SPC Birthday Dinner in March
SPC’s annual birthday dinner will be held in late March (date TBA) and will feature black lesbian feminist activist, author and former
Barbara got her start as a youth with school desegregation and the civil rights movement. Feeling frustrated with the patriarchal nature of many Black Nationalist groups of the time, she became active within black feminist movements. She helped form the radical Combahee River Collective in
Barbara is serving on the NYS Truth Commission on Poverty as part of the national Poor People’s Campaign, which SPC is participating in.
– Jessica Maxwell
The Poor People’s Campaign: A National Call for a Moral Revival
When Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated, he was building the Poor People’s Campaign—a multiracial endeavor challenging the
Today’s Poor People’s Campaign is a national grassroots effort to challenge the evils of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy, ecological devastation and the nation’s distorted morality. Its broad goals are to shift awareness from a narrative that blames the poor for poverty to one that acknowledges the systemic causes—and to build an anti-poverty movement led by poor people. SPC is participating.
To build the Poor People’s Campaign in
–Ursula Rozum
5 Ways to Be Part of SPC
- Data entry. We have over 1000 petition signatures and want to keep signers updated on what we are doing with the petitions.
- E-newsletter. Our weekly e-newsletter has been coming out less often because we need more help. We provide the information and you type it up.
- Try out a committee. Look at the list on page 3, read the committee descriptions and try one. If you’re unsure, contact Carol (carol@peacecouncil.net, 315-472-5478) to meet over coffee or tea to learn more.
- Make treats for events. It’s so welcoming to have food at our educational events. Can you help out with that?
- Help with our upcoming Birthday Dinner. We’re really excited about our upcoming dinner with speaker Barbara Smith (see page _) and will need lots of help! Contact Carol to learn more.
–Carol Baum
Introducing Beyond War and Militarism
Beyond War and Militarism is a joint committee of the Syracuse Peace Council and the CNY Solidarity Coalition. We are dedicated to non-violence as we seek to eliminate:
- US wars
- nuclear weapons and weaponized drones
- the enormity of the so-called “defense” budget that robs resources from domestic needs
- the pervasive infiltration of militarism into our culture
- the unjust, corrupting and dangerous activities of the corporate state, that is the primary beneficiary and supporter of militarism.
The committee meets monthly and also presents a series of educational events at ArtRage Gallery.
Contact Diane at drswords@gmail.com for additional information.
–Barry Gordon
Nuclear Free World Actions
Here’s how you can participate:
Help reach our goal of a second 1000 signatures on the Markey-Lieu “No Nuclear First Strike” petition. Last fall we presented 1000 signatures to our Congressional representatives and are well on our way to the second thousand. Please download and circulate: https://tinyurl.com/ya4226tz
Become informed regarding
Nominate a young activist. The Youth Award 2018 will go to high school students dedicated to peace, justice and the environment. Nominate a young activist who demonstrates passion in addressing these issues. Find the application at www.peacecouncil.net and watch for the date in late spring to celebrate the recipient(s).
– Diane Swords
CNY Solidarity Coalition
The CNY Solidarity Coalition is a grassroots coalition of organizations and individuals dedicated to truth, justice and democracy. We are committed to protecting all Central New Yorkers who are likely to be targeted in these uncertain times.
Join us in this work by visiting www.cnysolidarity.org to sign up for weekly action alerts. Attend our monthly meetings and join one of our active committees focusing on federal or state legislation, community outreach and defense, worker and immigrant rights, war and militarism, and climate justice. Priorities for 2018 include working to replace John Katko with a progressive representative, promoting the Community Grid I-81 option, NYS voting rights reform, and working to end poverty in
–Peter McCarthy
Justice for
The Justice for Palestine Committee is involved with several campaigns to build support for Palestinian human rights and the movement to end US support for the Israeli occupation of
In December, we joined the Islamic Society for a national day of action to speak out against
In the coming months, we are supporting the Promoting Human Rights by Ending Israeli Military Detention of Palestinian Children Act introduced by Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) in Congress. It would prevent US aid to Israel from being used to detain, interrogate, ill-treat and imprison Palestinian children in its separate-and-unequal military courts, and is the first bill of its kind focused specifically on Palestinian human rights. Please help circulate petitions and/or set up presentations for us.
We’re also co-hosting (with Jewish Voice for Peace), a screening of Occupation of the American Mind on February 5 at 7pm at ArtRage (
–Ursula Rozum
Carol Baum: Super Staffer!
It’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Carol Baum, the super-staffer!
The PNL often recognizes the contributions of individuals when we are saying a bittersweet goodbye, but this time it is for the opposite occasion. We are recognizing Carol for her incredible steadfastness as a staffer for the past 16 years. She especially deserves recognition for being a constant over the past two years of tumultuous staffing, not to mention the political climate!
We appreciate and recognize you, Carol, not just for your skill and experience, hundreds of hours of unpaid time, and thorough thinking (for which you are well-known), but also for your playfulness, your deeply radical politics, your commitment to the movement, and your kind attention to your friends and comrades. It’s been a stressful couple of years. We’ve got your back, just like you’ve had ours. Thank you.
–Amelia Lefevre
Farewell to Nina
Farewell and thank you to Nina Wickett, our bookkeeper extraordinaire of the last ten years, as she retires in January! Nina’s dedication to the Peace Council is outstanding; she worked diligently year after year as our finances became more complicated, while hugely discounting her regular fees. We have relied on her attention to detail, her willingness to adapt and her warmth and humor. The staff always looked forward to their “Nina fix” on Fridays when she came in; it is hard to imagine upcoming Fridays without her.
Nina’s contribution to SPC cannot be overstated. Bookkeeping is a role that is often overlooked, but it is the bedrock support for an active organization. Nina is a passionate political activist who cares deeply about changing the world—and does everything she can to “feed people,” both literally and figuratively.
Thank you, Nina, for everything you’ve done. We are happy that you are about to have the adventure of a well-deserved retirement, even while we are sad to lose you as the SPC bookkeeper. We look forward to continuing to see you regularly, albeit in a different role.
–Chris Riley and Carol Baum
Plowshares 2017
As we approach a half century of Plowshares Festivals, the 2017 version was blessed with excellent weather— and a wonderful crowd of shoppers, eager to support approximately 110 artisans of paint, jewelry, glass, fabric, wood and many other media.
Stepping gently into the 21st century, ATM access was offered for the first time and proved to be a service appreciated by the patrons. Also happening for the first time was participation by
The offences of the present administration were everywhere in the air, and seemed to clearly be an invigorating and bonding force for the approximately 3,000 people who shopped, networked, and renewed old friendships, bringing joy to the dark days of December.
–Lanny Freshman
Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation
NOON invites to you join with us:
Witness to Injustice is a 1½ hour teaching tool that uses participatory education to raise awareness of the history of the relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in what is now known as the
Sign our petition to Commemorate Indigenous Peoples’ Day, Not Columbus Day. We currently have over 700 signatures and need more. Please go to http://www.peacecouncil.net/noon/ipd to download the paper petition or to sign online.
Let your
–Lindsay Speer
Some Hancock Drone Charges Dismissed
On January 18 in the
- Jan. 28, 2016 “Jerry Berrigan” action—all charges dismissed with finality.
- April 14, 2017 “Good Friday” action—Judge Gideon is taking “under advisement” whether to dismiss charges on speedy trial grounds.
- Sept 25, 2017 “Bloody Dollar Sign” action—Judge Jokl has dismissed all charges.
However the prosecution, by filing amended papers, may still re-charge the defendants.
For more about the persistent Hancock anti-weaponized drone campaign
go to www.upstatedroneaction.org.
– Ed Kinane, edkinane340@gmail.com
SPC’s Membership Meeting
On January 21, SPC welcomed new and seasoned organizers to our first Membership and Visioning Meeting. We started the event on a high note by celebrating recent successes of SPC and the tireless work of our committees. We then held an exciting World Café dialogue where we discussed SPC’s anti-racist allyship, how to use the 2018 elections as an organizing opportunity, how we can effectively address the excessive US military budget, and lessons from the Poor People’s Campaign. The event was a first step toward pulling our energies together to develop a shared organizing vision for SPC.
– Michaela Czerkies
Street Heat in Winter
Please join us the first Tuesday of the month from 4:15-5pm at Hancock Airbase (
