Helping Hands: Annual Mtg; Holy Season; Earth Week; World Summit
April 21st, 2020
This is a time of year with many holy days – Passover, Easter, and the start of Ramadan on Friday. It is a time to focus on reverence for life, fostering new life. Despite everything, this season is still going on, including our lives. In that spirit, we highlight the Helping Hands opportunities below:
– The WNYPC 2020 Annual Membership Meeting is now less than two weeks away! On Saturday, May 2nd, join our Zoom Meeting to gather virtually to review the past year, look forward to this upcoming critically important year, elect new board members, and more! All are welcome, though only members can vote. If you’re not sure whether your membership is current, call 716-332-3904 or email office@wnypeace.org. (You can also re-up your membership on our website’s home page or under the Get Involved drop-down menu.) To join, use Meeting ID 921 863 476 with password 077319. If you’re calling in, first dial 1-646-558-8656.
– From Wednesday, April 22nd (the 50th anniversary of Earth Day!) through Friday, April 24th, activists, performers, thought leaders, and artists will come together for an empowering, inspiring, and communal three day livestream mobilization, Earth Day Live. The fights against the coronavirus and the climate crisis go hand-in-hand, and as we work to flatten the curve of this pandemic, we must strive toward the longer-term goal of building a society rooted in sustainability and justice. Strike, divest, and vote for our future.
– The online World Conference to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Resist and Reverse the Climate Crisis, and for Social and Economic Justice will convene this Saturday from 9-11am EST. Register here – 1,000 people can join directly. Livestream to be posted at worldconference2020.org. The conference will be recorded. In the context of suffering and changes being wrought by the pandemic, the two-hour world conference will focus on the continuing urgent need to abolish nuclear weapons and its relationship to stanching the climate emergency and challenging injustices which have left so many people marginalized and vulnerable.
– A reminder that voting by mail and electoral integrity are more important than ever! The federal government must set aside money to cover mailing and ensure fair, safe, and accessible voting is available to all. We shouldn’t have to choose between voting and our health! We also always need a paper trail! Check out this call to action in NYS, and find more information about the push for vote-by-mail here. We also suggest watching this informative documentary film, Kill Chain: The Cyber War on America’s Elections – free on HBO only in April!
*** Please remember to pace yourselves – do only what you can without engaging in digital overload. No one call do it all! *** Please pick and choose from more below, including special events this week, regularly scheduled events, campaigns, fundraisers, and more at wnypeace.org, on our Facebook page, Twitter (@wnypeace), and Instagram (@wnypeace)! And let us know what kind of help you might need from the WNYPC – please reach out!
Peace, thanks, solidarity and yes – love.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
TUES, APR 21: NEKANESAKT ZOOM MEETING
Indigenous support group working for sustainability, Indigenous rights, and more. This is a recurring meeting (1st & 3rdTuesdays of the month at 6:30 PM.) To join the Zoom Meeting, use Meeting ID 95199251961 and password 046207. To call in by phone, dial 1-646-558-8656.
TUES, APR 21: SIERRA CLUB NIAGARA’S VIRTUAL HOLISTIC LECTURE SERIES
Climate Change and Food Security in 2020 and Beyond featuring speaker Jack W. Kanack. Join via your computer, tablet, or smartphone: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/899678541. You can also dial in using your phone: (571) 317-3122; Access Code: 899-678-541
WEDS, APR 22: ECONOMIC & WORKER JUSTICE ONLINE MEETING
The coronavirus is revealing how broken our economy really is. Millions of American are facing unemployment, loss of health insurance and facing destitution. Meanwhile millions more of so called “Essential Workers” are risking their own lives and those of their families working with inadequate protective practices for meager wages with little to no benefits. Nations throughout the world are struggling with the Coronavirus, but we are the only Democracy whose people are scared not only for their lives but for their livelihood. Now is the time to unite the Essential Workers of America to demand the rights and security that we need during this crisis and to prevent the next one. Organized by Citizen Action. Join at: meet.google.com/qhs-rmso-efo or by phone: 1-323-942-0759 PIN: 584 101 964#
WEDS, APR 22 – FRI, APR 24: EARTH DAY LIVE (details above)
THURS, APR 23: FREE FRED BROWN! EARTH WEEK DISCUSSION & SCREENING
If you missed our first screening, make sure to mark your calendars for the earth week screening! We will be hosting a live panel discussion with members of PUSH Green, members of Ujima Company and the Free Fred Brown Production, as well as community members who have been and continue to be impacted by climate change. The panel discussion will be followed by a screening of our performance of Free Fred Brown! The live feed will be shown on Ujima’s Facebook page as well as this event page. Come celebrate earth week with us!
FRI, APR 24: RAMADAN KAREEM 2020 (1414 AH)
The Fiqh Council of North America has announced the dates of Ramadan and Eid-ul Fitr for the year 1441 AH as follows: First day of Ramadan 2020 (1414 AH): Friday, April 24, 2020. Eid ul-Fitr 1441 AH: Sunday, May 24, 2020, insha’Allah.
SAT, APR 25: WORLD CONFERENCE (details above)
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REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS W/PHYSICAL DISTANCE GUIDELINES (& bring your own signs)
WEDNESDAYS: ECHC VIGIL – NO MORE DEATHS! #ReleaseInmates
At the Erie County Holding Center, Delaware Ave between Church & Eagle Streets, Buffalo. Join the Prisoners’ Rights taskforce for their weekly vigil/protests on Wednesday from 4-5:30 PM. The ECHC has significantly higher deaths than similar facilities. The Sheriff’s Department has misreported and been determined to have committee homicide by medical neglect per the DOJ! The Sheriff’s Administration is already a public health emergency, and even more now! *** All are welcome; please practice proper physical distancing and bring your own signs. *** Also, please call Governor Cuomo at 518-474-8390 to urge him to remove Sheriff Howard as he is clearly not up to the job.
THURSDAYS: IMMGRANT & REFUGEE JUSTICE #IRJtoRally
On all social media platforms. Every Thursday, IRJ will rally online to show our support for immigrant and refugee communities! Please share photos of yourself holding a sign with your message of support, and post it all over social media using the hashtag #IRJtoRally!
THURSDAYS: VIGIL FOR PEOPLE DETAINED BY ICE
Outside of the Delaware North Building (which houses the Buffalo ICE field office), NW corner of Delaware and Chippewa from 5-6 PM. Show support for immigrants and asylum seekers detained by ICE at the Batavia Federal Detention Facility, especially in the times of COVID-19. Bring your signs and spirit of solidarity (and remember to practice proper physical distancing!) – we will not stay silent! ##DetentionisDeadly #ReleaseThemNow #FamiliesBelongTogether #AbolishICE #CloseTheCamps #NeverAgainIsNow
FRIDAYS: NO NUCLEAR WASTE OVER PEACE BRIDGE VIGIL
At Front Park (Vermont & Busti), Buffalo. Join the Environmental Justice taskforce every Friday from 2-3 PM to protest shipments of VERY dangerous radioactive liquid transported from Canada over the Peace Bridge. Due to the public health emergency, please practice proper physical distancing and bring your own signs. You can also call Governor Cuomo’s office to DECLARE A CLIMATE EMERGENCY! Phone: 518-474-8390, press 1 when the recording begins. Script: “Governor Cuomo, please declare a climate emergency for the state of New York, which means an immediate ban on all new fossil fuel infrastructure. I’m calling from zip code xxxxx.”
FRIDAYS: WNY YOUTH CLIMATE COUNCIL #DIGITALSTRIKE
Due to the public health emergency, the WNYCC had to cancel their in-person Buffalo Climate Strike on March 20th. The goal of the strike, to ask our Common Council members of Buffalo, is to pass a Climate Resolution. The strike has now become a weekly (every Friday!) digital strike – please join them by sharing seflies and pictures with your rally signs and posters for the Buffalo Climate Strike to Declare a Climate Emergency on social media, and use the hashtags #DIGITALSTRIKE #WNYYOUTHCLIMATE #DECLAREACLIMATEEMERGENCY
SATURDAYS: WOMEN IN BLACK
Nonviolence vigil at Bidwell & Elmwood; Saturdays, noon – 1 PM. All are welcome; you don’t need to be a woman or dress in black. Please practice proper physical distancing and bring your own signs due to the current public health emergency.
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FUNDRAISERS
Network of Religious Communities (NRC) Food Pantry, an organization of religious communities (denominations, congregations and religious organizations) serving Western New York. They represent Baha’i, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Unitarian communities. Please support their food pantry, a mainstay for many Buffalo families. Please write a check payable to NRC with “Food Pantry” in the memo. 1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo, 14209.
FeedmoreWNY is working diligently to react to the ever-changing developments of the COVID-19 outbreak and to prepare for the potential expansion of illness throughout our community. You can donate, volunteer, and/or make a purchase from the annual plant sale!
Fight COVID-19 in Erie County by Providing Critical Aid to Incarcerated People: This unprecedented time emphasizes the already egregious conditions of our county jails and failure of the Timothy Howard to care for people in the custody of his office. We are showing support for people who are incarcerated by raising funds for all of their commissaries and continuing to call for these groups to be released. Organized by SURJ with WNYPC and others cosponsoring.
Friends of Democracy Now! WNY: Democracy Now! is an independent news show hosted by Amy Goodman and Juan Gonzalez. Amy Goodman was the speaker at our 50th annual dinner and we are actively working to support independent news stations like Democracy Now! who focus on news stories that do not get airtime in popular media. We desperately need this type of journalism and are thrilled that Democracy Now! is being broadcast in Buffalo! M-F, 8-9am on WBNY 91.3FM. You can catch it streaming online at wbny.buffalostate.edu or http://tunein.com/radio/WBNY-913-s27549/. Go to their website and donate, subscribe to their daily digest, and call local stations to encourage them to pick up Democracy Now!
#NYUnitedFund: Help the NY Immigration Coalition to ensure the health and safety of NY’s 4 million immigrants, a critically important task.
WNY Peace Center: We work hard for the community and give virtually everything away for free. If we reach $1,000, that amount will be matched. We support many other organizations as well, and our work serves the community. Donating will also re-up your membership.
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CAMPAIGNS
TELL CONGRESS TO DOUBLE THE CDC BUDGET & #MOVETHEMONEY: The spread of COVID-19 has exposed a rot at the center of American society: that we siphon 55% of our discretionary budget into the Pentagon — $738 billion — while we allocate only 1.5% of that — $11 billion — to the Centers for Disease Control. Tell Congress to double the CDC’s budge by cutting money to the Pentagon: https://www.codepink.org/doublecdc
END SANCTIONS: #SANCTIONSKILL: At least 1,800 Iranians DEAD. Over 23,000 INFECTED. AN ESTIMATED 3.5 MILLION MAY DIE. Urge Congress to introduce COVID19-related legislation to lift sanctions on Iran: https://www.codepink.org/covid19diplomacy And please urge your congresspeople to end all sanctions! #SanctionsKill #SanctionsSpreadCOVID19
PEACE AND DIPLOMACY LOBBYING: Demand peace, diplomacy, and sane domestic and foreign policies from your Senators and/or House Representatives: https://www.panys.org/current-actions/
RELEASE AGING PEOPLE IN PRISON: Join RAPP and concerned community members across New York State for a day of action and virtual press conference. New York State has the eighth highest rate of people serving a life sentence in the country—roughly 9,200 people. More than 1,000 of them are serving Life Without Parole or virtual life without parole—with a minimum sentence of 50 years—sentences. 75 percent are People of Color. Long and life sentences combined with few opportunities for release have created a crisis of aging, sickness and death in New York State prisons. There are now more than 10,000 people in NYS prisons—20% of the prison population—aged 50 or older; most are Black and Latinx. While the prison population in NYS fell by 27% between 2000 and 2016, the number of incarcerated older people more than doubled. Older people, especially those who have been convicted of the most serious crimes, pose little if any risk to public safety. In fact, when released, many formerly incarcerated older people engage in work that enhances public safety and community health. COVID + PRISON = DEATH! #CUOMOLETTHEMGO
#DEMANDJUSTICE #HOUSINGJUSTICE: Hold District Attorneys across New York accountable to ending mass incarceration, plus fighting against tenant abuse, homelessness, environmental violence, and racist housing policies: https://citizenactionny.org/
LET MY PEOPLE GO: Support the campaign to free our immigrant and refugee neighbors from detention facilities during the current public health crisis: https://nyimmigrantfreedom.org/let-my-people-go/
FAIR FINES + FEES JUSTICE CENTER Policy Recommendations and Reform Tracker on COVID-19: Support evidence-based policies that jurisdictions around the country should take
to help stem this public health and economic crisis:
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RESOURCES AND INFORMATION
Buffalo Mutual Aid Network: Buffalo Mutual Aid Network is a social action group for peer-to-peer organizing, humanitarian assistance, and reliable information sharing developed in response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Western New York Council on Occupational Safety and Health (WNYCOSH) provides occupational safety and health services through information, education/training and outreach to eliminate health and safety hazards in the workplace. For up-to-date information on the response to coronavirus (COVID-19), and what workers can do to protect themselves, their coworkers and families.
International Institute of Buffalo’s Resources for Vulnerable Populations: This list has informational resources, community need resources, and resources to help students who are out of school continue to learn! We will continue to update these lists as more information becomes available. If you have resources to add, please send them to us at: awhitehorne@iibuff.org Remember that we are stronger when we work together!
Headspace for A NY State of Mind: New York has been hit hard by the current global crisis. In partnership with Governor Cuomo, Headspace wants to be here for you — to help you find some time and space as you weather this storm. From Buffalo to Long Island, Albany to the Lower East Side, this special NY collection of meditation, sleep, and movement exercises are here to support you through stressful and challenging times. Helping you — and your fellow New Yorkers — stay strong and be kind to yourselves, with a New York state of mind.
Afghan Peace Volunteers’ Global Days of Listening: Fear is widespread across the globe – there is a pandemic. Medical supplies and needed equipment are in very short supply. In war zones like Afghanistan, food and job security are even more at risk. The Afghan Peace Volunteers ask for: Deeper relationships and peace during a pandemic. During our Global Days conversation, we’ll continue to explore global responses to the COVID-19 as a human family. When the UN Chief called for “global ceasefire to focus on the true fight of our lives.” Eleven countries reportedly responded. Could an expanded and sustainable peace be one of the outcomes of this crisis? Relationships are deepening as families, friends and coworkers “shelter in place” across the world and stay connected through social media. The Afghan Peace Volunteers have been using social media to build the Global Days of Listening program for ten years now. This month they talked with peace builders in Afghanistan Africa, Canada, India, Taiwan, and the United States asking, “are you seeing a deepening of relationships, or a widening of the movement toward peace in this historic time?” Listen via the livestream monthly on the 21st or 22nd.
#UNITE | #OneLove | #WeShallOvercome | #SiSePuede!