The Earth Day benefit for Marie in Detroit featured the screening of “Bidder 70,” http://www.bidder70.org/, a documentary about Tim DeChristopher, an environmental activist who sabotaged an illegal oil and gas auction in Utah, and paid for it with a two-year prison sentence. There were about 40 people in attendance at the Cass City Cinema and almost $300 was raised for Marie’s support and defense.
Archive for the 'Events' Category
Report on Bidder 70 Film Screening
Published April 24, 2013 Events ClosedTags: Bidder 70, film screening
Call Out to Artists- ‘Never Alone’ Exhibition June 11-30, 2013
Published April 19, 2013 Benefit talks & shows , Events ClosedTags: International Day of Solidarity with Long-term Anarchist Prisoners, June 11
CALL OUT FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST
‘Never Alone’ Exhibition June 11-30, 2013
Curated by Sacramento Prisoner Support
Dear Artist,
This year on June 11 – the International Day of Solidarity with Eric McDavid, Marie Mason & Long Term Anarchist Prisoners – we are launching an online collaborative exhibition of art works inspired by the subject of the day. It will serve as an avenue not only for fundraising for these political prisoners, but as a way to reach out informatively to a broad audience on issues of earth & animal liberation and state captivity. We would love to invite you to contribute an artwork to this exhibition.
June 11 started back in 2004 as the International Day of Solidarity with Jeff ‘Free’ Luers, an eco-prisoner sentenced to 22+ years in prison in Oregon (U.S.) for an act of arson against 3 SUV’s in an effort to highlight the threat of climate change. This threat is now widely recognised, as was the incredibly unjust sentence that Jeff received. An international campaign of support had a massive impact on the fact that Jeff’s sentence was ultimately reduced to 10 years. By the time he was released in 2009 many other activists in the U.S. had been locked up in prison for standing up for a better world. Two of these prisoners – Eric McDavid and Marie Mason – had been sentenced to 20 and 22 years respectively. Both were sentenced severely for their willingness to fight for a world without oppression – be that of the earth, other animals, or our human communities. For more information on their cases please see the extra information added to this letter.
We are very excited to be inviting a range of incredibly talented artists to contribute, whose art regularly touches on themes of liberation, wilderness and political action. We are very interested in contributions of original work, prints and small sculptures, and any other ideas that artists may have. Please feel free to get in touch and discuss with us any ideas you might have.
The exhibition will be run on a specifically designed website, from June 11-30. It will be promoted heavily through our support networks, social media, and through other June 11 events being organised around the world. Artists involved would need to be able to provide suitable images of their artwork/s, as well as details of the dimenions, medium/s and price (incl. postage within the U.S). We are hoping that any artists involved will be willing to contribute between 100-70% of the sale of any artworks at the exhibition, with funds raised going directly to the support funds of Marie Mason and Eric McDavid. We would also require aritsts to be responsible for posting any sold artworks to the purchaser, with those costs being reimbursed to you by the collective.
If you have any questions please don’t hesistate to get in touch. Expressions of interest close on May 1st, 2013. We really hope to hear from you if you are interested in contributing, and look forward to working with you!
In solidarity,
Sacramento Prisoner Support
Detroit: Film Bidder 70 Film Screening
Published April 9, 2013 Benefit talks & shows , Events ClosedTags: Bidder 70, film screening, Tim DeChristopher
April 22 7:30pm
Special Earth Day Event!
Benefit for Marie Mason
Screening of “BIDDER 70″
Cass City Cinema,
3420 Cass Avenue Midtown-Detroit
Admission: $7.50
Bidder 70 follows Tim DeChristopher, a University of Utah student, who in 2008, in a dazzling act of civil disobedience, derailed an outgoing Bush administration’s illegal oil and gas auction. As bidder #70, Tim bid $1.8 million and won 22,000 pristine acres surrounding Utah’s National Parks, but had no intention to pay or drill.
In February 2009, the new Obama administration agreed the land should be safeguarded and invalidated the entire auction. Nevertheless, Tim was indicted on two federal felonies and has served two years in prison. He is being released the day of the screening.
For information on the film, visit www.bidder70.org .
PROCEEDS GO TO THE MARIE MASON SUPPORT FUND. Detroiter Marie Mason is serving 22 years in prison for two acts of eco-sabotage in which no one was injured. For information on Marie, visit www.supportmariemason.org.
Fund-raising dinners are a great way to raise awareness and funds
Published February 28, 2013 Benefit talks & shows , Events ClosedKelly Poe, the photographer who organized the September 2012 exhibit of her work and Marie’s paintings in Chicago, hosted a fund-raising dinner at her house in Los Angeles on Feb. 10. Kelly says these relatively small gathering can serve as a model for an alternative way of raising money and having fun. People too often believe they have to be an event producer with bands at a public venue to create a fund raiser.
The event at Kelly’s involved only a handful of friends, a pot of chili, and a brief presentation about Marie, but served the purpose of acquainting new people with her case as well as bringing in a number of generous contributions. The latter is important for our efforts to support Marie, but bringing people together in solidarity with Marie is of equal importance.
Solidarity With Marie Mason on her 51st Birthday
Published February 10, 2013 Events ClosedTags: Marie Mason Birthday
From The Earth First! Newswire
A banner posted to the fence at the disputed CVS building that was squatted/occupied last year as a campaign of resisting corporate development; at the corner of Weaver St. and Greensboro St in Carrboro, NC on Sunday January 27th. This banner was posted the day after a local eco-prisoner letter writing night in celebration of Marie Mason’s birthday. reposted from croatanearthfirst
Everglades Earth First! and friends sing happy birthday to Marie at the Monkeywrench Cafe in Lake Worth, Jan 27, 2013
Adapted from her support page: “January 26, 2013, is Marie Mason’s 51st birthday, which she is celebrating locked in a special control unit in the federal prison in Carswell, Texas. Marie is three years into her almost twenty-two year sentence.
Following a December call-out, events for Marie’s birthday have been held in countries around the world. They include Wellington, New Zealand; Haifa, Israel; Nijmegen, Netherlands; Vancouver, Canada; and Oakland, Baltimore, Chapel Hill, Bloomington, Minneapolis, New York City, Lake Worth, Philadelphia, and Troy, New York in the United States. Supporters have sent birthday cards, held yoga classes, had afternoon tea, shown movies, and had cake to celebrate with her and let her know that she is neither alone nor forgotten.
If you were not able to attend one of these events, please send her a card and brighten her day. She loves to get mail from supporters, although she is limited in how many people she can write back. Please include a return address on the envelope, do not affix anything such as glitter or glue to your letters or cards, and be aware that letters which are not entirely in English may be significantly delayed in reaching her.”
Marie Mason #04672-061
FMC Carswell
Federal Medical Center
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127
Today, January 26, 2012, is Marie Mason’s 51st birthday, which she is celebrating locked in a special control unit in the federal prison in Carswell, Texas. Marie is three years into her almost twenty-two year sentence.
Following a December call-out, events for Marie’s birthday have been held in countries around the world. They include Wellington, New Zealand; Haifa, Israel; Nijmegen, Netherlands; Vancouver, Canada; and Oakland, Baltimore, Chapel Hill, Bloomington, Minneapolis, New York City, Philadelphia, and Troy, New York in the United States. Supporters have sent birthday cards, held yoga classes, had afternoon tea, shown movies, and had cake to celebrate with her and let her know that she is neither alone nor forgotten.
If you were not able to attend one of these events, please send her a card and brighten her day. She loves to get mail from supporters, although she is limited in how many people she can write back. Please include a return address on the envelope, do not affix anything such as glitter or glue to your letters or cards, and be aware that letters which are not entirely in English may be significantly delayed in reaching her.
Marie Mason #04672-061
FMC Carswell
Federal Medical Center
P.O. Box 27137
Fort Worth, TX 76127
Holland: Prisoner Letter Writing Event
Published January 24, 2013 Benefit talks & shows , Events ClosedOn Janurary 23rd, ABC Nijmegen is hosting a letter writing event with vegan soup and salad. The document If A Tree Falls will be shown and attendees will write letters to Marie as well.
For more info visit: https://abcnijmegen.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/woensdag-23-januari-gevangenenschrijfavond/
Bloomington: Marie Mason Birthday Bash
Published January 22, 2013 Events ClosedTags: Bloomington, Boxcar Books, Judi Bari, Marie Mason, Marie Mason Birthday
Saturday Jan 26th. , Bloomington
In celebration of political prisoner Marie Mason’s birthday, ABC will bring a first run showing of “Who Bombed Judi Bari” at Boxcar Books 408 6th St Bloomington IN. There will be speakers and tabling also.
Funds raised will be sent to Marie.
Music for Prisoners Benefit Show Great Success
Published November 29, 2012 Benefit talks & shows , Events , Fundraising ClosedTags: benefit show, David Rovics, fundraiser, Savage Instinct
The Music for Prisoners and Marie Mason in Minneapolis on Nov. 12 went well. A very good, young Native hip-hop act called “Savage Instinct” opened the evening before singer/songwriter David Rovics performed. Many of the organizers of the RNC protests were there, and others who have been involved with direct action protests including the Minnehaha Free State back in the 90′s.
Note: David’s new CD, Meanwhile In Afghanistan, is now available for purchase at his online store, along with the 8-CD David Rovics Combo Pack, the 99-song Playbutton MP3 player and more merch!
Marie Mason/Kelly Poe Chicago Art Opening
Published September 30, 2012 Events , Marie's Paintings ClosedTags: art show, Kelly Poe, The Suburban
The opening and exhibit at Chicago’s Suburban Gallery on Sept. 23 of Marie and Kelly Poe’s art was a grand success on several levels. To see the development of Marie’s painting from rudimentary to fine acrylic work during her imprisonment was particularly rewarding, but all of them contain a power born of her circumstances. Some are displayed on her website.
Our large “FREE MARIE” banner was hung on the gallery exterior wall in Oak Park, Ill. which greeted those attending the opening.
Added to this was Kelly’s photography and a single issue book she created. Neither word adequately describes what was exhibited. In 2006, Kelly began communicating with several imprisoned people serving long sentences for acts of eco-sabotage including Marie. She asked each of them, what place did they visualize during their incarceration which helped keep them sane?
After several years of writing back and forth, Kelly set out on a photographic journey to capture those images for six prisoners including Marie’s whose was a setting sun viewed from Empire, Michigan. The photo includes a post-sunset green flash seen frequently over Lake Michigan. Kelly had the photo transferred by a wallpaper outfit to a huge 8’X17’ pigment photo mural that almost sucks one into the sunset when you enter the gallery.
Also, Kelly constructed a 20″ x 24″ archival pigment printed and hand bound artist’s book weighing 30 pounds containing reproductions of her correspondence with the prisoners and assorted documents relevant to their cases or imprisonment.
Marie’s work was presented on a specially constructed display rack that Kelly commissioned and gave a sweep of her art in a relatively small space even though there were over 30 paintings. Each of them was on the back side of letters Marie had written to people from jail and were donated for the exhibit. Hence, none of them were more than 8”X11” in size.
The exhibition runs through the end of October at the gallery: 125 North Harvey Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 – Telephone: (708) 305-2657. See http://www.thesuburban.org/present.html.
