culture

Friday, February 3, 2012, 5:00 p.m. El Movimiento hosts a screening of "Knowledge is Power: The Black Power Mixtape, 1967-1975." For more information and to plug in, contact Fernando, fjrodriguez787 [at] gmail [dot] com or call 857-222-9203. $5.00 suggested donation. See full page (click on title above) for a short preview.

Monday, November 8, 2010, 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. Join Uruguayan activist-intellectual and journalist, Raúl Zibechi, for a wide-ranging conversation about social movements and social change. The point of departure is his latest work, Dispersing Power: Social Movements as Anti-State Forces. It considers the largely indigenous social movements organizing in El Alto, Bolivia that both brought Evo Morales to state power and continue their challenges to the state. This event is co-sponsored with Boston Bolivarianos, the Global Economic Alternatives Network and the journal Socialism and Democracy.

Saturday, September 11, 2010, 7:00 p.m. Join Sergio Reyes (Boston May Day Committee and Latin@s for Social Change) and Omar Sierra (sociologist and Consul General of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela) for a survey of the radical changes and advances in Latin American constitutional development. Using his firsthand impressions of the process in Bolivia and a textual analysis of the new constitution of the Plurinational Republic of Bolivia, Reyes will provide his assessment and lead the conversation. Additional speakers and experiences will be announced shortly. Sponsored by the Boston May Day Committee.

Every 2nd Sunday (Postponed Until Further Notice)

Celebrate the great traditions of Latin American and local radical culture through song and music in our next Opeña Folklórica, combining traditional Peñas with an Open mic. Bring your voice, history, song and spirit!

Musicians: Rafael Medina, Sergio Reyes et al. + Open Mic.

Light snacks and refreshments offered for suggested donations by MESA sin fronteras, a burgeoning worker-run social club @ e5.

Peñas take historical root in Chilean social gatherings during the 60s and early 70s that expressed the spirit of creativity and resistance in melody, poems, and artwork under a brutally repressive regime. They began to sprout all over Latin America in a time when songs resounded with a collective heart beat for a more just society and they continue to weave a fabric of solidarity through generations. Each peña at MESA sin fronteras will be dedicated to a musician from this great tradition who fought with the spirit of song that defied borders.
 
Our first Opeña (Peña + Open Mic) on May 9th was dedicated to the song and struggle of Violete Parra, who was one of the first musicians in Chile to host and perform in such Peñas. Her radiant songs are a testament to a creative and rebellious spirit who loved much too much, inspiring listeners with her bold, defiant lyrics and gentle voice, her enduring rhythms and volcanic passion for social justice.

Join us in the heart of Boston to commemorate our new series of Opeñas!

* New community club/coffeehouse at e5 invites you for a warm gathering! *

Sunday, December 27, 7:00 p.m. Good food, music, and dynamite documentaries from around the rebellious globe. We will explore some 20th century US propaganda through cartoons and magazine advertisements and counter-images of resistance art of the time. (It was also rumoured there will be a mini chess tournament...) Relax, enjoy the evening, make new connections for the new year, and support MESA's last stretch before the opening in January. This gathering will be a mini-fundraiser, with dinner plates at a sliding scale donation of $7 - $12 and drinks at $2-$3. Come join us!  Last time at MESA's... (read more).

Saturday, November 21, 2009, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. Join South African social movement activist from the Western Cape Anti-Eviction Campaign.

South Africa will be on the global stage as host of the 2010 World Cup. Yet, with one of the world's highest rates of economic inequality and social protest, it is likely that the country's glaring contradictions and its militant poor, perhaps more so than the "beautiful game," will be center stage next summer.

Sunday, October 19, 2008, 8:00 p.m. Join host Taina Vargas for a celebration of the 2nd year of the 3rd Sunday Batey. The program starts at 8:00 p.m. and runs till late. The night will feature: an art exhibit by local activists & visual artists, emcees & poets, drummers & musicians, dancers, a potluck dinner and much more. A $5 donation is suggested.