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The litigators of the Indiana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union are some of the busiest in the country. Is it because they are thebest, or because Indiana’s legislators give them so many opportunities to rescue the Bill of Rights? Find out from lead ACLU-IN litigator Ken Falk … and ask him if he thinks his upcoming trips to the Supreme Court of the US will go better than some of his recent cases. (more…)

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A “Brave Nation” DVD featuring singer Pete Singer and Majora Carter, the young and indefatigable founder of Sustainable South Bronx, an organization that is re-shaping the neighborhood of her youth through pioneering green-collar economic development projects, will be shown at 6:45 pm, preceded by a light meal at 6 pm at North Meadow Circle of Friends, 1710 N. Talbott. For more info, email Ron and Jane Haldeman at ronjane@igc.org

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A year and a half in the making, so many numbers that will thrill autistic savants, sweeping predictions about the future of the Indiana economy, recommendations about new ways of thinking about trust and civil society … this will be big summer blockbuster for policy wonks. Check back here for sneak previews.

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Premise # 1: Central Indiana is receiving a grwoing number of refugees, which is a good thing but presents all of us with major challenges. Premise #2: At the same time, Hoosiers are working around the world with refugees and displaced persons. The conclusion from these two premises: We have a unique opportunity to help solve problems of poverty and social conflict globally and locally.

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You may have to pay $150 a plate at the AFC Peace Award VIP reception and dinner, but it’s well worth it. Not only will you feast your palate on the delicious cuisine, your eyes on the international decor, and your ears on the delightful music, but you’ll also get to be a part of the humanitarian efforts the AFC’s Peace Award recognizes.

Ambassadors For Children is a local nonprofit based here in Indy that reaches out to the rest of the world. They recognize one person every year who has made a significant impact in the world in regard to disadvantaged, abused, or abandoned children. Last year it was Their Royal Highnesses Crown Prince Alexander and Crown Princess Katherine of Serbia. This year it’s Mr. Scott Neeson. Who is Scott Neeson and why is he receiving AFC’s 2008 Peace Award? Mr. Neeson has been president of 20th Century Fox International and has led Sony Pictures International. He is now the founder of the Cambodian Children’s Fund and lives permanently in Phnom Penh.

Ambassadors for Children supports sustainable programs in developing countries, like the building of schools and orphanages and computer centers. Plus, they set up trips where voluntourists can serve kids everywhere, from Jamaica to Malawi. Here’s just a smattering of the service trip possibilities AFC offers:

You can serve in Jordan for nine days, sleeping in Bedouin tents and 5-star hotels.

Or try Serbia and Montenegro, where you can help develop the AFC’s arts education center.

Saturday, July 12th, 2008

Marriott Indianapolis Downtown

Meet & Greet Reception at 6:00 p.m.

Dinner at 7:00 p.m.

Register here.

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The Indiana Department of Education is partnering with Indiana Black Expo to figure out how to increase cross-cultural understanding and to help all children succeed in school. (more…)

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A subtle and complex examination of women and vulnerability in China in the 1920s … no wonder the Chinese censors had such a tough time deciding whether to squash or not. (more…)

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Hoosiers who are unfamiliar with step-dancing have been deprived of a wonderful aspect of American culture. See a reunion of some of Indianapolis’s greatest steppers, and be part of feeding your poor neighbors. (more…)

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We assume that immigrants coming to the US with and without proper authorization are blessings to their home countirs: after all, remittances are one of the main sources of foreign exchange for Mexico and most Central American countries. But a closer look at villages and towns that now have almost no one of working age, that have most of their kids growing up in families whose parents are working up North … the blessing is mixed. Learn how this affacts us in Indiana. (more…)

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No one makes movies like the Indianapolis-based Latino Youth Collective, which puts digital cameras and sophisticated editing software in the hands of kids so that they can show how they view their lives. See some examples of their work at the Indianapolis Museum of Art when this enormously creative group of high school and college students puts on Campecine 2008 (Campecine = campesino + cine). The varriomentaries (their word for documentaries) deal with gangs, the voicelessness of undocumented immigrant kids, and teen pregnancy. If you are lucky, they will show their wildly imaginative “Loz Invenzivlez,” all but guaranteed to make your head burst in flames.

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