MID-SOUTH CONFERENCE OF THE LEFT
October 15th (Saturday)
University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Arkansas

he Young Democratic Socialists (YDS) are hosting a one-day conference that focuses on the struggle for justice and equality in the American South. The conference will feature panel discussions, interactive workshops and grassroots trainings from groups such as Planned Parenthood, Not With Our Money, the AFL-CIO, the Democratic Party, and various local progressive organizations dealing with the issues facing southern activists.

TOPICS TO BE ADDRESSED INCLUDE:
*The South's ongoing legacy of racism
*The politics & aftermath of Katrina
*Workers' rights & anti-union legislation
*The growing prison industry
*Widespread rural poverty
*Anti-gay ballot initiatives & queer rights
*Working with the media
*Wal-Mart & the low-wage economy (Wal-Mart's HQ is in Arkansas)
*Feminist organizing
*Counter military recruitment
*Art & politics
*Religious progressives & the Christian Right
*Iraq & the anti-war movement
*Living wage campaigns
*Challenging the GOP in "Red State" America

Schedule here [PDF]

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: CHRISTIAN PARENTI
Parenti is the author of The Freedom: Shadows and Hallucinations in Occupied Iraq. His articles and ground-breaking reporting regularly appear in The Nation magazine. Parenti is the author of numerous other books including, The Soft Cage: Surveillance in America from Slavery to the War on Terror and Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis.

There will also be a presentation on Democratic Socialism & Progressive Politics on Friday evening (Oct. 14) with former YDS National Organizer, Lucas Shapiro.
Join us for the friday night social event and a BBQ and party on Saturday.

The Mid-South Conference of the Left is an excellent opportunity for progressive youth and students from the surrounding region to network and have fun with each other.

Limited housing and transportation available.

REGISTER ON-LINE: www.dsausa.org/yds/confreg-ar.html

The conference is $5 for YDS members and $15 for pre-registrants (the $15 special pre-registration rate is only available if paid on-line by October 10th - $20 at the door) Registration is free to UCA students.

For more information email UCA YDS at

Please email the above address if you have any questions or if you are looking to carpool with activists in your area.

DIRECTIONS

Conway is located on Interstate 40 about 30 minutes North of Little Rock (take I-40 West from Little Rock). Coming from either I-40 west or east, take Exit 169 Highway 286 West. Follow that past three redlights. On the fourth, Donaghey Ave., take a right. Follow this until the second entrance onto UCA campus on your left. There is parking available in this area. To get to the Student Center (SC rooms on the schedule) follow the entrance road to its end and make a right. This is directly behind the student center. All conference rooms are on the second floor.

This link contains a map of campus: http://pplant.uca.edu/MapsFloorPlans/mapfp_frame_page.htm.
For a map of Conway go to http://www.uca.edu/uca/directions.php.

If these links don't work go to www.uca.edu and click on About UCA, it will have a link to maps and directions.

For those interested in attending the social events on Friday and Saturday night at 408 Locust St., take 286 West off of Exit 169 to the third stoplight. Make a right on South German Ln. Follow this until it ends. Make a right onto Robins St. and a quick left onto Locust St. Follow this for about four blocks until it makes a sharp bend to the left. The house on the righthand side directly at the bend is 408 Locust St.

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