SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2020
Weekend Reading

Dear John,

Thank you to everyone who contacted their governors to urge them to restore voting rights to all! This election, nearly 5.2 million people will be denied their right to vote because of a felony conviction—and it’s long past time to stop this injustice. If you haven’t already, take action today to end felony disenfranchisement! www.afsc.org/action/end-felony-disenfranchisement?contactdata=UDNA5IT6RbHZVFb5nxFs8vx+gRJE57GY04A+6BYQeWPMLu3pkLr1Q5ZEJXA1AMlsGS2/9sBaSQIbclFDLt0ud56tjP26Y6IzCiEdKBViMTa9DUP38S/8MJS0Uw7XsM7siGp5jcw+X6n41I9ohmNcIg==&ms=EMA21WR1017

Here are this week's resources to help you stay informed and support your activism.

Healing divides through U.S. Truth and Reconciliation Commissions (TRC): [link removed] In this episode of “All Things Considered,” AFSC’s Denise Altvater discusses the Maine-Wabanaki State Child Welfare TRC, which was convened to address the widespread government practice of taking Native American children from their homes and placing them in foster care or with white families. (NPR)

Promoting religious tolerance in Indonesia: [link removed] After three years of organizing and advocacy, young leaders in Kupang have successfully advocated for one of the country’s most progressive policies on freedom of religion, writes AFSC’s Jiway Tung.

It’s time to stop federal executions and repeal the death penalty: [link removed] In July, the Justice Department began carrying out death sentences for the first time in 17 years—flying in the face of moral values, common sense, and history, writes AFSC’s Peniel Ibe.

On World Food Day, AFSC’s Farm to Food Bank Program in New Mexico was honored by the Interfaith Hunger Coalition: [link removed] Watch this video to learn more about the program, which has purchased more than 9,000 pounds of fresh, local produce to donate to food banks and shelters.

New report shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) exacerbates suffering for detained migrants under COVID-19: [link removed] “The COVID-19 pandemic has made it clear that ICE and private companies invested in profit consistently fail to protect lives—policymakers must do more to hold government agencies accountable for the suffering they encourage, and must immediately end detention,” says AFSC’s Vanessa Ceceña.

Register for our webinar: Building community safety without policing: [link removed] If you’ve heard the call to defund the police and want to learn more, join AFSC on Oct. 22 for this community conversation. This will be a supportive environment where we can share our reflections, fears, and hopes about ways to create community safety for all.

Be well and take care

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