Dear friends,
Last month, I had the opportunity to attend the 90th anniversary celebration of AFSC’s work in Chicago. We were joined by over 150 supporters who honored our history and work for peace and justice in the region. As General Secretary Joyce Ajlouny said, celebration is a form of resistance. It reminds us that coming together in joy is a way to counter the systems that try to isolate and discourage us.
This spirit lives on in AFSC alumni like you around the world. Read more about the efforts—past and present—of former AFSC staff, and how our work today continues that legacy.
Tonya Histand
Director of Public Engagement
Alumni news & notes
Helen Williams, former Quaker Service-Nigeria director, died last month at the age of 96. She met her husband, Kale Williams, while in college. One of their first jobs together was running inner-city summer volunteer programs for AFSC.
In this story in High Country News, Luis Torres, the first director of AFSC New Mexico, shares why he continues to be optimistic after eight decades of activism and where he finds hope.
The late David Hartsough—a longtime AFSC staff member—was honored recently when his name was added to the “Peace Wall” in Sebastopol, California. The wall was conceived to “find some way to acknowledge all the people’s efforts to mobilize for peace and to inspire others to join and continue the efforts.”
Jeannine Cook, founder of Harriett’s Bookshop in Philadelphia, has released a semi-autobiographical debut novel, “It's Me They Follow.” Before releasing her book and opening the shop, she developed curricula on racism and other oppressive structures for many organizations, most recently for AFSC.
Carol Jensen was a Lutheran pastor, an AFSC representative for the Middle East, and served briefly as AFSC's national peace secretary in the 1980s. Carol passed away on Aug. 2.
In the 1960s, James Neal Cavener worked for AFSC as the European director of overseas work camps in Paris. He recently published his memoir, recounting stories from his time in Paris to his work as a daily print journalist.
Do you have news to share? Email us today!
Updates from AFSC
Last month, in collaboration with Visualizing Palestine, AFSC launched a downloadable exhibit entitled “Why We Record: Defying Fragmentation and Erasure in Palestine.” The exhibit includes visuals, photos, and excerpts from published stories. The exhibit can be downloaded and displayed in three formats to accommodate your context. Learn more about the exhibit or express interest in hosting.
How Chicago communities are organizing to counter authoritarianism
As ICE agents and National Guard troops are deployed around the country, community members have responded to keep each other safe—thanks to years of getting to know their neighbors, showing what’s possible anywhere. Read more from AFSC’s Mary Zerkel.
Still We Rise: 50 years of hope and resistance with AFSC New Hampshire
On Saturday, Sept. 27, AFSC New Hampshire celebrated their 50th anniversary with great food, inspiring messages, and singing! See photos and learn more about AFSC’s 50 years of peacebuilding in New Hampshire.
From our Archives
Are you interested in AFSC history, but don’t haven’t had the opportunity to visit our archives? Check out our new history pages. Through historical photos and text, they give you an overview of our work over the decades. We just completed new pages on food justice and standing with immigrants and refugees.
More ways to take action and connect with AFSC:
Stop immigration detention and deportations
Tell Congress: Stop illegal military strikes in the Caribbean and Pacific
End the government shutdown and protect our health care
Are you interested in receiving life income while supporting AFSC? A gift annuity is easy to arrange. Reach out to GiftPlanning@afsc.org or visit us online.
Thank you for reading our AFSC Alumni Newsletter!