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PEACE CENTER ACTIVIST ALERT
SEPTEMBER 29th, 2025
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TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30th, 7:30 PM
ORINDA COMMUNITY CHURCH
10 IRWIN WAY, ORINDA
TWO DOCUMENTARY FILMS BY CENTER MEMBER
VICTORIA RUE, M.Div., Ph.D.
Lecturer Emerita, San Jose State University, Comparative Religious Studies
Fulbright Scholar to Occupied Palestine
"On a Fulbright in 2018/19, I created this play with Palestinian writer Hind Abu Skhkadim. The play is based on interviews in 2018 with Palestinian Christians and Muslims living in Bethlehem. We asked "who is Mary/Maryam in 21st century Jerusalem?"
The documentary follows the process of bringing the play to the US, and the 4 camera film of the play was shot in 2022 during a performance in San Jose CA at SJSU.
Stories about the iconic figure of Mary/Maryam allow audiences to see who the Palestinian people are."
This presentation is a FUNDRAISER for MIDDLE EAST CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE and
PALESTINE AHLIYA UNIVERSITY OF BETHLEHEM. SUGGESTED DONATION $10-$20.
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OCTOBER 1st, 6:30 PM
2401 HARRISON ST. OAKLAND
A CONVERSATION ON BLACK-PALESTINIAN SOLIDARITY
THE LEGACY OF MALCOM X
AND FIGHT AGAINST GENOCIDE
MECA welcomes Angela Davis, Ali Abunimah, and Lara Kiswani.
Malcolm X's views on Palestine were shaped by his evolving global perspective and his firsthand experiences during his travels. In 1964, he embarked on an extensive tour of the Middle East and Africa. During a visit to the Gaza Strip, he witnessed the conditions in Palestinian refugee camps and met with displaced individuals, an experience that deeply impacted him. He came to view the Palestinian struggle as an integral part of a wider global fight against colonialism and imperialism. He articulated these views in his article, "Zionist Logic," published in the Egyptian Gazette, where he critiqued the establishment of Israel as a form of settler colonialism and challenged its historical and religious justifications. He drew a direct parallel between the displacement of Palestinians and the oppression of Black people in America, emphasizing that both were part of a universal struggle for justice and self-determination against a system he saw as a new form of colonialism.
Panelists include:
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Angela Y. Davis, Professor Emerita at UC, Santa Cruz, is an activist, writer, and lecturer. Her work focuses on prisons, police, abolition, and the related intersections of race, gender, and class.
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Ali Abunimah, Executive Director of The Electronic Intifada and author of One Country and The Battle for Justice in Palestine.
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Lara Kiswani, Executive Director of the Arab Resource & Organizing Center (AROC), which serves thousands of poor and working-class Arabs and Muslims across the Bay Area.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 4th, GATHER AT NOON
MARCH 12:30 - 1:30
DELUCCHI PARK
4501 FIRST STREET, PLEASANTON
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Wednesday, October 8th, 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Don Tatzin Community Hall, Lafayette Library
3491 Mount Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
Housing Equity in Contra Costa County:
Mapping our History, Envisioning our Future
Guest Speaker: Kristin Connelly, Contra Costa County Clerk-Recorder
Join us for an introduction to Contra Costa County’s Mapping Prejudice Project. County Clerk, Kristin Connelly, will share this community based project to map the history of exclusionary real estate covenants in our county. Kristin will also share ways for citizens to participate and reflect on this research. Following the presentation, we will hold space for small group conversations about how to build more diverse, equitable and inclusive communities in our County.
This is a free event. No RSVP necessary.
For more information, please contact LafayetteDEIB@gmail.com
Hosted by Lafayette DEIB Committee
Link to CCC Podcast
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 12th - SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th
FREE ONLINE EVENT!
The Pain You Carry Isn’t Just Yours.
It’s Generational, Cultural, and Collective.
We live in a world shaped by unresolved trauma—personal, ancestral, and collective.
Many of us feel the weight of grief, disconnection, or overwhelm in our
bodies and relationships. Traditional approaches alone often don’t reach the systemic and intergenerational roots of that pain.
The Collective Trauma Summit offers a different path. We’ll gather together to learn from leading voices in neuroscience, psychology, spirituality, and social change to explore how trauma lives not only within us—but between us.
Through embodied practices, guided reflection, and powerful interviews, you’ll deepen your understanding of trauma and how healing can become a force for transformation in your life, your community, and the world.
Learn from 40+ Global Leaders in Trauma-Healing,
Embodiment & Social Transformation
MORE INFO AND REGISTER HERE
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MONDAY, OCTOBER 13th
DOORS OPEN 6 PM
Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand Ave. Oakland
DOCUMENTARY MOVIE
"Earth's Greatest Enemy"
Bay Area Premiere!
Join CODEPINK for a special screening
Q&A with Abby Martin and co-director
Mike Prysner following the film (8:30-9 PM
"Earth’s Greatest Enemy" is the second documentary from journalist Abby Martin that uncovers a shocking blind spot in the climate conversation: the U.S. military.
Exempt from international climate agreements and rarely scrutinized in mainstream reporting, the Pentagon is revealed here as the world’s single largest institutional polluter—spewing carbon, contaminating water, and scarring landscapes across the globe. Combining investigative journalism, striking visuals, and stories from impacted communities, the film challenges audiences to rethink the hidden costs of a global military empire and its planetary consequences. Provocative, urgent, and eye-opening, this is a documentary that will change how you see both the military and environmentalism.
- Join in Oakland to support our friends Abby and Mike.
- Make sure to wear PINK and purchase a ticket.
- This is a great opportunity to raise up the War is Not Green campaign!
**THIS IS A TICKETED EVENT, PLEASE RSVP TO RECEIVE A TICKET PURCHASE LINK IN YOUR EMAIL**
RSVP HERE FOR LINK TO GET TICKETS
Cynthia Papermaster, CODEPINK Bay Area, 510-365-1500
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 18th
SAVE THE DATE!
NO KINGS DAY!
watch this space
for more info.
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SATURDAY, OCTOBER 25th,
time TBA
CREEKSIDE COMMONS
OAKVIEW THREE, 1035 CAROL LANE, LAFAYETTE
Mt. Diablo Peace & Justice Center hosts
Shereen Khan-Amrikani, M.A., LMFT
Outreach Representative for the USA Palestine Mental Health Network, believes strongly in decolonizing mental health practices, advocates towards the liberation of oppressed people, and seeks to combat harmful disinformation that perpetuates colonialism.
MORE INFO COMING SOON. WATCH THIS SPACE!
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ASAP ACTION REQUEST
Urge Governor Newsom to Veto Classroom Censorship Bill AB 715!
Assembly Bill 715 has passed the Legislature and now heads to Governor Newsom’s desk.
Despite overwhelming opposition from teachers’ unions, civil rights groups, and education advocates across California, lawmakers advanced a bill that will silence Muslim, Arab, Palestinian, Jewish, and other marginalized voices in our classrooms.
This isn’t just about curriculum—it’s about whose histories and lived experiences are allowed in our schools. By anchoring enforcement to a politicized definition of antisemitism and inviting politically motivated complaints, AB 715 sets a dangerous precedent of censorship and erasure.
Now it’s up to us. Tell Governor Newsom: Veto AB 715.
- Contact the Governor today.
- Share this call with your networks.
- Stand with students, educators, and communities fighting for truth and justice in California classrooms.
MORE INFORMATION ON THE BILL FOUND HERE
CLICK HERE FOR SUGGESTED LANGUAGE FOR LETTER TO NEWSOM
CAIR California hosts this campaign and will keep you informed about it and others. CAIR San Francisco Bay Area will protect your privacy.
| | ONGOING WEEKLY LOCAL PROTESTS | | |
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TUESDAYS, 5 - 6 PM
Corners of Mt. Diablo Blvd. and Moraga Road, Lafayette
A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING - THE WORK CONTINUES!
Meet Local Activists, Bring your own signs or make one when you arrive.
AND A MESSAGE FROM THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS WEEKLY EVENT:
We are concerned with safety and have a monitor at each corner wearing an orange vest. They will help keep the crosswalks and sidewalks clear for pedestrians. If you have any questions or concerns, please let one of them or Gordon Lake, our main event organizer, know.
Our mission statement and some norms for our group: .
Mission:
We are meeting to collectively defend democracy and support and protect the institutions which are vital to the wellbeing of all of us, and which are now under attack. Our goals are to meet every week to express our values and ideas, to promote solidarity and mutual support within our protest community, and to encourage other like-minded citizens to join us.
Norms:
We are non-violent in word and deed. We will follow all laws and act in ways that ensure personal safety. We will not block crosswalks or walkways.
We will not respond to those in cars or on the street who express different views. We will contact monitors in orange vests if we have questions or concerns.
LAMORINDA PEACE & JUSTICE GROUP
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WEDNESDAYS, 5 - 6 PM
INTERSECTION OF CIVIC DR. and
YGNACIO VALLEY ROADS, WALNUT CREEK
WE THE PEOPLE WEDNESDAYS
Organized by Indivisible ReSisters Contra Costa!
Join us for a rousing honk and wave visibility action.
Bring your signs and raise your voice for democracy and to protect our rights!
This is a nonviolent event. Stay within your rights, don’t break laws, stay safe, stay peaceful, and avoid any risk you don’t feel comfortable with. Don’t obstruct traffic, impede pedestrians, or commit any acts of property damage.
If counter-protestors appear, do your best to ignore them. When people shout from cars, just remember that we are standing for their rights, too. They just don't know it.
This is a busy intersection and cars drive fast. Please stay on the sidewalk at least a few feet from cars. We can spread out down the block and take a stand on the pedestrian overpass. Safety is our top priority. If you have any concerns during this event, please find a peace ambassador in an orange vest and they will help.
There are several parking lots within walking distance or you can find street parking at Civic Park or on Civic Drive or Arroyo Way.
MORE INFO ON THIS AND OTHER RELATED EVENTS
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THURSDAYS, GOING FORWARD
GLOBAL STRIKE FOR GAZA!
AWARD-WINNING PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST
BISAN OWDA URGES ECONOMIC BOYCOTT AND DEMONSTRATIONS
PRO-PALESTINE ORGANIZATIONS ARE ORGANIZING
IN SUPPORT OF THIS EFFORT
Leading advocacy groups such as the Global Campaign to Stop the Genocide in Gaza, Humaniti Project, and Jewish Voice for Peace are echoing Owda’s calls for a global economic boycott, urging communities worldwide to withhold their money by not making any purchases and by delaying scheduled bank transactions.
This past month, Owda posted a video on her Instagram account slamming the international community for failing Gaza and its residents, who are struggling to find food and are fearful of Israel’s looming offensive of Gaza City’s neighbourhoods.
She continued: "We do what hurts them the most, stop the economy, khalas, it’s time for us to be loud to the amount that no news outlets or news media can neglect or ignore anything we are doing."
The 28-year-old is one of Gaza's well-known journalists, emerging as one of the territory’s most prominent on-the-ground reporters during the ongoing war. In 2024, Owda won an Emmy-award for her series on the Al Jazeera Media Network 'It's Bisan from Gaza and I'm Still Alive'.
Humaniti Project said it will mobilise global communities, groups and unions to strike and protest every Thursday beyond 21 August, in a bid to pressure international government action on Gaza.
"A one-off 'strike day' can make a political point, but sustained repetition – weekly or monthly – creates measurable patterns in economic data," the group stressed. "We are not seeking empty symbolism. We are seeking visible, measurable economic signals that show the world we are striking for Gaza," the group added.
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Fridays, 4:30 - 6:00 PM
I-80 PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE, BERKELEY
Weekly Banner Drop
Israel is starving Gaza to death.
Protest and raise awareness in any way you can.
At the I-80 pedestrian bridge, we will continue to do our banner drops every Friday from 4:30pm to 6pm.
Bring your Palestinian flags, your keffiyehs
and protest with us.
Let’s continue to show up in droves,
stand together, and keep each other safe.
If you’re able to support with security,
please arrive at 4:15pm.
There is plenty of free parking next to Seabreeze -
598 University Ave.
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SATURDAYS, 11:30 AM
HANDS OFF PEOPLE POWER PROTESTS
CENTRAL CONTRA COSTA COUNTY INFO HERE
October 4, 2025 11:30am-12:30pm - Ygnacio Valley Rd & Civic Rd, WALNUT CREEK. Overpass visibility plus Honk & Wave at intersection.
October 11, 2025 11:30am-12:30pm - Treat Blvd. and Jones Rd. by Pleasant Hill BART station, WALNUT CREEK. Overpass visibility plus Honk & Wave at intersection. Bring the kids for sidewalk chalk messaging on Ironhorse Trail.
October 18, 2025 11:30am-1pm - NO KINGS DAY NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION Broadway Plaza, WALNUT CREEK. Rally in plaza. March to Main St. and Mt. Diablo Blvd. for Honk & Wave. .
October 25, 2025 11:30am-12:30pm - Todos Santos Park, CONCORD March and Honk & Wave.
November 1, 2025 11:30am-12:30pm - Liberty Bell Plaza, corner of Mt. Diablo Blvd & Broadway, WALNUT CREEK. Rally in plaza. March to Main St. for Honk & Wave: Focus Get Out The Vote for Prop 50.
This is a nonviolent event. Each of us is responsible for our own conduct. Stay within your rights, don’t break laws, stay safe, stay peaceful, and avoid any risk you don’t feel comfortable with. Don’t obstruct traffic, protest inside any business, impede people from entering or exiting any property, or commit any acts of property damage. Ignore any counter protestors and stay focused on peacefully delivering our message. If you need help or see something troubling, tell a uniformed police officer or call 911. If you can safely do so, record troublesome behavior with your phone, as this is often a strong deterrent to bad behavior.
Organized by: ReSisters Indivisible Group, Contra Costa County
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Suggested readings/videos/podcasts (not found in MSM!)
GLENN DIESEN interviews Patrik Baab: Europe Prepares the Public for War with Russia
Patrik Baab is a German journalist and best-selling author who reported on both sides of the frontline in Ukraine. Baab argues that the European leaders have painted themselves into a corner and increasingly see war as the only path forward.
"The only real benefit to this latest western “recognition” of Palestine is that it drew out high-profile Israeli politicians to explain to western liberals in plain English that the entire state of Israel stands opposed to their vision of a two-state solution.
Former Israeli defense minister Benny Gantz has an op-ed in The New York Times where he explicitly states that opposition to the creation of a Palestinian state is “the heart” of a national consensus among Israelis across the mainstream political spectrum, and that this isn’t an obstacle that will go away once Netanyahu is out of power."
"What It Means to Listen in Another’s Shoes
Second-position listening means deliberately setting aside your own assumptions, stories, and rebuttals to fully imagine another person’s perspective. Instead of planning what you’ll say next, you listen as if you are in their shoes—considering their feelings, values, and situation. Research cited by Manix and others (Exline, Schein, Lehman) shows that this kind of listening deepens empathy, strengthens dialogue, builds psychological safety, and leads to better decision-making."
FROM LAST WEEK:
SACHA LLORENTI: The Age of Cynicism
| | ADDITIONAL ONLINE SOURCES FOR ACTIONS and INFORMATION ON PALESTINE/GAZA and other MILITARY ACTIONS WORLDWIDE | | |
JUST RELEASED!
2025 edition of Mapping Militarism
24 interactive maps to highlight
the state of war and peace on our planet.
Each map allows the viewer to spin the globe,
zoom in and out, scroll the timeline back through the years,
or switch from map view to list view.
TRY IT HERE!
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World BEYOND War has
a DIVESTMENT campaign!
About the Campaign
Grassroots-led war divestment campaigns are springing up all over the world, from students organizing to divest university endowments, to municipalities and states coming together to divest public pension funds. Divestment means organizing to remove public and private assets from weapons manufacturers, military contractors, and war profiteers.
Public pension and retirement funds especially are often invested, directly and indirectly, in weapons companies. Teachers and other public servants whose interests lie with promoting human needs have their retirement security tied up with maintaining or enlarging the war industry. Every dollar currently invested in weapons and war is a dollar that could be better spent on job creation, education, housing, healthcare, food security, and so much more.
War profiteering is largely normalized today. We’re working to stigmatize the war machine. World BEYOND War assists divestment campaigns led by our chapters, affiliates, other coalitions, and individuals around the world.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE CAMPAIGN HERE
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NOW WHAT????
The Frontlines event on May 4th was very powerful and emotional.
FRONTLINE EVENT WAS REPORTED ON LOCAL NEWS!
We heard from several attendees that they felt compelled to act in a meaningful way. Sometimes it feels a bit overwhelming... where do we start?
In terms of direct aid going to Gaza specifically, we recommend Baitulmaal, who have been able to get aid in.
The other organization we recommend is HEAL Palestine which is focused on rebuilding and rehabilitating Gaza. Its founders are the same founders of PCRF.
There is also Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF) which evacuates children who are in need of medical treatment abroad and Medical Aid for Palestinians which offers medical services to Palestinians in Palestine and Palestinian refugees in neighboring countries.
For a full list of resources, you can access the document we put together: tinyurl.com/FrontlinesResources
One thing we are asked to do, again and again, from the people in Gaza is to raise awareness about their situation. Talk to your nearest and dearest about the ongoing genocide.
Remember, we all have a role to play and collectively, our small actions add up. Don't give up, keep raising awareness, keep boycotting, keep donating, keep advocating, KEEP CALLING YOUR LOCAL REPS!
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out.
- From the Frontlines Organization Team
MORE UPDATES COMING SOON! WATCH THIS SPACE!
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This website provides comprehensive information including events & campaigns
CHECK HERE FOR LINKS TO REACH OUT TO YOUR REPRESENTATIVES!
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Includes a frequently updated
calendar of local events
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Peace work in the Quaker tradition
American Friends Service Committee
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BOYCOTT
DIVESTMENT and SANCTIONS!
CHECK OUT THIS HANDY APP!
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Peace is Possible!
Mt. Diablo Peace and Justice Center
at Creekside Commons
1035 Carol Lane
Lafayette, CA 94549
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