Dear friends,
You are invited to attend TONIGHT’S presentation for the Buffalo/Rochester/Ithaca/Albany areas:
MEDICAL COLLABORATION BETWEEN CUBA
& THE US IN THE TIME OF THE PANDEMIC
7:00-8:30 PM on Zoom
REGISTER HERE.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
The whole world is grappling with how best to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
One country, Cuba, is sending its doctors and other health professionals around the world to help beleaguered health care systems. It is also making available a Cuban produced antiviral drug Interferon Alpha 2B that has been widely used in China, as well as Cuba, and has shown some success in strengthening the body’s immune system to fight off the virus.
The US government, instead of seeking to collaborate with Cuba, is demanding that other countries refuse to accept the Cuban doctors and drugs, while simultaneously strengthening its 60 year long economic blockade of Cuba in an attempt to deny the Cuban people the food, medical supplies and gasoline they and their society needs.
This presentation will discuss:
– The unique medical collaboration that already exists between the US and Cuba at the Roswell Park Cancer Center in Buffalo,
– The potential for creating new forms of medical collaboration in confronting COVID-19
– How young US doctors, trained in Havana, Cuba at the Latin American Medical School (ELAM) are already a living example of such collaboration.
– How such collaboration is part of ending the US blockade of Cuba
Program includes:
– Jennifer Wager – Board member of IFCO/Pastors for Peace and former coordinator of its annual Caravan to Cuba. Now a documentary filmmaker whose work includes the award winning Dare to Dream about ELAM
– Dr Joaquin Morantes – a graduate of ELAM, now working in the area
– Video material about the Roswell Park Cancer Center collaboration with Cuba
– There will be time for Q+A and discussion
The event is a fundraiser for IFCO/Pastors for Peace.
Event sponsored by:
– Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization/Pastors for Peace
– Western New York Peace Center, including its Latin America Solidarity Committee (LASC wny)
– Rochester Committee on Latin America (ROCLA)
– Ithaca Friends of Cuba
– Albany Cuba Solidarity
If questions, contact:
– John Waller at 831-261-2025
– Victoria Ross at 716-931-3520
Speakout on Ethical Peace Officers, an open and honest (virtual) discussion on standards of conduct, use of force, and DE-ESCALATION.
Tuesday, June 9th, 7-9 PM on Zoom (see details below).
Mayor Byron Brown, Commissioner Byron Lockwood, Deputy Commissioners Barbara Lark and Joseph Gramaglia, and the community have all been invited. Hosted and organized by the WNY Peace Center’s Racial Justice Taskforce. Cosponsored by We Are Women Warriors and SSJ Sr Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence. The Mayor’s office has said either he or a representative will attend.
Our siblings of color suffer death and oppression after centuries of racism and violence. However, through Unarmed Truth and Unconditional Love we can work for a culture of peace. Peace through Justice.
We invite your participation.
Zoom info:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83544437863?pwd=a0RlQWE5NjEyK096eHQydUJtWTNDUT09
Meeting ID: 835 4443 7863
Password: 683731
Dial by your location
+1 646 558 8656 US (New York)
Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kdu3MYCMIL
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
