The first edition of the Rochester Indymedia's newspaper was released last week. It contains several stories posted on the website that we wanted to bring to a larger audience. Take a look, print it out and share it with all your friends! (color version, black and white version)

From the paper:

This paper is the first of many that Rochester Indymedia plans to publish and distribute to the community. We're starting this project because the articles contained inside are both extremely important and highly underreported by the so-called "mainstream" press.

Running through this edition is a theme of local people standing in solidarity with others facing and resisting state violence. This wasn't a concious choice on our part, it reflects work being done right now in Rochester and upstate NY. People are organizing to support others struggling against injustice and they are making the links between what's happening in Oakland, Palestine and Greece and the what's happening here in Rochester.

The newspaper is anti-copyright. Please make as many copies as you'd like and pass it out to as many people as possible. If you would like to be involved in future editions of the paper, send an email to rochesterindymedia@rocus.org.

Just before midnight in the last few minutes of February 6, the occupation and sit-in of the Goergen Biomedical and Engineering building at the University of Rochester organized by UR Students for a Democratic Society ended in what students and supporters (1 | 2) are calling a victory.

According to the UR-SDS occupation blog, students and community members, “…spoke for peace and solidarity with the Palestinians and we were heard. UR-SDS and friends declared victory to our occupation just before midnight Friday when we signed a joint statement of understanding/plan of action with [College Dean of Students Matthew Burns] where we found common ground on addressing our demands in a substantive manner.”

Throughout the day, hundreds of students entered the building engaging in discussion and offering solidarity. A group of over 75 people stayed throughout the evening until negotiations concluded with at least 50 people vowing to spend the night and face the consequences if the university failed to negotiate with them.

While the efforts and intentions of the students and community members should be applauded, it has yet to be determined if the document signed will actually lead to substantial change within the university or if the students will have to take greater risks to get results if the administration defaults on its modest promises.

Indymedia Coverage: UR-SDS Occupies University of Rochester in Solidarity with People of Gaza | Gaza Solidarity in Rochester and Western NY | Worldwide Protests Escalate in Response to Israel's Ground War on Gaza | Gaza Massacre: actions and information

Video: IndyTV: U of R SDS Sit in for Gaza | Interview with SDS member after a discussion with the dean of students
Photos: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16

Additional Information: CounterPunch: At a Campus Sit-In Against Israeli Occupation | UR-SDS Declares Victory in less than 9 hours | UR-SDS Occupation blog | The Sitch's Occupation blog | Local Media Coverage | Civil obedience in Rochester- the story of the "occupation" | RiseUpRochester.org: Hate in the Tunnel at the University of Rochester | Glasgow University Goes Under Occupation!

Erin Bullock, a Fairport native who recently returned to the area, is initiating the first season of Mudcreek Farm, a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) Project located in Victor, NY this spring. In this week's episode of Indy TV, Erin explains what a CSA is and how it works. Erin began with an explanation of how CSA's are of mutual benefit to both farmers and consumers:

"It's a really creative way for a farmer and a consumer to have a direct relationship with each other, so that the consumer knows exactly where their food is coming from. They can ensure that its organic, that its safe, that the workers are treated well… just to have that direct link. They can also go to the farm and see how their food is grown, … and for the farmer it's a really great way to market directly to the person that will eat your food, you don't have to go through a "middle man", there's no huge shipping costs, and retail grocery stores taking cuts."

Click here to watch full episode

Students from the University of Rochester and members of the local Rochester community will be occupying the atrium of Goergen Hall on the River Campus of the University of Rochester (275 Hutchinson Road) today for peace and in solidarity with the people Gaza and in opposition to U.S. support for the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories and the recent atrocities in Gaza. The action, organized by U of R Students for a Democratic Society (UR-SDS), will begin on the afternoon of Friday, February 6 and will last until the University of Rochester administration meets the demands.

The student occupation will feature a number of informational and peaceful consciousness raising events such as public talks, teach-ins, and sit-ins. The action was inspired by a wave of student occupations that occurred in 16 universities in England (1, 2) following the Israeli assault on Gaza.

1. Divestment: We demand the University of Rochester to adopt the "UR-Peaceful Investing Initiative" which institutes a peaceful investment policy to the university's endowment which includes divestment from corporations that manufacturer weapons and profit from war. (For example, the U of R invests in General Dynamics which manufactures weapons to maintain a 41-year occupation of the Palestinian territories and wars which slaughter Palestinian civilians by the 100s)
2. Humanitarian aid: We demand that the University of Rochester commit to a day of fundraising for humanitarian aid in Gaza within the next two weeks, as part of an ongoing commitment to provide financial support for the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
3. Academic aid: We demand that the University of Rochester twin with the devastated Gaza University and provide the necessary academic aid (e.g., recycled computers, books, etc.).
4. Scholarships: We demand that the University of Rochester grant a minimum of five scholarships to Palestinian students every year.

Additional Information: UR-SDS occupation blog | Friends of Peace: UR-SDS announcement and needs | UR SDS web page | UR SDS Letter to UR Administration | From the UR Campus Times: The U.S. assault on Palestinian peace and democracy

Bill Baird came and spoke at an event on the January 22, 2009 celebrating the anniversary of Roe v Wade. Roe v Wade was the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion in the first trimester of a pregnancy. Although I am a long time pro-choice activist, I am embarrassed to say I did not know much about Bill Baird. I would like to share with you what I learned.