Sunday, November 29, 2020
In an era of global crisis, we need new rituals to connect us. Giving Tuesday strives to “build a world in which the catalytic power of generosity is at the heart of the society we build together, unlocking dignity, opportunity, and equity around the globe.” If you are able, we ask for your support this upcoming Giving Tuesday, which will allow us to continue our work building a more peaceful and just world.
- One way to support the WNYPC’s mission is through our annual fundraiser! We had many lovely donations from our generous supporters, and there is still time to visit our virtual marketplace (Bidding Owl registation required) – perfect for holiday gift ideas! Includes items from great local businesses: El Buen Amigo, Burning Books, Black Monarchy, and more! Ends Sunday, 12/6 at 11:59 PM.
We want to highlight an upcoming Zoom event: Speak-out on Erie County Holding Center. Join the WNYPC at 6:30 pm on Thursday, December 10th – Human Rights Day – for an opportunity to share your lived experience and/or perspective on the Erie County Holding Center, and to hear from authorities. Details to join are below.
- Superintendent – Jail Division, Thomas Diina will be attending, as will Miles Gresham, Esq., and Heron Simmonds, members of the Corrections Specialist Advisory Board.
- Heron, Racial Justice Taskforce Co-Chair, and other WNY Peace Center members, including its Racial Justice Taskforce and Prisoners’ Rights Taskforces, will also be involved. Other officials have also been invited (attendance TBD).
- Please come to tell your story and hear what current plans are. We’ll start with a Community Agreement to ensure we have a productive conversation, in truth and love.
We also want to encourage you to take advantage of the City of Buffalo’s Parking Amnesty Program by the December 31st deadline! The program allows individuals whose tickets are older (i.e., issued prior to June 30th, 2019) to pay the original amount owed without late fees and clear their records. Contact pvboffice@city-buffalo.com or 716-851-5182 for more information, and please help the Fair Fines + Fees Coalition spread the word about this very important program!
Please also note that our campaigns below have been *updated* to include urgent items related environmental justice, antiwar foreign policy, and policing/criminal justice reform!
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, November 14th, 2020
We invite you to join us in the movement to REFUSE FASCISM. Refuse Fascism is a movement of non-violent protests in Washington, DC, and across the US with a single unifying demand: #RuleOfLaw Trump/Pence out of the White House! Trump refuses to concede, filing lawsuits throughout the nation to try to overturn the election – even with Republican voting officials telling him there’s no factual basis for his complaints. Despite that, his supporters have gathered today in protest of the results.
We need to mobilize – nonviolently – to stop the theft of the election and the rise of fascism while still protecting all as COVID-19 cases are increasing exponentially. Local marches were called off this weekend, but we can still prevent a fascist America. Please – if you haven’t already – read RF’s Pledge to the People of the World (also seen in the NYT on 11/9) and sign. You can also donate to the cause here. (If you are on social media, we encourage you to join in the campaign currently flooding the hashtag ‘MillionMAGAMarch’ with photos of pancakes.)
If you are bothered by what you are seeing across America, just remember our wonderfully motivating evening with Cornel West, a supporter of RF. Take some inspiration from him and other sources that make you feel strong about the long-distance running we have to do in this fight for justice. Pace yourselves and remember that ‘unarmed truth’ (moral integrity) and ‘unconditional love’ (universal solidarity) will win in the end.
For those of you who were in attendance on Monday, we first want to express our extreme gratitude for all of your support. We had an amazing evening and hope you did as well. The excitement isn’t over yet; we are currently putting together a post-event packet which will include a captioned video, downloadable program book, and link to our virtual marketplace! We also want to remind you that TODAY IS THE LAST DAY to get your Peace Pin for Social Justice in support of the WNYPC!
Tomorrow is the deadline for federal rent and mortgage grants to keep tenants and homeowners from being evicted or foreclosed on – and there’s lots of money left! Erie County has a $10 million COVID-assistance program using cash from the CARES Act, and will pay up to five months of past-due rent or mortgage payments. Call 211 for a referral for help applying. Please share this information widely!
Lastly, we want to share an update regarding the virtual sentencing of three members of the Kings Bay Plowshares: Carmen Trotta was sentenced to 14-months; Clare Grady was sentenced to one year and one day; and Martha Hennessy was sentenced to 10-months. Mark Colville opposed a virtual sentencing and after appeal, has been given a delay until December 18th. We appreciate their courage and their sacrifice.
Please see details and much more below, including Rally for the Buffalo Five, Friday Noon, and 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
June 2nd, 2020
We grieve…. And struggle for Rev. Dr. King’s Unarmed Truth and Unconditional Love to have the final word in Reality.
The Truth is that we have and have had racist police brutality going on in Buffalo. True too that it is coupled with excusiology – as our dear (ex officio Board Member) Jim Anderson, PeaceAction NYS President and Citizen Action Vice President, puts it.
It is worsened by endless onslaughts from systemic racial (and general) injustice with a fascist criminal at the helm of our government, which is already the “greatest purveyor of violence in the world,” as Rev. Dr. King said. And now, our civil liberties are “paused” and our (limited) democracy being deconstructed.
We’ve been saying for the past few years of crisis, that Crisis = Opportunity. Well, we certainly have a crisis now. Ensha’Allah, we’ll be able to turn it into the opportunity for radical change that we need.
First, please be aware that with the curfew and unrest, people are very likely to get stopped and possibly – if DWB (driving while black), harassed. Join us of the Fair Fines and Fees Coalition, in sharing and using the traffic stop tool on your social media pages. Please also share our petition to eliminate the 13 new traffic fees.
Please join us in so many ways – pacing yourself of course and keeping yourself safe in the meanwhile. See below the noon Weds Rally for Racial Justice with People of Faith (organizer Voice Buffalo), the healing circle on Thursday (Jillian Hanesworth), Organizing 101 for YOUTH on Friday (Open Buffalo), and a 1pm Vigil in MLK park (Alia Williams), and more.
Our Speakout on Ethical Peace Officers, (on Zoom, organized by our Racial Justice Taskforce, including Kareema Morris and Heron Simmonds), Tues, 6/9 at 7pm, is an opportunity to begin real change. It will only happen if the problem is acknowledged – which it has yet to be. Mayor Brown’s office has said he or a rep will be there, and the police commissioners are invited.
Change will only happen if all of us persist, if all of us take the bold moves to stand up for each other. White people – if we’re not actively striving for the solution, we’re part of the problem. Time’s up – no more slow-walking it, or excusiology, from anyone.
We support real change, including but not limited to policy changes, and are working with many great allies and partners to make it happen. People of color, including numerous of our great Board Members, are leading the way.
We support Cariol’s Law. Cariol Horne, our Board Member, was fired and lost her pension for her courage preventing an Eric-Garner-type death from a violent and racist policeman (with repeated previous and subsequent violations). Cariol’s Law requires a police officer to intervene and stop imminent abuse, and protects them from retaliation. The Blue Line of Silence, the Police Union defending police brutality – both need radical change. Officers need to be held accountable for their silence, and supported in their whistleblowing.
Board Member Tanvier Peart is “leading” (pun intended 😉 – with Partnership for the Public Good – efforts toward LEAD – Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion; in which officers send people to programs re mental health, substance abuse, and economic hardship for people’s related infractions, rather than arresting them.
We push with PPG and other allies for real and widespread Community Policing, fix-it tickets, serious de-funding of the police the criminal “Justice” System (#moneyforlifenotdeath), and an end to qualified immunity for police officers. We need accountability!
We encourage all to join us, allies, and partners in working for the community and especially our young people of color, through Truth and Love, Courage and Collaboration, and a culture of real peace and true nonviolence.
#PeopleandthePlanet #OneLove
In our continued effort to limit digital overload, we are again highlighting only a handful of special events below, and then refer you to our website for details on our regularly scheduled events and ‘Helping Hands’ resources list. Please see details and much more – including campaigns and fundraisers – at wnypeace.org, on our Facebook page, Twitter (@wnypeace), and Instagram (@wnypeace)! We update our Event Calendar often as we learn of new events, so please be sure to check back regularly!
And lastly, a reminder to pace yourselves. Do only what you can; no one call do it all. Let us know what kind of help you might need from the WNYPC!
Peace, thanks, solidarity and yes – love.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3
