WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR

May 3, 2024

Monterey County

Quote of the Week:
“Science of war leads one to dictatorship pure and simple. Science of nonviolence can alone lead one to pure democracy. ~ Mahatma Gandhi

All events are Pacific Time. New items are in blue.

Through May 12, in-person and virtual screenings, The Reel Work May Day Labor Film Festival takes place in California's central coast communities in and around Santa Cruz each year around May 1st, International Workers Day. Reel Work presents cultural events and award-winning cinematic representations of labor that include local and international works, and world premieres as well as classics. Find the schedule at reelwork[dot]org

Saturday, May 4, 11 am - 4 pm, in person, Red Dress Day: Honoring Missing and Murdered Indigenous People and raising awareness about violence against Indigenous community members. The program includes a traditional memorial ceremony, singers, stories, dance, and food. A panel discussion moderated by Barbara Bain (Upper Klamath Shasta-Hawaiian) will discuss 2024 updates on the California Murdered and Missing Indigenous People movement, legislation, and other responses from potential allies. Free event at Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside. All are invited.

Saturday, May 4, 5 pm - 8 pm, in person, Together with Love Fundraising Dinner at the picturesque Club at Pasadera, 100 Pasadera Dr. in Monterey. The Monterey County Rape Crisis Center (MCRCC) invites all who believe in their mission -- supporting survivors of sexual violence, child abuse, and human trafficking. Prize bundles will be raffled at the event; prizes include gift certificates to hotels, restaurants, wine, spa services, whale watching tours, and other fun or relaxing activities. You need not be present to win. Raffle tickets may be purchased on the website even if you can't attend the dinner. Dinner and raffle tickets are on sale HERE.

Sunday, May 5, 12 noon, virtual event, International Workers Day Celebration: Reproductive Justice is Labor's Fight! From abortion to gender-affirming care and in-vitro fertilization treatments, the attacks on reproductive rights are intensifying. Join this discussion on how the working class is fighting back. Learn about the exciting campaign to press the AFL-CIO to call for an emergency conference on reproductive justice. Guest Speaker Jordana Sardo, Oregon AFSCME Local 88 Executive Board, Labor Coordinator for National Mobilization for Reproductive Justice. For more info, contact 415-864-1278 or bayareafsp@socialism.com Register for the Zoom livestream HERE.

Tuesday, May 7, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, in person, Letter & Postcard Writing, at the PG Juice n’ Java (enter 599 Lighthouse Avenue at 16th Street). Swing Left Monterey Peninsula invites participants to help increase voter turnout by writing Vote Forward letters to low-propensity voters in targeted states. All materials will be provided. RSVP HERE.

Tuesday, May 7, 4 pm – 5 pm, virtual event, “The Challenge of a “Just, Orderly, and Equitable” Fossil Fuel Phase Out.” Tom Athanasiou, a member of the Extraction Equity Working Group (EEWG), will introduce the EEWG’s initial approach and discuss the state of play. This is part of the Environmental Justice and Sustainability Speaker Series sponsored by the Center for the Blue Economy at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies in Monterey. Free event; open to the public. Find the details HERE. For more info, contact Rachel C. at cbe@middlebury.edu or call 831-647-4183.

Wednesday, May 8, 12 noon, in person, The Monterey County Grand Jury, a “Lunch & Learn” presentation hosted by the League of Women Voters of Monterey County at their Annual Meeting. Guest Speakers Tom M. Mastre and Maria A. Y. Garcia will discuss the workings of the Monterey County Civil Grand Jury as well as the responsibilities of Civil Grand Juries. Q&A will follow. This free talk will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Road, Carmel, CA. Doors open at 11:15 am for registration/ Lunch is at noon and the Program begins at 12:30. Lunch is $25 per person, payable at the door by cash or check. (Mediterranean fare catered by the International Cuisine of Pacific Grove). Reservations for lunch are required! Contact: Beverly Bean in advance at (831) 236-1611 or email beverlygb@gmail.com. Find more details HERE. This talk will be recorded and posted on the LWVMC website (under Videos)

Wed, May 8, 3 pm - 5 pm, in person, LGBTQIA+ Student Wellness Expo at the Monterey County Office of Education (MCOE), 901 Blanco Circle, Rooms A & B, in Salinas, CA. This is a gathering of collective forces and resources to support the mental health & wellness of our LGBTQIA+ students. School districts & community-based organizations are invited to participate with a resource table. Register HERE. Find more info HERE.

Friday, May 10, 3 pm – 4:30 pm, the Monthly Meeting of Veterans For Peace, Monterey Chapter 46. In-person and live-streamed on Zoom. Members and supporters are invited to attend the meeting in person at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., in Seaside, CA. Or join directly with the NEW ZOOM LINK HERE. VFP Chapter 46 meets the second Friday of each month at 3:00 pm PT at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center in Seaside (Optionally on Zoom.) VFP is open to all veterans and supporters. For more info, visit vfp46.com. For more info, contact Chapter President Michael Dempsey at mikedevfp46@gmail.com.

Saturday, May 11, 12 noon, in person, Joan Baez: I am Noise (2023), part of the "Saturday Cinema” film series at the Carmel Foundation’s Diment Hall, located at the Southeast Corner of 8th and Lincoln Avenue in Carmel-by-the-Sea. At the end of a 60-year career, legendary singer and activist Joan Baez takes an honest look back and a deep look inward as she reflects upon her large, history-making life. Documentary (PG-13),

runtime 1hr 53min. You must be a current Carmel Foundation member to sign up for classes and activities. Learn about membership HERE.

Saturday, May 11, 11 am - 12 noon, in person, Life In The Chinese Fishing Village, 1886, Storytelling & Children's Activities at Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest St., in Pacific Grove. Spend a day in 1886 with Susie Wong, a 10-year-old girl from the Chinese fishing village in Monterey. Learn what life was like in the Chinese village as storyteller Bowen Lee recreates the life of her great-grandmother, Wong Choy Kui, who was born in 1877 at the Pt. Alones fishing village. Bowen Lyam Lee is a professional storyteller and educator. Free event. Register and find more details HERE.

Saturday, May 11, 1 pm - 4 pm, Walk of Remembrance honoring the Monterey Peninsula's Chinese Fishing Village Communities. The Pacific Grove Museum of Natural History invites the public to walk from the museum at 165 Forest Avenue in Pacific Grove, down the Recreation Trail, to Hopkins Marine Station (1.9 miles). Register and find more details HERE

Sunday, May 19, 2 pm – 3:30 pm, in person and on Zoom, Steering Meeting for the Peace Coalition of Monterey County, at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., in Seaside. Join by Zoom directly HERE. Meeting ID: 862 5751-7831. Passcode: 892119. For more information, contact co-chair Sidney Ramsden Scott at sramsdenscott@hotmail.com

Saturday, May 25, 12 noon - 5 pm, in person, Teaching, Learning, and Healing: George Floyd Community Engagement and Building Bridges Symposium at Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave in Seaside. 12 noon to 3:30: Presentations by educators, law enforcement, and community leaders. 3:45 pm to 5 pm: Hands-on Art workshop facilitated by Glodean Champion, Art Therapist. Free event. RSVP HERE to let the organizers know how many lunches to order.

Friday, May 31, 6 pm - 8 pm, in person, Commemorating Daniel Ellsberg: His Speeches and Peacemaking. June 16 will mark the one-year anniversary of the death of Daniel Ellsberg. As a voice of reason in a nuclear-armed world, his legacy was his relentless quest to end the threat of nuclear weapons. Presented by the Peace Coalition of Monterey County, hosted by the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. Free event.

Sunday, June 2, 11 am - 5 pm, 8th Annual Palenke International Music & Arts Festival featuring The Curtis Family C-Notes (60s - 70s inspired Bay Area funk), Nā Haumāna (Polynesian dance ensembles), Jesús Díaz y Su QBA (9-piece Cuban band), Calpulli Ocelocihuati (Mexika Dancers), all of the Palenke Arts Ensembles, food vendors, art booths and much more! Laguna Grande Park (lakeside), 1249 Canyon Del Rey Blvd. in Seaside. Find more details HERE.

Saturday-Sunday, June 22-24, 6 am- 6 am, virtual event, Third Annual 24-Hour Peace Wave: No to Militarization – Yes to Cooperation 2024. World BEYOND War and International Peace Bureau (IPB) will live-stream a non-stop 24-hour rolling rally. The program includes video from protests, demonstrations, vigils, teach-ins, music, art, and live speakers. It will follow live peace actions in the streets and squares of the world, moving around the globe with the sun. There will be a live Q&A section on Zoom for the last 10 minutes of each hour. Register and find more info HERE.

ACTION AND INFORMATION

Action: Oppose SB 1081 that would tie CA driver's license applications with the federal Selective Service (draft). On May 16, 2024, the decision on whether to move this bill to a floor vote will be announced at an Appropriations Committee meeting. Find details for expressing opposition on the Friends Committee on Legislation of California (FCLCA) website.

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Action: Amplify student calls for divestment. Send a letter to over 120 university presidents with Gaza solidarity encampments on their campuses. Sponsored by CODEPINK

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Article: Military and Moral Failures: How Iran’s Israel Strike Reshaped the Region Forever, by Kit Klarenberg, May 2, 2024, for Mint Press News

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Action Alerts: Visit FCNL’s Action Center for a list of action alerts and pre-formatted/editable letters to members of Congress. Hosted by Friends Committee on National Legislation Action Center (FCNL).

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English Second Language Classes: Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 pm – 7:30 pm at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., in Seaside. No registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome. Seeking volunteer ESL teaching assistants. More info HERE. Monday and Tuesday classes, contact instructor Carlota Andrews at siandrewso@gmail.com. Tuesday Conversation class, email Susan Morse at smorse21st@gmail.com

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Online Google Calendar! Social Justice Community Calendar, (short for Monterey County Social Justice Community Events Calendar). The primary focus is to list non-partisan social justice events in Monterey County (in-person), and virtual events from any location. It currently appears on the following websites: Monterey Peace and Justice Center, NAACP Monterey Branch, NCBI, The Caste Action Alliance, and Whites for Racial Equity. Help make this a meaningful tool for the community. Contact Anita Crawley acrawley@comcast.net about adding your organization’s events to the calendar.

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Whites for Racial Equity eBlast. Find an online version of the e-Blast.

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IndyBay Event Calendar. Independent open-publishing newswire serving California.

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Local Advocacy: The Monterey County Branch of Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) welcomes your membership in an international women’s peace organization that has advocated for peace for more than a century. Learn more about WILPF HERE. Download a copy of the WILPF membership application HERE.

PEACE COALITION INFORMATION

The Peace Coalition of Monterey County (PCMC) is a coalition of eight Monterey County organizations working for nonviolent solutions to world conflicts since 1991. If world peace is one of the concerns of your organization, consider joining the Coalition. Contact Co-chair, Sidney Ramsden Scott at sramsdenscott@hotmail.com.

The Weekly Peace Calendar is a project of PCMC. The calendar evolved in the early 2000’s to facilitate networking among Peace Coalition organizations. The Peace Calendar may be viewed on the Monterey Peace and Justice Center website at tinyurl.com/Weekly-Peace-Calendar.

Please send information about peace, nonviolence, social-justice, democracy and environmental sustainability-related events in Monterey County to Catherine at cm_crockett@sbcglobal.net.

The Weekly Peace Calendar is dedicated to the memory of Joyce Vandevere, who compiled and published this calendar for many years. Joyce died at the age of 94 on February 17, 2021. She is remembered for her lifelong peace and justice activism. Visit the Peace Center in Seaside Wednesday afternoons between 1 pm and 5:30 pm to view the memorial quilt created to honor Joyce’s memory.

Direct your questions about the Peace Coalition of Monterey County to Chair, Sidney Ramsden Scott, sramsdenscott@hotmail.com.

MONTEREY PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER

The Peace and Justice Center at 1364 Fremont Boulevard has reopened and if staffed Wednesdays, 1 pm to 5:30 pm. Wi-fi has been restored and regular cleaning services have been arranged to ensure the health and safety of guests. Contact Catherine Crockett at (831) 899-7322 to arrange venue scheduling and for any questions or concerns about using the Center.

Volunteer Opportunities: To learn about tasks for the Center, leave a message about volunteering at 899-7322 or email montereypeaceandjustice@gmail.com.

History: The Monterey Peace and Justice Center was envisioned and founded by Valori George in 2004 as a venue to support the activities of Monterey Peace Coalition organizations. Since its opening, it has been a networking center and resource center for those groups and others who were working for similar purposes. MPJC moved to its present Seaside location at 1364 Fremont Boulevard in 2008.

The mission of the Monterey Peace and Justice Center is to inspire and mobilize the people of Monterey County to cultivate peace, social justice, nonviolence, democracy, and environmental sustainability in our community and the world through education and advocacy. MPJC presents a wide spectrum of topics to stir up conversation about the issues. The MPJC board does not necessarily endorse the views of every speaker or film. Our aim is to stimulate civil discourse around the issues and encourage participants to become engaged as change makers for a just society.

Website: https://peacecentral.wordpress.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/montereypeaceandjusticecenter/

Donations: Thanks to the continuous generosity of caring people in Monterey County, MPJC is able (when gatherings are allowed) to provide a venue for a host of allied community groups. If you wish to support MPJC’s education and advocacy, you can do so by sending a check to MPJC at P.O. Box 1823, Seaside, CA 93955. Or you can donate securely by PayPal or credit card on MPJC’s website, PeaceCentral.wordpress.org.

Direct your questions about the Monterey Peace and Justice Center to Catherine Crockett, 899-7322 or montereypeaceandjustice@gmail.com.

For more information about events listed, contact the sponsoring organization. The events and actions listed here are not necessarily endorsed by the Peace Coalition nor any of the Coalition organizations other than the sponsor of the listed item. The listings are provided as a community service. PCMC cannot guarantee the accuracy of listed items. To ensure this Peace Calendar is not bounced, add cm_crockett@sbcglobal.net to your address book or whitelist.

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