American Indian Movement of Florida, Inc.
State Conference Organizing Committee
136 4th Street N Suite 308
Saint Petersburg, FL 33701
email: FLAIM17thConference@yahoo.com
INVITATION
Greetings to all Indigenous Nations, respected Indigenous Elders, Indigenous community leaders, AIM members, directors, board members, national leadership, communities, organizations in solidarity and friends.
The American Indian Movement of Florida, Inc. (Florida AIM) cordially and respectfully invites you to attend and participate in the 17th Anniversary Conference of the American Indian Movement of Florida and the Florida Indian Alliance to be held August 30th to September 1st, 2002 at the Friends Meeting House in Lake Worth, FL.
This conference will focus on the struggles of the Maya Peoples in exile and their struggles here in Florida and to secure sovereignty and self-determination for the Maya Nation in its homeland. The struggles of the traditional Independent Seminole Nation, the ongoing effort to confront and eradicate the vile racism of the Chasco Fiesta; which portrays the invading genocidal Conquistadors as heroes and the Native victims of that genocide as vile barbaric heathen savages worthy of such genocide; and the ongoing struggles of Native people throughout the world will be an area of special concern for this years conference.
Finally of special significance this year will be concerns related to the ongoing increased overt U.S. government attacks on free speech, civil liberties and dissent in America. While Indigenous peoples have never enjoyed justice as the American way, we know that when such an overt public attack on the dominant societies civil liberties occur the situation may become even more extreme for Indigenous peoples and we must be prepared to respond to these attacks. An emphasis on solidarity building and networking will be a focus of how to respond to these continued and now overt attacks on dissent in America.
This conference will work to continue to build unity and strengthen organizing efforts to focus attention on local, state, national and international Indigenous issues in 2002 and 2003. Florida AIM will utilize this conference to build its support group and membership networks into a more cohesive statewide movement. This conference will also work to build, solidify and strengthen Florida AIM’s ability to network with and ally with progressive movements, and organizations in Florida and the southeastern United States.
The American Indian Movement of Florida is the state chapter of the international Indigenous civil, human, treaty and sovereignty rights movement founded in 1968. Florida AIM was founded in 1989 unifying several Indigenous rights organizations that were part of the Florida Indian Alliance, under the principles and leadership of AIM.
The struggle of Indigenous peoples in Florida, America and throughout the hemisphere continues at critical levels. Hate crime murders of Indigenous peoples continue with impunity throughout the America’s. Treaty rights, fishing rights, land rights, religious freedom rights, basic civil rights, self-determination, sovereign rights and in fact all rights except the right to remain silent continue to be both denied and/or under blatant and outrageous attacks from both governmental and anti-Indigenous groups. Indigenous national sovereignty continues to come under both blatant and covert attacks sometimes disguised through thinly veiled attacks on Indian economic development. Anti-Indian organizations continue to operate and attack Indigenous national sovereignty throughout the United States and especially in Florida. From Pine Island to Alaqua Bayou Indigenous cemeteries sites continue be under relenting and state sponsored attack, threatened by development, degreed and illegal grave robbers. Police brutality against Indigenous peoples continues from Alaska to Hollywood, FL. From Cape Coral Hospital’s misdiagnosis of a Dakota man’s illness because of their racist perceptions to the Chasco Fiesta where traditional Indigenous people and culture are depicted as “barbaric”, “savage” and “bloodthirsty”. From the degrading use of Indigenous peoples as a sports team mascots to deluded con-artists who sell “tribal memberships” to unsuspecting confused people the gross stereotypes, misperceptions of native peoples, cultures, and history continues and continues to have a damaging effect on Indigenous peoples and issues.
Indigenous peoples from throughout the United States are expected to participate in this conference. With their help, and the help of friends and allies from liberation and justice movements we will share and develop strategies responding to shared concerns and discuss developments affecting Indigenous peoples lives and survival.
The 17th Florida AIM Conference will hold workshops which will help develop and modify Florida AIM strategies and priorities on such critical issues as Maya concerns, Indian Arts and Crafts Act, Treaty rights, cemetery desecration, political prisoners, mercury contamination, Indian Child Welfare Act, stereotypes/mascots, police brutality, new age culture vulturing, attacks on our rights as human beings, and the struggles of other peoples and how we can work with them. Additionally this conference will include technical and educational workshops on civil disobedience/direct action, media, legalities and more to educate our members, supporters and others how to take effective action.
Presentations will be made covering AIM’s work in the previous year. The conference will emphasize the development of concrete strategies for responding to the many problems and issues facing Indigenous peoples in Florida.
We will seize upon this historic opportunity to further build and solidify the American Indian Movement of Florida’s alliance with the exiled Maya community in Florida and build stronger networks of solidarity with organizations and people of goodwill in Florida.
Florida AIM members can participate in the annual election for Florida AIM’s State Board of Directors, and general membership meeting. Florida AIM will present the 6th Annual David Goyette Memorial Human Rights Award and 3rd Annual Indian Rights Award at the conference as well as other organizational awards for extra effort and support in the past year.
Alcohol, Drugs and Weapons are strictly prohibited. For the health and safety of all participants this will be strictly enforced by Florida AIM Security which will patrol the campgrounds, conference sites and conference hotel.
There will be an official conference hotel that will offer a discounted rate and there are a number of hotels in the Lake Worth/Palm Beach area. Additionally there will be information on campgrounds and other accommodations available from the State Office and Lake Worth office of Florida AIM.
Enclosed please find a registration form.(For registration form please contact AIM State Office or Conference Organizing Committe and one will be postal mailed to you). Registration fee’s are to attempt to recoup the costs of the conference. We sincerely hope you can attend, and participate in this gathering. If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact the Florida AIM State Conference Organizing Committee.
In solidarity
Sheridan G. Murphy Gabriel Provancial
State Executive Director State Chairman
Mark Madrid George Garcia
State Information Director State Security Director
Javier Del Sol Jennifer L. Tweedie
South Florida Regional Director State Office Conference Liaison.
To all Former Activists
Remember it has been said if your not PART of the solution your part of the Problem
If you have never been part of the struggle
The TIME to JOIN IS NOW!!!
2002-03-11 12:06:00