Dear John,

Begin this New Year deepening your commitment to cultivating a future that serves all life. Join us on January 7th for the next Local Peace Economy Gathering. We will consider together how to meet this moment full of madness and barbarism with beauty. This conversation will give you guidance, tips, and encouragement for cultivating more peace in 2026. We need to start again, laying different foundations guided by values that protect and treasure all life.  

Like many people I know, I have re-committed myself in the New Year to a new normal -- living and creating locally and focusing on community and connectivity. I want to slow down, live with more purpose, and reconnect deeply with my creative core. I earnestly desire to find others doing the same transformative work and build community from this commonality. These are earnest, if imprecise, commitments that are an invitation for me to step outside my comfort zone. It might not be as simple as "Go to the gym more" or "Quit sugar," but it is actionable and achievable. Are you with me?

For inspiration on this journey, I encourage you to read Michael Shuman's "Localism Manifesto." Michael is a friend to the Local Peace Economy Community, and his explanation of why we need to think, act, and create locally in these critical times is so crucial.  

Thank you to all of you who joined us for our two Local Peace Economy webinars during the Anti-Imperialist Campaign Series in December (recordings can be found here and here.) We enjoyed sharing the Local Peace Economy with so many new faces, and using LPE principles to focus our holiday perspectives around consumerism, gift-giving, and creating community. 

Mark Your Calendars: The on-going writing workshop is a monthly place to connect with other creative souls. Read aloud works of poetry or prose in a supportive environment of your peers. This meeting is the 2nd Thursday of the month. 

Want to take action this week? As you might remember, in December 2024, Dr. Husam Abu Safiya was illegally abducted by the Israeli military after raiding his hospital, Kamal Adwan Hospital. This was one of the last functioning hospitals in Gaza, and Israel made sure to destroy it and kidnap its leadership so Palestinians could not be treated medically. Dr. Husam Abu Safiya is locked away in one of Israel’s most dangerous prisons and is held with no charge. What happened to Dr. Abu Safiya is a crime against humanity, and we must call on our institutions to speak out against the abuse of their own colleagues. Sign this petition to the American Medical Association to demand that they push for Dr. Abu Safiya’s release. 

UPCOMING Local Peace Economy Gatherings:

• Register for the LPE Writing workshops from January through April of 2026.

Other supportive resources:

• The Local Peace Economy website
• Local Peace Economy Substack
• Local Peace Economy Padlet — add yourself and see who is near you!
• Video introduction to the workbook
• Download The Local Peace Economy Workbook (free digital version)
• Purchase The Local Peace Economy Workbook (physical copy)
• CODEPINK Radio Ep. 242: The Local Peace Economy
• CODEPINK Radio Ep. 256: What is the root of peace?

We hope to see you this Wednesday, January 7th!

RSVP Here!

With care,

Jodie & Marie

P.S.  There are several new essays out on the Local Peace Economy Substack. We hope you will join us there! Substack is where we explore concepts, organizations, and movements underpinning the Local Peace Economy movement. There is a lot there to inspire you!