We need LEAD!!
Saturday, September 12, 2020
Dear Friends,
We have just heard that a shooting has taken place today, apparently by the BPD of a person with mental health issues, now in critical condition. We desperately need changes that will come through the LEAD program (Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion). This cannot be put off! The program must start now!! See below with much more to follow. We must make those changes for the good of all before there is more tragedy in our community! No time to lose!
We also want to thank everyone who contributed to the Father Joe Bissonette Fund for the Western New York Peace Center. Due to your collective support and generosity, the grant was almost tripled – generating $14,485!! We are so grateful for the legacy of Father Joseph A. Bissonette (1932-1987), who was known for his work advocating for the poor and disadvantaged throughout WNY; and for the generosity of his remaining family/fund administrators! In these challenging times, activism and advocacy are now more critical than ever. We at the WNYPC are proud and grateful to be able to carry on this important work, thanks to the Fr. Joe Bissonette Fund and all of you generous donors! We appreciate your contributions and support!
We want to confirm that the WNYPC will continue our biweekly series First Steps: Collective Nonviolent Direct Action Study. These will be hybrid events, now shifting to every other Saturday at 2pm (the next session is 9/19) taking place in person at Niagara Square with masks and physical distancing. This will include shared learning, principles, tools, strategies, planning and more in collaboration with other local organizations. The sessions will occasionally be livestreamed – if you missed it, you can find the recording of the initial session on 8/23 on our Facebook page and our updated event page. Please review those resources and the previous session to prepare for the upcoming session.
We are also excited to announce that next week we will begin selling tickets for our 53rd Annual Event, An Evening with Dr. Cornel West (SAVE THE DATE – November 9th at 7pm)! For more details and to check back for ticket sales, please visit our event page.
Please see details and much more below, including other special events this week (frequently updated, often with last minute info!), 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
UPCOMING SPECIAL EVENTS
SUNDAY, 9/13 @ 5 PM – THE SMOKING GUN: RECENT REVELATIONS ABOUT U.S. DESTABILIZATIONS EFFORTS IN NICARAGUA
On Zoom – register here. Rochester Committee on Latin America (ROCLA) will share their ‘smoking gun’ that makes clear how the U.S. is trying to overthrow the democratically elected government of Nicaragua.
MONDAY, 9/14 @ 7 PM – MORAL MONDAY MASS ASSEMBLY & TEACH-IN
On Zoom – register here. The Poor Peoples’ Campaign is calling on the nation to join for an evening of information and inspiration, sharing tools and training on voter engagement, registration and protection. They will also announce additional trainings, forums, and town halls that will occur over the next two months.
WEDNESDAY, 9/16 @ 6 PM – RESIST MILITARISM! MONTHLY TASK FORCE MEETING
On Zoom (Meeting ID: 886 4837 5765 and Password: 053203)
THURSDAY, 9/17 @ 5:30 PM – OPEN BUFFALO VIRTUAL WORKSHOP: GET OUT THE VOTE 2020
On Zoom – register here. Learn everything you need to know to exercise your right: NYS voting laws; how to register to vote; early voting; mail-in voting process; getting to the polls; important deadlines; Election Day Nov. 3, 2020; empowering friends and family.
SATURDAY, 9/19 @ 2 PM – NONVIOLENT DIRECTION ACTION STUDY
See above for details. (Please review the resources mentioned above.)
SUNDAY, 9/20 @ 2 PM – DEFUND BPD JAM III
At Niagara Square, Buffalo. Join the WNY Liberation Collective and the WNY Peace Center for our third BPD Jam in the heart of Buffalo. This event will feature a mix of local BIPOC speakers, activists, and musical performances that will allow you to feel the passion and musical expression of this Movement. This event is open to all who want to listen– a great opportunity to learn about the Black and Brown members of our community. #WeThePeople #WeTheChange
SUNDAY, 9/27 @ 2PM – #HALTsolitary/CAIC Monthly Meeting
On Zoom (Meeting ID: 842 9096816 and Password: Aubry). Local staff/leadership team will take the ideas in this discussion and use them to formulate action proposals. They have two main programs for the period from now until the election: 1. Getting solitary confinement on to the agenda (e.g., by asking questions) at candidate forums and debates in the various NY legislature races; 2. Taking the replica solitary confinement to a number of places that have foot traffic. Also get updates re: Free The People WNY, partner orgs like RAPP, and other criminal justice reform initiatives. If you would like to help with these programs, contact Nicole at info@wnycaic.org.
CALLS TO ACTION
1. Buffalo needs LEAD now!- Desperately! We recently – and even more recently! – have seen clear examples – the shooting today, the death of Daniel Prude in Rochester, and so many other cases – of how the current way police respond to community members with mental health issues fails our community. This entire situation could have been avoided with Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD), a program that offers an alternative to arrest or hospitalization: diverting individuals into intensive management so that their underlying needs are addressed. Learn more about LEAD and ways to advocate for it here and please SHARE WIDELY!
2. Support the repeal of 50-A, a NYS secrecy law that blocked police misconduct and disciplinary records from being released to the public, including victims of police brutality. This legislation is under attack from police unions across the state, including the Buffalo Police Department (BPD) union.
– Send a copy of the petition calling for open access police misconduct to your legislators by texting SIGN YKNGJA to 50409
– Join the Amicus Brief opposing the police unions’ effort to shroud police records in secrecy by signing here: https://bit.ly/PoliceRecordsNow
– Call your local legislators (contact info here) and ask them to join the fight for police transparency.
– Join the social media campaign calling for police transparency and records justice! #RecordsJustice #StoptheShadowRepeal #PoliceAccountabilityNow
3. Support the demand that the police budget is defunded to invest in traffic calming infrastructure and take BPD out of traffic enforcement all together. Please fill out the questionnaire shared by Fair Fines + Fees to participate in a budgetary process that aims to make positive changes to the City’s budget.
#UNITE | #OneLove | #WeShallOvercome | #SiSePuede!