Washington DC

Students address gun violence in D.C.

Image Available on Flickr

Left to right: AFSC Human Rights Learning student Diana Chicas; Washington, D.C. Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh; student Andy Bloom; D.C. Peace & Economic Justice Program Director Jean-Louis Peta Ikambana, after speaking with Councilwoman Cheh about gun control reform.

Photo: Bryan Vana

What motivates young people to take action on their beliefs? Human rights learning, and the DC Human Rights project in particular, might be an important piece of the puzzle.

On March 28, 2013—a National Day to Demand Action on Gun Violence—Andy Bloom and Diana Chicas, 17-year-old students from Wilson High School in Washington, D.C., came to City Hall to speak with Councilwoman Mary Cheh about gun violence.

Upper Big Branch Families Trip to Washington, D.C.

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Images available on Flickr

Accompanied by AFSC West Virginia Economic Justice staff member Beth Spence, Upper Big Branch mining families traveled to Congress in Washington, D.C. June 6-7, 2012 to encourage improved mine safety legislation. Photos: Bryan Vana

Accompanied by AFSC West Virginia Economic Justice staff member Beth Spence, Upper Big Branch mining families traveled to Congress in Washington, D.C. June 6-7, 2012 to encourage improved mine safety legislation.

Full article here.

Carrying enlarged photographs of their lost loved ones, family members of three of the 29 miners killed in the 2010 explosion at West Virginia’s Upper Big Branch mine spent June 6-7 in Washington, D.C., pleading with lawmakers to take action to improve mine safety and to stiffen penalties for mining companies that knowingly, willingly, and recklessly place miners’ lives at risk.

IHTD Winners at house hearing

If I Had a Trillion Dollars winners (L to R) Alia Holness, Briseida Montiel, Kyane Strother, Richardson Joseph, and Anays Mercedes gather in Rayburn House Office Building hearing room.

Watch the winning videos.

As the historic debate over federal spending began in Washington, young winners of the “If I Had A Trillion” video contest descended on Capitol Hill, challenging lawmakers to address the bloated defense spending that imperils their schools, communities, and futures.

By Robin Aura Kanegis

It’s simple math: A military budget that has doubled in twelve years + worries about the resulting deficit = deep cuts to military spending. 

Jean-Louis UN Honor

On December 10, 2010 AFSC's Jean-Louis Peta Ikambana was honored with  the prestigious Community Human Rights Award

Each year, the Washington DC Human Rights Luncheon honors those who work long and hard in their communities for human and civil rights. This year, AFSC’s Jean-Louis Peta Ikambana, Director of the DC Human Rights Learning Program, was honored with the prestigious Community Human Rights Award.

One Nation Rally

See more pictures from the One Nation rally in our South East New England Office's flickr stream.

On October 2, 2010, AFSC staff, along with nearly two hundred thousand others, gathered on the National Mall at the One Nation Working Together rally and march. 

U.S. Capitol Building

U.S. Capitol Building

The May, 2010 addition of the MARStar newsletter featured a piece on racial equity.  We received a lot of feedback about the story including an offer from Carolyn Byerly to write an additional article about her active role in trying to reshape national communications policy around women and minority media ownership.  She believes that one barrier to a national dialogue about race (and also gender) relations is that people of color and women have almost no control of media companies.  What follows is her response to "Conversations about Race and Equity."