Happy Martin Luther King Day.

Martin Luther King. Photo from Democracy Now.

So often King is remembered only for his work in the Civil Rights Movement. But in his fight for human rights he also spoke out against the violence of poverty and war. No doubt we must remember King’s work with the Civil Rights Movement.  But his work was connected to justice in all arenas. He saw issues of violence and human rights as interconnected, and his words remain challenging and relevant today.

Democracy Now! has an excellent program featuring excerpts from some of his most famous and most controversial speeches, including those denouncing the Vietnam War and America’s support of violence in general. There are also quotes from his work in the Poor People’s Campaign which addressed issues of economic justice.

To listen to the program click here.

And let’s pledge to keep working toward the dream. See below to read more quotes.

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Things are a mess. Please forgive design flaws as I experiment.

Every time I have a free moment I try and work on getting this blog back to the way it used to look before I lost all the customized files last year. I’ve experimented with different themes, patterns, backgrounds, header photos, etc, and I still have not gotten it where I want it. I’m also trying to use the widget space more effectively.

So, please bear with me as I try out some more possibilities. I’m getting it closer to where I want it….but it’s nowhere near there yet. But, I am learning more and more about the internal workings of this blog every day, so I guess that’s a plus.

Good night.

“A Knit Culture,” article in Courier.

Knitters at the Knit Night in Russellville, Arkansas

I’m a bit late in posting this, but here is a link to the story on Knit Night at Knit 2 Together Yarn Shop in Russellville, Arkansas. A radio piece featuring interviews from the evening is in the works and should be done by (crossing fingers) next week. It will be my first foray into radio production in several years, so I am excited about its completion.

For a little behind the scenes information on the store see my previous post, which also includes a few photos.

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Knit Night at Knit 2 Together

Knitting and Visiting

Last week I had the opportunity to visit with the knitters at the weekly Knit Night, a Tuesday evening knitting circle that meets at Knit 2 Together Yarn Shop in downtown Russellville, Arkansas. I heard wonderful stories about how they all learned to knit, discussions of their love for both the tactile and calming elements of the craft, and the importance of their evenings spent together. Continue reading »

Know Your Chicken, You Got to Know Your Chicken: Pickin Chicken App for Iphone

Ever heard that song by Cibo Matto called “Know Your Chicken?” Well anyway, there is an Iphone app, sponsored by Mother Earth News, to help you discover which chicken breeds best meet your needs. I love reading about the various ways people are returning to food sufficiency and sustainability while also embracing the tools of technology.

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Something You Should See: The Natural State of America

From the film's webpage

Last week at the annual conference of the Arkansas Anthropological and Sociology Association, Dr. Bryan C. Campbell, professor of visual anthropology at the University of Central Arkansas, played a short clip from his upcoming documentary about the Newton County Wildlife Association and their ongoing fight to keep their forests free of toxic herbicides. The tiny bit of the film that we got to see was incredibly compelling. Beginning with the history of the organization’s founding in 1970, the film focuses on this highly effective and active resistance movement in the Ozarks, detailing how every day people are able to organize and fight to keep their forest safe.  Unfortunately today they face a new host of challenges.

The preview of the film is now available online, and you should really check it out. To watch the preview click here.

The film will be shown at all major film festivals in Arkansas and throughout the nation. To keep up with developments related to the film and to find a viewing location, be sure and become a fan of the film on facebook.  To do that go here.

Dr. Campbell runs Conserving Arkansas’s Agricultural Heritage (think I have posted about this before. If not, I should have!). They preserve agricultural folkways and engage in seed conversation and seed swaps across the state. Check out all the information by clicking here. If you are a seed saver you would love to attend these gatherings.

And, for a little extra info, Here’s a nice article about Dr. Brian Campbell and his work with the Seed Bank at UCA.

Working Girl Blues: The Life and Music of Hazel Dickens by Bill C. Malone

At this year’s American Folklore Society conference (something I intend to write more about very soon)my wonderful friends Mike and Rachel Reynolds-Luster surprised me with a belated birthday gift: a paperback copy of Working Girl Blues: The Life and Music of Hazel Dickens (Music in American Life Series, University of Illinois Press, 2008). It’s so good I have to tell you about it. Continue reading »

“The Gulf Between Us” Terry Tempest Williams tells stories from the gulf oil spill

Yesterday writer and environmentalist Terry Tempest Williams was interviewed on Democracy Now! with Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez regarding her recent piece about the gulf oil spill. Explaining her reasons for writing the piece she said, “And I just think it’s really important that, at this anniversary of six months, that we begin to really hear from the people on the ground. And that’s what my purpose was. You know, I have a pen. I’m a writer. I was home in Utah thinking, you know, what can I do? And I had to go. I had to see it for myself. So it was about ground truthing. It was about bearing witness. And I don’t think bearing witness is a passive act.” To hear the interview go here.

The piece, published in Orion Magazine, tells the stories of a handful of gulf residents whose lives are directly affected by the spill. Although Williams calls Utah home, she wants to call attention to the stories we are not hearing about the situation in the gulf and the familiar reality of production taking precedent to living creatures and the land that sustains us:

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Farmer and Seed Advocate Percy Schmeiser on Democracy Now!

Percy Schmesier is a Canadian farmer who has spent decades fighting seed giant Monsanto in an effort to protect regional food systems, heirloom seeds, and farmers’ autonomy against cooperate seed ownership. He is a 1997 recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (often referred to as the alternative Nobel Peace Prize), the subject of the documentary Percy Schmeiser: David versus Monsanto, and travels around the world advocating for farmers’ rights. His work addresses issues such as patents and the right to private ownership of seeds and seed research.

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Help Helena, Arkansas win preservation funds in This Place Matters Community Challenge

The National Trust for Historic Preservation is sponsoring the This Place Matters Community Challenge wherein communities across the nation have the chance to win 25,000 to support their preservation efforts. Helena, Arkansas, located in the Delta, is one of the communities competing in this challenge. Continue reading »