The Board of Directors of Global Exchange is pleased to announce Ms. Carleen Pickard as the organization’s new Executive Director. Carleen will follow Kirsten Moller’s twenty-three year legacy of leadership and compassion. We are collectively elated about the new energy, new ideas, and new skills that Carleen brings to Global Exchange. Her long history of organizing, both nationally and internationally, allows Global Exchange to continue and expand our near quarter-century of activism. Carleen will complement our “people-to-people” traditions–advocating for progressive domestic change and credible alternatives to corrupt global-economic and political policies. Join us in welcoming Carleen Pickard.

Walter Turner, Board President

Kirsten Moller and Carleen Pickard at Global Exchange's Open House, October 6, 2011

I’m excited to pass the torch to Carleen who has been part of Global Exchange for thirteen years. As Associate Director for the past year, she has worked with members, global partners and staff to build on the people-to-people connections that are integral to GX and essential to fighting for a better world. She also knows the organization thoroughly and is committed to the goals of economic, social and environmental justice, peace and sustainability–values core to Global Exchange’s founding mission.

After two decades, the founders, are ready to embrace new projects and hand over the day-to-day operations to the next generation.   The founders, Kevin Danaher, Medea Benjamin and I, are excited about creating a smooth transition to new leadership after 23 years.  I will fulfill a new role at Global Exchange as Director of Organizing.

Kirsten Moller, Founding Director

I am thrilled and honored to leverage Global Exchange’s legendary signature campaigns that have challenged corporate rule, fought oppression and built alternatives to injustice. With our amazing staff and the support of all of you, we will truly harness the energy of these exciting times and guide a fundamental shift away from a society of greed to one of caring, from a profit-centered economy to people-centered, from currency to community.

Carleen Pickard, Executive Director

We announced Carleen as our new Executive Director at our October 6 Open House. Be sure to check out the pictures of the event, and a video of this special occasion.

The Board of Directors of Global Exchange is pleased to announce Ms. Carleen Pickard as the organization’s new Executive Director. Carleen will follow Kirsten Moller’s twenty-three year legacy of leadership and compassion. We are collectively elated about the new energy, new ideas, and new skills that Carleen brings to Global Exchange. Her long history of organizing, both nationally and internationally, allows Global Exchange to continue and expand our near quarter-century of activism. Carleen will complement our “people-to-people” traditions–advocating for progressive domestic change and credible alternatives to corrupt global-economic and political policies. Join us in welcoming Carleen Pickard.

Walter Turner, Board President

Kirsten Moller and Carleen Pickard at Global Exchange's Open House, October 6, 2011

 

I’m excited to pass the torch to Carleen who has been part of Global Exchange for thirteen years. As Associate Director for the past year, she has worked with members, global partners and staff to build on the people-to-people connections that are integral to GX and essential to fighting for a better world. She also knows the organization thoroughly and is committed to the goals of economic, social and environmental justice, peace and sustainability–values core to Global Exchange’s founding mission.

After two decades, the founders, are ready to embrace new projects and hand over the day-to-day operations to the next generation.   The founders, Kevin Danaher, Medea Benjamin and I, are excited about creating a smooth transition to new leadership after 23 years.  I will fulfill a new role at Global Exchange as Director of Organizing.

Kirsten Moller, Founding Director

 

I am thrilled and honored to leverage Global Exchange’s legendary signature campaigns that have challenged corporate rule, fought oppression and built alternatives to injustice. With our amazing staff and the support of all of you, we will truly harness the energy of these exciting times and guide a fundamental shift away from a society of greed to one of caring, from a profit-centered economy to people-centered, from currency to community.

Carleen Pickard, Executive Director

We announced Carleen as our new Executive Director at our October 6 Open House. Be sure to check out the pictures of the event, and a video of this special occasion.

Support Global Exchange and celebrate this exciting transition to new leadership, and give a special gift or sign up to be a Monthly Sustainer by committing to donate $5, $10, or $25 a month.  Our work is not possible without you!

 

UPDATE (Oct 14 9:05am pst): The ‘cleaning’ of Zuccotti Park has been postponed! Thanks to everyone who made calls last night!

UPDATE (Oct 13 6:30pm pst): It is now being widely reported that the New York Police Department, under orders from Mayor Bloomberg, will attempt to evict Occupy Wall Street from Zuccotti Park tomorrow for a ‘cleaning’ at 7am est. TAKE ACTION!

1. Sign the MoveOn. org petition here.

2. Call Mayor Bloomberg 1-212-772-1081 ext 12006 and demand that the eviction be stopped. Avaaz.org asks that you post a message about what happened here.

3. If you are in the New York City area, find out about the direct action being planned for tomorrow at 6am est here.

 

Say what?

At noon on Thurs Oct 13, the occupytogether.org website listed 1599 cities with Occupy Wall Street protests from Iceland to New Zealand. This online hub of the movement represents a huge number of the events in solidarity with OWS concentrated in North America, and growing internationally. Other online sources include united for #globalchange and the powerful video rallying us to take action.

This leaderless, politically neutral movement is big, and growing and if you are part of the 99%, it includes you.

This Saturday October 15 join a local occupation – big or small, together we are powerful together as we raise our voices to say Enough is Enough! Enough of the bank bailouts by the taxpayers! Enough of the cuts to social welfare programs, schools and hospitals to sustain the cost of wars! Enough of non-action in Congress to address the climate crisis! Enough of the unlimited election campaign contributions by corporations thanks to Citizens United, enough of the attack on worker rights!

Endorsements and messages of support to the movement surface daily – from major labor unions, celebrities, social justice organizations, activists such as Naomi Klein, and international leaders including Lech Walesa.

Even progressive companies have expressed support. The board of directors at Ben and Jerry’s stated “… we realize that Occupy Wall Street is calling for systemic change. We support this call to action and are honored to join you in this call to take back our nation and democracy.”

Alternative media outlets such as Democracy Now! are producing amazing comprehensive reports of what is happening in this country. Initially ignored by the corporate media, the sheer number of people engaged for change has become the most important domestic story.

Through daily general assemblies, workshops and internet organizing our demands are coalescing. The folks in Freedom Plaza in Washington DC will spend the next week defining a vision on 15 key issues impacting our ‘system’ and encourage everyone to join. Go outside or go online, talk to your friends, family, neighbors and even strangers, we are the 99%.

Start here – check out this photo blog and join the 99%. Then sign the World vs Wall St petition and stand will a million others.

As GX and CodePINK co-founder Medea Benjamin stated on Democracy Now!:

“We are here to stay. We are here just like we were here yesterday and the day before yesterday and the day before that. It really doesn’t matter to us that our permit has run out. We feel like this is a public square, we are the public, and we are occupying this square, so we will stay here” (the Freedom Plaza permit has now been extended for 4 months).

And although New York Mayor Bloomberg stated, “The bottom line is, people want to express themselves, and as long as they obey the laws, we’ll allow them to” plans are under way to remove the encampment at Zuccotti Park, sign this petition now!

Perhaps Reverend Billy says it best:

The change that is in the air, that we all feel. No-one really knows why we are blessed with the common feeling. This same slaughter of the innocents has gone on for so long. This same mystical financing of poisoned farms, of dead oceans, of cancerous children and national false emotions – all this comes at us now as a bad surprise. We have a fresh rage. We have a shout that is honest, thousands of us. We are occupying our civic institutions stolen so long ago by men in suits, and surrounded by confused police. All at once, we want a better life and don’t want to wait. Then this discovery: It is a better life to demand a better life! Revolujah!

At Global Exchange we’ve taken action locally and joined 2 of the Occupy SF marches and look forward to Saturday. Join us here!

In Oakland: MoveOn and its allies stand together, WORKERS and COMMUNITY UNITED for JOBS not CUTS, PROSPERITY not AUSTERITY! Hands Off Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid! End the Wars! Invest in Our Communities!
1:00 PM Assemble at Laney College (1 block from Lake Merritt BART)
1:00 PM Pre-March Program
2:30 PM March Downtown
3:30 PM Rally in Frank Ogawa Plaza (12th Street Oakland BART stop)
http://www.jobs-not-cuts.org

In San Francisco:
1:00 PM Meet at Embarcadero BART

Enough is Enough!

I’ve won 1 contest in my life; tickets to a Van Morrison concert in the 80s via a radio station giveaway. I’m not sure what the odds were of me winning, but somehow my track record of zero wins took a fruitful turn that fateful day.

My guess is you have a much better chance of winning something in the Global Exchange Prize Drawing happening later this week than I did when I called that radio station way back when.

What’s this about a Prize Drawing? The prize drawing is taking place during our annual Open House happening this Thursday, Oct. 6th at the Global Exchange main office in San Francisco, but the deadline to purchase prize drawing tickets online is Oct. 5th. You don’t have to attend the event to enter (and win!) the prize drawing.

The prizes we’re giving away are super cool, so I’m encouraging you and all your friends to grab your prize drawing tickets NOW for a chance to become a winner.

Here’s a rundown of some of the prizes being offered:

Harbin Hot Springs. Picture yourself there!

  • Grand Prize: $1000 toward a Reality Tour of your choice – our destinations include upcoming trips to Cuba and Egypt. $1,000 bucks?! That’s right. One thousand dollars.
  • Weekend Stay for two at Big Sur Getaways. Your opportunity to take that long overdue vacation with a special friend.
  • Dinner with GX co-founder Kevin Danaher at Gracias Madre. Dine on fancy Mexican organic food with a true champion of the green economy. 
  • Camping weekend for two at Harbin Hot Springs. Wow, this place is amazing. I’m more relaxed just thinking about it.
  • Two all access VIP passes to the Arab Film Festival (tickets to 46 films + the VIP opening night gala). Cutting edge films and the opportunity to network with like-minded community members.
  • Signed print by Oakland based artist Favianna Rodriguez. This is the #1 Top prize pick for many Global Exchange staffers…too bad we’re not qualified to win!
  • Child’s Sakuut Kids Balance Bicycle from Noe Valley Cyclery. A bike? Yes, a bike from a prominent local bike shop! Get a jump on your holiday shopping and surprise one lucky child.
  • Two-tickets for cocktails and fun at the Celebrity Pool Toss of  Tenderloin Neighborhood Development
    Corporation     (poolside at the Phoenix Hotel). This event is not something you want to miss. A who’s who of celebrity  do-gooders have shown up in the past, including Robin Wililams. And the Phoenix hotel is one THE coolest, hippest hotels in San Francisco. 
  • $100 Gift certificate to Embodies Organic Boutique. Seriously fashion-forward clothing, jewelry, accessories, even shoes! Most wardrobes pale in comparison to their offerings. (I know mine does!)
  • $50.00 Gift certificate to Urban Bazaar. Fair Trade + Locally handmade gifts = slam dunk!
  • Timbuk2 Messenger Bag. If you’ve never owned a Timbuk2 messenger bag you don’t know what you’re missing. Well constructed, made locally in San Francisco, these bags are built to last without sacrificing style and fashion.
  • Organic Make-Up from Dirty Beauty. Lip balm and body crème and soaps, oh my!
  • Wine tasting at Cline Cellars in Sonoma, CA. They had me at wine.
  • Two-year subscription to Mother Jones Magazine. Not 1 but 2 year subscription…this magazine rocks!

More prizes are still being added. Your chances of winning are very good, so grab your prize drawing tickets online today. They’re $10 each or six for $50.

Proceeds benefit Global Exchange. Your support makes it possible for individuals and communities around the world to resist injustice, envision alternatives, and take action. Speaking of take action…

TAKE ACTION!

Attend the Global Exchange Open House: Stop by the Global Exchange offices in San Francisco for our annual Open House. We are celebrating 23 years of social change and activism on October 6, 6-9:30pm, at 2017 Mission St., 2nd Floor, San Francisco, CA.

It will be a wonderful evening with great food, specialty cocktails and sangria, Típica Cubana music by Los Soneros de Acero, and a chance to meet and mingle with Global Exchange staff.  And of course, we’ll be hosting our annual Prize Drawing.

The Global Exchange Open House is open to you, our members, supporters, and friends.

Get Your Prize Drawing Tickets Here: Remember, you don’t need to attend the GX Open House in order to enter the prize drawing. Simply go online here and grab your prize drawing tickets to enter and (hopefully) win!

Good Luck!

Yours truly,

Brown eyed girl

 

Global Exchange staffers share what they love about their work in these short n sweet videos. We invite you to add your comments!

Kylie starts things off:

Next, Kirsten Moller encourages activism:

Chie Abad talks ending sweatshops & the power of global community:

Jocelyn Boreta loooves Fair Trade!

Corey Hill is giddy about GX members…

Behind the scene with Zarah:

Ted loves solidarity and presence:

Shannon loves BIG ideas sprung from Global Exchange

Paula loves Green Fests!

Carleen is a fan of our holistic approach…

Kevin Danaher sums it all up for us:

JOIN THE GLOBAL CONVERSATION!

Cuban farmer working the field

When Bill Patterson happened across a book about Cuba over a decade ago, he had no idea it would change his worldview forever. The book’s author happened to share his last name, a fellow with one ‘t’ instead of two, he said, and he picked up and started reading.

From this initial chance encounter, Bill’s interest in Cuba grew, and he started absorbing whatever he could about the tiny Caribbean nation, from books to magazines articles. He was struck by the contrast between propaganda and reality, shocked by statistics about the pre-revolution lives of Cuba’s citizens: 3 million people without any electricity, 39% illiteracy, 50% unemployment, 80% of the good property owned or controlled by US interests. He read more about the embargo and the long term destabilization efforts of the U.S. against the Castro government.

After finding out the truth about Cuba, the conclusions were inescapable.

“If you are concerned about Cuba, you know that our country is pretty shameful… I read a great deal about Cuba, and our conduct is really beneath our stature,” Bill said.

Reading is one thing. But seeing is another. And Bill knew that the only way to get the real scoop on Cuba would be to go there.

In a country with a decades long travel ban, this was easier said than done. He eventually settled on a Global Exchange Reality Tour as the best way to make this happen. In the spring of 1999, he started making arrangements to travel somewhere few Americans ever get to see. And in June of 1999, he found himself stepping off of an airplane in Cuba.

While there, he was able to see for himself exactly what you won’t see much in the U.S.: unbiased, unfiltered information about Cuba’s people, about their society, about how they live. The experience was a game changer for Bill.

He liked it so much that he did it again the next year.

Since he first traveled with Global Exchange, Bill’s become a solid supporter, giving every month as a member of Global Exchange Monthly Supporters (GEMS) program. Like us, Bill sees the great value in building people-to-people ties, and he feels pretty confident that he’s putting his money in the right place.

“You do things so well, and you’re so disciplined, it’s quite easy to be comfortable.”

Support from our members like Bill makes our work possible. We sure are glad he happened across that book.

8 days, 8 “Giving Thanks” blog posts led up to this video. The posts and video highlight individuals chosen by Global Exchange staff members who are contributing to our social justice work in some way. So please join us in recognizing those special individuals who are helping to make this world a better place, and hope you enjoy the video.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Global Exchange staff showing off their evening looks

Global Exchange started the Human Rights Awards in 2001 to recognize and elevate the contributions of individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to advance the cause of peace, justice and the inalienable rights we call “human rights”—here in the United States and around the world.

This years’ honorees, Van Jones, Raúl del Águila from Peru, and our People’s Choice Honoree Mu Sochua exemplify and embody this spirit, and we’re proud to have honored them at the 2010 Human Rights Awards gala on Thursday, May 27th at Bimbo’s 365 Club in San Francisco, CA.

It was an inspiring evening shared by incredible human rights advocates.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield speaking about Fair Trade while attendees enjoy Ben & Jerry’s ice-cream

We enjoyed the company of Ben and Jerry – who talked about their commitment to go 100% Fair Trade by 2013, while feasting on delicious Ben & Jerry’s ice cream for dessert.

All proceeds from the event go to support the important work of Global Exchange.  We are grateful to all of our sponsors and participants for their support.

If you weren’t able to make it this year, we hope you will join us in 2011.  Dates and details to come.

Check out some highlights from this years’ gala event! (click photo to enlarge)

Green Leaders Van Jones (2010 Human Rights Award Domestic Honoree) and Kevin Danaher (Global Exchange, Green Festivals) chat it up

Code Pink Alert!

Medea Benjamin, Pierre Labossiere and Van Jones smile for the camera

2010 Human Rights Award International Honoree Raúl del Águila accompanied by his wife

Guests dining it up!

Shannon Biggs (Global Exchange) with Jeff Furman (Ben & Jerry’s)

Nhu Miller with Devi Leiper, daughter of People’s Choice Award winner Mu Sochua

Global Stewards Saori and Mike Kappus with Medea Benjamin

Ben Cohen with Global Steward Jodie Evans of CODEPINK: Women for Peace

Global Exchangers and guest mingle

Fair Trade models sporting their “Ask Me About My Outfit” sashes

Gala attendees sharing a smile

Global Exchange’s Andrea Hightower with Domestic Honoree Van “I don’t take a bad picture” Jones

For a long time Chiapas has been one of our Reality Tour destinations, and the popularity of the program continues to grow. Because our  trips are meant to educate  groups about places that we visit, we do not go in with a tourist mentality. Rather, our goal is to help transform the consciousness of our participants by first-hand experience.

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Chiapas is a place to learn how indigenous communities have struggled and resisted predatory global interests. Through their perseverance and strength and resilience through the centuries, they maintained their traditions and independence.

Explore the diversity of political challenges such as how indigenous communities keep their historical memory, embrace their culture and traditions such as talking and writing their own language, Mexico has more than 60 indigenous languages, many of which are practiced in Chiapas. If indigenous communities, women organizations, fair trade and the rights of farmers are matters that you care about, consider visiting Chiapas for nine days this summer and live the experience of interacting with indigenous communities.

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 You will visit schools, human rights centers and local  youth and children’s rights organizations as part of our  Reality Tours.

 By joining our Reality Tours to Chiapas you will learn  about unfamiliar cultures, meet with people from all ways  of life, and establish meaningful relationships with other  cultures.