International

The Juxtaposition: Backwards Day! 02/14/2024

From Mark Hughes:

In 1868, the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. constitution, the second reconstruction amendment, was created to provide citizenship, equal protection, due process, and certain privileges and immunities for the formerly enslaved. Over the past 155 years the Equal Protection Clause has faced backlash and resistance and has scarcely fulfilled its promise of equal protection to us Black folks. Now the Equal Protection Clause is being turned against us, challenging corrective and reparative economic policies designed to correct what government policies have caused. Is this Backwards Day?

It is the state's responsibility to protect us where the federal government won't. We must amend the constitution to make it so. Let's run a sanity check on this with a legal perspective. Peter, where you at?

Host Rev. Mark Hughes, Executive Director of the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, chats with Peter Teachout, a Professor of Law, Constitutional Law, at Vermont Law School.

For more information visit: VTRacialJusticeAlliance.org

What's Going On?: Senegal 02/13/2024

Host Sandy Baird is joined by guest Ali Dieng, Burlington City Councilor and Secretary of Vermont New American Advisory Council (VNAAC), to discuss Senegal.

For more information about the Vermont New American Advisory Council visit: www.vnaac.org

Education and Enrichment for Everyone: The Politics of Dysfunction - Is The State of America's Democracy as Scary as So Many Observers Claim? 02/09/2024

Presented by Linda L. Fowler, PhD, Professor of Government and Frank J. Reagan Chair, Emerita, Dartmouth College.

For more information visit: eeevermont.org

Burlington Sister City Program: Bethlehem and Arad 01/29/2024

Meghan O'Rourke, CCTV, hosts conversation about the Burlington Sister City program with Mousa Ishaq and Orly Yadin. They discuss the Sister Cities of Bethlehem and Arad. The Sister Cities Organizations are international, long-term partnerships between two communities. As described by the City of Burlington, these partnerships are designed to promote intercultural understanding and interpersonal connections.

A note from Mousa: "One important thing I failed to mention about the founding of the Sister City is that the late Bill Aswad, an Arab American, and Gene Bergman, a Jewish American, were councilors at the time and sponsored the resolution. It has a great symbolism. Gene Bergman is back on the council and still working for equal rights for everyone."

For more information about the Sister City program, visit: www.burlingtonvt.gov/Mayor/Sister-Cities

Rally and March for Gaza 01/20/2024

From the organizers:

Israel is carrying out a genocide in Gaza. It has killed over 23,000 people, obliterated entire cities, driven 2 million Palestinians from their homes, and blocked humanitarian aid, precipitating mass hunger and disease. Now more than ever, we must unite to stop Israel’s war and stand with Palestinians in the struggle for liberation from Israeli occupation, siege, and apartheid.

Demands:

Ceasefire now
Stop Israel’s genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians
Provide unrestricted humanitarian aid to all Palestinians
Free all Palestinian prisoners and hostages
Defend the civil rights of Palestinians and Palestine solidarity activists
Stop all U.S. aid to Israel
Enforce boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel
End Israel’s siege, occupation, and apartheid system
Support Palestinians’ right to self-determination, right to return, and equal rights

Sponsor: Vermont Coalition for Palestinian Liberation

Endorsing Organizations (list in formation): Vermonters for Justice in Palestine, Jewish Voice for Peace VT/NH, Champlain Democratic Socialists of America, Cooperation Vermont, Education Justice Coalition VT, Free Her VT, Migrant Justice, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Tempest Collective, Upper Valley for Palestine, Vermont Peace/Antiwar Coalition

Moments with Melinda: Interview with Kathy Elkind 01/16/2024

From Melinda Moulton:

Kathy Elkind is a writer, long-distance walker, lecturer and a renaissance woman. Her book "To Walk It Is To See It" has just been released and is receiving raving reviews.

For more information visit: http://www.kathyelkind.com

Magazine Of The World: International Issues 01/16/2024

Host Juan Carlos Vallejo discusses international issues in Ukraine, Palestine/Israel, Africa, and the United States.

Moments with Melinda: Interview with Daniel Hecht 01/12/2024

From Melinda Moulton:

Daniel Hecht is an author, environmentalist, musician, non-profit organizational development consultant, and educator.

For more information visit: http://www.danielhecht.com/

The Juxtaposition: Demographics 01/10/2024

From Mark Hughes:

Host Rev. Mark Hughes, Executive Director of the Vermont Racial Justice Alliance, discusses Demographics.

Demographics is defined as “statistical data relating to the population and particular groups within it" (Oxford Dictionary). Systemic racism is a political and economic divide along racial lines. Mitigating systemic racism requires us to measure various outcomes by race population demographics. When the governor opened his State-of-the-State with the word “demographics”, you can imagine our excitement! After all, racism is a public health emergency, right? But wait...

For more information visit: VTRacialJusticeAlliance.org | vtjp.org

What's Going On?: Act Against Clandestine Immigration / Agir Contre l'Immigration Clandestine 01/05/2024

Hosts Sandy Baird and Eric Agnero, citizen activists, are joined by guest Joseph Tagbo. Joseph is the President of NGO Agir contre l'Immigration Clandestine (Act Against Clandestine Immigration). He is a French citizen from the Ivory Coast leading a non-profit organization that tries to prevent migration of people from West Africa towards Europe going through the desert.

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Applications Now Open for the Spring 2025 Cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship Program

Town Meeting TV is excited to announce that applications are now open for the Spring 2025 cohort of the Neighborhood Community Media Internship program. Join up to 8 other youth to engage in interesting media making projects! This paid media internship opportunity is designed for youth aged 16-20 who are eager to gain professional experience in the audio-visual field and develop a deeper understanding of their local community. The group will meet under the leadership of Town Meeting TV's Travis Washington from the end of January 2025 to the beginning of June 2025, on a schedule agreed upon by the whole cohort. Click here to apply!