Mario Van Peebles to Speak at Rally and Cultural Festival 1/21/05

Saturday, January 1, 2005

Mario Van Peebles to Speak at Rally and Cultural Festival 1/21/05

Mario Van Peebles to Speak at Rally and Cultural Festival 1/21/05 Acclaimed actor and director Mario Van Peebles joins the speakers at United We Stand this Friday evening. Mario, son of activist and film director Melvin Van Peebles is known for his own work in both main stream and independent films. He brings unique insight to the progressive movement as a champion of First Amendment rights and the responsible role of celebrities in the political discourse.

Dream Catcher Films, Inc., and Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ will host a UNITED WE STAND post-inaugural rally and festival Friday, January 21, 2005 7:00pm-10:00pm at the church located at 5301 North Capitol St., NE Washington, DC.

This event will bring together a wide range of organizations in solidarity to promote progressive goals important to the anti-war movement and those working for justice, to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to raise awareness and funds for the film FINDING OUR VOICES. Organizers are calling on the diverse progressive community to unite our efforts and focus our energy to achieve common goals as part of a post-inaugural agenda.

In addition to Van Peebles, speakers will include Leslie Cagan, National Coordinator, United for Peace and Justice - Rev. Graylan Hagler, Pastor, Plymouth Congregational UCC and Co-Founder of United For Peace and Justice - Medea Benjamin, Co-Founder of Global Exchange and Code Pink - Damu Smith, Founder of Black Voices for Peace - Tim Carpenter, Progressive Democrats of America - Eugene Puryear, International A.N.S.W.E.R - Adele Welty, 9/11 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows and mother of Timothy, (a firefighter killed at the WTC 9/11) and others. Cultural Artists include - emma's revolution - DC Labor Chorus - Jali-D - Elliott Stein - artists from Black Outs Art Collective - Rhythm Workers Union-Guerilla Poetry Insurgency - and more!

In addition to the speakers and performers, Dream Catcher Films, Inc. will unveil clips from FINDING OUR VOICES, a film currently in production that puts a human face to the issues at hand: war, civil liberties and social injustice. The documentary introduces courageous citizens from diverse backgrounds engaged in a broad range of issues who are taking an active role in their democracy.

Director/Writer Vicki Hughes reports, "While the mainstream media seems unwilling to tackle many of the threats to our country and our world head on, courageous and committed citizens have undertaken the often unappreciated task of defending the heritage that is American democracy. FINDING OUR VOICES celebrates the lives of these warriors for justice and raises for consideration the essential role of dissent in a healthy democracy."

Rev. Hagler, Pastor of Plymouth Congregational UCC warns, "Democracy is endangered in the nation. A precious commodity, when it is truly expressed and manifested in real ways, democracy is able to reach into the human soul and call the best out of our collective spirit. It does not belong to one party, one class, or one race but is best expressed when voices demand not from self interest but collective interest, and when people organize not for their own good, but the common good."

For event information: Holly Stadtler at 301-581-1134 or Jane English at 202-488-4375. For film information: www.findingourvoices.com, or the filmmakers: www.dreamcatcherfilmsinc.com. This film is a Dream Catcher Films, Inc. production in association with Prosperity Media Enterprise, Inc.