Wednesday afternoon at Tent University Santa Cruz

On Wednesday, April 20, 2005, there were workshops and presentations at Tent University Santa Cruz. I came late to a presentation about the exploitation of workers in maquiladoras (sweatshop factories) and the way that workers are organizing to form networks of resistance and awareness. Strategies were discussed for pressuring the UC and other institutions into making socially-responsible purchases.

Lunch was really great. We had veggie patties, hummus, mixed salad, cabbage and a mixture of peanut butter and banana. Both meals I eat at TUSC were very healthy and delicious. I wish I had a community like that to eat with more often! After lunch, I learned a little bit about Mountain Justice Summer which is taking place in the Appalachia mountains.

Around 7:30pm, we gathered in the big white tent to discuss where we would sleep and what we would do. Cari was kind enough to come down to Santa Cruz from the Bay Area to give tips on DIY legal observation and coordination. She stressed the importance of documentation and the vital role played by independent media makers during Monday night's altercation with the UC Administration and Police. At about 8:15pm, we decided to march as a group to the Quarry Amphitheater where we continued discussing both short and long-term goals for our university and our lives.

What is Mountain Justice Summer?

Mountain Justice Summer (MJS) seeks to add to the growing anti Mountain Top Removal (MTR) citizens movement. Specifically MJS demands an abolition of MTR, steep slope strip mining and all other forms of surface mining for coal. We want to protect the cultural and natural heritage of the Appalachia coal fields. We want to contribute with grassroots organizing, public education, nonviolent civil disobedience and other forms of citizen action.

Historically coal companies have engaged in violence and property destruction when faced with citizen opposition to their activities. MJS is committed to nonviolence and will not be engaged in property destruction.

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See Also:

Tent University Santa Cruz, April 18-22: Claiming UCSC As Our Own

Police Brutalize Students for Sitting on Lawn at UCSC

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Crossposted at Santa Cruz Indymedia.