One of America’s premier anti-death penalty campaigners, Magdaleno Rose-Avila, will be visiting Vancouver in March, holding meetings with activists from many feminist, anti racist, trade union and social justice struggles here and giving a public talk on March 24. The BC Civil Liberties Association is happy to be one of the sponsors of this visit, and we urge members and supporters to attend the public talk on March 24 (details below). The event is free and open to the public.
ABOUT MAGDALENO ROSE-AVILA
For more than twenty years, Magdaleno has worked to abolish the US death penalty, working closely with Sister Helen Prejean – the heroine of “Dead Man Walking”. Sister Prejean has written the Foreward to Magdaleno’s autobiography, Looking for My Wings. Click here for more information about Magdaleno’s career fighting for social and environmental justice. Witness to Innocence (WTI) is the only national organization in the United States composed of and led by exonerated death row survivors and their family members. The mission of WTI is to abolish the death penalty by empowering exonerated death row survivors and their loved ones to become effective leaders in the abolition movement. WTI actively challenges political leaders and the public to grapple with the reality of a fatally flawed criminal justice system that sends innocent people to death row. Founded in 2003 by Sister Helen Prejean and Ray Krone – the 100th person exonerated from death row in the United States – Witness to Innocence is one of the most powerful anti-death penalty organizations in the United States.
DISCUSSION PREVIEW
Should the most powerful country in the world be allowed to take the lives of its least powerful citizens?
Canadians have a historic opportunity to make their voices heard on this critical issue facing the United States of America. Europeans for years have been a leading international voice on this human rights issue and over the years individuals and groups of Canadians have also spoken out. There is a renewed and rejuvenated effort within the USA to abolish this horrific practice. Canada is in a unique position to influence this country to the south of you border. We urge the citizens and government to speak out and help us change this practice of ritual killing.
SPONSORS
- BC Civil Liberties Association
- Amnesty International
- Tim Louis Law
- Vancouver & District Labour Council
EVENT INFORMATION
What: Free and public talk on the death penalty in the US and implications for Canada
When: Thursday, March 24, 2016, 7:30 PM
Where: St. James Community Square (3214 W.10th Avenue)
Who: Magdaleno Rose-Avila, Executive Director of Witness to Innocence (WTI) and sponsored by the BCCLA, Amnesty International, Tim Louis Law, and Vancouver & District Labour Council
RSVP HERE:
