FAST Events 2008

EVENTS ACROSS NEW YORK STATE

Albany

Tuesday, March 4
11 AM— Statewide Opening News Conference with immigrant speakers and Labor-Religion Coalition Co-Chairs Roman Catholic Bishop Howard Hubbard and NYSUT President Richard Iannuzzi. Cathedral of All Saints, 62 S. Swan St. in Albany, NY.

Tuesday, March 4
Noontime—Procession and Vigil: Bishop Hubbard of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany and the Rev. Denise L. Stringer of Emmaus United Methodist Church of Albany will join domestic workers, farmworkers and friends of immigrants in a procession to the Swan Street steps of West Capitol Park. The interfaith liturgy will appeal for fair labor standards. Many workers who toil on farms and in homes lack basic protections afforded other workers under New York State labor laws.

Thursday, March 6
Noon—Breaking the the Fast Meal and Workshop. Those who have been fasting will join customers at the Holy Family Parish soup kitchen, 283 Central Avenue in Albany for a breaking-the-fast meal. Following the lunch, from 1 to 2 PM, all are invited to a short interfaith service and preview of the Truth About Immigrants dialogues that willl carry on the spirit of the FAST theme through the spring. Co-sponsored by LCLAA, ARISE and other groups.

Allegany

Brockport
Tuesday, March 4
6-8 PM—Pre-FAST Potluck Dinner followed by a Service at 7 p.m..Bring a dish to pass. Free Methodist Church, 6787 Fourth Section Road (Rt. 3). sponsored by the Brockport Ecumenical Outreach Committee. All are welcome.

Buffalo
Tuesday, March 4
7 PM —Showing of the film "Farmingville" at Hallwalls followed by a panel discussion on Immigration Reform. Call the Coalition for Economic Justice at 716/ 892-5877 with questions. The program is free and brought to you by the Coalition for Economic Justice, the Western New York Peace Center and the International Institute of Buffalo.

Ithaca
Tuesday, March 4
7 PM—FAST kickoff in support of hotel workers. Light refreshments at 6:30 PM.at the Women's Community Building (corner of Seneca and Cayuga St. in Ithaca). The program will include reflections from hotel workers, as well as religious, community, and political leaders on issues relating to the Justice for Hotel Workers campaign, such as:
      poverty wages, and their effect on our families and community
      disrespectful treatment from management
      lack of a reasonable 'right to organize' on behalf of workers and the
      ability to take joint action to improve workplace conditions
      lack of health insurance
      unreasonable physical workload and working with dangerous chemicals

Workers in Tompkins County are hungering for living wage jobs. Going
without food for one or more meals during the FAST is an expression of
solidarity with them and their cause.

The Religious Task Force for a Living Wage is a joint project of the
Tompkins County Workers' Center and Catholic Charities of Tompkins County. For more information, please contact 607-269-0409 or 607-272-5062, ext. 12.

Rev. Martin Luther King once declared, “There’s nothing but a lack of
social vision to prevent us from paying an adequate wage to every American,
whether he is a hospital worker, laundry worker, maid or day laborer.”

New York City

Syracuse
Tuesday, March 4
7 PM—Interfaith service, Assumption Roman Catholic Church, 812 North Salina St. in Syracuse. The service, "Welcoming the Stranger" will include a physical display of all the foods documented by the Migrant Food Sourcing Project. Even those who are unable or choose not to fast are invited to take some action step in support of any of the victims of the global economy, whoever they might be during this time period. Click here for a bilingual flyer (Adobe reader is necessary to open this PDF document.)

Thursday, March 6
Noon—Break the Fast Gathering. UAW Local 624 Office, 714 West Manlius Road, East Syracuse.

Utica

Call Deb Hagenbuch for a list of issues that local participants take action on during their period of fasting: 315/ 735-6101.

Check back for more details. Also, please let us know about any events we missed: info@labor-religion.org