Victories!; March for George Floyd today Weds 5pm; WNYPC Ann Mtg Sun 2pm (New Director Plus!)

Written by Victoria Ross on April 20, 2021. Posted in Racial Justice, Recent Activities, Talking Peace News, Urgent Appeal

716-332-3904 | Tuesday, April 20th, 2021 | wnypeace.org

Dear Friends,

Hallelujah/Alhumdulillah!!! Victories!!: Chauvin guilty (as we already knew) on all counts, Cariol’s pension rewarded/repaired, speed cameras entrapping and extracting from the community on the way toward being taken down, HALTsolitary and marijuana legalization passed, water protector Steve Norrell was released, and KPB7 Patrick O’Neill was also released!! We celebrate! – and prepare for the mountain of work still to be done.

Please join us tomorrow, Wednesday, 5pm-6pm at Niagara Square, Buffalo, to March for George Floyd. As we wrote this, the verdict in the Chauvin Trial was revealed – Guilty on all counts. We stand with (and as) Allies for Black Justice, as we work to stop police brutality and racism. We have a long way to go, yet remain hopeful and grateful for a start on desperately needed progress.

We also invite you tomorrow, to join us on Talking Peace streaming on our Facebook page Live tomorrow night.

The first will be a Special Earth Day show about the thorny issues in making a #JustTransition with controversies in two local proposed projects on historical Indigenous being explored – a hydrogen energy project on the STAMP site which endangers the water supply and Indigenous burial site, and a proposed solar project in Avon that would be on the ancient Seneca village of Canawaugus.

The second on Just Policing and Accountability – again related to the Chauvin trial, and our own shero Cariol Horne as a former police officer fired for her courageous protection of Neal Mack as another officer had him in a chokehold – who worked with her team (including us and others) to get Cariol’s Law passed in Buffalo, and has now had her pension reinstated; De’Jon Hall of the Buffalo Police Advisory Board; and Kartika Carr, Coordinator of Free The People WNY’s city policing justice group, on the VOICE-Buffalo-led Police Accountability Ballot Initiative. (Residents of Buffalo can sign the petition at Khari’s Café, Jersey & West Sts; Burning Books 420 CT St; and/or Talking Leaves 951 Elmwood [at Bidwell]. More detail is below under Campaigns.)

Don’t forget, with so many things going on, to join us for the WNYPC Annual Membership Meeting on Sunday, 4/25, 2pm, on zoom. Register here. All are welcome, but only members can vote.

Another great opportunity is Challenging Conversations on Saturday, 4/24, 9:30am-Noon on zoom, a gathering for white people of faith to explore ways to deepen commitment to racial and economic justice. See more below or on our calendar.

This week of all weeks, please remember and strive to work together to #DefendTheSacred!!!! In Truth and Love!!

Please see details and much more – including special and regularly scheduled events this week – plus 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

Find more details and additional special events on our Event Calendar at

wnypeace.org/wp/events

April 21 @ 5:00 pm EDT

March for George Floyd

At Niagara Square, Buffalo, with masks and physical distancing. No matter the verdict, we still have so much work to do!! With special guest Cariol Horne. Organized by Allies for Black Justice. See you there!! Don’t miss this special time to be in solidarity!!

April 21 @ 7:20 pm – 8:20 pm EDT

Talking Peace w/the WNYPC – Just Transition Challenges

On WNYPC and Think Twice Radio Facebook Livestreams. An Earth Day Special. With Paul Winnie, Seneca (Tonawanda); Keilka Salabury, Community Activist; Ellen Banks, Niagara Sierra Club Executive Committee Member and Atlantic Chapter Delegate; Agnes Williams, Seneca (Cattaraugus), Indigenous Women’s Initiatives; and host Vicki Ross, WNYPC Executive Director, and Interfaith Peace Network Peaceful Conflict Resolution Consultant.
-what are the goals and difficulties in a Just Transition to mitigate brewing climate catastrophe?
-what are the justice issues involved – in the STAMP hydrogen project in Alabama NY?
-what are the justice issues involved – in the Horseshoe solar project prposed for Avon/historically Canawaugus?
-how might they affect #PeopleAndThePlanet – and water in particular?
-what are some strategies to facilitate increased environmental justice?

April 21 @ 8:30 pm – 9:30 pm EDT

Talking Peace w/the WNYPC – Just Policing/Accountability

On WNYPC and Think Twice Radio Facebook Livestream. With Cariol Horne, lead organizer and inspiration for Cariol’s Law; Kartika Carr, VOICE Buffalo Organizer; De’Jon Hall, Police Advisor Board member/advisor; and Vicki Ross, WNYPC Executive Director, and Interfaith Peace Network Consultant)
-what is the state of policing: generally? locally? what about the Chauvin guilty verdict?
-what is Cariol’s Law and how did it come above thru #herstory?
-what is the Police Accountability Ballot Initiative?
-what are some goals, issues, victories?
-how can people get involved to increase Just Policing? community safety?

EVERY THURSDAY 4-5pm

4 PM – PeaceJam 2021! On Zoom – register here. For youth ages 11-18; will meet Thursdays from 4-5 PM beginning on 2/25. Inspiration, Education, and Action, with Noble Peace Laureates on the PeaceJam Foundation Board. Themes and learning goals include: solidarity, social justice, peaceful conflict resolution, integrity, the lives of the Laureates, and more. Activities will include mindfulness, deep slow breathing, movement (dance/yoga), acting/skits, arts and crafts, and a Global Call to Action service-learning project! Various activists, artists, and community leaders may join us, as will the stellar Confident Girl Mentoring Program. See below to register. See details above and at bit.ly/wnypeace_peacejam21

April 24 @ 9:30 am – 2:00 pm EDT

Challenging Conversations

Saturday, April 24th, 9:30 am -Noon Zoom Webinar (Register here to receive a Zoom invitation – https://forms.gle/AVoUPBbpMgEgM7Aa8) Our program is a gathering for white people of faith who are aligned with the causes of racial and economic justice. How can we deepen our commitment? How can we share our new understanding with members of our own families and with other white people within our own congregations?

Challenging Conversations 2021 will include a keynote address by Cláudio Carvalhaes, Union Theological Seminary NYC, a panel discussion with Rev. Michelle Buhite, Rev. Canon Cathy Dempsey-Sims, Rev. Kirk Laubenstein, and Gladys Gifford followed by a moderated Q&A session.This event is hosted by the Bishop Holly Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians and is co-sponsored by New York State Council of Churches, WNY Peace Center, Interfaith Peace Network, The Social Justice Committee/Anti-Racism Team of St. Joseph’s University, The Justice Ministry Team of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo, Buffalo Quaker Meeting, and Burning Books bookstore.
Please Register –https://forms.gle/AVoUPBbpMgEgM7Aa8 – by midnight on Friday, April 23rd to receive the Zoom Invitation. Contact Gabrie’l Atchison for more information gatchison@episcopalwny.org

April 25 @ 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm EDT

WNYPC Annual Membership Meeting

On Zoom – register at bit.ly/wnypeace_mtg2021. Join the WNY Peace Center for our 2021 Annual Meeting to announce our new Executive Director, reflect on accomplishments of the past year and discuss the work ahead, including the coordinating board election (member-only vote; join at bit.ly/wnypeace_join). A revision of bylaws will also be voted on.

UPCOMING REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS

Find more details and additional weekly/monthly events on our website at

wnypeace.org/wp/regularly-scheduled-events

MONDAYS

1pm-3pm – Talking Peace (WNYPC radio show). On WBNY 91.3 FM or streaming online at wbny.buffalostate.edu. Insights on peace and justice with the WNYPC. At the moment, the show is being pre-recorded by Think Twice Radio at The Home of the Future!

WEDNESDAYS

3pm – Weekly Vigil and March Against the Death Penalty. From the Robert L. Jackson Courthouse to the ECHC. Please bring your own signs.

4pm – Prisoners’ Rights weekly vigil: No More ECHC Deaths! at the Erie County Holding Center. Please bring your own signs. After yet another death at the ECHC, please come out to stand up for real change.

7:15 (approx.) – Talking Peace with the WNY Peace Center, livestreaming on Facebook (and subsequently broadcast on WBNY 91.3FM on Mondays 1-3pm). Two session each just under an hour.

THURSDAYS

4pm-5pm – PeaceJam Buffalo – For Children and Youth; see above. Register here

5pm – Immigrant & Refugee Justice (IRJ) weekly vigil: End Ice Terror! Outside the Delaware North Building. Please bring your own signs.

FRIDAYS

2pm – Environmental Justice weekly vigil: No Nuclear Waste over the Peace Bridge! At Front Park. Signs on hand.

SATURDAYS

12 pm – Women in Black weekly vigil. At Elmwood & Bidwell. Signs on hand.

CAMPAIGNS BY ISSUE AREA

Find more details and additional campaigns and fundraisers at

wnypeace.org/wp/current-campaign

wnypeace.org/wp/organizing-in-wny

Environmental Justice & Indigenous Rights

Re #StopLine3 (and associated)

– Call MN Governor Tim Walz at 651-201-3400 to urge him and other officials (e.g., Congressman Keith Ellison) to stop Line 3.
– Visit the Water Protectors website for information on needed donations and coming out to put your body on the line to protect Mother Earth, the waters, and the creation.
-Donations (physical items and/or monetary) also gratefully received at Burning Books (420 Connecticut St, Buffalo, 14213 – open daily, 11am – 7pm) or to Nekanehsakt’s PayPal. #DefendTheSacred #WaterIsLife
– SIGN THE PETITION HERE to get President Biden to #StopLine3.
– Liberty Mutual is complicit in the destruction of waterways and sacred land. As both an investor and an insurer it has billions invested in fossil fuels.Despite a stated commitment to build “inclusive societies for future generations,” Liberty is insuring massive tar sands projects like Trans Mountain and Line 3. It is plowing ahead with plans to build a massive coal mine that it owns in Australia despite community opposition.Liberty has refused countless requests to meet from Indigenous leaders and frontline communities impacted by these projects, including hundreds of calendar invites that you helped send.Will you send Liberty executives a message today and urge them to answer questions and concerns about their fossil fuel business at the company’s annual meeting?

– Join the West Valley Action Network and support the full cleanup of one of WNY’s most dangerous radioactive pollution problems. Help protect our drinking water, environmental, and community! Join in proactively protecting our region from the long-lasting, deadly nuclear and hazardous waste at the West Valley site. Please also contact all of your legislators – local, state, and federal – to urge full covered cleanup with extensive monitoring!

Foreign Policy

We need to #ReSealTheDeal with Iran. Please sign the petition to President Biden urging that he return the US to that commitment. Please join the twitter storm too, and/or call the President at 202-456-1111.

Please also urge Biden with every means at your disposal to work to #EndTheBlockade of Yemen. #YemenCantWait.

Immigrant and Refugee Justice

Justice for Erick Mejia. Sign on to the petition. Erick was a 26-year-old Honduran shot 28 times and killed by San Antonio police in Texas. The family is demanding that the city of San Antonio fire the police. Erick was undocumented and ran in fear after being stopped by traffic police. It is a travesty of justice that his family had to flee violence in their homeland only for their son to be shot down in cold blood in this country.
Please share and sign the petition: http://chng.it/MxK88Phv5K

Policing & Criminal Justice Reform

– Please sign the Buffalo Police Accountability Ballot Initiative if you are a resident of Buffalo. It will give the Buffalo Police Advisory Board some real power, “teeth” if you will, with subpoena power and more. Details are here.

– Please support the WNYPC {Cariol Horne} Whistleblower Fund! Encourage police to intervene the way Cariol did to make sure police stop their colleagues from abusive acts or unnecessary use of force.

– Contact ECDA John Flynn’s office (by phone: 716-858-2424 and by web: https://www2.erie.gov/da/) urging him to:

re-visit the Buffalo 5 case (indictment no. 41-413)! Three of the original Buffalo 5 remain living and are seeking a complete exoneration and clearing of their names. Please also see the change.org petition and GoFundMe.com campaign. Call especially if you can’t make it to render Court Support this Tuesday (see above).
give Deyanna Davis more freedom while she’s in house arrest! Visit linktr.ee/deyannadavis for a petition, fundraiser, and more information.

– Buffalo needs LEAD now! We recently saw a clear example 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 their underlying needs are addressed. Learn more about LEAD here and SHARE WIDELY!

– Support the demand that the police budget is reallocated 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 Coalition (FFFC) to participate in a budgetary process that aims to make positive changes to the City’s budget. You can also share your ideas and priorities for changing the Buffalo Police Department through this survey by Free the People WNY.

– Please thank the Common Council members who voted in favor of ending the Speed Camera Program as recommended by the FFFC: Councilmen Wyatt (particularly, who proposed the resolution), Pridgen, Bollman, Nowakowski, Rivera, and Feroleto (contact info here). The press conference we were part of responding to the latter can be viewed here.

#UNITEtheStruggles | #OneLove | #WeShallOvercome | #SiSePuede