Announcements
Published on May, 48 2024
May 2024
Spring/Summer Issue of Peace & Freedom Now Available Online
The Spring/Summer issue of Peace & Freedom is now available online. And only online. Our strategy is to alternate between digital-only (like this issue) and a print/digital issue (like the Fall/Winter 2023 issue). This allows us to continue to publish our magazine biannually but to save on costly printing and distribution expenses.
Click here to view PDF as "turnable pages" using Yumpu.
Click here to access a standard PDF.
The digital version is available to everyone, so let your friends and colleagues know that the magazine is available to read on the WILPF US website.
You will find 35th Congress preview material on pp. 2-4, but this issue is mostly focused on what we need to challenge and change in our current economic systems and structures so we can have a ‘solidarity economy’ that cares for all people and the planet.
Articles include Rickey Gard Diamond on the “financialization” of our economy and how this relates to violence and authoritarianism, Rev. Rowan Fairgrove on poverty as a risk factor for death, Angela Priestley on climate action and investing in the care economy, and Tina D. Shelton and Adrian Bernal on the election-year myths being propagated about immigration and the increasing militarization of our borders. Two reports on COP 28, by Cindy Piester and Tamara Lorincz, are deeply informative about the solutions needed at this crucial moment, such as disarmament for decarbonization, cutting military spending for climate finance, and environmental peacebuilding.
In her opening message, WILPF US President Darien De Lu encourages WILPF branches and members to “connect and organize with local movements, building on WILPF’s issue committees’ work” and, during this election year, to “challenge the focus on powerful fear narratives: job insecurity, violence, claims of increasing crime, foreign enemies.”
‘1,000 Grandmothers’ Song Festival: Women's Voices for Peace
Taking place on May 9 & 10, 2024 in Washington, DC. One doesn't need to be a grandmother to participate in this event and younger women are most welcome to join their voices in this call for peace. Women will be coming from throughout the US, so close proximity to DC needn't be a determining factor.
WILPF US President Darien De Lu endorsed this event, saying: “We're facing some hard times coming ahead, and we need the power of the women — including song! I'm hoping that this event will inspire others, across the country.”
Inspired by Holly Near's song to "Send in 1,000 Grandmothers," a grassroots coalition of women singers/songwriters/activists have joined with CODEPINK and others to share our collective grief and our outrage about the wars raging around the world... wars killing disproportionate numbers of children, mothers, and grandmothers while men in suits abet the slaughter and grow richer on the profits.
We believe the time has come to sing our truth to power, so we are inviting all women of tender heart and strong conviction to gather in our nation's Capital to combine our voices in a call for an end to the killing and the sorrow.
We chose this time, a lead-in to Mother’s Day, as a reminder that long before Hallmark, Mother’s Day was created as a call for peace. We will amplify that call and sing out together for a lasting peace and for the liberation of oppressed people everywhere.
In addition to women singer/songwriters, and women who sing in community choruses, we invite ALL women of any age to join their voices with ours. A 'good singing voice' is absolutely NOT necessary!
Here are the details:
Thursday, May 9
- 10 am to 4 pm: Visits with your Congressional Reps/Senators
- Gather at 10 am at Rayburn Office Building Cafeteria (45 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, DC). Greeters will be available all day for latecomers.
- 7 pm: "1,000 Grandmothers" Participatory Concert and Sing-Along. Emma's Revolution will lead us off. The Black Workers Center Chorus, Colleen Kattau, the DC Labor Chorus, Hannah Porrua, and the Raging Grannies are just a few of the other participating song-leaders. Many others and venue TBA. And, of course, there will be YOU!
Friday, May 10
- 10 am to 1 pm: Visits with your Congressional Reps/Senators. As above
Other opportunities for singing (and possibly wailing) will no doubt arise.
I have questions. Who do I call?
Paki Weiland (413) 695-1877
Vicki Ryder (WILPF US Triangle NC Branch member) (585) 314-1413
