Camp Wellstone Social Change Training July 30 - Aug 1 Oakland, CA

Camp Wellstone Social Change Training WHAT: Camp Wellstone WHEN: July 30 - Aug. 1 WHERE: Laney College, Oakland CA Click to Register Do you want more skills and stronger networks to help you create the world you want to live in? In just one month, social justice activists, leaders and community members will gather in Oakland to participate in a unique 2.5 day training focused towards social change. The Ella Baker Center has partnered with Wellstone Action! to host Camp Wellstone in Oakland for our Bay Area friends and allies. Come join us, July 30 - August 1 for one of three different 2.5 day trainings tailored to your needs. The Ella Baker Center is committed to building a stronger Bay Area for everyone. But we can't do it without you, only with you. Register now, and join us for a weekend of movement building and a lifetime of social change. The Camp Wellstone Trainings have something for everyone. Whether you're new to the social justice movement, a seasoned activist looking for new skills to win that campaign, or someone who is ready to take your next step in leadership, come join us for an inspiring and empowering weekend training at Laney Community College. Activists, leaders and community members alike will be gathering for a multi-level training, all focused on creating a more socially just Oakland. Around Oakland and throughout the state, organizations and people are getting ready for the fight on important ballot measures and key elected seats. The Camp Wellstone trainings will be an important tool in achieving the social change that's necessary to put both people and the planet before profit this November and beyond. We saw in November 2008 how elections can be a tool for broad change, now we must unite to create change for a lifetime. Come and be a part of that change. Register now. Track 1: Citizen Activism, Advocacy and Organizing: For people interested in citizen lobbying, issue advocacy, and community organizing, this track provides skills to win. Track 2: Working on a Campaign, Tools & Tactics for Success: This track focuses on how to be an effective staff or volunteer member of a winning progressive campaign. Track 3: Being a Candidate: How to Run & Win the Progressive Way: This is for people who want to explore running for office. Registration is based on a sliding scale, $50, $100 or $200. No one will be turned away for lack of funds and childcare can be provided on request. Contact Nwamaka Agbo for scholarships, waivers and requests for childcare. I look forward to learning with you and to creating a space where individuals and movements gain the skills and the power to make lasting change. Make your plans to join us for Camp Wellstone now. We are the ones we are waiting for. Nwamaka Agbo Ella Baker Center for Human Rights PS - This evening, Soul of the City is hosting The Get Down, a party for anyone committed to social justice, at Somar Lounge in Oakland. Please join us.

Ella Baker Center for Human Rights www.ellabakercenter.org | 510.428.3939 344 40th Street | Oakland, CA | 94609 Contact Us | RSS | (c) 2010 Ella Baker Center. All Rights Reserved.

Asia-Pacific Economic Outlook: China, Japan, India, Philippines – June 2010

Asia-Pacific Economic Outlook:
China, Japan, India, Philippines – June 2010
This edition provides a near-term outlook for China, Japan, India, and the Philippines.

From Deloitte, Corporate Governance Monthly

Audit Committee Brief: Audit Committee Composition

Audit Committee Brief: Audit Committee Composition
Audit committees should make sure they have the right composition to manage the complexity of their role. To be most effective, audit committees should periodically reassess the optimal mix of committee members, taking into account regulations and requirements; changes in the business; and the skills, experiences, diversity, time commitments, tenure, and rotation of its members. This edition of the brief reviews composition requirements and provides some leading practices in this area.

From Deloitte, Corporate Governance Monthly

Amma conferred SUNY Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

May 25, 2010

The State University of New York (SUNY) presented spiritual leader and humanitarian Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) with an honorary doctorate in humane letters today at a special ceremony held at its campus in Buffalo.

The event was a great success. We thank University at Buffalo for its outstanding service to education. The updates with photos will follow soon.

SUNY confers honorary degrees to “recognize excellence and extraordinary achievement in the fields of public affairs, the sciences, humanities and the arts, scholarship and education, business and philanthropy and social services which exemplify the mission and purpose of the University; to honor meritorious and outstanding service to the University, the State of New York, the United States, or to humanity at large; to recognize individuals whose lives and significant achievements should serve as examples of the University’s aspirations for its students.”

See more at: http://www.amma.org/amma/international-forum/suny2010a.html

The Ever-Changing Structure of Executive Compensation

The Ever-Changing Structure of Executive Compensation
This issue of Hot Topics includes commentary and polling results from a Deloitte Dbriefs webcast that addressed executive compensation. It addresses recent legislative initiatives; market, shareholder, and proxy adviser perceptions of pay practices; and the impact executive compensation structures have on risk.

From Deloitte, Corporate Governance Monthly

Living with Amma

By Swamini Krishnamritaprana; Excerpted from Matruvani, 2002

From Amma.org

For Grace to flow to us, Amma says that we must put forth a lot of effort. Many people say that everything that happens is destined and that there is nothing one can do about it. Such people, Amma points out, usually go off the spiritual path. The effort that we put forth creates our destiny. Therefore, we should always try to put forth strong, positive effort in everything we do.

There is a story about Beethoven that illustrates the point above. One night after he had performed a brilliant piano concert, many people converged around him to congratulate him. Among them was a young woman who said, “Oh sir, if only God had given me the same gift of genius that you have, I would be so happy.” Beethoven replied, “ Madam, it is not genius or magic. All you have to do is practice hard on your piano eight hours a day after 40 years, and you will be as good as I am.”

Another example is a story about Thomas Edison. He tried using more than 2,000 different materials as filament in a light-bulb, before finding the right material. When a young reporter asked him how it felt to fail so many times, Edison replied, “ I never failed even once. Inventing the light bulb just happened to be a 2000 step process.”

People like Edison and Beethoven have the right understanding about the value of the effort. That is why they were able to accomplish so much in the world. Only when we really strive hard will grace flow to us.

Water, Precious Water

From Amma.org

Just before Amma left for her North American tour, Amma met with all the ashram residents in Amritapuri. A questioner then asked Amma to suggest ways to save resources like water and other natural wealth within the ashram and to make its use efficient so at least the ashram could set an example. Amma said she was so very happy hearing the question on water and natural preservation and that her children were thinking about it. Amma started telling all how precious natural resources were and how important it is to save them.

She suggested having separate pumps in the toilet and using the sea-water or backwater for flushing and separate fresh water for the taps. Amma also pointed out that this solution may be expensive to set up.
Since water taps waste a lot of water when the force is high, one may use accessories that can make the water slower so less water is wasted. Many keep the tap open while brushing, shaving or washing. Amma said we need to be aware and to be patient.

“While traveling in an airplane, the water tap actually trickles and one waits patiently to wash his hands or face, even if a billionaire or a businessman. Similarly in a community like here, one needs to be careful and aware.

The world is going through a tough situation. In the future, there might even be war to get access to water. If it is the problem of the future, we should also be concerned and responsible now. Suppose there is a fire in the ground floor of a block of flats and the person calls out for help, a person living on the tenth floor cannot remain idle saying “it is fire in someone else’s apartment, why should I bother?” Soon the fire may even spread to the tenth floor. Likewise, we are all responsible for what is happening and for what will happen.

Amma said that the ashram belongs to the world. So one should have awareness and responsibility. Preservation of our natural resources should be one of our foremost duties. The natural resources that we consume is the wealth that need to be transferred to coming generations. If we mindlessly exploit the resources, we won’t be able to leave anything for our grand children.