[DP-Announce] (Fwd) Register Now for TCADP Conference!

Thu Jan 22 08:09:26 CST 2009

Reminder, execution today, Thursay 1/22.  Please join us in protest.

I am forwarding below information about the upcoming 
conference of the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death 
Penalty.  This has always been an excellent event.  It 
provides inspiration and information.  Please consider 
attending.  

I will be driving from BCS and would happily car pool.  If 
the registration fee is a hardship, let me know; we can 
figure a way to get you there. 

Rich

------- Forwarded message follows -------
RaisingOur Voicesfor Abolition  
Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty Annual 
Conference 
Saturday, February 21,2009 

Schmidt-Jones Family Life Center First United Methodist 
Church 
1300 Lavaca, Austin, TX 78701

To take advantage of the Early Registration discount price of $45 
please register 
online by February 1 or contact Sherry Coombes at 512 339-9574. 
Please also 
speak with Sherry about blocked hotel rooms, limited availability 
(Super 8 Motel, $85 
a night).

TCADP Award Recipients - (To Be Recognized at the 
Conference)

COURAGE AWARD
Mayor John Cook of El Paso was invited to perform 
with Sara Hickman when the Music for Life Tour visited El 
Paso in April. Because of his strong personal belief in the 
need for abolition and his love of performing, Mayor Cook 
agreed to take part and was a powerful presence at the 
event. Subsequently, he asked to join the tour to help 
with opening the dialogue on the death penalty across the 
state. Mayor Cook's political advisor's recommended 
strongly that he not undertake this endeavor because 
taking part in the tour could possibly hurt him as a 
politician. Against their advice Mayor Cook held true to his 
beliefs and his faith, and joined the Music for Life tour (at 
his own expense).

APPRECIATION AWARDS
Deborah Michaleiwcz (San Angelo Area)
The success of the "Music for Life" concert in San Angelo 
was due mainly to the organizing efforts and leadership of 
Deborah Michaleiwcz. Deborah responded immediately 
to Jean Van Steenburg's request for local community 
leaders to help us organize a benefit concert in West 
Texas, andshe immediately assembled a team of faith 
and lay leaders, each of whom brought skills and 
connections to the effort. As a result of Deborah's 
incredible organizing and outreach skills, the concert 
attracted more than 100 people and raised significant 
funds for TCADP. It also represented the organization's 
first real foray into organizing in West Texas and resulted 
in numerous new contacts and members.

Steve James and Peter Gilbert (Directors of "At the 
Death House Door")
Steve James' and Peter Gilbert's new film, "At the Death 
House Door," was releasedlast year at the South by 
Southwest Film Festival in  Austin  . Featuring the story 
of former death house chaplain Rev. Carroll Pickett and 
the case of Carlos De Luna, the film has served as an 
outstanding new resource for TCADP's public education 
efforts. Advance screenings of the film took place 
throughout the state and attracted hundreds of people. 
Inspiringrenewed attention to the death penalty issue, the 
film also has generated new members and supporters for 
TCADP. 

St John's United  Methodist  Church  of Lubbock, TX
Rev. Bill Martin along with other members of St John's 
UMC drafted and passed a resolution through their 
church administrative council that then went on to be 
considered atthe General Conference of the United 
Methodist Church. The resolution called for the specific 
abolition of the death penalty in  Texas . Rev Martin, Mary 
Vines, and other  St John's  UMC members tracked the 
resolution at General Conference and worked to influence 
appropriate members to speak on its behalf. They did a 
lot of work in preparation and in passing the resolution at 
General Conference in April 2008. The resolution was 
thenmailed on behalf of the United Methodist Church to 
all the Texas Legislators and the Governor.

MEDIA AWARD
Bob Ray Sanders (Associate Editor - Ft. Worth Star 
Telegram)
Bob Ray Sandershasconsistently written against 
thedeath penaltyin the Ft. Worth Star-
Telegram.Hismost recent editorial,"Shameful Record of 
Executions", waspublished on October 28, 
2008.Sanders is a consistent voice for abolition in a very 
conservative area of the state. 

**In order to be eligibleto votein theelection ofnew 
TCADP Board members, your TCADP membership must 
be current. Check with the office by calling 512-441-1808 
or emailing info at tcadp.org to find out if your annual 
membership dues are current. You can renew your 
TCADP membership online or print out a membership 
formand mail it to TCADP. Thank you!

Conference Program Register online! 

8:00 - 9:00 Registration- Continental Breakfast
9:00 - 10:15 General Membership Meeting ** See above
10:25 - 11:15 Keynote Address-Celeste Fitzgerald, New 
Jerseyans for Alternatives to the Death Penalty
11:30 - 12:15 Quickshops - Tentative topics include:
*   How to reach out to victims' family members
*   How to organize a program in your faithcommunity
*   How to organize a successful fundraiser
*   How to sponsor an event
*   How to use new technology/social networking to 
    mobilize activists
12:30 - 2:00 Lunch / Award Presentations
2:15 - 3:15 Plenary Session: TCADP goes to the 
Legislature!
3:30 - 4:45 Workshops (tentative) - Choice of one
*   Legislative Advocacy - This session will equip participants 
    to take action on legislation related to abolition and 
    criminal justice reforms at the 81st Session of the Texas 
    Legislature.
*   How to Answer the Tough Question (Back by popular 
    demand) - Have you ever been stumped by one of those 
    tough questions about the death penalty? This workshop 
    will address some of the common pro-death penalty 
    arguments and help participants learn to respond in ways 
    that promote constructive conversation.
*   Death Penalty 101 - This session is geared towards 
    people who are new to the issue/abolition movementand 
    those who want to be up to date on the latest 
    developments. It will present the nuts and bolts of the 
    death penalty, including: the state of the law and new legal 
    developments; who is on death row; an overview of the 
    stages of a capital trial and the appellate process; and a 
    summary of the clemency procedure.
*   Local Chapter Development - In this session, TCADP 
    chapter leaders and other active members will learn how to 
    set goals and develop action plans in accordance with 
    TCADP'sstrategic plan. A refresher on membership 
    recruitment and retention also will be provided.
5:00 - 5:30 Closing Session and Door Prizes

Hope to See You There!

You are subscribed to this list as r-woodward at tcadp-
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Our postal address is 
2709 S Lamar
Suite 109
Austin, Texas 78704
United States

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--
Richard Woodward
www:  http://TCADP-BV.org  
e-mail:   r-woodward at TCADP-BV.org

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