WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR
WEEKLY PEACE CALENDAR
November 25, 2025
Monterey County
Embedded Files
In Memoriam
Helen Rucker (9/3/1932 - 11/19/2025), beloved civil rights activist, educator, and pillar of the City of Seaside. For more than seven decades, she championed voting rights, equal education, and the dignity of every person. Her leadership, courage, and steadfast commitment to justice shaped Monterey County and inspired generations. The family suggests memorial contributions to the Helen Rucker Center for Black Excellence at CSU Monterey Bay or the Platoon Sergeant James Rucker and Helen B. Rucker Scholarship Fund.
Quote of the Week:
“Our continent achieved a historic triumph when the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) declared the region a ‘Zone of Peace’ one decade ago. This declaration represented the collective will of our peoples: to resolve our differences through dialogue and cooperation, not through violence and intervention.” ~ Joint statement by Latin American leaders condemning the U.S. military intervention in Venezuela.
All events are Pacific Time. New items are in blue.
CALENDAR EVENTS
Thursday-Monday, November 27 through December 1. Holiday Shopping Boycott. We Ain’t Buying It! is calling on people nationwide to stop shopping at Target, Home Depot, and Amazon between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday. Help pressure these companies to stop colluding with the Trump administration and enabling their authoritarian overreach. Instead, shop locally, especially at minority-owned businesses.
Starting Monday, December 1, Swing Left Card and Letter-writing events are on pause. You can still write cards from home with your friends. Through December, pick up postcard packets at one of the three Swing Left coordinators’ homes. Carmel: Maggie Pedersen: (713) 206-6507 or Maggiep52@hotmail.com; Monterey: Pat Fletcher: (408) 373-5800 or pflectcher02@gmail.com; or Pacific Grove: Tama Olver: (831) 760-3163 or tamolver96@gmail.com. Each packet is $17.00, which includes stamps, or $2.50 without stamps.
Monday, December 1, 3 pm - 7 pm, in person, Mrs. Helen Rucker: Wake and Viewing at Bayside Community Mortuary, 1610 Noche Buena St., Seaside.
Tuesday, December 2, 11 am, in person, Mrs. Helen Rucker: Catholic Funeral Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, 1475 La Salle Ave in Seaside, followed by burial. The Repast will follow, at Oldemeyer Center located at 986 Hilby in Seaside.
Tuesday, December 2, 5 pm - 6:30 pm, in person, Whistlemania! Help sound the alarm on ICE activity in our community. Assemble whistle kits to help protect our immigrant friends and neighbors from ICE overreach. All ages welcome. Learn more and sign up HERE. Edwards Hall, St. Mary’s by the Sea Episcopal Church, 146 12th St., Pacific Grove. All ages welcome. Organized by Indivisible Monterey Bay and local partners.
Thursday, December 4, 10 am - 11:30 am, virtual webinar on Zoom, Making Peace: Addressing Grief, Loss, and Movement Building. Life in the movement is hard, and many of us are carrying grief, trauma, burnout, and backlash. This free webinar is ideal for organizers, advocates, change-makers, and those advancing justice, systemic change, or land back efforts. Register HERE to get the Zoom join link. Hosted by Raw Wisdom LLC, La Plaza, Project LIFT, and MILPA.
Thursday, December 4, 6 pm - 7 pm, in-person lecture, Port of San Diego: Accelerating Sustainability & Ocean Innovation with Jason Giffen, Chief Sustainability & Innovation Officer, Port of San Diego. Learn how the Port and its partners are advancing a sustainable Blue Economy and building a resilient, ocean-positive future. 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
Thursday, December 4, 10 am - 11 am, virtual on Zoom, Monterey Peninsula Immigrant Rights Information & Referral Update Meeting. Join using the direct Zoom join link HERE. Passcode GSDWLD4. Contact the Organizer, 100-District 4 at (831) 883-7570
Saturday, December 6, 11 am – 2 pm, in person, 2025 Human Rights Day Luncheon at the Unitarian Universalist Church of the Monterey Peninsula, 490 Aguajito Rd., Carmel. Congratulations to 2025 Bahá'í Human Rights Award recipients, JT Mason and Yvonne Thomas. Reserve your spot HERE. Presented by the Monterey Bay Chapter of the United Nations Association of the USA and the Bahá'í Faith Communities of Monterey County.
Sunday, December 7, 1 pm - 4 pm, free in-person event, Annual Open House & Holiday Bazaar at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Ave. in Seaside. All are invited to gather for some holiday cheer, including live music! Enjoy refreshments and browse tables filled with unique gifts, baked goods, handcrafted items, textiles, vintage jewelry, and more. Sponsored by WILPF Monterey County Branch, the Peace Coalition of Monterey County, Monterey Peninsula Friends Meeting (Quakers), and Veterans For Peace Chapter 46. For more information, phone 831-899-7322.
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, No War on Venezuela! at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) in Monterey. Messaging at both the Del Monte Ave and Sloat Ave gates will call on Naval officers to follow their conscience and honor their oath to uphold the Constitution. This is part of the Veterans For Peace Chapter 46's "Operation North Star," a monthly action at NPS urging officers to question unlawful orders, oppose extrajudicial killings, and refuse “blood for oil” wars like Venezuela. For more information visit www.vfp46.org or contact Justin Loza, VFP Chapter 46 President, at 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. Chapter members and supporters are invited to attend an Open House on Sunday, December 7th, 1-4 pm, at the Monterey Peace and Justice Center, 1364 Fremont Blvd. in Seaside. Visit the VFP46 website and blog at vfp46.org. Follow on BlueSky Social vfp46.bsky.social and Facebook JohnSteinbeckIV.
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.
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 newly launched website and blog at vfp46.org. Follow on BlueSky Social vfp46.bsky.social and Facebook JohnSteinbeckIV
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).
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.
ONGOING PEACE VIGILS
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
ACTION AND INFORMATION
Action: Support the Childcare Safety Plan (CSP) Initiative. Send a letter to State Legislators, the State Attorney General’s Office, the State Department of Social Services, County Child Welfare Directors, Family Advocacy Groups and Community Stakeholders. Urge them to support the CSP to strengthen family stability, prevent unnecessary guardianship proceedings in times of crisis (detention, illness, deployment, and other emergencies), and ensure that children remain in the care of people they know and trust.
###
Action: Tell Admiral Holsey, Hands Off Venezuela, Peace in the Caribbean. As the U.S. is edging toward war in Latin America, Admiral Alvin Holsey, head of U.S. Southern Command, may be one of the few people who can stop it. Sponsored by CODEPINK.org.
###
Action: Tell the Governments of Iran, Russia, Ukraine, and United Arab Emirates: Hands Off Sudan! Sponsored by RootsAction.org and World BEYOND War.
###
Local Activism: Unite Monterey County is a coalition of organizations and networks in Monterey County that was formed to counter the Trump agenda. Sign up to receive the Unite Monterey County email newsletters. Check out the Unite Monterey County website. Follow on Facebook, Instagram, and Bluesky.
Stay informed about 50501 Monterey Bay actions at https://linktr.ee/50501Monterey
Sign up to volunteer at events at 50501 Monterey.
###
Resource: 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 at acrawley@comcast.net about adding your organization’s events to the calendar.
###
Action: Please call the local media about local events and protests. Send your high-resolution photos and videos of events.
KSBW - Email news@ksbw.com or upload them onto ulocal. Call: 831-422-8206
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ksbw8/
KION - 831-784-6397. Email to newstips@kion546.com.
MC Weekly - Phone: 831-394-5656, Fax: 831-394-2909. INSTAGRAM @montereycountyweekly. Tip Line (jotform.com)
Monterey Herald - mheditor@montereyherald.com 831-726-4351, Fax 831-372-8401
KAZU (local NPR) - Phone: 1-831-582-5298 Email news@kazu.org
###
Action: Stay engaged and resist the Trump administration’s illegal seizure of Congressional powers and its violation of Constitutional, civil, and human rights. Contact your legislators, issue by issue, persistently - and organize!
Contact all 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
Contact the White House or other federal agencies:
###
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).
###
Whites for Racial Equity eBlast. Find an online version of the e-Blast.
###
IndyBay Event Calendar. Independent open-publishing newswire serving California.
###
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 is available and regular cleaning services have been arranged to ensure the health and safety of guests. Contact Alex Stampher (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 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. We aim to stimulate civil discourse around the issues and encourage participants to become engaged as change-makers for a just society.
Contact us by email: montereypeaceandjustice@gmail.com
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 Alex Stampher, 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.
Click to Subscribe to the Weekly Peace Calendar. Or - send an email request to cm_crockett@sbcglobal.net
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse