On February 4th we held a conference call for the Nonviolent Cities Project. We discussed the progress cities around the country are making and the steps budding organizers can take to build momentum. If you missed the call, you can read the notes or listen to the audio below. 

Nonviolent Cities Project Organizing Conference Call
February 4th, 2020, 5pm Pacific/ 8pm Eastern (60 minutes)

Welcome – Ryan Hall – This call is for all those interested in actively organizing the Nonviolent Cities Project in their communities as well as those who are already working on it.

Opening Quote – Veronica Pelicaric

• “To attain inner peace you must actually give your life, not just your possessions. When you at last give your life - bringing into alignment your beliefs and the way you live then, and only then, can you begin to find inner peace.” – Peace Pilgrim

Updates – John Dear

• The news is so bad lately. Even at the UN there was a speech about how there is no hope and there’s “a wind of madness sweeping the planet” in the state of the world. John mentions that though there might not be hope elsewhere, organizers of Nonviolent Cities create hope every day with their work. There are a lot of people organizing, teaching, training, and mobilizing for a nonviolent future.

Jeffrey Lott - Wilmington, DE

• City of 80,000 people that experiences one of the highest rates of violence among teenagers in the country. One of the worst places for black teenagers to survive. In response they formed a Movement for a Call to Peace. Organized a march and public meetings from 2014-2016. Next they launched Peace Week Delaware, which is now in its fifth year. Last year PWD included over 100 events over nine days including the sixth annual March for a Culture of Peace where they announced the formation of Nonviolent Wilmington. 60 people pledged their commitment to Nonviolent Wilmington.

• Have struggled with changing personnel, and have now settled into a group of about 6 leaders keeping things on track. Engaging Nonviolence book inspired them to be more public with their goals, bringing 30 people together to start ENV workshops which started about two weeks ago. Split into two groups, each with a white and black facilitator, to run ENV workshops with racially diverse participants. Urges everyone on the call to reach out to Veronica or Nina if they have questions about how to incorporate ENV workshops into their nonviolent cities planning. Useful for recruiting new people and getting them on the path of nonviolence. Steering committee still working on reaching out to civic leaders to get them involved in other ways.

  
  

Sr. Paulette Schroeder - Tiffin, OH

• In fourth year of Nonviolent Tiffin, led by 8 dedicated people keeping things on track. Main focus is on opioid epidemic. Reaching out to facilities where at risk individuals/addicts are to help people in recovery as they try to make their way in the world. Four annual events: two for the men and two for the women. Mission to reduce violence by building caring relationships between all people in the community. Includes marches to celebrate diverse heritage. Teaching children nonviolence skills in the schools. Trying to dot the city of Tiffin with peace poles, even to make that the symbol of the town. Last year worked on peace cranes as well. Have brochures of Nonviolent Tiffin, and will send them to anyone who needs ideas. Also involved in corner actions once a week to keep up with daily peacework. Kathy Kelly is coming this year during their peace events, where they expect 100-200 people.

• Hope to open a hospitality house one day, like a Dorothy Day house available to anyone in need. With an emphasis on education so people can stop in and learn about their neighbors, and learn about people living on the fringe of society who don’t always get a voice.

• John mentions that Tiffin’s Nonviolent Tiffin signs in front of houses make a huge impact when they’re up all across the town.

• http://www.tiffin4peace.org/  https://www.facebook.com/Tiffin4Peace/

Fr. Harry Bury - St. Paul/Minneapolis, MN 

• Started with cutting edge methodology for organizational development: Discover (finding organizations), Dream (If twin cities were free from violence, what would that look like?), Design (strategic planning), and Delivery (carry out action plans).

• Second 10 Days Free From Violence last fall. 50 collaborating organizations held events in this time. Also had a march to the capitol where John Dear encouraged the crowd to build peace through nonviolence. At the end of this period, celebrated the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth by honoring student essays about peace and nonviolence.

• Had collaborator meetings about breaking down the walls leading up to 10 Days. Twin Cities Nonviolent, the main goal was to put organizations in touch with each other so they could learn from each other’s efforts and help support each other. This year working on getting both mayors to declare Minneapolis and St. Paul nonviolent cities.

• John advises TCNV focuses on reaching out to the press and making sure the public is made aware of all this great work.

Patty Caramagno - Placerville, CA 

• Met Harry Burry on the pilgrimage to Assisi last summer and was inspired to invite Harry to come talk at their church. Decided to make his visit a citywide event. Got city council, progressive group, republican party, and all different faiths together with the help of a newspaper article and personal outreach. Most of the 80 people who came to listen to Harry’s talk were from their church, but there was some diversity as a result of this outreach. Invited the homeless they host in the winter to attend the speech as well.

• Facilitated Engage at her former church, and is now working on getting to know Engaging Nonviolence and the new program to start in Placerville. Steering committee of four people facilitating retreats and identifying the unseen forms of violence in their community.

• George Martin adds that in many states, the principal newspapers in the larger cities post statewide news on Wednesday and Sunday, so events on Tuesdays and Saturdays can get the most attention.

Janice Vanderhaar - Memphis, TN

• Joined CNV and had a week of actions. City and county mayors proclaimed a week of nonviolence in Memphis. Seeing a lot of stepping stones towards creating a nonviolent city. Lots of poverty around Memphis, and three children were recently shot, making the city council begin to take the violence in the city more seriously.

• Working on equity in housing and education, and improving transportation to aid those who experience the most poverty in Memphis. 

• Vanderhaar symposium -- a legacy of creating nonviolence, through teaching and action in the spirit of King and Gandhi. Recently came up with an idea to invite people around the table from nonprofit, education, government, corporate, and other sectors to discuss how to create a more equitable, just, and nonviolent city and county. Picking up momentum to make real change. This year’s symposium called Racial and Economic Equity: The Key to a More Prosperous and Just Memphis. https://www.cbu.edu/vanderhaar

• John encourages everyone to be mindful of the words they use: calling it Nonviolence Memphis can create the reality.

Ruth Ann Angus – Morro Bay, CA

• Coming up on four years of Nonviolent Morro Bay. One of the biggest focuses has been on homelessness, which is a big problem there. Domestic violence and drugs were also a big issue, which made it all the more important for city council and police to be involved. Previous mayor created a peace resolution, and also funded a resource office to work with police officers. Now there are case workers and mental health help to work with the homeless and to work with the police to make things smoother.

• Started an education program about how a police department works and what to expect. Started a 9 week course called The Citizens Police Academy.

• City is very cooperative -- helped to feed 20,000 in the previous years. 15-20 groups meet monthly with a dedicated city council member and police officer. 

• This year, they needed statistics. Doubling down the work on drug and domestic violence problem. Peace day is good to organize, but daily nonviolence work is even more important. Experienced a setback with a nonviolence in homeless population, which makes it all that much more important to keep up the good work. Have also been meeting monthly to use Engaging Nonviolence workbook.

• Paso Robles on the verge of becoming a Nonviolent City as well, and San Luis Obispo has potential to join too.

Final thoughts – John Dear

Reach out to Ken, John, Veronica, or Ryan for any needs you might have. Keep us posted on events you hold. Feel free to write up about your events so we can post it as a blog, and keep the media informed as well. Write info@paceebene.org if you have any questions.