Media That Matters Film Festival

Thursday, October 2

Crim Dell Meadow 8 p.m.

Thursday, October 2, the Meddia That Matters Film Festival is coming to the W&M campus. UCAB, NAACP, AID and IJM are working together to make this event a reality. To learn more about the Festival, check out their Web site here. More information on what films will be shown will be made available in the near future.

At IJM's weekly meetings for the month of September, we'll explore some of the issues raised by the films. Last week, we screened Esmeraldas: Petroleum and Poverty and wrote letters to the CEO of Chevron about the tragedy addressed in the film.

We hope to see you at our next meeting, this Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. in Blair 221.

Class of 2012!

International Justice Mission will host our first meeting of the semester this Tuesday, September 2, at 7:15 p.m. in Blair 221. This is an open interest meeting, so invite others to come and hear what we're all about. We'll talk a little bit about what we've done in the past, what we're thinking of doing this semester, and what's going on in the world today that needs our attention. And, of course, we're open to new ideas; so if there's something you're passionate about, this would be a great time to let us know.

Everyone is welcome, and we'd love to see all of you there. I hope you had a great first few days of classes and are having a great weekend. See you Tuesday!

W&M Fundraising Efforts Help Make Change in Guatemala

Dear College of William & Mary Chapter,

Thank you for your hard work and commitment to making the SANE training possible in Guatemala! I am very pleased to update you on their exciting plans for this training.

Our Guatemala office will host a number of local forensic experts for five days this fall. A Forensic Nurse Consultant will travel to Guatemala and lead various lectures and practicums, teaching on the following topics and more: medical findings in sexual assault, male sexual assault, investigating a case, identifying injuries using photographs, documentation of sexual crimes, crime lab role and evidence collection.

As you can imagine, this training will be invaluable to the clients we serve and would not be possible without your financial support and prayers. On behalf of the Guatemala office, our Field Director, Pablo Villeda, would like to personally thank you. Click here to download video. Feel free to share this email and video with your Campus Chapter.

Lastly, to have a more specific idea of who this training will benefit, I would like to share Kiara*’s story with you. Click here to download her story. Through this story I hope you are able to see how we believe this training will help obtain justice for more children like Kiara*. The SANE trainings will benefit child victims of sexual assault in Guatemala by enabling Guatemala’s forensic doctors to provide a response to sexual violence that is both sensitive to the victim’s needs and will document the type of evidence necessary to pursue accountability under the law for their perpetrators.

Please feel free to contact me if you need anything at all. Thank you again for making this possible!

Warmest regards,
Alicia

* In order to protect the individuals IJM serves and safeguard ongoing IJM casework, a pseudonym has been used, though the account is real.

Affordable Housing
in Williamsburg
w/ Mayor Zeidler and Vice-Mayor Haulman
Wednesday, March 26
7-8 p.m. Tyler 336

Mayor Jeanne Zeidler and Vice-Mayor Clyde Haulman will join us to discuss the issue of affordable housing and let the student body know what the Williamsburg City Council is doing about it.h

Check out this VOP publication for more information.

The average selling price of a home in Williamsburg/James City County is over $350,000. For the average area worker, living here is nearly impossible. We believe that people should be able to live in the places they work. With affordable housing options becoming more and more scarce, the city is heading down a road not only to complete homogeneity but also to a severe labor shortage. Commuting itself has costs, and low-wage workers are most affected. The city's lack of affordable housing presents both economic and social problems that must be addressed. We recognize that there are ways to make change for the better and are glad that Mayor Zeidler and Vice-Mayor Haulman are coming to discuss those possibilities with us.

Please visit our Facebook event and RSVP. We hope to see you there!

Steve Gillard '07

Young Adult Volunteer (YAV) in Tuscon, AZ

on Extreme Poverty in the U.S.

Wednesday, February 20

7:30 p.m. Blair 2nd

This week, Steve Gillard will join us from Tuscon, Arizona, to share his experiences working with extreme poverty in the United States. Since graduating last May, Steve has been spending the year working in Tuscon through the Presbyterian Church's Young Adult Volunteer program, living in a community house and connecting with the people he serves. Come hear what he's done, the problems he's faced and his thoughts on domestic poverty.

We'll meet on WEDNESDAY at 7.30 p.m. in Blair 2nd. Look for other group members, and we'll find a room from there. Our first choice will be Blair 221, but it may be occupied. Just keep your eyes open.

Northern Illinois University Shooting

Dear friends,

In a time when our campus is feeling torn apart, another campus has experienced a much greater pain than the resignation of a president. Five students were killed at Northern Illinois University by a single gunman, and many more were wounded. Please keep this school in your thoughts and prayers.

Here's a NY Times article about what happened: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/15/us/15shoot.html?hp.

Let this serve as a reminder that, while some of us might feel hurt by recent events here at the College, our problems are small in comparison with those of others--even those of other US universities. We can continue fighting for what we believe in here in Williamsburg, as we should, but we must never forget how numerous the pains in this world really are--and how we are all called to bind up the brokenhearted and serve as comforts for those who mourn. Let's answer that call.

If you need anything during what could be a difficult time for many, please don't hesitate to let me know.

Peace,
Nik Belanger
njbela@wm.edu

The Only Payday Loan Shop in the City of Williamsburg
Doesn't Play Fair When It
Comes to Lending

Join us for a Demonstration on
Monday, February 11th

Noon to 1 p.m.

March, Speak to the Press, then Peacefully Disperse

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Meet at the UC bus stop for the 11:54 bus to the Bloom shopping center (one mile from campus), and plan to return in time for your 1 o’clock classes!

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Raise Your Voice for

Fair Credit Options,

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Not Debt Traps!

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*Organized through the Virginia Organizing Project. For more information, visit http://virginia-organizing.org/. W&M IJM is joining this effort to promote the interests of the abused and impoverished residents of the Williamsburg community and the state of Virginia on the whole.
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For more information, please contact Nik Belanger at njbela@wm.edu (students) or Ben Thacker-Gwaltney at 757-570-3005 (community members).