Note: Sahar Vardi serves as Coordinator of AFSC's Israel program working with refusers to military service and against militarism within Israel. She attended a recent protest focused on recent killings and abuse of Ethiopian Jews in Israel. This is her reflection on it and its connection to the movement against police brutality, the Black Lives Matter movement, in the United States. - Lucy

Pablo Paredes is a Conscientious Objector to war in all forms.  In 2004 Paredes made headlines as US Navy Sailor who refused to board a naval vessel with a mission to ferry 1000+ marines to Iraq.  Paredes was then court-martialed and eventually discharged from the Navy after serving a sentence of 3 months hard labor, 2 months restriction, and reduction in rank to the navy's lowest pay grade.  Since obtaining his freedom from the armed forces Pablo has dedicated himself to building youth power in communities of color to challenge militarism, racism and xenopho

Note: Ericson Amaya and Pablo Paredes of AFSC's 67 Sueños Program wrote this poem on the occasion of the unveiling of the Black/Brown Unity Mural in Oakland, Califormia. Recently they read it at the AFSC Corporation meeting. The video of that reading is below.

Update: In May the Israeli High Court of Justice turned down a request for a judicial order to halt the demolition of the West Bank village of Susiya. Up to 100 homes are under threat for demolition at any time by the civil administrations of Judae and Samaria. The high court judge, Noam Sohlberg, who refused the request for the judicial order is himself a resident of an illegal West Bank settlement. The residents of Susiya hold deeds to the land going back to the Ottoman era, but Israeli authorities say the residents did not have permits to build their current structures.

AFSC's Dominque Stevenson discusses connections between police violence, racism, and imprisonment.

Dominque Demetrea Stevenson is currently the director of the American Friends Service Committee – Friend of a Friend program in Baltimore, Maryland. She coordinates prisoner run mentoring projects in several Maryland prisons, and one federal institution. The program, A Friend of a Friend, helps foster healing, and connects young men with prison mentors who help them develop the skills necessary to navigate violent situations, and prepare for a successful return to their communities. Ms.