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A list of 7 web sites and organizations to start your week off feeling like you're that much less in the dark.

Hey everybody. It’s a good long time since my last post. I plan on getting you up to speed as soon as possible, but the short version of the story is we (Meredith and I and the dogs and cats) are now back in Arkansas from two years in Kentucky and have more or less finished a renovation project on our house. I have been pretty slow to post anything about it, as most of the time I spend on the computer these days involves me scraping the bottom of the Arkansas-barrel for any and all design firms that may be hiring. I’m still looking.

But! I started this list of links about a month ago and have been meaning to get it out to ya’ll. So I think I’ll do that at this very moment. Please be kind, though, as some of the information in this list may have changed somewhat since I put it together. I’m a little out of touch at the moment.

1. Alternative Channel - A video, opinion, and educational site about Sustainable Development across the globe. In Spanish, French and English. Be careful, though. Watching the video with Thubten Wanchen, president of Casa Tibet, may make you feel like your understanding of the Spanish language is actually pretty lame. The gleeful Tibetan man spoke Spanish and English fluidly and confidently, and about complicated subjects, no less. The Alternative Channel is worth checking out and bookmarking for sure. Better yet, join in!

2. Amazon Indians Lead Battle Against Power Giant’s Plan to Flood Rainforest - The Amazon rainforest is under constant attack from big business and governments alike. Over the last few years many corporations we know and love in the US have taken fire for their actions in the Amazon (KFC, McDonalds and Cargill to name a few). Thanks to native activist voices and voices abroad, we can all know about it and fight against it. See what Amazon native tribes are doing to fight for their rights and the rights of the land.

3. Kaleidoscope

Kaleidoscope is a community based youth development program that celebrates the value of young people and the power of love.  We seek to bring about positive transformation by creating an environment where youth can engage important issues through the arts and contribute back to society. Kaleidoscope is committed to 9 core values:    
•    Building positive and supportive relationships
•    Pursuing social justice and active service to improve our society
•    Encouraging diversity in experiences and relationships
•    Examining our world and ourselves through critical reflection
•    Approaching issues with creativity and imagination
•    Valuing and empowering youth by providing opportunities for leadership and participation
•    Using the power of the arts for meaningful expression and personal, community and social transformation

Kaleidoscope is a grant-funded through Western Kentucky University and has the mission of transforming youth and community through art and activism.

4. How Walkable is your town? - This one comes from Bowling Green friend, CJ, who sent out an email recently about Walkscore.com, a site that helps you find out how pedestrian friendly your neighborhood is. Of course, it’s not just for your neighborhood. You can take a look at neighborhoods you’re thinking about moving to or see how well planned certain other city areas are laid out. (Hint: this could be a good way to see how much attention/neglect your city leaders and developers have given to certain neighborhoods. Could be helpful.) My neighborhood in Bowling Green, Kentucky gets a 66 out of 100. My future neighborhood in Dardanelle, Arkansas gets a 40 out of 100. Hmmmm…

5. The Boiled Down Juice - Fellow blogger, activist and (ahem) wife of mine has created a new blog a few doors over. Meredith Martin is a folklorist, producer, activist, animal lover, and a fine writer at that. She’s had a few things to say here at the BSB Blog a time or two, as well. Check out her blog here. Good stuff.

6. Further info on Dickson, Tennessee - Robert D. Bullard, the “Father of Environmental Justice”, has a page located at the Environmental Justice Resource Center, dedicated to updates on the Dickson, Tennessee toxic racism issue. I was recently contacted by an independent journalist who found our story about the problem in Bullard’s list. It must be pretty thorough if we’re on it. For those of you wanting to get more information on the environmental racism problems in Dickson, TN, go to that list first.

7. The Lake Apopka farmers in Florida - We mentioned the case of the Floridian farmers who are fighting for justice and their compromised health from pesticide exposures. The original Orlando Sentinel article is no longer online, but there are many other resources available. Here is a list of links to get more information on the efforts of the Lake Apopka farmers against environmental racism.

• The Forgotten Farmworkers of Apopka:  A blog about collaborative research in Florida between a student, an anthropology professor, and a local nonprofit. Our goal: to find solutions to the problem of healthcare for former migrant farmworkers, many of whom are living in poverty and still experiencing the effects of exposure to pesticides and other work-related hazards.
• The Farm Worker’s Association of Florida: The Farmworker Association of Florida, Inc. (FWAF) is a membership organization of over 6,330 farmworker families from predominately Mexican, Haitian, Afro-American, Guatemalan and Salvadoran communities, which was begun in 1983 and incorporated in May, 1986. The goal is to build a strong multi-racial economically viable organization of farmworkers in Florida empowering farmworkers to respond to and gain control over the social, political, economic, and workplace issues that affect their lives. An elected Board of Directors sets policy, guarantees implementation of work plans, and monitors finances.
• The Slant (1998 article about the farmers): This article was written in 1998 and is somewhat revealing and helpful in fleshing out the recent history of the farmworkers involved. 
• Farmworker’s Self-Help, Inc: An April ‘08 post at the FSH site about the Equal Voice for America’s Families Campaign. Acorn, the national social justice organization, was present as well.

That’s all. Hopefully you’ll have the time to peruse a few of those sites this this week.

Thanks!

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