September 4, 2002

Sept. 11 peace events

San Francisco

'The Canvas Remembers Sept. 11' Canvas Café and Gallery, 1200 Irving; 504-0060. Sept 11, 7pm-midnight. Free (donations accepted). California artists, poets, and musicians present work inspired by Sept. 11; proceeds benefit New York charities Free Arts for Abused Children and Midori and Friends.

'Celebrate: Life, Liberty, and Beauty' Crissy Field to Marin Headlands; www.celebratetheflag.com. Sun/8, 9am. Free. Beijing performance artist Pop Zhao and volunteers unfurl 6.5 miles of American flag silk panels from Crissy Field, under the Golden Gate Bridge, to Marin.

'A Concert for Peace' Yerba Buena Gardens, Fourth at Mission; www.ybgf.org. Sat/7, 7pm. Free. The Yerba Buena Gardens Festival hosts San Francisco's Festival of Harps and other musical guests – including world fusion band Geist – in a free concert.

'An Eye for an Eye Makes the Whole World Blind: Poets on 9/11' release party Studio Z, 314 11th St; regentpress@mindspring.com. Tues/10, 7:30pm. Free. Writers-poets Allen Cohen and Clive Matson edited this book featuring works by more than 100 American poets. Contributors reading at this event include Nellie Wong, Gerald Nicosia, Opal Palmer Adisa, Michael Parenti, and more.

'Dialogue for Peace: Prayers and Reflections on the State of the World' California Institute of Intergral Studies, 1453 Mission; 575-6119. Sept 11, 6-9:30pm. Free. This event features a multicultural slate of speakers, including activists and educators, plus discussion of issues such as the Palestinian-Israeli, the fight for gender justice across the globe, and ethical issues the United States faces in the post-Sept. 11 world.

'Free Public Forum: Reflections on Sept. 11' Commonwealth Club, 595 Market, Second fl; 597-6712. Sept 11, 5:30pm. Free. The Commonwealth Club hosts a forum with panelists Ming Chen (associate justice, Supreme Court of California), Rev. Stephen A. Privitt (president, University of San Francisco), and others.

'Freedom and Fear: Bay Area Muslims after Sept. 11, 2001' San Francisco City Hall, One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Pl; 252-2568. Mon-Fri, 8am-8pm; Sat-Sun, noon-4pm. Through Sept 29. Free. This art exhibit includes photographs by Rick Rocamora.

'Global Wake-Up Call: Roots of the Current Crisis' Artists' Television Access, 992 Valencia; 824-3890. Sept 11, 8pm. $5. Produced soon after Sept. 11, 2001, by students and faculty at California State University, Monterey Bay, as a response to the lack of information and reflection in the mainstream press, this filmed panel discussion covers the roots of terrorism in the Middle East, the sociocultural context of international Islamic movements, and more.

'In Memory: Exploring the Repercussions' 899 Mission; michelinax@aol.com. Opening reception Thurs/5, 5:30-8pm; exhibit runs Fri/6-Sat/7 and Sept 11, 11am-6pm and by appointment. Through Sept 29. Free. Bay Area artist Michele Pred presents an exhibit that includes a painted airplane wing, dedicated to the passengers of the SFO-bound United Flight 93, plus sculptures created from objects confiscated at SFO security checkpoints.

'Midsummer Mozart Festival' Grace Cathedral, 1100 California; 292-9624, www.midsummermozart.org. Sept 11, 8pm. $25-35. The Midsummer Mozart Festival presents a special concert, featuring Mozart's Requiem and Ave Verum Corpus, to honor Sept. 11 victims.

'911' Blue Room Gallery, 2331 Mission; 515-1210. Sept 11, 8pm. $8-10 (sliding scale). The Moving Target Series presents the White Ring performing a tale of six young men who offer their take on Sept. 11, a piece self-described as "an inspiration to some, a warning to others, and a revelation to all."

'911 Power to the Peaceful Festival' Speedway Meadow, Golden Gate Park; 865-2170. Sat/7, noon-7pm. Free. See 8 Days a Week, page 44.

'9/11: The Anniversary Event with Dr. Helen Caldicott: Leadership and Hope in the Age of Terrorism' Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness; 392-4400. Sept 11, 7:30pm. $25. Dr. Helen Caldicott, founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility, speaks at a benefit for the Nuclear Policy Research Institute.

'911 Social Justice Forum' New College of California, 777 Valencia; 865-2170, assist@guerrillamgmt.com. Sun/8, 10am-9:30pm. Free. Bay Area peace and justice groups hold workshops; in the evening, Michael Franti performs an acoustic set.

'Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War: Bay Area United for Peace' Justin Herman Plaza, Embarcadero at Market; 255-7296, peace@globalexchange.org, www.unitedforpeace.org. Sept 11, 5:30am-7:30pm. Free. See 8 Days a Week, page 44.

'Resist the Silence: Raise Your Voice' Women's Building, 3543 18th St; (510) 848-9272, dal-adeeb@coloredgirls.org. Sept 14, 5-9pm. $10-30 (sliding scale; no one turned away for lack of funds). Racial Justice 9-11 hosts a peace-positive event to raise awareness about ending war, freedom for Palestinians, stopping the Patriot Act and Homeland Security, and other issues.

San Francisco Museum of Modern Art free admission SFMOMA, 151 Third St; 357-4000, www.sfmoma.org. Sept 11, 11am-6pm. Normally closed on Wednesdays, the SFMOMA offers free admission for art lovers and anyone seeking a quiet place to reflect on the events of the past year.

San Francisco Symphony free concert Yerba Buena Gardens, Fourth St at Mission; 864-6000, www.sfsymphony.org. Sept 11, 6pm. Free. Music director Michael Tilson Thomas leads the symphony in a program commemorating the Sept. 11 anniversary, as well as the spirit of America and of New York. Special guest Rev. Cecil Williams of Glide Memorial Church will narrate the performance of Aaron Copland's Abraham Lincoln tribute, Lincoln Portrait.

'Sept. 11 and Beyond: A Look at the Media's Coverage' KQED, 2601 Mariposa; 553-2390, media&society@kqed.org. Mon/9, 7-9pm. Free. The KQED Media Salon hosts this discussion of how the media has covered the events of Sept. 11 and whether or not the coverage has facilitated productive public discourse.

'United in Mourning, Memory, and Mission' Union Square, Powell at Geary; 553-3500. Sept 11, 6pm. Free. The Salvation Army Golden State Division commemorates Sept. 11 at this event.

'West of Kabul, East of New York: An Afghan American Story' World Affairs Council, 312 Sutter; 293-4600, registration@wacsf.org. Thurs/5, 6:30pm. $5-12. Author and columnist Tamin Ansary discusses the conflict between Islam and the West with KQED radio host Nguyen Qui Duc.

'What Happened: The Sept. 11 Testimony Project' San Francisco Performing Arts Library and Museum, 401 Van Ness; 255-4800, www.sfpalm.org. Sept 11, 8pm. Free (donations accepted). Reservations are recommended for this event, a reading of a play by Amy S. Green drawn from interviews with more than 50 survivors of the Sept. 11 attacks, with featured guest artist Rita Moreno.

'Women Against War: A Vision for Peace' Herbst Theatre, 401 Van Ness; 273-4633 or 392-4400. Tues/10, 7:30pm. $20-25. See 8 Days a Week, page 44.

Bay Area

Help with outreach (510) 594-4076. Anti-"war on terrorism" activist group Not in Our Name seeks volunteers to help with outreach on Sept. 6 and 8.

'Interfaith Prayer Service and Planting of the Peace Pole' St. Mary's Center, 635 22nd St, Oakl; (510) 893-4723, ext 209. Sept 11, 10am. Free. (Also, 11am-6pm, University of Creation Spirituality, 2141 Broadway, Oakl; (510) 835-4827, ext 29. Free.) This event begins with a prayer service at St. Mary's Center; following that, UCS will open its doors to provide a place for meditation and silent reflection on the events of Sept. 11.

'Marin Stands for Peace: From the Hub to the Highway' San Anselmo Hub to Highway 101 in San Rafael; (415) 381-8085. Sun/8, 1pm. Free. The Marin Peace and Justice Coalition invites the public to the largest peace vigil in Marin's history, in the form of a human chain stretching through the area. A rally at the San Rafael Plaza follows.

'mikl-em's First Frikkin' Fridays' 21 Grand, 449B 23rd St, Oakl; (510) 444-7263. Fri/6, 8:30pm. $5-10 (sliding scale). Tentacle Sessions cocreator mikl-em kicks off a new monthly performance series with a program of spoken word and music centered around the Sept. 11-related theme "is everything really never going to be the same again?"

'Mission 911' Cody's Books, 2454 Telegraph, Berk; (510) 845-7852. Sept 11, 7:30pm. $2. This benefit for Poets for Peace features readings by Frances Payne Adler, Ivan Arguelles, Ellen Bass, and Judy Grahn.

Mozart's Requiem performance St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 415 El Camino Real, Burlingame; (650) 589-3276. Sept 11, 7:30pm. Free. A combined Bay Area chorus performs Mozart's Requiem to commemorate the Sept. 11 anniversary.

'No New War Against Iraq – Keep the Government off the Docks!' Port of Oakland, Oakl; (415) 821-6545. Sept 14, 11am (march), 1pm (rally). Free. "Stop the war before it starts" is the rallying cry of this demonstration, sponsored by the International A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 10.

'Our Grief Is Not a Cry for War: Bay Area United for Peace' Meet at "the pillars" at Lake Merritt, between Grand and Lakeshore, Oakl; (510) 839-5877, www.unitedforpeace.org. Tues/10, 7pm. Free. Wear white and bring photos, names, or other items to include in a memorial to remember Sept. 11 victims as well as victims of other violence. Other activities include making of peace lanterns and walking around Lake Merritt.

'Sept. 11 Remembrance Event' John F. Kennedy University, Campbell campus, 1 West Campbell, Bldg A, Campbell; 1-800-868-2359. Sept 11, 6:30-8pm. Free. The JFKU Graduate School of Professional Psychology sponsors this event, a gathering for people to share their experiences and build community.

'Silence Is Violence, Stand Loud, Get Proud! Youth Rally Against the War Abroad and the War on Youth at Home' Frank Ogawa Plaza, 14th St at Broadway, Oakl; (415) 255-7296, ext 263, peace@globalexchange.org. Sat/7, 1-5pm, Free. Bay Area youth organizations come together for spoken word, music, and performance illuminating the consequences the "war on terror" has had for young people, including education spending cuts, hate crimes against Arab youth, and more. Invited performers include the Coup, Company of Prophets, MC Tommy Goodwin, YouthSpeaks, local break-dancing crews, and more.

'September 11: West Coast Writers Approach Ground Zero' reading Book Passage, 71 Tamal Vista, Corte Madera; (415) 927-0960. Sept 11, 7pm. Free. Bay Area writers Maxine Hong Kingston, Josh Clover, Jess Mowry, and Beth Lisick read their pieces from the new anthology, published by Hawthorne Books of Portland, Ore.

'To Mourn, to Reflect, to Dream: An Interfaith Commemoration of 9/11' Islamic Cultural Center of Northern California, 1433 Madison, Oakl; MCPRPowers@aol.com. Sept 11, 7:30pm. Free. The Oakland Coalition of Congregations sponsors this event.