WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR

October 4, 2024

Monterey County

Quote of the Week:
“In a predictably grim phenomenon tied to outbreaks of global violence, aerospace and defense stocks climbed to record prices in an otherwise down day for the stock market, as Wall Street reacted to the latest escalation in the Middle East by anticipating larger contracts for military suppliers." from Defense Stocks Hit All-Time Highs Amid Middle East Escalation by Derek Saul for Forbes Magazine article, Oct 1, 2024

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

Fridays, 4 pm - 5 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.

Sunday, October 6, 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, Mobilize For Peace: Hands Off Lebanon at the Star Market parking lot, corner of S. Main and Blanco Rd., in Salinas. Co-sponsored by MPJC, Live Oaks Friends Meeting, and Salinas Palestine Solidarity.

Sunday, October 6, 3 pm - 5:00 pm, Hands Off Lebanon Rally at Window on the Bay, 717 Del Monte Ave in Monterey. Organized by Monterey Palestine Solidarity. More info at montereypalestinesolidarity.com

Tuesday, October 8, 10 am, webinar on Zoom, The Dangers of Deep-Sea Mining with Farah Obaidullah. a free, public discussion hosted by Collaborative for Health and the Environment (CHE) Alaska. As demand for critical minerals surges with the shift to green technology, the industry is turning to deep-sea mining—extracting valuable minerals from the ocean floor. The speaker will explore the current state of this emerging industry and its potential harm to fragile marine ecosystems. With so much still unknown, now is a pivotal time to shape the future of our oceans. Find more details and RSVP HERE.

Tuesday, October 8, 12 pm - 1 pm, online webinar, The Death Penalty Protects No One. Join Death Penalty Focus (DPF) for a free webinar on the 22nd World Day Against the Death Penalty. Panelists will challenge the myth that the death penalty can make people and communities safer. Panelists include Stephen Oliphant, Shelan Y. Joseph, and Miriam Aroni Krinsky. DPF Board Member Philip Hansten will moderate. Expect a lively and insightful conversation. Register HERE to receive the Zoom link.

Wednesday, October 9, 10 am - 3 pm, in person, Monterey County Career and Employment Opportunity Fair at Hartnell College, Steinbeck Hall, 411 Central Ave. in Salinas. Find more details HERE.

Wednesday, October 9, 12 noon. California Statewide Ballot Propositions: Pros and Cons, a talk by Marilyn Maxner and Marianne Gawain during the "Lunch & Learn" segment of the General Meeting of the League of Women Voters of Monterey County. League (LWVMC) members Marilyn Maxner and Marianne Gawain will present a one-hour talk about the 10 statewide propositions on the November 5, 2024 ballot. They will describe each proposition, the arguments for and against them, the endorsers on both sides, and the major money donors. Q&A will follow each proposition presentation. LWVMC speakers will not make recommendations for or against a proposition. At the the Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Road Carmel CA 93923. Registration at 11:30 Lunch is at 12:00 and Program at 12:30 pm. Lunch is $25 per person; pay at the door by cash or check. Lunch includes grilled salmon, rice, Greek salad, hummus, pita bread, fruit and baklava for dessert. Catering by Chef Faris Nimry, International Cuisine of Pacific Grove. Reservations for lunch are required! Contact Beverly Bean at beverlygb@gmail.com or 831-236-1611 for a reservation. Find more details about the program and make reservations for lunch on the LWV website.

Thursday, October 10, 12 pm, virtual on Zoom, Beyond the Battlefield: Demilitarizing Space for Global Peace. Vivienne Zhang and Bruce Gagnon will discuss the growing militarization of space and explore pathways to a peaceful future beyond our planet. Q&A follows. Register HERE. Sponsored by the Peace Economy Project and Space4Peace.org as part of Keep Space for Peace Week (October 5-12 2024).

Friday, October 11, 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. Join virtually HERE. Passcode 678017. For more info, contact Chapter President Michael Dempsey at mikedevfp46@gmail.com. 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.

Saturday, Oct 12, 11 am - 3 pm, in person, Spurs & Sparkles: 14th Annual Salinas Valley Pride Celebration at Central Park in Salinas. Don your best western attire with a dash of sparkle! Free event with fun activities for all ages. Local LGBTQ vendors, artists, and resources. Find more details on the Facebook event page HERE.

Tuesdays, October 15, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, in person, Write Letters and Postcards to Voters with Swing Left Monterey Peninsula at the PG Juice n’ Java, 599 Lighthouse Avenue at 16th Street. Get-out-the-Vote activists are invited to help increase voter turnout by writing Vote Forward cards and letters to low-propensity voters in targeted states. All materials will be provided. Packets of 25 postcards/stamps are $15 each. A packet of each without stamps is $2.50. Find more details HERE or contact: Maggie Pedersen maggie.pedersen52@gmail.com. Please patronize PGJJ by purchasing a drink and a nibble.

Thursday, October 17, 7 pm, in person and on Zoom, NAACP General Membership meeting. Join in person at Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby Ave., Seaside, in the Seaside Room. Members will receive a Zoom link. Non-members can request the Zoom link with an email to mcbnaacp1049@gmail.com. For more details, visit the NAACP website.

Friday, October 18, 5:30-8:00 pm, in person, Regeneración’s Supporter Appreciation Event, at the Watsonville Plaza Community Room, 260 Rodriquez St., Watsonville. Celebrating everyone who helped Regeneración grow into our region's leading Climate Justice Champion. Enjoy a light dinner, rich conversation, and a short, bilingual program. Register HERE.

Friday, October 18, 6:30 pm – 8 pm, in person, Sea Change in Mexican Electoral Politics, with Dr. Sharat G. Lin. On October 1, 2024, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum became Mexico’s first woman and Jewish president, winning by a historic landslide. Her victory strengthens the rise of Morena (Movimiento de Regeneración Nacional) after Andrés Manuel López Obrador's presidency, breaking the longstanding dominance of the PRI and PAN parties. Dr. Lin, who has observed Mexican elections since 2012, will discuss the factors behind this shift, its potential impact, and implications for U.S. policy in Latin America. Doors open 6 pm. Free event. Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. For more info, phone MPJC at 831-899-7322

Saturday, October 19, 2 pm - 3:30 pm, in person, Panel Discussion: Confronting the War Machine: Anti-Imperial Pathways to Peace in Palestine. Local community members connected to the region and the Palestinian liberation movement will discuss how advocates for anti-colonialism and justice can respond to Israel's increasing aggression. They will also examine the lack of response from regional and Western states and multilateral organizations. Panelist/audience conversation will follow. This free event is open to the public and will be held at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside.

Monday, October 21, Last day for regular voter registration in order to cast a ballot in the November 5, 2024 General Election. Register to Vote online HERE. California voters: check your Voter Registration Status and sign up for BallotTrax tracking HERE. Visit the Monterey County Elections website for listings of Candidates and Ballot Measures.

Tuesday, November 5, Vote in person between 7 am and 8 pm at polling places. This is the last day to return your ballot in person. Mailed ballots must be postmarked no later than Nov 5, 2024 and received by November 12, 2024.

Wednesday, November 6, 3:45 pm - 5:00 pm, in person, Vigil at Vandenberg Space Force Base: Nuclear Weapons are Illegal. All are invited to participate in these vigils, held the first Wednesday of each month at the Santa Maria gate at Vandenberg Space Force Base near Lompoc in Santa Barbara County. Sponsored by the Guadalupe Catholic Worker and other peace activists. Gather in the parking lot of Vandenberg Middle School at 1145 Mountain View Blvd, VSFB CA 93437 - across Highway 1 from the gate to Vandenberg SFB. Email macgregoreddy@gmail.com for more information or visit the Defuse Nuclear Weapons website HERE.

Saturday, November 9, 10:30 am – 12:30 am, in person, Reclaim Armistice Day Celebration at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd., Seaside, CA. A day that celebrates peace, not war, is the best way to honor the sacrifices of those who have served in war. Bring a bell to ring at 11 am. Bring story to tell, a song to sing, a quote to share, or a poem to read during the open mic segment. Join Veterans For Peace Chapter 46 in honoring Armistice/Veterans Day as it was originally intended, “a day to be dedicated to the cause of world peace and to be thereafter celebrated.” More details to follow.

Wednesday, November 13, 12 pm – 1 pm, in person, Election Polarization, with Steven W. Hughes, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor of Politics and Public Administration at CSU Stanislaus where he headed the Center for Public Policy Studies. Presented by the League of Women Voters of Monterey County at the “Lunch & Learn” segment of their November General Meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula More details will be posted HERE. Contact George Riley georgetriley@gmail.com

Friday, November 15, 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm, in person, The Folly of Escalating Cold War with China. Dr. Sharat G. Lin will discuss the growing U.S.-China tensions, examining the economic, political, and social factors pushing the two superpowers toward conflict. He'll also discuss pathways to peace. Dr. Lin is an advocate for universal human rights and a political economist with extensive experience in countries often at odds with U.S. policy, such as China, Russia, and North Korea. He has been a longtime peace activist in Santa Clara Valley and current VP of Human Agenda. Free and open to the public. Doors open 6 pm. Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. For more info, phone MPJC at 831-899-7322.

Sunday, November 17, 2 pm – 4 pm, in person and on Zoom, Peace Coalition of Monterey County – Steering Meeting, at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. For more information, contact Sidney Ramsden Scott at sramsdenscott@hotmail.com

Sunday, November 17, 3 pm – 5 pm, in person, A Very Special Evening of Sufi-inspired Music by Al Firdaus Ensemble, directly from Granada, Spain. Master musicians from Morocco, Spain, England and Venezuela comprise this internationally acclaimed ensemble. The concert will feature songs from their latest release: Shifa, A Night of Healing. International School of Monterey, 1720 Yosemite St. in Seaside. Purchase tickets HERE. Learn more and support Palenke Arts multicultural youth arts and culture programs at palenkearts.com

ACTION AND INFORMATION

Action: Tell Congress: NO Escalation! No War with Iran! Tell Congress (1) we don’t want ANY troops sent to the Middle East, (2) we want a complete halt in arms and $ aid to Israel, and (3) we want peace with Iran. No more endless wars, we want peace! Sponsored by CODEPINK

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Article: The Israel–Hezbollah conflict hinges on a crude question, Who Do You Want to Win? By Patrick Lawrence, October 3, 2024 for ScheerPost.com

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Film: Daughters (released Aug 2024 on Netflix). This award-winning documentary follows Aubrey, Santana, Raziah, and Ja’Ana, the daughters of four Washington, D.C. jail inmates, as they anticipate a special Daddy-Daughter Dance they never thought could happen. It’s part of a unique fatherhood program that defies a dehumanizing prison system by offering incarcerated fathers an occasion to dance with their daughters. The film has earned an enviable score of 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

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California Propositions - Voter Resources:

League of Women Voters of CA: Easy Voter Guide: EasyVoterguide.org and
Pros & Cons – Unbiased explanations: CAVotes.org/news/ProsCons

California Choices.org: California Propositions - Comparative Endorsements from Newspapers, Unions, Nonprofits and Political Parties

Friends Committee on Legislation of California: Analysis and Recommendations on the November 2024 Ballot Propositions

League of Women Voters of Monterey County: Voter Information and Videos of Candidate Forums for local races

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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 (ESL) Tutoring Assistants are needed starting in August or September. Flexible schedules are available for classes are currently held Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, 6 pm to 7:30 pm. Even part-time or substitutes are welcome. Training and support materials will be provided. Students are mostly adults. It's an enriching experience! Please contact Susan Morse at smorse21st@gmail.com for more details. Or phone 831-899-7322.

ESL Classes are held 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. More info HERE or 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 2000s 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 on 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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