Northern California banquet honors leaders

Three outstanding Bay Area organizations and their leaders will be honored at the Northern California People’s Weekly World banquet Sunday, Nov. 18. The banquet’s theme is ‘Together for a world of economic and social justice, peace and democracy.’

This year’s honorees are the East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy, the Middle East Children’s Alliance and its executive director, Barbara Lubin, and Sacramento Activists for Democratic Trade.

East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy helped win passage by the Berkeley City Council of one of the country’s most comprehensive living wage ordinances. Now, in addition to its many activities upholding the rights of workers – especially immigrants and people of color – the Alliance is engaged in a broad campaign to win a living wage for workers at the rapidly expanding Port of Oakland.

The work of the Middle East Children’s Alliance for peace and justice in the Middle East – including the rights and needs of children and the imperative need to break the cycle of violence in this conflict-torn region – has taken on new urgency in view of the terrible tragedy of Sept. 11 and the events that have followed.

Sacramento Activists for Democratic Trade is a grassroots organization thast campaigns vigorously against the so-called Free Trade Agreement of the Americas and ‘Fast Track’ authority, which would take the power for trade negotiations away from the Congress.

Keynote speaker at the banquet will be Service Employees International Union (SEIU) International Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina, who will also receive a special People’s Weekly World award for the outstanding work he and SEIU have done helping millions of workers win union rights and safeguards, as well as greater equality for immigrants and people of color both on the job and in the community.

The banquet will be held at Hs Lordships Restaurant on the Berkeley Marina at 1 p.m. A lively cultural program will also be featured. Tickets are $40. For information and reservations, call (510) 531-1729.