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GUEST: Tammy Bang Luu, national planning committee for the US Social Forum, Hamid Khan, Executive Director of the South Asian Network

The first ever United States Social Forum will take place in Atlanta, Georgia under the banner of “Another World is Possible/ Another US is Necessary.” Beginning June 27th, 20,000 activists, trade unionists, students, educators, and people of faith are expected to attend the historic five day gathering. Atlanta, Georgia was chosen to host the first US Social Forum on account of its unique history in the struggle for social justice. Organizers hope that this inaugural US forum will provide an opportunity for the progressive community to build a stronger movement for social change. The forum will be centered on six key plenary themes; Gulf Coast reconstruction, indigenous sovereignty, war, militarism, and prison, gender and sexuality, workers’ rights, and immigrant rights. Taking its cue from the World Social Forum, the US forum will be self-planned and self organized. Hundreds of workshops will take place in addition to numerous other panels, presentations, exhibits, marches, and cultural events. Some political commentators have said that the US Social Forum could be the most significant event for the progressive community in the states since Seattle’s anti-corporate globalization protests of 1999.

There will be a fundraiser to help LA area organizations travel to the US Social Forum on Saturday June 2nd at 6 pm at the LA Trade Tech College Grand Theater, 400 West Washington Blvd. Spike Lee’s film, When the Levees Broke will be screened. For more information, call 213-201-4451.

The US Social Forum website is www.ussf2007.org.