Community

A TRAGEDY

LEADING TO AN ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN (a Community Responders Pilot and a Peace Ship for a Nuclear-Free Future) Hola, mis Amigos!!  Están sucediendo tantas cosas, que esta columna será sobre algunas de ellas. La primera es la tragedia de Dariel Joel Rivera Reyes, quien se suicidó después de ser intimidado implacablemente por otros estudiantes. Dariel, a peaceful, loving 12-year-old bilingual student, tried to avoid altercations with a group of bullies in his school, who proceeded to harass him relentlessly – at school, on social media, and even at home (including stealing his bike). New York State’s Dignity for All Students Act – The Dignity Act, or DASA – seeks to provide students with a safe and supportive environment free from discrimination, intimidation, taunting, harassment, and bullying. Despite DASA and numerous incident reports, little was done. The then-principal was also the DASA officer (an obvious conflict of interest) and did not file the required reports. Resources and interventions were not provided. Eventually, Dariel could not take it anymore and killed himself.  The WNY Peace Center and other groups are working with the grieving grandparents and teachers to push for real change to prevent these situations from happening again. Please watch wnypeace.org for the next steps.  We also work in a coalition for a Community Responders Pilot Program in Erie County. We have had too many years of heartache, death, and tragedy when police respond to mental health/ social needs calls (e.g., India Cummings, Daniel Prude, Meech Davis, Pito Rivera, Willie Henley, etc.). We need a team of mental health, health (EMT), and peer responders to respond – independent of police – to low-level 911 calls. Such programs in other cities have been successful. Erie County must have – and fund – a Community Responders Pilot Program NOW. Please help urge county leaders to allocate $500,000 for a community responders pilot program before 2023. Please visit linktr.ee/CommunityResponders4EC for an action toolkit, including contacting your elected representatives. Please also go to wnypeace.org to take the WNY Peace Center’s survey regarding Erie County’s proposed plan for a huge new jail costing up to a quarter of a Billion dollars! Please express your opinion. Lastly, como necessitamos una futura libre de armas nucleares, residuos nucleares, – en otra palabras, a NuclearFree Future!! Pronto, tendemos una oportunidad de aprender, trabajar, y inspirar a otros hacia lo mismo. La Regla De Oro esta llegando!!  The Golden Rule is a sailing ship that was used in the 1950s to try to stop nuclear testing in the Marshall Islands. Now it has been revived, is on a two-year “Great Loop” tour, and will arrive in Buffalo on 7/30. We will hear from Veterans for Peace sailing the ship; Mark Colville, who did time for his brave protest of nuclear weapons (King Bay Plowshares); Shannon Shenandoah, a Seneca activist working for safe remediation of West Valley nuclear waste; and more. Events run from July 29- August 2nd, including music and the arts at Canalside. Go to wnypeace.org and/or WNY Peace Center on Facebook. Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Community Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Military & Veterans Peace People Politics A TRAGEDY July 4, 2023/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More EMBRACING BUFFALO / HEALING MOMENTS May 10, 2023/No Comments EMBRACING BUFFALO / HEALING MOMENTS “No podemos dejar que la gente abra brechas entre nosotros… porque solo hay una raza Read More RACISM IN THE BUFFALO POLICE DEPARTMENT (BPD)? March 16, 2023/No Comments “The beauty of anti-racism is that you don’t have to pretend to be free of racism to be anti-racist. Anti-racism Read More Load More End of Content.

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CAMP PEACEPRINTS 2023: HEALTHY LIVES MATTER

¡Hola, Amigos! Pronto sera el tiempo por los ninos para ir a campamentos de verano. We are excited to present once again Camp Peaceprints, now in its 16th year! With the theme Healthy Lives Matter! The day camp for 8- to 13-year-olds runs July 17-28, Monday-Friday 10 am-3 pm, at the WNY Peace Center (Carriage House, Network of Religious Communities, 1272 Delaware Ave, Buffalo 14209).  The camp focuses on social justice and peaceful conflict resolution in a diverse community working together. Besides exciting weekly field trips, the group swims 3 or 4 times, a health-building activity all ‘round! The children interact with community leaders, artists, activists, and storytellers. They will use music, art, theatre, dance, and recreation for self-expression and communication. In other words, they will learn, create, and play: Fun, fun, fun!! This year, we will explore personal and community health and how to maintain it. We will consider fundamental components of fitness: fresh air, clean water, sunlight, mindfulness/meditation or connecting to a higher power, sleep, exercise, whole foods, and rest. We will learn how a healthy environment benefits us, other living creatures, and the earth. And, of course, we will explore health equity disparities – how BIPOC, LGBTQ+, and other communities face major health challenges. Campers will also learn what resources people need to have a healthy community and how their health matters in creating a healthy community. Eight dimensions of health are included: physical, intellectual, emotional, social, spiritual, vocational, financial, and environmental. We are happy to have teens come on board as Youth Assistants. Adult Volunteers, including foster grandparents – official and unofficial – are very welcome!! We also appreciate help transporting and accompanying children on field trips, including swimming! Field trips have included wonderful local sites/sights (e.g., in previous years: Niagara Falls Underground Railroad Museum, Ganondagan: Seneca Art & Culture Center, Nash House, art galleries, parks, beaches, the Falls – even Maid of the Mist, and more!) This year’s field trips should be excellent! Caregiver comments include, “They loved it!” “They kept doing and talking about things from Camp after Camp was over.” “It was something to stimulate their learning over the summer.” “It was a real help to us.” Campers virtually all said they wanted Camp to last longer! Other camper comments: “It’s so much fun…” “I learned a lot about being kind and loving and working for things to be better in the world.” “It helped me be more peaceful and feel good.” The Camp is a collaboration between the SSJ Sister Karen Klimczak Center for Nonviolence, the Prevention Council, and the WNY Peace Center. You can soon find more info and updates on the WNY Peace Center Facebook page; linker; or sisterkarencenter.org, including a registration form. The camp cost is sliding scale –finances should never be an obstacle! You can pay what you can, up to the fee of $225. We are thankful for grants, including from the Network of Religious Communities, helping to make Camp Peaceprints possible! Hasta Pronto!! Note: To Ruthy Harris: FAREWELL, MY FRIEND — Deep condolences to the family and friends of Ruthy Harris. We will all miss her loving, powerful, and passionate ways. Her words were always poetry, even when writing prose. The depth of her passion and compassion was clear and is such a heavy weight to bear, truly unbearable. She was a beacon for us all, articulating an unstoppable river of caring for the world, manifested both inside and out. May she rest in Peace. —- Vicky Ross Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books & Poems Business Community Education Entertainment español Food & Culture Health Interviews Military & Veterans Peace People Politics A TRAGEDY July 4, 2023/No Comments LEADING TO AN ANTI-BULLYING CAMPAIGN (a Community Responders Pilot and a Peace Ship for a Nuclear-Free Future) Hola, mis Amigos!!  Read More CAMP PEACEPRINTS 2023: HEALTHY LIVES MATTER June 4, 2023/No CommentsRead More EMBRACING BUFFALO / HEALING MOMENTS May 10, 2023/No Comments EMBRACING BUFFALO / HEALING MOMENTS “No podemos dejar que la gente abra brechas entre nosotros… porque solo hay una raza Read More Load More End of Content.

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MADRE SOLO UNA:FELICIDADES A TI MADRE!

MADRE SOLO UNA:FELICIDADES A TI MADRE! A todas las madres que son nuestras lectoras especialmente a aquellas quienes con mucho sacrificio levantaron a sus hijos e hijas las felicito de corazon en este dia dedicado en el calendario a las madres. Para mi todos los dias son los dias de las madres, porque madre solo una! Tonemos este dia de las madres para agendar una propuesta de trabajo comunitaria y legislativa en torno a las necesidades a los derechos de la mujer desde los derechos reproductivos, igualdad de paga, entrenamiento a trabajos en ciencias y matematicas y destrezas que nos ayuden a desarrollarnos en diversas areas. El mejor regalo que le puedes dar a cualquier mujer es apoyarla en edificarse como individuo y como miembro de la comunidad. Toma un momento, mira la agenda legislativa, educacional, laboral y de las artes en tu distrito y toma accion, necesitamos tu apoyo. Hay tantas iniciativas de leyes y propuestas de vida que necesitan nacer y tomar vida crecer con el apoyo y el empuje de nuestra perspectiva cultural y linguistica.  Juntas y juntos podemos crear iniciativas de leyes y programas para darle voz y voto a aquellos y aquellas quienes no han podido participar en el dialogo equitativo de nuestra democracia! El dia de las madres es el dia mas apropiado para iniciar, re-iniciar y propulsar tantas ideas, proyects, y propuestas! Dale! Animate! Toma la iniciativa, en nombre de tu mama, de tu tia favorita, de abu la mujer luchadora, de la madrina que le da la cara al sol aunque la lluvia caiga sobre lo mojado. Piensa en una propuesta de ley que pudiese cambiar el rumbo de tu comunidad, propulsar un proyecto de ley para la salud reproductiva de la mujer, y o la educacion. Un regalo concreto que puedes hacer es participar en organizar tu comunidad en un asunto especifico  y proponer un Proyecto de ley a tu senadora o asambleista estatal para microempresas, guarderias infantiles y o viviendas en tu comunidad. Ejemplo: Propuesta de Ley Para Banco de MicroInversiones y Becas a Emprededoras de Buffalo. Presupuesto Total de  un millon de de dolares moneda de los Estados Unidos de Norteamerica para mujeres vendedoras de artesania hecha a mano residentes del distrito X en Buffalo con la tematica de la madre latina en la cuidad de Buffalo.  Numero de participantes (X por una cantidad de $ becas para materiales y el mercadeo de su produccion para el Desarrollo de su mercancia.). Piensa en algo que te gustaria que sabes que puede levantar tu comunidad! Read More From This Writer All Post Art Books Business Culture Education Entertainment Food Government Health Interviews Lower West Side Business & Economic Development Medical Military & Veterans Our Community Peace People Sports Uncategorized Who We Are MADRE SOLO UNA:FELICIDADES A TI MADRE! May 23, 2023/No Comments POST TITLE (CAPITAL) Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus Read More LA PRIMAVERA EN NUESTRA DEMOCRACIA April 23, 2023/No Comments LA PRIMAVERA EN NUESTRA DEMOCRACIA La primavera llego, ha florecido. En esta primavera historica, reflexional junto a nosotros y preguntate: Read More MUJER: FELICIDADES EN TU MES March 23, 2023/No Comments MUJER: FELICIDADES EN TU MES Marzo es el mes dedicado a la mujer y su contribución a la sociedad. Hoy Read More Load More End of Content.

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