Time for People(s) and the Planet
716-332-3904 7/30/19 wnypeace.org
Dear Friends,
On Friday, join us at El Mueso at 4 pm for Speaking Verse to Power: Poems on Peace, War, & Justice. Poets will read their work on peace, war, and justice. You can also submit your own work, sign up is available at the door!
Please join us for the Nuclear Free & Indigenous Press Conference on August 6 at 1 pm at the Japanese Gardens (behind the Buffalo History Museum). Come out to support a nuclear-free future, with respect and equality for Indigenous people(s), all people and the planet. Held 74 years after the catastrophic US war crime of the bombing of Hiroshima. Learn about nuclear waste trucked over the Peace Bridge, nuclear waste pollution in WNY, nuclear weapons, prior free and informed consent, indigenous invisibility, and care for the Earth.
Following this event, on August 9 at 3 pm, join us to celebrate United Nations’ Indigenous People’ Day and commemorate lives lost to war and nuclear development on August 9, 3-9 pm at the Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Court in Buffalo. Experience Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) arts, crafts, singing, dancing, and foods. Hear keynote speaker Alyssa Mt Pleasant, PhD on Buffalo Creek proposed cultural corridor; Jil St Ledger-Roy, Esq on Standing Rock Natural Law; Kelly Maracle Water Protector on 202 International Water Sowers Conference; Diane Hinman, Esq on Alaska National Wildlife Refuge ANWR film; Vicki Ross, for the WNY Peace Center on Nuclear Issues and bomb trains, and, for the Interfaith Peace Network, a commemorating service followed by the Lantern Ceremony on Lake Muir at dusk organized by Martin McGee Productions. Admission is free! Bring a dish of food to share if you wish. Attached please find a flyer for wide distribution. Come on out and join us!
Continue to support the Move the Nuclear Weapons Money campaign, to cut nuclear weapons budgets, end investments (by their city, university, religious institution, bank, pension fund or government) in nuclear weapons, and shift these budgets and investments to peace and sustainability. To endorse the campaign, please send your supporting quote plus a photo of yourself to Move the Nuclear Weapons Money <info@nuclearweaponsmoney.org?subject=Endorsing%20quote%20for%20Move%20the%20Nuclear%20Weapons%20Money%20campaign>*. We will turn your quote into a meme for social media use.
Dahr Jamail will be in Buffalo on August 18, at Burning Books at 7 pm. Mark your calandars!
Please note that the Buffalo Police Advisory Board has three public meetings for you to give your input re policing in Buffalo, including tonight 5:30 pm at the Merriweather (see wnypeace.org/calendar for other specifics).
Also, thank you to everyone who helped out with Camp Peaceprints! This year was a lot of fun!
Lastly, the nine people arrested at the Close the Camps rally on July 11, had a favorable verdict from the judge, effectively dropping the charges! Si, se puede!!
Peace, Thanks, Solidarity, and yes Love.
Events this week:
Buffalo Police Advisory Bd Public Mtg
July 30 @ 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm
At the Frank E. Merriweather Jr Library, 1324 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo, NY 14208 (Jefferson @East Utica). Come out to voice your thoughts and concerns about policing, meet with police leadership, and help develop solutions.
Nekanesakt – Reading Group: The Great Law of Peace
July 30 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
At Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St. Please join us for the first session of our reading group, studying Kayanerenko:wa – The Great Law of Peace. The book we’re using is by Kayanesenh Paul Williams. You can come buy the book, and/or just come listen to the discussion. Nya weh.
Speaking Verse to Power: Poems on Peace, War, & Justice
August 2 @ 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Poets will read on peace, war, and justice at this event, organized by the WNY Peace Center and Veterans for Peace #128, as part of the Infringement Festival. At El Museo, 91 Allen St.
Nuclear-Free & Indigenous Press Conf
August 6 @ 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm
At the Japanese Gardens, behind the Buffalo History Museum (at 1 Museum Court in Buffalo, New York, just east of Elmwood Avenue and off of Nottingham Terrace, north of the Scajaquada Expressway, in the northwest corner of Delaware Park). Come out to support a nuclear-free future, with respect and equality for Indigenous people(s).
Indigenous Peoples & Nuclear Free Future Day
August 9 @ 3:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Distinguished Colleagues, You are invited to celebrate United Nations’ Indigenous People’ Day and commemorate lives lost to war and nuclear development on August 9, 2019 3-9 pm at the Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Court, Buffalo NY 14216
Dahr Jamail Speaks
August 18 @ 7:00 pm
Join us at Burning Books, August 18 at 7 pm to hear Dahr Jamail speak on the emergency nature of climate change and his new book, The End of Ice.
A Taste of Cuba Summer BBQ (Canada)
August 18 @ 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm
Fort Erie, Canada NPC Pavilion
Enjoy a family social afternoon of Cuban music, dancing and solidarity. Bring a lawn chair!
We shall overcome #Unitethestruggles #Loveislove #PowerWITH-NOTPowerOver
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More listings on calendar and in previous email posts.
To subscribe, go to http://wnypeace.org/wp/weekly-news-sign-up/ or write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “subscribe” in subject line.
To unsubscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “unsubscribe” in subject line. (Sorry for occasional delays!)
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:
Visit us on facebook to stay up to date on events. https://www.facebook.com/wnypoorpeoplescmpgn
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 to 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.
* EDUCATION & HUMAN RIGHTS
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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– NAPL/Northern Access Pipeline (proposed to take fracked gas from PA through WNY) is looming again, as the fossil-fuel-profiteers never give up!! However, si, se puede! SeeNorthern Access Pipeline Information for more info.
* 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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The GreenLight NY program was passed!
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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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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!
– Cuba—IFCO/Irma Relief (same address) Phone: 212-926-5757. Please give generously – the situations continue to be terrible for many!!
-Chenalhó, Chiapas—Humanitarian 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.
We are glad that Mayor Brown has made marijuana arrests the lowest law enforcement priority, so people are no longer being arrested for small amounts of marijuana! Thank you, Mayor Brown!! This will go a long way to improving racial justice!
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, 5-6:30pm at Niagara Porter Library (at the corner of Niagara & Porter Sts);
(Future dates unless otherwise stated: 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: Global Fragility Act
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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 athttps://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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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, 1-3pm. Call-in show! Go to wbny.buffalostate.edu.
Buffalo Nekanesakt. Indigenous support group/allies. Tuesdays, 6:30-8pm. At Burning Books, 420 Connecticut Ave. All are welcome!! Today, our reading group for the Great Law of Peace starts.
Prisoners’ Rights Taskforce – Wednesdays 4-5:30pm protest/vigils at the Erie County Holding Center (Delaware & Church). All are welcome. Please bring signs.
Resist Militarism! Taskforce – regular monthly planning meeting third Weds of the month, at Niagara Porter Library, 5-6:30pm. Including update re Speaking Verse to Power (Infringement Festival event Aug 2, 4-5pm at El Museo, ), and more.
Interfaith Peace Network, August 8 (ltd summer sched), 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 (@250) Delaware and Chippewa. Bring your signs and spirit of Solidarity. We will not stay silent! #EndICETerror #FamiliesBelongTogether #AbolishICE #CLOSETHECAMPS #NeverAgainIsNow
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)
Of note: West African Drumming Sundays, 12-2pm, Little Africa Culture Club, 356 S. Elmwood Avenue, Buffalo, NY.
#Unitethestruggles #Loveislove #PowerWITH-NOTPowerOver
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More listings on calendar and in previous email posts.
To subscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “subscribe” in subject line.
To unsubscribe, write to weeklynews@wnypeace.org with “unsubscribe” in subject line. (Sorry for occasional delays!)
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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Si, se puede! We shall overcome. #UnitetheStruggles
Peace, Thanks, Solidarity, and yes Love.