Posts tagged America
The 450th Commemoration asks
Jul 20th
Know the easiest way to start a conversation with another St. Augustine resident? Just ask “So, how’d you get to St. Augustine?” Without a doubt, the story will be interesting for it seems that our city has residents who can boast a host of origins, adventures, and simply great stories about how they arrived in The Nation’s Oldest City or what has made life here special for them.
As part of the city’s 450th anniversary commemoration, the city has launched a contest inviting the public to use their skills at photography, videography or the written word to answer one question: What is your St. Augustine story?
And for telling your story, there is the possibility of winning cash prizes.
Organized under the banner of The Story of Us, the three categories are meant to share what contest organizers describe as “the story of the people and families who have given their heart, soul, sweat and tears to shape not only St. Augustine, but Florida and the United States. It is the story of the making of America, which started in St. Augustine almost 450 years ago.”
Of course, it is not just St. Augustine residents who have a St. Augustine story. Lots of people do and so the contest is open to photographers, videographers, and writers regardless of age, residence, citizenship, or ability level.
For the photography category, entries are limited to one photo with an accompanying title and 25 word or less caption, and for the videography category, the submission must be no more than two minutes in length. Those entering in the essay category are limited to 150 words or less to tell their story. While one person may enter more than one category, only one entry per category is permitted.
First place winners in each category will receive $450, second place received $350, third place $250 and fourth and fifth each being awarded $100.
Entries may be submitted anytime between Monday, July 16 and Thursday, August 16 after which the judging panel will select five entries based on originality, technical excellence, composition, overall impact, artistic merit, and depiction of the contest theme. The work of the finalists will be posted on-line allowing the public the opportunity to vote for its favorite work in each category during the two week period of September 7-21. The winners will be announced by September 28.
Complete contest details and guidelines are available at www.staugustine-450.com, or by calling the 450th Commemoration office at 904.825.1053.
Source: City of St. Augustine
Youth Staging Sit and Hunger Strike At The Obama Campaign
Jun 12th
Undocumented Youth Staging Sit and Hunger Strike At The Obama Campaign Office in Denver to Demand Executive Order Has Triggered National Immigrant Youth Alliance to Take Actions Across The Nation
NIYA to Carry Out Actions of Civil Disobedience This Week at Obama Campaign Offices Nationwide
Denver- Campaign For an American DREAM has triggered The National Immigrant Youth Alliance (NIYA) to activate its network to carry out acts of Civil Disobedience in Democratic campaign office across the country from now until the November elections. The Administration has thus far not responded to the demand of two undocumented youth whom have staged a sit in and hunger strike in the Obama for America offices in Denver on Broadway and 9th Avenue. The youth have been in the office since tuesday June 5th and are demanding an Executive Order to stop the deportations of undocumented youth eligible for the DREAM Act. Actions nationwide will begin this week after press conference at 5pm outside OFA 77 W. 9th Avenue.
“ We’ve been ignore in this state but we will be heard across the country, along with many undocumented youth, we will demand an action!” said Veronica Gomez, an undocumented student with Campaign for an American Dream (CAD), which is now on her seventh day without any eating. “The immigrant community nationally needs to know that we have a voice in this country, that we are not criminals, and we deserve a pathway to legalization.”
So far, Organizing for America has avoided discussing the executive order in their responses. Meanwhile, we are being deported. Last week, the American Immigration Lawyers Association released a statement declaring the policy of prosecutorial discretion a “failure”. We have always been skeptical of the policy, and are now demanding something better.
“If they want the Latino vote in Colorado, they must show the community what they are doing for us. We are asking them to stop the deportation of all DREAM eligible youth!” said Javier Hernandez, an undocumented immigrant living in Colorado and CO-founder of Colorado, Organize, Resist, Escalate (COORE).
Hugo Zarate, a young man from Denver who wants to enlist in the armed forces has been denied a request for deferred action, even thought he came here at a young age, is DREAM Act-eligible and does not have a criminal record. Only the strength of an executive order will prevent deportations like his from moving forward.
We will not accept gridlock as an excuse for our deportations when the President can stop them with an executive order. We simply cannot be asked to support a President while we are being deported and our families live in fear.
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CAD’s mission is to walk across the nation from San Francisco to D.C creating dialogue around the passage of the DREAM Act and fixing our broken immigration system, with the values of equality, unity and diversity. CAD believe’s all people are equal, all those who are oppressed should be united, and our daily lives and the Campaign itself highlight diversify.