LASC – Spring 2025

LASC (the Latin America Solidarity Committee of WNY Peace Center) is helping plan some events for Spring, on practical and moral issues around migration and asylum and WNY. 

* Monday Jan.27, 7pm-9pm: LASC Coffeehouse, Science Hall at Canisius University. Justice for Migrant Families WNY’s Executive Director Jennifer Connor will speak on organizing and volunteering and accompanying, as well as rapid response, under the president’s new administration. There’s free parking along Main Street north of Delevan, and light refreshments, too. All are welcome.  

* Monday Feb.24, 7pm-9pm: The LASC Coffeehouse will feature Bill Jungels, local videographer, on Migration, and Chiapas, Mexico: a story of families. It’s again at the Science Hall at Canisius University, with free parking along Main Street north of Delevan, and light refreshments. He’ll include video interviews from his Chiapas projects. 

* Saturday afternoon April 5: LASC is organizing a large public event to be held at Montante Center at Canisius University, around the important local issues re migration and asylum, with local resettlement agencies and others participating, highlighting the work that needs doing. One part of the event will be a showing of a new half-hour documentary “Running to Stand Still: Migrants Search for Hope in the Promised Land,”  including discussion with one of the film team, Heidi Ostertag, who is based just south of Rochester NY  https://www.runningtostandstillfilmseries.com/       www.worldwidedocumentaries.com/  There’ll be Q&A, with voices from Central America, the southern border, and local refugee resettlement being featured.  
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Once again, there’s so much going on that we’ll cover a couple of topics! They’re all related because they’re all about living in sync with the principles that we believe in – caring for #PeopleAndPlanet in #Truth and #Love.  “La verdad es que ninguno de nosotros puede ser libre hasta que todos sean libres – The truth is, no one of us can be free until everyone is free.” — Maya Angelou 

¡Poco a poco, lo conseguiremos!   ¡Si, se puede – Juntos!!! 

Talking Peace Radio taping

Show 1 @ 7:15pm: National Base-building. Featuring Christian Parra, national organizer, trainer, and relationship-builder for People’s Action; with Victory Ross, WNYPC Board Chair. We’ll explore base-building and movement-building from local, regional, national, and international perspectives.

Show 2 @8:30pm: Workers United! Featuring Brian Murray, a lead organizer for SB Workers United, also working with other labor organizers (e.g., at Lexington Co-op); with Victory Ross, WNYPC Board Chair. Workers’ rights and union-organizing is surging ahead, with Buffalo and WNY leading the way. We’ll explore progress, obstacles, victories, and opportunities.

Talking Peace taping: The Ukraine!

People – especially of Buffalo and WNY – will have the opportunity to hear from International and Foreign Policy expert, Joseph Gerson, and Ukrainian American Yuri Hreshchyshyn, to get a better understanding of the conflict in the Ukraine, as well as how we’ve gotten to this point. They’ll also discuss the existential dangers, current needs, a path forward, and how people can help. With host Vicki Ross, WNYPC Community Coordinator.

• Joseph Gerson is President of the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, Vice-President of the International Peace Bureau,  Co-chair of the Committee for a Sane U.S.-China Policy, and Co-Convener of the international Peace and Planet Network. He has participated in Track II discussions about possible diplomatic solutions to prevent and then end the Ukraine War, has briefed Congressional staff, written articles and given numerous talks and interviews. He’s a writer, an educator, and a consultant; and works at local, national, and international levels for peaceful and just alternatives to U.S. foreign and military policies.
• Yuri Hreshchshyn is a first generation Ukrainian American, the oldest of five. He’s in communication with his extended family in Western Ukraine, and working locally to help with fundraising and humanitarian aide to the Ukraine.