Helping Hands: IRJ Digital Rally; USPS & vote-by-mail; Global ceasefire
716-332-2963 | 16 April 2020 | wnypeace.org
Over this past month we have seen that despite our physical distancing efforts, there is a lot of work still to be done. There seems to be more happening than ever, and to prevent us each from becoming digitally overwhelmed, we are offering this neatly organized list of Helping Hands opportunities. Please pick and choose from these wisely – self-care is so important, especially right now – and we need to remember to keep our balance.
LOCAL OPPORTUNITIES
– The Immigrant & Refugee Justice (IRJ or “urge”) taskforce is, as of TODAY, beginning a weekly digital rally (#IRJtoRally) as well as rebooting their physically distant vigils at the local ICE field office (more below) to show support for immigrant and refugee communities. Also, don’t forget the IRJ monthly taskforce meeting TONIGHT where they will announce a new book club, #IRJtoRead! If interested, you can find more information on our website, the IRJ FB group, and Linktree – please share!
– BPS students are returning from spring break, and COVID-19 food service resumed as of yesterday. Breakfast and lunch meals are provided to children every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at various BPS locations, and they need help delivering food to those families who cannot make it to the schools. (You can find specific schedule details here.) If you are interested in helping out, please call 716-816-7100 (menu 7) and keep in mind that all safety precautions are in place to keep you and the recipients safe.
NATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
– As we are seeing, voting by mail is more important than ever! The federal government needs to set aside money for this to cover mailing costs and ensure that fair, safe, and accessible voting is available to all. We should not have to choose between voting and our health! 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 – here!
– On a similar note, we need to continue supporting the United States Postal Service! This pandemic could deal a fatal blow to this constitutionally mandated service. Some great tips on how you can help here, including stocking up on cute stamps straight from usps.com!
INTERNATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
– On the world front, the Secretary General of the UN proposed a global ceasefire during the coronavirus pandemic; several dozen nations have expressed support, and several have ceased firing. Wars seem to have paused in Yemen (questionable), Colombia, and Cameroon. Please join us and others in urging all governments to commit to and abide by the global ceasefire.
– Lastly, we are pleased to announce that free registration is open for the Online World Conference 2020 to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, Resist & Reverse Climate Change, and for Economic & Social Justice. We encourage you to register and participate; find more information below.
Please see much 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)!
Peace, thanks, solidarity and yes – love.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
SPECIAL EVENTS
TUES, 14 APR: WNY CAR RALLY TO THANK FRONTLINE WORKERS This event has passed.
Join labor and community members in Buffalo at one of their 10 locations where we’ll be rallying by car to say THANK YOU and show our support for frontline workers who have been helping keeping our communities going strong throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Details here. Will likely be repeated in future!
WEDS, 15 APR: VIRTUAL WAR TAX PROTEST This event has passed.
On this ‘traditional’ deadline day to file income taxes, we will be conducting a virtual demonstration to protest the obscene amount of U.S. tax dollars being spent on the Pentagon and U.S. wars around the world while people have inadequate or no healthcare, go without meals, are out of work, lack educational opportunities. Details here. Feel free to engage it in now as well!
MON, 20 APR: POOR PEOPLES’ CAMPAIGN WNY GENERAL MEETING
Join the WNY Poor Peoples’ Campaign via Zoom to learn more about what they’re working on and how you can help. To register for and join the meeting (ID# 109095293). For questions, contact saraleepalmer02@gmail.com.
SAT, 25 APR: ONLINE WORLD CONFERENCE: ABOLISH NUCLEAR WEAPONS; RESIST AND REVERSE THE CLIMATE CRISIS, FOR SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE
9-11am EST. Register here – 500 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.
SAT, 02 May: WNY PEACE CENTER ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP MEETING (ON ZOOM)
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 up-to-date, call 332-3904 or email office@wnypeace.org. (You can also re-up your membership on the website’s home page or under the Get Involved drop-down menu.) Meeting ID: 921 863 476; Password: 077319; to call in use +1 646 558 8656.
REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS – continuing with physical distance guidelines fully followed:
WEDNESDAYS: ECHC VIGIL – NO MORE DEATHS!
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 a public health emergency! *** All are welcome; please bring 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, we 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 – we will not stay silent! ##DetentionisDeadly #ReleaseThemNow #FamiliesBelongTogether #AbolishICE #CloseTheCamps #NeverAgainIsNow
FRIDAYS: ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE TASKFORCE 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 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 20 March. 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 bring your own signs due to the current public health emergency.
FUNDRAISERS
#NYUnitedFund
Help the NY Immigration Coalition to ensure the health and safety of NY’s 4 million immigrants.
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.
CAMPAIGNS
TELL CONGRESS TO DOUBLE THE CDC BUDGET
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 #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/
#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/
FFJC 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:
#UNITE | #OneLove | #WeShallOvercome | #SiSePuede!