AFSC Midwest Digest

Highlights of Recent Work from Around the Region

November 14, 2014

New Midwest Digest subscription link Just in time for the holidays (OK, that may be a stretch) comes this free subscription link for the Midwest Digest. Please share it with others!

Mideast work in the Midwest Jennifer Bing and F/friends of all ages recently gathered in Madison to further the work for peace and justice in Palestine-Israel. Read more here. Meanwhile, Shirien Damra worked in Detroit on behalf of Rasmea Odeh, a Palestinian-American human rights activist recently convicted on bogus immigration charges. Take action for Rasmea here.

The work for justice continues in Ferguson/St. Louis The decision whether to indict Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson in the fatal shooting of Mike Brown is due any day now. Check www.afsc.org for our statement following the decision. Meanwhile, AFSC staff Joshua Saleem, Briana Moody and Jelani Brown continue to organize with people in Ferguson and throughout St. Louis. Click here for a video featuring interviews with recent AFSC Freedom School participants. AFSC volunteer and Friend Liz Oppenheimer shares her reflections here. AFSC in the Twin Cities is also planning a Freedom School for late December.

Pushing for conflict-free fair trade in Dayton Migwe Kimemia and members of AFSC Dayton’s Area Program Committee continue to educate others about the importance of adopting conflict-free trade principles. Read more here about their recent efforts to promote truly fair trade.

Victories in Ohio a cause for optimism following Election Day Voters recently suffered through the most expensive and negative midterm elections in our nation’s history—further proof that corpo-rations and billionaires have hijacked our democracy. All is not doom and gloom, however. Helen Keller once said the world is full of suffering — and the overcoming of it. Voters in two Ohio communities joined others throughout the nation in declaring that corporations aren’t people and money isn’t speech. Greg Coleridge says it best in this letter to the editor and this podcast.

Chicago Middle East staff and volunteers

promote the “No Way to Treat a Child”

campaign in Madison.

Joshua Saleem talks about AFSC’s peace

education efforts in Ferguson and St. Louis.

Dayton staff and committee members educate

the public and entrepreneurs about fair trade.

Lunch with band members of Pussy Riot Natalie Holbrook writes from Michigan: “We had lunch recently with two members of Pussy Riot. We actually sat and talked deeply with them. It was cool. They wanted to talk with prisoner rights activists in Michigan and they meant it…. We gave them AFSC shirts.” Hail to these cabdrivers Cab drivers in Chicago recently won income increases without a fare hike — and they’re taking on Uber while they’re at it. Read more in the latest newsletter of the United Taxidrivers Community Council. AFSC is a community ally of UTCC. Chicago marks 13th anniversary of Afghan war Mary Zerkel writes: “We had a great event in early October connecting the dots between militarism in our foreign policy and militarism in our communities. Speakers included Iraq Vets Against the War, Miriame Kaba from Project Nia, and young people who will be traveling to Geneva as part of the We Charge Genocide project exposing police brutality against youth.” Are the candidates ready for AFSC? Scattergood Friends School students in Iowa working with AFSC’s "Governing Under the Influence" Presidential Campaign Project recently asked Hillary Clinton what she'll do to stop wasting tax-payer dollars on 34,000 immigrants detained daily in private, for-profit prisons. Her response: "I’ll look into that question. No-body’s ever asked me that before." Video here. Reflecting on Peace Practice in Des Moines In late October, 25 AFSC staffers from around the world traveled to Des Moines for a training in more effective program planning, strategizing and evaluation. It was an incredibly rich sharing. Gaza staffer Mos’ab Abu Dagga talked about the resiliency of Gazans in the face of crippling blockades. “All we have,” Mos’ab said, “is hope and love.” Grateful for your support If you would like to make a gift to support the AFSC Midwest Region or a specific program, please click here. If you would like to restrict your gift, please type in the specific region or program in the “Special Gift Instructions” box on the form. Your gift will help support our work for peace with lasting justice in the region and around the world. Final notes A reminder that submissions for AFSC’s next poster exhibit are due December 15, 2014…. To share your ideas for future Midwest Digests, please e-mail Jon Krieg. Thanks as always for your support of AFSC!

AFSC staffers Pete Martel and Natalie Holbrook

(2nd from right) with band members of Pussy

Riot.

Mos’ab Abu Dagga, AFSC staff in Gaza, holds a

bottle of fair-trade Palestinian olive oil on sale in

Des Moines by AFSC Iowa’s Peacebuilding Pro-

gram.

Activists in Chicago “connect the dots” between

militarism in our foreign policy and local commu-

nities.