Dr. King & Uniting The Struggles

Did you know that the WNY Peace Center was founded in 1967 by Buffalonians as a chapter of Rev. Dr. King’s Clergy and Laity Concerned? While WNYPC members initially devoted their efforts to ending the Vietnam War, over the years our work has expanded to address changing global, regional, and local problems.

Dr. King delivered his Three Evils of Society address at the National Conference on New Politics in 1967 in which he linked racism, materialism, and war as challenges that Americans endure to this day. Our Pillars of Justice – Resist Militarism, Racial Justice, Economic Justice, and also Human & Civil Rights – were created to advocate for human rights and fight oppression every day.

You can read and/or listen to the speech in full here.

December is Universal Human Rights Month

This month is a reminder that the United Nations General Assembly codified the basic human rights of every person. It’s also a time to reflect on the way we treat others and to do what we can in the fight for equality.

“Planting Seeds of Justice, Harvesting Peace” is Theme of WNY Peace Center Dinner

The WNY Peace Center is honored to have shero Leah Penniman, educator, farmer, author and food justice activist, keynote at its 55th Annual Dinner on November 11 from 5-9pm at UB’s Haye’s Hall-Main St. campus. The theme is “Planting Seeds of Justice, Harvesting Peace.”

Leah is the co-founder of the BIPOC farming initiative and community, Soul Fire Farm, which has been a great leap forward for soil health, equitable land use, food sovereignty, and so many aspects of justice: racial, economic, environmental, and more. Her book(s), Farming While Black, will be on hand for purchase.

Leah’s contributions are deeply appreciated here in Buffalo. WNY Peace Center Executive Director Deidra EmElis a Black urban farmer herself. The WNY Peace Center is grateful that UB Food Systems Planning & Healthy Communities Lab is cosponsoring this significant event on such a timely and vital topic.

At the dinner, the WNY Peace Center will humbly offer the Phoenix Award to families of victors and to survivors of the 5/14 massacre. Garnell Whitefield will receive the award on behalf of the victims’ thirteen families and survivors (who’ll each get their own copy) as well as those who self-identify as survivors of the horrific attack.

The Emerging Leader Award will go to Yanenowi Logan, a Seneca Deer Clan youth studying Environmental and Sustainability at Cornell University. The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Dr. Charley Bowman, activist extraordinaire, a former Director of the Peace Center (2011-13).

This special event will be catered by Sunshine Vegan Eats.

This event is the WNY Peace Center’s main fundraiser. Your contribution will help continue the organization, originally Buffalo chapter of Rev. Dr. King’s Clergy & Laity Concerned.

The Challenger Community News, November 4th, 2022