Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice - Newsletter -- Committee Reports & Noticias

Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice 202 Harvard SE Albuquerque, NM 87106 505-268-9557		Updated: 22 June 2007
Newsletter June 2007

June 2007
Newsletter Contents

Committee Reports & Noticias
Membership Application

Membership Challenge to all members: We are trying to double the P&J membership in the next year. If each member got one new member, we could do it! I already got one!

C'mon y'all - Aanya

Open Door? For Peace and Justice: Photographs and Thoughts on the U.S. and Refugee Situation, and Inspirational Everyday People in Southeast Asia, by Roger Harmon. Please join us Saturday afternoon, June 2nd from 3:30-6:30 pm. for a reception for the exhibit and to recognize Nancy Harmon's retirement from classroom teaching. Over 12 million people in the world are refugees, namely people with a well-founded fear of persecution. In addition to these millions living outside their country, millions more are internally displaced. The US, for all of its shortcomings, has at times been a beacon to refugees, recent developments, including language in the Patriot Act, have complicated the process by which refugees are allowed to come to the US. This exhibit includes photos from refugee camps in Thailand in the 1980s-1990s and presents information on current refugee numbers and US policies. It also includes recent photographs of resilient, inspirational Southeast Asians who live with dignity even though denied peace and justice.

People before Profit is on summer hiatus.

Thank you to all of you who attended the Annual Membership Meeting on May 9. The P&J is in the process of reorganizing and planning for our long-term sustainability, so that is why you may not have heard any follow-up from us yet on our plans and goals and plugging in. Over the next couple of weeks we will be contacting all of you who signed up to get more involved. Please bear with us as we work to put in place a structure that will help us more effectively do the work for peace and justice and sustain this gift that is the Peace and Justice Center! We will keep you posted and we invite your participation in this process.you for all of your support of our work and of your Peace and Justice Center.

Rainbow Artists, a women's art group of long standing, is open to new members or visitors at monthly meetings which occur at Cesar Chavez Community Center on the third Monday evening of every month starting a 6:45 pm. They do art, show art, and discuss art in its many forms. At present they are displaying exhibits at Sol Arts Theatre, at the New Mexico School of Music, and the Chocolate Cafe. Info: Thora Guinn, t.guinn45@comcast.net or 505-842-6196.

Desert Rock Resistance, a group of Navajo elders, youth and others, have been camped out in Shiprock to resist construction of a polluting coal plant. Note: P&J is no longer taking food and fund donations for the Resistance. Info: 505-215-2124, desert-rock-blog.com .

Albuquerque's answer to Extreme Home Makeover: the Endorphin Challenge! The Endorphin Power Company is a non-profit organization asking for volunteers to help construct a 20 room housing facility that will help newly sober people stay sober. One four person team per room, best room wins a cruise in the Caribbean. Info: endorphinpower.org or 505-268-8865.

Help for Afghan Women: Many are widows raising children; most are uneducated. Kabul is still in shambles, and most goods are imported from other countries. With limited housing available, rents rival those in American cities. Yet Afghan women are beginning to support their families by starting small businesses with loans from women's groups in Europe and the US. Here in Albuquerque, Women for a Better World has started a small microlending project in Kabul and invites you to join in. (See June 24 calendar entry).Info: Stephanie Hiller, 505-903-1791,editor@awakenedwoman.com . Web site: www.awakenedwoman.com/wbw.htm .

Albuquerque Amnesty International urges letters to Senator Domenici and Representative Wilson asking them to withdraw their support for the Military Commissions Act. Excellent sample letters may be found at: www.amnestyusa.org/stoptorture/pdf/closegito.pdf .

Please send calendar items, comments, and questions concerning this Web document to Web@abqPeaceAndJustice.org .