The Teach-in is the concluding act in V-Day Fourth U’s three part V-Season (more below). The presentation will explain how this horrific violence in the Congo is driven by militias fighting over the profits from the multi-million dollar trade in minerals—tantalum, tungsten, tin (the three T’s) and gold. These minerals are used in the production of jewelry and electronic products from digital cameras to cell phones.

V-Day, the global movement to end violence against women and girls, is spotlighting the Congo conflict where sexual violence has become a tool of war and control for the armed groups there. Countless women and girls have been systematically kidnapped, raped, mutilated and tortured. The eastern Congo is the most dangerous place in the world to be a woman or a girl.

The Congo minerals trade is estimated to amount to $180 million each year. Legislation is pending in Congress to help develop the means to ensure that this hugely profitable trade in minerals stops financing the violence in Congo. The Conflict Minerals Trade Act (CMTA) was introduced in late 2009.

When passed, the bill will create a system of audits and import declarations that would distinguish those goods imported into the United States that contain conflict minerals from those that are conflict-free. This system will apply to products containing the 3 T’s.

The resulting transparency would mean that you as a consumer will be able to make an educated choice when deciding whether to buy products containing conflict minerals from the Congo. The bill has bipartisan support in Congress and from within the electronics industry. It is also supported by a broad coalition of human rights, humanitarian aid and faith-based organizations.

Please plan to attend and bring your friends. You will learn more about how you can support CMTA to help stop the minerals trade from financing horrendous violence in the Congo. This will be the final event of Fourth U’s V-Season. It began with two successful benefit productions of The Vagina Monologues on Saturday, Feb. 27 and Sunday, Feb. 28.

Both performances drew generous attendance, both in numbers of people attending and amount of monies raised for the beneficiaries. This was a particular triumph in view of the blizzard conditions that prevailed a few days before. Those who were kept home by the weather can still contribute until March 31 by clicking here. Please join all those in the city and around the world who are “changing the story for women.”

V-Day Fourth U sends deep appreciation and gratitude to members and friends from the congregation and to everyone else who attended and shared laughter and tears with the performers of this powerful play by Eve Ensler. Grateful thanks go to Tovah Feldshuh, our special guest performer and a cast of professional actresses, veteran Vagina Warriors and enthusiastic volunteers. Those who contributed generously to the goods and services sold at the Vagina Fairs preceding the performances are also greatly appreciated.

Organizer of the event was Fourth U’s own Deborah Roth. Director of the production was another Fourth U member, Nancy Robillard.

Beneficiaries are the New York Asian Women’s Center, the Girls Educational and Mentoring Services (GEMS), the V-Day Haiti Rescue Fund and the V-Day Spotlight Campaign in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Help bring abundance to Fourth U by becoming an Annual Budget Drive visiting steward.  Attend a visiting Steward orientation on March 27 at 2:00 p.m. or March 28 at 12:15 p.m. at Fourth U, led by Mark Ewert, our UUA Financial Consultant.  Mark will guide us in how to share our stories to encourage Fair Share Giving and bring abundance to our community. If you’d like to take part in an orientation, or for more information, please contact the Annual Budget Drive chair, Greg Severance at morocco@santababylonia.net.

Help bring abundance to Fourth U by becoming an Annual Budget Drive visiting steward.  Attend a visiting Steward orientation on March 27 at 2:00 p.m. or March 28 at 12:15 p.m. at Fourth U, led by Mark Ewert, our UUA Financial Consultant.  Mark will guide us in how to share our stories to encourage Fair Share Giving and bring abundance to our community. If you’d like to take part in an orientation, or for more information, please contact the Annual Budget Drive chair, Greg Severance at morocco@santababylonia.net.

On Saturday, February 27, 2010, The Vagina Monologues will return to the Fourth Universalist Society for the second year in a row. Last year’s performance was sold out with standing room only. Thanks to the support of the congregation, $5,000 was raised to benefit projects which combat violence against women and girls.

Eve Ensler’s powerful, award-winning play-that-spawned-a-grassroots-social-movement will be presented in the sanctuary on Feb. 27 at 8:00 p.m. This year’s special guest performer will be Tovah Feldshuh, a Tony-nominated actress, singer and playwright. Joining her on stage will be volunteers and professional actresses across the age spectrum from the teens to the eighties.

A matinee performance will take place in the sanctuary on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3:00 p.m. This was added after the earthquake in Haiti so that funds can go to benefit the V-Day Haiti Rescue Fund.

To purchase tickets online, go here. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $10 for seniors/students and $50 and up for premium seating in the first three rows.

Organized by Deborah Roth, and directed by Nancy Robillard, the cast will join “Vagina Warriors” in 25+ other productions around New York City this season, all presenting benefit productions in support of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. In 2009, over 4200 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the urgency of ending violence against women.

To date, the V-Day Movement has raised over $70 million for international projects and local beneficiary organizations. It has increased public consciousness about what must be done to send the spectrum of violence that ranges across battery, rape, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery. The movement has crafted international educational, media and Public Service Announcement campaigns, reopened shelters and funded over 11,000 community based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq.

Each production of The Vagina Monologues raises funds for local beneficiaries. Fourth U’s Saturday night production will benefit the New York Asian Women’s Center and GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services). The New York Asian Women’s Center helps battered women overcome violence and govern their own lives, free of abuse. The organization raises public awareness about domestic violence, advocates for the rights of battered women and creates an agenda for social change. GEMS is the nation’s largest organization empowering girls and young women who have experienced sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential. GEMS helps to transform public perception, revolutionize the systems and policies that impact sexually exploited youth and end the commercial exploitation and trafficking of children.

A portion of the benefit proceeds will support the V-Day Spotlight Campaign in the Congo, a global initiative to demand an end to the wide-scale atrocities committed against women and girls in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Women and men of all ages are invited to participate in a variety of support activities. If you would like to participate, please download the application form here (after audition form) and submit it by e-mail to Deborah Roth at dsrothny@aol.com or give her the hard copy at church. Questions? Call Deborah at 212-665-9660. Or sign up sheets are available in the sanctuary after church. We encourage you to “Give D-Day One Day” of your time and energy.

We’re looking forward to seeing you for at least one of our two performances where art meets social activism.

Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010
7:00 PM — Come join us for our pre-performance VAGINA FAIR—a celebration of female anatomy that features, crafts, music and tables providing information on our local sponsors and beneficiaries. You will also be able to buy your own V-Day bracelet and munch on fabulous V-goodies, including our hand-made, delectable chocolate Vagina-pops!
8:00 PM — THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010
2:00 PM — VAGINA FAIR
3:00 PM — THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Sunday, March 14, 2010 — Congo Teach-In, time to be announced

Check out www.vday.org for more information about the V-Day movement.

Eve Ensler’s powerful, award-winning play-that-spawned-a-grassroots-social-movement will be presented in the sanctuary on Feb. 27 at 8:00 p.m. This year’s special guest performer will be Tovah Feldshuh, a Tony-nominated actress, singer and playwright. Joining her on stage will be volunteers and professional actresses across the age spectrum from the teens to the eighties.

A matinee performance will take place in the sanctuary on Sunday, Feb. 28 at 3:00 p.m. This was added after the earthquake in Haiti so that funds can go to benefit the V-Day Haiti Rescue Fund.

To purchase tickets online, go here. Tickets are $20 for general admission, $10 for seniors/students and $50 and up for premium seating in the first three rows.

Organized by Deborah Roth, and directed by Nancy Robillard, the cast will join “Vagina Warriors” in 25+ other productions around New York City this season, all presenting benefit productions in support of V-Day, a global movement to end violence against women and girls. In 2009, over 4200 V-Day benefit events took place produced by volunteer activists in the U.S. and around the world, educating millions of people about the urgency of ending violence against women.

To see a short video about this production, go here.

An interview with Tovah Feldshuh, our headliner for The Vagina Monologues, will appear in The West Side Spirit this week. Available online Wednesday at www.westsidespirit.com. Available on newsstands on Thursday, Feb. 25.

The following items, generously donated by church members and friends of V-Day 4th U, will be available through raffle or silent auction at the Vagina Fair, 7 PM, Sat. Feb. 27 and 2 PM, Sun. Feb. 28. Set of Calloway Golf Clubs for men (value $1500); dinner for two at restaurant on Theater Row (value $150); three month membership @ Paris Health Club (value $400);  Sterling Silver and Pink Sapphire Necklace (value $299); in-home Feng Shui Consultation with Zen Products Gift Basket (value $550); two personal fitness training gift certificates (value $150 each); Microsoft Windows 7 Software (value $199); Four VIP Show Tickets for Good Morning America. And much, much more from original artworks to cosmetics gift baskets.Total value of donated goods and services are over $5,000 Bring your checkbook and take home great bargains. All proceeds go to groups which work to end violence against women and girls.

To date, the V-Day Movement has raised over $70 million for international projects and local beneficiary organizations. It has increased public consciousness about what must be done to send the spectrum of violence that ranges across battery, rape, incest, female genital mutilation and sexual slavery. The movement has crafted international educational, media and Public Service Announcement campaigns, reopened shelters and funded over 11,000 community based anti-violence programs and safe houses in Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Kenya, South Dakota, Egypt and Iraq.

Each production of The Vagina Monologues raises funds for local beneficiaries. Fourth U’s Saturday night production will benefit the New York Asian Women’s Center and GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services). The New York Asian Women’s Center helps battered women overcome violence and govern their own lives, free of abuse. The organization raises public awareness about domestic violence, advocates for the rights of battered women and creates an agenda for social change. GEMS is the nation’s largest organization empowering girls and young women who have experienced sexual exploitation and domestic trafficking to exit the commercial sex industry and develop to their full potential. GEMS helps to transform public perception, revolutionize the systems and policies that impact sexually exploited youth and end the commercial exploitation and trafficking of children.

A portion of the benefit proceeds will support the V-Day Spotlight Campaign in the Congo, a global initiative to demand an end to the wide-scale atrocities committed against women and girls in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Women and men of all ages are invited to participate in a variety of support activities. If you would like to participate, please download the application form here (after audition form) and submit it by e-mail to Deborah Roth at dsrothny@aol.com or give her the hard copy at church. Questions? Call Deborah at 212-665-9660. Or sign up sheets are available in the sanctuary after church. We encourage you to “Give D-Day One Day” of your time and energy.

We’re looking forward to seeing you for at least one of our two performances where art meets social activism.

Saturday, Feb. 27, 2010
7:00 PM — Come join us for our pre-performance VAGINA FAIR—a celebration of female anatomy that features, crafts, music and tables providing information on our local sponsors and beneficiaries. You will also be able to buy your own V-Day bracelet and munch on fabulous V-goodies, including our hand-made, delectable chocolate Vagina-pops!
8:00 PM — THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Sunday, Feb. 28, 2010
2:00 PM — VAGINA FAIR
3:00 PM — THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Sunday, March 14, 2010 –

1:00 PM Congo Teach-In

Check out www.vday.org for more information about the V-Day movement.