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.

Note: Doug Bennett used to be a member of Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends, which recently split over views of same-sex marriage.  He is now a member of the New Association of Friends, a yearly meeting that is comprised of welcoming congregations (those that welcome all people and affirm LGBTQ rights and same-sex marriage). I asked him for his thoughts on the new "Religious Freedom Restoration Act" (RFRA) that was recently passed in Indiana and the response. Here are his thoughts. - Lucy

Note: AFSC published Letter from Birmingham City Jail by Martin Luther King, Jr. in May, 1963. King wrote the letter on April 16, 1963 in response to an open, published letter from white clergy asking him to slow down, reproaching him on his methods and actions.