SATURDAY, JULY 24, 2021
Weekend Reading
Dear John,
In low-income countries, less than 1% of people have been vaccinated against COVID-19, putting countless lives at risk. The United States and other countries have a responsibility to share vaccine technology to protect the world.
On Tuesday, AFSC joined with more than 60 other faith organizations in Washington, D.C. to call on President Biden and world leaders to make vaccines available worldwide to end this pandemic. Read more in the Washington Post. [link removed]
Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism:
What you need to know about recent changes to DACA: [link removed] Earlier this month, a federal judge blocked new applicants to the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The ruling makes it as clear as ever that we need legislation, not litigation, to create permanent protections for DACA recipients and all undocumented people.
Standing with all people in Cuba: [link removed] AFSC stands in solidarity with the Quaker community and with Cubans from all political and religious affiliations who are struggling during this time. We call on the Biden administration to immediately end the decades-long U.S. blockade against Cuba, which has devastated the Cuban economy and made it harder for people to access goods, medical care, and other necessities.
Tell President Biden: Reopen our borders to asylum seekers: [link removed] The Biden administration is soon expected to announce whether it will reopen the U.S.-Mexico border to asylum seekers. We’re hearing that the administration plans to only allow families to cross the border—while continuing to bar individuals who need refuge. Send a message to Biden today: End “Title 42” deportations and ensure all asylum seekers can seek safety in the U.S.
Ben and Jerry’s took a stand against the occupation. Pillsbury should do the same: [link removed] After years of grassroots campaigning, Ben and Jerry’s announced it would stop selling its ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank. General Mills should follow suit and stop manufacturing Pillsbury products on stolen land. Join our campaign to boycott Pillsbury.
The Poor People’s Campaign protested for voting, workers’ rights. More than 75 people were arrested: [link removed] AFSC’s Joyce Ajlouny, who was among those arrested, said, “Women—disproportionately women of color—bear the brunt of economic deprivation and conflict. We must continue to take courageous action until voting rights, equitable wages, and civil and human rights are attained for all.” (Washington Post)
Update: Humanitarian response in Gaza: [link removed] Thanks to supporters like you, we're providing aid to elderly Palestinians and their families whose homes were destroyed or severely damaged in the attacks on Gaza, writes AFSC’s Mike Merryman-Lotze.
Be well and take care
American Friends Service Committee
1501 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
United States
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