Events

Woodfin Workers FIRED!!!

Emergency Action Thursday May 3rd, 5pm

We are deeply distraught to announce that the Woodfin Suites Hotel in Emeryville fired 11 workers todayin apparent retaliation for blowing the whistle on the hotel's violation of Emeryville's living wage ordinance. These firings are a malicious attack not just on hard-working housekeepers and their families, but also on our community's values of immigrant workers' rights, democracy, and justice.

We are writing to ask you to stand beside Woodfin workers as they fight for reinstatement. The firings come after 7 months of intense, sustained protests by workers, residents, faith leaders, and immigrant rights advocates. But as the chant goes, "The Woodfin ain't seen nothin' yet." We will not abandon the workers, but rather demand accountability from the Woodfin and the city council. We ask you to join us in sending a strong and immediate message to the hotel that the terminations are unethical, and to the city that they must hold the Woodfin responsible and defend the workers' jobs.

[Not enough Luchistas signed up for us to do this. -Matt]

"At 12 Noon CodePink will lead a March to Camp Pelosi from BEACH IMPEACH at Ocean Beach. 5.7 mile march with giant Gandhi puppet, banners, decorated cars and shuttle bus. Those who don't want to walk can ride the "Peace & Impeach Bus" which will make 3 "Peace Stops" along the route for marchers who want the bus to pick them up & take them to Camp Pelosi. Bus reservations: Toby, 510-215-5974. 2:00pm Impeachment Rally: Ret. Colonel Ann Wright; CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin; Dr. Peter Philips, co-ed. Impeach the President; Lew Brown," We're Not Buying It" Nat'l Shopping Boycott. Music, food, kids activities, Postcards to Pelosi calling for Impeachment on the Table. Looking for a dozen volunteers to help set up rally and staff tables, put up banners, get Postcard to Pelosi signatures, supervise kids activities, take donations for food and event, maintain peaceful presence. 2640 Broadway. Noon to 4PM. Contact cynthia_papermaster@yahoo.com or 510-333-6097."

May 1st is International Worker’s Day, and there will be a march in San Francisco for immigrant rights. This was a lot of fun last year, and with the recent raids and attacks on immigrant communities all over the country and here in the Bay Area, this is an important march.

The Movement for Unconditional Amnesty is organizing this event.

People will gather at Dolores Park at 12:00 noon for a rally, and march to Civic Center starting at 1:00.

[Lucha per se will not be at this event, but anyone who wants to go to the rally and make noise is strongly encouraged.]

Woodfin Workers FIRED!!!

Emergency Action Thursday May 3rd, 5pm

We are deeply distraught to announce that the Woodfin Suites Hotel in Emeryville fired 11 workers todayin apparent retaliation for blowing the whistle on the hotel's violation of Emeryville's living wage ordinance. These firings are a malicious attack not just on hard-working housekeepers and their families, but also on our community's values of immigrant workers' rights, democracy, and justice.

We are writing to ask you to stand beside Woodfin workers as they fight for reinstatement. The firings come after 7 months of intense, sustained protests by workers, residents, faith leaders, and immigrant rights advocates. But as the chant goes, "The Woodfin ain't seen nothin' yet." We will not abandon the workers, but rather demand accountability from the Woodfin and the city council. We ask you to join us in sending a strong and immediate message to the hotel that the terminations are unethical, and to the city that they must hold the Woodfin responsible and defend the workers' jobs.

Please join us for a Mothers' Day Protest at the Woodfin Suites Hotel in Emeryville this Sunday, May 13th from 10 AM – 3 PM. The Woodfin is holding an extravagant Mothers' Day Brunch at the hotel's restaurant, "Emery Grille." Stand with fired workers and their children as we inform arriving guests to honor the boycott and not to celebrate their mothers at a hotel that fired working moms.

For more info:
http://www.workingeastbay.org/article.php?id=256
http://woodfinwatch.org

(Note, the picket is officially from 10am-3pm, but the organizers are trying to get the most people there from 11am to 1pm, and if people can't stay for the whole 2 hours, that'd be fine, too. ideally, we'd have a quorum there for at least an hour at some point. just indicate when you signup what time you think you can be there. thanks! -derek)

Last few rehearsals with Jorge Alabe 's Grupo Samba Rio samba group before San Francisco Carnaval.

Anyone not watching Rajeev Taranath that night who wants to play for Maisa's class should sign up so we can figure out if there will be quorum for live drummers.

(This is obviously not a Lucha event, but Rajeev is an incredible musician, and I'm definitely planning to go, so I wanted to share the info in case anyone else is interested in seeing what promises to be a fantasitic performance).

One of India's top classical instrumentalists and exponents of the sarod, and a ditinguished disciple of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan:

RAJEEV TARANATH

accompanied by ABHIMAN KAUSHAL on tabla

"Rajeev Taranath is making music that moves sublimely from brooding introspection to climaxes of breathtaking excitement." - New Classic/Online World Music Magazine 2003

"What a lovely mind for swara and tone Rajeev Taranath displays! Each note leaves a lovely, languishing trail of tone behind it." - The Economic Times, New Delhi

Friday, May 18th, 8 pm
Gaia Arts Center Theater
2118 Allston Way, in downtown Berkeley
(In the Gaia Arts Building located at 2120 and 2116 Allston Way)

Please join us for an evening of beautiful music for a good cause.

This will be a rare opportunity to be graced with the uplifting sounds of Manose's bamboo flute. For more info please visit his website, www.manosemusic.com

The Babes in the Woods play new folk from European roots with a unique blend of spices from the near and mid-east. Join cellist Myra Chaney, flute/percussionist Kristan Willits, Briana Waters on violin/viola and Faisal Zedan on percussion to explore original compositions inspired by regular contact with Celtic, Balkan, Swedish, and other European folk traditions.

Other special musical guests to be announced.

RAFFLE PRIZES include dinner for two at La Mediterranee, CDs from local artists, a DVD of Briana's documentary film, and much more!

All proceeds will be donated to Briana's freedom fund,
for more info please visit www.supportbriana.org

Another fundraising party for Jorge Alabe 's Grupo Samba Rio. Regulars who have been playing with GSR are going to be playing, but all Luchistas are invited to attend:

** Pre-Carnaval Party **
** with Grupo Samba Rio! **

Saturday May 19, 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

at Il Pirata
2007 16th St., just east of Potrero Ave. in San Francisco
(21 and over only)

Carnaval Fundraiser Party
* Featuring Grupo Samba Rio bateria
* Pagode music with Jorge Alabe and friends
* Brazilian and world music DJ
* Full bar

$10 cover charge, to support Grupo Samba Rio

Grupo Samba Rio is directed by Jorge Alabe; contact Jorge Alabe at
jorgealabe@yahoo.com, or Deborah at dlcogan@earthlink.net.

Another fundraising party for Jorge Alabe 's Grupo Samba Rio. Regulars who have been playing with GSR are going to be playing, but all Luchistas are invited to attend:

** Pre-Carnaval Party **
** with Grupo Samba Rio! **

Saturday May 19, 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.

at Il Pirata
2007 16th St., just east of Potrero Ave. in San Francisco
(21 and over only)

Carnaval Fundraiser Party
* Featuring Grupo Samba Rio bateria
* Pagode music with Jorge Alabe and friends
* Brazilian and world music DJ
* Full bar

$10 cover charge, to support Grupo Samba Rio

Grupo Samba Rio is directed by Jorge Alabe; contact Jorge Alabe at
jorgealabe@yahoo.com, or Deborah at dlcogan@earthlink.net.

Last few rehearsals with Jorge Alabe 's Grupo Samba Rio samba group before San Francisco Carnaval.

Final class before SF Carnaval! Let's make a big turn out and get the weekend started off right. ;)

This year, many members of Bateria Lucha marched with Jorge Alabe 's Grupo Samba Rio samba group and Maisa Duke's Energia do Samba in the San Francisco Carnaval 2007 Grand Parade, then played a stage show later in the afternoon.

This year, our "victory" is complicated by the fact that technically, the dancers we accompanied and the musicians were 2 separate contingents. However, in terms of the percussion, we are honored to have won 3rd place for music in the "Brazilian contingents" category! Furthermore, the dance contingent won 3rd place overall for Brazilian contingents. Congratulations to everyone who participated!

Becca's finally outta school! Let's BBQ! Bring something to eat (grill-able stuff), drink, or just chill out after Carnaval. There will be some firedancing once it gets dark, so don't be afriad to come late, though we probably won't save you any of the tasty meat or vegetables!

Jorge Alabe's Grupo Samba Rio will be performing at the SF Carnaval festival at "Stage 6" (near 22nd and Harrison). This will include our "Samba Show" (more complicated breaks and arrangements), our Samba Enredo (theme song), and dancing by Maisa Duke's Energia do Samba dance company. Hope you can all come to support us before heading off to the various after-parties. ;)

After the parade and Grupo Samba Rio's stage show, we're all invited to attend an after party at the wonderful home of Sherry and Tallulah. This is the same fantastic location where we had our after-party last year. It's officially the after party for the Maracat's maracatu contingent, but all Luchistas (and Grupo Samba Rio-ians) are welcome to attend. There will be food, beverage, relaxation, and probably quite a lot of impromptu music. It's a long walk or a very short drive from the end of the Carnaval festival where the stage show will be happening (which is also close to where we start), so if you find parking near the staging ground, it should be pretty easy to just get back to the cars and head to the party. Hope to see you there!

I know Sherry is hosting one; come to this one too!! Samba Rio is having an after-party starting at 6:30 at Andy Scott’s house -- 401 Prentiss Street (at Jarboe, 1 block south of Cortland Avenue in Bernal Heights ¬ big blue house on the corner), San Francisco 94110. Telephones: Home - (415) 826-1895 Cell - (415) 244-4654. Wendy - (415) 282-3216