Freedom Space Portland 2007 tag:www.freedomspaces.org,2007-12-06:/fsp07//2 2008-03-13T14:59:18Z Movable Type Publishing Platform 4.01 March 14 Press Release tag:www.freedomspaces.org,2008:/fsp07//2.10 2008-03-13T13:58:46Z 2008-03-13T14:59:18Z Melanie Horton http://www.freedomspaces.org/  

Freedom Space: A Night of Spoken Word and Music in Solidarity with People in Iraq.

When: Friday March 14th - 7:00 p.m. at the Meg Perry Center (644 Congress St., Portland)

 

On March 14th, 2008 a collective of organizations are hosting Portland's second 'Freedom Space' gathering, which is happening in conjunction with a week of anti war actions and events throughout the state of Maine. Freedom Space is designed to create an open forum for local poets, musicians and performers who are deeply concerned about the current war in Iraq.

 

Freedom Space events in Portland were inspired by a recent visit to Maine by Yanar Mohammed, Iraqi peace activist and founder of the Organization for Women's Freedom in Iraq.

 

"Freedom Space was inspired by the original FS that occurred in Baghdad, which has grown and expanded in Iraq, crossing sectarian divides and creating an all inclusive safe space for freedom of expression and ideas," stated Anna Korsen, USM student and Freedom Space organizer. "This is a chance for us to peacefully support Iraqis who risk their lives to make their voices heard."

 

The first Freedom Space, hosted at the North Star Cafe on February 1st, gathered over 100 people who heard 15 local poets and performers, including Samuel James, Say Love, Juba, and Monique Bidwell. The overwhelming outpouring of support inspired organizers to plan continuing Freedom Space gatherings in Portland, with a new line- up of over a dozen performers, followed by an open mic.

 

Freedom Space is part of a series of events during the week of March 13 - 20th to resist the current war and occupation in Iraq, which will mark 5 years on March 19. Other events include a noon rally in Monument Square on March 15th, followed by a teach- in at the SPACE Gallery at 2PM, which are part of actions in every county in Maine under the banner 'From Every Village Green,' www.everyvillage-me.us.

 

Sponsoring organizations of 'Freedom Space' include the League of Young Voters, Peace Action Maine, the Meg Perry Center, Amistad Arts Collective, Port Veritas, Local Sprouts Cooperative Catering, and the USM Multicultural Center.

 

For more information, please visit www.freedomspaces.org or call 207 772 0680

]]> YouTube videos now available! tag:www.freedomspaces.org,2008:/fsp07//2.9 2008-02-20T08:12:42Z 2008-02-20T10:04:13Z Wade Brainerd
http://www.youtube.com/freedomspaceportland
]]> Next Freedom Space MARCH 14, 7 PM at the Meg perry Center tag:www.freedomspaces.org,2008:/fsp07//2.8 2008-02-06T17:31:03Z 2008-02-06T17:32:58Z Gabriel Demaine http://www.freedomspaces.org/ FREEDOM SPACE BAGHDAD tag:www.freedomspaces.org,2008:/fsp07//2.7 2008-01-27T22:49:45Z 2008-01-28T01:36:47Z Jennifer Kemp http://www.freedomspaces.org/ The most recent Freedom Space took place in Baghdad on December 7th of last year.  It was a HUGE success.  What started out as a small gathering of 25 people has ballooned to a spectacular event of 300!  There were so many people wanting to attend, that it was necessary to book a room in a hotel.  Some had to be turned away due to lack of funding and some of the hotel staff kept popping in to see what was happening.  In the midst of such daily horror, these people gathered together to create something beautiful and hopeful--and they did.  During a recent chat with Yanar Mohammed, I was able to hear about some of the hi-lights: 

Freedom Space opened with a silent play (almost a pantomime) about the atrocities that invade the everyday lives of so many Iraqis.  The actors used their bodies to express their fear, anguish, sorrow and pain.  The audience was extremely moved--no one spoke during the performance.

There were 3 women poets present who read poems about love.   Saud al Shaheen, an older woman, particularly touched those present.  She recited a poem about an old lover with such passion and poingnance.  Because she spoke in a way that few women aren't allowed, many of the men said she spoke more bravely than they did. 

And another poet, Salwan Muhammadawi, also spoke of love.  Everyone felt their spirits lift with his words.

The next Baghdad Freedom Space event will take place March 8, 2008--International Women's Day.  Even more people are expected to attend.  Part of the goal will be to unite Sunni and Shiite poets and it will be hosted in al Fadhil (a Sunni area).  It will be held in honor of  Du'a Kahlil Aswad--a 17 year-old girl, stoned to death in April last year.  The footage of her stoning was aired on CNN in May.  This event will be a way of erasing those final horrible images of her death and give her a chance to be remembered as she was---a beautiful, young woman in love.

 

 

 

 

  

 

]]> Press Release!!! tag:www.freedomspaces.org,2008:/fsp07//2.6 2008-01-25T20:38:58Z 2008-01-25T20:39:27Z Gabriel Demaine http://www.freedomspaces.org/ FREEDOM SPACE PORTLAND – BAGHDAD:  spoken word performance and music on the First Friday of February in solidarity with the Iraqi people


FREEDOM SPACE PORTLAND – BAGHDAD
Friday February 1st
7 p.m.  
North Star Café (225 Congress St.)  


Freedom Space is free and open to the public and will feature prominent poets and musicians of Portland.   An open mic portion of the evening will begin at 8:30 p.m.  



Background information:

FREEDOM SPACE: PORTLAND - BAGHDAD is inspired by cultural events taking place in Baghdad organized by an Iraqi women's rights and peace activist Yanar Mohammed.  

Mohammed, who is the founder of the Organization of Women's Freedom in Iraq, spoke at the USM Portland campus in October of 2007.  

During her talk, she described an extraordinary cultural event taking place in the midst of the war zone in Iraq called “Freedom Space.”  These poetry and spoken word events allow Iraqi youth to come together across sectarian divides in a cultural safe haven.

Freedom Space gatherings in Baghdad started with only a couple of dozen participants but now, one year later, draw hundreds to these hate-free zones.

Mohammed's description of Freedom Space during her fall lecture at USM inspired a group of students, faculty, staff and community activists to organize a similar cultural event here in Southern Maine as a gesture of solidarity with the people of Baghdad.

FREEDOM SPACE: PORTLAND - BAGHDAD will take place on Friday February 1st at 7 p.m. in the North Star Cafe (225 Congress St.).  The open mic portion of the evening will begin at 8:30 p.m.   

In an effort to link the voices of the people of Portland with those in Baghdad, the Portland Freedom Space event will be filmed and posted to YouTube for viewing in Iraq.

Freedom Space: Portland - Baghdad is co-sponsored by the USM Women & Gender Studies Program and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, The Meg Perry Center, Peace Action Maine, The League of Young Voters, and the Amistad Arts Collective.

FYI: www.freedomspaces.org or contact Lauren Webster at the USM Women & Gender Studies office (780-4289) <lwebster@usm.maine.edu>

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