by Rebecca Taylor
Young activists from across the Midwest will gather in Grinnell this weekend for the third annual Hoedown in the Heartland Conference, sponsored by Free the Planet (FTP). Organized in memory of Greg Schrieber, a dynamic Grinnell student activist who lost his life in a swimming accident three years ago, the conference is an opportunity for students to come and learn about environmental and social justice issues and attend training sessions, organizers said.
This year, Hoedown will focus on issue briefings on organizing movements fighting Ford and Coca-Cola, in addition to environmental issues, organizers said. Some of the students who attend are just starting groups, and the networking that occurs at Hoedown allows them to connect and mingle with seasoned trainers as they gain experience.
The trainers include members of MoveOn.org, Apollo Alliance and Rainforest Action Network, said Jessica Petertil ‘06, one of the organizers of the conference. “Not only will the student activists learn more about the causes for which they are campaigning, they may also improve various skills through attending trainings,” she said. “One really exciting addition this year is an anti-oppression training, which will give students an important lens for their work.”
With the help of the Rosenfield Program, FTP is bringing Kevin Danaher to campus. Danahar is the co-founder of Global Exchange and will deliver a keynote address called, “Corporate Accountability and the Alternative Economy” at 8 p.m. on Saturday in the Forum North Lounge.
FTP has arranged the conference so that activists can learn more about different techniques that have been effective in enacting change, said Petertil. She recalled meeting students at past conferences who explained how they had gotten their University of Minnesota campus to increase wind power usage. She also recalled an incident at a party during the first Hoedown where she was offered a summer job. She said her story is not uncommon: often students benefit from learning about volunteer opportunities and internships at Hoedown.
The number of alumni leading issue briefings and training sessions is formidable and serves as evidence that students’ activism does not dwindle after college. “It is evident from alumni experiences that careers can be made out of one’s passions,” Peteril said. “I think it’s a very inspiring weekend.” FTP hopes that students who attend will return to their respective campuses infused with energy and drive to “challenge the powers that be.”
FTP is responsible for the reception the conference has received so far, and they have attempted to make sure that their group has members in the wings capable of organizing the conference in years to come, current organizers said.
Organization for the 2005 Hoedown began last October, and FTP has been working with friends of Greg Schrieber to ensure that the event is in keeping with his ideas. The discussions prompted the addition of more social justice issues to the conference itinerary. Another new addition will be the bonfire, which is set to blaze at the pit by the railroad tracks on Friday night. Jen Krill from the Rainforest Action Network will also give a speech at the bonfire to kick off the conference.
All the Hoedown trainings and issue briefings are open to Grinnell students and faculty and will take place in the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts on Saturday and Sunday.
Conference participants come from around the Midwest. Among those planning to attend the Hoedown:
• Carleton College
• Conscious Choice Magazine
• Gustavus Adolphus College
• Latin School of Chicago
• Marquette University Students for an Environmentally Active Campus
• Kansas State University Students for Environmental Action
• Greater Kalamazoo Youth United Way
• Nebraskans for Peace
• Green Party of University of Nebraska—Lincoln
• Sierra Student Coalition
• Students for a Free Tibet
—information provided by Hoedown organizers
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