Friday, November 6th, 2020
We want to mention that we are still having some issues with our website, and have a wonderful team working to resolve this as soon as possible. We ask that you please note the upcoming event times listed below are correct, but are not currently accurate on our website calendar. If you have any questions about what you are seeing anywhere on our site, please reach out by emailing assistant@wnypeace.org.
Of course we’ll start by mentioning the election; while results are not yet finalized, we are glad to see the count continues moving along and that things are generally calm and peaceful. Please join us tomorrow for the Protect the Results Rally, 12-1:30pm at Niagara Square with masks and physical distancing. We have seen historic voter turnout, with millions of people voting by mail due to the pandemic. Every eligible vote counts!
The WNY Peace Center’s 53rd Annual Fundraiser: An Evening with Dr. Cornel West is now just three days away! If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, there is still time – visit bit.ly/wnypeace_cornelwest for all of the details! If you are unable to attend, please spread the word, share this email, and/or sponsor a ticket for someone! Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this exciting post-election event will be held entirely on Zoom along with a week-long online auction to benefit the WNYPC. Please see our program below:
- Gnonyoh by Jill Clause, Tuscarora
- Introduction to student groups
- Awards, including Alt-imate Activist to Jillian Hanesworth; Emerging Leaders Award to Jalonda Hill; Lifetime Achievement Awards to Roger Cook and June Licence; and two surprise awards!
- Jillian’s performance of her poem, ‘The Revolution Will Rhyme’
- Keynote by Dr. Cornel West
- Q&A
- Gnonyoh by Jill Clause, Tuscarora
We are so excited for the guidance and wisdom Dr. West will surely bring to us at this critical time. We are ready for whatever comes next and know that we have plenty of work ahead of us!
Please see details and much more below, 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
Saturday, October 24th, 2020
This is a critical time, and we know this especially because our website is regularly being hacked. Someone doesn’t want us to do what we need to do, so we want to alert you all since it has affected our posts, including our event calendar. Please note that the upcoming event times listed below are correct, but are not currently accurate on our website calendar. If you have any questions about what you are seeing on our site, feel free to email assistant@wnypeace.org.
We would also like to take this as another opportunity to thank all of you, our members and supporters, for participating in the Women’s March last weekend as well as recognizing the WNYPC as People’s Choice for the Buffalo Spree’s Best Activist Group. We know that this has been a difficult year for so many, and through all of that, we recognize the peoples’ part in this important work and are so grateful for your support.
TODAY IS THE DAY! Early voting begins in New York, so if you haven’t already, now is the time to make your voting plan! All active registered voters are eligible to cast an early voting ballot at any of the thirty-seven (37) designated early voting locations in Erie County or two (2) locations in Niagara County. Election Inspectors now use Electronic Poll Books and Ballot-on-Demand systems to facilitate early voting, so it is as easy as walking right in with your ID! For a full list of locations, dates, hours, and more details about early voting in WNY, visit bit.ly/wnypeace-gotv2020.
If you are voting today, you can join the Souls to the Polls CommUNITY Early Voting March hosted by a variety of groups including 1199SEIU, Open Buffalo, Coalition for Economic Justice, Voice Buffalo, etc. The rally kicks off at 12:30PM at Community Access Services, 3297 Bailey Ave., Buffalo 14215. We will then march to cast our ballots at the Gloria J. Parks Community Center, 3424 Main St.
On Sunday, Colored Girls Bike Too presents their Halloween Family Bike Ride. Please note that all CGBT events are intended for Black women (cis, trans) and/or Black gender nonconforming individuals to create safe-er spaces. If you received an invite are not a Black woman or GNC Black person, please extend this invite to support the cause and invite someone who is! Please see below for more details.
Lastly, the WNY Peace Center’s 53rd Annual Fundraiser: An Evening with Dr. Cornel West is now just about two weeks away! Visit bit.ly/wnypeace_cornelwest for all of the details and to purchase your tickets! Due to circumstances related to the public health crisis, we are no longer offering the theater broadcast option, so please join us on Zoom! (For those of you who purchased theater tickets, we will be contacting you via email shortly regarding conversion or refund options.) As with our previous annual events, we will offer a basket raffle, auction, and program book – only this year we are going virtual! We are in need of submissions for the auction items and baskets as well as program ads, so please contact assistant@wnypeace.org if you would like to donate! If you would like to submit an ad, visit the event page above.
Please see details and much more below, 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
October 6th, 2020
Dear Friends,
We are writing again to announce two amazing victories already this week:
- The WNYPC received Buffalo Spree’s Best Activist Group award! We couldn’t be more grateful and proud; thanks to all allies and friends! Harambe/Juntos/Together! See details and more Best of WNY 2020 here.
- State Supreme Court Justice Frank Sedita denied the request by police and fire unions to protect certain disciplinary records from release! Read more here.
We also want to share a corrected location for two events mentioned in the most recent WNYPC Weekly News. Both Cariol’s Celebration (12 PM) and the Collective Nonviolent Direct Action (CNDA) Study (3 PM) on Saturday, 10/ 10 will take place at MLK Jr. Park, Buffalo – not at Niagara Square. We hope you will be able to join us for a full afternoon of celebrating and learning together!
Lastly, we want to take this opportunity to highlight a few additional events and campaigns. ***Please be sure to check the Event Calendar regularly as we add events as we hear of them – often the day prior or even day of! ***
- The WNYPC is proud to participate in Cellino Plumbing’s October Nonprofit Contest! Click here to nominate us once daily until Thursday, 10/15 at 4PM. Then vote once per day between Friday, 10/16 at 8AM and Friday, 10/23 at 4PM EST. Please nominate & share!
- Wednesday, 10/7 at 1 PM – Emergency Press Conference re: March 2020 Eaton Case. At the Erie County District Attorney’s Office (Erie County Court), 25 Delaware Ave, Buffalo. Show up and tell John Flynn to charge the three BPOs involved in the crimes committed against Mark Eaton. Read more details about the injustices of this case here.
- Thursday, 10/8 at 1:30 PM – Webinar: World Says No to War on Yemen. On Zoom – register here. October 8 marks the 4-year anniversary of a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a funeral ceremony in Sana’a, Yemen, killing at least 100 people and wounding more than 500. Recently the bombing and blockade of Yemen — with western participation — has only gotten worse. As we all deal with the pandemic, which has exacerbated the suffering of people in Yemen, now is the time to connect and recommit ourselves to stopping participation in this disastrous war. Co-Hosted by National Action War, Yemen Alliance, Voices for Creative Non-Violence, Code Pink, and Western New York Peace Center.
- Thursday, 10/8 at 6:30 PM – Free the People Open Meeting. At the Belle Center, 104 Maryland St, Buffalo, 14201. With masks and social distancing, please join us for an open discussion of issues related to the criminal justice system. There may be special attention to committees working on issues in the City of Buffalo; in the County of Erie; and in the State of NY. Free the People is a statewide group and has had a number of victories, including in Buffalo. Join us for a learning and brainstorming session.
As always, please see much more at wnypeace.org, on our Facebook page, Twitter (@wnypeace), and Instagram (@wnypeace)!
Peace, thanks, solidarity, and yes – love!
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
#UNITEtheStruggles | #OneLove | #WeShallOvercome | #SiSePuede
