Greetings Peacemakers,

I hope you are well.
Please share with friends, family, and networks.
Let us know if you have a group or organization that would like training, either a one-off or a series of regular training sessions.
Upcoming Training:
4/24 We will offer an ONLINE training on Introduction to Active Bystander Intervention from 10am-3pm EDT with a one hour break. REGISTER HERE. Share on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

4/28 We will offer an ONLINE Anti-Racism Restorative Circle on Microaggressions from 7-8:30pm EDT. REGISTER HERE. Share on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

5/1 We will offer an ONLINE training on Introduction to Restorative Justice from 10am-2pm EDT. REGISTER HERE

5/15 We will offer an ONLINE training on Bystander Intervention and De-Escalation from 10-3pm EDT with a one hour break. REGISTER HERE

5/22 We will offer an ONLINE Restorative Circlekeeper Training for those seeking to facilitate circles from 10-3pm EDT. REGISTER HERECNVC++ Spring Series in MayThis CNVC++ series of workshops is rooted in Compassionate Nonviolent Communication framework (CNVC) and expanded with supporting modalities to explore how we interact with our Self, Others, and our Environment,  incorporating theory and practice, and grounded with evidence from science.

We will offer ONLINEI-messages, Centering & Intention Setting for Clarity in Communicationon Wednesday, May 5th 12-1:30pm or 7-8:30pm EDT or Sunday, May 9th 7-8:30pm EDT. REGISTER HERE
We will offer ONLINE Judgments, Accusations & Assumptions on Wednesday, May 12th 12-1:30pm or 7-8:30pm EDT or Sunday, May 16th 7-8:30pm EDT  REGISTER HERE
We will offer ONLINE Exploring Belonging on Wednesday, May 19th 12-1:30pm or 7-8:30pm EDT or Sunday, May 23rd 7-8:30pm EDT  REGISTER HERE
We will offer ONLINE Beyond Cancel Culture ~ Forgiveness, Acceptance & Accountability on Wednesday, May 26th 12-1:30pm or 7-8:30pm EDT or Sunday, May 30th 7-8:30pm EDT  REGISTER HERE

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With Hope,
Eli

  I will venture a guess that many of you did not know of the remarkable life of Richard Deats.  I became acquainted with the Fellowship of Reconciliation when representatives spoke in Indiana, PA, the home of Jimmy Stewart.  As an avid reader of the Fellowship I became acquainted with his writings.  And I met him in Nyack, NY when I applied for a job with FOR.  While I did not get the job, we did have a wonderful conversation.

  Imagine if he decided to become a politician or a member of the military, you would have seen him interviewed on television.  Alas peace activists, pacifists and believers of nonviolence are taboo for the mainstream media.  I frequently cringe when the likes of Ted Cruz or a bevy of generals are asked to comment on a crisis.  They bloviate, and avoid talking about the ills of the US Empire.  Will there be a day when a Richard Deats will be on cable television?  Kagiso, Max

Remembering Rev. Richard Deats, a life-long peace movement leader and influential teacher of nonviolence

•   Obituary

Remembering Rev. Richard Deats, a life-long peace movement leader and influential teacher of nonviolence

A prolific writer and speaker, Rev. Deats strengthened grassroots movements by leading nonviolent action trainings in conflict zones around the world.

Ethan Vesely-Flad and Rev. John Dear April 7, 2021

Rev. Richard Deats, a long-time global peace movement leader and one of the most influential teachers of the philosophy and practice of nonviolent action in 20th century movements, died in Nyack, New York on April 7 from complications related to pneumonia, according to his son, Mark Deats. He was 89.

Rev. Rich

As a long-time leader of the global peace movement organization, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and editor of Fellowship magazine, Richard Deats was one of the most well respected, well connected, and most influential peace movement leaders in the United States and the world during the last half of the 20th century,” said Rev. John Dear, a close friend and former executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, or FOR.

“Deats worked closely with peace leaders around the world, including Martin Luther King, Jr., Coretta Scott King, Rev. Jim Lawson and other civil rights leaders, several of Mahatma Gandhi’s heirs, Thich Nhat Hanh and various Buddhist leaders, Rev. Daniel Berrigan, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu,” Dear said. Deats joined Mrs. King at the White House when Ronald Reagan signed into law the national holiday honoring Martin Luther King, Jr.

In the early 1980s, Deats helped organize and present hundreds of workshops on nonviolence attended by tens of thousands of people throughout the Philippines which laid the groundwork for the People Power nonviolence movement that brought down the Ferdinand Marcos dictatorship in 1986. He also led 13 peace delegations to the Soviet Union in the 1980s that helped ease tensions and build relations at the height of the Cold War.

Born on February 8, 1932 in Big Spring, Texas, Deats attended McMurry College in Abilene, Texas in the early 1950s, where he became active in the Methodist Student Movement. Deats’ life changed one day in 1951 when as an undergraduate he heard the British pacifist leader Muriel Lester speak about Gandhi and nonviolence.

Lester was on a global speaking tour on behalf of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, and had been a close friend of Mahatma Gandhi, who stayed with her for three months in London during the 1931 Round Table Conference. Lester convinced Deats that Gandhi’s methodology of nonviolent change worked better than violence, and that Christianity was also rooted in nonviolence.

Deats soon became involved with the U.S. branch of the Fellowship of Reconciliation and volunteered the following summer to work in a refugee camp in Germany. Deats later published an anthology of Lester’s writings, “Ambassador of Reconciliation: A Muriel Lester Reader.”

Deats enrolled at the Perkins School of Theology at Southern Methodist University and was elected student body president as well as president of the Texas Methodist Student Movement. There he formed a close friendship with Walter Wink, who would later write a series of groundbreaking books on Christian nonviolence.

Coretta Scott King called Deats “one of America’s most knowledgeable and dedicated advocates of nonviolence … an activist who has not only written about nonviolence, but has also ‘walked the walk.’”

In 1956, Richard married Janice Baggett, and they moved to Boston to study for his Ph.D. in social ethics at the Boston University School of Theology, where Rev. Howard Thurman, an acclaimed African-American theologian and preacher (and dedicated FOR member), was a faculty member and dean of Marsh Chapel, and where a young Martin Luther King, Jr. had just graduated with a doctorate.

In 1958, Deats and a few other students drove South for Christmas vacation. Deats had written earlier to King saying that he and other seminarians from Boston University planned to attend his Sunday morning worship service when they passed through Montgomery. That morning during the service, King asked the young seminarians from Boston to stand, and the congregation welcomed them with applause. After the service, they shook King’s hand, thanked him for his work with the bus boycott and his sermon that morning, and started to leave.

“Where are you going?” King asked. “Mrs. King is cooking a meal in your honor.” And so Richard and his friends spent the afternoon with the Kings, talking about theology, the scriptures and nonviolence. They remained friends for the rest of their lives.

Deats later served on the Martin Luther King Federal Holiday Commission, which led Mrs. King to invite him to be her guest to President Reagan’s signing ceremony in the Rose Garden in November 1983.

In her foreword to his book, “Martin Luther King, Jr.: Spirit-Led Prophet,” Coretta Scott King called Deats “one of America’s most knowledgeable and dedicated advocates of nonviolence … an activist who has not only written about nonviolence, but has also ‘walked the walk’ in numerous nonviolent action campaigns.”

In 1959, Deats accepted an assignment with the Methodist Board of Mission to serve in Manila, capital of the Philippines, as minister to Knox Methodist Church, one of the largest English-speaking churches in Asia, where he lived and worked for the rest of the decade. He also taught at the Union Theological Seminary in Palapala, Cavite, the Philippines.

Rev. Richard Deats participating in a protest against the U.S. war in Vietnam. (WNV/Brooks Anderson)

During those years, in protest of the growing U.S. war in Vietnam, Deats organized the Committee of Americans for Peace in Indochina, and led regular peace vigils outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila. In 1967, Southern Methodist University Press published Deats’ book “Nationalism and Christianity in the Philippines.”

Working with the International Fellowship of Reconciliation, he helped organize the first speaking tour of a young Vietnamese Buddhist monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, who would later become a world-renowned author and teacher of Buddhist mindfulness and would be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by King. Thich Nhat Hanh stayed with Deats and his family in Manila in 1965 and they remained colleagues for decades.

In 1972, Deats accepted a position at the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s national office in Nyack, New York, where he would live and work for the rest of his life.

For the next three decades, he traveled the world and promoted peace, nonviolence and reconciliation through FOR, much as Muriel Lester did in the 1950s. He wrote countless articles, gave many speeches, and led innumerable trainings on active nonviolence as a methodology for grassroots movements and social change.

He gave workshops and lectures on virtually every continent, primarily in conflict zones, from apartheid South Africa to Cold War Europe; in dictator-led countries in Asia, the Pacific and South America; in the conflict-ravaged Middle East and impoverished Haiti.

In the 1970s, Deats traveled to South Korea during the military dictatorship of Park Chung-Hee. “Though I was followed by the Korean CIA throughout most of my visit, my hosts arranged for me to do unannounced nonviolence trainings and speak to various audiences. It was on that trip that I met with the Korean Gandhi, Quaker Ham Sok-Hon.”

He used his experience of holding “unannounced” workshops in Korea in other oppressed countries for the next 25 years. Most significantly, he began offering workshops on nonviolence at the University of the Philippines in the early 1980s.

“If a global democratic civilization is to come into being and endure, our challenge is to continue developing nonviolent alternatives to war and all forms of oppression”

– Rev. Richard Deats

Stefan Merken, a close friend and leader with the Jewish Peace Fellowship, accompanied Deats on one three-week teaching tour. “Jesuit priest and peace movement leader Rev. Jose Blanco (who had earlier been arrested and charged with plotting to oust the Marcos regime) had invited Deats to teach at the University of the Philippines,” Merken said. “Everywhere we went, people looked at Richard as if he was Gandhi. Crowds of people waited to see him. He was so respected.”

Deats became part of the International Fellowship of Reconciliation training program that offered workshops on the methodology of nonviolence throughout the Philippines in 1985 and 1986, which paved the way to the peaceful People Power revolution. In February 1986, over a million people nonviolently took to the streets of Manila, forcing Marcos to flee and leading to the installation of Corazon “Cory” Aquino as the 11th president of the Philippines.

In the 1980s, Deats also coordinated FOR’s efforts to promote reconciliation between the United States and USSR, and led 13 peace delegations to the Soviet Union. “The fear in those early trips,” Deats later recalled, “changed increasingly to anticipation as grassroots diplomacy began to build an almost irresistible tide of friendship between East and West.”

During those trips, Deats coordinated nonviolence workshops in Moscow, Tashkent, and Leningrad, using King’s Six Principles of Nonviolence, which had been translated into Russian, according to Liliane Kshensky Baxter, one of the participants and then-director of nonviolence training at The King Center. Copies of those handouts were tacked up on the walls of the streets of Moscow by the Russian peace organization Golubka in the days leading to the end of the Soviet Union.

In 1987, Deats and his friend Walter Wink led workshops on active nonviolence in Lesotho for anti-apartheid liberation activists. The South African Council of Churches had invited them to teach nonviolence throughout South Africa, but the apartheid regime refused them entry.

Richard Deats and Yasser Arafat. (FOR)

In the early 1990s, he helped coordinate an interfaith peace effort in Iraq and met with Yasser Arafat and the PLO in Tunis to promote peace and reconciliation. He also traveled to Burma where he met with pro-democracy groups and promoted nonviolence, as well as with indigenous leaders in Ecuador. Over the years, he spoke on nonviolence and led other peace delegations in India, Bangladesh, Iran, Japan, Thailand, Haiti, Kenya, Lithuania, Colombia, Palestine and Israel.

Deats had been appointed FOR’s interfaith point person in the 1980s, so he began to reach out and promote Kingian nonviolence with religious leaders across the spectrum. “In my work with Jews, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Bahai, Jains, indigenous peoples, and many Christian denominations,” Deats later recalled, “I have been greatly enriched by their various traditions of compassion, love and devotion.” FOR’s movement had been founded by Protestant Christians at the start of World War I, and though it had included Roman Catholics and Jews since the mid-20th century, Deats’ dedicated efforts encouraged its multi-faith intentions to flower.

In the 1990s, he became editor of FOR’s magazine, Fellowship, and published a series of books. Besides those on Muriel Lester and King, he wrote biographies of Mahatma Gandhi and Hildegard Goss-Mayr, the Austrian peace movement leader, as well as his collection, “Stories of Courage, Hope, and Compassion” and his book of jokes, “How to Keep Laughing – Even Though You’ve Considered All the Facts.”“ There are many times when if we didn’t laugh, we would be crying,” Archbishop Tutu wrote of that book. “Thank goodness for Richard Deats.”

Deats’ 1996 essay “The Global Spread of Active Nonviolence” was published in journals around the world, and was one of the first to demonstrate the global power of engaged nonviolence as a methodology of social transformation that works more effectively than violent protest or violent rebellion.

Rev. Richard Deats with Thich Nhat Hanh and Rev. John Dear. (WNV/John Dear)

“What if in 1980 someone had predicted that unarmed Filipinos would overthrow the Marcos dictatorship in a four-day uprising?” he wrote. “That military regimes across Latin America would be toppled by the relentless persistence of their unarmed opponents? That apartheid would end peacefully and that in a massive and peaceful plebiscite all races of South Africa would elect Nelson Mandela to the presidency? That the Berlin Wall would be nonviolently brought down? Such a person would probably have been thought ridiculously naïve and dismissed out of hand. And yet those things happened!”

Deats concluded that active nonviolence has become a powerful, central force in the role of global liberation movements. While some have described the 20th century as the most violent in human history, Deats spoke hopefully of the growing awareness of the teachings of Gandhi and King, and argued persuasively that their influence will have lasting impact on our shared future.

“If a global democratic civilization is to come into being and endure, our challenge is to continue developing nonviolent alternatives to war and all forms of oppression,” he added. “We must continue to challenge the age-old assumption about the necessity of violence in overcoming injustice, resisting oppression and establishing social well-being.”

Deats is survived by his wife, Jan of Nyack, New York; their four children, Mark of River Vale, New Jersey; Stephen of Brooklyn, New York, Katherine of New York City; and Lisa of Jerusalem; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

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Ethan Vesely-Flad

Ethan Vesely-Flad is director of national organizing at the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR-USA). He connects and supports FOR members and chapters, builds and strengthens campaigns, and leads the Fellowship’s communication strategy. He previously served as editor of The Witness, GraceOnline, and Fellowship magazine, and his writings have also been published in Colorlines, The Source, the Huffington Post, Episcopal Life, and other media outlets. Born in Harlem, raised in Poughkeepsie, and formed in Oakland, Ethan now lives with his family in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina.

Rev. John Dear

Rev. John Dear is a longtime peace activist, organizer, and former executive director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation. He is currently the executive director of the Beatitudes Center for the Nonviolent Jesus where he offers regular zoom workshops. He was nominated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu for the Nobel Peace Prize. For more, visit: www.johndear.org

TAGS: MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR., PHILIPPINES, SOUTH KOREA, TRAINING, UNITED STATES

MORE BY ETHAN VESELY-FLAD AND REV. JOHN DEAR

Donations can be sent to Max Obuszewski, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, 431 Notre Dame Lane, Apt. 206, Baltimore, MD 21212.  Ph: 410-323-1607; Email: mobuszewski2001 [at] comcast.net. Go to http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

“The master class has always declared the wars; the subject class has always fought the battles. The master class has had all to gain and nothing to lose, while the subject class has had nothing to gain and everything to lose–especially their lives.” Eugene Victor Debs

A Tax Day Like No Other: Teach-in

April 15 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm

Pressing for our budget priorities amid pandemic, economic and climate crises and new Cold Wars

As we move into the post-pandemic, Biden era, it’s time to change what we buy with our tax dollars. The pandemic and the resulting economic crisis illuminated glaring inequalities and the human costs of budget priorities that enrich the wealthy and left people unable to protect their health, hungry and homeless, while the military-industrial complex drowns in super-profits and paves the way for new and dangerous Cold Wars. Trillions have been spent chasing demons abroad and “bad hombres” at our borders, but Covid-19 bring us to our knees.

The Biden Rescue Plan, with the child tax credit, unemployment, child and family care provisions, is bringing relief and hope to millions of Americans. But now the work begins to impact Congress debates over the national budget paid for by our taxes.

Our Call:

• Make the Rescue Plan’s safety net provisions permanent 
• Fund housing, healthcare for all, and education – forgive college loans
• Pass the job creating, GREEN infrastructure bill
• Tax the 1% and big corporations; create a wealth tax so everyone pays their fair share
• Repeal the Trump $2 trillion tax cuts 
• Cut the Pentagon’s gargantuan budget to pay for what we need
• Defund new nuclear weapons, cut F-35 and B-1 bomber

Teach-in Speakers: Lindsay Koshgarian, National Priorities Project; Michael Kane, Massachusetts Alliance of HUD Tenants; more to come.  Register to attend.

Organized by:  Massachusetts Peace Action, Massachusetts Alliance of HUD Tenants, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, New England War Tax Resistance, American Friends Service Committee – Northeast Region, Maine Peace Action, Peace Action New York State (list in formation)

 For more information:  info@masspeaceaction.org, 617-354-2169

1-minute action needed to override veto of Maryland chlorpyrifos

Maryland’s children need a ban on toxic chlorpyrifos!‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ We need your help today to overturn Governor Hogan’s veto of a bill to ban the toxic pesticide chlorpyrifos! A bi-partisan majority of Maryland lawmakers found the chlorpyrifos ban so urgent and so compelling that they passed it in the final moments of the legislative session that finished early due to COVID-19. It was supported by numerous scientists, public health officials—including the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Maryland State Medical Society—farmers, and environmental advocates. So, we were deeply disappointed when Governor Hogan vetoed the bill (SB 300).Now we need your help to ensure your legislators OVERRIDE the Governor’s veto!

The last four years with Trump has been a terrible time for our community and we’re all ready for a bright new beginning with the Biden Administration. It also means we can pursue a foreign policy based on peace and diplomacy — and building political power for our community starts with YOU at the grassroots level. 

Please join the Colorado chapters of the National Iranian American Council, J-Street, Jewish Voice for Peace, the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), and the University of Denver’s Center for Middle East Studies on Thursday, January 21 at 7:30pm ET for a virtual panel event on the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA).The event will feature insights from Nader Hashemi (Center for Middle East Studies), Trita Parsi (Quincy Institute), Barbara Slavin (Atlantic Council), Hassan El-Tayyab (FCNL), and Dylan Williams (J Street), on what the incoming Biden administration should know about how it connects to safeguarding U.S. interests, while promoting peace and stability in the Middle East.

2-minute video explains why a chlorpyrifos veto is needed, you can create additional social posts and link to this YouTube video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUn_AI24NxY

Cuba/USPeople to People Partnership  December 8, 2020    Join a zoom update on travel to Cuba during the Biden-Harris Administration  Celebrate the sixth anniversary of the announcement of US-Cuba diplomatic relations  Thursday, December 17, 5 p.m. ET for further information and a registration link, click here  Speakers·     Professor William LeoGrande, American University·     Tom Popper, Founder, Insight Cuba·     Rita McNiff, Founder, Like a Cuban·     Collin Laverty, Founder, Cuba Educational Trave·     John McAuliff, Moderator, Cuba/US People to People Partnership  Not so long ago…A moment of silence for victims of terrorism in Europe united American and Cuban leadersat the March 2016 exhibition baseball game in Havana. (NY Daily News story and photos here.)  Holiday Greetings  For everyone in the world, it has been a challenging year. For victims of Covid-19, it was a tragedy. For people whose livelihood depended on travel or international educational exchange, it has been a disaster. Those of us with friends and family in Cuba are aware of the devastating economic impact from the loss of foreign visitor revenue and shortages of imported food and consumer goods. The next six weeks will be difficult, not least because of the surge of illness and the limits on family celebrations of the holidays in both countries. But the future looks better. Covid vaccines will save many lives and allow large scale travel to resume by late spring or the summer. The election of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris promises the return of rational governance and problem solving. Cuba is making hard decisions for essential economic reform, including unification of currencies and opportunity for small and medium businesses. If the Biden-Harris Administration carries out promises made during the campaign (reported here), we can expect as rapid a return to Obama level travel to Cuba as Covid-19 permits. Our zoom program on December 17th will provide the latest information available from policy specialists and practitioners. However, we cannot take this for granted, see below. Warm wishes for the best holiday you can manage. Abrazos. — John McAuliff   Undo Trump’s Damage Build Back Better  An Appeal to the Biden-Harris Transition Team  Within days of the Biden-Harris victory, the push back on Cuba policy started. An anonymous “top” foreign policy adviser to Biden was reported to have said the Democrat would “reverse the decisions that are separating families, limitations on family travel and remittances” but “we can’t turn back the clock to January 2017.”   An often cited but overrated economic expert wrote that for reasons of domestic politics, relations “will not soon return to the United States-Republic of Cuba bilateral commercial, economic, and political landscape that existed prior to 20 January 2017”. He predicted continued restrictions on remittances and harsh limits on travel by non Cuban-Americans as well as prohibitions on cruises and American use of state owned hotels and restaurants. Fortunately an Op Ed in the New York Times by Robert Malley, President of the International Crisis Group and a highly regarded Biden adviser, counseled that restoring Obama’s policy on Cuba was low lying fruit to be harvested quickly. Suffice to say there are interest groups that want to convince Biden-Harris to delay doing anything and to use restoration of Obama’s policies as new leverage for regime change because of the economic hardships Cuba faces. A full account of the ongoing conflict can be read by clicking here. My goal now is to focus on what all of us can do to encourage the Biden-Harris transition to fulfill its pledges to quickly restore Obama’s Cuba policies. They must follow the lead of substantial majorities of Americans, including Cuban Americans (poll data here). Failure to do so can bring a backlash of disappointment from their own supporters. Delay in undoing Trump’s egregious damage will make it harder for them to build back better in a timely way. It will undermine going beyond Obama to legislatively end all travel and agricultural sales restrictions. As importantly postponement will frustrate pro-reform opinion in Cuba and damage livelihoods in the re-emerging private sector. The Biden-Harris team will notice if you reach out personally to Transition members or through someone who can reach out directly to them. (See the list here.) They will notice if we generate a big audience for the zoom program on December 17th. They will notice if we get hundreds or of endorsements from travel industry and educational exchange professionals, independent travelers and policy experts on our Appeal for Action. Please add your name and business or organization. Click here to sign our Appeal to Biden-Harris   photo of the Malecon by Norlys Pérez Padrón   New Wrinkles on the Havana Syndrome  A clear obstacle to reestablishing fully functioning embassies and consulates in Havana and Washington are the mysterious maladies that afflicted intelligence and diplomatic personnel in the US and Canadian embassies four years ago. Neither government has been particularly forthcoming. The Trump Administration fled the scene of the crime, completely surrendering to its perpetrator. It provided limited evidence to the Cubans, enabling them to dismiss the charges as phony or psychosomatic. It appeared that neither side wanted to find out what really happened or who was responsible. The National Academies of Sciences (NAS) finally produced a scientific assessment that the State Department tried to hide for four months. It was “leaked” to NBC and to the New York Times. The full report can be downloaded here or read on-line here. The conclusion that was acknowledged as only “the most plausible mechanism” alleged that “directed, pulsed radiofrequency energy” was responsible but did not identify the source. The State Department acknowledged that “each possible cause remains speculative”. A more credible study produced by Dalhousie University in Canada more than a year ago identified chemical neurotoxins as the cause of similar health problems faced by Canadian staff in Havana. It can be read here but was dismissed by NAS on pages 20-23. The Canadians speculated that the source was over application of insecticide. An alternative theory is topical application in homes and hotel rooms where symptoms were experienced.    New Resources  Dr. Jill Biden’s Cultural Exchange Visit to Camague and Havana on a White House Video “‘In difficult times’: the tango of normalization” by Rafael Hernandez, Editor of Temas, originally published in On Cuba, reposted here “Science and economic development in Cuba” by Ricardo Torres in Progreso Weekly “Biden Tells Ortega & Maduro Not to Get Their Hopes Up”, a dialog about Cuba between Circles Robinson, editor of Havana Times and John McAuliff “Biden Won. What Now for U.S.-Cuba Relations?” A perceptive newsletter compiled by the Cuba Study Group “How Cuban Americans in Miami View U.S. Policies Toward Cuba” The 2020 Cuba Poll by Florida International University “USAID targets Cuban tourism” report by Tracey Easton for the Cuba Money Project “The War on Cuba Documentary Tells the Story of the U.S. Embargo” an interview by Julia Thomas for NACLA. Link to Episode 3 on Cuba’s international medical teams is here. Concert for Cuba produced by HothouseGlobal, a three hour tribute to Cuba’s medical assistance during Covid with multiple musicians and messages of appreciation from a solidarity perspective  We post previously listed resources here   Ares poster of President Obama’s arrival in Havana. A perfect holiday gift. Only 3 copies available until travel to Havana is possible. Donate $100 to support our work with Cuba. To obtain, donate here and send your shipping address here.  Sign our Appeal to Biden-Harris Visit our website Visit our blog Subscribe to our newsletters Donate here to keep this newsletter coming

Prosecuting Defenders of Sovereignty: A People’s Briefing

February 10 @ 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm at 1301 Connecticut Ave., NW, 6^th Floor, Washington, DC 20036

Sponsored by Institute for Policy Studies

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At Peace Camp, we use art, games, and presentations to teach children (ages 4 – 14) mindfulness, empathy, anger management, conflict resolution, and self-empowerment.

To learn more visit peacecamp@lffp.org, contact lffp.org or see attachment.

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Hi Friends of the Environment, Join us for the Annual Environmental Legislative Summit on Wednesday,  January 29 in Annapolis from 4-6pm>>   It’s only week 2, and the 2020 Maryland General Assembly Legislative Session is well underway. A new year, new legislature, new bills to protect our air, land, water, and communities! Learn more about: A plastic bag ban: This bill ensures that Maryland will align with many municipalities in the state to prohibit stores from distributing plastic bags to customers at the point of sale. It will require stores to charge at least 10 cents for paper bags provided to customers and establish a Single-Use Products Working Group to study and make recommendations regarding single-use plastic products and report its findings to the Governor and the General Assembly. Let’s get trash incineration out of the RPS: a follow-up bill from last year’s successful Clean Energy Jobs Act to clean up the Renewable Portfolio Standard and remove trash incineration as a tier-one source of renewable energy in Maryland – stopping state subsidies for this toxic practice. A Chlorpyrifos Ban: Chlorpyrifos is a toxic nerve agent pesticide that has been found to damage children’s brain development, contaminate waterways, and injure wildlife. After years of study, the EPA concluded that all uses of chlorpyrifos result in unsafe levels of exposure and was set to ban it. Unfortunately, the Trump administration halted that decision, putting Marylanders’ health and our environment at great risk. This bill would prohibit the use of this toxic pesticide. Veto Override of the Oyster Bill: Last year we had a very important victory when the Maryland General Assembly passed the Oyster Fishery Management Plan (HB720/SB830) that set up a scientifically driven, consensus-based stakeholder process to develop the Oyster Fishery Management Plan. But Governor Hogan vetoed the bill, this would override that veto. Together we can build the future we all know we need. We can’t do it without you. I look forward to seeing you in Annapolis at 4:00pm on Wednesday, January 29, Kim Coble, Maryland LCV    Together with our partners in the environmental community, we will present on the hot topics for the 2020 session and showcase unique opportunities for you to get involved. Wednesday, January 29 Miller Senate Office Building 11 Bladen Street, Annapolis, MD 21401 Open to All – Free Admission Summit: 4 PM – 6 PM Share this invite with your neighbors and encourage them to attend.    Together with our partners in the environmental community, we will provide crucial information on these critical environmental topics and showcase unique opportunities for you to get involved at our annual Environmental Legislative Summit on Wednesday, January 29 Gather your family and friends – everyone’s invited! An impressive attendance will further demonstrate to our lawmakers just how seriously Marylanders consider these issues. Kindly RSVP today. Connect With Us    Contact Info: Maryland LCV 30 West Street Suite C Annapolis, MD 21401 United States www.mdlcv.org unsubscribe   PS: If you haven’t already signed up for our weekly Hotlists, make sure you fill out the form today to get all the latest environmental legislative news!

The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival and national co-chairs Rev. Barber and Rev. Theoharis are organizing a 22-state “We Must Do MORE Tour! from September 2019 to May 2020. The WE MUST DO MOUR TOUR is coming to Washington, DC on January 29th! This tour will lead into the Mass Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington DC, where thousands of poor people and moral agents will gather at the nation’s capital on June 20, 2020 to demonstrate their power. We will demand the implementation of our Moral Agenda and call all people of conscience to engage in deeply moral civic engagement and voting that cares about poor and low-wealth people, the sick, immigrants, workers, the environment, people with disabilities, first nations, the LGBTQ community, and peace over war. DC is the 11th stop on the tour! If you’re able to volunteer, please click here: Yes, I’ll volunteer! If you can’t volunteer but you’re able to make it, be sure to rsvp here: https://bit.ly/DCMORE and share the flyer to social media. We hope you’ll join poor and directly impacted people, faith leaders, and those of moral conscious as we challenge the nation to do MORE! We are committed to mobilizing, organizing, registering, and educating our communities to address systemic racism, poverty and inequality, the war economy and militarism, ecological devastation, and our nation’s distorted moral narrative of religious nationalism. See you January 29th! ~The DC PPC Leadership Team

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Please join the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Columbia Social Justice Committee (UUCC) for an evening with Daniel Kovalik on his talk entitled: “Understanding U.S. Intervention in Venezuela, Colombia, and Central America. Monday, April 29 at 6:30 PM, Owen Brown Interfaith Center, 7246 Cradlerock Way, Columbia, MD 21045.

Learn why so many people are fleeing to the United States and how U.S. policy and practices contribute to this migration.  Following the presentation there will be a Q&A session.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Daniel Kovalik currently teaches International Human Rights at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. He also served for over 25 years as Associate General Counsel of the United Steelworkers, AFL-CIO (USW). He began working for the USW after graduating from Columbia Law School in 1993. While with the USW, he served as lead counsel on cutting-edge labor law litigation, including the landmark NLRB cases of Lamons Gasket and Specialty Health Care. He has also worked on Alien Tort Claims Act cases against The Coca-Cola Company, Drummond and Occidental Petroleum – cases arising out of egregious human rights abuses in Colombia. The Christian Science Monitor, referring to his work defending Colombian unionists under threat of assassination, recently described Mr. Kovalik as “one of the most prominent defenders of Colombian workers in the United States.” Mr. Kovalik received the David W. Mills Mentoring Fellowship from Stanford University School of Law and was the recipient of the Project Censored Award for his article exposing the unprecedented killing of trade unionists in Colombia. He has written extensively on the issue of international human rights and U.S. foreign policy for the Huffington Post and Counterpunch and has lectured throughout the world on these subjects.

The books he has written are: “The Plot to Control the World: How the US Spent Billions to Change the Outcome of Elections Around the World” and “The Plot to Attack Iran: How the CIA and the Deep State Have Conspired to Vilify Iran.”

 

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The amazing list of speakers and musicians just keeps growing!

April 3-4, 2019, in Washington, D.C., we’ll celebrate peace and unwelcome NATO!

Wednesday, April 3 at St. Stephen’s Church, 1525 Newton St NW, Washington, D.C. 20010:
12:00 p.m. � 4:00 p.m.: Screenprinting for Justicee Workshop with The Sanctuaries DC, and Nonviolent Action Prep with Nadine Bloch of Beautiful Trouble (munch on vegan snacks, make art, and plan for the April 4 protest). If you’re a nonviolent activism trainer and want to help, please fill out this form.
5:00 p.m. � 7:00 p.m.: Keynote Speeches + Biting CComedic Entertainment with Lee Camp ( Full list of speakers)
8:00 p.m. � 10:00 p.m.: Spoken word by Eleanor Goldfield and live music by Eric Colville & Ryan Harvey & Megaciph.
5:00 p.m. � 10:00 p.m.:Screenprinting, Art Exhibits & Activity Booths + Vegan Food & Drink

REGISTER TO RESERVE YOUR SPOT.

Thursday, April 4
Plans include a procession from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial to a rally at Freedom Plaza, and nonviolent demonstrations outside the NATO meeting. Plans are subject to change when we learn when and where NATO is meeting. Tentatively, we plan to meet at the MLK Memorial at 11 a.m. and hear speakers until noon. At noon we will set off to Independence Ave, then up 17th Street to a right on Constitution Ave., up 15th Street to a right on Pennsylvania Ave, then two blocks to Freedom Plaza. We will be there until 3 p.m. for a rally with speakers and music. ( Full list of speakers)

World BEYOND War is a global network of volunteers, activists, and allied organizations advocating for the abolition of the very institution of war. Our success is driven by a people-powered movement � 
support our work for a culture of peace. 

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Reel and Meal at the New Deal Screens

The Invisible Vegan

Monday, March 18, 2019

 

On Monday, March 18, Reel and Meal will feature The Invisible Vegan, at the New Deal Café, 113 Centerway in Greenbelt’s Roosevelt Center. (The café is accessible by Metro Buses G12, 13, 14 and 16 from the Greenbelt Metro station.) A delicious optional vegan meal ($14.00) at 6:30 PM is followed by the free screening beginning at 7 PM. Please plan to arrive on time due to strong interest in this month’s event.

The Invisible Vegan 

The Invisible Vegan is a 90-minute, independent documentary that explores the problem of unhealthy dietary patterns in the African-American community, foregrounding the health and wellness possibilities enabled by plant-based vegan diets and lifestyle choices. Over the past three decades, coronary heart disease and diabetes have steadily grown as the leading causes of health problems in America, disproportionately impacting the African-American community in particular.

This documentary offers both historical and contemporary perspectives on the dietary trends among African-Americans, showing how intertwined histories of slavery, twentieth-century socioeconomic inequalities, and the rise of Big Food have led to the increased consumption and dependence of meat, processed junk, and fast food. Starring Jasmine Leyva, Cedric the Entertainer, John Salley, Stic of Dead Prez and Tracye McQuirter. 

Three guest panelists for the evening include Naijha, Antonio Simpson and Brenda Sanders. Naijha is the co-owner The Land of Kush, a vegan soul food bistro in Baltimore. Through Naijha’s strategic marketing initiatives the restaurant experienced exponential growth within four years of opening. She develops relationships and collaborates with local businesses, non-profit organizations, and schools and churches who share in the mission of promoting dietary, ethical, or environmental veganism. Naijha is the Executive Director of the Black Veg Society of Maryland, and co-founder and organizer of the annual Vegan Soulfest and semi-annual Maryland Vegan Restaurant Week. She has spoken widely in Maryland and DC and has been featured on radio and TV shows

Antonio Simpson, the Vegan Mechanic, is a plant-based cook that specializes in veganizing many comfort foods to help raise awareness of the fact eating a vegan diet does not have to be all about salads. His goal is to set a good example of eating and making delicious foods and helping others transition.

Brenda Sanders is Executive Director of Afro-Vegan Society, Co-Founder of Thrive Baltimore Community Resource Center, and Co-Owner of The Greener Kitchen Vegan Deli. She also organizes large vegan events like Vegan SoulFest, the Vegan Mac ‘n Cheese Championship and the Vegan Street Fair. Brenda works to promote veganism as a solution to many of the issues currently faced by people in marginalized communities.

78-year-old, plant-powered, current ultra marathoner, world-record-setter, Betty Smith, PhD, will introduce the film.

This month’s program is sponsored by Green Vegan Networking. For more information, contact Barbara Glick at bsglick@gmail.com or Cam MacQueen at 443.221.0519. For more information about Reel and Meal, go to reelandmeal@newdealcafe.com. Or go to https://www.newdealcafe.com/events/reel-and-meal/

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Webinar: why NATO is not a peace-keeping organization:

Join us on Thursday, March 7 at 1:00pm Eastern Time to set the record straight about why NATO is not a peace-keeping organization.

What: Free Webinar: No to NATO, Yes to Peace
When: Thursday, March 7, 1:00pm-2:00pm Eastern Time (GMT-05:00)
Where: Your computer or telephone! 
RSVP for instructions on how to join.

The mainstream media paints a false picture that NATO promotes peace, but we know that it has repeatedly violated international law, and bombed numerous countries, including Serbia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo. 

Don’t take my word for it; hear it directly from our panelists, who have first-hand experience with NATO:

• Ana Maria Gower is a Serbian-British mixed media artist and a survivor of the NATO bombings of Yugoslavia and its capital – Belgrade. Being a 10-year-old in a war zone, she witnessed the destruction caused by NATO involvement both during the conflict and for years after.
• Jovanni Reyes enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1993 and deployed to the Balkans in 1996 as part of NATO’s first ever military intervention, which culminated in the dismemberment of Yugoslavia into six statelets. Jovanni is now the member coordinator of About Face: Veterans Against the War.
• Kristine Karch is the Co-Chair of the No to War/No to NATO Network, based in Europe. She has organized countless No to NATO panels, counter-summits, and demonstrations to raise awareness about NATO’s destructive impact and the EU’s cooperation with it.

Don’t miss this informative conversation with Ana, Jovanni, and Kristine. RSVP to join us.

P.S. I hope to meet you in person at the No to NATO – Yes to Peace Fest on April 3-4 in Washington, DC, to unwelcome the arrival of the largest military alliance in the world.

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Venezuela’s Crisis: Divided Country in a Divided Continent 

This webinar is part of our People’s Agenda Webinar Series. By registering for this webinar you will get updates about future webinar events (you can unsubscribe from our email list at anytime). 
Please submit any questions to: corina@globalexchange.org

Date Time: Jan 31, 2019 5:00 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada) 

Join from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone or Android device:

Please click this URL to join. https://zoom.us/w/785722926?tk=QHj4Gnmlm_-9qoo4pXnKS3dRpftLUwg03pGr5GraF3k.DQEAAAAALtUuLhYwb2JTTTE4NVFVcXZYbXdiWk1GU2dRAA&uuid=WN_GaI7z7m-QBu499gYYFmQnA
Note: This link should not be shared with others; it is unique to you.
Add to Calendar   Add to Google Calendar   Add to Yahoo Calendar

Description: Venezuela’s economic and political crisis reached a new crisis point last week as opposition leader Juan Guaido denounced sitting president Nicolas Maduro
and declared himself president and called for new elections.

What stunned many observers was that Guaido’s challenge was backed by most members states of the “Grupo de Lima” (excepting Mexico). The Trump Administration –deep in the midst of its own legitimacy crisis, has joined the fray, even going so far as to threaten military intervention.

Join us this Thursday @ 5PM PT / 7PM CT / 8PM ET. We’ve invited a Venezuelan scholar, a Mexican journalist and an renowned anti-war activist to help sort through the tangle of information and disinformation coming our way. 

Or iPhone one-tap :

US: +16699006833,,785722926# or +19294362866,,785722926#

Or Telephone:

Dial(for higher quality, dial a number based on your current location):     
US: +1 669 900 6833 or +1 929 436 2866 
Webinar ID: 785 722 926 
International numbers available: https://zoom.us/u/aEYBHxds4

 

Hands off Venezuela! No Coup, No Sanctions, No War Protest US aggression against Venezuela The pro-U.S. opposition leader Juan Guaido has declared himself president of Venezuela, and President Trump immediately recognized him as the legitimate president as opposed to the democratically elected Nicolás Maduro Moros. This is nothing less than a U.S.-sponsored coup – Washington’s idea of bringing “democracy” to a country that refuses to surrender to the U.S. goal of dominating the region. And Trump has already raised the possibility of invading Venezuela, Please sign the petition from the Alliance for Global Justice to oppose interference in Venezuela: sign here. Join a protest: click here for list of protests Add your event to the list of protests: click here   Mass Mobilization to Oppose NATO, War & Racism Protest NATO, Washington, DC, Lafayette Park (across from the White House) 1 PM Saturday, March 30, 2019. Additional actions will take place on Thursday, April 4 at the opening of the NATO meeting   April 4, 2019, will mark the 51st anniversary of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., the internationally revered leader in struggles against racism, poverty and war. And yet, in a grotesque desecration of Rev. King’s lifelong dedication to peace, this is the date that the military leaders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization have chosen to celebrate NATO’s 70th anniversary by holding its annual summit meeting in Washington, D.C. This is a deliberate insult to Rev. King and a clear message that Black lives and the lives of non-European humanity really do not matter. A mass demonstration has been called to protest NATO coming to DC on March 30, 2019 at 1 PM in Lafayette Park, across from the White House.  Please join us.  Other events have also been called during that week,  For more information and to endorse the action: http://no2nato2019.org. Please make a donation: http://no2nato2019.org/campaigns/support-no2nato2019-mobilization-in-washington-dc/ Join and share the Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/487410295119547/ Tweet about the event with hashtag: #no2nato. To download the flyer for the rally: click here   A Call for International Actions on the 5th Memorial Day of the Attack on the House of Trade Unions in Odessa, Ukraine.  International Protests have been called   May 2, 2019, will mark five years since a right-wing mob attack on the House of Trade Unions in Odessa, Ukraine, a tragedy that resulted in the deaths of at least 42 people and more than 100 injured. Today there still is no justice in sight for the mourners of the victims. [read more]   Read the UNAC Blog https://unac.notowar.net/ Recent Articles Proposed US Withdrawal from Syria     UNAC’s Statement reflects the various views of the member organizations which follow.   Unity on this subject is a significant achievement! UNAC Statement on the Proposed Withdrawal of U.S. Forces from Syria Veterans For Peace Statement on Withdrawal of U.S. Troops from Syria It’s About Time for the U.S. to Exit Syria and Afghanistan (Black Alliance for Peace) We Can End The US War On Syria (Popular Resistance) What’s behind U.S. Troop Withdrawals Announced for Syria and Afghanistan? (International Action Center) U.S. Peace Council Statement on Proposed Removal of US Troops from Syria Reactions To Trump’s Syria Withdrawal Plan Say More Than The Plan Itself Caitlin Johnstone talks about the distorted social context of Trump’s proposal The War at Home Wonderful victory! Judge Tucker rules in favor of Mumia Abu-Jamal!!! Jeff Mackler & Rachel Wolkenstein celebrate (and explicate) the decision to allow Mumia to file new appeals The US Responsibility in Visible and Nonvisible Migration Alice Loaiz looks at migration from Latin America as a consequence of devastating US interventions “Alexa, Drop A Bomb”: Amazon Wants In On US Warfare Nick Mottern looks at the military industrial complex turned against people everywhere through Artificial Intelligence and Cloud Storage GM Shareholders Get Boost and Workers Get the Boot Gary Porter looks at the history of GM as a capitalist instrument GM Layoffs Could Cost 40,000 Jobs Jeff Mackler looks at the political and social context of this year’s announced GM Layoffs Resistance Academic Institutions Must Defend Free Speech An open letter from The International Committee for Peace Justice and Dignity for the People signed by leaders in academia and activism Call to Respect the Sovereignty of the People of Venezuela In Defense of Humanity takes a stand for Venezuelan democracy and sovereignty (also taking signatures) About the Yellow Vest Revolt (Videos) Vincent Lapierre has been filming the Yellow Vests on the street with very interesting results Palestine Lives Growing US Public Support for One State Jonathan Cook shows that growing US popular support for a single democratic state in Israel is not reflected in government policy Israel: Ethnic Cleansing, Land Theft, Apartheid And Jim Crow Kevin Zeese and Margaret Flowers look at Israeli racist policies towards Palestinians and interventions in US policy to camouflage the truth The Naked Imperium Latest Odds of a Shooting War Between NATO and Russia Ann Garrison interviews George Szamuely on the growing tensions between Russia and NATO over Ukraine The Great Saudi Muddle Daniel Lazare explores the chaotic and disjointed US-Saudi relationship Why the U.S. Threatens China — as a New Superpower (P1) Sara Flounders looks at the rising tensions between the US and China Development vs. destruction: China and the U.S. (P2) Sara Flounders explores the global repercussions of the US-Chinese trade war

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GET MONEY OUT MARYLAND

Cordially Invite

You to Our Annapolis LOBBY Night

Thank you Speaker Mike Busch for pushing passage of the

Democracy Amendment Resolution in 2019!

Monday, January 28, 2019

6-7:45pm

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Triumph of the Cuban Revolution

The DC Coalition in Solidarity with the Cuban Revolution invites

you to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Cuban revolution:

The July 26 Movement and the Rebel Army that Fidel Castro commanded ousted the U.S. backed murderous Fulgencio Batista dictatorship on Jan. 1, 1959.  These two primary forces mobilized Cuba’s toilers to topple the bloody regime, discard the U.S. oppressive economic and political dominance, and initiate radical land reform.  Soon after the triumph, the new regime continued agrarian reform and expropriated foreign and domestic –owned property. Cuba’s strength remains in the hands of toilers that continue to defend its socialist revolution despite the U.S. blockade against it, U.S. occupation of Guantanamo, and countless attempts to assassinate its former leader Fidel. Some of the first acts of the revolutionary government were to desegregate all aspects of the Cuban society (e.g., public venues, beaches, bars, barber shops) and racial oppression; banned exploitation of where women could work only as maids or prostitutes; gave farmers titles to work the land; reduce rent to no more than 10% of one’s earnings.

Cuba walked the talk.  Cuba’s military missions to Angola and Namibia including the decisive battle of Cuito Cuanavale turned the tide to South Africa’s apartheid downfall.  Cuba inspired both Grenada and Nicaragua to throw off the albatross of imperialism.

When: Friday, January 18, 2019

Where: Saint Stephen and the Incarnation Episcopal Church 1525 Newton Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20010

Time: 6:30-8:30 p.m.

Speakers and Moderator

Miguel Fraga, First Secretary at the Embassy of Cuba

Cheryl LaBash, Co-chair of the National Network on Cuba

Luis Rumbaut, member of Antonio Maceo Brigade and pro-revolution supporter

Omari Musa, member of the DC Coalition and Socialist Workers Party leader

Mimi Machado, WPFW radio host, and Cuba supporter

For more information, contact the D.C. Metro Coalition at 202-503–9465 or dcmetrocoalitonforcuba@gmail.com.

See Cuba for yourself: The DC Metro Coalition in Solidarity with the Cuban Revolution is helping to organize a trip to Cuba during the May Day celebrations.  For More Information: icangotocuba@nnoc.info or dcmetrocoalitionforcuba@gmail.com. Call 202-503-9465

End travel restrictions!  Halt U.S. economic war against Cuba!  Get the U.S. out of Guantanamo! Stop U.S. regime change programs against Cuba!

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Monday, December 17 — Reel and Meal at the New Deal presents The Unafraid , which follows three DACA-eligible immigrants in Georgia as they try to get an affordable college education and win rights for their families and communities. Film at 7, followed by discussion led by local advocates for immigrants’ rights. We offer a delicious vegan meal for $14 at 6:30 PM. Please RSVP to reelandmeal@newdealcafe.com if you are joining us for dinner. The free film starts at 7 PM, New Deal Cafe – 113 Centerway in historic Greenbelt, MD

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SUMMIT ON PEACE WITH IRAN

What: A Day-Long Summit on Peace With Iran

When: 9am-5pm, Saturday, December 1, 2018

Where: First Congregational United Church of Christ, 945 G St NW, Washington, DC 20001

Cost: $10–$100 Sliding Scale. Make your payment here!

Watch Online: Can’t make it in person? Sign up here to watch the Summit Online.

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Why Do We Need a Summit on Iran?

The purpose of the Iran Summit is to highlight the Trump administration’s hawkish policies on Iran that could lead us into another war, and examine how to reverse course. We will also have Iranian art, calligraphy, music, photo booth and other cultural activities. 

The Summit comes at a time where tensions between U.S and Iran are escalating. The re-imposition of sanctions following the US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal is causing tremendous hardship for the Iranian people. The Trump administration’s Muslim travel ban is making it difficult for Iranians to travel to the United States, separating thousands of families.

Adding to this uncertainty are terrorist attacks, human rights violations and a strengthening of conservative forces inside Iran, proxy wars raging in the region, and an increased threat of direct confrontation with the United States, Israel and/or Saudi Arabia.

Here in the United States, the Trump administration is building a case for war. We’ve seen it all before with Iraq—high officials distorting information to push their own hawkish agenda that only inflicts pain on the people, not the government. The Summit will bring together experts and activists to examine ways we can support Iranian civil society, push the US media to do a better job covering this crisis, and pressure Congress for a “no sanctions, no war” agenda.

Organized by CODEPINK, the cosponsors include: Aboutface Aftab Committee, Black Alliance for Peace, Center for Iranian Diaspora Studies, FEMENA, First Congregational United Church of Christ, Global Network against Weapons and Nuclear Power in Space, Institute for People’s Engagement, Institute for Policy Studies, Iranian Law Students Association of UC Hastings, Just Foreign Policy, Lehigh-Pocono Committee of Concern Peace Center, National Iranian American Council, Nonviolence International, Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, Peace Action, Peaceworkers, Progressive Democrats of America, People Demanding Action, Popular Resistance, RootsAction, United for Peace and Justice, United National Antiwar Coalition, US Labor Against the War, World Beyond War, Voices for Creative Nonviolence, Win Without War, and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.

Speakers (in progress):
See speaker biographies here!

• Jamal Abdi, President, National Iranian American Council
• Narges Bajoghli, Assistant Professor of Middle East Studies at the School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University
• Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director, Center for Human Rights in Iran.
• Mana Kharrazi, Executive Director, Iranian Alliances Across Borders
• Michael Page, Deputy Director Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch
• Barbara Slavin, author, Atlantic Council
• Sussan Tahmasebi, Director, FEMENA
• Col. Lawrence Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff of Secretary of State Colin Powell

Schedule (in progress)

8:00am-9:00am Registration

9:00am-9:30am Opening Session

• Opening remarks by Medea Benjamin and Lily Tajaddini, CODEPINK
• Poem and remarks by Professor Fatemeh Keshavarz, Director, Roshan Institute for Persian Studies, University of Maryland 

9:30am-10:10am Session I: Overview of US-Iranian relations today

• Col. Larry Wilkerson, former Chief of Staff for Secretary of State Colin Powell

10:10am-10:50am Session II: How U.S. policies affect Iranians?

• Mana Kharrazi, Executive Director, Iranian Alliances Across Borders

10:50am-11:00am Break

11:00am-11:40am Session III:  Human rights

• Hadi Ghaemi, Executive Director, Center for Human Rights in Iran
• Michael Page, Deputy Director Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch

Moderated by: Niki Akhavan, Associated Professor and Chair of Department of Media and Communications Studies, The Catholic University of America

11:40am-12:20pm Session IV: Civil Society in Iran

• Sussan Tahmasebi, Director, FEMENA

12:20pm-1:20pm Lunch Break

1:20pm-2:10pm Session V: Iran’s role in the region: Is it the number one state sponsor of terrorism?

• Barbara Slavin, author, Atlantic Council

2:10pm-3:20pm Session VI: How to stop a war

• Jamal Abdi, President, National Iranian American Council

3:20pm-4:30pm Special Cultural Event

4:30pm-5:00pm Wrap-up

A Conference Organized by: Prevent Nuclear War Maryland Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility Maryland Peace Action Network Peace Studies, Goucher College Nov. 17, 2018 Goucher College, Kelley Lecture Hall 10:00 am – 4:00 pm View program https://www.preventnuclearwarmd.org/ ——————————————————————————————————

Revealers, If you’re in the D.C area, you’re invited to attend Mind to Mind, a symposium that brings together the nation’s top academics, journalists, researchers and public policy officials to discuss America’s workforce.Experts will include a mix of attorneys, economists, former public policy officials from OSHA and the department of labor, sociologists and journalists. They will discuss topics including the #MeToo movement in the workplace, abuse in rehab camps, workplace safety at Tesla and Los Alamos laboratory, and the role of federal agencies such as OSHA and OFCCP in protecting American workers and more. The full agenda is here.Speakers include Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Megan Twohey and Ellen Gabler from the #MeToo team at The New York Times; Patricia Shiu, the former director of OFCCP; Jordan Barab, former associate director at OSHA; Bernice Yeung from ProPublica; Louise Fitzgerald from University of Illinois; Fatima Goss Graves from the National Women’s Law Center; and Amy Julia Harris, Shoshana Walter and Will Evans from Reveal. Full list here.

Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting has spent the last few years reflecting on how academics, researchers and journalists can work together. We’ve learned that journalists and academics have many things in common: Both generally care about making a positive social change, bringing accurate information to the public and pushing the boundaries of what’s known to humanity.

Yet they tend to work in parallel universes. When they have collaborated, they’ve managed to tell complex stories with enormous impact. We started this conversation last year at Stanford University with great success. This year we’re excited to bring Mind to Mind to the East Coast in partnership with American University’s School of Communication and The Investigative Reporting Workshop.

We’ll delve into what academics and journalists can learn from each other, the challenges in working together and how to make collaborations happen.

Come join us at American University on Oct. 12, 2018. Space is limited, so please sign up as soon as you can. If you need financial assistance with tickets, email mfeldman@revealnews.org for a comp code.

SIGN UP

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Dear Friends,

This Friday, September 21, marks the International Day of Peace.  We
know communities are marking it in a variety of ways, and one of our
partners, Pace e Bene, is sponsoring a rally and march in Washington,
DC on Saturday, September 22.

The fifth annual Campaign Nonviolence Action Week will include 2,650+
actions and events in all fifty states and 24 other countries through
September 23.

You are invited to join the events in Washington, DC, with speakers
including Lisa Sharon Harper, Rev. Lennox Yearwood, Jr, Kit
Evans-Ford, Rev. Ray East, George Martin, Shane Claiborne, and Rev. John Dear.

Friday, Sept. 21, The International Day of Peace: Prepare, Celebrate, Reflect
4:00pm – Nonviolent action training
7:00pm – Gathering with speakers
Location: 1640 Columbia Rd., NW, Washington, DC

Saturday, Sept. 22: Rally, March, Act
9:00am – Rally and speakers at Martin Luther King, Jr. statue near
Lincoln Memorial
10:00am – Silent march to Lafayette Park
11:00am – Vigil, action at White House

For information and registration, please visit themomentoftruth.us

Sincerely,
Rev. Ron Stief
Executive Director

Register Now!

November 17, 2018

Two Minutes to Midnight:  What We Can Do to Prevent Nuclear War

Goucher College, Kelley Auditorium
10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Cartoon by Steve Greenberg

A Conference Organized by Prevent Nuclear War/Maryland

Don’t miss what will surely be a seminal conference:  Four great speakers and outstanding workshops.  Come join us as we strategize on how to work together in Maryland to reduce the threat of nuclear war. 

Plenary Speakers:

• Daryl G. Kimball—Executive Director, Arms Control Association;
• Ira Helfand, former co- president, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War; 

• Vincent Intondi, Montgomery College professor and author of  African Americans Against the Bomb; 
• Ray Acheson, Director, Reaching Critical Will/Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom.Conference cosponsors:  Anne Arundel Peace Action, Peace Action Montgomery, Maryland United for Peace and Justice, National Lawyers’ Guild/MD, Prince George’s Peace and Justice Coalition, Chesapeake Physicians for Social Responsibility, Baltimore Peace Action, Baltimore Quaker Peace and Justice Committee, Howard County Peace Action, Bethesda Friends Meeting, Baltimore Nonviolence Center, Progressive Democrats of America/MD, and many others!
• See full conference agenda here:  https://www.PreventNuclearWarMD.org/
• Free and open to the public, donations accepted!  Register now:  https://secure.psr.org/page/29755/data/1

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We Need to Prevent an 18th Year of U.S.-Led War on Afghanistan

If you can be in Washington on October 2nd, please sign up for these free events on theWorld BEYOND War website and/or on Facebook (neither one is required; both are helpful).
 

Click here to read and sign a letter that we’ll deliver to Trump on October 2nd.

To help fund this campaign to end a war, including the expenses of the events below, which we’re planning for Washington D.C. on October 2, and from which we’ll be producing video, please click here.

If you’d like to help film video, please contact us.

TWO EVENTS:

• 12 noon rally in front of the White House.
• 6:30-8:30 p.m. panel at Busboys and Poets, Brookland Location, 625 Monroe St NE, Washington, D.C. 20017

Speakers confirmed include:

Hoor Arifi, Afghan activist and student.

Sharifa Akbary, Afghan-U.S. writer, speaker.

Medea Benjamin, Co-Founder of CODE PINK: Women for Peace.

Matthew Hoh, resigned in protest from his post in Afghanistan with the U.S. State Department over the U.S. escalation of the war in 2009.

Liz Remmerswaal, Coordinator of World BEYOND War in New Zealand.

David Swanson, Director of World BEYOND War.

Brian Terrell, Co-Coordinator of Voices for Creative Nonviolence.

Ann Wright, retired U.S. Army colonel and U.S. State Department official.

If you can be in Washington, sign up for these free events on the World BEYOND War website and/or on Facebook (neither one is required; both are helpful).

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Celebrate 20 Years of Open Society Institute!

Tuesday, September 25, Baltimore Museum of Art.  Cocktail Reception, 6 p.m., program 7 p.m.

Join Open Society Institute-Baltimore for the second of three inspirational events marking our 20th anniversary.

The centerpiece of the event will be a timely conversation about the census and civic participation ahead of the November election with two of the country’s foremost experts on the subjects:

Barbara Mikulski served as a United States Senator from 1987 to 2017 and a member of the House of Representatives from 1977 to 1987. She is the longest-serving woman in the history of the U.S. Congress, as well as the longest-serving senator from Maryland. Currently, Senator Mikulski is a professor of Public Policy at Johns Hopkins University.

Rashad Robinson is executive director of Color of Change, the largest online racial justice organization in the United States, with more than 1.4 million members dedicated to strengthening the political voice of Black America. Prior to joining Color of Change in 2011, Robinson held leadership roles at GLAAD, the Right to Vote Campaign, and FairVote.

We will present “Strategic Action” awards to Caryn York,executive director of the Job Opportunities Task Force, and Ray Kelly, CEO of the No Boundaries Coalition, recently named recipient of Pax Christi International’s 2018 Peace Award. There will also be performances by drummer, educator, and 2015 Community Fellow Menes Yahudah and students from Writers in Baltimore Schools, founded by 2008 Community Fellow Patrice Hutton.

We hope you can join us for this special evening!

Click here to purchase tickets. or more about the event and speakers here

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A No Foreign Bases conference was held in Baltimore, Maryland, U.S., on January 12-14, 2018. World Beyond War was one of many organizations that put together this new coalition:

http://noforeignbases.org

Here is a tiny fraction of the highlights in a one-hour video that can be used for local events:

https://youtu.be/gqNFCyxj8qc

Full videos are here (by Wilton Vought):

https://youtu.be/mTYfXwPLUbE

David Swanson spoke with The Real News Network:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoqJyUcHCKY

Learn where the bases are on the map:

http://bit.ly/mappingmilitarism

Visit David Vine’s Base Nation:

http://BaseNation.US

Sign the Declaration of Peace.

Find events all over the world that you can take part in.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter.

Support World Beyond War’s work by clicking here.

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You can join and support this Conference by:     Registering and attending the Conference. Having your organization endorse the Conference. Placing an ad or a solidarity message from your group in the Conference Journal Click Here to Register Click Here to Endorse Click Here to an Place Ad Click Here for Schedule and Speakers

Maryland United for Peace and Justice Summit

SUMMIT #3: ISSUES

Facilitated by Mary Louise Cohen
Opening Remarks by Kevin Martin, President Peace Action

Which issues should MUPJ members and friends focus on for next year?

Sunday, October 8, 2017

2:30 – 5:30 pm

Adelphi Friends

2303 Metzerott Rd.

Adelphi, MD 20783

Refreshments served

RSVP
Tony Langbehn 310-390-9684, tonylang4peace@gmail.com

Paulette Hammond, phamm001@earthlink.net

Our mission: MUPJ will bring together organizations and individuals from across Maryland to build relationships and make meaningful progress towards peace and justice.

Our vision: Our purpose is to: 1. promote coordination and networking 2. facilitate cooperation among peace and justice organizations and individuals on issues of common concern 3. encourage and support nonviolent means of resolving problems and conflicts 4. promote education and action for peace, justice and democracy and a healthy environment by members and the public 5. encourage members’ participation and sharing in decision-making and leadership.

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Saturday, October 7, 2017

Speaker:        Peggy Goetz

2:00 pm refreshments

 2:30-4:30 pm presentation

Savage Branch Library,

Albert Einstein Room, 9525 Durness Lane, Laurel, MD 20723

Reporting Back from a Delegation to El Salvador   

Peggy Goetz reports about a recent CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) trip. The delegation met with unions, feminists, agricultural cooperatives and government leaders as well as joined the massive International Workers’ Day march in San Salvador. She will share first-hand information and analysis on the current political, social, and economic context in El Salvador.

Peggy Goetz works as an organizer in the national office of CISPES in Washington, DC.   In addition to her work at CISPES, she has coordinated delegations to El Salvador through the Washington Ethical Society since 2003.

THIS EVENT IS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Sponsored by Friends of Latin America (formerly Howard County Friends of Latin America)
For more information call Leslie Salgado at 410-381-4899.

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KICKOFF EVENT for MARYLAND PEACE ACTION

David Swanson

Can We End Permawar?

1 Year of Trump, 99 Years since Armistice Day

7:30 – 9:30 pm, Nov. 7, 2017
Busboys and Poets
5331 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville, MD, 20781
Parking lot located behind the shopping center

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist and radio host. He is director of WorldBeyondWar.org and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org. Swanson’s books include War Is A Lie & When the World Outlawed War. He hosts Talk Nation Radio and is a 2015, 2016, 2017 Nobel Peace Prize Nominee.

Sponsors:  Maryland’s local Peace Action groups are joining together to enhance our power state-wide, under the name Maryland Peace Action: Anne Arundel County Peace Action, Howard County Peace Action, Maryland United for Peace and Justice, Peace Action Montgomery, and Peace and Justice Coalition of Prince George’s County.

Contact: Jean at 301-570-0923 for more information.

Why you should come:  Scared by USA Commander in Chief? Find out how you can strengthen the voices demanding peace. You don’t want to miss hearing this extraordinary activist and brilliant speaker. And be sure to invite your friends.

General Meeting – September 2017 Prince Georges County, Maryland We convened with about 65 participants at 7 p.m. at the Laurel Boys and Girls Club meeting room after a generous potluck dinner.After a welcome by LBGC president Adrian Rosseau, our facilitator Jerry McLaurin introduced Del. Darryl Barnes. Del. Barnes invited MAJR members to attend the annual Legislative Black Caucus public meeting this Saturday, 9/30/17. He also commented on the unfairness of Maryland’s old money-bail system. He suggested that legislators may wish to make changes to the current Rule, but he added that any major reforms may be difficult in 2018, which is an election year. Jerry explained the format for our general meeting and introduced the chairs of our Front Door, Behind the Walls, and Back Door workgroups. His introduction was followed by 45-minute breakout sessions that gave the opportunity for more detailed discussions for those interested in each area. Chairs then reported on the priorities identified by workgroups. Learn about those priorities. Read the brief minutes of this meeting.     We successfully passed the Maryland Fair Access to Education Act of 2017 (Senate Bill 543/House Bill 694) with substantial majorities in the House and Senate. The bill removed the arrest/conviction question from initial college applications to allow applicants to be assessed first on academic merit alone (the question could still be asked later).     But at the end of the session Governor Hogan vetoed the bill. Now, we must come together to override the veto!!! Everyone deserves a chance to attend college. And we know that keeping returning citizens from furthering their education does not increase public safety – it just makes it harder for people to access opportunities and support themselves. First, you can sign the petition. Then mark your calendar for the Ban the Box on College Apps Rally on October 7th! The rally takes place at 3400 N Charles St, on the grass at Hopkins campus, from 11am – 2pm, sponsored by Job Opportunities Task Force, Out For Justice and From Prison to PHD.     MAJR has received this important announcement from the Tacoma Park Mobilization organization: Thurs. Oct. 5 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm Historic Takoma 7328 Carroll Ave Takoma Park Work with a new committee and your Maryland District 20 delegation to help stop putting so many Black and Brown people in prison. Specific subcommittees so far on Expungement clinics and on restorative practices in the schools. And, there to work with us will be Senator Will Smith, Delegates David Moon and Jheanelle Wilkins, as well as candidate for delegate Lorig Charkoudian of Community Mediation Maryland, all of whom have already been working hard on this issue. For those of you who live in Maryland District 20 (Montgomery County) MAJR urges you to attend!         Local Government Justice Reinvestment Commission The Local Government Justice Reinvestment Commission held its first meeting on August 30, 2017, and several of MAJR’s monitors were in attendance and listening closely. The commission is established by law to oversee allocation of state funds saved by reducing unnecessary incarceration. The Justice Reinvestment Act (JRA), which authorizes its work, goes into effect on October 1, 2017. Throughout the meeting, the critical need for local involvement was emphasized. Local government, in partnership with the Justice Reinvestment Oversight Board, will be led by Local Government Justice Reinvestment Coordinating Councils. Local involvement must include provision of data and reporting of needs. It should enable sharing of successful programs and strategies and report local needs. Don Hogan, Chief of Legislation & Justice Reinvestment in the Governor’s Office of Crime Control and Prevention,  noted that the state cannot expect to see meaningful savings for justice reinvestment from implementation of JRA until 2019, but he pointed out that the prison population is now approximately 19,000, down from the all-time high of 24,000 (and from 22,000 in 2014). The chairman, Robert Green, noted that the average delay between the request for treatment and the provision of inpatient services is now down to 55 days where it had been 101 days. He asked the commissioners to provide data about what is going on in local jurisdictions. Please check out the full report! MAJR thanks the following monitors for this thorough report: Rosalie Dance Adrian Bishop Patricia Marks Candy Clark     MAJR General Meeting Wednesday, November 15 6pm – Potluck Supper 7pm-9pm General Meeting Location to be announced. Stay tuned!

 

MUPJ Workshop

Featuring

Bahram Zandi, Ph.D.

Member, Coordinating Body, MUPJ

co-chair, International Committee, Green Party US

‘Empire of Chaos at the Age of Trump’

A review of the state of the empire and the world  

 

And  Andrew Greene,  Member, Coordinating Body MUPJ

and Founder of B-Gifted Foundation, Sierra Leone

‘Journey of hope’ – from Peace activist to immigrant.

 Sunday, September 10, 2017

2:30 to 5 pm

Adelphi Friends Meeting

2303 Metzerott Rd.

Adelphi, MD 20783

Refreshments Served

Donations Welcomed

 

RSVP Paulette Hammond, 410 -747-3811 phamm001@earthlink.net

 or Tony Langbehn, 301-390-9684, tonylang4peace@gmail.com

Peace March on Saturday, August 5th at 8:30 am

Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence, the Episcopal Diocese of Maryland, and Mothers of Murdered Sons and Daughters will recognize Baltimore’s Ceasefire weekend (August 4-6) with a Peace March to honor all the lives lost and hurt by gun violence. Baltimore Ceasefire Weekend was created by six women in Baltimore who decided that if their leaders weren’t going to address the ever-growing violence in our city, they would.

They are calling on members of the community to take the Baltimore Peace Challenge and devote themselves to non-violence during that 72 hour period.  Please meet us in the parking lot of Frederick Douglas High School (2301 Gwynns Fall Parkway, Baltimore, MD 21217). The rally for peace will begin at 9 am followed by a march at 9:45 am.  

Symposium on SMART Guns and Law Enforcement on Thursday, August 3rd from 11a – 2:30p

Please join Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence as we welcome Washington Ceasefire to Washington, DC. Washington Ceasefire – MPGV’s 34 year counterpart in the Pacific Northwest – is coming to The District of Columbia on August 3rd to host a Symposium on SMART Guns and Law Enforcement.

If you would like to join us at this free event, please email Ralph Fascitelli at ralphfascitelli@gmail.com and tell him you are an MPGV member who would like to attend the conference. 

 

June 21, 2017, The Refugee Crisis: Dispelling Myths and Misconceptions 

 

Monday, June 19th 2017.

“Reel & Meal at the New Deal”

Feature film I Learn America about the struggles of teenage immigrants.

Free program at 7 pm at the New Deal Café, 113 Centerway in Roosevelt Center, Greenbelt

Optional buffet for $14 served from 6:30 pm

from Prince Georges County Peace and Justice Coalition

Growing Trust, Understanding & Love in Families and Communities

Workshop for adults & children over 7 years

Sunday, June 4, 2:00 – 4:00 pm

Greenbelt Community Center 114

Come take part in a process called the Peacemaking Circle. It aims to help us:

• express our feelings and not feel alone with our  worries
• share the experiences of others and find a place where we belong
• resolve disagreements without lingering resentments
• build happier, more peaceful relationships.

Derived from aboriginal customs and Native American councils, this kind of dialogue is also known as a “talking stick circle” or “listening circle.”

Read a short summary of these circles as used in community gatherings

Building Trust and Safety in Schools

Workshop for high school students & adults

Sunday, June 11, 2:00 – 4:00

Greenbelt Community Center 114

This workshop on Restorative Justice, an alternative approach to resolving conflicts in schools and society, is designed for high school students and adults. In schools today, educators still respond to what they perceive as student misbehavior with punishment, while Restorative Justice

• addresses root causes of conflicts in schools and society
• seeks solutions by peacefully engaging the community
• gives voice to all parties in the conflict.

The workshop will describe how this approach arose in the US and in the MD/DC/VA area.

A 9-minute video about Community Conferencing, a Restorative Justice method, originally developed in Baltimore and applied to both school and community problems

About the workshop presenters:

Jane Connor McMahon, Ph.D., certified life and career coach; practices Nonviolent Communication and Restorative Justice in Prince George’s County & D.C. public schools. She is co-author of the book Connecting across Differences: How to Connect with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere.

Bob McMahon, Ph.D., civil rights activist; participant in Nonviolent Communication leadership program; advocate of Restorative Justice.

Produced by Prince George’s County Peace & Justice Coalition. Contact: Jane McMahon: 202-684-5974

  

 

June 11th, Sunday 

The 15th Annual Tour Dem Parks.

 

 

MAY 16, TUESDAY

United for Peace & Justice

 

 

Saturday, May 13th 2017. Love Thy Neighbor.

 

 

 

May 13th 2017 – United Not Blighted Action!

At the Baltimore War Memorial 101 N Gay St,

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

RSVP with Amanda DeStefano amanda@unitedworkers.org

Tel: 410.259.6074

 

May 13th 2017. Take Pride Festival and Community Award Ceremony

 

Sunday, May 7,

The Committee for Peace and Justice in Israel/Palestine (CPJIP) is sponsoring a talk and discussion about Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS).

Sunday, May 7, 2:30 p.m

Unitarian Universalist Church of Arlington, 4444 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22204

Free parking in the church parking lot, behind the church.

BDS co-founder, Omar Barghouti will be the featured speaker.

Barghouti, a pro-justice Palestinian, is a noted human rights defender. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, NY, and a master’s degree in Philosophy (ethics) from Tel Aviv University.

He is the author of  BDS: The Global Struggle for Palestinian Rights

His commentaries and interviews have appeared in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Financial Times, Newsweek, the Guardian, Politico, and on BBC, Bloomberg TV, MSNBC, CNN, among others. On Sunday April 23rd, Barghouti along with Ralph Nader were recipients of Gandhi Peace Awards in New Haven, Connecticut.

 

 

 

Sunday, May 7th is LFFP 4th Annual Talent Show- You are invited  

 

 

 March 4th to May 6th – Earth Rebirth

 

April 29th, 2017

 Defy!

Resist!

– The Charm City Labor Chorus and Concert

 

April 29th 2017

Human Rights Are Key to Saving the Planet 

Immigrants’ rights partners are organizing nationwide rallies on May 1 to support immigrants and resist Trump’s deportation machine. At our partners’ invitation, the Sierra Club is supporting the rallies to make clear that a broad, diverse movement stands united in resisting Trump’s anti-immigrant policies. The day of action is part of a coordinated weekend of resistance that includes the People’s Climate March on April 29. Two days after you show up to protest Trump’s attacks on our climate take a stand against Trump’s attacks on immigrant families, who often disproportionately bear the brunt of climate change. Find a rally happening near you!

Submitted by Stan Boyd, Justice Chair

April 26 – Ross Salawitch Talks Climate Science & Action · Hosted by Brothers and Sisters for Action

“Think Globally, Act Locally: Suggestions for Action in this Era of Intransigence by the Federal Government”

While US involvement in the official global climate science conversation has come to a halt under the new administration, everyday citizens refuse to deny facts or be silenced. On April 22nd people around the world will gather for teach-ins, rallies and marches in support of science, research and evidence based policy. On April 29th folks will gather in DC and locally in support of climate, jobs, and justice. Between these events Prince George’s County Resist Coalition will contribute to the climate science discussion by hosting a talk with author, scholar and activist, Ross Salawitch. We hope you will join us!

Ross Salawitch is a Professor of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park. His research activities focus on quantifying the effect of human activity on the ozone layer, air quality, and global climate. He recently authored a book, Paris Climate Agreement: Beacon of Hope that can be downloaded for free here. He serves on the Maryland Department of the Environment Air Quality Control Advisory Council, is a review editor of the Climate Science Special Report being written by the United States Global Climate Research Program, and is an author of the Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space report being written by the National Academy of Sciences. He is also deeply involved with various grass roots community efforts to increase the use of renewable energy and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.

Prince George’s County Resist Coalition consists of 16 grassroots organizations including: 4th and 5th District Resistance, Bridges Not Walls – Cheverly, Brothers and Sisters For Action – Indivisible, Greenbelt Indivisible, Hear us Hogan, Historic Laurel Huddle, Hyattsville Area Huddle, Hyattsville Area Residents for Progress, Maryland United for Peace and Justice, Mt. Rainier/Brentwood Organizing Committee, Not on Our Watch, Our Revolution Route 1, Prince George’s Organizing for Action Climate Change Team & Progressive Cheverly.

Saturday, March 18th, 2017

11:45 AM

Lunch to celebrate the Iranian New Year at House of Kabob

• 8025 Harford Road, Parkville, MD (edit map)

Nowruz, the Iranian New Year, dating back to 15,000 years ago, celebrates the coming of spring.

History:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYRTEjhnopI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowruz

House of Kabob offers an extensive buffet of authentic traditional Iranian dishes all you can eat for $14.99 +drinks+tax+tip:

http://www.houseofkabobmd.com/

Free parking behind the restaurant.

Then 

3 pm – 5 pm

Interfaith Celebration of “Nowruz”

Sandy Spring Museum

• 17901 Bentley Road, Ashton-Sandy Spring, MD (edit map)

History:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bYRTEjhnopI

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nowruz

Attend an interfaith celebration of springtime & “Nowruz” (the Iranian New Year) at the Sandy Spring Museum. This program will provide food for the body, mind & spirit! We’ll start with some ethnic & cultural presentations accompanied by a delicious “potluck” feast. (Please bring foods to share that represents your culture, vegetarian preferred). We’ll then share in an interfaith panel with speakers from the Baha’i, Coptic Christian, Persian/Iranian Sufi, & Zoroastrian faiths on the theme of “Spiritual Renewal and Springtime.”

No Nowruz would be complete without an offering of the ecstatic Sufi poetry of Jalaluddin Rumi; we’ll be reading in both Farsi and English. Our afternoon will conclude with an Interfaith Peace Circle for participants to offer their prayers and thoughts for peace and renewal.

Please preregister so we know how many people to expect and please sign up to bring something to share at the potluck.  Doors open at 2:45 pm.

RESERVE YOUR SPOT

 

March 19th – 20

14th Anniversary of US Invasion of Iraq – Stop Endless War!

March 20: Host a Protest to Stop Endless War on the 14th Anniversary of the Invasion of Iraq
No matter how many times we’re told “mission accomplished” the U.S. war and occupation of Iraq continues to this day. Many other conflicts in the region are a direct result of the 2003 invasion. Host a protest, vigil or meeting to mark the 14th anniversary. Resist endless war. Sign the petition to resist war and militarism. Sign the Peace Pledge to Resist War and Militarism!

 

 

 

March 27–31:

Support Nuclear Ban Treaty Negotiations

Soon, governments from around the world will return to the United Nations in New York City to initiate negotiations on a new treaty banning nuclear weapons. Peace advocates will be organizing inside and outside of the UN to put pressure on nuclear armed states and to support the majority of countries that genuinely seek the total abolition of nuclear weapons. Keep up with events and list your own with Reaching Critical Will.

 

 

 

April 4: “Breaking the Silence”: 50th Anniversary of MLK’s “Beyond Vietnam” Speech, Launch of National Council of Elders campaign

In confronting the deeply rooted racism, militarism and materialism of his home country, Dr. King described the United States as the greatest purveyor of violence in the world. Delivered to an overflow crowd at the Riverside Church in New York City on April 4, 1967, Dr. King’s challenge to engage in a radical revolution of values encountered ferocious opposition. Join or organize a reading of the “Beyond Vietnam” speech in your community to fuel your efforts for social justice and add your events to our calendar.

 

 

April 21st

‘Please mark your calendars, join us and invite your family and friends to this event. The US blockade of Cuba is on and we need to continue with our solidarity work’

 

 

 

April 15-28: Make Plans for Global Days of Action on Military Spending (GDAMS)

This Tax Day, April 15, join or host a demonstration in your community. Unite around new priorities, protest the war-economy, and promote policies based on peace, diplomacy, and  funding human needs. This year’s Global Days of Action Against Military Spending span U.S. tax day to the release of the annual world military expenditure figures by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Add your events to our calendar.

**Please sign and share UFPJ’s growing petition to stop Trump’s military budget!**

 

 

April 22: March for Science-Earth Day

The mischaracterization of science as a partisan issue, which has given policymakers permission to reject overwhelming evidence, is a critical and urgent matter. It is time for people who support scientific research and evidence-based policies to take a public stand and be counted. The March for Science is an international movement with marches being planned in Washington, DC, across the United States and internationally. Find a march near you.

April 29:  People’s Climate March

Throughout the first 100 days of the Trump presidency, the People’s Climate Movement is organizing a country-wide arc of action, culminating on April 29th in Washington DC in a powerful mobilization to unite all of our movements. Prepare to attend the mass mobilization in DC or attend a sister march in your area. We must remind the world that the U.S. military is one of the biggest carbon emitters in the world and greatly contributes to climate change.

 

May 25: Host a Local Action or Attend the NATO Counter-Summit in Brussels

For years, UFPJ has worked with the No-to-NATO network to support local actions during the annual NATO summit. We have helped host counter-summits when the meetings are held in the USA, and we have also sent US peace activists as delegates to say No-to-NATO, when these war-planning meetings are held overseas. The date of the upcoming NATO summit and counter-summit has just been announced and we encourage groups to plan ahead to take action, locally, and if possible, to send a representative of your organization to Brussels to join with the international community organizing against militarism under the theme “Put People First, Not War.”

Other upcoming events:
Ongoing – Reiner Braun, International Peace Bureau, U.S. Speaking Tour
June 11 – National Pride March
June 18 – Women’s March to Ban the Bomb

Please check out our updated Peace Pledge, and add your name if you haven’t already done so. Thank you for keeping the pressure on. When we work together and build our movement, we can win.

 

 

 

 

More events here: Baltimore Activist Alert:

http://baltimorenonviolencecenter.blogspot.com/

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Jan 29th: Join the Revs. Barber and Theoharis & the DO MORE Tour: