Dear Friend,
As the world we know continues to change rapidly, it is crucial that we center the voices of young people who are shaping our future. This past summer, while traveling to Yearly Meeting annual sessions, I had the chance to meet some of AFSC’s Emerging Leaders for Liberation (ELL) participants. I was so inspired to learn about the work that they are carrying out in their communities.
ELL is a program for young adults looking to deepen their social justice and leadership skills, providing them with opportunities to engage in advocacy and organizing. Guided by Quaker principles, participants take part in both AFSC-sponsored and other local campaigns and systems-level advocacy efforts.
Do you know a young leader who could benefit from this opportunity? Applications are now open for the next cohort of ELL, and the deadline to apply is March 1. Please share this invitation with members of your Meeting and community. Learn more and apply here.
Here are more ways you can engage with AFSC, plus a few updates on our work:
Announcing: Friends Speaking Tour: From February through May, AFSC's Director of Quaker Engagement Brian Blackmore is traveling throughout the South and Midwest Regions of the U.S. to engage with Quaker Meetings and share the work carried out through AFSC's programs across the world. Learn more about the tour and upcoming dates here. We look forward to connecting with you!
Learning from Each Other: Young Adult Friends and the Quaker United Nations Office (Feb. 10 10:30 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET): In this daylong program, young adult Friends (18-35) will have the opportunity to learn from Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO) staff about what the U.N. is doing to address the needs of coming generations. QUNO staff will also get to learn from the wisdom of young adult Friends. This program is a collaboration between QUNO and New York Yearly Meeting. Learn more and register here.
Apply today: AFSC Birches Global Peacebuilding Fellow (deadline March 10): The Birches Fellow will support country and regional offices in keeping up with best practices and innovation around peacebuilding and civic rights. The fellow will also support the international program unit in various capacities and will develop a project related to their location and in consultation with AFSC staff. Learn more and apply here.
6 Ways you can support Palestinians in Gaza: Many people of conscience are looking for ways to support Palestinians in Gaza as violence continues to escalate. Gaza’s 2.3 million people have long faced suffocating conditions imposed by the Israeli occupation and upheld by the international community. Read more and take action here.
Join Us: Pilgrimage for Peace – Philadelphia to Washington D.C. (Feb. 14-21): AFSC is part of a coalition of faith leaders, activists, and artists that will journey from Independence Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the White House in Washington, D.C. to urge President Biden to call for an end to the violence in Palestine. Partners include Faith for Black Lives, the National Council of Churches of Christ USA, Rabbis for Ceasefire, Hindus for Human Rights, The Pennsylvania Chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia), Rainbow/PUSH Coalition, the Black Church Center for Justice and Equality, and Until Freedom. Join us and learn more here.
AFSC is proud to sponsor the “Legacy of Bayard Rustin Forum” with the BlackQuaker Project (Feb. 24, 1 p.m. ET / 10 a.m. PT): The BlackQuaker Lives Matter Film Festival & Forum returns in 2024 for “The Bayard Rustin Legacy Forum.” The event is hosted by BlackQuaker Project Director Harold D. Weaver Jr. and moderated by Sa’ed Atshan, Palestinian-American Quaker scholar, and chair of the Department of Peace and Conflict Studies at Swarthmore College. This event will explore the remarkable life and contributions of Bayard Rustin, a gay Black Quaker civil rights leader and activist whose brilliance and skillful organizing of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom was portrayed in a feature-length film produced by Barack and Michelle Obama. Professor Atshan will moderate a discussion between Harold; Terrance Wiley, assistant professor of religion and coordinator of African and Africana Studies at Haverford College; and Lauren Brownlee, deputy general secretary of Friends Council for National Legislation. Register for this event here.
Understanding Our Immigration Process (Feb. 27, 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PT): Join AFSC for the second installment of our webinar series on “Protecting Immigrant Rights in an Election Year.” In this session, we'll look at what pathways exist for migrants to enter the U.S. lawfully under and discuss the challenges that arise. We’ll have time for conversation about our vision for a process that would ensure that all migrants are treated with dignity and respect. Register here.
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 welcome to share this invitation with members of your Meeting and communities.
And don’t forget to follow AFSC on social media!: Stay up to date on upcoming events and ways to take action by joining us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
I am taking some time away from work and will be out of the office during February. During this time, if you need immediate assistance, please reach out to Brian Blackmore at bblackmore@afsc.org.
Thank you for your continued support of AFSC’s work and all that you do in working for a more just and peaceful world!
Blessings,
Sofia Di Pietro
Quaker Engagement Coordinator
P.S. You can find more ways to get involved at our Friends Engage page. And as always, feel free to contact me with questions or comments at friends@afsc.org.