pandora
08-16-2005, 09:28 AM
San Francisco, CA - August 15, 2005 --- On Saturday, September 10th 2005,
visionary musician, filmmaker and human rights worker, Michael Franti along
with his band, Spearhead and Guerrilla Management present the 7th Annual 911
Power to the Peaceful Festival (PTTP) at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate
Park, San Francisco.
Now in its seventh year, PTTP is an annual series of free, outdoor music and
arts festivals with a social justice message bringing together international
musicians, local artists and renowned speakers in a large festival
atmosphere. The first festival drew over 6,000 people, but has expanded to
be one of California's largest festivals of its kind with over 50,000
attendees last year. This year, the San Francisco Mayor's Office will
proclaim September 10th Power to the Peaceful Day at the festival. This
year's theme, Bring 'Em Home, seeks to remind the public that the best way
to support American troops abroad is to bring them home today.
Inspirational performances at PTTP have included such diverse speakers and
artists including Amy Goodman, Dennis Kucinich, Alice Walker, Ram Das,
Digital Underground, Talib Kweli, KRS-One, The String Cheese Incident,
Lyrics Born, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, John Butler Trio, Krist Novoselic, and
Jello Biafra. This year's music line up includes Michael Franti and
Spearhead, Jean Grae, Saul Williams, Anti-Flag, Zap Mama's Marie Daulne,
J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science and Glide Choir. Speakers include Angela
Davis, Woody Harrelson, Robert Greenwald (filmmaker - Outfoxed, Wal-Mart),
Rev. Cecil Williams (Glide Church), Paul Rieckhoff (opTruth.org), Tim
Goodrich (Iraqi Vets Against The War), and DJ Miguel Migs.
New to the festival this year will be an ASEC (Action Sports Environmental
Coalition)sponsored, ecologically 'forest stewardship certified' wood built
skate ramp featuring demos by pro-skater, Danny Way, who recently jumped the
Great Wall of China, ESPN X-Games Medalists Jen O'Brien, CaraBeth Burnside,
Lyn-z Adams and Mimi Knoop. The ramp will be donated to a Bay Area city
high school after the event.
As festival organizer and Spearhead frontman Michael Franti explains the
history of the festival, "As a brainstorm of LA-based organization, Artist
Network of Refuse & Resist, Rage Against The Machine, artist Robbie Connell
and Franti, the festival began in 1999 as an international day of art and
culture with events in NYC, LA and San Francisco in support of political
prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. The name and date 911 were chosen to call
attention to the emergency status of Mumia's impending execution. Inspired
and wanting to continue the movement of music, art and social justice,
Franti adopted the moniker '911' and expanded the event in 2000 to show
support for all prisoners on death row and to speak out against the
exponential growth of militarism and the prison industrial complex."
Noting the significance for more recent global political events, Franti
says, "In 2001 the day of September 11th took on a wider significance as a
result of the tragic loss of life by the attacks of the day. The 4th and
5th events in 2002-2003 created a space for healing and compassion for ALL
the people killed or displaced by terrorism and the war on terrorism and in
2004 PTTP brought out the issue of 'get out the vote' and 'stand up and be
counted.'
In addition to the performers and speakers on the main stage, the festival
features a zero-waste program using bio-diesel vegetable fuel for power,
biodegradable flatware, water bottles and plates, recycle and composting
bins, an open-air art gallery, earth-conscious vendors, massage and yoga, DJ
dance floor, eco-village, kid's zone, bike coalition and a diverse array of
social, environmental and political organizations tabling.
For those unable to attend, the event will be broadcast live on Pacifica
station, KPFA (94.1 FM in Berkeley or http://www.kpfa.org).
The Conscious Alliance (www.consciousalliance.org
<http://www.consciousalliance.org/> ) will be staging a food drive at this
year's event with proceeds benefiting the San Francisco Food Bank
(www.sffodbank.org <http://www.sffodbank.org/> .)
PTTP have expanded this year to include its 1st Annual International Film
Festival, co-presented by Amnesty International at the Roxie Theater on Sept
12 and 13th with highlights including a clip of Robert Greenwald's upcoming
release Wal-Mart and Michael Franti's film about his journey to Iraq,
Palestine and Israel last year titled I Know I'm Not Alone.
The weekend doesn't sleep with a festival after party and all-star jam and
DJ's on Saturday, September 10 from 10PM - 4AM at 1015 Folsom. On Sunday,
September 11th, a Franti hosted Social Justice Forum will take place at Cell
Space on Bryant Street from 11am-5pm produced in conjunction with Craigslist
Foundation, Next Generation of Activists, Global Exchange, Ella Baker Center
for Human Rights, Circle of Life Foundation and Agape. Lastly, there will be
a 'Power To The Peaceful Yoga Workshop' with Nicki Doane and Eddie Modestini
(yogaonamaui.org) at the Yoga Tree-Yoga Flow classroom in the Castro
District (yogatreesf.com).
visionary musician, filmmaker and human rights worker, Michael Franti along
with his band, Spearhead and Guerrilla Management present the 7th Annual 911
Power to the Peaceful Festival (PTTP) at Speedway Meadow in Golden Gate
Park, San Francisco.
Now in its seventh year, PTTP is an annual series of free, outdoor music and
arts festivals with a social justice message bringing together international
musicians, local artists and renowned speakers in a large festival
atmosphere. The first festival drew over 6,000 people, but has expanded to
be one of California's largest festivals of its kind with over 50,000
attendees last year. This year, the San Francisco Mayor's Office will
proclaim September 10th Power to the Peaceful Day at the festival. This
year's theme, Bring 'Em Home, seeks to remind the public that the best way
to support American troops abroad is to bring them home today.
Inspirational performances at PTTP have included such diverse speakers and
artists including Amy Goodman, Dennis Kucinich, Alice Walker, Ram Das,
Digital Underground, Talib Kweli, KRS-One, The String Cheese Incident,
Lyrics Born, Me'Shell Ndegeocello, John Butler Trio, Krist Novoselic, and
Jello Biafra. This year's music line up includes Michael Franti and
Spearhead, Jean Grae, Saul Williams, Anti-Flag, Zap Mama's Marie Daulne,
J-Boogie's Dubtronic Science and Glide Choir. Speakers include Angela
Davis, Woody Harrelson, Robert Greenwald (filmmaker - Outfoxed, Wal-Mart),
Rev. Cecil Williams (Glide Church), Paul Rieckhoff (opTruth.org), Tim
Goodrich (Iraqi Vets Against The War), and DJ Miguel Migs.
New to the festival this year will be an ASEC (Action Sports Environmental
Coalition)sponsored, ecologically 'forest stewardship certified' wood built
skate ramp featuring demos by pro-skater, Danny Way, who recently jumped the
Great Wall of China, ESPN X-Games Medalists Jen O'Brien, CaraBeth Burnside,
Lyn-z Adams and Mimi Knoop. The ramp will be donated to a Bay Area city
high school after the event.
As festival organizer and Spearhead frontman Michael Franti explains the
history of the festival, "As a brainstorm of LA-based organization, Artist
Network of Refuse & Resist, Rage Against The Machine, artist Robbie Connell
and Franti, the festival began in 1999 as an international day of art and
culture with events in NYC, LA and San Francisco in support of political
prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal. The name and date 911 were chosen to call
attention to the emergency status of Mumia's impending execution. Inspired
and wanting to continue the movement of music, art and social justice,
Franti adopted the moniker '911' and expanded the event in 2000 to show
support for all prisoners on death row and to speak out against the
exponential growth of militarism and the prison industrial complex."
Noting the significance for more recent global political events, Franti
says, "In 2001 the day of September 11th took on a wider significance as a
result of the tragic loss of life by the attacks of the day. The 4th and
5th events in 2002-2003 created a space for healing and compassion for ALL
the people killed or displaced by terrorism and the war on terrorism and in
2004 PTTP brought out the issue of 'get out the vote' and 'stand up and be
counted.'
In addition to the performers and speakers on the main stage, the festival
features a zero-waste program using bio-diesel vegetable fuel for power,
biodegradable flatware, water bottles and plates, recycle and composting
bins, an open-air art gallery, earth-conscious vendors, massage and yoga, DJ
dance floor, eco-village, kid's zone, bike coalition and a diverse array of
social, environmental and political organizations tabling.
For those unable to attend, the event will be broadcast live on Pacifica
station, KPFA (94.1 FM in Berkeley or http://www.kpfa.org).
The Conscious Alliance (www.consciousalliance.org
<http://www.consciousalliance.org/> ) will be staging a food drive at this
year's event with proceeds benefiting the San Francisco Food Bank
(www.sffodbank.org <http://www.sffodbank.org/> .)
PTTP have expanded this year to include its 1st Annual International Film
Festival, co-presented by Amnesty International at the Roxie Theater on Sept
12 and 13th with highlights including a clip of Robert Greenwald's upcoming
release Wal-Mart and Michael Franti's film about his journey to Iraq,
Palestine and Israel last year titled I Know I'm Not Alone.
The weekend doesn't sleep with a festival after party and all-star jam and
DJ's on Saturday, September 10 from 10PM - 4AM at 1015 Folsom. On Sunday,
September 11th, a Franti hosted Social Justice Forum will take place at Cell
Space on Bryant Street from 11am-5pm produced in conjunction with Craigslist
Foundation, Next Generation of Activists, Global Exchange, Ella Baker Center
for Human Rights, Circle of Life Foundation and Agape. Lastly, there will be
a 'Power To The Peaceful Yoga Workshop' with Nicki Doane and Eddie Modestini
(yogaonamaui.org) at the Yoga Tree-Yoga Flow classroom in the Castro
District (yogatreesf.com).