A very special visit from Father Roy Bourgeois, a Catholic priest imprisoned for peaceful protests against the U.S. Army’s School of the Americas (SOA), is highlighted by a number of events this week. Father Bourgeois seeks to gather support to shut down the facility which has graduated many of the most notorious names of U.S. policy in Latin America. (Can you say: Manuel Noriega?) Invited by the Guatemala Action Network of Austin (GANA) and the Catholic Diocese of Austin, Bourgeois will make a series of appearances, which include: a Reception, Sat, Oct 4, 7-10pm at the Texas Center for Documentary Photography, 2104 E. MLK; a Musical Benefit, Sun, Oct 5, 6:30-9:30pm at Pato’s Tacos, 1400 E. 381/2, with sets by Tish Hinojosa and Con Rumba Son and the showing of the Academy-Award nominated School of Assassins; and an Appearance on Hightower Radio live broadcast, Tue, Oct 7, noon-1pm at Threadgill’s WHQ, 301 W. Riverside. For a complete list of all events and times, call GANA. 441-7977, ext. 19 or 485-7083.
Keeping a Breast
It’s the most common cancer in women. It even has its own month. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The American Cancer Society is sponsoring the Breast Screening Project. Area HEB pharmacies are carrying a list of participating facilities and coupons for $60 mammograms. To participate, women must be symptom free, 35 years or older, not currently breast feeding, and have had no previous diagnosis of breast cancer. 928-1144 or 800/ACS-2345.
Rights Stuff
Once a year, the Texas Civil Rights Project pulls out the stops and hosts an event to raise funds to defray the litigation costs of the people they represent. This year, the Bill of Rights Dinner, Sun, Oct 5, 6-10pm, will feature two speakers, Sharon Robinson, author of the book Stealing Home and daughter of baseball color-barrier breaker Jackie Robinson, and U.S. Congressman John Conyers, Jr. of Detroit. The dinner will be held at the Austin Convention Center. 474-5073.
Not in My Astroplane!
A lot of young, concerned activist types were but wee bairns at the time of the fall of the Eastern bloc and the dismantling of the horrific Cold War arsenal. Many never knew nuclear nightmares, “duck & cover,” or fear under the mushroom cloud. Now, we oldsters don’t wanna radioactively rain all over your fresh, eager young political plowshares, but face it, despite the efforts of generations of activists and changes in global politics, the nuclear industry still exists and never really intended to go away. Check this out. Sierra Blanca Legal Defense Fund and Feminists for a Compassionate Society present an explosive Double Feature, Thu, Oct 9 at the Dobie, showing Nukes in Space, revealing who’s behind the push to deploy nuclear technology in space (just in time for NASA’s launch of 72.3 pounds of plutonium onboard the Cassini space probe) and Peligro: Nuclear Showdown on the Rio Grande, documenting the struggle to get the damned proposed nuke dump the hell off of the Mexico-Texas border. 447-6222.
Diggin’ Roots
The Adoption Registration Coalition (ARC) will host an International Soundex Reunion Registration Day (ISRR) for adoptees and birth families seeking each other. The registration is Sat, Oct 4 at both Borders Books and Book People. 477-1554 or riobank@aol.com
Livin’ Life
Dig out those crosstrainers and put on the bib, AIDS Services of Austin (ASA) invites you to two fundraisers where you may eat yourself silly and then walk it off. Yup, it’s time for Dining for Life, Mon, Oct 6, which lets you pick where to have dinner (from a list of participating restaurants) and see a part of your bill go to ASA. Then, leave room for AIDS Walk Austin (n�e Walk for Life), Sat, Oct 19. Get your individual pledges together now or organize a team from work, school, or the neighborhood. 406-6114. n
This article appears in October 3 • 1997 and October 3 • 1997 (Cover).