All eyes are on Mayor Sheila Dixon and the group of young people known as Peer-to-Peer Enterprises following the suspension of the student hunger strike. The strike went on for 5 days before the mayor agreed to sit down and discuss the students’ $3 million demand. In a bold move, the city council then called off the budget vote Wednesday night—buying some time and possibly signifying that the mayor and the council may now understand the importance of what could be the most revolutionary development in youth employment programs to date.

(Originally published at indyreader.org/node/154)

On a sunny afternoon in Downtown Baltimore, the Inner Harbor was bustling with seasonal tourists, happy hour enthusiasts, and Friday's rush hour traffic. Amidst all of this, students, teachers, and education advocates assembled in front of the Harbor's amphitheater to address an issue they feel is essential to the future and survival of Baltimore City youth.

On Friday, May 30th, Peer 2 Peer (P2P) Youth Enterprises, a coalition of approximately 20 local youth organizations marched to the Legg Mason building on Pratt and St. Paul Streets to let their voices be heard and to announce a hunger strike to commence that evening. For about a month, P2P have been engaging in activities from workshops to camp-outs in front of City Hall to protest Mayor Sheila Dixon's refusal to appropriate $3 million in funds which would create knowledge based jobs for 700-1000 young people in the P2P network.

More hunger strike coverage: Baltimore City Students to Hunger Strike for Youth Employment | P2P hunger strike kicks off with march and rally | A letter from a hunger striker | P2P Hunger Strike Schedule of Events | Video Coverage and Interviews with the hunger strikers | Audio from the "Mayor's Night In" : P2P Hunger Strikers and Supporters Speak Out

Coverage of "Operation Occupation": Algebra Project Students Rally to Save p2p Funding in Baltimore Public Schools | Day 2 of "Operation Occupation" - Demanding Baltimore City Restore Funding to Peer2Peer Educational Programs | Youth takeover City Hall!! | Update: Police End peer2peer Camp-Out

After months of pleading with Mayor Sheila Dixon to fund A youth employment program, Baltimore City School Students have announced that they will hold a hunger strike until the $3 million dollars they need is awarded.

Below is a letter from Jay Gillen, one of the Baltimore Algebra Project's adult advisers. Also attached is a "Youth Jobs" flier and a power-point on Peer-to-Peer Employment.

June 3rd @ Baker Park Fountain (Frederick, MD)
4:00 PM

Potomac Earth first! is protesting Michael baker corporation who is building section 5 of the I69 expansion and to show support to the people who
are trying to save their homes and show those who are resisting they are not alone.

"…My intent in going there was to save lives. A person may break the law to save lives." - Tom Lewis, quoted in Daniel Berrigan's The Trial of the Catonsville 9

On Saturday May 17, anti-war activists gathered in Maryland to mark the 40th Anniversary of the Catonsville draft card burning action, and to remember Tom Lewis, one of the "Catonsville 9," who died on April 4 of this year. Read more below and watch the video here

WYPR's board of directors met on May 21st, the second meeting since the public radio station fired station co-founder and iconic radio host Marc Steiner. While last time they closed their meeting midway after an eruption of catcalls and boos, this time they simply did not discuss the issue.

Students will HUNGER STRIKE starting May 30^th, 2008 if the Mayor does not add $3million into the Budget for Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises.

The Starting location is the Amphitheater 5:30 p.m. on Friday, May 30th . Demonstrators will then march to the base of the Legg Mason building 100 Light St. (on the corner of Light St. and Pratt St.) where the hunger strikers will be stationed.

We no longer accept officials denying responsibility for the well-being of Baltimore's youth. All responsible officials should come together until funding is found for youth jobs in the knowledge-based economy.

We demand that 3 million dollars be added to the City's budget to fund Peer-to-Peer Youth Enterprises.

Politically Minded — An Interview with Hip-Hop Artist Son of Nun

Apr 4, 2008
By Joshua H. Koritz
Son of Nun (SON) is a former Baltimore City School teacher and current MC—performs class-conscious, revolutionary hip-hop. SON is also active in the anti-war movement as well as being an activist with several other causes. He has appeared on stage with artists ranging from Dead Prez to Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, as well as activists like Howard Zinn and Cindy Sheehan. Joshua Koritz interviews SON for Justice Newspaper: