justice

Let’s Talk About ‘How Can We Win?’

Written on: August 12, 2021

Author and activist Kimberly Jones went viral with a YouTube interview in which she asks, “How can we win?” Moorestown Friends Meeting’s Anti-Racism Committee recommends the interview highly; we’ll host a discussion of Jones’s perspective on race, protest, violence and economics for this Let’s Talk session on Thursday 22 July. Watch Jones’s seven-minute interview on YouTube – and maybe her 12-minute appearance on The Daily Show – then join us to discuss Jones’s ideas and our own perspectives; click here or phone 646-558-8656 and use meeting ID 815 8781 6369.

Let’s Talk About How the Word is Passed

Written on: July 22, 2021

Join Moorestown Friends Meeting’s Anti-Racism Committee for a discussion of Clint Smith’s new exploration of the roots and present-day impact of the U.S.A.’s slave economy of the 17^th-19^th centuries. An ‘instant #1 New York Times bestseller,’ the book is widely available. If you’re not able to read or listen to it before the meeting, Little, Brown’s website has some excerpts; and The Atlantic has a short, valuable adaption. Please join us to help support the important work our meeting is doing in witness to our testament of equality; click here or phone 646-558-8656 and use meeting ID 873 3565 8140.

Racial Justice & Superheroes Webinar

Written on: July 22, 2021

“Racial Justice and Superheroes” a free webinar taking place on July 22 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time.
This webinar is part of North Branch Society of Friends Meeting “Quakers for Peace and Justice Series.”

Today’s Superfriends look like an all-inclusive group of heroes, but was it always so?
How did our heroes’ attitudes change toward racial justice since Superman first bounded to the rescue in 1938?

Join Allan Austin, Ph.D. for this “graphic” exploration of evolving American conversations about race through superhero comic books, cartoons, and film.

“Supporting our Transgender Neighbors”

Written on: June 22, 2021

North Branch Society of Friends is offering a free webinar “Supporting our Transgender Neighbors” as part of our Peace and Justice initiative.

Hi there,

You are invited to a Zoom webinar.
When: Jun 22, 2021, 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Topic: Quakers For Peace and Justice Series “Supporting our Transgender Neighbors” Presented by North Branch Friends

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

———-

Webinar Speakers

Spencer Bergstedt
Spencer Bergstedt is a consultant, public speaker, educator, and author specializing in LGBTQ workplace, health care, and educational inclusion issues. Spencer has been advocating for LGBTQ people for over 30 years. His work on transgender legal issues has garnered him an international reputation for both scholarly theory and practical application. Spencer’s work has impacted birth certificate and driver’s license policies, youth participation in after-school activities, and self-help legal information for trans people throughout the US. His lived experience as a transman, combined with his legal expertise and executive leadership roles, brings a unique breadth of understanding to his clients. Spencer is an engaging presenter who fosters greater understanding on the topic of gender diversity in an open and supportive manner.

Lyndsey Sickler
Lynz is 44 years old, non binary, and uses They/Them pronouns. They identify as queer, poly, kinky, body and sex positive and have over 20 years experience with advocacy, community and resource support work for TLGBQIA+ youth and young adults, 25 and under.

Alexandra St James
Grace and Face, Class and Sass, the Force of Nature that is Alexandra St. James will leave you breathless. This Activist, Actress, Artist will leave the audience spellbound as she challenges your views on various topics. Alexandra has been a fixture in the LGBTQ+ community for more than 20 years. She has been active in fundraising for various charitable causes and uses her time to educate and entertain the masses.

Supporting our Transgender Neighbors

Written on: June 22, 2021

North Branch Society of Friends is offering a free webinar “Supporting our Transgender Neighbors” as part of our Peace and Justice initiative.

Hi there,

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

———-

Webinar Speakers

Let’s Talk with Matthew van Meter

Written on: May 13, 2021

Following on our April 22 ‘Let’s Talk About Deep Delta Justice’ session, Moorestown Friends Meeting’s Anti-Racism Committee welcomes our member Matthew van Meter to continue the conversation of his compelling book, the historic Supreme Court case Duncan v. Louisiana, and its implications for anti-racism efforts today. The book is available through Pendle Hill and numerous other outlets. Click here to join the discussion, or phone 646-558-8656 and use meeting ID 815 8781 6369.

Do Quaker Schools Offer Sanctuary for Undocumented Students?

Written on: July 21, 2017

In the U.S., there are 71 Friends schools affiliated with the Friends Council on Education, serving PreK through high school students. What if all of those schools were sanctuary campuses, offering protection for their undocumented students and their families? Recently, AFSC and PYM decided to find out if any Quaker schools were having these same dreams of Quaker witness in the face of injustice.

Of the roughly 30 schools I spoke with, most had no sanctuary campus statements or other official policies regarding undocumented students. A handful of schools had procedural plans in place to guide staff through interactions with ICE on campus. San Francisco Friends School has shared their written guidelines. One Friends school had knowingly gone through the process of admitted an undocumented student, while a few others said they didn’t ask for any kind of documentation but have considered that some of their students might be undocumented. Even though many schools didn’t have policies in place, there was a hunger for more information about how to implement best practices for undocumented students.

Swarthmore College is the only Quaker-affiliated college to declare itself a sanctuary campus and only did so after direct pressure from students. Bryn Mawr, Earlham, Haverford, and Whittier colleges all follow sanctuary-type policies (supporting DACA students, not participating in E-Verify and not allowing ICE on campus without a signed warrant), but none have taken the step of using sanctuary language.

Beyond creating a safe learning environment for undocumented students, there is the possibility of Quaker schools using the same model as Quaker meetings and other churches who have taken individuals into sanctuary. ICE policy is to avoiding raiding schools as well as places of worship—how powerful would it be to offer sanctuary in 71 schools across the country? How powerful would it be to include radical actions like providing sanctuary as part of a Quaker education?

It’s more complicated than simply telling Quaker schools to be better. There are very few models for this kind of resistance, and many real concerns, such as becoming a target for enforcement or how sanctuary might interfere with a school’s relationships with the government agencies that issue student visas. Some of these fears have answers, but others will require experiments and test cases.

AFSC and PYM want to help connect Quaker schools to the resources that already exist. AFSC has gathered resources used by public schools as part of the “Sanctuary Everywhere” initiative. All of these documents could be translated into Quaker language that adds the weight of our faith to a moral imperative. Once these resources exist, we can begin to encourage Quaker schools to do more in a time of crisis.

So, if you’re a student, teacher, administrator, or board member at a Quaker school, consider using the Quaker Social Change Ministry manual with a group of students to form an accompaniment team, or think about how to adapt the board policy language and classroom instructional materials on AFSC’s Sanctuary in Schools webpage for your school. There are also guides for organizing protests in support of sanctuary policies.

Whatever you do, keep in touch with AFSC and PYM! Let us know what else you need to make your school a sanctuary.

–Emily McGrew, Quaker Voluntary Service Alumni Fellow, American Friends Service Committee

In case you’ve never lobbied but are intrigued by FCNL’s awesome work

Written on: February 2, 2017

Maybe you’ve heard of FCNL.

I first came into relationship with Friends Committee on National Legislation by way of a push from a Friend. They said, “This is important, you are important, you should team up.”

So I attended Spring Lobby Weekend (begrudgingly!) in 2014 with expectations of feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, and disappointed in our government. But somehow, over a few days, FCNL sneakily transformed me into a hopeful lobbyist. I entered my representative’s office on Capitol Hill alone, prepared, centered, and, I believe, effective.

Look at me now:

I had lobbied on ending the Authorization for Use of Military Force, an issue on which I certainly did not feel like an expert, but that I knew with my whole spirit was something that needed to be addressed in Congress. I was impressed by the smooth organization of that conference—how calm and prepared I felt in my new lobbying shoes. I was immediately energized by the 4 “We Seeks” that define the mission of FCNL’s operation:

We seek a world free of war and the threat of war
We seek a society with equity and justice for all
We seek a community where every person’s potential may be fulfilled
We seek an earth restored

I felt supported by the logical and radical concept of using morality as a common denominator. It felt right to say, “I know we have different views but I think we can agree that a society with equity and justice for all is something worth working for, and here’s what I think will help make that happen.”

I’m 26 years old, and since I was a teenager I’ve felt embarrassed to be an American. I didn’t want to be associated with the reckless consumerism, the racism, the violent greed I tied with our history and our current system– character flaws I had learned to despise growing up in Liberal– and Quaker– circles.

It was through difficult open-minded conversations that I finally realized that my disassociation would not change a powerful country that desperately needs to change. I needed to be an American. I needed to be heard as one, and to be heard, I needed to speak.

But I thought I was already speaking, right? I told Facebook how I felt, and my liberal friends supported me with dozens of clicks. I complained to my mom about the broken system. She was very sympathetic. But eventually I had to admit that, although my mom is important, and social media is a critical tool, the reality is that sweeping political change comes from …policy.

And did you know that our representatives are hired by their constituents to take our concerns to the nation’s government? Since none of my representatives have accepted my friend requests (lol), I’m stuck with writing to them and meeting with them to let them know how I want to be represented. It’s still a little overwhelming, because the system is complicated, and what impresses me over and over again is how easily FCNL prepares ordinary people to talk to their representatives.

The bottom line is: You don’t need to be an expert. You just have to be a human.

Bring your human experience with you, and tell your story; you are a lobbyist. Every time you tell someone what you need, you are a lobbyist. You can do this. And you have an incredible opportunity in the resources that FCNL provides at Spring Lobby Weekend (March 18-21, 2017)– this year the issue focus is eliminating economic injustice (specifically addressing healthcare and poverty in the U.S.)

If you are affiliated with PYM and are 18-35ish, the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting can provide funds for your registration as well as travel and housing. Check it out here.

More about Spring Lobby Weekend.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions. I love Spring Lobby Weekend. I LOVE IT.

– Joey Hartmann-Dow, Lehigh Valley Monthly Meeting

P.S. How many PYM YAFs can you spot in this video??

Reposted, with permission, from Joey’s Earth 4 President blog, which you should definitely check out.

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