This set of updates comes from California and North Carolina with vigils letters to the editor, and getting the word out about nonviolence. This year’s organizers did a wonderful job coming up with creative ways to keep people safe and engaged in the work of peacemaking. And we still want to hear from you. Submit your action details here!

Marsha Lee Baker of Sylva, NC shares of their Interfaith Vigil for Racial Reconciliation and Justice, “Five interfaith speakers. One guest speaker. Two litanies (bearing witness; to do the work). Bagpiper and "old guys" acoustic band. Candlelight vigil. Event t-shirts. Planet Mars (war) rose alone and we faced it with peace and nonviolence. WLOS-13 traveled an hour each way to cover this action and broadcast in late night news (a biggie for rural location). Two groups and three organizers collaborated for first time and did what we didn't think we had enough lead time to do.  Lessons for 2021: Do something (and try to start earlier)! Designate a photographer. Get somebody to do this report who knows how to upload stuff. Onward, peaceably!”

Teresa Cahill Bravo of Napa, CA shares, “Only two of us were able to participate in our Campaign Nonviolence on Sunday, Sept. 27. Joe Wilcox and I were able to stand on two corners of a busy intersection in 100 degree heat.  We lasted only an hour but did receive some appreciative honks and thumbs up/peace signs. Our other regular attendee for our vigils every other month is 90 y/o Guy Kay, but he called and said he was probably being evacuated because of the Glass fire that had started early Sunday morning.

As you probably know, the Glass fire has burned over 60,000 acres, hundreds of homes and structures including wineries have been lost and entire cities and towns such as Calistoga and Angwin have been evacuated. Today, I just heard that the fire is 17% contained and the hazardous air quality that had reached 306 on Friday is now so dramatically lower that we can actually see blue skies and take a deep breath.

One of the signs I held, was painted by a friend. It had a blue sky (pre-fire) and the sea with a huge whale and an island with trees and two children and a dog. The words said, "HURT NOT THE EARTH." The words to be really visible are so large that they took the space of the rest of it that would have said, "AND OTHER LIVING THINGS! So the message was Very Clear! I juggled it with the other sign I held that said; "IT IS NO LONGER BETWEEN VIOLENCE AND NONVIOLENCE, IT’S NON VIOLENCE OR NON EXISTENCE. - MLK"

Below is my letter to the editor

Dear Editor,
If ever we needed a wake up call to what's been happening to our environment, waking up Tuesday morning 09/09/20, to an ominous darkened, red sky certainly got our attention. Anne Pentland in her prophetic letter to the editor on 09/04/20 succinctly covered why we need to pay attention. She wrote, "It is a parable for humanity. Our breathable atmosphere is only 5 miles deep around the earth. We have pumped more waste (in the form of greenhouse gases) into our environment than it can absorb gracefully.  We continue to destroy the forests that could help absorb carbon dioxide.  We see the effects of erratic weather patterns, drenching hurricanes and fierce fires." She goes on to say that "each one of us must take the lead in our own lives to support positive change in any way that we can."

In my opinion way is described by the Dalai Lama.  It is the practice of nonviolence.  Simply said it encompasses respect for each other, a concern about their well being and is based on a sense of compassion for all living things. He says  "it also has to do with ecology, the environment and our
relations with all the other living beings with whom we share the planet."

Because peace is such a basic desire in any language, six years ago an International Campaign called Pace e Bene (Peace and Well Being) was started and has grown in numbers all over the world. Napa has participated in the campaign from its inception and will again be holding a vigil of nonviolence/peace on Sunday September 27th, from 2-4pm on the 4 corners of Soscol and Third St.

We'll be easily able to maintain the distance of more than 6 feet from each corner and of course masks are required. Everyone is welcome to come and handmade signs are encouraged but not essential.

Sincerely,
Teresa Cahill”