PRESS RELEASES
April 3, 2007 - Media Release from
Network of Spiritual Progressives-
Minnesota www.nspmn.org
Contact: Bob Milner 612-724-4296, bob@skypoint.com or Phyllis Stenerson 612-331-1929, Phyllis@wisethoughts.com
Generosity: A Pathway to Peace is a rally being held on Sunday, April 15 to proclaim through messages from many world and community leaders plus music, dance and meditation that we have the power and the mandate to create a culture of peace in our neighborhoods and around the world.
The rally is at Plymouth Congregational Church, 1900 Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis from 1pm to 6pm and is sponsored by the Network of Spiritual Progressives - Minnesota.
All are invited. Come when you can, leave when you must. Details and schedule are available on-line at www.nspmn.org or by calling 952-476-6126.
Rally organizers believe that eliminating the barriers to peace is a spiritual and moral imperative. Generosity is a core value of all world religions and spiritual traditions. With a spirit of authentic generosity, the vast complexities and problems of the world can be transformed into solutions that will lead to peace.
The rally is being held on April 15, traditional Tax Day, to emphasize that our tax dollars must be used to help people, not wage war. The billions of dollars being spent on the Iraq war would lift millions of families out of deprivation and despair into comfort and hope.
Speakers include Eveline Herfkens from the United Nations and Dr. Bharat Parekh of the Minnesota United Nations Association who will launch the Minnesota Millennium Goals Initiative, the first state-based project in the nation.
Also speaking will be Congresswoman Betty McCollum, Congressman Keith Ellison, former Congressman Arlen Erdahl representing the Peace Corps, Fred de Sam Lazaro from public television; Susan Haigh from Habitat for Humanity; Andy Lambert from Peace Coffee, journalist Jim Klobuchar who helps micro-businesses in third world countries, and Hugh Parmer from the American Refugee Committee. Rev. Tim Hart-Anderson of Westminster Presbyterian Church, Minneapolis will provide a spiritual perspective.
All are committed change agents who will relate how much good can be accomplished when we expand our sense of community to include the entire world. Representatives of these and other organizations including DoPeace, a local organization at the forefront of establishing a federal Department of Peace, will be on hand to answer questions and help participants find ways to become personally and directly involved in working for peace and justice.
Children, musicians, and dancers will help bring that message into our hearts.
About the Network of Spiritual Progressives
The Network of Spiritual Progressives -Minnesota is a diverse, grassroots movement igniting a culture of love, peace and justice in business, government and everyday life. NSP is primarily a consciousness-raising movement to create a dominant worldview of peace and generosity for all people, supplanting the attitudes of domination and greed that cause endless wars. NSP members work to effect local and global change through many organizations engaged in direct action and service. Formed in 2005, NSP is expanding rapidly and now has about 100 chapters nationwide. www.spiritualprogressives.org
"We are the one's we have been waiting for," a quotation from poet June Jordan, is a guiding motto for the Network of Spiritual Progressive. Since the Minnesota chapter's beginning in October 2005 when about 10 people met in a coffee shop, hundreds of people are now participating and often say "This is the movement I've been longing for." More than 500 attended the Midwest Conference of Spiritual Progressives sponsored by NSP-MN in November 2006 and many more are expected for Generosity Sunday.
Chapter meetings are held the second Monday of each month at Plymouth Congregational Church with about 100 attending each time. Focus groups have formed to work on issues including Global Warming, Platform for 2008 Presidential Candidates, a Spiritual Response to the 2008 Republican Convention, Universal Health Care, Outreach and many more.
NSP-MN is an all-volunteer organization with leadership from throughout the metropolitan area.
To schedule interviews with speakers or NSP-MN leaders or for more information on participants and organizations, contact Bob Milner, Media Relations at 612-724-4296, bob@skypoint.com or Phyllis Stenerson, Communications Chair, 612-331-1929, Phyllis@wisethoughts.com
Maryam Ershadi Yusefzadeh Joins Jesse Cook
An Astonishingly gifted guitarist. On his US tour this July
Yusefzadeh is known for her taunting, soulful and multidimensional vocal skills. She received her early training in Iran, from musician and educator Esmail Tehrani. Upon immigrating to the United States as a student, she received a BFA from the University of Minnesota in Art, Music and Dance Performance. She furthered her musical studies in jazz with renowned Jazz vocalist Roberta Davis and the nationally recognized vocal master Nancy Grauff.
Yusefzadeh is actively involved with Persian music as a vocalist, percussionist, educator and guest lecturer at several area institutions including the Minnesota Historical Society, Walker Art Center, Minnesota Orchestra, Weisman Museum. Co-founded the group "Robayat" in 1988 Winner of 1992 Minnesota Music Award. Winners of several musical grants such as Jerome Foundation Grant in 2001 to create the music for a play with playwright Zarawar Mistry and percussionist Tim O'Keefe. In 2002 performed in the Walker Art Center World Premier performance of "LOGIC OF THE BIRDS" by Shirin Neshat. Co-founder of the "Minnesota Global Arts" and "Global Knowledge Through Cultural Awareness" two organizations focused on advancing public's world cultural knowledge through music.
She also has several jazz performances to her credit including stints as soloist with Cedar Walton Trio, founder of the vocal jazz quintet Solfege, a soloist with the MacPhail Center Jazz Ensemble, the Love Ensemble under the direction of Roberta Davis, the vocal jazz group Essentially Jazz, and Dr. Reginald Buckner's Jazz Quartet featuring Eric Kamal Gravatt, world renowned drummer of the group Weather Report.
A listing of the upcoming tour locations is as follows:
Sunday, July 18, 2004 - 7:30 PM
Garden Theatre, Saratoga, CA
Tuesday, July 20th, 2004 - 8:00PM and 10:00 PM
Yoshi's at Jack London Square - Oakland CA
Thursday, July 22th, 2004 - 7:30PM
Humphry's Concerts by the Bay , San Diego, CA
Saturday, July 24th, 2004 -
Berger Performing Arts Centre - Tucson, AZ - 8:00PM
"An astonishingly gifted guitarist, Jesse Cook meshes rhumba and flamenco stylings, blending Spanish and worldbeat with elements of new age, jazz, Afro-Cuban and Middle Eastern music. You can't sit down when Jesse Cook's in town. Jesse Cook's 5th CD NOMAD has garnered a Juno nomination." Read more about Jesse Cook at www.JesseCook.com
Co-headlining the bill is the spectacular vocalist Cassandra Wilson, recognized as an unequaled vocalist, a jazz singer for a new generation. Her distinctive style and daring aesthetic have earned her wide recognition, including chart-topping albums, a Grammy and countless media accolades, such as Time Magazine's 2001 pick for America's Best Singer. Influenced by diverse sources from Miles Davis to Joni Mitchell, Cassandra's earthy, velvet voice has brought her recognition as one of modern music's most visionary vocalists.