WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR

In Memoriam

We honor the life and legacy of Seth Pollack (1958–2025), whose decades of visionary leadership at Cal State Monterey Bay’s Service Learning Institute transformed our community and empowered countless students, colleagues, and partners to discover their purpose and serve with compassion.

Wednesday, December 10, 3 pm – 7 pm, in-person and virtual on Zoom, Watch Party:  Department of Pesticide Regulation’s First Environmental Justice Advisory Committee (EJAC) Meeting.  Location:  Monterey Bay Central Labor Council, 931 E. Market St., Salinas.  Drop in at any point during the meeting. Public Comment will occur near the end of the agenda; community members who wish to speak are encouraged to join around 6:00 pm.  To participate on Zoom, Register here. Webinar ID: 814 5386 9680, Passcode: 507059.  Join by phone: (888) 475-4499.  View-only Webcast: English (external link) or Spanish (external link).

Thursday, December 11, 7 am - 8 am, virtual on Zoom, Campaign to Stop the War in Sudan: Where Do We Stand?  Join this livestream for updates on World BEYOND War’s Hands Off Sudan! Campaign. Learn about the current situation on the ground and the next steps, which include petition delivery and actions to push for an end to the war. Register HERE.  Contact: africa@worldbeyondwar.org

Thursday, December 11, 3 pm – 4 pm, in person, Operation North Star, a monthly action at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey, Sloat Ave Gate, organized by Veterans For Peace Chapter 46.  Call on Naval officers to follow their conscience and reject unlawful orders, extrajudicial killings, and Venezuela blood for oil.  Bring a sign: No War on Venezuela!  No Troops on our Streets!  Extrajudicial Killings Are Unlawful!  For more information, visit www.vfp46.org or contact Justin Loza, Justin.Loza.vfp46@gmail.com

Thursday, December 11, 6 pm – 7:30 pm, in-person lecture:  Enforcing the Coastal Act with Ellie Oliver, Northern California Enforcement Supervisor, California Coastal Commission. The California Coast would look a whole lot different without the Coastal Act.  Learn about its history and what real-world enforcement looks like, with case examples from the Central Coast.  Morse Building, Room B105, 426 Van Buren St., Monterey.  Free, open to the public. Part of the Environmental Justice & Sustainability Speaker Series. Sponsored by the Center for the Blue Economy.  More info, contact Rachel C. at mailto:cbe@middlebury.edu or phone 831-647-4183. Details: HERE

Friday, December 12, 3 pm – 4:30 pm.  There will be no General Meeting of Veterans For Peace in December.  Regularly scheduled monthly meetings will resume on Friday, January 9, 2026, at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. Visit the VFP46 website and blog at vfp46.org. Follow on Facebook JohnSteinbeckIV and BlueSky Social vfp46.bsky.social.  Contact Chapter President, Justin Loza at justin.loza.vfp46@gmail.com

Friday, December 12, and every 2nd Friday, in person, two discussion groups led by Alex Stampher at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside.

·   United and Informed, 5:30–6:30 pm, Understanding Nonviolent Conflict Resolution

·   Unidos e Informados, 7:00–8:00 pm, Exercising Your Rights in English

This is a casual forum for community, conversation, and connection. Each month, we dive into short readings and lively dialogue on issues that matter most right now.

Tuesday, December 16, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, Watch Party:  Virtual Meeting on Air Monitoring at Ohlone Elementary School.  This meeting will cover newly released air monitoring results showing that concentrations of the pesticide 1,3-D at Ohlone Elementary School reached 218% of the State Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment’s lifetime cancer risk threshold. Join using this Zoom link (external). Please let Mark or Yanely know if you’re interested in attending:  mark@pesticidereform.org or yanely@pesticidereform.org

Wednesday, December 31, 5:30 pm - 6 pm, in person, Twilight Peace Procession, a tradition of First Night Monterey, a festive New Year’s Eve community arts celebration for all ages.  Ring in the New Year with a message of peace! Walk with the Peace Coalition of Monterey County.  Peace and justice groups are invited to join and carry their banners. Gather at the intersection of Franklin St. and Calle Principal in downtown Monterey starting at 5 pm. The procession begins at 5:30 and lasts approx. 30 minutes. Dove and peace symbol signs will be provided. Dress warmly.  Wear white or light colors to signify peace. No need to purchase tickets for the First Night Monterey event to participate. For more info, contact Sidney Ramsden Scott at sramsdenscott@hotmail.com.  Learn more about First Night Monterey HERE.

Friday, January 9, 3 pm – 4:30 pm, in person and on Zoom, Monthly Meeting of Veterans For Peace, Monterey County Chapter 46.  Members and supporters 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).  VFP is open to all veterans and supporters. Visit the website and blog at vfp46.org. Follow on BlueSky Social vfp46.bsky.social and Facebook JohnSteinbeckIV 

Friday, January 9, 6 pm - 7:30 pm, in person, MC Million Rising Gathering at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula (UUCMP), 490 Aguajito Rd., Carmel. Meet on the 2nd Friday of each month to explore creative and nonviolent ways for ordinary folks to resist today's authoritarian threats to our freedoms and civil liberties, especially within Monterey County. Find notes from past meetings HERE.  To stay up to date, send your name, email address and how you heard about the group to mcmillionrising@gmail.com. 

Mondays, January 12 through March 16, 4 pm - 6 pm, in person, Empathy in Action: Winter 2026 Series, an initiative of the Transformative Justice Center based in Monterey. In this arc of transformation, volunteers will spend over 8 weeks exploring different readings and topics with the incarcerated community at the Correctional Training Facility in Soledad.  Sign up HERE.  For more information, email Megan McDrew at mmcdrew@transformativejusticecenter.org   

Wednesday, January 14, 11:30 am, in person, What Is Behind the Surge in Renter's Issues? Speakers are Esther Malkin, founder of Monterey County Renters United, and Susie Shannon, statewide advocate for low-income renters and co-author of SB 1380 (California’s Housing First law). They'll discuss the rising challenges facing Monterey County renters, including the Salinas renter-protection referendum, Marina’s pending decision on long-standing rent control, and the county’s high rate of student homelessness. A free talk presented by the League of Women Voters of Monterey County at their January “Lunch & Learn” meeting at the Unitarian Universalist Church, 490 Aguajito Rd. in Carmel.  Doors open at 11:30 am for registration. Lunch is at 12 pm, and the presentation starts at 12:30 pm. Optional 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, January 12.  Find more details HERE. Recording will be posted on the LWVMC website, under Videos.

Saturday, January 17, in person, Salinas/Monterey County Homeless Union's 10th Anniversary Celebration at the National Steinbeck Center, 1 Main St, in Salinas. This inspiring community celebration will feature live music, speakers, art, food, and peer-led conversations uplifting impacted voices.  Because the Salinas/Monterey County Homeless Union was founded on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day 2016, with the support and direction of the Poor People's Campaign: A National Call for Moral Revival, the NAACP Monterey County Branch is sponsoring the event.  HUGS (Helping U Get Support) is a new nonprofit that will debut by hosting this event.  You can support this project with a donation.   Everyone is welcome.  Musicians, poets, dancers, artists, and community groups are invited to participate. Contact: Wes White (510-274-9275) or Crystal Sanchez (916-495-9026). 

Sunday, January 18, in person, Salinas MLK March & Vigil:  A Celebration of Diversity! 
4:30 pm: Gathering at the Old Jail,142 W. Alisal St.
5:00 pm: March to City Hall Courtyard 202 Lincoln St.
5:30-6:30 pm: Candlelight Vigil and Commemoration.
In case of rain, meet at First United Methodist Church, 404 Lincoln Avenue in Salinas.  Admission is free.  All Dreamers are Welcome!  More info, call (831) 578-5353. Sponsored by the Monterey County Interfaith Alliance.

Monday, January 19, 11 am – 3 pm, in person, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day March and Program in Seaside. All are invited to march with the Peace Coalition of Monterey County!  Signs and banners will be provided.  The march starts at 11 am from the intersection of Obama Way (Broadway Ave.) and Noche Buena St. and continues to Oldemeyer Center, 986 Hilby, Seaside.  The march is followed by a program of guest speakers, presentation, music, and more. More details to follow.

Thursday, January 29, 2026, Monterey County Point-in-Time Count for all populations of persons experiencing homelessness.  Volunteers Needed!  The Count is required to receive federal homeless assistance funds and provides critical data used to understand homelessness locally and support strategic program decisions. Find more details and sign up HERE. Contact alex@appliedsurveyresearch.org or 877-728-4545.

Friday-Sunday, February 20–22, 2026, in person, A Black History Month Celebration: Exploring and Restoring Our Path to Healing Through Empathy and Music, a weekend retreat at Esalen Institute, Big Sur, CA.  LaVerne McLeod and Melanie DeMore will facilitate this transformative workshop.  People of all backgrounds are invited to explore shared experiences using empathy, songs, visualization, and movement exercises. Reserve your spot early; this event will fill up.  Registration is now open at http://bit.ly/41qjXpg. Special Offer:  Reduced rates are available for Big Sur and Monterey County residents who arrange their own lodging offsite.  Click the Register Now link for details.

Mondays and Wednesdays, 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, 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/

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.  Email John Silva at roycamp39@gmail.com for more information. Sponsored by the Live Oaks Friends Meeting (Quakers).

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.

Fridays, 4:30 pm - 6 pm, Vigil for Peace:  Salinas Palestine Solidarity, at the Star Market parking lot, corner of S. Main and Blanco Road, Salinas.  Email Dick Strubbe at dickstrubbe@sbcglobal.net for more information.  Co-sponsored by MPJC.

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