Editor’s Note From Rivera Sun
In a rare glimmer of good news, Uzbekistan is on the verge of passing landmark laws to prevent gender-based violence. The activists have faced an uphill climb in a culture where domestic violence is rampant. But if the president signs the bill passed by parliament, it will offer women and children important protections from violence and abuse. Meanwhile, in the Philippines, teams of Gender Peace Champions are pushing back against their patriarchal island culture, working for women’s rights and conflict prevention using the skills of unarmed peacekeeping and nonviolent struggle.
In other Nonviolence News, members of an AI company ethics board resigned in protest over taser-drones for schools. (What could possibly go wrong?) Seven thousand hotel workers in the New York suburbs won their biggest pay raise in 100 years, reaching pay parity with workers in the city. Mexican and Latin American environmental defenders are under attack, with close to two dozen murdered, assaulted or jailed recently. Climate activists and transport workers in Germany are linking arms – both literally and symbolically – in recent strikes. And a new report shows that bicycles now outnumber cars in London’s rush hour.
Be sure to scan the headlines on our website for other interesting stories like a historic housing justice campaign, Kazakstan’s oil workers strike, an eviction notice warning a weapons maker that a nonviolent “siege” is imminent, the role of humor in recent Nigerian elections, and much more.
A favorite story this week is one I was personally involved in: Campaign Nonviolence has added a creative new tool for teaching about nonviolent action: coloring pages! The images depict four historic US campaigns – Birmingham Children’s March, Delano Grape Strike, March of the Mill Children, and the Capitol Crawl. Each coloring page comes with a study guide and discussion questions, making it easier than ever to teach nonviolent history to groups of any age. Free, downloadable, and designed to foster nonviolence education, you can check them out here.
In solidarity,
Rivera Sun
Photo Credit: Uzbekistan’s gender activists’ persistence is finally paying off with new laws.
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Bicycles Now Outnumber Cars In London’s Rush Hour: People on bikes represent 40 percent of non-pedestrian rush hour traffic in the city, and cars are trending down. The shift to cycling commutes is a long-term trend. Read more>>
Netanyahu Reverses Decision To Fire Israeli Defense Minister After Protests: Netanyahu, has reversed his decision to fire the defense minister, Yoav Gallant, for warning that his judicial overhaul was harming the military. Gallant’s removal triggered an unprecedented surge of protest against the already unpopular plan. Read more>>
Reps. Justin Jones & Justin Pearson Return To Tennessee State House: The two Black representatives who were expelled by the Tennessee State Legislature were voted back in by their local boards. They marched back into their positions with crowds supporting them. Read more>>
Insurance Giant Chubb Praised for Ban on Underwriting Arctic Refuge Drilling: While a Gwich’in Steering Committee leader said the policy “is a first for the American insurance industry and shows leadership to protect sacred lands,” Chubb’s board opposes climate and human rights shareholder resolutions. Read more>>
NJ Gov Signs Order Making State a Haven for Trans Kids Seeking Health Care: “I cannot possibly overstate the importance of this action,” said a NJ activist who is mother to a trans child. Read more>>
Washington State Senate Votes To Ban Sale Of Assault Weapons Weeks After House Approves Measure: If the bill is signed into law, Washington would join nine other states that have enacted laws generally banning the sale, manufacture and transfer of assault weapons. Read more>>
Union Hotel Workers in New York Suburbs Score Biggest Pay Raise in 100 Years: The deal boosts some wages to $31 an hour. It reflects pressure hotels face to raise pay amid inflation and labor shortages. The hike is closing the gap between the 7,000 covered suburban workers and their union counterparts in New York City. Read more>>
Britain Braces For ‘Unparalleled’ Disruption From Doctors’ Strike: Tens of thousands of junior doctors — qualified physicians who make up nearly half of the medical workforce — are striking for pay rises better aligned with inflation, in a walkout that follows a three-day doctors’ strike last month. Read more>>
Students Across the US Stage Walkouts, Demanding an End to Gun Violence: Students across the United States walked out of their classrooms Wednesday to take part in a nationwide protest demanding gun control legislation. Relentless shootings have already claimed more than 10,000 lives in a little over three months this year. Read more>>
Here’s Why Teachers Joined the Protest Against Tennessee Pro-Gun Laws: As Republican lawmakers voted to expel two Black colleagues and add armed guards to schools, teachers protested. Read more>>
Biden Disinvites Netanyahu Amidst Protests: Joe Biden took the “unbelievable” step of telling Benjamin Netanyahu he’s not welcome in Washington last week because Netanyahu had accused Biden of paying for the demonstrations that have rocked Israel, according to two Israeli analysts, in comments to pro-Israel organizations. Read more>>
Mass Resignations Protests Plan For AI-Powered Taser Drones In Schools: Axon, a company known for developing Taser electroshock weapons and body cameras, plans to develop Taser-equipped drones to deploy in schools and public spaces. But 9 out of 13 ethics board members have quit in protest over the plan. Read more>>
Royal Bank of Canada’s Corporate Colonialism On Full Display: Just days after another militarized raid on unceded Wet’suwet’en territory, land defenders arrived in so-called Saskatoon to speak truth to power at the Royal Bank of Canada’s Annual General Meeting. They came to confront RBC about their support of a project that is at the root of extreme violence repeatedly unleashed on Indigenous people by the RCMP. The treatment of Indigenous leaders was called ‘insulting’ and ‘racist’. Read more>>
A Quiet Hero – How a Canadian Retiree Became An Unexpected Savior For Asylum Seekers: Frantz André isn’t a lawyer – but he spends his days helping hundreds of people tackle the immigration system, free of charge. Read more>>
She Reported Abuse By US Prison Guards. Now She Faces Deportation: In early 2022, Cristal came forward about the horrific sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of multiple guards at the federal prison in Dublin, California – one of dozens of victims to speak up about misconduct. Today, rather than being reunited with her family after completing her sentence, she’s in immigration detention, awaiting deportation to Mexico – a country she left as a baby. Read more>>
Colorado Conservatives Resign From School Board In Protest Of Critical Race Theory Hysteria: The conservatives aren’t even fans of wokeness. Nor would their elementary schools even be teaching the curriculum (which is geared for older students). They’re just sick of the storm of complaints and say the conservative-led hysteria over race and education in schools seems to have consumed the community. Read more>>
Environmental Defenders Reel From Attacks In Mexico and Central America: At least two dozen activists in Indigenous and rural areas murdered, disappeared and jailed in wave of attacks. Read more>>
Chiang Mai People Sue Thai Prime Minister For Failing To Tackle Smog: About 1,700 people in Chiang Mai have sued the prime minister and two state agencies for failing to tackle the annual dense smog over the region. They include northern people’s networks, activists, academics from Chiang Mai University and local residents. Read more>>
Climate Activists And Public Transport Workers In Germany Are Coordinating Their Efforts: a special political alliance took to the streets in Germany: side-by-side, climate activists and public transport workers went on strike. In at least 30 cities, climate activists visited workers’ pickets and brought them along for joint demonstrations. According to Fridays for Future (FFF), a total of 200,000 people participated in the nation-wide protests. Read more>>
1,300+ Scientists Urge JPMorgan Shareholders to Vote for End to New Fossil Fuel Financing: As the fossil fuel-driven climate crisis continues to wreak havoc around the globe, more than 1,300 scientists and researchers on Monday published a letter imploring JPMorgan Chase shareholders to support a resolution that asks the financial giant’s board of directors to “adopt a policy for a time-bound phaseout” of bankrolling new coal, oil, and gas projects. Read more>>
European Parliament Passes Historic Decision To Recognize Ecocide At EU Level: According to its decision, the European Parliament supports the inclusion of ecocide in the revised EU Directive on Protection of the Environment making it subject to criminal law. Read more>>
Environmental Advocates Protest Outside EPA Headquarters Over the Slow Pace of New Climate and Clean Air Regulations: Approximately 100 demonstrators marched to the agency’s headquarters on Tuesday afternoon to chants of “EPA, don’t delay!” and “Don’t wait, regulate!”
The group, a coalition of environmental and justice groups, demanded a faster rollout from the Biden administration of tightened climate and air quality regulations for fossil fuel power plants. Read more>>
Protesters Greet King Charles III As He Hands Symbolic Pennies To The Poor: King Charles was met by chants of “Not My King” as he arrived in York today to perform the ancient Maundy Money service, where the monarch hands out symbolic pennies to the poor. Read more>>
In Kazakhstan, Police Disperse Oil Worker Demonstrations: Wildcat strikes and marches have taken place in the home region of the demonstrating laborers. Read more>>
Rutgers Strike Sends Professors to Picket Lines Chanting ‘RU Listening? We Are Picketing.’ Union members representing three Rutgers University unions took to picket lines on Monday morning as 9,000 members went on strike. Read more>>
Shock, Grief After Unhoused Woman Killed and Volunteers Injured in Reno Car Attack: A Nevada man has been arrested and charged with murder after allegedly telling police he intentionally rammed his car into a group of volunteers feeding unhoused people in Reno on Monday evening, killing one woman and critically injuring two others. “At the end of the day, it’s not going to stop Food Not Bombs,” vowed one injured volunteer. “It’s not going to stop our effort in the community.” Read more>>
Meet the Gender Peace Champions: Gender Peace Champions across the island of Basilan, Philippines are achieving game-changing wins against all odds as they promote women’s rights and conflict prevention. The province of Basilan is a dominantly patriarchal island riddled with the stigma of violence – but several municipalities are beginning to accept the women challenging traditional gender roles. Made up of men and women, the Champions have participated in Nonviolent Peaceforce trainings to strengthen their abilities to engage in conflict prevention and protection of women’s rights. Now they’re sharing their learnings with their community. Read more>>
Uzbekistan Adopting Landmark Legislation On Gender-Based Violence: Parliament in Uzbekistan has adopted landmark legislation aimed at providing women and children with greater legal protections against gender-based violence. Activists faced resistance every step of the way. Read more>>
How Anti-Abortion Laws Disproportionately Impact Indigenous People: Native American reproductive rights activists say bans on abortion are a ‘perpetuation of colonization.’ Read more>>
Latin American Feminism Has Much to Teach US Left on How to Fight for Abortion: “Mothers and grandmothers redefined what it means to do politics,” says Camila Valle. On this podcast, guests discuss the struggle for abortion rights and access in Chile and Argentina, the need for democratic structures in movement work, and how Chilean feminists has used art and performance to bring feminist theory to the streets. Read more>>
3 States Are Stockpiling Abortion Pills After Far Right Court Ruling: Democratic governors are positioning their states as abortion havens as right-wingers attack access. Read more>>
Drag Queen Crash CMAs Performance After Drag Was Banned: In March, Tennessee passed legislation banning public drag performances and classified male and female impersonation as a “sexual” performance akin to stripping. The Country Music Awards (CMA) faced roadblocks over its refusal to throw drag queens under the bus. So, they moved to Texas and let the drag queens crash the show. Read more>>
Interrupting Cycles of Violence: In this new report, Nonviolent Peaceforce share stories of their people-centered approach to protecting civilians, and what that means in practice. With examples from Ukraine, Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, Iraq, the Philippines, and the United States, the report details initiatives taken by local communities and Nonviolent Peaceforce to interrupt cycles of violence. Read more>>
Tick, Tock, TikTok, the Nuclear Conundrum Today: The clock has never been so close to midnight and the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is using every tool at its disposal to keep clanging the alarm bell. Read more>>
Leicester’s Israeli Weapons Factory Issued Eviction Notice: Activists protesting outside of the UAV Tactical Systems factory in Leicester have issued Elbit with an eviction notice – giving them one month to vacate the drone factory before the Palestine Action ‘siege’ commences on May 1st. Read more>>
Antiwar Groups March On Boeing: University of Washington students, supporters and youths of oppressed nationalities targeted by U.S. imperialism marched on the Seattle Boeing plant on March 26. The march by 150 chanting demonstrators protested on the 20-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of Iraq. Read more>>
African Nations Refuse To Endorse Sanctions & Pick Sides In Russia-Ukraine: When President Biden announced sanctions against Russia over their February, 2022 invasion of Ukraine, he expected full support. But not one of Africa’s 54 countries as joined US sanctions against Russia. Many are neutral; some even supporting Russia’s war to prevent NATO’s eastward expansion to Russia’s borders. Read more>>
Campaign Nonviolence Creates Nonviolent Action Coloring Pages: In an effort to promote nonviolence education with people of all ages, Pace e Bene/Campaign Nonviolence has created a series of coloring book pages that portray historic nonviolent struggles. With an accompanying study guide and further resources on the website, they are designed to aid teachers, parents, and activists in opening up social justice conversations through art. Read more>>
When the Ruling Party is the Butt of the Joke – Humor and Resistance in Nigeria’s Recent Elections: Aggrieved parties and ordinary citizens have been demanding transparent judgment or re-election, and they’ve been doing so through nonviolent actions that draw heavily on creativity and humor. Read more>>
Brass Bands, Giant Salmon, Light Projections – Backbone Campaign In Action: Using huge props and eye-catching artful activism, this artful activism group helped people take action to remove dams, save salmon, advance solutionary rail, support striking Starbucks workers, and much more. Read more>>
How To Host a Permablitz – An Urban “Barnraising” For Sustainable Yards: In Australia, permablitzing is a thing. Two organizers from Down Under explain how to rally friends and neighbors and transform your urban or suburban yard to a sustainable wonderland in a single afternoon. Read more>>
Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies Review – A Blast From the Past Through a Modern Lens: Paramount Plus’ 1950s-set series ‘Grease: Rise Of The Pink Ladies’ is filled with progressive Gen-Z values. Their struggles derive from not only the misogyny they come up against, but the discrimination they face thanks to their cultural identities. Read more>>
The Housing Victory 50 Years In The Making: “Rabble Rousers: Frances Goldin and the Fight for Cooper Square” is a newly-released documentary telling the story of how a diverse group of New Yorkers, led by housing organizer Frances Goldin, fought a 50-year struggle against abandonment, white flight, violence, drugs and “Power Broker” Robert Moses to save a 12-block section of lower Manhattan from being destroyed. Read more>>
What The Israeli Defense Forces’ Protests Imply About The Role of The Military In Democracies: With reservists refusing or threatening to refuse to report for duty if legislation weakening judicial oversight passes, the ruptures between the military and the political establishment raise three broad questions with implications for Israel and other democracies whose militaries are increasingly pulled into politics: Read more>>
The Hunger Strike – A Tested Tactic By Azerbaijan’s Jailed Activists: Many jailed oppositionists have resorted to the desperate measure of a hunger strike over the country’s three decades of independence. On a few occasions it has borne fruit, as those on strike managed to eventually win their freedom. But, recent hunger strikes by jailed opposition figures have not achieved their desired ends. Read more>>
How Major League Baseball Came Together For ‘Life-Changing’ New Contract For The Minor Leagues: “It’s life-changing for a lot of people now,” Nambiar said, “and for generations going forward.” In-person discussions and first-person stories led to a landmark first collective-bargaining agreement for minor league players, who described their struggle to understand how an $11 billion-a-year industry could so disregard the mental and physical well-being of its next generation of players. Read more>>
‘Unite to Survive’: Mass Banner Drop Promotes XR Climate Rally at UK Parliament: “I am very worried about the world my students will inherit,” said one history teacher. “This is why I will be in London from April 21st to demand meaningful action on the climate and ecological crisis.” Learn more>>
Swarms & Flocks, Phase Shifts & Tipping Points—Living Systems For Changing Systems: By tapping into the wisdom of living systems, we can find ways to work with the patterns of change. From the grace of swarming bees to the strategy of flocks of birds, we can glean knowledge that can help us work with our communities to unleash powerful, transformative change. (April 19) Learn more>>
Pacem In Terris at 60: Is the Catholic Church Heeding the Call to Gospel Nonviolence? Pax Christi International’s Catholic Nonviolence Initiative has worked to move Gospel nonviolence from “the margins of the Church to the center.” Join them to reflect on 60 years of the landmark encyclical, Pacem In Terris. (April 19) Learn more>>
Intro to Gandhian Nonviolence with Ela Gandhi: This four week course will explore Gandhian nonviolence, constructive program, preparation for action, and more. Learn more>>
Send a Message To Asset Managers: Stop Big Banks From Funding Climate Chaos! BlackRock, Vanguard, Fidelity, and State Street, four of the biggest players on Wall Street, are top shareholders at nearly every major bank and insurance company. Their size means they have make-or-break voting power in determining the outcomes of these votes. Learn more>>
Disability Justice & Indigenous African Cosmologies: Join us for a new 2-part series where we’ll focus on combating ableism and conflict avoidance with Interdependence and Sacred Responsibility frameworks (Mbongi, Ubuntu, Egbé). Learn more>>
Thriving Communities Webinar Series: Addressing group culture and how to navigate conflict, this webinar series offers tools and strategies for helping movements soar. Learn more>>
How To Hold A Nonviolence Teach-In: Get skills and tools for holding a nonviolence teach-in. This session will cover what to teach, how to facilitate a lively discussion, where to hold your teach-in, and how to reach out to partner groups to make it happen. We will share creative ideas for your teach-in and help you feel comfortable in asking your faith center, local school, youth group, or even your workplace to hold an event. (May 13) Learn more>>
Writing Nonviolence II: Personal Stories & Memoir With Rivera Sun: From saving spiders to eating a vegetarian diet to protesting against nuclear weapons, we all have nonviolence stories to share. This 6-week course will explore how you can express your experiences in writing. We will look at personal stories, creative essays, and memoir for people of all ages. (Starts May 16) Learn more>>
24-Hr Peacewave: International Peace Bureau and World BEYOND War are planning a second-annual 24-hour peacewave on July 8-9, 2023. This is a 24-hour-long Zoom featuring live peace actions in the streets and squares of the world, moving around the globe with the sun. (July 8-9) Learn more>>
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