Ismail Johnson, Presente
716-332-3904 6/6/19 wnypeace.org
Dear Friends,
Please join us in honoring our brother, elder and friend, Ismail Johnson, who passed away and was laid to rest this week. There will be a celebration of his life on Sunday, June 9 at 2pm at PUSH Buffalo, 429 Plymouth Avenue, Buffalo, NY. Any questions, please contact Harper Bishop at harper@pushbuffalo.org.
Another important memorial is happening at Riverside Salem UCC, 3449 West River Road, Grand Island on that day for Bruce Beyer and Charles Lamb. There will be a tree planting/dedication and potluck in their honor. Program from 4pm, potluck at 6pm.
There will be a Climate Justice Trip to Albany on June 11th, in our effort to get the Climate & Community Protection Act passed, which offers 100% renewables by 2030. Food and transportation will be provided at no cost. RSVP at https://actionnetwork.org/events/june11/. Please register for more details. With the NY legislative session ending on June 19th, we must work to get this passed. If you cannot make the trip, you can still get involved in getting the Climate & Community Protection Act passed by calling our senators or assembly members, especially in the days leading up to the trip.
Also, please contact our County Legislators and urge them to enact a Professional & Community Advisory Board with teeth for the Sheriff’s Department.
The Pastors for Peace 30th annual Friendshipment Caravan’s Northeastern Route comes to Buffalo on June 14th. Gail Walker, daughter of Lucius Walker – founder of Pastors for Peace, will be giving a talk on U.S. – Cuba relations on that date at Pilgrim St. Luke’s UCC, 335 Richmond Avenue, Buffalo, NY. The community is invited to join us for this talk. Free Will donation of $10. WNY Peace Center Executive Director Vicki Ross and board member Marie Schuster will be going to Cuba with the caravan to encourage civility among these two nations. The Caravan travels this year to Havana and Cienfuegos. According to the Pastors for Peace website, the caravan is to stand in solidarity with the people of Cuba as they move forward in healthcare, organic farming, sustainable tourism, diversity in religious expression and efforts to tackle racism, sexism and homophobia. If you’re able, please donate to the cause! Visit ifconews.org to donate. Hope to see you on June 14th.
Volunteer and Tabling Opportunities Coming Up:
Please volunteer in our outreach efforts to spread peace and justice throughout our community! Contact us at info@wnypeace.orgor 716-332-3904.
- Juneteenth Festival, Jun 15-16, MLK Park. – 10:30am- 8:30pm (festival times 11am-8pm)
- Taste of Diversity, June 29 – Lafayette and Grant St., 10:30am-7:30pm (festival hours 11am-7pm)
- World Refugee Day, Sunday June 30, LaSalle Waterfront Park, 8:30am-5:30pm, (festival times 9am-5pm)
Thank you!
No hate, no fear as we are #StillResisting. Peace, Thanks, Solidarity, and yes – Love.
Eventsthis week:
Housing Justice Community Forum & Discussion
June 6 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
SEIU 1199, 2421 Main St. Buffalo, NY. ‘Our communities need stability in housing in order to thrive, but big real estate developers are pushing people out of their homes to boost their profits! This year New York State can pass critical laws to stop the unfair evictions and predatory rent hikes.
Environmental Justice Taskforce Mtg
June 6 @ 6:00 pm – 7:30 pm
At Niagara Porter Library. Come learn about the tragedy at Lac Megantic, “bomb trains,” and what we can do to stop them, more. All are welcome!!
Stop The Violence Coalition Meeting
June 7 @ 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm
Regular public meeting, working on Responding to the Needs of the People. At United Way, 742 Delaware Ave (at Summer), Buffalo, NY 14209. All are welcome!
Justice for Migrant Families 2019 Fundraiser Dinner
June 7 @ 5:30 pm – 9:00 pm
Trinity Episcopal Church, 371 Delaware Ave, Buffalo NY 14202. Justice for Migrant Families 2019 Fundraiser Dinner, a basket raffle, 50/50 drawing, bar, and entertainment by French ConeXion ft. Chris Vasquez and Joe Hall! $20 suggested entry donation per person, 12 and under free. Family event with kids’ corner! Dinner and entertainment included in entry. http://www.justiceformigrantfamilies.org/index.php/volunteer/
Closing reception for the #notwhite collective’s In Between the Middle art exhibit
June 7 @ 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
¡Buen Vivir! Gallery for Contemporary Art 148 Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14201 Closing reception for the #notwhite collective’s In Between the Middle art exhibit buenvivirgallery.org Hors d’oeuvres and refreshments served. notwhitecollective.com #notwhite collectiveis a group of 13 women artists elevating the stories of the others, those who do not fit neatly in the consensus boxes; neatly in cultural categories.
Celebration of the life of Ismail Johnson
June 9 @ 2:00 pm – 6:00 pm
PUSH Buffalo, 429 Plymouth Avenue, Buffalo, NY. ‘Greetings Friends, To honor our fallen soldier, Ismail Johnson, please join us in celebrating his life with live music, poetry and spoken words, reflections and food. We’ll be gathering here at PUSH Buffalo THIS SUNDAY – June 9th at 2pm – all are WELCOME.
Riverside Salem: Tree dedication/planting; Bruce Beyer, Charles Lamb
June 9 @ 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm
3449 West River Road, Grand Island. Tree planting/dedication for Bruce Beyer and Charles Lamb, two beloved peace and justice activists who have passed away recently. Join us …. Program from 4pm, potluck at 6pm.
Climate Justice trip to Albany
June 11 @ 4:00 am – 9:00 pm
NY’s legislative session ends 6/19. Let’s get the Climate & Community Protection Act passed! It is the best of the environmental justice bills being offered, w/ 100% renewables by 2030, community reparations especially to those who’ve suffered more harm (particularly communities of color), create good green jobs. Please rsvp @ https://actionnetwork.org/events/june11/. Food & transportation freely provided …. times on this website are estimates only – please register for actual times.
PeaceJam Leaders (afterschool group; 10-14 yr olds)
June 11 @ 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
At the Rafi Greene CAO Masten Resource Center, 1423 Fillmore Ave, Buffalo 14211. Come be part of an exciting newly forming PeaceJam leaders group for 10-14-year-olds. PeaceJam is national and international, with 13 Nobel laureates on the Board who all had major impact on the curriculum. The youth-led, adult-assisted program uses inspiration, education, and action.
Network of Religious Communities Appreciation Dinner
June 13 @ 6:00 pm
Come celebrate religious diversity and stellar members of various houses of worship and faith traditions. At Samuel’s Grand Manor. Contact 716-882-4793 for tickets.
LASC talk: Gail Walker, Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization
June 14 @ 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Pilgrim St. Luke’s UUC, 335 Richmond Ave (at Utica St.), Buffalo, NY. The WNY Peace Center’s Latin American Solidarity Committee will host Gail Walker, daughter of Rev. Lucius Walker, founder of Pastors for Peace.
Many thanks, peace, solidarity, and yes – Love
REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS in the One Movement, One Struggle:
Riverside-Salem UCC/DC – Progressive program followed by potluck. Sundays, 4-7pm. Environmental Cottage, 3449 West River Road, Grand Island. All are welcome.
Talking Peace with the WNY Peace Center Radio Show on 91.3FM, WBNY. Mondays, 1-4pm. Call-in show! Go to wbny.buffalostate.edu.
Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water Protectors/Nekanesakt. Indigenous support group/allies. 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month, 6:30-8pm. At Burning Books, 420 Connecticut Ave. All are welcome!!
Prisoners’ Rights Taskforce – Wednesdays 4-5:30pm protest/vigils at the Erie County Holding Center (Delaware & Church). All are welcome. Please bring signs.
Racial Justice Taskforce – 3rdSundays, 1-2:30pm, Little Africa Culture Club, 356 S. Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY.
Interfaith Peace Network, 1stand 3rdThursdays, 9:15am at 1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo NY 14209 entrance and parking round back.) Breakfast potluck, planning/publicizing, & discussion.
Vigil for Victims of ICE Terror – Thursdays, 5-6pm, ICE building on the corner of Delaware and Chippewa. Bring your signs and spirit of Solidarity. We will not stay silent! #EndICETerror #FamiliesBelongTogether #AbolishICE
Environmental Justice Taskforce – Vigil to Protest the Shipments of VERY Dangerous Radioactive Liquid from Canada coming over the Peace Bridge. Fridays 2-3pm, Front Park at Vermont & Busti, Buffalo. Signs welcome and also usually available.
Stop The Violence Coalition – 1st and 3rd Fridays of the month; 6pm, United Way Building, Delaware and Summer Sts.
Women In Black – Nonviolence vigil, Bidwell and Elmwood. Saturdays, Noon-1pm. Signs also available. (and you don’t need to be a woman or dress in black)
We shall overcome #Unitethestruggles #Loveislove #PowerWITH-NOTPowerOver
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More listings on website on calendar and in previous email posts.
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Please submit possible listings for consideration to weeklynews@wnypeace.org.
The time is now, and we are the people we’ve been waiting for.
And remember to tune in: DEMOCRACY NOW! IS NOW BEING BROADCASTMONDAY-FRIDAY, 8AM-9AM (LIVE) ON WBNY 91.3FM. Hear it over the radio or streaming live at wbny.buffalostate.edu.
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Below are
– more event listings (see also calendar & facebook page);
– Taskforce items and campaigns; and
– regularly scheduled events – all in that order.
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COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
* ECONOMIC JUSTICE
The WNY PPC meets 2nd Mondays, 6pm at Raqs Solidarity, 322 Amherst St., Buffalo, NY.
Upcoming Events:
PPC Monthly Meeting, 6/10, 6-8pm, Raqs Solidarity, 322 Amherst St. (just west of Grant St.)
PPC Moral Congress, Washington, D.C., June 17-19. Poorpeoplescampaign.org. *** Please support the NYS Delegation to the congress by donating – bit.ly/NYSCONGRESS. *** Thank you.
Visit us on facebook to stay up to date on events. https://www.facebook.com/wnypoorpeoplescmpgn
Please continue to support the Poor People’s Campaign. The Poor People’s Campaign confronts the four evils of poverty, racism, militarism, and ecological devastation, as well as the distorted moral narrative of this country. Stay tuned for information on future events and ways to get involved. Also, visit and join the Poor People’s Campaign online: www.poorpeoplescampaign.org and on facebook (locally, statewide and nationally): Poor People’s Campaign WNY, NYS Poor People’s Campaign, Poor People’s Campaign.
Other Economic Justice information:
Community members are looking for your support for the Securing Wages Earned Against Theft (SWEAT) bill– A486/S2844! The ask: to call legislators to say you support the SWEAT bill, bill number A486/S2844.Right now, when workers win wage theft cases in court, it is legal for employers to hide their assets so that the workers can’t collect. For example, check out this front-page article about a worker who is owed over $300k but can’t collect a dime. The SWEAT bill would allow workers to freeze their bosses’ assets at the start of a wage theft case, so that if they win in court, they can collect the money they are owed. Visit sweatnys.org for more information.
* EDUCATION & HUMAN RIGHTS
We hope everyone voted for the Buffalo Board of Education ELECTION on May 7. This is a very important way we make our voices heard.
Our PeaceJam Leaders After School program began on Tuesday, April 9 and continues on Tuesdays through 6/25, 3-5pm (except when school is out) at the CAO Rafi Green Center, 1423 Fillmore Avenue, Buffalo, NY. Parents are welcome to register their children for this program. wnypeace.org.
New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act (aka DASA or The Dignity Act) seeks to provide the State’s public elementary and secondary school students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying on school property, a school bus and/or at a school function. More information at: http://www.p12.nysed.gov/dignityact/
BOE Meetings
Board of Education meetings begin at 5:30 pm and are held in room 801 at City Hall, unless a venue change is previously announced. These sessions are open to the public. A schedule of upcoming board of education meetings can be found at https://www.buffaloschools.org/Page/85931.
More information on Buffalo Public Schools can be found at https://www.buffaloschools.org.
* ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
No Nuclear Waste over the Peace Bridge
Join us every Friday from 2 PM to 3 PM at the corner of Busti Ave and Vermont St. in Buffalo NY. Vigil against the shipment of high level LIQUID radioactive spent fuel from Chalk River Ontario to Aiken South Carolina. If any of it spills out, it will be next to impossible to clean.
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Action Alert re Stone Dam Road Pipeline: go to wnypeace.org/environmental-justice/
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Call Cuomo and Legislative Leaders to Demand Strong Climate Action
We need calls and emails to the Governor and legislative leaders urging them to pass the strongest climate bill possible before the session ends in late June.
General message: We need NY to enact the strongest climate change agenda possible. We should move to 100% clean renewable energy for all sources including transportation and buildings as fast as possible, with a target date of 2030. We need to halt new fossil fuel projects. We need to support a Just Transition and commit 40% of climate funds to disadvantaged communities. We need enforceable detailed climate plans at the state and local levels, with two-year benchmarks and annual review and updates. We need to give citizens the right to sue to enforce the climate plans.
Other issues that could be addressed are a halt to nukes, a state carbon tax and public ownership of the energy system.
Contact Info:
Governor Cuomo: 518474-8390;
Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie: 518-455-3791; Speaker@nyassembly.gov
Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins, (518) 455-2585; scousins@nysenate.gov
Assembly Environmental Chair Steve Engelbright – 518-455-4804; EngleS@nyassembly.gov
Senate Environmental Chair Todd Kaminsky – 518-455-3401; kaminsky@nysenate.gov
Two big victories!!: Judge’s put a halt to two terrible proposed pipelines:
– Keystone Pipeline (proposed for entire North-South in Central US); and
– NAPL/Northern Access Pipeline (proposed to take fracked gas from PA through WNY).
We are overjoyed, yet ever-vigilant.
* GENDER JUSTICE
If you believe that discrimination against all women should be eliminated, please support enacting the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in the city of Buffalo. Follow this link for more information: https://cities4cedaw-buffalo.org/ and contact your district’s councilperson to urge them to support this ordinance too.
Darius G. Pridgen- Ellicott District- 716-851-4980
Christopher P. Scanlon- South District- 716-851-5169
David A. Rivera- Niagara District- 716-851-5125
Joel P. Feroleto- Delaware District- 716-851-5155
Richard A. Fontana- Lovejoy District- 716-851- 5151
David A. Franczyk- Fillmore District- 716-851-4138
Joseph Golombek, Jr.- North District- 716-851-5116
Ulysees O. Wingo, Sr.- Masten District- 716-851-5145
Rasheed Wyatt- University District- 716-851-5165
(Note all-male Common Council – symptomatic of issues!)
* IMMIGRANT & REFUGEE JUSTICE
Vigil for Victims of ICE Terror – Thursdays, 5-6pm, ICE building on the corner of Delaware and Chippewa. Bring your signs and spirit of Solidarity. We will not stay silent! #EndICETerror #FamiliesBelongTogether #AbolishICE
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Calls are still needed to your NYS Assembly Members to ask them to support NYS ASSEMBLY Bill #4050. IF SEAN RYAN IS YOUR ASSEMBLYPERSON, PLEASE CALL HIM! 716-885-9630! ALSO CO CLERK MICKEY KEARNS (716) 858-8785.
The GreenLight NY program restores access to drivers’ licenses to all community members, to avoid abusive immigration enforcement. For more info, please come out to above mentioned event, or go to
https://www.facebook.com/GreenLightNY/; Green Light Petition
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Vive la Casa, shelter for people awaiting documents and/or sanctuary, still desperately needs personal hygiene products and of course, CASH.
jrchc.org/vive
(Checks to Jericho Road/VIVE) 50 Wyoming St., Buffalo, NY 14211, 892-4354.
* LATIN AMERICAN SOLIDARITY
Latin American Solidarity Committee website: http://www.lascwny.org/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/LASC-wny/143873822377380/
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LASC holds Peace Coffeehouses on the 4th Monday of most months, usually at Canisius College’s Science Hall, Main St near Jefferson Avenue. The public is cordially invited. Speakers are persons who have recently visited the country or, in some cases, human rights workers from the countries themselves. Yearly events present national speakers and raise funds for humanitarian aid.
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Vigil for Victims of ICE Terror Thursdays, 5-6pm, ICE building on the corner of Delaware and Chippewa. Bring your signs and spirit of Solidarity. We will not stay silent! #EndICETerror #FamiliesBelongTogether #AbolishICE
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Other Latin American Solidarity news:
Invest in the children of farmworkers! A donor has agreed to match gifts given through Rural and Migrant Ministry board members through the end of the year. Contact the Rural and Migrant Ministry for more details. www.ruralmigrantministry.org.
Venezuela Sanctions Petition
After the attempted assassination of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, your help is requested. Please sign the petition to end US and Canadian sanctions: https://afgj.salsalabs.org/campaigntoendusandcanadasanctionsagainstvenezuela/index.html. The civilians and general populations are the ones to pay for this kind of foreign policy. The US government needs to stop penalizing the common people and destabilizing other countries. Please sign and share. Many thanks to Shontae Cannon-Buckley for her work on this issue!
As you know, people desperately need our help because of the continuing devastation caused by “natural” disasters (read fossil-fuel-burning-generated Climate Catastrophe) as well as other factors. You can contribute as follows:
Puerto Rico—Go to hispanicheritagewny.org for a full report on ways to help.
We also recommend:
– Mutual Aid Community Soup Kitchens Paypal address: cdpecpr@gmail.com run by Giovanni Roberto, friend of MaryAnne Grady Flores (UpstateDroneAction.org and Puerto Rico activist].
– The Mariafund.org is another fund governed by many grassroots community groups.
– Cuba—Alliance for Global Justice/Irma Relief, 418 W. 145th St.. New York, NY 10031 (for tax deductible). Not tax deductible, IFCO/Irma Relief (same address) Phone: 212-926-5757. Please give generously – the situations continue to be terrible for many!!
-Chenalhó, Chiapas—Humanitarian crisis
This article in the National Catholic reporter gives a brief overview of the situation.
https://www.ncronline.org/news/world/enough-deaths-mexican-clergy-reiterate-chiapas-crisis
If you would like to help, go to weaving-for-justice.org
* PRISONERS’ RIGHTS
Wednesdays 4-5:30pm protest/vigils at the Erie County Holding Center (Delaware & Church). All are welcome. Please bring signs.
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Please join us in promoting the H.A.L.T. Solitary Confinement campaign. Please call your State Senators and ask them to cosponsor and vote for the bills S. 4784. (You can also thank the representatives who passed it in the Assembly!)
Other Ways you can help:
– Sign the petition to support the HALT Solitary Confinement Act: https://goo.gl/HLwqbK
– Encourage your organization to endorse the HALT Solitary Confinement Act: https://goo.gl/forms/FM2F6DZAcPZp1co32
* RACIAL JUSTICE
Monthly meetings announced on our website calendar. Stay tuned.
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THE CARIOL HORNE WHISTLEBLOWER FUND – The Western New York Peace Center has created a fund for the purpose of supporting police officers who face reprisals from their department from choosing to strictly uphold their oath to protect and serve the community. gofundme.com/cariol-horne-whistleblower-fund. The Peace Center has named this fund after Cariol Horne who saved the life of a citizen, but was fired just prior to earning her 20-year pension. Our goal is to encourage good police officers in following their moral conscience if and when it conflicts with the infamous blue wall of silence.
Join the #BuffaloLLEP movement. It’s easy.
Join the hundreds of Buffalonians who make up the #BuffaloLLEP movement, asking Mayor Byron Brown to make low-level marijuana arrests Buffalo’s lowest level enforcement priority (LLEP).
People across the U.S. recognize what a destructive failure the 40-year “war on drugs” has been. In Buffalo, the news hasn’t sunken in yet, though, as those living in communities of color & low-income areas are still disproportionately targeted by law enforcement for marijuana arrests. Join the #BuffaloLLEP movement to stop these unfair & harmful enforcement tactics!
Learn more.
Each Police District has a Chief and Community Police Meeting. We encourage people to go to them and communicate freely on issues of concern. See wnypeace.org calendar for listings, and/or call your District and ask when & where the next Chief and Community Police Meeting will be held.
* RESIST MILITARISM!
Resist Militarism! Meetings are 3rd Wednesdays of the month at Tipico Coffee, 7pm.
(Future dates unless otherwise stated: 5/15, 6/19, 7/17, 8/21, 9/18, 10/16, 11/20, 12/18.)
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Stand Up for Global Peace
The world is facing a 25-year peak in violent conflict. It is the main cause of human suffering today – trapping millions of civilians in conflict and uprooting 66 million people from their homes. According to the Institute for Economics and Peace, violence containment costs the world $14.3 trillion each year. There must be another way.
Over the past two years, a coalition of peacebuilding, humanitarian, and faith-based organizations have drafted a bill that would address the root causes of violence and fragility. The resulting legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate as the Global Fragility Act (H.R. 1580/S.727). This bill would require the U.S. government – in collaboration with civil society – to develop a 10 year strategy to enhance stability and to reduce violence and fragility around the world.
We know that too much foreign assistance and Pentagon spending is spent on treating the symptoms of violence instead of its causes. By passing this law, the U.S. will be able to more effectively prevent violence around the world and reduce its enormous cost on families.
Today, hundreds of faith advocates will lift up the Global Fragility Act as part of their lobby day ask for the annual Ecumenical Advocacy Days. It is important for YOU to add your voice as well. Together, we CAN build a more Just and Peaceful World for All!
Take action today to support the Global Fragility Act of 2019! https://p2a.co/Mc4rH0c
For more information:
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Know about the King’s Bay Plowshares? 7 courageous and compassionate Catholic Workers who went to largest submarine base in the world Kings Bay Naval Submarine Base in St. Mary’s, Georgia on April 4th, 2018. They went to make real the prophet Isaiah’s command to “beat swords into plowshares”. Read their story at https://www.kingsbayplowshares7.org/. Also https://www.facebook.com/Kingsbayplowshares/.
Donate, help us organize on their behalf, and agitate and pray for their acquittal. They face very serious charges of up to a decade of prison time, just for reminding our government of the illegal and foolhardy nature of our nuclear weaponry.
Please call our Senators and Congresspersons to urge them to
– Vote in favor and cosponsor if possible Senator Markey’s Bill # 200 and House Bill, Rep Lieu # 669, to Restrict First Strike with Nuclear Weapons.
– Support House Resolution 922 to define presidential wars not declared by Congress as impeachable offenses. These wars include wars of co-belligerency such as the US role in the atrocities in Yemen.
If you’d prefer to send an email to your senators, please do so.
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