--  We're taking a two week break so this enews is double length. If you get to the end, there's a silly surprise!
Click here for the quarterly  Peace & Justice Newsletter.
In This Issue
PJC Educational Programs & Events

Fair Trade Labels  Saturday, July 27, 2-3pm, PJC Explore the differences between FT Certifications, Direct Trade, and FT Membership Organizations to better understand the Fair Trade Movement. Stay after to learn about volunteer opportunities at PJC. FREE.

Never Again Means #ShutDownICE in Vermont, Sunday, July 28, 2:30-5pm, 2108 Essex Road, Williston. Join us for a march and rally against ICE. We will gather at at the Williston branch of Vermont Technical College -- a recipient of ICE contract funds-- to begin our march to the ICE Data Center. Those who can't march can meet us at our destination point. The ICE Data Center has been operating in VT for years and is the national nerve center that aids much of ICE's work, providing data to federal agents and local cops, which can lead to arrests. Visit the Facebook event for more information.

Burlington 2030 Sustainable Development Goals Games Tuesday, August 6 6-9pm First Congregational Church, 38 South Winooski Ave, Burlington.  With friends and strangers, and using virtual time and money to achieve personal and group objectives, learn how to play and work together to reach the United Nations' sustainable development goals. Expect to leave with a sense of your own agency in creating our future world. The session will be facilitated by Nathaniel Whitestone, co-founder of A Fairer Society. The event will be hosted by Burlington Ready for 100%, the Burlington Node of 350 Vt, Fair Trade Campaigns, A Fairer Society, the Peace & Justice Center, the Vermont Ibutwa Initiative, and Vermont Interfaith Action. Also happening on Thursday, August 8.  Tickets are $25, light supper provided.

Songs for Hope: Vigil to Remember: Hiroshima and Nagasaki , Thursday, August 8, 7pm, in Burlington. Gather for a vigil in honor of the 74th anniversary of the US dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Join us in singing folk songs and lighting candle boats at Burlington's waterfront.


Tuesday, August 13, 12-1pm, PJC.This space is held specifically for white folks to process how white supremacy culture is toxic to white communities and people. FREE  

Thursday, August 15, 6-9pm at the PJC.  Undeterred is a documentary about community resistance in the rural border town of Arivaca, Arizona. Since NAFTA, 9/11 and the Obama and Trump administrations border residents have been on the front-lines of the humanitarian crisis caused by increased border enforcement build up. Undeterred is an intimate and unique portrait of how residents in a small rural community, caught in the cross-hairs of global geo-political forces, have mobilized to demand our rights and to provide aid to injured, oft times dying people funneled across a wilderness desert. Film followed by a panel.
 
Black Beauty Sunday, August 18, 2-5pm at Center for Whole Communities, 209 Battery St, Burlington. Facilitated by Mercedes Mack and Zymora Davinchi. This program hopes to help those of the African diaspora understand the history of black beauty and how these beauty standards have evolved over time in the hands of colonization, slavery, and Jim Crow. It aims to encourage them to embrace their beauty and be proud of being black.
This program was designed by and for people of African descent.  FREE

Saturday, August 24, 2-3pm Free Trade vs. Fair Trade Presentation, PJC. Learn about globalization and how policies & practices have paved the way for huge companies to profit at the expense of people and the planet. Discover how the Fair Trade movement & principles seek to, at a minimum, counterbalance these atrocities. FREE
 
For more info on these events visit  Upcoming Events or contact   program@pjcvt.org
Quick Links
Tech Volunteer Needed
The PJC is looking for a new tech volunteer.  We are hoping to find someone who has time and passion to support our work! Ideally someone who knows the Windows Server Operating System, PCI compliance, troubleshooting PC and ipad issues, can do remote fixes, and can keep our wordpress website updated. Sound like you or someone you know? Contact Wendy Coe at wcoe@PJCVT.org!
Support Your Local Revolutionaries

Black Lives Matter Greater Burlington is sending organizers out of state on July 29, to attend a three-week political education school. This is an opportunity to deepen and strengthen the
transformative resistance work BLMGB hopes to bring to Vermonters, in order to become a place where Black people thrive bodily, socially, and economically.

Three-weeks is a long time to take off from work, so they need to raise $2,000 to cover travel expenses and the lost-income of one their organizers. Without this coverage they cannot attend the trip. Click here to contribute to their GoFundMe to make this trip possible
Voices for Palestine: Biden and Harris Find Common Ground
-Mark Hage,  VTJP
Joe Biden fared very poorly in a recent candidates' debate that featured Kamala Harris, to her credit, taking him to school on the difference between civil rights and states' rights. But it is highly unlikely we will ever witness the two of them squaring off in the same way about Israel. Both are professed cheerleaders for the Zionist state.
"Prime Minister Netanyahu has... been my friend for over 30 years. We drive each other crazy. But he has truly been a personal friend for well over 30 years.... I said, Bibi, I don't agree with a damn thing you have to say, but I love you. [Laughter.] I agree with a lot he has to say. But if friends can't acknowledge - if friends can't acknowledge the very things that are acknowledged in each of our countries vis-à-vis one another, then it's not much of a friendship," said Biden.

A New Mosque for the VT Islamic Society

The Islamic Society of Vermont needs your help to raise the $500,000 they need to get a new mosque. You can make their dream of having a place that will be able to accommodate the growing Muslim community by donating to their GoFundMe
Want to see more of the Peace & Justice Center more often?

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Center Hours  
Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm
  
Store Hours
Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm
Saturday: 10am-7pm 
Sunday: 10am-5pm
 
Hours are subject to change. Call (802) 863-2345 x2 to confirm.
  
Location
60 Lake Street, Suite 1C
Burlington's Waterfront.
(Next to Skinny Pancake) 
July 23, 2019
An Intentional Pause
As part of the Peace & Justice Center's effort to work more strategically against white supremacy (and clean up our act), we are taking a two week hiatus (July 28 - August 10) from all but our most essential external work to do some deep cleaning and deep diving into what we do and how we do it.

Some of the work we will be doing includes an Anti-Racist Organizational Assessment tool from the Anne Braden Training  and  addressing critical feedback given to us by the Interracial Processing Project   along with nonviolence programming, de-escalation training, and much more.

With that said, during these two weeks we will be spending most of our time away from our emails and phones, so unless urgent, please expect replies after we return. The store will remain open for usual business hours.

We're looking forward to pausing to do this important work, and we hope to come back with a stronger sense of why we're doing this work and how we could be doing it better.
Black Beauty


This free program hopes to help those of the African diaspora understand the history of black beauty, and how these beauty standards have evolved over time in the hands of colonization, slavery, and Jim Crow. More importantly, it aims to encourage them to embrace their beauty and be proud of being black. This program was designed by and for people of African Descent, and will be facilitated by Mercedes Mack and Zymora Davinchi. Visit our website for more information.
From the Blog: Hibakusha Stories/Hiroshima and Nagasaki


*Hibakusha: a survivor of either of the atomic explosions at Hiroshima or Nagasaki in 1945. 


-Tim Nyhus, former PJC intern

Meeting Ms. Sasamori and Mr. Yamashita and hearing them speak about their lives was profoundly emotional for me. I was already fairly knowledgeable of the politics that orchestrated the terror hibakusha endured, the quantitative aspects of the destruction they witnessed, and the historical significance of the entire ordeal -- I'm sure this factored in my response. Even so, I don't know what I'd anticipated finding at the event, I only know I came away from it with so very much more to consider. 

Each of these elders' stories about the day an A-bomb wiped away the world they'd known are harsh in nature, but the language they use is not. For all the horror, there is nothing sensationalized in their telling of it. As I listened, their words conveyed a tenderness that contrasted and amplified the tragedy. 

_____________________________________________


With the anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki approaching (August 6 and 9), it's important for us to take time to reflect on what happened, remember those who lost their lives and their loved ones, and to remember that survivors of these horrific events as still alive today. 

Some of the remembrance events happening include:
  • Sunday, August 4, 4-6pm, at the Burlington International Airport. Guardians of Peace and Planet: A demonstration against the F35s: This fun and family-friendly event/demonstration will protest the F35s that are scheduled to come to the Burlington International Airport in Vermont this fall. Attendees are encouraged to make personal shields with various messages and to come dressed as "alternative" super heroes of their own making/imagination
  • Monday, August 5, 8-8:30am, 
    Silent vigil: No More Hiroshimas! No More Nagasakis! at the Corner of So Prospect and Main Streets, Burlington.
  • Thursday, August 8, 7pm, 
    Songs for Hope: vigil to remember Hiroshima and Nagasaki , in Burlington. Gather for a vigil in honor of the 74th anniversary of the US dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Join us in singing folk songs and lighting candle boats at Burlington's waterfront.
If you know of other events, please let us know.
Fair Trade Labels

Ever wondered how you can be a more conscientious consumer? Navigating the various labels on products can be confusing and misleading, with many different regulations and standards across the board. On Saturday, July 27th we will be exploring the differences between different Fair Trade Certifications, Fair Trade Membership Organizations, and Direct Trade to help us better understand the Fair Trade Movement.
This exploration will not simply be informative, but also applicable when shopping in the future. After the event we will be sharing opportunities to join the amazing group of volunteers who help run the PJC Store! The presentation will take place in the Community Space at the PJC, and is free to the public.
Become A PJC Intern


 
Are you interested in becoming more involved with the PJC for a semester? Come apply to be an intern for the fall of 2019! If you want to learn more about social justice issues locally or globally, and want hands on experience working in a nonprofit, becoming a PJC intern is the position for you. We have various positions available depending on your interests including;

  • Programming
  • Racial Justice
  • Peacework
  • Fair Trade
  • Volunteer Support

We'll help you to become an activist, pursuing your interests within the community while helping you gain knowledge on militarism and nonviolence; economic, racial, and social justice issues; fair trade; and more! If you want to support our PJC mission in creating a peaceful and just world check out our website for how to apply before August 10!

Community Calendar
This is a partial listing. See more in our public  calendar .
The PJC is not directly involved in all of these events. If you have questions about a non-PJC event, please reach out to the organization listed.   

July 23, Tuesday
July 24, Wednesday
  • 6-8pm, RAD Organizing Team Meeting. 423 Main St, Bennington
  • 6-8pm, Families United. The Root Social Justice Center, Brattleboro
  • 6:30-9pm, Lt. Gov. Zuckerman hosts the film "Undeterred." Essex Ctr Methodist Church
July 25, Thursday
July 26, Friday
  • 5pm, Paella Spectacle and the Villalobos Brothers. Get tickets here. Fable Farm, 1525 Royalton Turnpike, Barnard
  • 5-6pm, F-35 Weekends at Bernie's Senate office, 1 Church St, Burlington. Every Friday.
  • 6-9pm, Critical Mass Bike Ride. 179 S Winooski Ave, Burlington
July 27, Saturday
  • 10am-12pm, Caroline Fund Pro Se Legal Clinic. Lawline of Vermont, Burlington. Every Saturday
July 28, Sunday
July 30, Tuesday
July 31, Wednesday
August 1, Thursday
  • 6-8pm, Black Lives Matter POC Caucus meeting. Outright Vermont, Burlington
  • 6-8pm, BLM White Caucus for Collective Liberation. 179 S Winooski Ave #202, Burlington
August 3, Saturday
August 4, Sunday
August 5, Monday
August 6, Tuesday
  • 8-8:30am, Silent Vigil: No More Hiroshimas! No More Nagasakis! Corner of S Prospect and Main Streets, Burlington
  • 6-9pm, Burlington SDG 2030 Games. $25. First Congregational Church of Burlington
  • 6-8pm, 350VT node meeting. 179 South Winooski Ave, #201, Burlington
August 7, Wednesday
August 8, Thursday
August 9, Friday
  • 5-6pm, F-35 Weekends at Bernie's Senate office, 1 Church St, Burlington. Every Friday.
August 10. Saturday
August 11, Sunday
August 12, Monday
  • 6-7:30pm, VTJP meeting at PJC. Monthly on the second Monday.
August 13, Tuesday
  •  6-8:30pm, PJC Board Meeting. Peace & Justice Center, 60 Lake St, Burlington
August 14, Wednesday
August 16, Friday
  • 5-6pm, F-35 Weekends at Bernie's Senate office. 1 Church St, Burlington. Every Friday.
  • 5:30-8:30pm, Freedom Fund Dinner. Franklin Center At the Howe, 1 Scale Ave # 92, Rutland
August 17, Saturday
  • 10am-12pm, Caroline Fund Pro Se Legal Clinic. 274 N Winooski Ave, Burlington
  • 10am-12pm, Amnesty International Monthly Meeting. Brownell Library, Essex Junction.
  • 2-3pm, The Western Abenaki: History and Culture. Royalton Academy, So Royalton
August 18, Sunday
August 19, Monday
  • 5:30-8pm, Youth 4 Change. The Root Social Justice Center, 28 Williams St, Brattleboro
August 20, Tuesday
  • 6-8pm, Burlington 350VT node meeting. 350VT Office, 179 South Winooski Ave, Suite 201, Burlington
Please email us events for our google calendar and enews
Action Highlight: Never Again Means #ShutDownICE in Vermont


The ICE Data Center has been quietly operating in Williston for years and is the national nerve center that aids much of ICE's work, providing data about people's immigration status to federal agents and local cops, which can lead to arrests.This center operates 24/7 and employees approximately 400 workers.

On July 28 we will be marching to demand the closure of the camps and the eradication of ICE.

We will gather at 2:30 at the Williston branch of Vermont Technical College --  a recipient of ICE contract funds -- at the intersection of Helena Drive and Essex Road in Williston. At 3PM we will begin our march to the ICE Data Center at 188 Harvest Lane, Williston. For those who would like to join but are unable to march, please meet us at our destination point. We plan to arrive at 188 Harvest Lane between 3:45 and 4PM. 


Co-sponsors to date include:
  1. 350Vermont
  2. ACLU-VT
  3. Beth Jacob Social Action Committee 
  4. Central Vermont Refugee Action Network
  5. Central Vermont Showing Up For Racial Justice
  6. Congregation Ruach haMaqom
  7. Essex Resists
  8. Extinction Rebellion Burlington
  9. Extinction Rebellion Southern Vermont
  10. Green Mountain Self Advocates
  11. Immigration Justice Team of First UU Society of Burlington, VT 
  12. Indivisible Calais
  13. LGBTQIA Alliance of Vermont
  14. Middlebury Sunday Night Environmental Group
  15. Middlebury SURJ
  16. Migrant Justice
  17. National Association of Social Workers, VT Chapter
  18. Ohavi Zedek Synagogue
  19. Peace & Justice Center
  20. Pride Center
  21. Queer Connect, Inc
  22. Raíces Resistentes 
  23. Revolutionary Potluck Society
  24. Rights and Democracy
  25. Stand Up
  26. Sunday Night Environmental Group
  27. Sunrise Middlebury
  28. Sunrise Movement Burlington
  29. Sunrise Vermont
  30. United Academics
  31. United Valley Interfaith Project
  32. Vermont Legal Aid
  33. Vermont Women's March
  34. Vermont National Lawyers Guild
  35. Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence
  36. Vermonters for Justice in Palestine
  37. Vermont National Lawyers Guild
  38. United Academics
  39. Vermont Yankee Decommissioning Alliance   
It's not too late for your group to co-sponsor. Simply fill out this form.
More information on other actions can be found here.
Sometimes it's good to be a little silly
Stop by the Peace & Justice Store for the perfect Silly Stick made locally by Maple Landmark in Middlebury!

PJC Interns Anna and Kali
 
Peace & Justice Center | 802-863-2345 | info@pjcvt.org | http://www.pjcvt.org
60 Lake St, Ste 1C
Burlington, VT 05401