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| Featured Local Event: Join the Poor People’s Campaign TONIGHT in Danville for a Public Participatory Reading of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s prophetic “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” speech. Event Information Here Date: Monday, April 4th (Tonight!) Time: 6:00PM Location: St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church Sanctuary1550 Diablo Road, Danville, CA 94526 US The Public Participatory Reading will feature impacted community members, local high school students, college students, mothers, fathers, grandparents, educators, artists, poets, writers, and local community activists. This event is sponsored by St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in partnership with Peace Lutheran Church and San Ramon Valley Methodist Church. Host Contact Info: Pastor Susan Geissler-Oneil – sgeissleroneil@sainttimothysdanville.orgPastor Todd Bryant – todd.alan.bryant@gmail.comPeg Miller – pegeatonmiller@prodigy.net |
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| This year’s public readings of “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” are part of a Poor People’s Campaign mobilization building towards the June 18, 2022, Mass Poor People’s & Low-Wage Workers’ Assembly and Moral March on Washington and to the Polls. This will be a generationally transformative gathering of poor and low wealth people, state leaders, faith communities, moral allies, unions and partnering organizations. t |
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| Consider donating to the Center today! As a small non-profit – member contributions really do provide the backbone for our programming! In fact, over 70% of our funding comes from membership. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic – the Center has been hurt financially as a result of our inability to host in-person events. We are excited for the prospect of returning to form as soon as possible – but will be keeping an eye on CDC guidelines. It is our goal to return AS SOON AS POSSIBLE – with events held safely outdoors at the Center. –Donations can be made online via this link Some members have noted that this link does not work for them – while others seem to be able to access it without an issue. If you experience any problems using this link, please let me know as soon as possible via email: andrew@ourpeacecenter.org Thank you! Contributions may also be paid by credit card or sent in the mail via check directly to our office! If you would like information on how to pay by card – please email andrew@ourpeacecenter.org. To send checks directly to the Center – our address is 1035 Carol Lane – Lafayette, CA 94549. The Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center is a tax-deductible 501 (c)(3) non-profit. |
| Recommended Reading: “The Ukraine Crisis is Splitting the Peace Movement — When it’s Needed Most” by Brian Garvey (originally published by Masschusetts Peace Action – Peace Advocate, April 2022) https://masspeaceaction.org/the-ukraine-crisis-is-splitting-the-peace-movement-when-its-needed-most/?emci=d8100ca9-97ae-ec11-997e-281878b83d8a&emdi=e55de47a-0bb1-ec11-997e-281878b83d8a&ceid=294853 “Make Peace, Not War, in Ukraine” by Richard Falk, CounterPunch https://www.counterpunch.org/2022/03/30/make-peace-not-war-in-ukraine/ “The Pentagon Budget, Nuclear Weapons and Human Needs” by Jonathan King and Richard Krushnic (originally published by Masschusetts Peace Action – Peace Advocate, April 2022) https://masspeaceaction.org/the-pentagon-budget-nuclear-weapons-and-human-needs/?emci=d8100ca9-97ae-ec11-997e-281878b83d8a&emdi=e55de47a-0bb1-ec11-997e-281878b83d8a&ceid=294853 “Ukraine: Transfer of Power Balance from West to East” by Cameron Leckie, Consortium News https://consortiumnews.com/2022/03/31/ukraine-transfer-of-power-balance-from-west-to-east/ “Most of the debate and coverage of the ongoing Russo-Ukrainian war in Australia and the Western world is decidedly banal. It is characterized by the simplification of an extremely complex situation to generate a narrative that can be summarized as Putin and Russia are evil and Ukraine is good. This gross simplification is not helpful in either understanding the causes of the war, the nature of the war, its broader implications and most importantly of all, how it can be ended with the least number of additional deaths and injuries and damage to Ukraine’s infrastructure.“ |
| Event Reminder: CODEPINK Congress, Tuesday, April 5th (5 PM, PST) |
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| EVENT LINK: https://www.codepink.org/04052022 Co-sponsored by CODEPINK & Massachusetts Peace Action From the organizers: “As Russia’s assault on Ukraine takes a huge civilian toll, peace activists in the United States are calling on the Biden administration to articulate compromises the U.S. and NATO will support to end this crisis. Our guests will discuss options for peace that include neutrality for Ukraine, humanitarian aid for refugees, an international security agreement, status of the secessionist regions in the Donbas, Russian reparations for Ukraine and an off-ramp for lifting sanctions on Russia. How do we reach a peace settlement before further escalation? The stakes are high for all of us”– Phyllis Bennis is a Fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington, and of the Amsterdam-based Transnational Institute. She writes and speaks widely across the U.S. and throughout the world on Middle East issues including Palestine-Israel, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and on US wars and foreign policy. She is a co-founder of the U.S. Campaign for Palestinian Rights and the Iraq-era anti-war coalition United for Peace and Justice. Joseph Gerson is president of the Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security, vice-president of the International Peace Bureau, and a board member of MAPA. He long served the American Friends Service Committee as director of the Peace and Economic Security Program. Joseph Gerson is also the author of the book, “Empire and the Bomb: How the U.S. Uses Nuclear Weapons to Dominate the World.” |
| SAVE THE DATE/EVENT ALERT: APRIL 15TH, 7:45AM ON ZOOM |
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| NOTE: There will be only techs and essential personnel attendingthis virtual event on-site. We ask the public to attend via livestream only. ON APRIL 15th – JOIN THE EVENT ON ZOOM: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89503073323?pwd=dXl0VHJhekVtVUV2WGpJSktPNkZjUT09 [Additional Access Info] From the organizers: “Our guest preacher will be Rev. Allison Tanner with music by Betsy Rose, Rev. Silvia Brandon-Pérez and Daniel ben Avrám, and Sacred Dance with Carla De Sola and Zara Anwar. All people of faith or good will are invited to join on-line. The event will include readings and speakers from a variety of the world’s spiritual traditions. Marylia Kelley, executive director at the Livermore-based Tri-Valley CAREs, will also speak from the gates of the Lab. She will offer an update on the Livermore’s nuclear weapons work with a focus on the new warheads the Lab is currently developing. CLICK HERE for a copy of the program, including the call and response readings” |
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| graphic by Eric J. Garcia |
| “Veterans For Peace is a global organization of Military Veterans and allies whose collective efforts are to build a culture of peace by using their experiences and lifting voices. They work to inform the public of the true causes of war and the enormous costs of wars, with an obligation to heal the wounds of wars. Their network is comprised of over 140 chapters worldwide, whose work includes: educating the public, advocating for a dismantling of the war economy, providing services that assist veterans and victims of war, and most significantly, working to end all wars” Veterans for Peace |
 DIABLO VALLEY COLLEGE – SOCIAL JUSTICE DEPARTMENT SPEAKER SERIES The Social Justice Program at Diablo Valley College, which started in 2018, hosts a variety of social justice speakers and topics to help elevate attention to social justice issues. Please view the flyers below for some of their upcoming events + visit their website for more information! https://www.dvc.edu/academics/departments/social-science/social-justice/index.html |