SATURDAY, JUNE 11, 2022
Weekend Reading
Dear John,
As the school year ends for many students in the U.S., AFSC is raising funds to deliver school supplies for children in Gaza. Supporters like you will help students in Gaza prepare for the next school year—providing them with new uniforms, schools bags, and other supplies. That includes children like Mohammed, and his little sister, Malak. Recently, their family shared moments from their school day in this photo essay by AFSC’s Firas Ramlawi. [link removed]
Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism:
Tell President Biden and Congress: It's time to act on climate justice: [link removed] The environmental consequences of human-driven climate change are evident in the U.S. and around the world. So too are the social effects. Elected officials can take immediate steps toward a just transition away from fossil fuels. That includes investing in clean energy tax incentives; supporting communities' rights to hold polluters accountable in court; and cutting funding for the military, one of the world's top producers of greenhouses gases.
Calling out a chemical weapons profiteer: [link removed] For years, Safariland sold tear gas to law enforcement and foreign governments—chemical weapons that were used against asylum seekers at the border, protesters for racial justice, and other civilians around the world. After facing an organized campaign and intense public pressure, the company’s CEO announced in 2020 that it would be “getting out of the tear gas business.” But that was not true, AFSC’s Noam Perry discovered after conducting his own research and investigation. Safariland continues to sell tear gas today, despite public claims of divestment. (The Intercept)
Recognizing an advocate for healing justice: [link removed] The State of New Jersey honored Bonnie Kerness, director of AFSC’s Prison Watch Program, and her 50 years at AFSC with a joint legislative resolution acknowledging her service. Throughout her tenure, Bonnie has “demonstrated her unwavering commitment to raise awareness of the human rights violations that occur daily throughout the United Sates prison system,” the resolution stated. Read more about Bonnie’s work.
Video: Gun violence and policing: [link removed] With the recent mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas; Buffalo, New York; and around the country, many of us are grappling with what we can do to keep all our community members safe. That includes examining the role of policing in our society. In our Community Safety Beyond Policing webinar series, we recently explored ways to prevent violence—without increasing our reliance on police. Watch our webinar recording to learn more.
Register for this month’s No Way to Treat a Child webinar: [link removed] Join AFSC and Defense for Children International-Palestine on June 14 (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT). Learn more about how to sustain long-term advocacy for Palestinian children's rights. The webinar will address ongoing human rights violations, including updates on children who have been detained, killed, or had their homes demolished by Israeli authorities.
Be well and take care
American Friends Service Committee
1501 Cherry Street
Philadelphia, PA 19102
United States
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