Visioning Peace: WILPF Shares Creative Power of Nonviolent Action at Fridays at Fetterman’s Vigil
WILPF’s Greater Philadelphia Branch has been a supporter of Fridays at Fetterman’s since its earliest weeks. Fridays at Fetterman’s is the only regular weekly vigil in Philadelphia advocating for a ceasefire and Palestinian rights in the ongoing conflict, while also denouncing violence from both sides.
The Greater Philadelphia Branch organized a teach-in as part of a 24-hour vigil encampment coordinated by the Fridays at Fetterman’s team. The teach-in, titled “Visioning Peace on a Legacy of Peacebuilding,” provided an opportunity for WILPF members to share their perspectives on the creative power of nonviolent organizing, including specific examples that resulted in positive impacts. Often, the effects of nonviolent action are difficult to measure because they manifest in what does NOT happen. By sharing stories of positive outcomes, we are building on others’ efforts and creating the conditions for positive change. One of these conditions is our ability to envision the healthy transformation we seek. This visioning process can sometimes be hindered by a lack of media attention on successes, limited knowledge of history, and a negativity bias, as our brains, wired for success, tend to focus more on negative events than positive ones.
During the teach-in, we highlighted organizations that are actively and creatively envisioning peace, such as Project Enduring Peace and the Founding Mothers Movement, both led by WILPF women. We also heard from CODEPINK about its Local Peace Economy campaign and plan to continue engaging with local CODEPINK members to learn more about how this project is fostering positive change. We concluded the teach-in by acknowledging the urgent circumstances we face and calling on everyone to participate as they are capable, contributing to the transformation that WILPF and other organizations are working towards.
If you’d like to learn more about the 24-hour encampment, visit the Fridays at Fetterman’s website. If you have questions about the teach-in, please contact Tina Shelton at at-largeBdMemberTina [at] wilpfus [dot] org.
