cozydecomposingwires:

You’re probably aware by now, but if you live in Cambridge, Watertown, or the surrounding areas, stay inside today. I’m in Brighton, I don’t really plan on leaving.

neutrois:

Kate Bornstein has cancer.  The good news, direct from the team of skilled doctors on her case, is that the cancer is curable.  However, the treatment plan that gives Kate the best chance of beating cancer is incredibly expensive.  Kate has spent the past thirty years helping the rest of us Stay Alive—now it’s our turn to give back. 

Let’s HELP KATE BORNSTEIN BEAT CANCER AND STAY ALIVE!

I’m sure most of you know who Kate Bornstein is (and if you don’t, you should). Please take a moment to donate a buck or ten to save her life. I’m sure she will appreciate it, and it will mean a lot to her and the community.

 

(EDIT: there have been donation scams recently, so I want to point out this was cross-posted on Kate Bornstein’s official Facebook page, which means it’s for real. in case you were wondering.)

createourownlight:

I’ve never asked anyone to reblog anything before, and I probably won’t again. But I am now - because this matters.

The Steubenville rape victim, when offered money for her legal expenses or counselling, asked that people donated to a shelter for abused women and children in her county,  Madden House, instead.

Her attorney spoke in a local news article on why the family wanted this, and said they hope very much that “the attention … can help other people that have been victimized by this type of crime,” Fitzsimmons said, “and give them some strength and some assurance that people are there to help them when that happens.”

You can donate as little as $2 via your Paypal account to Madden House. (You can also navigate their website from that link, to be sure it’s a charity you can also believe in.) When I donated back in January, they had a message up that said, “Every single cent says, ‘We believe you, and we care.’” They had to remove it almost at once. I’m sure you can deduce the reasons why, in a case where even her status as “victim” was challenged before the trial.

Madden House and the Family Violence Project helps anyone, men included, but they have a strong focus on families, and on low-income women, especially those from the African-American population.

The best way to show you support Jane Doe is to make a donation, however small and leave a Paypal note when you do saying “In the name of Jane Doe, Steubenville.” They are telling her how many people donate in her name so it’s a direct way of letting her know. Even if all you can afford is a dollar, a thousand Tumblr users donating that is a thousand dollars for abuse victims. And it’s also a thousand people telling her directly that they, unlike the likes of CNN and her erstwhile “friends”, care about her, support her, and believe in her. It’s what she has actually asked people to do. In a case where she has been so effectively silenced and sidelined, I think acknowledging she’s been heard is particularly important.

I think it says so much about this girl and her parents, that when met with offers of serious money they immediately asked that it went to a charity that helps other victims of violence instead. They are extraordinary people in my opinion, and that’s why she had the strength to come forward. Images of two other girls, naked and face down on that basement carpet, were found on a phone. The boy insisted he’d never seen them before, and had no idea who they were of. Jane Doe may well not have been speaking up only for herself. She has very possibly saved others with her courage. She deserves so much more respect than the mainstream media have given her.

If you can’t donate, I really do understand. I’ve been broke before too. But please, do reblog. Get the message out. There is a genuine, positive way to support the victim, in the way she has asked for, and this is it.

Sorry it’s so long. There are so many scams online that I wanted to provide ample links, so there can be no doubt this is legit. Please, if you can, donate/reblog. Show Jane Doe what you think of her.

tranqualizer:

HELP ME SAVE MY LIFE

[Jessica is to the left of the photo, to the right is her mother, Silvia] 

Jessica’s Story

My name is Jessica Sánchez-Rodriguez and I am an undocumented, disabled 18 year old currently living in Charlotte, NC with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. 17 years ago I crossed the border with my mother, Silvia, in order to receive life saving medical treatment. For years I was traveling to Shriner’s Hospital for Children in Greenville, South Carolina, a two and half hour trip from my home, in order to receive medical care. Because I am undocumented and no longer a minor I no longer have access to the medical help I received before.

I have been living in the United States since I was 11 months old and have been educated here for 13 years. My parents, while undocumented, pay taxes yet I am still unable to receive government help. Access to Medicaid right now would mean that I would not have to continue to wait for an emergency surgery that would save my life.

Right now I need an emergency surgery to connect a catheter to my bladder and without financial assistance a surgery like that will cost my family $45,000 dollars.

I am starting this fundraiser because I want to do whatever it takes to get this surgery. $45,000 is not something we can afford on our own. Please donate whatever you can and help me save my life.

~Jessica

Advocates from all across the U.S are saying that 2013 is the year for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, as communities are organizing to ensure that all 11 million undocumented immigrants have a just pathway to citizenship, Jessica is one of millions of immigrants who is blocked from health services only because she lacks a social security number. Not having access to social services also means that she can’t get financial assistance to pay for a much needed, life saving surgery. Jessica cannot continue to wait.  

WHAT’S IN THE $55,000 GOAL? 

$45,000 for the surgery

$10,000 to cover specialist/doctor costs for follow ups and the fees charged by WePay/GoFundMe

Need to know more about spina bifida and hydrocephalus?

disorganizedrobots:

Every year from November to early December the Netherlands, my home country, gets plagued by the racist Sinterklaas tradition: White folks in blackface, better known as Zwarte Pieten, troll the streets. Shantrelle Lewis is in the process of making a documentary about this phenomenon. Please reblog and donate whatever you can. This documentary needs to made.

raespoon:

After many clear requests for no contact, my biological father has been making efforts to contact me and my siblings. He has mental health issues and has a history of abusive behaviour.  We have had restraining orders against him in the past.  We are in the process of taking legal action again, but we are also asking for wider community support. 

 We are asking that no one give him any information about us and to notify us if he shows up anywhere.  His name is Gregory A Wilson.  He is about 5’10, balding, 250lbs and 54 years old.  He is often visibly struggling with mental health issues.

 He has repeatedly attempted to come into my shows despite having been escorted out in the past. Since my book came out he has been emailing me regularly. I have replied only to request that he cease to contact me.  Last week he went to my brother Dan’s place of employment, at the Calgary Public Library, to try to make contact. During the incident, Gregory threatened to destroy my book (as documented in a formal incident report there).

 His efforts to see us have been escalating and left me feeling very unsafe. Being a touring performer makes it pretty easy to track me down. As you can imagine, this has caused a lot of stress in regards to upcoming performances.

 Most immediately, it would be great if some people could attend my upcoming public appearances in Calgary on February 12th, including a speaking engagement at Mount Royal University and an evening show at the Hub.  It would be helpful to have some extra eyes and bodies around should he attempt to contact us in during one of these occasions. 

Please contact me at raespoon@gmail.com if you are available to come to either of those performances.

Thanks a lot,

Rae

rcabbasi:

Akiva Freidlin has launched a project, currently raising funds on indiegogo, to buy subway ad space that will counter those of Pamela Geller. […]

Freidlin, like many other New Yorkers, wasn’t too keen on Geller’s latest ad, which features a photo of the World Trade Center exploding in flames next to a quote from the Quran that reads, “Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers.”

He writes on his indiegogo page:

These ads attack our most basic communal values: they try to exploit the city’s grief and anger over 9/11, and they demonize and intimidate members of a particular religious group. That’s not how we roll. Everyone has a right to feel at home in this city, and that includes our Muslim neighbors.

Freidlin, who describes himself as a “thirty-year-old white guy who lives in Manhattan,” says he’s the “grandchild of Holocaust survivors who came to the United States looking for freedom, tolerance, and prosperity—and found it in New York.”

The “Talk Back To Hate” campaign hopes to raise $7,500 to design and buy 10 subway ads. Contributors are invited to submit ideas for the ads, and will be able to vote on the message. As of this writing, “Talk Back To Hate” has raised $2,480. (Update: it’s now over $6,000). Want to donate? Go here.

This is important. Last month, Sunando Sen was pushed in front of a subway train to his death by a woman who admitted to having attacked him because she thought he was Muslim. Pamela Geller’s ads went up that same week.

bronzedragon:

funeraldreams:

this is not my usual blog style but this is incredibly serious. EVERY ONE PLEASE TAKE A MINUTE TO READ THIS:: this design belongs to my close friend, Kelly Bastow. her design was stolen and screen printed without her knowledge and consent by forever21. she is an art student struggling to make her way with her art as is and this huge company is STEALING and CAPITALIZING her work without even a shred of credit. please EVERY ONE take the time to call customer support and complain about this sku. if enough of us get the message across, kelly can get the profits and credits she deserves.

the customer service number to call to file a complaint is 1-888-494-3837 (please be polite!)

even if you don’t want to call the number PLEASE reblog to get the message across!

here is the proof that her art was stolen:
http://canada.forever21.com/Product/Product.aspx?BR=21MEN&Category=m_tees_graphic&ProductID=2025102025&VariantID

here is the original post of the artwork by kelly.
http://moosekleenex.tumblr.com/post/11346629291
** note the original post is dated ONE YEAR AGO.

more of her work is found here::
http://moosekleenex.tumblr.com/
http://moosekleenex.deviantart.com/

Take a couple minutes to go tell Forever21 how unhappy you are. Also, let’s see if we can get something going on Twitter. Even if you don’t want to make a call, you can use the “contact us” form on the Forever21 website to register your displeasure.

writingresistance:

Please signal boost.

Writing Resistance is a new writing and art project for multiply marginalized sick and disabled folks. We work to center the most marginalized people in our communities by building a space for creativity, mourning, affirmation and resistance through art, writing and performance. We celebrate bitterness, love, anger, healing, defiance and survival. For more information on Writing Resistance go here »

The Zine

We are looking for writing and art (drawing, painting, photography) for the FIRST EVER Writing Resistance zine! We are only accepting submissions from sick, disabled and Deaf folks and people who are on the receiving end of ableism and/or audism. We are most interested in the submissions of people who are multiply marginalized in order to center the most marginalized folks in our community. All ages can apply.

Submissions are due Friday, March 15th.

Submission Details

• All final decisions on what will be published will be made by March 22nd, and folks will be contacted shortly after that. We do not intend to scrutinize the work of anyone who submits, but we may not be able to publish it all, and would like to stay in line with our mission of centering multiply marginalized folks and people who experience ableism and audism in ways that don’t often get talked about or shared.
• Submissions that need trigger/content warnings should be noted in this form.
• Works that are racist, classist, transmisogynist, sexist, femmephobic, queerphobic, cissexist or otherwise oppressive, will be dropped so fast. And, if any pieces are included in the final zine that are any of these things, we’ve fucked up, and will pull them.
• Please submit pieces that are relevant to YOUR OWN experiences.
• For writers, we encourage you to submit work of 2 pages or less, however we are not strict on this, but we may ask you to edit down your piece depending on the length of other folks pieces and volume of submissions.
• For artists, your art maybe resized to scale to fit into the zine, or we may ask you to submit a differently sized piece if selected. Please submit an image description with your piece that can be published in the zine. For tips on how to write an image description, read this.

Zine submission form is available here »  

For more regular updates, like us on Facebook.

(in chronological order):

TODAY

Emergency protest for #Gaza today in Washington, DC at 3:00 pm outside the Israeli embassy. #GazaUnderAttack #PrayForGaza

Protest TONIGHT outside the Israeli embassy in London. #Gaza

Protest TONIGHT, Montreal: 6pm, Hall Building, Concordia University, 1455 de Maisonneuve West, Metro Guy-Concordia

THURSDAY NOV 15

Protest in TORONTO:6 pm, Israeli Consulate – 180 Bloor Street (east of St. George TTC)

Protest in MONTREAL tomorrow: 5pm in front of the Hall Building, Concordia Uni. #Gaza

Protest in VANCOUVER Thursday, 5 PM at the Art Gallery (Robson Side), Hornby and Robson Sts

Protests in CHICAGO, 4pm Obama Headquarters, 130 E. Randolph St., Chicago, IL 60601

Protest in NY tomorrow: NY 5pm, outside Israeli consulate, (42nd st and 2nd ave) – Protest Israeli crimes in #Gaza! http://on.fb.me/RXWstl  via @facebook #GazaUnderAttack #Rage4Gaza

Protest tomorrow, 5:30 pm London:2 Palace Green London W8 4QB

Protest tomorrow, 5:30 pm  Ireland: Israeli Embassy, 122 Pembroke Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Protests in West Bank, Cairo, Tel Aviv http://bit.ly/RXVzRA   #RageforGaza

FRIDAY NOV 16

Protest Friday, DC: in front of The State Department (2201 C Street Northwest Washington, DC 20520) at 6:00pm and march to the White House in protest of our governments support for Israel brutal aggression against Palestinians in Gaza.

SATURDAY NOV 17:

Protest in SWEDEN: 3-5pm, Israels ambassad Strandvägen 58

[TW: violence, rape] 

16-year-old Pakiza Miskinmal has been told that she will be deported to Afghanistan after being declined both asylum and appeal to the Migration Court in Sweden.

Pakiza grew up on a small farm in Afghanistan where the family lived under constant threats because her mother refused to marry an influential cousin, and instead chose to marry out of love with the man who was Pakiza’s father.

The cousin’s honor had been offended. He threatened repeatedly to kill Pakiza’s father.

- One day a year ago, the cousin and some men came to our home. They carried my father’s bloody body. They had killed him, she says.

Her mother reported the murder to the authorities, but the cousin has a high position in society and the report was kept quiet. Weeks after he return repeatedly and beat Pakiza’s mother. One day he pointed at Pakiza and said: I want to marry her. I’ll be back in a few days and there will be a wedding.

Her mother then sold all of her jewelry in order to afford to send Pakiza to Sweden via smugglers. 

Pakiza came to Sweden in 2011 and has since lived in a home for unaccompanied refugee children in Mjölby. There she has made friends and started school. She has now sought asylum in the hopes of being allowed to stay, but has been declined. The Immigration Court’s reasoning is that Pakiza after all has a mother somewhere in Afghanistan. Therefore, she does not get to stay.

If Pakiza is sent to Afghanistan, she risk being forced to marry the 50-year-old man who murdered her father. She also fear being raped or even murdered herself. Just the fact that it CAN happen, is that not enough reason to let her stay here in Sweden? Pakiza also doesn’t know if her mother is alive, or if she also has been killed. In any case, she would return for the worse.

Note: the petition site is in Swedish but anyone can sign. Here’s a translation of the signing process:

*First name

*Last name

*City

*Country

*E-mail address

*Show your signature publicly? (yes/no)

Please check your e-mail after signing to confirm your signature. Click on the link that comes after the following line: “För att BEKRÄFTA Din påskrift eller för att RADERA denna påskrift, var vänlig öppna följande sida” (To CONFIRM your signature or to ERASE this signature, please open the following page).

Thank you!

ajammc:

The Ajam Media Collective (AjamMC.com) is an online community dedicated to documenting and analyzing cultural, social, and political trends in the diverse Iranian, Central Asian, and Diaspora communities, and serves as a semi-scholarly resource by engaging with academics, activists, and students of the region.

Ajam is looking to expand the discussion, both geographically and thematically, in the following fields:

visual art
popular and traditional music
literature
gender and sexuality
history
urban landscapes
social movements
religion
photo essays

We welcome contributions from graduate students, undergraduates, and activists of all stripes. Those focusing on Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Diaspora communities are especially encouraged to contribute.

Individuals who are interested are invited to submit their suggestions by emailing ajammc@gmail.com.

benfodens:

Okay Tumblr, here is the deal, I need your help. All of your help.

My mom works for Chrysalis, a nonprofit domestic violence shelter in Phoenix, Arizona. I cannot praise Chrysalis enough, honestly.

It’s the only domestic violence shelter in the valley that caters to all victims - women and men. Gay, lesbian, transgender, straight, pregnant, teenagers, men and women, they offer help and protection to anyone who is a victim of domestic violence. Not many other shelters can say that.

The thing is in order to run a great organization like this, they need funds. Currently Chase is offering up to $2 million in grants to organizations such as Chrysalis.

Here is where you come in. All you need to do is CLICK THIS LINK AND VOTE FOR CHRYSALIS. You don’t need to give any of your personal information or give any of your own money. You just need to vote for them.

Currently, Chrysalis is seriously trailing in the voting. I’ve seen bloggers on Tumblrs raise thousands of dollars in hours so I know something as easy as submitting a vote is something you guys can do.

Please, please, please, CLICK THIS LINK AND VOTE FOR CHRYSALIS. 

this-is-not-native:

We’re at 20% funding

Tweet celebrities; your local news stations. Get the word out and donate.

This is native.