December 1

This afternoon, there is a local gathering as part of International Day of Action in Solidarity with Oaxaca. This features speakers reporting about the ongoing repression, state terror, and corporate free trade policies that are killing people in Mexico. After the speakers, participants will march to the State Capitol. This is on the Library Mall at the end of State Street at 3:30. For more details on Oaxoca, check oaxacacalibre.org.

Today, The Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired holds an Open House and opening for an art exhibit made by and for people who are blind or visually impaired. The Wisconsin Council of the Blind & Visually Impaired is a private, not-for-profit advocacy agency. This is at the Council of the Blind, 754 Williamson Street, from 4 to 7. For more information, call Kathy Lange-Novak at 237-8111.

Tomorrow, Community Action on Latin America and MATC’s Global Horizons Program hold their ninth annual Fair Trade Holiday Fair. This features dozens of vendors, information booths, workshops, a bake sale fundraiser, and more. This is at MATC’s downtown campus on Carrol Street from 9 to 4. For more details, check www.calamadison.org.

Tomorrow is Madison Hours Holiday Trade Fair. Dozens of vendors will be accepting both federal and local currency for their handmade crafts, clothing, local food, greeting cards, gift certificates, and more. This is at the High Noon Saloon, 701 East Washington Street, from 11 to 3. For more information, check madisonhours.org

Tomorrow is the Seventieth Commemoration of the start of the Spanish Civil War. Professor Kata Beilin of the UW Spanish Department will give a presentation of the origins and the early months of the conflict. David Williams will provide a summary of the Battle for Madrid from November 1936 to February 1937. Madison Veteran of the Abraham Lincoln International Brigade, Clarence Kailin, will provide remarks. Sorrel Lazaro, producer of WORT's recent access program on the Spanish Civil War, will offer further comments on the revolution in Barcelona. There is a suggested donation and this is at Escape Coffeehouse, 916 Williamson Street, from 1 to 5. Call 442-8399 for details.

Tomorrow, Rainbow Bookstore hosts American Indian Studies historian Ned Blackhawk. He will be speaking on his new book Violence Over the Land. In the book, he chronicles two centuries of Indian and imperial history that profoundly shaped the American West. This is at the Bookstore, 426 West Gilman Street, at 2:30. For more information, check rainbowbookstore.org.

Sunday, on W.O.R.T.’s Third World View reports on the State of International Human Rights. This is on W.O.R.T. from 5 to 6. Call 256-2001 with comments and questions.

Sunday, the Peregrine Forum Palestine history class hosts Mohammed Omer. Omer is the Rafah-based Gaza correspondent for the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs. His words and images have been carried by media around the world and he publishes the blog “RafahToday.org”. This is at Escape Java Joint, 916 Williamson Street, at 6:30. For more information call 215-9157, e-mail rafahsistercity@yahoo.com or visit www.madisonrafah.org.