'Precious Knowledge' Revolutionary Education in Tucson

FEATURE FILM: Watch trailer: Disenfranchised high school seniors become academic warriors and community leaders in Tucson, Arizona's embattled Ethnic Studies classes while state lawmakers attempt to eliminate the program. Director: Ari Palos Stars: Curtis Acosta and Jose Gonzalez Genre Feature Documentary Studio Dos Vatos Productions

TUCSON -- Precious Knowledge interweaves the transformative stories of seniors in the Mexican American Studies Program at Tucson High School. Inequalities in education continue to affect people of color. The ticking time bomb story of our time is that fewer than six in 10 Latino adults in the United States have a high school diploma. These alarming dropout rates will continue to have a serious impact on our nation. Our documentary goes further, however, by illustrating forms of critical pedagogy that can empower Latino youth and other youth of color and change this state of affairs. Precious Knowledge will illustrate to a nationwide audience a Mexican American Studies program that inspires 82% of its students to enroll in college. The themes of Precious Knowledge are embedded in the journey of each student as they: self reflect, seek out precious knowledge, begin to act, and ultimately transform, while nurturing positive images of Latino identity and embracing the dignity of all cultures and histories.
Description Music Composed by: Naim Amor, http://www.facebook.com/amor.naim
Edited by: Jacob Bricca
Awards Audience Favorite and Special Jury Award, San Diego Latino Film Festival, 2011 Honorable Mention in the Best Documentary Category, Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival, 2011 Starring Curtis Acosta, Jose Gonzales, Crystal Terriquez, Pricila Skilla, Mariah Harvey, Gilbert Esparza Produced By Eren Isabel McGinnis Website http://www.dosvatos.com
 

Anna Rondon: Navajo President Vetoes Navajo Green Economy Office

By Anna Rondon, Navajo

Anna Rondon at successful Career Day at Red Rock State Park
on Sept. 23. Thirty students e-mailed for more info on
renewables and the Green Jobs Handbook.
Photo Anna Rondon.

Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

It is a sad day for Navajo communities, youth and elders. Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly line-item vetoed Navajo Green Economy Office. Though I respect his opinion as President, this act is keeping the coal-based industries in control of our collective future.
It is time to begin balancing our development with earth friendly technologies. It needs true Navajo leadership to be bold. Just as how the 21st and 22nd Navajo Nation Council does have that vision for equitable and fair development at all levels.
Mr. Shelly has shut the doors on the viable and real greens jobs that can be created. If his division directors had the creative capacity to help our people we would be a better place. Onward, it is part of the process and we shall continue to work for our people and I look forward to working with the Speaker's Office and allied council delegates on the projects we do have in place.
This is my opinion and does not reflect other commissioners.

Note: President Shelly signed into law the budget on Thursday and line item vetoed funding for the Navajo Green Economy Office. The action follows his speech to the United Nation Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, urging protection of the earth and respect for the Dine' people. Navajos responding say he has failed the earth and betrayed the Navajo people.

Navajo President fails the Earth and the Navajo People

Navajo President fails the earth and the people

Navajo President Ben Shelly, who urged the protection of the earth and respect for Dine' culture at the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, has line item vetoed the Navajo Green  Economy Office.
President Shelly's words to the world will be meaningless if he continues to promote coal-fired power plants. The Navajo Nation already has three coal-fired power plants, with coal mines, and Shelly is pushing for another coal fired power plant.

TOO LITTLE TO LATE
NAVAJO PRESIDENT MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY IN FEBRUARY 2011 TO SAVE THE PEAKS
By Calvin Johnson, Navajo from Leupp, Ariz.

Calvin Johnson

Censored News
http://www.bsnorrell.blogspot.com

This is a response to a video of Navajo President Ben Shelly at the United Nations making a plea for Protection of San Francisco Peaks. The Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly as a leader of Navajo Nation had a prime opportunity in February of 2011 to negotiate usage of reclaimed water of San Francisco Peaks. At the time, The City of Flagstaff wanted to drill 6 new wells utilizing C-Aquifer on Red Gap Ranch which is city-owned land near Winslow. Then Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly then threatened to file a suit against the City of Flagstaff. But then in May of 2011, Navajo Nation and City of Flagstaff agreed to a deal regarding C-Aquifer water usage of up to 2.6 trillion gallons a year.
Why would the Navajo Nation agree to such a deal when the City of Flagstaff is selling reclaimed water for skiing? The Navajo Nation President missed the prime opportunity to negotiate the taking of the reclaimed water usage off the table. This is so (bleeped) up!!!
The City of Flagstaff wants to use clean Navajo water underlying the Navajo Nation but the Nation buckles down to City of Flagstaff (Non-Natives including Corporations). I wished our Navajo Nation leaders would take a stand and defend human rights and protect sacred sites, period.
Now am watching the video of Ben Shelly pleading for help, it is sickening -- am sorry this is not defending human rights and protecting sacred sites. Maybe this will be a lesson learned from our leaders. But kudos for finally speaking up.
Calvin Johnson
PO Box 5527
Leupp, AZ 86035

Also see: Anna Rondon: Navajo president vetoes Navajo Green Economy Office funding
http://bsnorrell.blogspot.com/2011/09/anna-rondon-navajo-president-vetoes.html

Dene Nation will be at Ottawa Protest against Keystone XL Pipeline

Dene Nation To Participate In Ottawa Protests Against Keystone XL Pipeline

Press statement
Posted at Censored News

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories -- The Dene Nation is supporting a day of civil disobedience and protests in Ottawa next week as part of its ongoing opposition to the proposed Keystone XL pipeline. Dene National Chief Bill Erasmus will be there to participate in the protests and to make sure the views of Dene are represented.

On Monday, hundreds of people will flood Parliament Hill to demand a future free of the destructive Alberta tar sands. Many of them will enter the Parliament building and risk arrest by staging a sit-in in protest of the proposed Keystone XL pipeline that, if built, will carry tar sands crude to refineries in the southern United States.

Chief Bill Erasmus at White House rally
to halt tarsands in Sept. 2011
Photo Josh Lopez

“This is part of ongoing activity that is directly related to opposition of the tar sands,” Erasmus said. “From northern Alberta to the Arctic Ocean, our communities are directly downstream from tar sands developments. Water pollution and climate changing greenhouse gases from the tar sands are impacting our rights - protected under Treaty 8 and Treaty 11 - to hunt, trap, and fish as we always have on our land. The Keystone XL pipeline expansion would facilitate a huge increase in tar sands expansion, and this pipeline must be stopped."

Canada’s federal government has approved the pipeline, and the final decision now lies with U.S. President Barrack Obama. Erasmus was recently in Washington, D.C. for massive protests against the pipeline in which many participants, including several renowned Canadians, were arrested.

The proposed Keystone XL pipeline would transport 1 million barrels of synthetic crude oil each day from Alberta’s tar sands to US refineries in the Gulf of Mexico. Construction of the 2,700 km pipeline would facilitate a massive expansion of Alberta’s tar sands, along with increased pollution, stress on water resources, and greenhouse gas emissions. Dene communities are downstream from the tar sands, and are threatened by the impacts of upstream water usage and pollution, and the impacts of climate change and
global warming.

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For more information please contact: Barret Lenoir or Daniel T’seleie, at the Dene National Office (867) 873-4081.