Create Your Own Action—If the crowd is wielding puppets, you can wield live ferrets. If the crowd is singing songs of struggle, you can dance the jig of justice. This workshop might give you some ideas of what other audacious actions you could undertake on your own. Musicians' Union, 3rd Ave and Cedar Street, 910-8296. 12/1, 10-12.
African Day Business Forums—Briefings and chats on the African American business community. Congressman Jim McDermott is one of the invited speakers. Seattle University, Campion Tower and Piggott Hall, call 956-3138. 12/1, 11-6.
March to the Docks—The revolution heats up with United Steelworkers' march to Seattle docks in protest of the job loss that occurs when companies move overseas in the name of free trade. Steelworkers say there should be no new round for the WTO. Leaves from United Methodist Church, 811 5th Ave, call 770-9044. 12/1 at 2.
Genetically Modified Organisms—If injecting tomatoes with human genes sounds to you like a scene from a horror flick, you're not alone. Concerned scientists and biologists will tell explain the problems GMO's already have caused consumers and will cause in the future. For example, one primary victim of genetic engineering is the earth's ecology, which runs pretty smoothly according to nature's genetic blueprints but gets awfully confused when our bioengineers step in. Participants will include the Reverend Jesse Jackson and Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Bell Harbor Convention Center, call 785-1950. 12/1, 2-5.
Taking the Message to Your Campus—One dilemma progressive college students universally encounter is the difficulty of persuading their apathetic peers to take a stand on anything. But there are plenty of successful campuswide actions; all you need is a little training to learn how to bring those about. All students and young activists should take a break from WTO protesting to attend this workshop, the goal being that what you learn in Seattle will invigorate the slackers back at your school. Labor Temple Hall, 2800 1st Ave, call Doug at Campus Green Vote at 256-6429.12/1, 3-6.
Getting Your Message Into the Media—This workshop will teach you how to inject some alternative viewpoints into a mainstream media that celebrates greed and fluff. Musicians Union, 3rd and Cedar, call 910-8296. 12/1, 3-5.
Multi-Media Awareness—A brand new club called I-SPY hosts a multi-media event to create awareness about the WTO. I-SPY, call 374-9492. 12/1 at 5.
Celebration—Pause briefly from your arduous protests to celebrate the rebirth of progressive activism. Music by local folk songster Jim Page and theater by Human Nature Theater Company. And, because you deserve it, free food and beer! United Methodist Church, 811 5th Ave, call Sam at 415-383-4314. 12/1, 5-10.
Indigenous People's Forum—Reception, panel discussion, and cultural presentation. Seattle University Piggott Auditorium, call Tom Goldtooth at 218-751-4967. 12/1 at 6.
Farmer's Meeting—Farmers, farm groups, and peasant networks from around the world will meet. Best Western Executive Inn, 2301 8th, nritchie@iatp.org. 12/1 at 6:30-9.
Human and Environmental Costs of International Trade—What are all the costs? Speakers include David Korten, founder of the People-Centered Development Forum, and Vandana Shiva, founder of the research Foundation for Science, technology and Ecology. UW Kane Hall Room 130, call The Progress Project at UW School of Public Affairs, 543-4900. 12/1 at 7.
Voices From the South—Workers from the global South come to Seattle to explain their frustrations with and opposition to free trade. Garfield Community Center, 23rd Ave and Cherry St, call 325-5494. 12/1, 7-10.
Trade Vs. Environment—Even free traders profess to be nervous about the WTO's impact on the environment. The Seattle Host Organization (which is hosting the dignitaries, not the protesters) sponsors this four panel discussion. Bell harbor Conference Center, Pier 66, Alaskan Way, call 770-3150. 12/2, 9-5.
Trade, the Americas, and WTO—A pro-free trader's take on WTO and on trade between the Americas, featuring a trade education exhibition and panel discussions. The Seattle Center, call Therese Kunzi-Clark with the King County Office of Trade at 296-7421. 12/2, 10-8.
Food and Agriculture Day!—It's time for family farmers to take back the land. All day there will be informative lectures on food safety, agribusiness, genetic engineering and other topics of interest to anyone who likes to eat. From 12:30-1:30 there will be a rally at Victor Steinbrueck Park to support family farms. The celebrity appearance there will be that of Jim Hightower, easygoing former Texas Commissioner of Agriculture whose radio show is a foil for the Limbaugh program. Events take place all over downtown, e-mail Renske at rvanstaveren@iatp.org to get the skinny. 12/2, 8:30am-10pm.
India , Trade Opportunities, and WTO—Reception and dinner for people who take a more favorable attitude toward free trade than what you'll find in the streets. Congressman Jim McDermott has been invited to speak. University Plaza Hotel, e-mail Jagdish Sharma at jagdish.p.Sharma@boeing.com. 12/2, 6:30-10.
