Human Rights Tour Speakers
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Carmencita "Chie" Abad- Carmencita "Chie" Abad speaks from personal experience about the hardships endured by millions of workers in sweatshops around the world. Chie spent six years as a garment worker on the Pacific island of Saipan, a U.S. territory. She endured wretched conditions, frequently working 14-hour shifts in order to meet arbitrary production quotas for her employer, the Sako Corporation, which made clothes for the Gap and other retailers. When she tried to organize a union, Chie was met by fierce resistance from management and eventually lost her job. She now lives in the U.S., where she educates Americans about the inhumane factory conditions occurring worldwide, including on U.S. soil. Chie was instrumental in forcing 26 major retailers to settle a lawsuit in September 2002 to improve conditions in Saipan. Her story is an inspiring example of how people can win if they stand up for their rights and the leadership she offers from her years as of organizing within the anti-sweatshop is empowering. ________________________________________________
Gopal Dayaneni- Gopal Dayaneni, a leading activist in the struggle for social, economic and environmental justice, is an impassioned speaker and organizer. He is the former Oil Campaign Coordinator for Project Underground, a human rights and environmental rights organization. Since October, 2002, Gopal has been organizing and training in non-violent civil disobedience in opposition to the War on Terrorism at home and abroad. Gopal is an outspoken critic of U.S. foreign and domestic policies, corporate-led globalization, the 'War on Terrorism", war profiteering and the systemic links between war and racism. Since the late 80's, Gopal has been involved in fighting for social, economic and racial justice through organizing, teaching, writing, speaking and non-violent direct action. ________________________________________________
Omoyele Sowore- Omoyele Sowore is a Nigerian who has spent the last 15 years working to promote human rights and democracy in Nigeria, and to stop the militarization and violence that multinational oil companies have brought to his country. In 1989, he took part in student demonstrations protesting the conditions of an International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan of $120 million to be used for a Nigerian oil pipeline -- the IMF loan conditions were to reduce the number of universities in the country from 28 to just 5. In 1992 at University of Lagos, Sowore led 2,000 students in protest against Nigeria's notorious kleptocracy. Police opened fire, killing seven. Sowore was arrested, interrogated and beaten, but he refused to back down in his struggle for decent education in his country. He's been imprisoned eight times and tortured, but he remains committed. "We've had supposed democracy for six and a half years and people still can't eat,' he says. 'Who has benefited? There's no basic health care. We don't have running water. We don't have electricity, no basic education...Shell and Chevron are among the biggest corporations in the world and they have benefited only a few people, the clique that runs the country. The Niger Delta area is polluted, occupied and heavily militarized. People get killed on behalf of the major oil companies everyday, that cannot be right." ________________________________________________
Neda Sarmast-Feeling that Iranians and Muslims have not been depicted honestly in the US media, Neda Sarmast recently left a rewarding seventeen year career in music management, marketing and PR, in order to shift her focus towards playing a positive role in her community. Her personal experience growing up as an Iranian-American combined with her professional background and the ability to bring a message to the masses through the arts, led her to use music and film to promote tolerance and unity among Eastern and Western cultures. Neda Sarmast was born in Iran, moved to the US at the age of nine, and has traveled back and forth ever since. She was an eye-witness to the Iran-Iraq war and her memories still haunt her as she lost her best friend to an Iraqi aerial raid. During the 1979 Iran hostage crisis and again after 9/11, Neda found herself defending Iranians and their beliefs to Americans, and in turn defending Americans and their way of life to Iranians. Fearing that history was about to repeat itself in 2005, Neda left New York and traveled back to Iran to film a documentary on the youth culture of Iran, called "Nobody’s Enemy" (produced in conjunction with Chat the Planet www.myspace.com/nobodysenemy ) slated for release at the end of 2007. _________________________________________________
Green Symposium Presented by the Dave Foster Foundation- The Dave Foster Foundation will be sponsoring speaker-based symposiums during the Human Rights Awareness Tour. DFF feels it is important to provide the community with information about health and the environment that encourages a deeper awareness and understanding on these topics. The speakers at the symposiums comprise of well informed researchers, authors, and dedicated professionals who share the belief that the community can become informed in a friendly non-technical atmosphere. The wealth of knowledge that is gained from these 2-3 hour symposiums is incredible as they are interactive and provide plenty of opportunity for critical thinking. The public is always invited to these free symposiums and not only can enjoy amazing speakers but can have a bit to eat too. The experience makes a lasting difference in thoughts, ideas, and possibly life plans.