February 06, 2006
The Katrina Disaster: Relief, Rebuilding, and Resistance in New Orleans
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 15 AT 7:00 PM
CHURCHILL HALL MULKEY AUDITORIUM
SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
with Malik Rahim, founder of Common Ground Relief in New Orleans, Kerul Dyer, organizer with Common Ground Relief in New Orleans, and Oxygen Collective & Southern Oregon Gulf Coast Relief Network presenting slides and stories from the December, '05 trip to New Orleans.
Join us for a very special evening as we welcome Malik Rahim, long-time Black Panther and Green Party community activist in New Orleans, and founder of Common Ground Relief. Common Ground formed in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, to provide immediate aid and long-term solidarity along the Gulf Coast. An inspiring speaker, Malik will address the power and relevance of grassroots mutual aid and constructive direct action to meet community needs in the face of local, state, and federal government failure, obstruction, racism, and neglect.
Kerul Dyer is a long-time community organizer from Oregon who relocated to New Orleans soon after Hurricane Katrina. Now a dedicated organizer with Common Ground, Kerul will update us about the current state of affairs in New Orleans and offer opportunities to work in solidarity with returning residents and evacuees.
Members of the Oxygen Collective and Southern Oregon Gulf Coast Relief Network will open the evening with slides and stories from their recent trip to New Orleans. In December 2005, over 30 local residents traveled to the Gulf Coast to do relief work with Common Ground in the devastated 9th Ward neighborhood. They will be sharing images, stories, and lessons learned from their experience in New Orleans.
Common Ground is a community-initiated organization offering mutual aid and support to Gulf Coast communities that have been historically neglected and underserved. Common Ground's teams of volunteers include: medical and health providers, aid workers, community organizers, legal representatives, independent journalists, builders and people from all over with broad skills from all walks of life.
For more information, contact oso@o2collective.org or call 541-951-5105.