Fri May 9: Heartsparkle Players: Playback Theatre is a spontaneous collaboration between performers and the audience. People tell moments from their lives, and then watch them re-created with movement, music and dialogue. Heartsparkle Players is an outstanding local troupe with a loyal following. 7:30 pm at Traditions Café, 5th & Water. A $5-$10 donation is suggested, but no one will be turned away. Info: Debe Edden 943-6772 debek@olywa.net www.heartsparkle.org

Explore climate change and sustainability issues with delegates from Nicaragua. Join the Mother’s Day 1Sky call for bold solutions to combat climate change. Great family event! 6:00 pm at Traditions Café, 300 5th Ave SW Olympia. Info: Beth Doglio 570-8804.

Enjoy poetry, art, solidarity and community, 7-9 pm at the Mixx-96 meeting room at the SW corner of State & Washington. Spoken word and poetry in the Artists Look South exhibit space, especially celebrating the work of Nicaraguan poet/delegate Wilfredo from the 9th delegation from our sister community, Santo Tomas, Chontales, Nicaragua. Organized by Bridges Not Walls and the Thurston-Santo Tomas Sister Community Association. Info: 753-0942 artistslooksouth@mac.com

Immigrants – especially those without documentation – are being exploited by opportunistic politicians who pander to racist and xenophobic elements within our society. Rarely do we hear the personal stories, experiences and perspectives of the immigrants themselves.

Read the rest of this entry »

The realities in Iraq go far beyond what we hear in the news. The Olympia FOR’s April TCTV program helps us:

· See Iraq’s human face – real people and real experiences;

· Confront the realities and atrocities of what the U.S. has been doing to Iraq – not just since March 2003, but since January 1991 and even before; and

Read the rest of this entry »

This film documents an encounter between an anti-war American woman and a traumatized American soldier on leave from Iraq. Horrified at what he has seen and done in Iraq, the soldier talks non-stop and later sends the woman photos and videos made by himself and his fellow combat soldiers. (52 Minutes)

The 9th Community Delegation from Santo Tomas, Nicaragua, to Olympia will be in town from April 23 to May 13. The Thurston Santo Tomas Sister County Association (TSTSCA) has been remarkably strong and successful since its roots in 1986. “Know Our People” tells the history of this people-to-people connection. The documentary was made by Carol Burns and TSTSCA in 2003. (One hour, in English and Spanish with English subtitles)

This is the third of a series of articles exploring various ways the peace movement can strengthen itself and become more effective. These articles recognize that: (1) The way to win peace and social justice is through grassroots organizing to build an ever-larger movement of the general public; (2) To win public opinion, nonviolence is both necessary and powerful; (3) We need to strategize carefully to build this movement through a variety of smart campaigns and activities; and (4) Details that might seem small can mean the difference between success and failure. Each issue of the Olympia FOR newsletter includes an article related to one of these topics, although not necessarily in this 1-2-3-4 order. Previous articles will soon be posted on our website, www.olyfor.org

Read the rest of this entry »

Each year the Olympia Fellowship of Reconciliation’s Annual Meeting is a celebration as well as a meeting. This year we’ll enjoy ourselves again, and YOU are invited! We’ll gather on Monday May 19 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at Traditions Café, 5th & Water downtown. You might want to arrive early and order food long before the kitchen closes at 6:00, and enjoy social time before the meeting. We promise to end on time by 8:30 p.m.!

Read the rest of this entry »