Brooklyn For Peace and the Long Island University Student Government Association are co-sponsoring the Fifth Annual Brooklyn Peace Fair from 11 a.m to 6 p.m., April 26 on LIU’s Brooklyn Campus, Flatbush & DeKalb avenues.
Billed as “the largest event of its kind in New York City,” admission to the event is free and open to the public, but bring photo ID for admission to the campus.
Brooklyn For Peace (formerly known as Brooklyn Parents for Peace) has been organizing the Peace Fair since 2003. This year’s event leads off (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) with nine workshops, while 100 community organizations will share information at tables.
The plenary session, from 2-3 p.m., will feature guest speaker Debbie Almontaser, a noted educator, community organizer and founder of Khalil Gibran International Academy in Brooklyn. A three hour performance showcase of music, poetry, dance and spoken word, concludes the festivities.
Borough President Marty Markowitz will present a proclamation, and performers include Amanda Diva and original Last Poet, Abiodun.
The Program
11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Workshops, kids’ activities, information tables (community organizations)
2-3 p.m. Keynote address and Borough President Markowitz presentation
3-6 p.m. Performances
Workshops
State Senator Eric Adams (20 Senate District, D-Brooklyn), the leader of 100 Blacks in Law Enforcement, will lead a workshop titled “Youth, Race & the Criminal Justice System.
Former United States Congressman Major Owens and Brooklyn based community organizer will lead the workshop “Mobilization for Peace & Prosperity: Bring Our Dollars Home to Stop the Budget Cuts.”
Additional Workshops
• Iraq Uncovered: Q & A about the Iraq war
• Refugees In Crisis: Darfur and other
• Uprooted: Gentrification and Development in Downtown Brooklyn
• War & Warming: Environmentalism and the Iraq War
• Media Criticism as a Tool for Social Justice
• Dialoging Across Racial & Gender Divides
• Art and Apathy: Artists’ Views of the Israel-Palestine Conflict
Performances
Among the performers slated to appear at the Brooklyn Peace Fair include Amanda Diva and Friends, Abiodun (Last Poets), Dragons of Zynth, Aja Monet (Def Poets), Invincible (Anomolies), Queen God!s, Ra Hendrix, Remi Kanazi, Spirit Child (Mental Notes), Stephanie Rooker, Ajah-Yo (Afoxe Group), Dance 4 Peace (consortium of Brooklyn student dance groups), Raging Grannies and Their Daughters.
Admission for the Fifth Annual Brooklyn Peace Fair is free. For more, contact Coordinator Nora Gordon at 718-624-5921 or email her at ngordon@brooklynpeace.org.
