Planning for the road ahead; Willie Henley; RBG

Like many of you, we are devastated by the loss of Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Tomorrow evening at the U.S. Federal Courthouse (see below for details), WNY will honor her life and work which positively impacted so many of us. Then we have to make sure her work carries on. We have a mountain ahead of us, so we would like to take this opportunity to remind you of two important tasks that will assist in these efforts:

1. Completing the US Census 2020 by September 30th. Completion is required by federal law and is super important for funding our communities and ensuring we are properly represented in government. It only takes 10 minutes and the next opportunity we have to do this will be another 10 years from now! The Census is available in a variety of languages and with language guides, and can be completed easily and safely online or by phone! Visit 2020census.gov for details and to complete.

2. Making a plan to vote. Start by confirming your voter registration status here: https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/

– If you need to register, be sure to do so by mail no later than October 9th to be received by a board of elections no later than October 14th. You can also register in-person at your local board of elections no later than October 9th.

– A change of address from registered voters must be received by a BOE by October 14th.

– The last day to apply online, by email fax, or to postmark an application or letter of application by mail for an absentee ballot is October 27th. (PLEASE NOTE that despite this deadline, the Post Office has advised they cannot guarantee timely delivery of ballots applied for less than 15 days before an election.) The last day to apply in-person for an absentee ballot is November 2nd.

– Early voting starts on October 24th and runs until November 1st. *** Since there is a paper trail and pressure on the USPS, this option may be our best bet. *** Find details on locations and hours here: https://elections.erie.gov/early%20voting

– The last day to postmark an absentee ballot is November 3rd – it must be received by the local BOE no later than November 10th (Nov. 16th for Military Voter Ballots). The last day to deliver a ballot in-person to the local BOE is November 3rd.

*** For more details about voting in the 2020 General Election (and to become a poll worker in NYS), visit https://www.elections.ny.gov/VotingRegister.html

There are a variety of activities and events coming up – many with only a day’s (or sometimes even hours’!) notice, so please be sure to check the website frequently.

Tomorrow’s Defund BPD Jam III is postponed due to the unforeseen shooting of Willie Henley last weekend by the Buffalo Police Department. Tomorrow at 3pm, Willie’s family is hosting an event at MLK Jr. Park (see below for event and campaign details). We want to encourage all who were planning to attend DBPDJ-III to march alongside this family directly affected by the brutalities of the Buffalo Police.

Ticket sales for our upcoming 53rd Annual Event, An Evening with Dr. Cornel West (SAVE THE DATE – November 9th at 7pm) are pending a special announcement from Dr. West! STAY TUNED! 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, 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!

We need LEAD!!

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)!

R&R; Collective Nonviolent Direct Action; Fr. Bissonette matched grant

(Thumbnail image credit: Kim Saira)

This week we would like to emphasize the importance of rest; of taking some time for a break to refresh. This is especially important in in the midst of the ongoing public health crisis, and also because there is a lot to prepare for in the upcoming months. This is a critically important time of overwhelming change, and the election is now less than 75 days away. Tactically speaking, the WNYPC will be focusing on fewer, larger events rather than many small events. Consequently, we are highlighting only a few items this week, all of which could be done from home.

This Sunday from 3:00 – 4:30 pm, the WNY Liberation Collective and WNYPC are offering another session of First Steps! Collective Nonviolent Direct Action. This will be a hybrid event, taking place in person at Niagara/Liberation Square with masks and physical distancing, and also streamed live on Facebook.
– Collective Nonviolent Direct action will be key to keeping and improving our democracy. These first steps are part of a series for shared learning as we plan and prepare.
– We will cover the principles and the spirit (including music, a great tool for such actions), Know Your Rights with Daire Brian Irwin, Esq., and safety info regarding protective gear from Nick of Buffalo Action Medics.
– Prepapatory videos and the full planned agenda can be found on our website. Please watch the videos so we can spend more time in discussion!

We also want to remind you that we are coming to the end (!) of the very generous matched grant from the Fr. Joe Bissonnette Fund for the WNYPC. This fund sustains our on-going work and helps prepare for strong social justice activism coming out of quarantine.
– Father Joe Bissonette (1932-1987) was known throughout WNY for his ministry in Buffalo and his advocacy for the poor and disadvantaged. Recognizing the many challenges AND opportunities of the present moment, the Fr. Joe Bissonette Fund has committed to match any donation of $100 or more made between July and August, up to $5000.
– These contributions also qualify for your choice of one of Amanda Besl’s beautiful limited-edition pieces (while supplies last) and an individual or organizational WNYPC membership with your choice of the #RESIST or #LoveIsLove lawn sign. If you would like to make a donation, please see our fundraiser page. You can purchase Amanda’s powerful art here.

As you have time, there are other vital campaigns and an employment opportunity (see below) that you can put some energy into as you can and will. Please remember to pace yourselves, as no one person can do it all. We are at a fork in the road of the future of this country, and we recognize the importance of collaborating, strategizing, and also resting when needed.

Please see details and much more below, including other special events this week, regularly scheduled events, campaigns, fundraisers, and more at wnypeace.org, on our Facebook page, Twitter (@wnypeace), and Instagram (@wnypeace)!