The real heroes of Afghanistan are its women, who over decades of oppression and brutality continue to struggle for peace and freedom. Their goals are the simple human ones of obtaining medical help, education, and freedom from religious fundamentalism. Their enemies have been and still are numerous and powerful, ranging from the Taliban to perfidious so-called aid agencies, “allied” governments, and the still-reigning warlords. RAWA remains the oldest, most effective organization that continues this struggle for the women of Afghanistan. RAWA supports Afghan Parliamentarian Malalai Joya in her efforts, often at the cost of threats to her life, to improve the plight of women in that country.
This month, Women’s History Month, Malalai Joya is touring the US and I urge our readers to go see her speak and listen to her story. She is the 27-year-old member of the Afghan National Assembly who gained international attention for standing up to the warlords who are once more in power. The schedule is as follows:
March 12 – Cambridge, MA – The Democracy Center, 45 Mt. Auburn St. in Cambridge, at 2 pm. Co-sponsored by Boston Mobilization, Women’s Int’l League for Peace & Freedom, CODEPINK Boston & Afghan Women’s Mission. For more information email rachfit@mindspring.com or call 617-493-5599.
March 13 – Washington DC – Social Work Auditorium, 525 W. Redwood Street, Baltimore MD, at 5:30 pm. Sponsored by University of Maryland School of Social Work and Division of International Health. For more information, email Aluckste@psych.umaryland.edu
March 15 – Washington DC – George Washington University, Prince Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding from 12noon – 1pm. Please note, this event is INVITATION ONLY. If interested, contact aluckste@psych.umaryland.edu.
March 16 – Berkeley, CA – Talk and reception at University of California at Berkeley campus, Room 370 Dwinelle Hall, at 4 pm. Refreshments will be served. Sponsored by: Gender and Women’s Studies Department, U.C. Berkeley. Co-sponsored by: Global Exchange, Afghan Women’s Mission, Afghan Coalition, GABRIELA Network.
March 17 – Santa Barbara, CA – Press confererence at City Hall with Mayor Marty Blum and City Council members, at 12 Noon. For more information, call 805-569-2331, or email Sbrawa@aol.com.
March 18 – Santa Barbara, CA –Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Central Library, 40 E. Anapamu St. at 5 pm. Co-sponsored by the Santa Barbara Women’s Political Committee and the UCSB Women’s Center. For more information, call 805-569-2331, or email Sbrawa@aol.com.
March 20 – Ventura, CA – Ventura College Theatre, 4667 Telegraph Road Ventura College, 10:30 am. For more information, please call 805-654-6400. Sponsored by the Women’s Concerns Council.
March 20 – Glendale, CA – Glendale City College, 1500 N. Verdugo Blvd. Glendale CA, 90208 (Corner of Mountain), campus building TBA, at 3 pm. For more information, call (323) 788-3171
March 22 – Norwich, VT – Norwich Congregational Church, 15 Church Street, Norwich, Vermont at 7:30 pm. Sponsored by Dartmouth College Women’s and Gender Studies Program, Building Bridges Middle East-US, and the Women’s Network of the Upper Valley. For more information contact Jennfier Fluri 603-646-0886.
March 23 – New Haven, CT – Lecture at Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Avenue in New Haven, CT, at 7:30pm. Sponsored by the Council for Middle East Studies, Yale University
Donations can be made to help fund Malalai’s US tour and the Hamoon Clinic, which Malalai Joya runs in Farah Province. You can make online credit card donations for the duration of her tour (have patience, this link is very slow). Or if you prefer to send a check, please make it payable to International Humanities Center – write “Malalai Joya” in the memo. (IHC is a registered 501-c-3 non-profit organization and donations are tax deductible to the extent of the law.) Mail checks to International Humanities Center, P.O. Box 923, Malibu, CA 90265.
