WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR
WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR
May 5, 2026
Monterey County
Embedded Files
Quote of the Week:
“Democracy is the only system that persists in asking the powers that be whether they are the powers that ought to be.” ~ Sydney J. Harris, American journalist, author, and syndicated columnist for the Chicago Daily News and Chicago Sun-Times
All events are Pacific Time. New items are in blue.
CALENDAR EVENTS
Tuesday, May 5, 6 pm - 8 pm, streamed live, California Gubernatorial Debate (live on CNN, CNN International & CNN en Español; streaming available on DirecTV, Sling, Hulu, and other TV streaming packages). Seven candidates will engage: Republicans Chad Bianco and Steve Hilton; Democrats Xavier Becerra, Matt Mahan, Katie Porter, Tom Steyer, and Antonio Villaraigosa. California’s open primary system (since Proposition 14) means all candidates compete together. The top two vote-getters on June 2 advance to November regardless of party. Strategic voting is a must!
Tuesdays, May 5 - May 19, 1 pm – 4 pm, Every Vote Matters: Postcards to Voters in the California June 2nd Primary. Pick up packets at the People’s Center for Progressive Change (formerly the Center for Change), 1238 Fremont Blvd, Seaside. HELP encourage Renters to Vote, “Your vote is your voice. Use it.” Sponsored by Progressive Dems of America. More info, georgetriley@gmail.com
Tuesdays in May (May 5, 12, 19, and 26), 6:30 pm – 8 pm, virtual series, Organizing for Climate Resilience: with Cherice Bock. Help build climate resilience in our communities. Explore how faith communities can serve as hubs for connection and steward their land to heal local ecosystems. Click to Register. Sliding scale cost. Offered by the Ben Lomond Quaker Center.
Thursday, May 7, 2:45 pm – 4 pm, in person, Operation North Star, a monthly action in front of the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, at the Sloat Ave and Del Monte Ave gates. Organized by Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 to call on Naval officers to follow their conscience and reject unlawful orders. Bring signs of encouragement and GI Helpline Resources. For more info, visit www.vfp46.org or contact Justin Loza, Justin.Loza.vfp46@gmail.com
Friday, May 8, 3 pm – 4:30 pm, in person and on Zoom, Monthly Meeting of Veterans For Peace, Monterey County Chapter 46. Members and allies are invited to attend the meeting in person at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., in Seaside. Or join via Zoom, directly HERE. Passcode 678017. For more info, contact Chapter President Justin Loza at justin.loza.vfp46@gmail.com. Chapter 46 meets on the second Friday of each month at 3:00 pm at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center in Seaside (Optionally on Zoom). Visit the website and blog at vfp46.org. Follow on Facebook JohnSteinbeckIV and on BlueSky Social vfp46.bsky.social
Friday, May 8, 6 pm - 7:30 pm, in person, Monterey County Million Rising, monthly meeting (2nd Friday) at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula (UUCMP), 490 Aguajito Rd., Carmel. RSVP HERE. Stay informed about MC Million Rising actions and resources by reviewing their running notes. Connect by emailing your name and how you heard about the group to mcmillionrising@gmail.com.
Saturdays, May 9, 10 am - 11:30 am, in person, Aromas Tri-County Indivisible San Juan 101 Overpass Bridge Brigade. Cole Road and San Juan Road, Aromas. Find a map and more details, and sign up HERE.
Saturday, May 9, 12 pm - 3 pm, Walk of Remembrance honoring the people and the legacy of the Monterey Peninsula's Chinese Fishing Village Communities. PG Museum of Natural History, 165 Forest Avenue in Pacific Grove. Walk to the Hopkins Marine Station (1.9 miles). Register and find more details about The Walk and other activities on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, HERE.
Saturday, May 9, 1 pm, in person, Japanese Americans on the Monterey Peninsula: Early Years, with Larry Oda and Tim Thomas. Seaside Library, 550 Harcourt Ave, Seaside. Click HERE to download the event flyer.
Tuesday, May 12, 9:30 am, in person, Defend Monterey County Residents Against I.C.E. at the Supervisor's Chambers, 168 West Alisal St., 1st Floor, in Salinas. Supervisor Wendy Root Askew drafted a declaration to protect residents from ICE, but county bureaucrats are blocking a vote. This would pass if brought to a vote! TAKE ACTION: Attend and speak in support of this declaration. KEY POINTS: (1) Demand the declaration be agendized for a vote, (2) It upholds Constitutional protections for all residents, and (3) Supervisors must honor their oath to the Constitution to defend against ICE's illegal actions. Read the Declaration HERE.
Tuesday, May 12, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, in person, Join Swing Left: Write Postcards and Help Register New Voters in Swing States. Meet at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 490 Aguajito Rd., Carmel. RSVP HERE so the organizers can anticipate supplies. Email HERE to request more than one packet.
Tuesday, May 12, 7 pm - 8 pm, (and other dates through June 30th), Virtual Workshop: Yes You Can(vass)! If you've never canvassed or just need a refresher, sign up for one of these workshops. They're offered on Tuesday dates starting through June. Learn how to register voters and to have deep, meaningful canvassing conversations with voters. Sign up HERE. For more Bay Area Coalition actions, visit https://bayareacoalition.org.
Wednesday, May 13, 12 pm, in person, Annual Meeting of the League of Women Voters of Monterey County at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Rd. in Carmel. Members will receive the agenda by mail. The “Lunch & Learn” segment will include a presentation of the two Vote! Video Contest winners followed by a Q&A session titled "Lobbying Your Elected Officials: The Receiving End" featuring former Monterey County Supervisor Mary Adams and former Marina City Councilmember Gail Morton. Doors open at 11 am for registration. Business meeting at 11:30 pm. Lunch (optional) is at 12:10 pm. Program starts at 12:30 pm. Lunch (Mediterranean fare) is $25 per person, payable at the door with cash or check. Contact Beverly Bean at (831) 236-1611 or beverlygb@gmail.com to make your Lunch Reservations by Monday, May 11. Find more details HERE. The video recording will be posted on the LWVMC website, under Videos.
Tuesday, May 19, June 2nd California Primary: To ensure your ballot is counted, mail it in by May 19th or use a drop box or voting center)
Wednesday, May 20, 10 am, virtual on Zoom, The Stakes Are Rising: Defending the 2026 Midterms. Join Verified Voting and the Brennan Center for Justice for a timely briefing on election security ahead of November’s midterms. Hear updates on emerging threats, election safeguards like paper ballots and audits, and how experts are working to protect voters and election systems. Register HERE for the Zoom link.
Saturday, May 30, 1 pm - 3 pm, in person, Enduring Democracy: Japanese Americans on the Monterey Peninsula (WWII to Present). Free film screening followed by a panel discussion with Larry Oda, Tim Thomas, and Jeff Uchida. Marina Library,190 Seaside Circle, Marina. Click HERE to download the event flyer.
ONGOING PEACE VIGILS
Mondays, 6 pm – 7:45 pm, English Second Language Classes at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., in Seaside. No registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome. For more information, text or phone Alex Stampher at 831-899-7322.
Thursdays, 6 pm – 7:30 pm (new time), English and Spanish for Citizenship, ESL and español para la ciudananía at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., in Seaside. Practice basic language skills in English and Spanish. Conversations vary depending on participants' English proficiency levels and interests. No registration necessary. Walk-ins welcome. For more information, text or phone Alex Stampher at 831-899-7322.
Thursdays, 24-hour Economic Boycott! Let your economic power send a message to the big corporations that exploit workers, fuel militarism, suppress unions, or abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion. Demand accountability and justice. Try to shop locally, if you must spend. Resources: WagingNonviolence.org and ChooseDemocracy.us/boycott-central/
Fridays, 4:30 pm - 5:30 pm, Peace Message Fridays at Window on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Avenue in Monterey, organized by the Peace Coalition of Monterey County. Contact Sidney Ramsden Scott at sramsdenscott@hotmail.com for more information.
Saturdays, 1 pm - 3 pm, Defenders of Democracy: Protest at Window on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Ave., Monterey. This is a nonviolent weekly action to protest the corrupt and fascist Trump Regime. We the People Will Not Be Silenced!
First and Third Sundays of each month, 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm, Vigil For Peace at the Star Market parking lot, corner of S. Main and Blanco Road, Salinas. This vigil intends to bear witness to the prospects for peace everywhere. It is guided by Quaker testimony and Dr. King's historic Principles of Nonviolent Action: fearlessness, community-building, pursuit of direct action for the cause, aversion of internal spiritual violence, as well as external violence and injustice. Sponsored by the Live Oak Friends Meeting. Email John Silva at roycamp39@gmail.com for more information.
Sundays, 3 pm - 5 pm, No Rest Until Liberation for Palestine, at Window on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Ave in Monterey. Activities include information sharing, art, street protest, music, community, and food. Rain or shine. Signs are available, or bring your own. Organized by Monterey Palestine Solidarity. More info, email montereypalestinesolidarity@gmail.com
ACTION AND INFORMATION
Action: Adopt A Corner- Seaside. Allies in or around Monterey Bay are called to join in adopting places where immigrant day laborers gather to seek work. Adopting a Corner means committing, as an ally to accompany, observe, and actively defend the civil and human rights of our immigrant community. It's an act of solidarity through nonviolent, peaceful resistance that helps prevent abuses and strengthen the fabric of our community. More about Adopt a Corner from NDLON. Sign Up Here
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Voter Information: Quick-reference for the June 2, 2026 CA Primary Election.
Key Dates to Know:
May 5 – Secure ballot drop boxes open
May 18 – Last day to register to vote
May 23 – Early in-person voting begins (Voter’s Choice Act counties)
May 30 (Saturday) – Early voting locations open statewide
June 2 – Election Day
Check your voter registration status.
Sign up for Ballot Trax to receive notifications about the status of your ballot.
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Article: How the US Pulled off an Armed Robbery of the World's Energy Supply and Created the Petrogas-Dollar by Richard Medhurst on Substack. It seems probable that other countries will be forced to take action against the US to stop these actions, and the war will come here. That is, unless Americans stop these bi-partisan predatory policies and actions. (submitted by Nina Beety, Monterey based activist)
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Social Justice Calendar, a comprehensive listing of actions and events around Monterey County (and beyond, if virtual). Use it to avoid scheduling conflicts when planning your local actions and events. Contact Anita Crawley acrawley@comcast.net to add your organization’s events to the calendar.
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Local Activism:
Join/Follow Indivisible Monterey Bay and Indivisible Salinas Valley on Facebook for timely notices about local, nonviolent direct actions.
Sign up for alerts from Unite Monterey County, a pro-democracy coalition of organizations and networks in Monterey County - formed to support direct, nonviolent actions to resist the agenda of the current administration.
Stay informed about 50501 Monterey Bay actions at https://linktr.ee/50501Monterey
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Contact your legislators - issue by issue, persistently.
Members of Congress:
U.S. Senators by phone: (202) 224-3121
Congress members by email: Congress.gov
Congress members by mail: Representatives / Senators
Congress members by fax: Representatives
Contact all your officials at once by Resistbot: Resist.bot/officials
The White House and other federal agencies: usa.gov/federal-agencies
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Whites for Racial Equity. To sign up for the e-blast, email whitesforracialequity@gmail.com
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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.
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Social Justice Calendar, a comprehensive listing of actions and events around Monterey County (and beyond, if virtual). To avoid calendar conflicts, please check it before scheduling your local actions and events. Contact Anita Crawley at acrawley@comcast.net to add your organization’s events to the calendar.
###
Local Activism:
Join/Follow Indivisible Monterey Bay and Indivisible Salinas Valley on Facebook for timely notices about local, nonviolent direct actions.
Sign up for alerts from Unite Monterey County, a pro-democracy coalition of organizations and networks in Monterey County - formed to support direct, nonviolent actions to resist the agenda of the current administration.
Stay informed about 50501 Monterey Bay actions at https://linktr.ee/50501Monterey
###
Contact your legislators - issue by issue, persistently.
Members of Congress:
U.S. Senators by phone: (202) 224-3121
Congress members by email: Congress.gov
Congress members by mail: Representatives / Senators
Congress members by fax: Representatives
Contact all your officials at once by Resistbot: Resist.bot/officials
The White House and other federal agencies:
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Local Advocacy: Whites for Racial Equity. To sign up for the e-blast, email whitesforracialequity@gmail.com
Local Advocacy: 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 Monterey County organizations working for nonviolent solutions to world conflicts since 1991. For more information about joining PCMC, 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 2000s to facilitate networking among Peace Coalition organizations. The Peace Calendar may be viewed on the Monterey Peace and Justice Center website, peacecentral.wordpress.org.
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 the calendar for many years, up until she died at the age of 94 on February 17, 2021. She is remembered for her lifelong peace and justice activism. She was active in the leadership of the Monterey County Branch of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the Monterey Peace and Justice Center until her passing. Representative Jimmy Panetta delivered a tribute to Joyce on the floor of the House of Representatives on April 8, 2021. View it HERE
MONTEREY PEACE AND JUSTICE CENTER
The Peace and Justice Center at 1364 Fremont Boulevard has reopened and is staffed on Wednesdays, 1 pm to 5:30 pm. The Peace Center is available for meetings and events. Capacity is 60. Wi-fi, audio-visual equipment, including a projector and screen, and other resources are available. Contact Catherine Crockett at (831) 899-7322 to arrange venue scheduling.
Volunteer Opportunities: 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 the Peace Coalition organizations. Since then, it has been a networking hub and resource center for those groups and other social and environmental justice advocacy groups. 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 on critical issues facing society. We aim to stimulate civil discourse on the issues and encourage participants to become engaged as change-makers for a just, equitable, and healthy society.
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