Editor’s Note from Rivera Sun
To say nonviolence is on the rebound this week is an understatement. With protests banned in most parts of the world due to the COVID-19 crisis, we’re seeing an eruption of other types of action . . . actions that are often far more powerful than public protests. “Essential” workers throughout the United States are striking for fair pay and health protections. Non-essential workers are striking so they can stop showing up to work to simply make profits for corporations. Nurses are protesting and walking out to demand health protections for everyone. Meanwhile, a growing clamor for rent, mortgage, and debt strikes is picking up steam.
My favorite story this week was sent to me from a Nonviolence News reader. Philyppe in Brazil shared the story of how the notion of Solidarity Tables is spreading across the country and around the world. These are neighborhood tables where people share what they can and take what they need. Simple, but powerful. Read more about it here >>
This week, I have a challenge for all Nonviolence News readers. Share one story of empowerment each time you find yourself sharing a report on the deaths, cruelties, or injustices that are going on amidst the pandemic. Both are true. Both need to be heard. But if we don’t share the reports of what people are doing to organize for justice, take care of each other, and build hope amidst the crisis . . . who will?
“Be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Gandhi.
Rivera Sun, Editor
Photo Credit: Nurses strike for health protections on the job.
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Warring Parties In Yemen Agree To Ceasefire To Deal With Coronavirus: The warring parties in Yemen have agreed to their first nationwide ceasefire since 2016, in what Saudi Arabia said was an effort to protect the conflict-ravished country from the threat of coronavirus. Read more >>
#CancelCANSEC Shuts Down North America’s Largest Weapons Show: Despite the pandemic, it was only after massive public pressure, 7,700+ letters sent, that this year’s CANSEC was cancelled. North America’s largest weapons show had been expected to attract 12,000 people. Read more >>
Columbia Sportsware CEO Cuts Salary To $10K To Support Workers During Pandemic: Tim Boyle, president and CEO of Columbia Sportswear Company, has cut his own pay to $10,000 a year, a company official confirmed, and at least 10 top executives took a voluntary 15% pay reduction. Read more >>
Argentina’s President Bans Layoffs for 60 Days: The measure is meant to help social peace amidst the pandemic’s economic impacts. Read more >>
Horror Films Got It Wrong; This Virus Is Turning Us Into Caring Neighbors: From care packages in India to survival packs in Johannesburg, citizen fleets to transport health care workers and more, these stories prove that humanity is better than you (and Hollywood) might think. Read more >>
Dick’s Sporting Goods Is Ending Gun Sales At 440 Stores: The company noticed their business had improved after they announced they would stop selling guns at some of their stores so they’ve decided to end gun sales at 440 more locations. Read more >>
Colorado Abolishes Death Penalty: Colorado became the 22nd state to abolish the death penalty in the United States. Read more >>
Cambodian Garment Workers Strike: Nearly 1,000 garment workers protested outside the factory after the owner failed to pay their regular wages . Read more >>
Zimbabwe Nurses Walk-Out In Demand for Protections: Nurses, doctors, and customs officials have all walked out of work for a variety of pandemic related demands. Read more >>
Lebanese Police Break Up Protest Camp: Lebanese security forces cleared away a protest camp in central Beirut on Saturday and reopened roads blocked by demonstrators since protests against the governing elite started in October. Read more >>
Global Protests Shift Online. Is This The Rise Of The Virtual Protest Era? From Lebanon to Hong Kong to Israel, protests are shifting off the streets and online, prompting some to wonder if the Age of Virtual Protest is taking off. Read more >>
Is It Time For a US General Strike? Calls for a general strike are rising, gaining support from notable figures such as Naomi Klein and Bree Newsome Bass. But what would a general strike in the US look like? Read more >>
Across the US, A Wave of Wildcat Strikes, Sick-Outs, and Actions Resist Injustice: In numerous sectors, people are taking immediate action for fair wages, safety measures, and economic justice. Read more >>
5 Million Nigerians Sign Declaration Opposing Monsanto’s GMO Seeds: A massive petition drive shows widespread opposition to the introduction of GMO cotton and corn. Read more >>
Poor People’s March Moves Online: The Poor People’s Assembly & Moral March on Washington is going digital! On June 20th, they will hold the largest digital and social media gathering of poor and low-wealth people, moral and religious leaders, advocates, and people of conscience in US history. Read more >>
Whole Foods Employees Stage Nationwide Sick-Out: Protesting lack of hazard pay, unsafe working conditions, and more, employees staged a sick-out day to demand that the company prioritize workers’ health safety during a period of record sales. Read more >>
Amazon and Instacart Workers Go On Strike: They are demanding stepped-up protection and pay as they continue to work while much of the country is asked to isolate as a safeguard against the coronavirus. Read more >>
General Electric Workers Walk Off the Job To Demand the Company Make Ventilators: Two separate protests occurred, including a silent protest with people standing six feet apart. Read more >>
US Nurses At 15 Hospitals Hold 2 Days of Protests: Nurses at 15 hospitals across the country on Wednesday are protesting what they say is their hospital system’s dangerous lack of protections for healthcare workers. Read more >>
How Teens Are Helping Seniors Stay Connected During the Coronavirus Pandemic: Young people are helping seniors learn how to use technology so they can stay connected with their families and order groceries during the pandemic. Read more >>
Restaurant Workers Organize for Living Wages and Paid Sick Leave: Among the hardest hit by the pandemic restrictions, restaurant and bar workers are organizing for economic justice. Read more >>
McDonald’s Workers Go On Strike Over Lost Hours & Pay Cuts: McDonald’s workers in St. Louis, Tampa and Memphis have gone on strike to protest unsafe working conditions, pay cuts and lost hours. More than 100 workers across the three cities have walked off the job or waged stay-at-home strikes. Read more >>
Rikers Island Prison Inmates Go On Strike: Two dorms of 45 inmates at Rikers are refusing to leave their dorms for work duties or for meals, demanding personal health protections, and protesting overcrowding. Read more >>
Guatemalan Water Protectors Persist Despite Mining Company Threats: in Guatemala, the Peaceful Resistance “La Puya” celebrates eight years of struggle against a gold mining project that threatens to pollute or dry up already scarce water supplies. Read more >>
Extinction Rebellion Tree-Sit to Save 108 Year Old Forest Continues: Taking lockdown orders to new heights, the XR tree-sit continues – even while their opponents break the COVID-19 bans. Find this story and others in the loving and artistic XR newsletter. Read more >>
One Hour Blackout Builds Solidarity For the Earth: On March 28, for one hour, people around the globe turned off their lights to symbolize their support for climate action and care of the earth. Read more >>
St. Louis Launches Urban Agriculture Program In City Neighborhoods: The Land Reutilization Authority, which manages the vacant lots and buildings owned by the city, endorsed the pilot program last week. It allows residents to buy vacant land for raising crops or animals at two-thirds or less of market value. Read more >>
Small Farms Offer Big Solutions as Global Issues Turn Focus to Home: Small agro-ecological farms are cornerstones in reversing environmental ruin and can provide good, decent, fresh and local food. Editor’s Note: this story falls in the nonviolence categories of constructive programs and alternatives and solutions in the context of the climate crisis. Read more >>
Resisting Yet Another Toxic Plant In Cancer Alley: Residents are trying to stop the construction of another toxic chemical and plastics plant in Louisiana’s infamously contaminated area. Read more >>
Tenants Organize Rent Strikes: But despite eviction moratoriums and relief on mortgage payments in hard-hit states like California, Washington and New York, no rent freeze has been ordered. In response, tenants around the country are calling for immediate rent cancellation. Read more >>
400,000 US Citizens Demand Congress Freeze Rent, Mortgage, and Utility Payments: ParentsTogether released a survey showing that just 38% of parents believe they will be able to make their rent or mortgage payments on Wednesday without cutting back on food, medicine, or other necessities. Read more >>
Rolling LA Car Protest Urges Rent Forgiveness: Organizing creatively despite virus restrictions, this protest urges rent forgiveness for people hit hardest by coronavirus crisis: The protesters rolled up and down the street in cars bearing pro-eviction-ban messages. Read more >>
Mexican Farmworkers Are Unsung Heroes Keeping The Food System Moving: They’re doing the work, day after day, despite the coronavirus. Read more >>
Portugal Treats Migrants As Citizens Amidst Crisis: All foreigners in Portugal with pending applications will be treated as permanent residents until July – granting them access to the national health service, welfare benefits, bank accounts, and work and rental contracts. Read more >>
ICE Officials Retaliate After Detained Migrants Go On Work Strike: Refusing to work in the kitchens, laundry, and clearing dishes, detainees are demanding health and safety measures during the pandemic. Read more >>
Undocufund Supports Migrants During the COVID-19 Crisis: 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 >>
Peace Activists Launch Digital Protest To End US Sanctions On Iran: The hashtag #EndCOVIDSanctions was used to call on representatives of the US Congress to alleviate the sanctions on Iran, which has been one of the worst affected countries by the pandemic outside of China. Read more >>
53 Countries Commit To Global Ceasefire During Pandemic: Here’s who is willing to stop war to care for people . . . and who is not. Read 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 >>
World BEYOND War’s Organizing 101 Course Teaches Peace Activism Skills: This online course is designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of grassroots organizing. Learn more >>
New Online Course! War Abolition 201: New online course emphasizes building alternatives to war, peace economies, and more. Learn more >>
Brazil’s Solidarity Tables Spread Justice & Kindness: Started in the barrios, these “give what you have, take what you need” tables give people a way to show solidarity during crisis. Now, they’re catching on in other places. 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 >>
Caremongering, Not Scaremongering: In times of crisis, we have a choice about how we show up in our communities. These people are choosing to put caring first. Read more >>
How Virtual Beadwork Circles Are Empowering Native Women: Beading circles are more than just a social event. They’re considered a safe space where community members can share and exchange their different techniques, while providing emotional support for one another. The functions have true healing powers—a form of therapy if you will, that is experienced one stitch at a time. Now, they’re holding them online. Read more >>
Using Sidewalk Chalk, Kids Leave A Message of Solidarity To Neighbors: At a time when many parents are wondering what to do with the kids, here’s one idea that helps the whole neighborhood. Read more >>
Neighbors Put Stuffed Bears In Windows So Kids Can Spot Bear on Walks: Referencing the children’s book “We’re Going On a Bear Hunt”, communities are making a game for neighborhood children on socially-distanced walks. Read more >>
Self-Made and The Banker Showcase Black-Owned Businesses: The Netflix series and Apple TV movie tell true stories of entrepreneurship at odds with an ongoing Hollywood narrative of black tragedy. 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 >>
Why It’s Time To Move Toward Permanently Organized Communities: Sharing 10 reasons why we need to organize and rewire our communities, the article calls for a just transition from a ‘Banks & Tanks” economy to economies of sacredness and care. Read more >>
Mauna Kea Indigenous Activists Aren’t Just Trying To Stop a Telescope: The Indigenous-led, tradition-based encampment continues the struggle over the Mauna Kea telescope, saying it’s about who decides the future of the island, and whose voices are honored and respected. Read more >>
How Is COVID-19 Changing The Global Movement Landscape? Protests are shut down. Encampments have been cleared. But worker strikes, rent strikes, and debt strikes are sweeping the globe. Here’s an inside look at how movements are regrouping in these times. Read more >>
‘The Un-Shock Doctrine’ — Or Why We Need A Plan To Rebuild: In times of uncertainty and turmoil, the only way to rebuild — rather than regress — is to have an alternative strategic plan. Read more >>
Health Care Workers Strike On Bills, Not Patients: The “Good Work” strikes of the past offer us practical – and effective – tactics for this moment. Read more >>
CNN Runs Photojournalism Story Commemorating Cesar Chavez: The piece, timed with his birthday, explores the life, work, and legacy of Chavez and the United Farm Workers. Read more >>
“Everyone Deserves A Cost-Of-Living Increase”, Says UCSC Grad Striker: This interview with a University of California graduate student on strike shares an inside look into the movement that spans several universities. 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 >>
#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 >>
Building A Direct Action Campaign – 4 Week Online Course: Learn how to organize with nonviolent action to make meaningful change. Learn more >>
March For Science #EarthDay Virtual Teach-Ins: In honor of the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, March for Science will convene a virtual international civic forum with curated panels and interactive participation, in the spirit of the first Earth Day teach-ins. Learn more >>