SATURDAY, AUGUST 28, 2021
Weekend Reading

Dear John,

We’re saddened at the news of bombings outside of Kabul airport this week, where large crowds have continued to gather to try to evacuate. We hold the victims and all who face hardship in Afghanistan in the Light.

Many people have asked us what they can do to help people in Afghanistan. AFSC has started a fund to support Afghans who worked for AFSC in past years, their families, and other Afghans seeking safety. Contributions will help us respond to emerging needs, which might include housing, food, clothing, legal support, and more. If you can, please make a gift today. [link removed]

Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism:

A post-pandemic world requires free and robust civil society: [link removed] In numerous countries, government restrictions on civil liberties over the past decade have been accelerated by COVID-19. But civil society groups are pushing back—and resisting normalization of extreme measures that restrict civic space and harm communities, writes AFSC’s Joyce Ajlouny. (Paris Peace Forum)

Immigrant rights advocates criticize “Remain in Mexico” ruling: [link removed] The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to block a court ruling ordering the president to reinstate the draconian Trump-era "Remain in Mexico" policy. “This decision makes a really terrible situation even worse because it ensures that migrants who would be allowed to present themselves for asylum reasons are going to have to wait in Mexico,” says AFSC’s Pedro Rios, “and they become an easy target for people who want to extort them or take advantage of them.” (ABC10)

Tell your elected officials: [link removed] Invest in community needs during pandemic recovery—not policing: Communities across the U.S. are still struggling in this pandemic. Yet states and cities continue to pour tax dollars into already bloated policing budgets—and a racist system that disproportionately targets people of color. Urge your elected officials to invest in the health of our communities, not policing!  

Engagement with North Korea: [link removed] This month, the Biden administration must decide whether it will end a 2017 ban on travel to North Korea. The ban prevents Korean Americans from visiting family members in the country and has been an obstacle to organizations like AFSC that work in North Korea. It’s time to end the ban and engage North Korea, says AFSC’s Daniel Jasper (“All Things Considered,” NPR)

5 ways to stand with Palestinians in Gaza: [link removed] It’s been more than three months since Israeli attacks on Gaza killed more than 260 Palestinians and displaced thousands of families. But the Israeli military blockade has barred imports of critical supplies and materials needed to rebuild and address critical health needs. Here are five ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza today.

Future ICE detention contracts banned by New Jersey law: [link removed] After a year of advocacy by AFSC and partners, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a measure that bars local and private jails from contracting—or renewing or expanding current contracts—with Immigration and Customs Enforcement. While the law came too late to stop the extension of one contract, the measure is a critical step in ending immigrant detention in New Jersey. (New Jersey Monitor)

Thank you to everyone who has started a monthly gift—and to all who donate throughout the year!: We’re still looking for a few more Partners for Peace to help us meet our goal of 147 new or increased monthly gifts by Aug. 31! If you haven't already, become a monthly donor today. [link removed]

Be well and take care

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