With Bill Gaskins, Melina Pelaez and Grace Lee Boggs

“The Next American Revolution: Where Do We Go From Here?”

A Conversation With Movement Organizer, Grace Lee Boggs

Sunday April 22, 2012, 6-8 PM

The New School, Tishman Auditorium, 66 W. 12th St. New York City

“Now, in order to answer the question, “Where do we go from here?, , we must first honestly recognize where we are now.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., 1967

For the last seventy years Grace Lee Boggs, the legendary movement organizer, , philosopher and community journalist has helped us reimagine our cities and other potential spaces of democracy by focusing on the notion of, bringing neighbors back to the hood, as an instrumental part of the current people-led resurrection of the city of Detroit.

On Sunday, April 22^nd, the New School and New York City community will engage Grace Lee Boggs in conversation, a conversation where we will discuss what the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. would call “these powerful days.” King’s 1967 speech, Where Do We Go From Here?, will be publically unpacked and anchor the conversation, as the unfinished business of the 20^th century movements represent many of the unmet challenges posed by MLK in this historic speech.

The event is free and open to all in The New School community and the general public and is sponsored by Social Justice Initiatives in the Provost’s Office, along with the University Student Senate and the Social Justice Committee.

Boggs is the author of the recent book, The Next American Revolution: Sustainable Activism for the Twenty First Century. At 96 years young, Grace offers us her unique perspectives on the limitations of activism and social movements of the Twentieth Century and how we might create a shared bottom-up vision for sustainable and just alternatives to the social ills that King coined as, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism, for the new century and avoid the ideological and tactical errors that have too often been confused as revolutionary actions.

An assortment of critical questions regarding have enveloped at the local, national and international levels with the emergence of the “Arab Spring”, the 99%, and the subsequent Occupy Wall Street (OWS) movement. Such questions include, what is the place of those most affected by economic injustice in OWS?, and; does a racial and gender justice agenda belong at the heart of the movement?, By way of conversation between the 96-year old movement organizer, faculty, students and community members, we will shine light on the potential of this historical moment and what it might offer for The Next American Revolution, .

For more information, please contact socialjustice@newschool.edu

Economic degradation begets environmental degradation which begets social degradation. Lower income communities are often exploited for profit.” -Majora Carter founder of the Sustainable South Bronx.

Too often race and class are reliable indicators for the presence of environmental justice in any given neighborhood in the U.S. For example, where parks or power plants are located or where whole and fresh foods are available. A black person is twice as likely to live in an area with air pollution that poses health risks and 5 times more likely to live within walking distance of power plant. These land conditions can lead to health disparities such as obesity, diabetes, and asthma; 1 out of every 4 South Bronx children has asthma; 50% of residents live at or below poverty line, 25% are unemployed.

In a small part of the Bronx there is 40% of the city’s waste, 100% of Bronx’s waste, Sewage treatment plant, 4 electrical power plants, and 60,000 trucks a week which blocks access to the river. Hunts Point riverside park, first riverside park in 6 years, leveraged 10,000 seed grant to 3 million dollar park. Lowest ratio of parks to people.

Sustainable development will save us from ourselves. Why is this not required or pushed more by policy makers, because they’re greatly unaffected by the pollution. Development should not come at the cost of others.,

View “Greening the Ghetto” with Majora Carter on Ted Talks here.

The description from Majora Carter on the South Bronx provides an adequate local example of environmental and social injustice. Here at The New School, students, staff and groups like Sustainable Cities and the Social Justice Committee (SJC) work to spread awareness on these issues.

A Recent New School Event

A successful film screening sponsored by Peer Health Advocates, Sustainable Cities, and Social Justice Committee, in November for American Indian heritage month, called HOMELAND: Four Portraits of Native Action followed by discussion with faculty member Katayoun Chamany, captured the issue of environmental degradation on American Indian land and the intruding privilege big oil and gas companies have in claiming control over marginalized communities.

Future film screenings and events relating these two issues will continue. If you have any ideas to contribute or would like to get more involved, please contact any of the groups below:

Sustainable Cities- student organization working with the Office of Sustainable Facilities and Management to make The New School campus more sustainable while participating in environmental issues off campus. Contact person: Alison Schuettinger at schua916@newschool.edu

Peer Health Advocates- NSU students with an enthusiasm for wellness and positive change in health, community, and environment. They have received wellness and leadership training. PHA’s act as an ally, guide, friend, mentor, role model, team member, and support system. Contact: wellness@newschool.edu