| | Note from Executive Director
Time to Jump | | | |
These are some times we are living through, dear FNVW Community. I sometimes feel like a frog sitting in a pot of water that is slowly being heated up. In one telling of this scenario, the frog acclimates to a lethal water temperature, stays in the pot, and gets cooked. Turns out, this isn't how frogs actually behave! If you put a frog into a pot of tepid water and then turn on the heat, it will scramble out as soon as it gets uncomfortably warm. | | | |
We would be wise to take a lesson from our frog friends. It's time to jump! First, we gotta recalibrate ourselves by learning what it feels like to live in a healthy, nonviolent, cooperative community. A week at People Camp does this for me and my family and for many others. So far, 80 people have signed up for People Camp 2022 - including 6 teens and 19 kids! It not to late to join us! Register online at: bit.ly/PeopleCampRegistration | | | |
Second, we have to listen to one another's stories with wonder and a willingness to be changed by what we hear. The newest episode of FNVW's Everyday Nonviolence Podcast features two guest who are survivors of gun violence. Their personal stories and analysis are raw and compelling and speak to the importance of programs like FNVW's Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP). Third, we must remember that systemic change is possible and take action to make it so. FNVW's new Advocacy and Outreach Team will be discerning how and where FNVW can organize and participate in actions and campaigns that bend the moral arc of the universe towards justice. Our first meeting is Monday, July 11th at 7 pm Central Time. Email me at leah@fnvw.org if you'd like to be a part of this team's work! A better world is possible. With Revolutionary Love,
Leah | | | |
| | New Episode of FNVW's Everyday Nonviolence Podcast! | | | |
SURVIVING GUN VIOLENCE; ADVOCATING FOR CHANGE In this episode, we hear from two women whose lives have been dramatically impacted by gun violence.
Jarren Peterson Dean is a special education teacher living in Plymouth, MN with her husband and young son. In 2014, Jarren's boyfriend, James, was shot and killed near their home in Minneapolis. Jaren has been involved in a variety of social justice issues, including restorative justice, which she talks about in this episode.
Shannon Johnson lives in rural Chisago County and works as a client support team manager for a technology company. In 2017, Shannon’s dad, Donn, was killed by their neighbor less than a ¼ of a mile from their family’s farm in rural Minnesota. Shannon and her dad shared a love of outdoor activities, such as hunting and sport shooting. She is an advocate for sensible laws that allow for responsible gun ownership, while preventing the sort of tragedy she and her family has experienced. Jarren and Shannon received Survivor Fellowships from Everytown for Gun Safety, which allowed them to learn how to use their experiences as a force for positive change, working with Moms Demand Action to end gun violence. More stories of victims and survivors can be found here. | | | |
| | After listening, please consider sharing with your networks on your social media accounts (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.) Include a few sentences about what you liked or learned along with a link to the episode. | | | |
| | Ukraine and Syria: War and Resistance | | | |
While indiscriminate bombing has targeted civilians in Ukraine and Syria, vast popular mobilization has also taken place in both countries. Hear Ukrainian American Natalia Etten and Syrian American Ramah Kudaimi speak on the background to the wars and the present situation. When: Thursday, July 14
Time: 7 pm CST
Where: Zoom Click Here to Register | | | |
This event is organized by the Minnesota Alliance of Peacemakers (MAP) of which FNVW is a member organization. You must register in advance to get a Zoom link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
About the speakers: Ukrainian American Natalia Etten grew up in Ukraine and attended the University of Minnesota as a Fulbright scholar. Natalia has initiated and led the youth leadership program on the Global Synergy Board. Her career has been rooted in international development and education. Syrian American activist Ramah Kudaimi is a campaign director at the Action Center for Race and the Economy. She was previously the Deputy Director for the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights and served on the National Committee of the War Resisters League. | | | |
| | Comment on the Proposed POST Board Standards | | | |
A recent report from the MN Justice Research Center shows how the Police Officer Standards and Training (POST) Board might be a resource for holding police accountable for excessive use of force and other violations of their sworn duties. | | | |
Independently of this, the POST Board itself has voted to adopt new standards and policies which, if approved, would put some teeth into their oversight of policing statewide. Note to people in Greater MN: It would be wonderful if you could weigh in! This affects all of us, all over the state. The proposed new standards are a dense read, and pretty interesting nonetheless. They better define the ways police officers can be held accountable for personal and professional behavior – notably, belonging to extremist groups like the Proud Boys or Oathkeepers. The POST Board wants to make sure they can revoke police licenses for misconduct, and they need help! To put these standards into effect, they need support from the public, because the Fraternal Order of Police (and possibly the association of police chiefs) are not likely to be happy about this! We have until 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022 to submit written comments in support or opposition to the proposed rules. We should identify the portion of the proposed rules addressed, the reason for the comment, and any change that we would propose. Comments should be emailed to POSTrules.POST@state.mn.us. To make this job easier, the MN Justice Research Center will post a toolkit on its website soon. Please read and comment on these standards! (Thanks to SURJ-TC for sharing this info) | | | |
| | July Virtual AVP Combo Workshop | | | |
What: In the context of a supportive community, you'll discover your power to build safer communities and transform conflict and frustration in your life. The three day workshop schedule is:
July 22, Friday 5-9pm CST, with a 30 min. break
July 23, Saturday 11-6pm CST, with a 1 hour break
July 24, Sunday 9-4pm CST, with a 1 hour break Sign up: online using the AVP-MN Combo Community Virtual Workshop - July 2022 Registration Form now to guarantee your spot! Where: The entire workshop will take place via Zoom. We are happy to provide technological assistance if you have any questions about Zoom. Who: All are welcome to attend. No prior experience necessary. Cost: The suggested fee to participate in this workshop is $25 - $100. We understand that not everyone may be able to afford this, and no one is turned away due to lack of funds. | | | |
| | People Camp 2022
Building a Social Change Community:
50 Years of People Camp | | | |
People Camp 2022
August 7-13th
Northern Pines Retreat Center
Park Rapids, MN People Camp is a week-long, intergenerational experience of cooperation, exploration and community living. People Camp provides a unique opportunity to rest and refresh your mind, body and spirit through a variety of workshops, group activities and recreation options in a camp setting. Check out the People Camp Guide to learn more about what People Camp is all about! | | | |
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People Camp 2022 Workshops An exciting workshop line-up is in store for People Camp 2022. The first part of the week will focus on social change activism and feature two 2-session workshops: “Cultural Organizing for Climate Justice in the North”, led by Shanai Matteson from MN350, and “Strategies for Nonviolent Action” with P.J. Hoffman. Filling out the rest of the week are “From Blame into Mourning into Love-based Action” led by Pam Winthrop Lauer, “Mini AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project) Training” featuring Maria Musachio, and “Community Singing and Inclusive Spaces” with FNVW’s own Leah Robshaw Robinson. People Camp 2022 Book Club Selections | | | |
 | “Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants” is by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and indigenous person. She embraces the notion that plants and animals are our oldest teachers and that the awakening of a wider ecological consciousness requires the acknowledgment and celebration of our reciprocal relationship with the rest of the living world. | | |  | “The New Jim Crow” by Michelle Alexander argues that we have not ended racial caste in America - we have merely redesigned it by targeting black men through the War on Drugs and decimating communities of color. She challenges the civil rights community--and all of us--to place mass incarceration at the forefront of a new movement for racial justice in America. | | | |
| | Follow FNVW on Social Media! | | | |
FNVW is working hard to expand the reach and impact of our programs. Social media is a powerful way to engage more people in our work. We need your help to increase FNVW's visibility on social media. Here's what you can do: - Take a moment right now to follow our pages
- Like and share our social media posts
- Volunteer to create social media content to help tell FNVW's story and promote events.
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This is a historic moment where communities are re-imagining public safety and how we live in relationship with one another. Now is the time to support the principles and practices of nonviolence that FNVW's programs champion. Your financial support will help us move our mission forward in 2022! | | | | | | | |
 | FNVW E-Letter
July 7, 2022 | | | Upcoming Events - Thursday, July 14: Ukraine and Syria - War and Resistance, 7 pm
- Friday-Sunday, July 22-24: Virtual AVP Combo Workshop
- August 7-13: People Camp
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Friends for a NonViolent World
393 N Dunlap Street Suite #450E | Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104
(651) 917-0383 | info@fnvw.org | |
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