Program for the Leonard Peltier Organizing Conference
Dear Peltier supporters,
Below is a copy of Leonard Peltier Organizing Conference Program. If you have not registered yet but are planning on attending please do so now! This is especially important for anyone planning to stay in a dorm room. If you know of people who are coming please ask them if they have registered. In two weeks we have to give Haskell University our final count on rooms and meals and after that we will be unable to register anyone who needs a dormitory room and/or meals provided. Thank you and we look forward to meeting you soon!!!
----The LPDC staff collective
Sponsored By the LPDCFRIDAY, JUNE 25
2:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Registration at Haskell Cafeteria
5:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. Dinner at Cafeteria and Welcoming by LPDC staff and Peltier family.
7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. Opening prayer and Peltier honoring song will be followed by a
cultural, historical, and political presentation on the Peltier case and the circumstances
that led up to it. This panel discussion will be presented by Oglala survivors, Jean
Bordeaux Roach, Jean Day, and Edgar Bear Runner.
SATURDAY, JUNE 26
7:00 Morning ceremony led by David Chief, Lakota Spiritual Leader
8:00 breakfast
9:00-10:00 Presentation by Legal Team—Eric Seitz, Jennifer Harbury, Carl
Nadler, Jim Leonard and Jim Harrington will update us on Leonard’s current
legal situation. Seitz is a Criminal lawyer who represented Leonard during
his last appeal and is currently handling his medical situation as well as
exploring new legal possibilities. Jennifer Harbury is an attorney and
renowned human rights activist. She and Jim Harrington will update us on
the effort to have the remaining 6000 FOIA documents released as well as a
possible complaint with the OAS. Carl Nadler, who has been representing
Leonard since the trial will discuss current issues regarding the Federal
Parole Board. Facilitator: Gina Chiala, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
10:00-10:30 Questions and Answers for the legal team
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00 Prison Issues—During this presentation ex-prisoners, Helen Felix Baca,
Ben Carnes, Bobby Castillo, and Ida Robinson as well as Native Prisoner Advocate, Deborah
Peebles, will talk about some of their experiences in prison and some important current
prison issues and relate this to what Leonard is experiencing. Bobby Castillo is an ex
Marion Control Unit prisoner who met Leonard in prison and was vital in obtaining the
European, Italian, and Belgian Resolutions in support of freedom for Peltier. Helen Felix
Baca was in maximum security federal prison for four years and also is an advocate for
Leonard. Ben Carnes is a former prisoner, a National Spokesperson for the LPDC, and an
advocate for Native prisoners. Ida Robinson was a political prisoner for 10 years and has
since become a strong advocate for prisoners with children. Deborah Peebles works with the
United Tribes Cultural Group in Leavenworth Penitentiary.
Facilitator: Jaime Gutierrez, Ramsey Muniz Defense Committee
12:00-1:00 lunch
1:00-2:15 International Campaign—The International Campaign to free Peltier is
important. Many human rights atrocities have come to an end because of pressure from the
international community. During this presentation Mandela ’s lawyer and human rights
activist, Lennox Hinds, European LPSG coordinator, Sylvain Duez-Alesandrini, former South
African Political Prisoner, Dennis Brutus, and a representative for Amnesty International
will discuss current actions being taken on an international level for Peltier.
Possibilities of future international strategies will be explored as well.
Facilitator: Bobby Castillo, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
2:15-2:30 Break
2:30-4:00 Panel on Grass Roots Organizing—A proposal for upcoming actions, public
outreach and fund raising will be presented. Also discussed will be the history of
Non-Violent Civil Disobedience, group decision making, and on-campus organizing. This
panel will be presented by First Nations activist and Professor, Michael Yellow Bird, Food
Not Bombs co-founder, CT Butler, North West Regional LPSG coordinator, Arthur Miller, and
co-defendent of the Chicago 8 and life long activist, David Dellinger.
Facilitator: Patricia Benabe’, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
4:00-4:15 break
4:15-5:30 Political Prisoners—How can we continue to strengthen the movement to
free all political prisoners? What legal and grass roots actions can be taken on a group
level? This panel discussion will be lead by Safiaya Bukari, Jericho spokesperson,
Geronimo Ji Jaga, recently released Black Panther Political Prisoner, Pam Africa, Friends
and Family of Mumia Abu Jamal and MOVE member, Marcos Vilar, Defense Committee for Puerto
Rican Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War, Jamila Levi, companera of freedom fighter,
Ray Luc Lavasseur, former political prisoner, Bear Lincoln (invited), Andrew Ascherl for
Mondo we Langa and Ed Poindexter, and Jaime Gutierrez, National Defense Coordinator for La
Raza political prisoner, Ramsey Muniz.
Facilitator: Bobby Castillo, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
5:30-6:30 Dinner
6:30-7:30 Political Prisoner Panel continued.
8:00-10:00 Entertainment and open class rooms available for auxilary meetings.
SUNDAY, JUNE 27
7:00 Morning Ceremony led by David Chief, Lakota Spiritual Leader
8:00 Breakfast
9:00 - 10:30 Lobbying Presentation—This presentation will update us as to what
current lobbying efforts are, who is supportive, and how we can help support these
efforts. Jennifer Harbury, lawyer and renowned human rights activist, Ernie Stevens, Jr.
Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians, and Keith Jennings, president
of the African American Human Rights Foundation will be on this panel and they will also
talk about the most effective ways to lobby elected officials, tribal governments, and
NGOs.
Facilitator:Jean Day, Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00 Break into Working Groups for Introductions
12:00-1:00 Lunch
1:00-2:30 Begin developing Working Group Strategies-Topics of working groups will be:
Future Direct Action/Demonstrations
Lobbying and Letter Writing
Fund Raising
Media/Writing/Speaking and Public Outreach
On-Campus Organizing
Legal Research
2:45-4:00 Continue Working Groups-develop concrete strategies.
4:00-5:00 Closing with working group proposals and closing ceremony by David
Chief , Lakota Spiritual Leader
Leonard Peltier Defense Committee
PO Box 583
Lawrence, KS 66044
785-842-5774
