present with a pointed determination, a quick wit and deep loyalty. Emily was a true ally to the farmworkers of rural New York and helped to build bridges with those in the Synod through education and a ministry of compassion. It is rare that one gets to travel on the journey of witness with such a remarkable woman and we at RMM were blessed. Richard

U.S. Labor Dept. reinstates decades-old farmworker protections rules
U.S. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced last week reinstatement of protections for H-2A farmworkers that were slashed from the nation's agricultural guest worker program during the last days of the Bush administration in early 2009.

The Bush administration's changes to the H-2A agricultural guest worker program, which took effect on January 17, 2009, dramatically impacted wages and working conditions for foreign agricultural workers. Under the Bush rules, agricultural employers could more easily access cheap foreign labor with little government oversight.

Solis's rules reversed some wage cuts that were imposed on both U.S. farm workers and foreign field laborers. The new rules would also remedy cutbacks in labor protections and restore the requirement that U.S. workers be hired before foreign laborers are imported, a protection weakened under the Bush regulations.

Dear Allies of the Justice for Farmworkers Campaign,

This Saturday (February 20th) we will be gathering in the district of Senator Martin Malavé Dilan in Brooklyn for a protest vigil, march and leafleting. We need you to spend a couple of hours to be with us!

The reason for this witness is to protest that Senator Dilan:

as a member of the Labor Committee: voted against the Farmworker Fair Labor Practices Act moving out of the Labor Committee and onward to the   floor of the Senate for a full vote. He was the only Democrat Senator to vote no.
was directly involved in getting the Bill moved to a Senate Committee whose Chair has vowed to bury it .
refused for over a year to join twenty-five fellow Democrats in the Senate to sponsor the Farmworker Bill.

We will meet at Saint Barbara's Roman Catholic Church  (rain or shine) 139 Menehan Street (between Central Avenue and Wilson Avenue)

10:30 AM. (We expect this to last a couple of hours)

After a brief orientation - we will proceed to the Senator's office - leafleting and chanting along the way. And then we will march back!

Our goal is to connect with as many of his constituents as possible - telling them of the Senator's blocking of farmworker justice - with the hope that the Senator will become an advocate for farmworker justice and change his vote!

The closest train station is Knickerbocker Avenue on the 'M' line. The 'M' runs on Myrtle Avenue. (walk on Knickerbooker Ave toward Menehan > turn right onto Menehan)

From Bushwick Avenue going up the Avenues are Evergreen, Central, Wilson then Knickerbocker.
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Brooklyn&state=NY&address=138+Bleecker+St&zipcode=11221-3902&country=US&latitude=40.696004&longitude=-73.92037&geocode=ADDRESS

     CAN YOU PASS THIS INVITATION ON TO OTHERS? AND LET US KNOW IF YOU CAN JOIN US!

Any questions give Rural & Migrant Ministry a call at 845-485-8627

YOUTH ARTS GROUP ART-A-THON !
Join us as we create art pieces for 10 straight hours to focus onissues affecting teens, such as

racism, violence, poverty, immigration,
education & human rights!

WHEN: APRIL 24, 2010

WHERE: MIDDLETOWN, NY

DON'T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY! SAVE THE DATE!

This event is sponsored by the members of the Youth Arts Group (YAG) of Rural & Migrant Ministry. This fundraiser event will support the work of the Youth Arts Group. For more information contact Andres Chamorro: (845) 518-9210 chamorro@ptd.net

FOOD! MUSIC! PRESENTATIONS! SILENT AUCTION! CREATING ART! AND MUCH MORE .

My Life in

Immigrant America:

Stories of young Latina Women

Sunday, Feb 21st at 4pm

Blodgett Auditorium, Vassar College

Raymond Ave, Poughkeepsie

Join us as Joanna and Gabriella share the stories of their

families coming to New York and their quest to create a

more just world. Joanna's family is from Mexico and they

arrived in New York as farmworkers. Joanna tells of the

realizations she reaches as she tries to blend her family's

past with her present and future. Gabriella's family is

from El Salvador; she tells the harrowing but inspirational tale of traveling alone with her younger sisters to reach New York.

Joanna and Gabriella are also members of the Youth Arts

Group (YAG), a group of high school students committed

to bringing about social change through the arts. YAG has

had many successes as they have taken on such issues as:

racism in the schools, gender violence, access to colleges for undocumented students, and farmworker justice. YAG currently is establishing a unique micro-finance loan program.

Light refreshments will be served.

For info, call 845-485-8627.

Sponsoring Congregations: Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Poughkeepsie; St. Margaret's Episcopal Church, Staatsburg; Poughkeepsie Friends Meeting (Quakers); Christ Episcopal Church, Poughkeepsie; Unitarian Universal-Religious and Spiritual Life at Vassar College; with a generous grant from our partner Trinity Wall Street.

Harvesting Justice Film Fest plants seed for new WNY Ministry

David Fraccaro, Sojourners Program, The Riverside Church, NYC led the December discussion session following the showing of the film The Visitors for the first of RMM's second annual Harvesting Justice film series in Rochester. We were additionaly blessed by David's willingness to share thoughts and insights the following morning in a workshop focusing on how to set up a visitation program. Approximately 15 people representing agencies and interest groups enthusiastically supported moving forward towards such a goal. A steering committee was formed to sort out steps needed for implementing such a program in our area. Our next step is to meet with the Detention Center chaplain. His support of our goal has primed us to eagerly listen and learn from him. What a wonderful and profound ministry opportunity that has grown out of RMM's Harvesting Justice Film Festival.

(Barbara Deming, past president of RMM)

The next Harvesting Justice Film Series will take place on March 15th at 6:30pm at the Little Theater in Rochester and feature the short documentary films of former Board member, Bill Jungles about life in Chiapas Mexico.

Kairos 2010 Lenten Free Film Series

St John's Church, 15 St John St., Monticello, NY

Join Us as we look at issues of living in a just world.

All films at 1:00pm on Sunday afternoons

February 28: Pay It Forward (2000 PG-13)

March 7: A Day without a Mexican (R)

March 14: Chicken Run (pg) (Cartoon)

March 21: Capitalism: A Love Story (R)

THE KAIROS PROJECT is a group of concerned Sullivan residents committed to justice, dignity and opportunity for all Sullivan residents. For more information call 845-733-6721