Urban Action 2/12 

This week's calls to action include the following events and activities. (All are free and open to the public, unless otherwise noted.)

Civil rights leader talks

The Gandhi Institute will present two talks by civil rights leader the Rev. Bernard LaFayette on Monday, February 17. The first talk, "The Dream Deferred: the Challenge of Institutional Change," will be held at 12:30 p.m. at the Central Library, 115 South Avenue. LaFayette will discuss his own experience in the Civil Rights Movement. The second talk will be held at 7 p.m. at Asbury First Methodist Church, 1050 East Avenue, where LaFayette will talk about the ways nonviolence can be used to encourage institutional change.

Green neighborhoods talk

Rochester Regional Community Design Center will present the talk, "Neighborhoods in Balance, Designing Green in the Places we Live," by Aaron Bartley at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25. Bartley is the co-founder of People United for Sustainable Housing, which mobilizes to create sustainable neighborhoods with quality affordable housing, green jobs, and infrastructure. Bartley's talk will be held at Gleason Works Auditorium, 1000 University Avenue.

Gasland revisited

ColorBrightonGreen.org will show Gasland Part II at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 12. The film by Josh Fox is a follow up to his Oscar-nominated film Gasland and its look at the dangers of hydraulic fracturing. Gasland Part II looks at how powerful gas and oil industries are, in the filmmaker's view, "contaminating our democracy." The film will be shown at the Brighton Library, 2300 Elmwood Avenue.

Danger under the sink

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute will hold a workshop on the "Potential Hidden Dangers of Personal Care Products" from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, February 18. The workshop is part of the institute's Green Homes for Cleaner Lakes program, and will be held at the YMCA, 444 East Main Street. The program is free, but registration is required Email [email protected] or call 475-2512.