By Gloria McMillan, WILPF Tucson Branch member
Amid the Sonoran Desert landscape of Southern Arizona, members of the WILPF Tucson Branch demonstrate that lasting social change is never a sole endeavor. By connecting grassroots activism with national campaigns, the chapter serves as a vital hub, bringing diverse voices together to confront systemic oppression, war, and militarism. WILPF Tucson’s collaborative spirit—evident in partnerships with local peace centers (highlighted in the Tucson Peace Calendar)—reflects a deep commitment to intersectional justice.
Many organizations collaborate closely with WILPF Tucson, including The Nuclear Resister—a cornerstone of Tucson’s anti-nuclear movement. The Nuclear Resister and WILPF work hand-in-hand to protest nuclear weapons development and the deployment of armed drones. Members from both groups regularly join in monthly vigils at the gates of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and the Raytheon Missile Systems factory. This collective advocacy, along with other organizations, played a key role in the Tucson City Council’s unanimous resolution supporting the U.N. Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
Salt of the Earth Labor College, a dedicated workers’ school in Tucson, has had a longstanding partnership with WILPF on educational initiatives. Named after the 1954 film about the New Mexican zinc workers’ strike—“Salt of the Earth,” which was banned—the college continues its legacy through the efforts of Joe Bernick and Steve Valencia, who coordinate seminars and webinars throughout the school year. (Steve was an uncredited child actor in the film.) WILPF Tucson’s collaborations with the labor college often result in workshops and panels—such as “Learning to Live Without War”—in which leaders from both organizations discuss labor rights, anti-militarism, and social justice. By linking working-class struggles with the peace movement, Salt of the Earth Labor College offers WILPF members opportunities to engage with local union members and community organizers.
The Jon Miles Chapter (Chapter 13) of Veterans For Peace remains a steadfast ally of WILPF at events such as the Tucson Peace Fair. Named for a renowned local activist—a Vietnam veteran and union member—the chapter partners with WILPF to expose the “true costs of war” and advocate for the rights of veterans and refugees. Whether protesting VA privatization or opposing foreign military interventions, both organizations are united by their commitment to internationalism and nonviolent resistance.
Finally, a new branch of WILPF Tucson is taking root at the University of Arizona. The Campus WILPF group has been building support across various schools, academic departments, and labs, while organizing dynamic campus events. In response to the censorship of feminist nude portrait painter Bailey Doogan’s fifty-year retrospective at the university’s Museum of Art, Campus WILPF and the Tucson Raging Grannies led a “March Fourth for Women!”—a march and sing-in for women’s rights and artistic freedom, which received coverage in the student newspaper. The group is also exploring a project on campus hunger.
Everything works better when we collaborate—an approach reflected in the Tucson Peace Calendar, skillfully edited by Alice Whittenburg, which highlights community events. Supporting one another and celebrating the successes of all groups, not just our own, demonstrates in daily practice how solidarity builds community and amplifies our collective voice. We invite you to visit us in Tucson!
