SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2023
Weekend Reading
Dear John,
Thank you to the more than 20,000 people who have contacted Congress this week! It’s important that elected officials hear from us and demand a ceasefire and humanitarian access for people in Gaza. If you haven’t already, please send a message today. [link removed]
AFSC and other Quaker organizations issued a statement [link removed] calling for an end to the violence. AFSC’s Aura Kanegis also wrote this op-ed for Religious News Service. [link removed] The U.S. must stop military aid to Israel, she writes, which has contributed to deaths and destruction in Gaza year after year. "It is time to get serious about investing in equality, human rights and lasting safety for all people: Israeli and Palestinian.”
Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism:
How to stay safer at a protest: [link removed] Taking part in a protest is one way we can speak out for peace and justice, but there can be risks involved. Use our guide to plan ahead and get tips on how to keep yourself and others safe. If you’re joining a protest in support of people in Gaza, you can download our free posters to take with you. [link removed]
“I have lost nine family members in Gaza: Stop the death march now”: [link removed] Yousef Aljamal is a contributor to AFSC’s “Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire” anthology. While taking part in our recent U.S. book tour, he learned that Israeli warplanes had bombed a refugee camp in Gaza where dozens of his family members lived. Nine of them were killed. Read his story. (Politics Today) To hear more from Palestinian writers in Gaza, you can also download “Light in Gaza” for free from Haymarket Books. [link removed]
Register: AFSC Action Hour for a Ceasefire Now (Oct. 27, 12 noon ET/ 9 a.m. PT): [link removed] Join us to hear updates from AFSC staff in Gaza. Then, take action with us by making calls to the White House and Congress to demand an immediate ceasefire. We’ll also spend some time writing letters to Congress and share more ways to strengthen our collective voice in this critical time.
A new class of Emerging Leaders for Liberation: [link removed] AFSC’s ELL program helps young people across the U.S. strengthen their social justice and leadership skills. They also plan projects of their own to address systemic issues in their communities. This year’s ELL participants are confronting militarism, Israeli apartheid, and other forms of injustice. Meet three of these young leaders.
Migrant dies after crossing the border in California: [link removed] A woman had a medical emergency while held by Border Patrol in an open-air detention site near San Diego. There, migrants have been left for hours, even days, without access to basic services. “For months, we’ve been saying that when people are held under these conditions between border walls without having necessary water or food, that it would likely cause injury or possibly death,” said AFSC’s Pedro Rios. Border Patrol must prioritize the safety and well-being of asylum seekers. (Border Report)
What’s at stake in the United Auto Workers strike: [link removed] A lot is riding on the outcome of the UAW strike against the “Big Three” carmakers. The ripple effects are likely to extend far beyond the automotive industry, writes AFSC’s Rick Wilson. Success for UAW could strengthen the movement for economic justice—and unite movements for both worker and climate justice.
Announcing the Compassion in Action Matching Gift Challenge: [link removed] Give by Nov. 20 to take advantage of AFSC’s largest match of the year! Your gift for peace and justice will be 100% matched up to $500,000.
Special thanks to our monthly donors, our Partners for Peace, for their ongoing support to make all our work possible.
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