Tomorrow 8/16, 5pm: come to Not Here, Not Ever response to Charlottesville
Dear Friends, 50th year 716-332-3904; 716-931-3520 8/15/17
Please join us tomorrow, Weds, Aug 16, 5-6pm, at Not Here, Not Ever: Coming together in response to violence in Charlottesville. Sponsored by Co Exec Mark Poloncarz and Common Council President Pridgen, WNY Peace Center, and more at Durham Memorial AME Zion Church, 174 E Eagle St., Buffalo. Stand together to denounce violence, racism and bigotry and to commemorate the lives lost in Charlottesville, VA.
The hate and violence exhibited by racist white supremacist groups over the weekend – and the “excusiology” of Donald Trump – also make the Sept 16, 4th Annual Peace-Justice-Nonviolence Festival & Walk more important than ever! Add your other group(s) to the 150 partners by contacting Tom Casey caseytpc@aol.com; as a sponsor ($), by contacting Paul McQuillen wnycoalition.paul@gmail.com; and/or as a tabler, Sr. Maureen Harris maureenharris14301@yahoo.com. We’ll start at 11am with tabling and a Children&Youth (C&Y) story-building workshop to develop a short play based-on peace, justice and nonviolence (lead by SUNY Buffalo State’s Anne Frank Project); continue with an interfaith intercultural program at 1pm; and the C&Y-created play at 1:30pm; with Walk at 1:45pm. All at Canalside!! Music, food, fun and inspiration! All are welcome!!
Please go to the wnypeace.org calendar page as well as our Facebook page for additional information and events. We shall overcome!!
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Nekanesakt-Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water Protectors
Tues, Aug 15, 6:30-8:30pm, at Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St, Buffalo. Stopping pipelines, nuclear; upholding Indigenous Rights (and UN-Declaraton of Rights of Indigenous People), renewable energy, sustainable life ways, more.
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USA vs. Jabar & Bowers
Weds, Aug 16, 7-9pm, at Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St, Buffalo. Hear Steve Jabar’s story and fight for justice; having the US Government work against him and fellow activist Debbie Bowers who set up a radio station for peace and human rights in Iraq.
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Mayoral Candidate Debate – Burchfield-Penney
Thurs, August 17, 7pm-8:30pm
The candidates for mayor of Buffalo competing in the Sept. 12 Democratic primary will debate the issues in a forum in the Burchfield Penney Art Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave.
Mayor Bryon W. Brown, city Comptroller Mark J.F. Schroeder and Erie County Legislator Betty Jean Grant will field questions on critical issues ranging from education to economic development to workforce diversity and making sure all segments of the city share in Buffalo’s growth.
The debate will be moderated by Al Vaughters of WIVB-TV, with questions posed by members of the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists. Audience members also will be able to submit written questions. The debate will be broadcast live on WNLO-TV, Ch. 23, and also may be live streamed. This free event is sponsored by the Buffalo Association of Black Journalists in cooperation with the Burchfield Penney Art Center and the SUNY Buffalo State Communication Department, and with support from the Buffalo Branch NAACP, the Buffalo-Niagara Chapter of the National Acton Network and Concerned Clergy of Western New York.
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WNYPC Communications Committee
Thurs, Aug 16, 5:30-6:30pm, WNYPC/NRC, 1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo (entrance & parking round back of building). Come help with key elements of our media including FB, twitter, and our new Instagram.
WNYPC 50th Annual Dinner Committee Meeting
Thurs, Aug 16, 6:30-7:30pm, WNYPC/NRC, 1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo (entrance & parking round back of building). Come out to help with this monumental event, to be held Fri, Nov 3, at the Buffalo Niagara Convention Center; with a superb surprise nationally known keynote speaker! If you haven’t heard it leaked yet, and it hasn’t been announced yet, – or even if you have – come on out!
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Racial Justice Taskforce
Speak Out for Ethical Peace Officers – District D
Tues, Aug 22, 6:30-8:30pm. Continuing our series of Speak-Out Re Ethical Peace Officers, this time in D District; at the North Buffalo Community Center, 203 Sanders Rd, Buffalo. Police, public officials, and mayoral candidates will be invited, and all are welcome. Recruitment, Training, Personnel and Advancement Policies, Accountability and more will be discussed, in the inform-reform-transform paradigm.
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Oscar Lopez Rivera & the anti-colonial struggle of Puerto Rico
Weds, Aug 23, 7-9pm. Join us at Burning Books 420 Connecticut St. with Alberto Cappas, Meg Starr and Matt Meyer. Cosponsored by Burning Books, Books by Alberto Cappas, and the WNY Peace Center.
Matt Meyer who has worked extensively on recently freed political prisoner Oscar Lopez Rivera’s successful campaign and also co-editor of Oscar ‘s book ‘Between Torture and Resistance’ will talk on strategy and struggle with the campaign and book.
Meg Starr who was part of New Movement for PR Independence and Socialism before founding the group Free Puerto Rico Committee will speak on her experiences of solidarity and anti-imperialism work.
Alberto Cappas born in Yauco, Puerto Rico, raised in New York City and has co-founded and worked with Puerto Rican Committee for Community Justice (PRCJ), PUSHING Latinos Forward (PLF) and Buffalo Boricua (Newsletter in formation) will talk about War against Puerto Ricans in Buffalo and will address some of activities to bring back our Puerto Rican presence in Buffalo & Erie County. Alberto’s new book “To Think is to Grow, Quotes to provoke the Mind.” will be available for sale and signature also.
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Elmwood Festival of the Arts
Sat, Aug 26, 10am-6pm; Sun, Aug 27, 10am-5:30pm.
Join us both at our table on Environmental Row, near Lafayette & Elmwood, and also at our main table on Cultural Row, Breckinridge, especially at 2-4pm Saturday when we’ll have a
PARTY FOR PEGGY. Yes, as you may know, Peggy Matteliano, our current office manager, will retire, though she’ll still stay on with the WNYPC as a volunteer. We also welcome Bonnie Golden-Lindsey, who’ll be our office manager now. PLEASE JOIN US AS WE CELEBRATE!! And anytime!!
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ONGOING CAMPAIGNS
Economic Justice Taskforce
Please continue to STOP The Attempts to repeal and/or de-fund the Affordable Care Act (ACA, aka Obamacare) by calling our US senators and reps. And call our state senators and ask them to support The New York Health Act, the bill to guarantee health care to all New Yorkers, passed the NY State Assembly for the third consecutive year in 2017. Call now to help #PassNYHealth in the State Senate. Contact info is on our website wnypeace.org/governmental-contact-info/). Learn more nyhcampaign.org
Resist Militarism! Taskforce
Support Roots Action’s call for a ban of weaponized drones. Our government is setting up killer drone bases all over the country and all over the world. The 107th Attack Squadron at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station is slated to begin assassinations from there by the end of the year, possibly the end of the summer. It is past time to grow the opposition to these horrors. Ban Weaponized Drones:
http://act.rootsaction.org/p/dia/action/public/?action_KEY=6180
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Immigrant & Refugee Justice Taskforce
Please call your NYS Assembly Members and ask them to support NYS ASSEMBLY Bill #4050. The subject Greenlight program restores access to drivers’ licenses to all community members, to avoid abusive immigration enforcement. For more info, please go to
https://www.facebook.com/GreenLightNY/; Green Light Petition
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Vive la Casa, shelter for people awaiting documents and/or sanctuary, desperately needs toiletries, razors, toothbrushes, sanitary napkins/maxipads, storage shelves, baskets for storage and of course, CASH.
(Checks to Jericho Road/VIVE) 50 Wyoming St., Buffalo, NY 14211, 892-4354.
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Please support the Sanctuary Church, Pilgrim St. Luke’s UCC, (Utica and Richmond, Buffalo, NY 14222), with CASH to support the construction of showers.
For more info, call Rev. Justo Gonzales, (989-9207 or 885-9443).
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Credo Action (associate to wireless telecommunications co) Petitions:
#In order for us to fight back on Trump’s war on immigrants, we must expose the financial institutions that are backing his hate and build a massive public outcry demanding that they cut all ties to Trump’s racist regime and get out of the dirty business of deportations and mass incarceration. As shareholders, account holders and consumers, we have the power to force banks like JPMC to act.
#Donald Trump is making good on his dangerous campaign promise to the fossil fuel industry to open up wide swaths of the Gulf of Mexico for oil and gas exploration and drilling.
Trump’s plan to aggressively expand offshore drilling threatens our ocean and coastal regions with oil spills, pipelines and a worsening of the climate crisis.
But we can stop it. The Interior Department’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is accepting public comments for the next few days regarding these oil and gas leases in the Gulf, so we must speak out now to stop these reckless attacks on our climate and environment.
Tell the BOEM: No more drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. Click here to submit your comment.
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REGULARLY SCHEDULED EVENTS in the One Movement, One Struggle
Riverside-Salem UCC/DC Progressive program and potluck.
Sundays, 4-7pm. Programs vary, and include a go-round, discussion, sharing, and potluck. Environmental Cottage, 3449 West River Road, Grand Island.
Talking Peace with the WNY Peace Center Radio Show on 91.3FM, WBNY
Mondays, 1-3pm. Jim Anderson hosting. Special Eclipse edition, with remote broadcasting from Weather Medic Jack Kanack; more! Go to wbny.buffalostate.edu or http://tunein.com/radio/WBNY-913-s27549/.
Buffalo Supports Standing Rock Water Protectors/Nekanesakt
Every other Tuesday, 6:30-8pm – next is Tues, August 15. Meeting with discussion, action planning, and striving for the Good Mind. Burning Books, 420 Connecticut St. Sponsors include Indigenous Women’s Initiatives, NACS, Burning Books, Sierra Club, WNYPC.
Environmental Justice Taskforce
Protest the Shipments of VERY Dangerous Radioactive Liquid from Canada.
Fridays 2-3pm, Front Park, Buffalo.
Fridays, 6pm: Stop The Violence Coalition, United Way Building, Delaware and Summer Sts.
Saturdays, Noon-1pm: Women In Black. Nonviolence vigil, Bidwell and Elmwood.
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More listings on website (wnypeace.org) and in previous email posts.
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Many thanks, peace, solidarity, and yes – Love. We shall overcome!!