Click here for the latest Peace & Justice Newsletter
Also in this issue:
Employment Opportunity
We are hiring a Program Assistant! 15-25 hours per week. Applications are due by April 14. Please help spread the word. For full description and application details, see our click here.
Sign-up for Upcoming PJC Educational Programming
Privilege & Accountability: Becoming an Ally
Thursdays (5:30-7:30pm) and Sundays (3-5pm), March 9, 12, 16, & 19, at PJC, Burlington. Facilitated by Francine Serwili-Ngunga and Rachel Siegel. Space is limited, sign-up here or call.
 

Nonviolent Activism 101
Wednesdays, March 22 & 29, 6-8pm, at the PJC in Burlington.
Space is limited, sign-up or call.
 
Saturday, April 8, 9:00am-3:30pm, at Burlington High School. Click here for the online registration form.

Building A World Beyond War: What Will It Take?
Saturday, April 22, 9am-4:30pm at Winooski High School. Click here to register, this online form is still being updated but it has most of the info. 
Emma's Revolution in Concert
Saturday, April 1, 2017, at the 1st UU Society, Burlington. Smart, funny and informative -- like Rachel Maddow and Jon Stewart with guitars. Emma's Revolution  is the duo of award-winning activist musicians, Pat Humphries & Sandy O. Tickets on sale at the Peace & Justice Store. $18 cash or checks only, please. 
 
Flynn Center Vouchers


Pick up a voucher for these shows at PJC and pay $2 cash at the door. For current PJC members and volunteers. For more information on membership click here . Come to the Peace & Justice Store to pick up your voucher. Limited supply! Email to confirm availability.  
 
March 9, Thursday, 10am.
The Vermont Youth Orchestra and Vermont Symphony Orchestra.The three-year partnership aims to celebrate the magic of orchestral music and inspire schoolchildren to raise their musical voices. 



March 13, Monday, 12 noon. The American Revolution. An incredible feat of imaginative physical theater, the spirited and multicultural ensemble from Theater UnSpeakable conveys a vast historic cast of characters and a thrilling amount of drama.
 
Quick Links
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Center Hours 

Monday-Friday: 10am-6pm
  
Store Hours
Monday-Saturday: 10am-6pm
Sunday: 9am-4pm

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)
  
If you would like an event listed, please email [email protected]  
Peace & Justice Store


March 6, 2017
International Women's Day
We invite you to join us and the rest of the world in celebrating, honoring and committing to the women and girls of the planet!
 
This year the program features presentations by young women including Young Writers Project, Muslim Girls Making Change, and Nepali Dancers.

Annual awards will be presented to Armina Medic,
Aftaba Mezetovic, and Wanda Hines.
   
Saturday, March 18
1:00-3:00 PM
King Street Center
87 King Street
Burlington, Vermont
 

This event is FREE and all are welcome to attend!

See more information on facebook or on our website
It's Time to Raise the Wage!
Over 85,000 working Vermonters, the majority of them women over 30, are earning under $15 an hour - it's time for our representatives to step up and represent those who need them most!

Call your representatives and senators and tell them: 
"My name is ____________ and I live in ______________. I believe in Vermont raising the minimum wage to $15 per hour because _____________________. Please stand up for low wage workers in Vermont and support legislation for a $15 minimum wage!"

(Find your legislators here.)

You can also join us for Raise The Wage Day at the Statehouse on March 14. More info available here.

For more information on the campaign or to find out about more actions you can take, email Isaac or visit Rights and Democracy's Raise the Wage Coalition.
Standing Rock March on Washington on Friday, March 10th
The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and Indigenous grassroots leaders call on our allies to peacefully march on Washington, DC on Friday, March 10.

We ask that you rise in solidarity with the Indigenous peoples of the world whose rights protect Unci Maka (Grandmother Earth) for the future generations of all. 

There is an effort to organize transportation from throughout Vermont and Western Mass. More information is available online . Please email David if you are interested in joining or have further questions.
VCJR


Drugs inside Vermont's prisons?  Yes. Find out more about how, why, and what it means for prisoners in the latest issue of Inside/Out: dispatches from the criminal justice front.   Inside/Out is a short, periodic publication of Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform (VCJR) that consists completely of excerpts from letters and emails from current and former prisoners and their loved ones.  In this edition, formerly incarcerated men and women talk about the prevalence of and ease of access to drugs, and the lack of adequate drug treatment, inside Vermont prisons.

VCJR invites your contributions.  Let us know your experiences with the courts, jail, FSU, all levels of supervision and the parole board.  You can email Anna directly at [email protected].

VCJR is also seeking to fill the position of Executive Director after our director steps down July 1. Click here for access to the job posting on our website!

Community Events
This is a partial listing of what we have in our public calendar. If you have questions about any of the events below, you can find more information by visiting our calendar.

Tuesday,  March 7         
Town Meeting Day -- VOTE!!!
  • 4-6pm Vigil for Geprags Park at VT Gas Sysytems, 85 Swift St, So. Burlington.
  • 5:30-7:30pm Mother Up! Meet Up. North Universalist Chapel Society, Church St, Woodstock.
  • 7-9pm Before the Flood: A Documentary about Climate Change by Leonardo DiCaprio. Haybarn Theater, Goddard College, Plainfield.
Wednesday, March 8         
International Women's Day
A Day Without a Woman strike
  • 12noon-1pm Toxic Whiteness Bag Lunch Discussion Group free drop in group at PJC, 60 Lake St, Burlington.
  • 5-8pm Women's Day Marc State House, Montpelier.
  • 7-8:30pm Hayden Kristal is a deaf, bisexual, Jewish, transgender activist and stand-up comedian. Saint Michael's College, Saint Edmund's Hall Farrell Room, Colchester.
  • 7-9pm Film: Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise. Catamount Arts, 115 Eastern Ave, St Johnsbury.
Thursday, March 9         
  • 4-6pm Vigil at Geprags Park at the top of construction access road off route 116, across from Place Rd, Hinesburg.
  • 5:30-7:30pm WILPF Meeting. 60 Lake St, Burlington.
  • 5:30-7:30pm Mother Up! Monthly Gathering. First UU Society, 152 Pearl St, Burlington.
  • 6:30-8pm Girl Rising Book Event. Phoenix Books, 191 Bank St, Burlington.
  • 7-8:30pm Earthship Economics. Headwaters Garden and Learning Center, Cabot or livestreamed.
  • 7-9pm Privacy: What do we know about it? James Duff Lyall, Executive Director of ACLU-VT, shares his insights on this complex topic. Kellogg-Hubbard Library, 135 Main St, Montpelier.
Friday, March 10         
Stand with Standing Rock March on Washington DC.
  • 12noon-1pm Protest at TD Bank, 215 Main St, Brattleboro.
  • 1-2pm Protest at TD Bank, 2 Church St, Bellows Falls.
Saturday, March 11        
  • 10-12noon Caroline Fund Pro Se Legal Clinic. Lawline of Vermont, 274 N Winooski Ave, Burlington. Every Saturday.
  • 3-3:30pm New Volunteer Orientation. at Peace & Justice Center, 60 Lake St, Burlington
  • 3:30-4:30pm Fair Trade vs. Free Trade Presentation and Discussion. Free drop in event. Peace & Justice Center, 60 Lake St #1c, Burlington.
  • 9pm-1am SASS: A Monthly Queer Social And Dance Party. Higher Ground, 1214 Williston Rd, So Burlington.
Sunday, March 12        
Monday, March 13          Tuesday, March 14          Wednesday, March 15          Thursday, March 16         
  • 7-9pm Ms. Pat at Vermont Comedy Club (Multiple Shows), 101 Main St, Burlington.
Friday, March 17         
  • 12noon-1pm Protest at TD Bank, 215 Main St, Brattleboro.
  • 1-2pm Protest at TD Bank, 2 Church St, Bellows Falls. 
Saturday, March 18      
  • 10am-12noon Vets for Peace meeting. Montpelier at the Kellogg-Hubbard library.
  • 1-3-pm International Women's Day Burlington Event. King Street Center, 87 King St, Burlington.
  • 1-3pm 9th Annual Zumbathon benefit for Steps to End Domestic Violence. South Burlington High School, 550 Dorset St, South Burlington.
  • 6:30pm-1am Fashion Show 2017: benefits the Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program. Burlington International Airport, South Burlington.
Tuesday, March 21        
Wednesday, March 22         
  • 7-9pm Film: The Perfect Victim. Catamount Arts, 115 Eastern Ave, St Johnsbury.
  • 7:30-9:30pm Water Is Life March. Meet in front of Waterman and march down College St to the Waterfront, Burlington.

Please tell us about other community events in Vermont. If they are mission-aligned, we are happy to list them in our google calendar and in this publication. Please email us.
Activist Highlight
TAKE ACTION TOMORROW: VOTE!

In addition to voting, you can participate in your Town Meeting Day by bringing forward resolutions and using the opportunity to speak to your representatives.

In 15 Vermont cities and towns, voting is done strictly by Australian ballots and do not also hold a Floor Meeting. In those locations, you do not have this option. But for those who do, here are some examples of issues you might take up:
  • Indigenous Rights: There is a proposed bill to change Columbus Day to Indigenous People's Day S.83.
  • The Fracked Gas Pipeline: There is no specific bill related to this but we can always ask our neighbors and our representatives to weigh in and send a message to the Public Service Board.
  • Racial Justice Omnibus Bill: Visit Justice for All for more information on H.492.
  • Raise the Wage: The House and the Senate are each considering bills related to the minimum wage, H.93 and S.40 respectively
  • Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform is working on several policy campaigns that are in various states of consideration by the legislature.
  • Require Full Financial Disclosure before presidential candidates can get on the Vermont ballot. Both the Senate and House have brought forward bills this year that will do this (S.77 and H.243).
Sample language you can use: "The citizens of [your town or city], Vermont request the Vermont Legislature to pass a law requiring financial disclosure (including Federal tax returns) for every candidate in order to be placed on the Primary and General Election Ballot in Vermont."  
 
You can use similar language for any resolution. Please see the Secretary of State's website and the Citizens Guide to Town Meeting Day for more information. 
 
(Check this section for one resource or event every other week and a reason to scroll to the end!)
Peace & Justice Center | 8028632345 | [email protected] | http://www.pjcvt.org
60 Lake St Ste 1C
Burlington, VT 05401