 | Nonviolence in action since 1981 | | | | | | Note from the Executive Director
Nonviolence is a Verb | | Happy International Day of Peace! Today marks the start of over 5,000 events and actions happening around the world between now and the International Day of Nonviolence. FNVW's organized a whole line up of opportunities taking place during the next 12 days - each one designed to build community, solidarity and power for nonviolent social change. Nonviolence is a practice, an action, a conscious choice. It's a decision to build bridges, to act from a place of love, and to creatively and courageously address injustice and inequity. | | | | In this moment filled with crisis and despair I am here to tell you that hope comes from action.
Now is the time to act. Philosopher Lao Tzu wisely said, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I challenge you to do one thing each day between now and October 2nd to promote peace and justice in our world. Read on for a list of the inspiring possibilities FNW has in store for you. I hope our paths cross this week! With Revolutionary Love,
Leah | | | | | | | | Join FNVW at Northfield's
International Day of Peace Celebration! | | | | Celebrate Northfield's 2023 UN International Day of Peace! September 21st
5-7 pm
Central Park
421 Fourth Street E
Northfield, MN 55057 Come for the music, art-making, yoga, juggling, dance – activities for all ages! A short program will begin at 5:45 with keynote remarks by Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer and performances by the Northfield Dance Academy, the Justice Choir, and more. Food truck vouchers for the first 170 students (with ID). Over 30 groups, including Friends for a NonViolent World, will bring their vision for peace and invite you to become involved! | | | | | | FNVW Walk for Peace & Justice
September 30th, 10 - 1:30 pm | | Challenged by our experiences of violence across the Twin Cities in recent years, Friends for a NonViolent World (FNVW), in collaboration with Twin Cities Nonviolent and many other peace and justice groups, is organizing a large Walk for Peace and Justice on September 30th. | | | |  | Kicking-off at Brackett Park in Minneapolis, with guest speaker George Lakey, we'll walk to the Lake Street/Marshall Avenue Bridge and back to Brackett Park for a community celebration! This event takes place on Day 10 of Twin Cities Nonviolent annual 12 Days Free from Violence. | | | Everyone is invited to attend this event which will instill hope in the future, hope in the power of the people, and hope for a peaceful and just future. Your contribution and/or participation will be a demonstration of your commitment to nonviolence and peace and justice in the Twin Cities and beyond. Don't miss this inspiring opportunity to raise funds to support FNVW's peace and justice work in our community. Sign up to walk or make a donation here. | | | | | | There are many ways to take part: | | | | | | We invite all groups and organizations in Minnesota that promote nonviolence, peaceful conflict resolution and equitable justice to partner with us. Contact us at walk4peace@fnvw.org if you’d like more information or are interested in helping us plan the event. Find out more and register to participate here: fnvw.org/walk4peace | | | | | | You're invited virtually and in-person! How Nonviolent Campaigns Succeed in Polarized Times
Sunday, September 24th, 10:15 - 11:00 am | | | | A George Lakey Book Tour Event Sunday, September 24th Mid-Morning Meeting; 10:15 - 11:00 am CDT
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
4401 York Av S Minneapolis, MN 55410 *Hybrid event Zoom Link Meeting ID: 863 8548 3136
Passcode: 629978 | | | | | | | | Prophetic Quakerism Tackles the Climate Crisis
Sunday, September 24th, 2 - 3:30 pm | | | | Followed by a Broadway Tune Singalong Led by George on Piano Twin Cities Friends Meeting
1725 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105 George will tell stories about the Earth Quaker Action Team, which he co-founded. EQAT (pronounced “equate”) won a significant victory in convincing PNC Bank to stop funding mountain-top removal as a coal-mining practice in West Virginia. It continues its nonviolent campaigning today, targeting Vanguard for its financial entanglements with fossil fuel industries. | | | | These campaigns, including worship in bank lobbies, occasional civil disobedience, and lengthy walks across Pennsylvania, are grounded in Quaker tradition and values. George can dissect the campaigns, analyzing tactics and strategies and mistakes worth learning from. As both a scholar of nonviolence and an activist, he will explain the reasons it works and why sometimes it doesn’t. | | | | | | Dancing with History Bookstore Event Tuesday, September 26th, 7-8 pm | | | | A memoir of a Quaker activist and master storyteller on his involvement in struggles for peace, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, labor justice, and the environment, whose life will be the subject of a new documentary film coming in 2023. 7:00 - 8:00 pm
Magers and Quinn Booksellers
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN 55408 | | | | | George Lakey was born into a white working-class family in a small town in rural Pennsylvania and has been active in direct action campaigns for seven decades. Recently retired from Swarthmore College, where he was the Eugene M. Lang Visiting Professor for Issues of Social Change, Lakey was first arrested at a civil rights demonstration in March 1963, and his most recent arrest was in June 2021, during a climate justice march. A Quaker, he has been named Peace Educator of the Year and was given the Paul Robeson Social Justice Award and the Martin Luther King Peace Award. His previous books include Viking Economics: How the Scandinavians Got It Right--and How We Can, Too and How We Win A Guide to Nonviolent Direct Action Campaigning. He lives in Philadelphia. | | | | | | | | | | How We Win:
Organizing for Environmental and Climate Justice Wednesday, September 27th, 7-9 pm | | | | | Organizer Nazir Kahn will discuss the Minnesota Environmental Justice Table's campaign to shut down the HERC Trash Burner. Joe Vital will share insights from East Phillips Neighborhood Institute's campaign around the Rooftop Depot site. George Lakey will weave in lessons learned from campaigns he's organized and share stories from his involvement in struggles for peace, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, labor justice, and environmental and climate justice. This is an event not to be missed! | | | 7:00 - 9:00 pm CDT
Mpls Friends Meeting 4401 York Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55410 Join this event virtually: Zoom Link Meeting ID: 825 2369 0843
Passcode: 817454 | | | | | | | | Justice Unbound:
Building Race and Class Solidarity Thursday, September 28th, 7-9 pm | | | | How do we successfully work together across differences to fight for racial and economic justice? How does polarization create surprising new possibilities? How do we show up for one another and build power together without burning out by spreading ourselves too thin? | | | | | | Join nonviolent activist, professor, and movement elder George Lakey and Director of Communications, ISAIAH MN, Minister JaNaé Bates on September 28th as they discuss these questions and more. Historian Peter Rachleff will moderate this special event taking place as a part of George Lakey’s Dancing with History: A Life for Peace and Justice international book tour. George Lakey’s life and vast experience with nonviolent campaign organizing reminds us how to find hope in even the darkest times through strategic, joyful activism. Good Trouble, the songleading duo made up of mixed Asian songleaders Liz Digitale Anderson and Conie Borchardt, will open the event with community singing that creates space for justice, fun, and healing. 7:00 - 9:00 pm CDT
East Side Freedom Library
1105 Greenbrier St
St. Paul, MN 55104
-or- REGISTER HERE for Zoom Link | | |  | Subtext Books will have copies of Dancing with History available for purchase at this event along with another of Lakey’s books, How We Win! The event will be followed by a book signing. Light refreshments provided. | | | | | | George Lakey Twin Cities Book Tour Event Line Up
September 24th-30th
Hosted by Friends for a NonViolent World | | FNVW is organizing a variety of community events where George Lakey will share stories and wisdom from his life as a nonviolent activist. Mark your calendars and come ready to be energized and inspired! | | DANCING WITH HISTORY: a life for peace and justice By George Lakey A memoir of a Quaker activist and master storyteller on his involvement in struggles for peace, civil rights, LGBTQ rights, labor justice, and environment. From his first arrest in the Civil Rights era to his most recent during a climate justice march at the age of 83, George Lakey has committed his life to a mission of building a better world through movements for justice. Lakey draws readers into the center of history-making events, telling often serious stories with playfulness and intimacy. Read more about it here. "One of the big things about George is his bottomless well of hope and optimism. He frankly says this is the best period for social change that he's been alive for, and feels excited about continuing with his activism at age 85." - Betsy Raasch-Gilman | | | | Sunday, September 24th
How Nonviolent Campaigns Succeed in Polarized Times*
10:15 - 11:00 am
Mpls Friends Meeting
4401 York Av S
Minneapolis, MN 55410 *hybrid event Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 863 8548 3136
Passcode: 629978
Sunday, September 24th
Prophetic Quakerism Tackles the Climate Crisis
2:00 - 3:30 pm followed by a Broadway Tune Singalong led by George on Piano
Twin Cities Friends Meeting
1725 Grand Ave, St Paul, MN 55105
Tuesday, September 26th
Dancing with History Bookstore Event
7:00 - 8:00 pm
Magers and Quinn Booksellers
3038 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55408 Pre-register Here | | | | | Wednesday, September 27th
How We Win - Organizing for Environmental and Climate Justice*
7:00 - 8:30 pm
Minneapolis Friends Meeting
4401 York Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55410 *hybrid event Zoom Link
Meeting ID: 825 2369 0843
Passcode: 817454
Thursday, September 28th
Justice Unbound: Building Race and Class Solidarity*
7:00 - 9:00 pm
East Side Freedom Library
1105 Greenbrier St
St. Paul, MN 55106 *hybrid event Register Here for Zoom Link
Saturday, September 30th
FNVW Walk for Peace and Justice
10:00 am
Brackett Park
3800 E 28th St
Minneapolis, MN 55406 | | | | | | “George Lakey stands out for the sheer range of his contributions to peace and justice, especially in strategy, training, organizing, innovative actions, and teaching others. His upbeat, soul-driven spirit underlies it all, as you’ll catch in this revealing memoir.” – Daniel Ellsberg | | | | | | | | | | FNVW works to promote and create peace and justice in our community by using the principles and practices of nonviolence to transform conflict and to address the root causes of violence. Your financial support will help us move our mission forward into the future! | | | | | | | |  | | | | | Friends for a NonViolent World
P.O. Box 4564 | Saint Paul, Minnesota 55104
651-917-0383 | info@fnvw.org | | | | | | | | | | | |
