KPFA - Making Contact

In the run-up to the war in Iraq, a lot of attention was given to the plight of Iraqi women.  The constant drumbeat from the Bush administration was that U.S. interest in Iraq was liberation with women's rights as a top priority. What went largely unreported is that Iraqi women activists have been organizing ­ for the last 50 years. So what was life like for women before the invasion?  AndŠwhat's it like now? On this edition, we hear from author and activist, Nadje
Al-Ali who talks about the reality of women's lives in Iraq.

Featuring:  Nadje Al-Ali is the co-author of a new book entitled, "What Kind of Liberation? Women and the Occupation of Iraq." She is also the director at the University of London, Department of Gender Studies Center at SOAS.

The post Making Contact – What Kind of Liberation? Women and Iraq appeared first on KPFA.

Erica Fernandez has a remarkable story. Her activism began at 12-years-old when she found out that BHP Billiton wanted to build a liquefied natural gas facility off the coast of her hometown in Oxnard, California.
Working with a diverse community, from the Sierra Club to Latino youth, in 2007 she successfully helped her community defy a multi-national billion-dollar corporation. On this edition, we hear Fernandez' speech from the 2008 Bioneers Conference in San Rafael,
California.

Featuring:  Erica Fernandez, environmental activist who helped prevent a liquefied natural gas plant from being built near her hometown of Oxnard Califonia; Liz Cunningham, Bioneers Youth & Conference Project Manager.

The post Making Contact – Erica Fernandez vs. BHP Billiton Petroleum appeared first on KPFA.

Highlights from philosopher Allan Watts.

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It seems like a conflict that may never end.  Israelis and Palestinians are fighting again.  This week we look back at the history of the occupation of Palestine.  We'll hear from several Palestinians about how they've personally been affected.  And we get the Israeli government's perspective on the current situation as we begin 2009.

Featuring:
Hatem Bazian, Professor of Near East Studies at the University of California at Berkeley; Najiya Shana, a Palestinian American residing in Washington, DC; Moatsin Agha, a Palestinian from Gaza who was exiled after the 1967 war;  As'ad Abu Khalil, a Research Fellow at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies and author of "Bin Laden, Islam and America's New War on Terrorism"; Sameeh Hammoudeh, acquitted of being a terrorist supporter and teacher at the Birzeit University in Ramallah; Asher Yarden, U.S. Southwest Consul General for Israel, Geoff Berg, host of The New Capitol Show on KPFT-FM  Houston.

Music by:
DAM Rap
www.dampalestine.com/
www.myspace.com/damrap

The post Making Contact – Palestine: Perspectives on the Occupation appeared first on KPFA.

We travel to the homeland of American bluegrass to visit the workshop of guitar builder Wayne C. Henderson. His instruments are considered some of the best in the world. His current waiting list is ten years long. Wayne could charge big bucks for his instruments, but he's not driven by money. He works by a different set of values. It's a strange way to do business, but has surprising benefits. Once, those values ended up saving Wayne's life.

This show has been a special collaboration between National Radio Project and the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. Thanks to student producer, Ben Hubbard, who wrote and edited this show under the guidance of independent media producer and UC Berkeley journalism lecturer, Claire Schoen.

Featuring: 

Wayne Henderson, guitar builder; Virginia Parsons, Henderson guitar owner; Tommy Nichols, Baptist preacher and Henderson guitar owner; Uwe Kreuger, member of The Kreuger Brothers bluegrass group and Henderson guitar owner; Jim Lloyd, owner and proprietor of Lloyd's Barber Shop in Rural Retreat, Virginia; Gene Thornburg, Henderson mandolin owner.

The post Making Contact – The Peculiar Business of Wayne C. Henderson: How Guitar Making Saved His Life appeared first on KPFA.

Cuba had a long history of segregation and racism before 1959. The revolutionary government ended the old system of segregation but racism remains a problem in Cuba. On this, the 50th anniversary of the Cuba Revolution, we look at how Cuba brought about equality for symphony musicians. We'll also look at Cuba's efforts to feed itself through the world's largest organic farming experiment. This program was written and produced by Reese Erlich. His recent book is Dateline Havana: The Real Story of U.S. Policy and the Future of Cuba.

Featuring:
Louis Aragu, son of the founder of The National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba; Yvonne Fernandez, The National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba bassoon player; Esteban Morales, University of Havana sociologist and professor; Dr. Devyn Spence, Cuban race relations author; Lester Benavides, violin and viola player; Eliades Ochoa, Buena Vista Social Club guitar player; "Rochy" Rosa Maria Amemeiro, singer, guitarist and composer; Bill Martinez, Cuban musicians' attorney; Lázaro Valdés, Bamboleo founder and leader; Humberto Hernandez, Havana fruit vendor; Raul Ruiz, Cuban Ministry of Agriculture official; Santiago Yanez, Agricultural Ministry official; Jose Casimiro, Cuban farmer; Fernando Funes, Government agronomist promoting organic techniques.

The post Making Contact – Dateline Havana: The Future Of Cuba appeared first on KPFA.

Women Rising 18: Rescuers of Wildlife

Women are gaining influence as leaders throughout the world, fighting for peace, justice, the environment and civil society. They have combined passion for nature with a professional approach on animal care and release, along with rainforest conservation and wildlife monitoring, click here to find out more about how they address the issue. Volunteers help us in the day to day care of the wildlife.

In this program we profile four animal rights activists:

* Alice Ng has worked with Wild Aid, founded Animal Balance in the Galapagos Islands and is now the executive director of Animals Asia Foundation.

* Rosamira Guillen is the executive director of Proyecto Titi, promoting the survival of the Cotton -top Tamarin Monkey and its habitat in Colombia.

* Lorena Aguilar is an executive with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, specializing in community and gender issues.

* Elena Bykova heads up Wildlife Conservation Network’s Saiga Conservation Alliance to preserve the Saiga Antelope in Uzbekistan.

For the wellbeing of the animals most organizations do not receive tourists in our reserve, nor get any governmental funding. You can help by adopting an animal, sponsor a project or help them in other ways. Working with animals is amazing. We invite anyone with a passion for nature to get a bit of jungle dirt under your nails, and make a difference.

The post Making Contact – Women Rising 18: Rescuers of Wildlife appeared first on KPFA.

It¹s a case that made headlines across the nation. On August 18, 2006, seven Black, lesbian and gender non-conforming young women from New Jersey went out for a night in New York City. A man selling DVDs on the sidewalk. Also Black ­ propositioned one of the young women.  She turned him down, but he followed them anyway. They said he yelled insults and made threats. He says he said just, "hi". An attack ensued. But who struck first is still being debated in court today. Is this a case of self-defense or of attempted manslaughter? An assault by a lesbian gang or a homophobic attack?

On this edition, we hear from two of the "New Jersey 7" women and the people fighting to clear their names.

Featuring:

Terrain Dandridge and Lania Daniels, New Jersey 7 defendants; Kimma Walker, Terrain¹s mother; Andrea Ritchie, Attorney and INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence organizer; Ralowe T. Ampu and Inez Sunwoo, Bay Area Solidarity Committee; FIERCE! members.

Executive Producer/Host: Tena Rubio
Program Producer:  Puck Lo
Producer Andrew Stelzer
Executive Director: Lisa Rudman
Associate Director: Khanh Pham
Interns: Keisha Thomas and Asma Mohseni

The post Making Contact – Born in Flames: Case of the New Jersey 7 appeared first on KPFA.

It's been 5 years of genocide in Darfur. 300,000 lives have been lost and millions have been displaced. While the UN says lack of security has prevented the full deployment of a peacekeeping force, even Hollywood stars have taken on the cause.
On this edition, we'll hear what it's like to embed with rebels in Darfur who say they are fighting for political and economic rights. And, new perspectives on intervening in the crisis.

Featuring:
Shane Bauer, filmmaker; David Martinez, filmmaker; Selena Brewer, Human Rights Watch Darfur researcher; Ali Muktar Ali, Sudanese Rebel; Idp Umda Hamid Manna, internally displaced peoples camp leader; Ahmed, horse and cart driver.

Executive Producer: Tena Rubio
Contributing Producer:  Pauline Bartolone
Darfur Journalists:  Shane Bauer and David Martinez
Producer/Host: Andrew Stelzer
Associate Producer:  Puck Lo
Executive Director: Lisa Rudman
Associate Director: Khanh Pham
Intern: Keisha Thomas

The post Making Contact – A Journey To Darfur: Rethinking Intervention appeared first on KPFA.