Editor’s Note from Rivera Sun
After a week in shock, themovements are on the rebound. Nonviolence is reviving in many forms. Mutual aid networks (a form of nonviolent constructive program) are erupting across the globe. Strikes are winning worker protections and fair pay for bus drivers, hospital workers, and others. Movements are shifting gears and turning out creative protests like the 100 car honking protest for migrant protections or the online demonstration for Wet’suwet’en solidarity featured in our cover image. This week’s Knowledge Section has some excellent how-to’s and guides for online organizing.
And, we’re seeing surprising victories such as the court win for Standing Rock, a feminist success for Japan’s #KuToo movement, and a recent decision in which the Rights of Nature overruled the issuance of fracking permits.
One important take-away lesson from this week’s Nonviolence News: nonviolence is resilient. It’s versatile. It’s adaptable. And, it didn’t take long for people to use it successfully even in the midst of global stay-at-home orders and shut-downs.
Take heart and spread these stories. We need to hear them!
Rivera Sun, Editor
#KuToo Movement Gets Japan Airlines To Ditch High Heels and Skirts: In a victory for the #MeToo spin-off, the campaign calling for uniform reform succeeded in getting a fashion change at the airline company. The required high heels that have been causing the stewardesses pain are gone … and they can choose to wear slacks or skirts. Read more >>
Big Milestone for Standing Rock; Federal Judge Rules DAPL Permits Violated Law: A federal judge ruled that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers violated the National Environmental Policy Act by approving federal permits for the Dakota Access Pipeline. This does not mean the pipeline will shut down, but it is a step forward. Read more >>
Rights of Nature Law Reverses Fracking Permit: In an extraordinary reversal, last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) revoked a permit for a frack waste injection well in Grant Township. DEP officials cited Grant Township’s Home Rule Charter and its Rights of Nature Law that bans injection wells as grounds for their reversal. Read more >>
Huge Backlash & Public Pressure Campaign Gets Gilead Medicine to Drop Coronavirus Treatment Monopoly Claim: The next step is to ensure that the company makes the drug truly affordable for all. Read more >>
Detroit Bus Drivers Win Safety Precautions With Strike: Workers who use strike action are getting demands met in the crisis. The bus drivers’ brief work stoppage, less than 24 hours, won fair pay and safety precautions. In addition, fares will not be collected for the duration of the coronavirus crisis. Read more >>
Boston School Bus Drivers Win Full Pay & Health Protections: The Boston School Bus Drivers Union conducted mass meetings in the bus yards over loudspeakers with hundreds of drivers, monitors, dispatchers and support staff to mobilize a pressure campaign on city officials to gain full pay during school closure. The union’s history of using strikes influenced policy makers in conceding to the demands. Read more >>
Mexican City Rejects Giant US-Owned Brewery Plans Amid Water Shortages: The vote to reject plans for a huge brewery in border city of Mexicali is unlikely win for farmers and activists over wealthy maker of Corona, Modelo and Pacifico. Read more >>
US Orders Up To A Year-Long Break On Mortgages: Half of all home loans in the US are covered by this policy and the rest of the industry is expected to follow suit. Read more >>
Neighborhood Mutual Aid Group Steps Up To Help the Sunset District of San Francisco: In less than two weeks, a well-meaning post in a neighborhood Facebook group has evolved into an extremely organized support system for an entire community during the time San Francisco’s COVID-19 shelter-in-place order is in effect. Editor’s Note: This is just one of the many mutual aid groups, but this story is particularly heartening, successful, and illustrates some of the common features of mutual aid networks.Read more >>
SEIU Sources 39 Million Medical Masks: Showing the power of strong unions, the SEIU mobilized to help with the medical masks shortage. Within 48 hours, the union had sourced a distributor who has 39 million masks and then found another supplier who can produce 20 million more masks a week. Additionally, they found a supplier who can produce millions of face shields for healthcare workers. Read more >>
Italy Calls For A General Strike: “Our Lives Are Worth More Than Your Profits”: Although Italy is on lockdown, many non-essential sectors are still going to work. A general strike is being called to protest the government’s insistence on maintaining “business as usual”. Read more >>
Indigenous Peoples Travel Deeper Into the Amazon As A COVID-19 Protection: No strangers to devastating pandemics, these Indigenous don’t want to see a repeat of the genocides triggered in part by disease during the first wave of colonialism. They are heading into the remote regions for protection. Read more >>
Covid Support Network Platform Launches: This online platform matches people seeking help with those nearby who are offering. Read more >>
Pacific Islanders Draw On Tradition In Time of Crisis: On the Pacific island of Tokelau over the weekend, villagers from Nukunonu prepared food rations in anticipation of response measures to keep people home. It’s part of the local inati system – a form of sharing in a time of need. Read more >>
Texas Roadhouse CEO Gives Up Salary & Bonuses To Pay Frontline Workers: In a relatively rare moment of CEO responsibility, the head of the Texas Roundhouse chain pledged his earnings to help the workers. Read more >>
800,000 Doctors Sign Letter Telling Trump Not To Lift Stay-At-Home Orders For Easter: A council representing more than 800,000 doctors across the U.S. signed a letter Friday imploring President Donald Trump to reverse his call for businesses to reopen by April 12, warning that the president’s flouting of the guidance of public health experts could jeopardize the health of millions of Americans and throw hospitals into even more chaos as they fight the coronavirus pandemic. Read more >>
Delivery Workers Threaten Strike Over Hazard Pay & Lack of Safety Measures Amid Outbreak: ‘Without Us, Instacart Will Grind to a Halt”. Companies like Uber, Lyft, and Instacart would be nothing without the laborers they treat so poorly—people now deemed ‘essential’. Read more >>
On Strike Now for Three Years, Spectrum Workers Are Demanding Public Ownership: In New York City, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 3 has been striking for three years, and there’s still no end in sight. While demanding their jobs back and bargaining for union health care, Spectrum workers are also finding solutions in publicly owned telecommunications across the country. Read more >>
Cape Town Residents Hold Tiny Protest For Water Rights: With a public ban on groups larger than 10, this small protest pushed to make sure water shut-offs end and that water is available for all. They held a peaceful protest against water cuts, allegedly implemented by the City, over the past two weeks. Read more >>
Update from Truthdig Writers On Strike: Faced with unfair labor practices, writers and one of the publishers went on strike from the journal. Now, the remaining publisher has shut-down the journal. Read more >>
4500 Retired Doctors and Nurses Sign Up To Help in 48-Hours: The United Kingdom put out a call for retired doctors and nurses to register with the National Health Service to help in the crisis. Thousands showed up in just 48-hrs. Read more >>
#FreeThemAll4PublicHealth; Movement To Release Prisoners Picks Up Steam: Around the world — from Iran to Germany to the U.S. to Sudan — governments are beginning to release incarcerated people to combat the spread of COVID-19. In Iran, for example, 85,000 prisoners were temporarily released last week, and 10,000 were pardoned. Read more >>
In Israeli Prisons, Palestinians Threaten To Hunger Strike: Protesting poor conditions and risks of COVID-19 infections, imprisoned Palestinians plan a hunger strike. Read more >>
Ireland Nationalizes Private Hospitals To Coordinate Fair Treatment: Ensuring the safe and effective coordination of resources, Ireland nationalized the entire hospital system for “the common benefit of all”. Read more >>
Shaheen Bagh Sit-In Protest Cleared Amid Coronavirus Lockdown: The months-long, women-led protest occupation was cleared due to coronavirus crisis. Before this, a protest outside Jamia had been called off last week. Read more >>
Emergency Action Bails Out New Orleans Inmates at Risk of COVID-19: The Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Safety and Freedom Fund prioritized bailing out pre-trial inmates endangered by the spreading pandemic. Read more >>
Challenge “China Virus” Rhetoric When You Hear It; It Stops Racism: Amid rising racist violence toward Asian-Americans, people are being asked to interrupt the racist rhetoric promulgated by Trump. Read more >>
London Tries Out New Policy of Housing “Rough Sleepers” in Hotels: Following California’s lead, London has begun a trial to put unhoused persons in hotels. About 300 rooms were made available this weekend to vulnerable people already known to homelessness charities as part of an initial trial. Read more >>
Quebec Electric Utility Suspends Customer Payment Penalties During Crisis: Showing leadership, Quebec’s electric utility promised to suspend penalties and shut-offs for unpaid bills during the pandemic. Read more >>
#NotDying4WallStreet Goes Viral: The hashtag trended as US progressives rejected the efforts to put corporate profits over public health. “We will not die for oligarchs’ quarterly profit margin.” Read more >>
Netflix Organizes $100 Million Fund To Support Out-of-Work Creatives In Film: Taking care of the actors and tech crews out of work on their own productions was a first step; Netflix is also helping the whole industry. Read more >>
Call-To-Action For the US Transition Town Movement: Everything the Transition Movement has worked on offers resiliency amidst the pandemic and other disasters. The coronavirus crisis shows that its time to ramp up Transition Town efforts, everywhere. Read more >>
350.org Releases Guide To Creative Organizing For Climate Justice: With in-person gatherings no longer an option, this Coronavirus and Climate Organizing guide offers inspiration on actions you can take from home and tactics you can test out. Read more >>
In Pandemic, Climate Movement Re-evaluates Tactics: Here’s how organizers are shifting plans, moving online, and changing tactics, including planning a Digital Earth Day set of online events. Read more >>
#ShutDownKKR Organizes Online Actions for Wet’suwet’en Solidarity: 3,000 people (and counting) have written KKR to demand they drop the purchase of Coastal GasLink. Read more >>
Building & Restoring Urban Fruit Orchards In Communities Across the UK: By creating or restoring orchards, an urban nonprofit is strengthening local food systems & building community while reenergizing farming skills. Read more >>
How Religious Knowledge Helps Female Afghan Peacebuilders Gain Legitimacy: In a male-dominated culture, religious knowledge and connections help female peacebuilders do important work for education and peace. Read more >>
Don’t Overlook The Youth In Peace Organizing: In Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo, youth are critical on-the-ground organizers. Yet, they are often left out of national peace processes. Read more >>
As ‘Fury of Virus Illustrates Folly of War,’ UN Chief Calls for Global Ceasefire: “End the sickness of war and fight the disease that is ravaging our world. Read more >>
Peace Activists Say, “Lift Sanctions To Save Lives”: Experts urge the US to end economic sanctions against Iran, Venezuela, Cuba, and others to help countries deal with coronavirus. Read more >>
Great Reads on Global Peacebuilding: From Afghanistan to Burundi, Peace Science Digest’s special issue on peacebuilding is eye-opening, inspiring, and full of knowledge on how we can all be peacebuilders. Read more >>
How National Brain Trusts Build Peace: Cultivating a group of 15-18 mid-level leaders, a brain trust resources some of the most under-seen and yet highly effective influencers to work for peace. Read more >>
How Colombian Businesses Can Help – Or Hinder – Efforts To Build Peace: As enthusiasm for business-peace partnership grows, it’s important to prevent “blue-washing” and make sure initiatives are effective and just. Read more >>
100 Cars Honk and Surround Detention Center To Support Hunger Strikers Against Detention: Demanding the release of people from the dangerous facilities, the car protest shows us all a new way to make some noise for justice. Read more >>
Spray-Painted Message On Highway Wall Calls For Rent Cancellation: People managed to get this important message out while restricted by stay-at-home orders. In addition, #CancelRent has been trending on social media for days. Read more >>
People Find Inventive Ways To Protect Against Psychological Risks of Confinement: In Italy they are singing and sharing recipes. In France, humor is saving the day. In Spain, communal staircases have become the new running tracks, and in Germany, ordinarily disorderly hackers are busy coding corona-busting apps. Read more >>
Montreal Sings Leonard Cohen To Boost Spirits: Joining the ranks of sing-a-long cities, Montreal invites its citizens to sing together from their windows. Read more >>
“Cosmic Peaceforce” Board Game Encourages Collaborations Toward Peace: A novel board game created by the Metta Center for Nonviolence teaches peace and cooperation. Read more >>
27 People Bridging the Divides and Bringing People Together: In different fields, each of these people is finding creative ways to build understanding and connection between formerly divided groups. Read more >>
Shelter in Place and Plan an Uprising: A podcast on how people are helping people and planning – and working – for systemic change. Read more >>
Organizing in the Time of Social Distancing: Now more than ever, we need to make our digital campaigns meaningful. Read more >>
6 Ways To Mobilize & Organize To Flatten the Curve: An organizer weighs in on how to help build participation in shelter-in-place orders to limit the spread of the coronavirus. Read more >>
Social Movements in Times of Pandemic: Faced with the glaring need for radical and complex transformation, social movements in times of crisis act differently from protests. Read more >>
Documentary On How a Summer Camp Built a Generation of Activists for Disability Rights: This amazing, true story about a summer camp for differently-abled persons and the on-going fostering of activists is winning hearts, minds, and accolades. Read more >>
Demand a #PeoplesBailout Campaign Launches: Challenging corporate bailouts and half-measures for everyday people, this US campaign is demanding comprehensive aid for the short and long term. Read more >>
Support Immigrants Through Movimiento Cosecha’s Undocumented Fund: Undocumented immigrants are still going to work – and are not eligible for many of the economic relief measures in the works. This fund makes sure they receive support, too. Read more >>
#Cancel Cansec: Despite the growing coronavirus pandemic, the CANSEC 2020 weapons show is still scheduled to take place in Ottawa May 27 and 28. Sign the petition to Cancel Cansec. Learn more >>
#ClimateStrikeOnline: Climate strikers have announced a new weekly webinar series of online discussions with scientists, activists, and other experts. Learn more >>
Organize To #CancelRent #CancelMortgages #HomesForAll: Demand to ensure healthy, stable, thriving communities and a future for us all! Learn more >>
Land 4 People Not Profit Day of Action: Homes For All is calling on renters, low-income homeowners, people without homes, and everyone that believes land use should benefit community members that need it most to take bold, creative, direct action. (April 7 – Nationwide) Learn more >>
How to Stay Connected, Engaged, and HUMAN in Remote Collaboration! Join this free webinar to dive into concrete tools and learn meeting processes to make your video conferences and meetings participatory and efficient. (April 2 – Online) Learn more >>
Tell the US Government: US Troops Out of Iraq: While U.S. troops have been reduced in Iraq, they have never been removed. In January, the Iraqi Parliament voted that all U.S. troops should leave. Learn more >>
New Online Course! War Abolition 201: New online course emphasizes building alternatives to war, peace economies, and more. Learn more >>
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