Weekly Update – July 27, 2016
WNY Peace Center Weekly Update – July 27, 2016 Contact: 716-332-3904
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Dear Friends and Members,
Below are items of special note:
* Camp Peaceprints – July 18-29
Thanks to all who made this a great year for Camp Peaceprints!
* Still welcoming volunteers to the PC office! Please call if interested: 716 332-3904.
* Are you are interested in beautiful Mayan textiles? See LASC announcements below
Thanks for all you do!
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Peaceful Conflict Resolution
Interfaith Prayer Service in response to the eruption of violence in this country and around the world. A Jewish rabbi, a Muslim imam and Rev. Craig Pridgen, will join Monsignor Robert E. Zapfel, pastor of St. Leo’s, in reading their sacred texts and offering prayers.
Thursday July 28, 7pm. St. Leo the Great Catholic Church, 885 Sweet Home Road, Amherst. All are welcome.
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Environmental Justice Taskforce
Clean Up the Clean Energy Standard
Next Monday August 1, New York’s energy regulators may approve an electric rate increase on all New York’s energy consumers. The plan would cost $7-10 billion to prop up NY’s unprofitable nuclear plants. Without these subsidies, nuclear plants cannot compete with renewable energy and will close. But under the guise of “Clean Energy,” the nuclear industry is about to get its hands on our money in order to save its own profits, at the expense of public health and safety – unless we speak up right now.
Thousands of New Yorkers, over 120 organizations, and dozens of elected officials have gone on record opposing the plan. But the Governor has not backed down. Now we need to raise the pressure by flooding his office with phone calls.
Please call Governor Cuomo today: (518) 474-8390
Click here for some simple instructions and sample call scripts you can use when you call:
http://cleanupthecleanenergystandard.org/hanguponnukes/
Every dollar spent on nuclear subsidies is a dollar out of the pocket of New York’s electricity consumers — residents, businesses, and municipalities. This is money that could instead go to supporting energy affordability, energy efficiency, renewable energy, and a just transition to a clean energy economy.
For more information, visit www.CleanUptheCleanEnergyStandard.org and stay up to date on the AGREE Facebook page. Please contact Alliance for a Green Economy, allianceforagreeneconomy.org , if you have any questions.
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Close Guantanamo Project – 2016 Buffalo Infringement Festival, Street Theatre
The Peace Center would like to bring attention to the injustice perpetuated against the men imprisoned at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and other black sites. They have been imprisoned for over 14 years and not charged with any crimes. “Close Guantanamo Project” will dramatize this injustice.
Each day of the festival (Thursday, July 28 through Sunday, August 7) the actors will be walking from the Erie County Holding Center and will arrive at the project site, El Buen Amigo, 114 Elmwood Avenue, at 5pm and be on until 9pm. Additionally, on Friday August 5, 5-9pm, poetry etc on the theme “Charge them or release them” will be read on the front lawn of Buffalo Barfly, 162 Elmwood Ave.
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Talking Peace with the WNY Peace Center Radio show: 91.3 FM. Produced by Jack Kanack.
Monday, August 1, 1-3pm. Host Vicki Ross and guest, on Incarceration and Guantanamo Bay detention camp.
Call in phone number: 716 878-5104.
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Latin America Solidarity Committee (LASC)
The 2016 Venceremos Brigade returns from Cuba over the Peace Bridge. Welcome the brigadistas and caravanistas back with Pastors for Peace (P4P) at this year’s Peace Bridge crossing. The Brigade has once again challenged the travel ban and restrictions to take to Cuba medical supplies and other helpful things. They will bring greetings and have lunch with us at Prospect Park near the Christopher Columbus statue. Join the welcome:
Monday August 8, 9am +
Are you are interested in beautiful Mayan textiles?
Working with Weaving for Justice, collectives of women weavers in the Chiapas Highlands are able to sell their crafts at fair trade cost. All proceeds of sales go back to the weavers to help them maintain their families, provide for their children’s education, and continue their pursuit of social justice. Find out more at weaving-for-justice.org . Weaving for Justice is a volunteer, non-profit organization.
If you are interested in seeing some of these lovely woven items, please call Maxine at 716 835-4705 or come to the Peace-Justice-Nonviolence Walk and Festival on Sunday September 11th, 2:30pm-dusk at Canalside where they will be sold.
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Resist Militarism! Taskforce
Vigil: Disrupt the death squadron operating at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station (NFARS):
Join us at the main gate to the NFARS on the 2nd & 4th Thursday each month (July 28) at 3:30-4:30pm (or pick another day of the week and bring a group with signs).
For more information, contact Russell Brown, at 716-570-5200; hobadoxa@me.com .
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SAVE THE DATE: Peace-Justice-Nonviolence Walk and Festival 2016
Sunday September 11th, 2:30pm-dusk. Canalside, downtown Buffalo
WNY Coalition of Peace, Justice & Nonviolence Advocates Joining Together for Mother Nature and All of Our Brothers and Sisters! More than 90 partners! Live Music, Tabling, Children’s Activities, and more! If you or your organization would like to be a partner or help with event planning, please contact one of us:
Vicki Ross (716) 931-3520 victoryross9@gmail.com
Tom Casey (716) 491-9172 caseytpc@aol.com
Paul McQuillen (716) 997-8659 paulmcqesq@nyagv.org
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West Side Community Congress
Join the Community Congress in changing the way development works in Buffalo.
Rents across the city are going up, and people in our community are being displaced. People from the Westside and all over Buffalo are coming together to PUSH for more sustainable housing that puts people and planet over profits.
Saturday, July 30, 2-6pm. Lafayette High School, 370 Lafayette Avenue.
For more information, please contact John Washington, john@push.org or 716 884-0356.
Please consider connecting with PUSH Buffalo to get your home insulated and possibly powered by solar panels.
From PUSH Buffalo:
“We are doing a series at different breweries where people can come out and learn/sign up for solar & weatherization assessments. We are partnering up with Solar Liberty with these events. They are completely free and include a free beer. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/going-green-the-rusty-nickel-brewing-co-tickets-26083031048
Please forward to your friends and colleagues.”
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Buffalo Education Crisis Emergency Town Hall Meeting
The Community Demands Great Education for All Children
Monday August 1, 6-7:30pm. Friendship Baptist Church, 402 Clinton St, Buffalo.
For more information, contact Duncan Kirkwood, dkirkwood@necharters.org , 716 308=0506 or Vicki Ross, 716-931-3520. All are needed!
Hosted by: Northeast Charter Schools Network, District Parent Coordinating Council (DPCC), Friendship Baptist church, The Buffalo Urban League Young Professionals, Young Black Democrats, CAO Better Schools Better Neighborhoods
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Chairman’s Book Club, hosted by Library Board Chairman, Frank Housh
“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
Panelists: Heron Simmonds-Price, Professor, Canisius College; Anthony Neal, Professor, Buffalo State College; Sharon Holley, Storyteller, retired Librarian.
The book is available at library branches.
Tuesday Aug 16, 12 noon. Frank E. Merriweather, Jr. Branch Library, 1324 Jefferson Avenue, Buffalo.
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Please contact your Buffalo Common Council representative and ask him/her to stop the Freezer Queen Project as no environmental impact statement was done.
A lawsuit has been filed. Here is a link to a Channel 2 report which includes the actual Petition that was filed:
http://www.wgrz.com/money/business/lawsuit-challenges-freezer-queen-project/259456158
Individual petitioners are Margaret Wooster, Jay Burney, Jim Carr, and Lynda Stephans.
Our primary initial focus is to challenge that a Negative Declaration was issued on this, and we think that we can legally prove that it is an incorrect determination by the City of Buffalo Planning Board, and the Buffalo Common Council. We think that the precedent of issuing a negative declaration is a roadmap that will be followed in subsequent Green Code decisions, if an when the Greencode is adopted.
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Closing reception for the art exhibit “Soulja,” by New York City artist, Cassandra.
Soulja features large prints, bronze sculptures and murals, with pieces exploring themes of feminism, homosexuality, Latin culture and more. Cassandra will give an artist’s talk on her work at 7 p.m. The reception will include complimentary wine, hors d’oeuvres and music.
Friday, July 29 from 6-9 p.m. ¡Buen Vivir! Gallery for Contemporary Art, 148 Elmwood Avenue in Buffalo.
For more information and photos from the exhibit, visit the gallery’s website at BuenVivirGallery.org.
For more info, contact: Kip Doyle 716 867-4080 , kip@globaljusticeecology.org .
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Elmwood Festival of the Arts
Saturday and Sunday Aug 27-28, 10am-5pm.
Come to the WNY Peace Center table on the Cultural Row!
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Women In Black – weekly vigil for nonviolence. Every Saturday noon to 1pm. Bidwell and Elmwood. Signs provided. (You don’t need to be a woman or wear black.)
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Please send announcements to weeklynews@wnypeace.org for possible inclusion in the Weekly Update.
Also, check out our website: wnypeace.org
To UNSUBSCRIBE: Email weeklynews@wnypeace.org with UNSUBSCRIBE in the subject line, and include the email address you would like to have unsubscribed.
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General Info :
PEACE CENTER CONTACT INFORMATION
For questions, comments, inquiries, suggestions, and concerns regarding the Peace Center, contact our Executive Director at:
Victoria (Vicki) Ross
Phone: (716) 931-3520
Email: victoryross9@gmail.com
Our Weekly Office Hours (for drop-in visits, calls, etc.) are:
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday: 1-3 p.m., or by appointment.
1272 Delaware Avenue (use back entrance and ring buzzer to get inside), Buffalo, NY 14209
Phone: (716) 332-3904
PEACE CENTER TASKFORCE CONTACT INFORMATION
ECONOMIC JUSTICE:
Eric Gallion
Phone: (716) 310-4292
Email: egallion@verizon.net
ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE:
Charley Bowman
Phone: (716) 688-2374
Email: CandABowman@verzion.net
Website: http://wnypeace.org/new/projects.html
and
Frank Gage
Phone: (716)893-5584
Email: snowbird1967@roadrunner.com
LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE (LASC):
Phone: 716 838-2962 and 716 835-4705
Main Website: http://www.lascwny.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LASC-wny/143873822377380/
WNY Peace Center Page: http://wnypeace.org/program/lasc.php/
PEACEFUL CONFLICT RESOLUTION/PEACE EDUCATION PROJECT:
Victoria Ross
Phone: (716) 884-0582, (716) 931-3520
Email: victoryross9@gmail.com
PRISONERS’ RIGHTS:
Chuck Culhane
Phone: (716) 228-2076
Email: culhane9@gmail.com
Website: http://wnypeace.org/program/Prison%20Action%20Committee.php/
RACIAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE
Heron Simmonds-Price
Email: heronimousphunk@gmail.com
Phone: (716) 768-2986
RESIST MILITARISM! TASKFORCE
Russell Brown
Phone: (716) 570-5200
Email: hobadoxa@me.com
Website: http://wnypeace.org/program/ResistMilitarism.php/
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DONATIONS AND MEMBERSHIPS
Student/Low Income: $10
Peacenik: $50
Sustainer’s Circle: $125
Director’s Circle: $250
Major Donor: $1000
Lifetime Membership: $2500
Other Donations (you may indicate any reason):
Send Checks and/or Money Orders (made out to “WNY Peace Center”) to:
Western New York Peace Center, 1272 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14209. Please write “Membership” or the purpose of your donation on the memo line of your check.
You can also pay with your credit card via PayPal at www.wnypeace.org
PEACE CENTER WEBSITES
Main Website: http://wnypeace.org/new/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WesternNewYorkPeaceCenter/
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/wny8peace8center/
YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-irmY8IAJdDGF8oFTB98nA/feed/
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