Promoting sustainable communities in New Mexico: For decades, AFSC’s New Mexico Program has supported small, sustainable farms—and worked to improve the health of local children and their communities. In 2022, supporters like you have helped us bring tons of locally grown produce to early childcare centers, schools, and food banks and food pantries. AFSC’s Sayrah Namaste shares some of the year’s highlights.
New podcast episode: Filmmaking as resistance in Sudan: Earlier this year, AFSC brought together activists and artists from the Middle East and North Africa to connect, share their experiences, and support each other in working for peace with justice. In our limited-series podcast “Assembly,” participants discuss how art can transform our everyday lives. This week’s episode features Sudanese film pioneer Talal Afifi.
Why we should think twice about calling the police (while keeping all our neighbors safe): In 2020, many of us deepened our commitment to racial justice in the wake of the police killing of George Floyd. But today, we’re seeing a backward slide toward law-and-order policies that disproportionately harm Black and Brown communities. One of the most powerful things we can do right now is to resolve to avoid calling the police if possible, using these simple strategies. Read more from AFSC’s Mary Zerkel.
Register for our first “Light in Gaza: Engaging Gaza Writers” webinar (Jan. 12, 12 p.m. / 9 a.m. PT): This month, we’re kicking off a series of monthly online conversations with contributors to our anthology “Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire.” In our first webinar, we’ll hear from Dr. Sara Roy and architect Salem Al Qudwa, who will discuss the process of recovery and rebuilding in Gaza after Israeli bombings and decades of military occupation. Sign up today.
Lessons from San Francisco’s killer robot debate: Earlier this month, elected officials in San Francisco changed their minds about allowing police to use lethally armed robots after facing intense public backlash. AFSC was involved in advocating against killer robots and other military weaponry from the beginning. In this blog post, AFSC’s Jennifer Tu and John Lindsay-Poland share the lessons they learned from these successful efforts.
Making a difference: The inaugural year of Emerging Leaders of Liberation: In 2022, we launched Emerging Leaders of Liberation to help young people strengthen their social justice and leadership skills. Watch this video to hear from some of our inaugural participants—and how they’re using what they learned to create change in their communities.
