Helen Evelev (on left) and Jean Haskell (on right). Photo credit: Tina Shelton

by Tina Shelton
Chair, Greater Philadelphia Branch

November 2023

On Sep 15th, the Greater Philadelphia Branch joined Fridays for our Future, Philadelphia at a rowdy rally and march. Peace activists were there to show solidarity with our youth. Peace & Planet before Profit! Also, on September 21st, Tina Shelton and Sylvia Metzler cheerfully joined the Peace Day Philly Gathering at City Hall. Tina shared a land acknowledgement, we tabled and Sylvia showed off our “photo prop” that we can use at future tabling events as well.

Photo: Sylvia Metzler with the photo prop. Credit: Tina Shelton

Additionally, we participated in a rally for Defuse Nuclear on September 27th with the Brandywine Peace Community, and with other activists calling for Peace in Ukraine at Lockheed Martin on September 30th. At these actions, we made calls for everything from an equitable juvenile justice system, to No Nukes, to that ever-expanding military budget! The branch is also keeping in touch with our friends from Korea Peace Now, and we are building connections with a local reparations movement.

Since October 7th, we have recognized the trauma of the victims and their family and friends, beginning with village residents and then the residents of Gaza, as well as Palestinians elsewhere. Members attended a talk by Phil Weiss, Founder and Senior Editor of Mondoweiss, who graciously changed his topic to account for current events. We joined lobbying calls with staff for our DC officials. We mourned and joined our voices to others, some new friends, some old. Throughout our grief, we know we must take breaks and keep going, for indeed, it is for times like these that we in WILPF are made.

Tina Shelton. Credit: Sylvia Metzler