Six Days Until 20th Annual ADC Convention

In six days, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) will hold its 20th National Convention entitled “Arab Americans: Toward a National Agenda.” The Convention, which is the largest annual gathering of Arab Americans and supporters, starts on June 12 and runs until June 15. The ADC Convention will take place at the Crystal Gateway Marriott located in Arlington, Virginia. The entire agenda can be read and you can register online at: https://www.adc.org/convention2003
For ADC and the community, this year’s Convention will be particularly timely and relevant. Participants will be able to attend informative panel discussions and workshops on civil rights, understanding immigration issues, Palestine and Iraq, domestic and foreign policy affairs, organizing and empowerment, and media relations, among others. There will also be two days of film screenings and the ADC Silent Auction. ADC’s members and supporters will also have their first opportunity to meet ADC’s incoming President, former Congresswoman Mary Rose Oakar who served 16 years in the US House of Representatives.
CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS:
THURSDAY, JUNE 12 FOCUSES ON LOBBYING CULMINATING WITH A DINNER ON CAPITOL HILL
Confirmed guests include Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR), Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH), Congressman Jim McDermott (DWA).
FRIDAY, JUNE 13 FOCUSES ON DOMESTIC ISSUES
Confirmed guests include Senator Lincoln Chafee (R-RI), Congressman Nick J. Rahall (D-WV), Senator John Sununu (R-NH), Mayor Teresa Isaac, Diana Abu-Jaber, Randa Fahmy, Haifa Fakhouri, John O’Sullivan, Mark Crispin Miller, Jason Vest, Mary Beth Sheridan, Jules Crittenden, Jeffrey Collins, Bruce Fein, Zainab Salbi, Preetmohan Singh, Jonathan Turley, Matt Dummermuth, Dave Wellstone, David Cole, Jeanne Butterfield, Frank Sharry, Ceclia Muñoz, Salam Al-Marayati, Bishop Melvin Talbert, Father Drew Christiansen, Imam Yahya Hendi, Rabbi Michael Lerner, John Sinno, Jack Shaheen, Safwan Masri, Ahmed Ragheb, Bashar Sbeiti, Arab-American Rapper Iron Sheik, Maysoon Zayid, Suheir Hammad and many others.
SATURDAY, JUNE 14 FOCUSES ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
Confirmed guests include Secretary of State Colin Powell, Ambassador Farid Abboud of Lebanon, Ambassador Nabil Fahmy of Egypt, Permanent Representative of the Palestinian Authority Hassan AbdulRahman, Shibley Telhami, Oussama Kanaan, Father Amjad Sabbara, Christine Shahin-Wood, Catherine Cook, Barbara Nimri-Aziz, Stephen Zunes, Ayad Al-Qazzaz, Betty Shamieh, Anan Ameri, Will Youmans, Annemarie Jacir, Nathalie Handal. Voices of Peace Awards will be presented to: ElectronicIraq.net, The Nation magazine, Pacifica Radio’s “Democracy Now” program, and Save the Children’s “Youth Noise” program.
SUNDAY, JUNE 15 FOCUSES ON PALESTINE
Confirmed guests include Edward Said, Ziad Abu Amr, Mustafa Barghouti, Khalil Shikaki.
WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS:
GOVERNMENT RELATIONS: INCREASING OUR VOICE WORKSHOP
Using the Internet has become a part of our daily lives. Today, organizations like NAAA-ADC are looking for more effective ways to influence policy makers through instant communication. “Capwiz for Advocacy,” which is part of Capitol Advantage, seeks to empower individuals and organizations to effect change through organized, targeted, Web-based grassroots efforts, while tracking activity to measure results.
NAAA-ADC uses Capwiz and has noticed a marked increase in political activism. In this workshop, Capwiz trainer Jay Dick will provide attendees with information about Capwiz and how users can communicate their views to their lawmakers via targeted. email, letter, fax and more.
KNOW YOUR RIGHTS LEGAL WORKSHOP
During these difficult times in our country, knowing our legal rights and how to assert those rights has become an every day requirement for our community. The ADC Legal Department will engage attendees in real-life scenarios, asking the attendees to participate in fact-based short stories during the forum and then providing Know Your Rights recommendations. A representative from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the US Department of Justice Community Relations Service will also be present to provide additional information.
MEDIA WORKSHOP: ALTERNATE FOCUS DEMONSTRATES CABLE ACCESS SYSTEM
Three ADC members are the Alternate Focus founders who have created a system that will allow your local ADC chapter to broadcast compelling videos on TV with minimal effort. You will learn how to launch a weekly half hour show of Middle East related programs.
Alternate Focus is currently broadcasting weekly half hour shows in San Diego. Other chapters are joining Alternate Focus as affiliates by participating in their turnkey, broadcast-ready system. New York was recently added to the network and will be on the air in late June! You will learn how and where Alternate Focus obtains video content, how Alternate Focus supplies you with broadcast-ready tapes, and how easy it will be for you to obtain your own half hour broadcast slot. You also will learn the legal aspects of broadcasting on public access. Attend this workshop and your chapter could be broadcasting in weeks.
ORGANIZING WORKSHOP: SUCCESS STORIES IN ORGANIZING
Organizing at any level is a challenge. This is especially true of grassroots activism. Focusing on organizing efforts by various ADC chapters, the organizing workshop will place significant emphasis on organizing strategies for success and provide suggestions for avoiding failure. By sharing successful strategies, chapter presidents will provide activists and members, seeking direction in organizing at the grassroots level guidelines for achieving success. The workshop will be conducted by Maha Munayyer and Nasser Barghouti (Presidents of ADC chapters in New Jersey and San Diego respectively).
VIDEO ACTIVISM WORKSHOP: PRODUCTION FROM CONCEPT TO DISTRIBUTION
The video camera has joined the word processor as an essential item in any activist’s tool kit. In this workshop John Sinno, president of Arab Film Distribution, discusses the process of documentary filmmaking and video production from concept to distribution. The workshop will give attendees an overview of the video production process, from subject selection to the equipment needed for the various stages of production and the challenges of getting films shown to an audience. Arab Americans with access to video equipment and proper training will discover the documentary format to be a useful and powerful tool to help bring about changes in their community while contributing to the creation of positive images of Arab Americans in the media.
CONVENTION TIPS:
Save time and money by registering early (see mailing address below): www.adc.org/convention2003
Become an ADC member and save even more, as members are offered a discounted Convention rate: www.adc.org/forms/membershipsecure.html
For Hotel reservations, you must contact the Hotel directly:
Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel
2003 Rates are $119/night
Call 1-800-228-9290 or (703) 920-3230 to reserve rooms.
ADC 20th National Convention
Arab Americans: Toward A National Agenda
June 12 – 15, 2003
www.adc.org/convention2003

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