[GPCA Updates] GP ADVISORY Green Party nat'l meeting in Alfred, NY, Aug. 5-7, to feature candidates, anti-hydrofracking activists, many other guest speakers

Wed Jul 13 19:26:02 PDT 2011

GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
http://www.gp.org

For Immediate Release:
Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, cell 202-904-7614, mclarty at greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene at gp.org
Hillary Kane, co-chair of the Annual National Meeting Committee, 267-971-3559,
hillarya at pobox.upenn.edu
In New York: Rachel Treichler, Green Fest Planning Committee, 607-569-2114,
rachel at ecobooks.com

The Green Party's 2011 Annual National Meeting will feature Green candidates
from New York and other states, as well as anti-hydrofracking leaders and
other Green activists

• The meeting will take place August 5-7 at Green Fest in Alfred, western New
York; Greens will begin planning for the 2012 elections, including the
presidential race; Elizabeth May, Canadian Green member of Parliament, and
economist David C. Korten to speak via Skype

• Theme of the meeting: "Building a Green Economy -- No War. No Coal. No Gas.
No Nukes."

• Media credentialing page: http://www.gp.org/forms/media (also linked here:
http://www.gp.org/committees/media/kit.shtml)

WASHINGTON, DC -- The Green Party of the United States will feature an array
of candidates and guest speakers at its 2011 Annual National Meeting at Alfred
University in Alfred in western New York, from Friday, August 5 to Sunday,
August 7.

The meeting will take place at the fourth biennial New York Green Fest, "a
gathering of folks interested in exploring the politics and practices that
will help enable us to live in a sustainable world, and sharing a weekend of
good discussions, good food, and good music" (http://nygreenfest.org).

Among the speakers will be leaders in the campaign to ban hydrofracking
(hydraulic fracturing), an environmentally destructive and dangerous technique
for accessing gas in the Marcellus Shale beneath Pennsylvania, New York, and
other states (see
http://nygreenfest.blogspot.com/2011/07/hydrofracking-activists-join-green.html and
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog/?p=2440).  David Cobb, 2004 Green nominee for
President, will speak on the need to abolish corporate 'personhood' and
restrict the political power of corporations (see http://www.movetoamend.org).

Elizabeth May, Canada's first elected Green Party member of Parliament, will
speak to Greens at the meeting by Skype.  David C. Korten, economist,
co-founder and board chair of YES! Magazine, and author of 'When Corporations
Rule the World' and other books (http://livingeconomiesforum.org/author-bio),
will also address the meeting by Skype.

"There are many people throughout the US, including Green elected officials
and community activists, who are thinking, talking, planning, and working for
a sustainable energy economy despite lack of broader government engagement,"
said Peter LaVenia, co-chair of the Green Party of New York State
(http://www.web.gpnys.com).  "Many of them will be coming to the meeting in
Alfred or will speak to meeting participants via Skype.  Alfred is the perfect
place for Green Fest (http://www.alfred.edu/campus/going-green.cfm)."

Several Green candidates from New York and other states will attend the
meeting, speak at press conferences, and be available for interview.  At least
one candidate for the Green presidential nomination, Kent Mesplay, will be
present.  A preliminary list of candidates who plan to attend the meeting is
appended below.

David Doonan, Green Party member and mayor of Greenwich, New York, will also
be at the meeting.

For a list of presenters and other speakers at the meeting, with short bios,
visit: http://nygreenfest.org/presenterbios11.html

For a draft schedule of panels and forums, see
http://nygreenfest.org/detailedschedule.html

Green Party leaders at the meeting will begin organizing for the 2012 election
season, including the presidential race.  The party will nominate a candidate
for the White House at its 2012 national convention.  The 2011 meeting in
Alfred will also feature Green Party panels, workshops, meetings of the Green
National Committee, and other events.

The meeting is open to the media and public.  Press conferences will feature
Green candidates for public office from across the US, with a special press
conference on Friday, August 6, for women candidates hosted by the party's
Women Caucus (http://www.gp.org/caucuses/women/index.php).  Journalists are
encouraged to register ahead of time, at the Green Party's media credentialing
page (http://www.gp.org/forms/media).  Registration for media will also take
place on site during the meeting.

Alfred is about 80 miles from Rochester and 90 miles from Buffalo.  For
directions to Alfred University and Green Fest, see:
http://nygreenfest.org/directions.html

GREEN CANDIDATES at the Green Party's 2011 Annual National Meeting

• Mike Bernhard, for Town Board member in Afton, New York.

• Audrey Clement, for Arlington County Board, Virginia, in the 2011 general
election (http://www.AudreyClement.org).  Ms. Clement is a member of the Green
Party's national steering committee.

• Joe Duffy, for Alderman in Hornell, New York.  Mr. Duffy is chair of the
Steuben County Green Party.

• Howie Hawkins for Common Councillor of Syracuse, New York.  The Green Party
of New York State regained ballot status in 2010 as a result of Mr. Hawkin's
Green campaign for Governor.

• Cheri Honkala, for Sheriff of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
(http://www.cherihonkala.com) in the 2011 general election.  Ms. Honkala
founded the Kensington Welfare Rights Union and the national Poor Peoples
Economic Human Rights Campaign.  She was included in Philadelphia Magazine’s
list of 100 Most Powerful Philadelphians and was named Philadelphia Weekly’s
“Woman of the Year” in 1997.

• Cecile Lawrence, candidate for the Tioga County Legislature (District 3),
New York, , in the 2011 general election.  Ms. Lawrence, who will conduct a
workshop at the meeting, was the Green Party's candidate for US Senate from
New York in 2010.  A member of Tioga Peace and Justice, she testified at
hearings towards the passage of the New York State Managed Care Bill of Rights.

• Kent Mesplay, candidate for the Green Party's nomination for President
(http://www.mesplay.org).  Dr. Mesplay also sought the nomination in 2008.

• Anita Rios, candidate for City Council in Toledo (District 4), Ohio, in the
2011 general election. Ms. Rios ran for Lieutenant Governor of Ohio in 2006
and 2010 and is former of the Green Party's national steering committee.

• Jay Sweeney, for Supervisor in Falls Township, Pennsylvania, in the 2011
general election (http://www.jaysweeney.org).  Mr. Sweeney currently serves as
Auditor in Falls Township.

MORE INFORMATION

Green Party of the United States http://www.gp.org
202-319-7191
• Green candidate database and campaign information:
http://www.gp.org/elections.shtml
• News Center http://www.gp.org/newscenter.shtml
• Speakers Bureau http://www.gp.org/speakers
• Ballot Access Page http://www.gp.org/ballotstatus
• Livestream Channel http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus
• Video Page http://www.gp.org/video/index.php

Green Party's 2011 Annual National Meeting / New York Green Fest
http://nygreenfest.org
• Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-Green-Fest/71141014224
• Alfred University http://www.alfred.edu
• Green Party of New York State http://www.web.gpnys.com
• Directions http://nygreenfest.org/directions.html
• Green Party Annual National Meeting Committee
http://www.gp.org/committees/anmc/index.php

GreenStream Live: News and discussion on the Green Party's Livestream channel
http://www.livestream.com/greenpartyus

Green Pages: The official publication of record of the Green Party of the
United States (Fall 2010 issue now online)
http://gp.org/greenpages-blog

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