Sweater weather is here folks! We had an amazing summer! We want to share with everyone what The Peace and Justice Center was up to these last few months. (if you are having trouble viewing the images, click display images at the top of this email)
July
Some of our staff, consultants, and steering committee members organized a "Close The Camps" rally and march in solidarity with those seeking asylum and enduring horrific conditions and push back at American southern borders. There were various amazing speakers at this event. The rally was followed by a meeting at the Center to discuss resources in Maine for dreamers. Angela Okafor, a mother, business woman, and local who is running for Bango City Council, spoke that the meeting post-rally about immigration.
Here are picture from the Inclusive Rally The Peace and Justice Center co-sponsored. Themes among speakers were the following subjects: stories of local brown and black activists living in predominately white spaces and the difficulties that come with that, colonization from local Indigenous people and their perspectives of colonization and white supremacy, what inclusivity looks like, and what being an ally looks like.
Thank you to all the volunteers who helped out with the UMA Community Garden!!!
Please click the link below to check out all the recent activity with the garden.
Many thanks for the following donations in memory or honor of loved ones:
In honor of Silas Brogunier, from Michele Brogunier
The Peace and Justice Center steering committee, education committee, staff, and consultants were happy to have had time to gather with people from all four directions at Healing Turtle Island, a ceremony to help bring healing to the common wound we all have from violence. Dawn Neptune Adams, Desiree Vargas, and others coming from Canada, Mid-West, & Penobscot Nation walked in prayer for the children in the detention centers at the borders and the children who's lives have been lost under the Trump administration due to strict and inhumane border control.
End Violence Together Rally is cancled. But that's okay there is always another time to organize for this event.
Here, Program Coordinator Desiree Vargas is pictured here with her friend at a Puerto Rico liberation rally in South Bronx, New York. Desiree Vargas is not only P&JC Corrdinator, but also co-founder of local organization Racial Equity and Justice, UMaine student, a community organizer, activist, advocate, and Taino woman enrolled in Native Higuayagua community. Her sign quotes Assata Shakur, "It is our duty to fight for our freedom, and to love and protect eachother. We have nothing to lose but our chains."
Every month we will be releasing bios of our new steering committee members! Stay tuned.
Andrew Williams is a newcomer to the steering committee. He has facilitated projects alongside the Art Director for the Peace and Justice Center for two years.He provides technical expertise to the Art Director. Andrew has been involved in a number of projects involving the community, which include murals for The Shaw House, Holly No. 7 BirthCenter, and The Salvation Army soup kitchen. He is currently a coordinator for the UMA Food and Art Garden Labyrinth, which grows vegetables for Bangor area food pantries and shelters. Andrew is passionate about issues relating to food security, poverty, and equality for all humans.
The work of the Peace & Justice Center is supported by donors like you! To contribute by mail, make a check out to Peace & Justice Center (or, if you wish your contribution to be tax deductible, make it out to ROSC) and mail to: 96 Harlow St, Suite 100, Bangor, ME 04401.
