An Exciting Week of Peace and Social Justice Activities in Boston

Occasionally there is a harmonic convergance of activities by a variety of progressive peace and social justice organizations in Boston - and lots of important events happen in the space of a few days. This coming week is one such, so I thought it would be a good idea to showcase some of the many options on offer.

[And ok, I also thought "wow my colleagues at Open Media Boston and I all have work to do on the Digital Media Conference; so I'd better just write a short editorial this week and focus on doing that conference prep thing."]

So here's what's coming up

• National Writers Union Digital Media Conference - Friday 10/16 (doors open at 6 p.m.) and Saturday 10/17 (doors open at 8:30 a.m), Northeastern University - regular OMB viewers already know the dealio on this one ... OMB is co-sponsoring it, I've been doing a lot of work on it, it's something important to us and we certainly think everyone interested in a better future for creative workers online should come check it out. More info at http://www.digitalmediaconference.org (you can also read my earlier editorial on the conference here).
• Grassroots Use of Technology Conference - Friday 10/16 (doors open at 6 p.m.) and Saturday 10/17 (doors open at 8:30 a.m.), Northeastern University - the Digital Media Conference is being organized in tandem with the GUT-C conference. This one is brought to you by the good folks at Organizers' Collaborative. If you're a progressive techie, or a progressive interested in technology issues, this is the one for you. But, hey, since GUT-C and the Digital Media Conference offer cross-registration, there's no need to choose between the two. Register for one, go to both. It's just that simple. More info at http://www.grassrootstech.org/.
• Anti-War March and Rally ("All Troops Home Now from Afghanistan/Pakistan and Iraq!") - Saturday 10/17, 12 noon, Copley Square, Boston - What would a week of progressive activities be without a nice anti-war rally? If you're not going to one of the conferences above - or want to pop out of the conferences to get your demo on - head over to Copley Square lunchtime on Saturday. Sponsored by the October 17th Mobilizing Committee, a New England-wide coalition of peace and social justice organizations. More info at http://www.oct17boston.org/.
• 2009 Massachusetts Relocalization Conference - Sunday 10/18 at the Reggie Lewis Center - Yet another supercool conference ... in this case organized by the Mass Alliance for Health Communities and a host of other progressive organizations. It's all about figuring out how we can all get involved in relocalization movements seeking to build "resilient, healthy, just, diverse, sustainable, local, people-powered communities." Keynote speakers: Mel King, Frances Moore Lappé, and Bill McKibben. More info at http://www.relocalizemassachusetts.org/.
• Afghanistan: Resisting Occupation and Fundamentalism - various locations around Boston between Thursday 10/15 and Monday 10/19. Zoya, a member of the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan (RAWA), is doing a whirlwind tour at multiple Boston area college campuses this week. She'll be headlining "an in-depth discussion of the U.S. war in Afghanistan." Note: organizers say that no photography or vidography will be alowed at these events for security reasons and indicate that people with cameras will be turned away. Sponsored by the Afghan Women's Mission and United for Justice with Peace. More info athttp://justicewithpeace.org/afghan-zoya/.

Those are the big events. Be sure to check them out, and have a great time.

Jason Pramas is Editor/Publisher of Open Media Boston.