Dear Friend,
At the end of this month, we will host the annual meeting of the AFSC Corporation at Friends Center in Philadelphia. This year’s theme is “Healing Through Justice: Our Collective Journey.”
Our program will spotlight AFSC’s Healing Justice programs, which work to end our society’s reliance on incarceration and policing. This theme is also a response to calls for justice and healing amongst immigrant communities and in regions of the world that have been devastated by war. Ultimately, by focusing on justice as a prerequisite for healing and liberation, we will draw connections between all of AFSC’s work around the world.
Friends are invited to register to attend workshops, which take place in person and online on Friday, April 25 and Saturday, April 26. Our program will conclude with a hybrid event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War. This event will touch on AFSC’s work resisting the war and share stories of those who carried out our work on the ground. I encourage you to learn more about our program and register to attend. We hope to see you there.
Samantha LeeAnn Photography
Here are more ways you can engage with AFSC, plus a few updates on our work:
What does Just Peace in Palestine and Israel Look Like? In the most recent QuakerSpeak video, AFSC General Secretary Joyce Ajlouny talks about her experience as a Palestinian-American Quaker witnessing an ongoing genocide against her people in Palestine. Joyce also shares her vision for just peace and her hope that it may one day be realized. Watch the video today.
500+ congregations and communities have pledged to become “Apartheid-Free”: Over 500 communities have taken a pledge declaring themselves “apartheid-free.” Pledge signers commit to cut ties with Israel’s apartheid regime against Palestinians and to oppose all forms of racism, bigotry, discrimination, and oppression. These 500+ groups, including 37 Quaker communities to date, represent hundreds of thousands of constituents across the world. Read more.
Emergency response in Myanmar: On March 28, a devastating earthquake struck central Myanmar. Thousands died and many more were injured or displaced as buildings collapsed. Communities already impacted by civil war are in urgent need of emergency relief. AFSC has worked in Myanmar for many years, and our goal is to deliver emergency aid to 300-500 households. If you are able, consider donating to support our efforts.
The police raid of a UK Quaker meeting house has backfired, not surprisingly: On March 27, police forced their way into the Westminster Meeting House and arrested six women attending a meeting for the nonviolent protest group Youth Demand. In Waging Nonviolence, Friends World Committee for Consultation’s general secretary, Tim Gee, shares an analysis of the raid through the lens of historic Quaker persecution. Read more.
Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism (QCUR) power mapping workshop (Saturday, May 10 from 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. PT): QCUR invites you to participate in a half-day of community organizing to resist the current rise of fascism in the U.S. This Zoom workshop will have time for worship, connecting with one other, and learning how to use power mapping as a tool for resistance and anti-racist change-making. Power-mapping is an interactive, strategic tool for identifying and analyzing where and how power exists around a specific issue. It allows groups to develop effective strategies for leveraging power to make constructive, anti-racist change. Learn more and register today.
Quaker Community Spotlight: On March 23, police officers told Quakers in Greensboro, North Carolina that they would have to end a community picnic they have co-hosted with members of a Unitarian congregation and the Working Class and Houseless Organizing Alliance. This picnic offered a free meal to anyone in the area. The group learned that the city of Greensboro has a rule banning food and resource distribution in downtown parks. Since learning of the rule, many community members are planning to take action at upcoming city council meetings.
Meeting for Worship with attention to peace in Palestine and Israel: Please join us every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT as we worship with Friends from across the U.S.
You are also invited to attend our weekly Action Hour for Palestine, every Friday at 12 p.m. ET / 9 a.m. PT. Hear updates from AFSC staff and take collective action as we contact our elected officials. Please share this invitation with members of your Meeting and communities.
Thank you for your continued support of AFSC and all you do to create a more just and peaceful world!
With care,
Ainsley Bruton (they/them)
Quaker Engagement Coordinator
P.S. You're always welcome to contact the Quaker Engagement team at friends@afsc.org with any questions, comments, or concerns.
And stay up to date on upcoming events and ways to take action by joining us on Facebook, Bluesky, and Instagram.