Memorial for John Iversen (1949-2018)

If you’re a friend of John Iversen or if you want to learn more about him, check out the video of the Memorial for John Iversen (1949 – 2018). The event was held at the South Berkeley Senior Center, May 5, 2019 in Berkeley, California, was hosted by Dosier Hammond, and recorded by Todd Darling. https://youtu.be/2tVYG4B7L7c John and I were friends from the late sixties till his death. One night in the early seventies, John Iversen and I sat up all night near the front door of our apartment that we shared with four of five other students in Madison, Wisconsin. His old car had been firebombed, supposedly by forces against his involvement with the United Farmworkers. So we kept watch for anyone coming to firebomb our apartment. Nothing happened and what would we have done if something had happened? But we had a good time, laughing, telling stories, taking turns peeking out from behind curtains covering the door’s window. Being an activist with John Iversen was serious, but often full of fun—from his work with the Black Panther Breakfast program in Chicago, to Wounded Knee in 1973, to ACT UP East Bay, to his protesting Berkeley mayor Shirley Dean, by dressing as Shirley Mean in drag in wig and frumpy dress at her open events. As he said, “If you aren’t trying to make a better world, you’re wasting your life.” As you can see from the list of speakers John Iversen had a startling history of varied interests, from activism and human rights, to singing rock and roll then tango, to his work with Native Americans, to teaching yoga. And he pursued each with enormous energy and conviction that he was able to transfer to the rest of us—all while living with AIDS for thirty some years. He was never embarrassed as we might have been at his sometimes silly antics. He was always just himself, wholly authentic. Some highlights you might want to check out if you don’t have the hour to watch the whole program: 0:10 Amar Khalsa on piano

7:01 Wayne Haught and friends play “Wild Horses” by Rolling Stones. Years before he died, John had asked him to play this at his memorial.

15:33 Michael Berkowitz reads the Proclamation from Barbara Lee, local congress person, which was read into US House of Representatives congressional record to honor John Iversen. 21:50 Ezra Goldstein, telling hilarious John Iversen stories from University of Chicago, noting that John could make him feel both proud and embarrassed. How John encouraged actions, even stupid actions, though they might be right. John made us “co-conspirators in the Pride and Embarrassment Cabal.” 25:00 Beth Somers reads her haikus of John’s work on human rights and his award as Social Worker of the Year in Boston. 26:39 Marie Coburn, singer with John in Rhythm and Sleaze Review, talks about their Sutro Baths gig. 31:00 Mark Weider reads a poem for John 36:10 David Modersbach, friend from getting arrested for Needle Exchange and John’s Argentinean Tango singing days 42:00 Tony Gonzalez Director of American Indian Movement (A.I.M.) West in San Francisco spoke of John’s work for the release of Leonard Peltier. He sang in Native language “Have Pity on Me, I Want My People to Live.” Jessie Riddle and Bruce Gali say a few words. 50:00 Wounded Knee performed a ceremony to signify John’s journey to his ancestors. He requested not be recorded. 51:16 Marvin Granlund reads one of his poems in honor of John, clocking in at less than a minute, including introductory remarks!! 52:11 Notes. From Ellen Shaffer read by Dosier Hammond, Ann Magnuson read by Jane Sloan, and Gar Mcvey-Russell read by Francie Sloan 1:04:10 D.J. Lebowitz plays piano versions of John’s songs. MORE JOHN IVERSEN John Iversen Singer on YouTube https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCp4JRwo845TI9XxOWGEOxZA Including the music videos “Chastity Center” by Sian Murray, the original and the revision. “Party on the Streets of New York,” a music video, 1984, with John Iversen and The Stickers. Camera by Dean Snider and John Sloan. Editing by Todd Darling/On Time Offline. Design by Jane Sloan. a memory piece about John Iversen by Jane Sloan. “Portrait of an Activist” is a memory piece about John Iversen created by Jane Sloan. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgSpojwosRU Interview with John Iversen by Jan Schmidt published in Downtown Magazine 10/18/1995, “Playing the Cards You’re Dealt.” http://contactprod.com/janschmidt/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/JohnIversenDowntown10.18.95.pdf Check out and subscribe to In Commemoration of John Iversen on Facebook.