May 16 Steve Hamilton Memorial Celebration -- pls circulate

Celebrate the life
of
our dear friend and comrade
Steve Hamilton
Saturday, May 16, 2009
2 – 4:30 p.m.
Finnish Brotherhood Hall
1970 Chestnut Street
At University Avenue
Berkeley

Steve Hamilton died on February 1, 2009, age 64. Steve was a radical political activist who remained committed to core progressive ideals for his entire life. Born into a working class family, Steve initially considered becoming a Christian minister, but soon got caught up in the political ferment that was Berkeley in the 1960s. He joined SLATE, the Free Speech Movement (FSM) the Progressive Labor Party (PLP) and the Revolutionary Union (RU). In 1966 he was dismissed from the University of California for protesting the University’s attempt to take away the gains and protections of the Free Speech Movement. In 1968 he was indicted as one of the Oakland 7 for blocking access to the Oakland Induction Center. By the mid 70’s Steve was a member of BASOC (Bay Area Socialists of California).

In the early 1980s, after a time of personal struggle, Steve rejected the homophobic attitudes of many movement comrades and came out. He became highly regarded in the Bay Area gay community as an HIV/AIDS activist, counselor and therapist. His last job was with MHN, a mental and behavior health network, where he focused on occupational stress issues. In his final year, suffering from congestive heart failure, Steve moved to Louisville KY with his friends Tank and Roman, where he died in his sleep. He leaves behind a sister, Shirley Metcalf and hundreds of close friends and comrades who will always remember his warmth, affection, gentleness, compassion and amazing capacity to talk your ear off.

Contributions in Steve’s memory can be made to The Steve Hamilton Activist Fund for scholarships to send young activists to Wellstone Action! You can go online to www.yippiegirl.com, click on Steve Hamilton, then click the donate button. Or send your check to Steve Hamilton Activist Fund, c/o US Bank, Kaiser Center, 344 20th Street # 117, Oakland CA 94612.

Judy Gumbo

* * * * *

Hi, Judy! We had a "senior moment" here. [age is a Handy excuse for being dumb!] we are performing on may 16 in Oakland. so we can not video the memorial. But please keep me in the loop! We love to cover such events.

It looks like I will have an Oscar Grant panel on a Shaman's Den show. (Oscar Grant is the guy who was killed by BART police). it would involve members of Oscar Grant's family, and Oscar Grant activists ...I feel lucky to be in the position to do such important shows.

In Freedom,
Frank Moore