John Ross Day Poems Under The Dome

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO TO HONOR POET/JOURNALIST/GLOBE-TROTTING
TROUBLEMAKER MAY 12TH
TO BE FOLLOWED BY DIAMOND DAVE'S FOURTH ANNUAL "POEMS UNDER THE DOME"

SAN FRANCISCO (May 4th) - The City of San Francisco will honor poet,
journalist, and globe-trotting troublemaker John Ross during its
weekly May 12th meeting and then provide space for a mass poetry
reading in the North Light Court beginning at 5:30 PM.

San Francisco will honor Ross for his lifework as an activist
journalist from the mountains and jungle of Chiapas to the olive
groves of Palestine to Baghdad on the eve of the illegal U.S. invasion
and occupation of Iraq that has now taken over a million lives.

John Ross is the author of ten books of fiction and nonfiction
including the Upton Sinclair Award-winning "Murdered By Capitalism -
150 Years Of Life & Death On The American Left" and "Rebellion From
the Roots - Zapatista Uprising in Chiapas (American Book Award 1995.)
Ross's "El Monstruo - True Tales of Dread & Redemption From Mexico
City" will be published this fall by Nation Books and the
Ross-assembled "Iraqigirl - Coming Of Age Under U.S. Occupation"
(Haymarket Books) will be in the bookstores this spring.

In addition, Ross, once a younger Beat poet, has produced nine
chapbooks of poetry and will perform a pertinent poem at the May 12th
meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

As a journalist, John Ross's articles have appeared in major
publications throughout the Americas. ?He is a regular contributor to
Counterpunch, the on-line daily magazine, and has been a contributing
editor to the SF Bay Guardian since 1981.

John Ross is an expatriate who opposes U.S. social and economic
policies and has lived in the old quarter of Mexico City for the
better part of the past three decades. ?Currently battling liver
cancer, Ross was recently assaulted by San Francisco police officers
while witnessing a rough arrest on the corner of 24th & Valencia
Street in the city's Mission District.

San Francisco Board of Supervisors meetings are open to the public and
John Ross encourages friends and enemies alike to attend the May 12th
meeting. ?The "honor" is expected to be offered between 3 & 4 PM.

Following the Supervisors' meeting, the fourth "Poems Under the Dome"
will be held in City Hall's North Light Court at #1 Dr. Carlton
Goodlett Plaza between 5:30 and 8 PM. ?In the spirit of the City's
vibrant Open Mic scene, this revolutionary soapbox is open to
everyone. ?The event has been popular in the past and Diamond Dave
Whittaker who will coordinate the event asks readers to limit their
contributions to three minutes. ?Space will be provided for poets and
small presses to display their work, bringing the written word into
this year's mix.

"Poems Under The Dome" is the brainchild of poet and gadfly Diamond
Dave Whittaker and enjoys the support of the Mayor's Office, the Board
of Supervisors, and the San Francisco Public Library. ?The event will
celebrate poetry in the most inclusive and exclusively San Francisco
way. ?Come join us, participate, or just listen in and reaffirm that
poetry has a place in the heart of the City.

For further information contact the office of Supervisor John Avalos
at (415) 554-6975 or write AvalosStaff [at] sfgov.org.