Program: Friday, August 20

4:15 PM PDT
Transformations - Showing Up for Racial Justice -

Paul Kivel is a social justice educator, activist and writer whose work spans five decades in community education, engaged parenthood, political writing, and practical activism. Kivel works for collective healing, transformation and justice. He asks us “How can we live and work together to nurture each individual and create a multicultural society based on love, caring, justice, and interdependence with all living things?” Kivel is part of the group that started SURJ—Showing Up for Racial Justice and a leader in the anti-racism movement developing resources for white people working for racial, economic and gender justice.  Kivel’s revised, updated 4th edition of his book, Uprooting Racism: How White People Can Work for Racial Justice, is being used by WILPF both nationally and by branches.

5:15 PM PDT
Breaking Out of White Supremacy

The Greater Philadelphia Branch will review and model ideas based on the work of Resmaa Menakem, particularly his book My Grandmother’s Hands. Changing white body supremacy culture is dependent on using a somatic approach to racial justice, and we will discuss how trauma impacts this work. We will present settling techniques and what it means to use Mr. Menakem’s 5 anchors when we are caught in an uncomfortable situation, and touch on body-centered activism.

Sylvia Metzler is a retired Nurse Practitioner, Co-chair of Medicines for Nicaragua (which supports a medical clinic in Nicaragua), agent of change and person who shaves head to engage in courageous conversations.

Louise Lisi was born and raised in Philadelphia, where she lived all of her life except for the years 1970 to 1986.  She grew up with WILPF because her mother was an active member.  In high school she joined actions involving  civil rights and peace.  Her professional career was as a public health pediatrician  working in underserved areas of Baltimore, NYC, and Philadelphia. Now retired for six years, she enjoys her three young grandchildren, hiking, and peace and justice work.  She is active in  WILPF  and Christian Jewish Allies, a Philadelphia group seeking  a just peace in Israel/Palestine.

Pamela Albright, retired psychiatric nurse, currently an animal-assisted therapist with her therapy dog, and a therapeutic horseback riding instructor.  Worked on the United Farm Workers lettuce boycott in the early 1970s and did rank-and-file organizing as an AT&T telephone operator in the 1970s and early 1980s.  Strongly motivated to work on social justice issues and specifically against systemic racism after the murder of George Floyd.  

Gayle Simons taught school in Nigeria in the early 1960s as a Peace Corps volunteer, is also a Cuba supporter, potluck organizer extraordinaire, long-time WILPFer, and is learning to flip white body supremacy on its head. She enjoys taking her three grandchildren to demonstrations for peace and equality.

Tina Shelton  has been a member of WILPF since after 9/11 and an advocate for those with disabilities for longer. She is willing to develop a thick skin to make the world a better place, is a parent of three, one who strives for rational thinking in personal and professional work, and is constantly inspired by elder women activists. Resides outside Philadelphia.

6:15 PM PDT
Performance - Raging Grannies, WILPF Fresno