Dear John,

We hope you and your loved ones are well.

Many of us are still shaken by what happened at the Capitol on Wednesday. This shocking attack on democracy underscored the need for our nation to undertake the long and difficult task of dismantling white supremacy and all forms of oppression. 

As a Quaker organization, AFSC calls on people from across the political spectrum to rededicate themselves to the pursuit of democracy, liberty, and justice for all. This means supporting a peaceful transition of power—and challenging the systemic racism and militarism that made Wednesday’s attack possible. Read more.    

Register today: Resisting authoritarianism during COVID-19: Join AFSC on Jan. 26 for the launch of Under the Mask, a project that tracks abuses of power by governments around the world in the context of the pandemic. Our keynote speaker is Fionnuala D. Ní Aoláin, United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.  

Surviving prison in a pandemic: As COVID-19 cases surge in U.S. prisons, women in a Michigan state prison share their experiences with AFSC’s Michigan Criminal Justice Program, which operates a hotline to monitor conditions inside. (BBC)

Last chance to sign our Abolish ICE petition: Tens of thousands of people have signed our petition calling on Congress to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an agency with a long history of human rights abuses. Now we’re about to deliver the petition to the new Congress. If you haven’t already, add your name by Jan. 13 to join our call!

Congress commits over $1 billion to border wall construction: "I think it’s important for people to understand that when they’re talking about border wall replacement, it’s actually an extremely devastating type of replacement … that would be catastrophic to the environment [and] to people that live in the area,” says AFSC’s Pedro Rios. (KPBS)

Tell your governor: Restore voting rights for all: It’s clearer than ever that the right to vote is fundamental to our democracy and should never be taken away. But today, nearly 5.2 million people—disproportionately Black and Brown people—are denied their right to vote because they have felony convictions. Contact your governor today and urge them to restore voting rights for all!  

Year in review: How you helped us defund hate in 2020: As we work to abolish ICE, we’re calling on Congress to stop funding cruelty against immigrants—and we’re making progress, writes AFSC’s Tori Bateman.

Make a sustaining gift: Help us bring critical support to communities working to overcome poverty and oppression. Start a monthly gift to help us meet our goal of 150 new sustainers by Jan. 31.