Please help us raise enough money to celebrate 100th anniversary of the Ghadar Party and to bring grassroots South Asian activists to New York City in October!
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Convergence of grassroots activists from South Asia to the U.S.
What is the convergence?
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Ghadar Party, a transnational grassroots solidarity movement found in 1913, the Ghadar convergence will bring together grassroots activists from South Asia to converge and dialogue with US activists. South Asia Solidarity Initiative (SASI) is organizing this two and a half day convergence in October 2013, in New York. In keeping with the Ghadar Party’s founding principles of dissent against oppression, the convergence hopes to engage discussions, on issues related to labor struggles, gender and caste violence, state repression of civil rights as well as issues related to migration and nationalism.
The convergence aims to revive the often forgotten history of the Ghadar movement, through: a celebration of music, films, and conversations among grassroots activists from South Asia and the U.S.. These activities will provide grassroots activists with a unique opportunity to learn from the history of the Ghadar movement, and envision new ways to build transnational solidarity.
Events and activities will include the following:
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Dialogue sessions will build important linkages between movements in South Asia with the US-based left movements. Speakers will include around 6-7 speakers from South Asia who will share their work with each other as well as other U.S.-based activists working on similar issues;
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Poetry, visual art exhibitions and musical events with an aim to revive the rich cultural legacy of the Ghadar Party;
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Film screenings, curated using the prism of borders, migration and nationalism;
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Launch of the annual Kateesh-Balagopal Memorial Panel – an event that we plan to conduct every year in New York City to commemorate the lives of two civil rights activists;
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The Convergence will also mark the beginning of the Ghadar Internship, a movement-experience internship for youth from North America who wish to go to South Asia and spend anywhere from 3 to 6 months working with a grass roots movement organization in the subcontinent.
Why is this event important?
The convergence aims to bring together activists working at the very grassroots level across South Asia whose voices are often not heard or marginalized in the global conversations. These activists and the movements they represent are engaged in local struggles and alternative practices around land issues, caste politics, gender and sexuality rights, economics, safety, media, arts, politics and much more. Through the convergence, SASI is bringing together many of these voices who are creating change and imagining a different world for and with people in their own local communities. These activists will have a unique space to dialogue with other activists across the borders from different countries in South Asia as well as exchange experiences and form solidarities among U.S. based organizers who are working on similar issues within this country. The convergence is a truly unique opportunity to build important linkages and solidarity efforts between movements in South Asia and with the US-based movements.
What does your financial contribution support?
Your financial support will help towards the following:
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We will be bringing grassroots organizers from South Asia to New York city, which is our biggest cost. Any contributions you make will go toward travel costs, housing, and food costs for these speakers.
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The logistics of the convergences including the venue and productions costs
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Honorarium to artists, musicians and filmmakers as well as production of the cultural events
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Promotional materials such as posters, flyers and other print costs
YOUR FINANCIAL SUPPORT IN ANY AMOUNT, NO MATTER HOW LARGE OR SMALL, IS WELCOME
Additional Ways You Can Help
In addition to supporting our efforts, we would really appreciate if you would spread the word!!!
- Help us Spread the Word!
- Join us and help us organize and fund-raise! Contact us if you are interested.
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Visit our webpage
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Like us on Facebook
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Follow us on Twitter
What was the Ghadar Party?
Ghadar Party was a transnational solidarity organization, a coalition of South Asian immigrant workers and students founded in 1913 in California. They spread throughout the United States and Canada in the coming decades, challenging imperialism, organizing uprisings, and fighting in South Asia’s anti-colonial movement.
Although formally dissolved in 1948, their legacy continues to this day. The Ghadar Party’s unique contribution lies in the links between their own anti-imperialist struggle, and global oppression. They spoke out against religious hatred, caste and capitalism; embraced large scale community organizing, social work; and produced significant literature, art, poetry and commentary on the resistance. The Ghadar party offers global movements with a model for building transnational solidarity.
'Echoes of Ghadar' 