November 14th, 2024: Salt of the Earth: A Conversation Between a Palestinian and an Israeli Peace Activist
DATE: 11/14/2024
TIME: 06:00 PM
LOCATION: Lake Street Church
Join us on Thursday, November 14th for Salt of the Earth: A Conversation Between a Palestinian and an Israeli Peace Activist! At a time when it seems that every major news outlet, every federal politician, and all sorts of U.S. based organizations (with various agendas) have an opinion and “solutions” for resolving the crisis unfolding in Israel/Gaza and the greater Middle East – this is an opportunity to sit and learn from two individuals for whom this is a lived reality. We hope you can join us!
This conversation will feature Osama Iliwat and Rotem Levin. Attendance to the event is free, but please consider making a contribution to underwrite the cost of the tour.
Co-hosted by Chicago Area Peace Action, Lake Street Church Peace and Justice Committee, and IfNotNow Chicago. Bring a friend to this powerful and timely dialogue! See you on Thursday, November 14th!
October 17th, 2024: CAPA’s 45th Annual Fall Fundraiser: Prioritizing Human Dignity in a Time of Division (click here to watch the recording!)
DATE: 10/17/2024
TIME: 05:30 PM
LOCATION: Irish American Heritage Center
Imagine a society constructed on interdependence rather than geographical borders. Imagine regarding one another as neighbor versus ‘other.’ CAPA invites you to envision a global society with human dignity as its guiding principle. How would this mutually-held value transform our communities, our policies, our choices?
As we approach this critical election and recommit to peace at home and abroad, let us consider what we should ask of ourselves as citizens and as neighbors.
Please join our panelists Kina Collins and Father David Kelly along with moderator, Jim Huffman, as we discuss the transformative potential for our collective dignity intrinsically woven into this perspective. We will enjoy a delicious dinner catered by Curt’s Cafe, celebrate the important work of CAPA’s Climate and Foreign Policy Working Groups and invite attendees to share their passions and insights among fellow peace builders. See you there!
August 25th, 2024: “Where Olive Trees Weep” – Documentary Film & Discussion
DATE: 08/25/2024
TIME: 05:00 PM
LOCATION: Evanston Public Library
Join us in-person on Wednesday, September 25th at 5PM CT for “Where Olive Trees Weep: Trauma of Occupation in the West Bank,” a powerful documentary film with discussion to follow.
“Where Olive Trees Weep” offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. Featuring Palestinian journalist and therapist Ashira Darwish, Jewish therapist Dr. Gabor Maté, grassroots activist Ahed Tamimi, Israeli journalist Amira Hass, and others. Followed by a Q+A with discussants Eli Newell and Tarek Khalil:
Eli Newell is a Chicago-based artist, organizer and rabbinic student whose work visits the intersections of directing & writing for live performance, grassroots community organizing, and facilitating embodied Jewish ritual. Eli is a national Field Organizer with IfNotNow, a movement of American Jews working to end U.S. support for Israel’s apartheid system and demand equality, justice and a thriving future for all Palestinians and Israelis.
Tarek Khalil is an attorney and Palestinian Human Rights activist, and board member with the American Muslims for Palestine (AMP-Chicago). Tarek appeared in multiple media outlets such as ABC, CBS, NYT, Arab News, and Aljazeera, among others. With AMP, Tarek lectures on topics such as modern Palestinian history, Middle East politics, and Palestinian rights under international law.
Bring a friend and help raise local awareness of this powerful documentary. See you on September 25th!
August 22nd, 2024: MARCH ON THE DNC! (Closing March)
DATE: 08/22/2024
TIME: 05:00 PM
LOCATION: Union Park, 1501 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60606
The March on the DNC coalition fights for the rights and liberation of oppressed people and against the exploitation of workers. Beginning on August 19th 2024, we will march on the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to bring the people’s agenda to within sight and sound of the Democratic Party leadership.
Our leaders have been responsible for financing genocide in Palestine and war in multiple countries; continuing the mass incarceration of Black and brown people; deporting millions of immigrants; and neglecting campaign promises made to the oppressed communities who represent their voting base. Recent gains in the rights of oppressed people have been made by grassroots organizations in spite of a lack of support and often outright opposition from Democratic Party leaders.
History has proven what Frederick Douglass once said: “power concedes nothing without a demand.”
August 19th, 2024: August 19th, 2024: MARCH ON THE DNC!
DATE: 08/19/2024
TIME: 12:00 PM
LOCATION: Union Park, 1501 W Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60606
The March on the DNC coalition fights for the rights and liberation of oppressed people and against the exploitation of workers. Beginning on August 19th 2024, we will march on the Democratic National Convention in Chicago to bring the people’s agenda to within sight and sound of the Democratic Party leadership.
Our leaders have been responsible for financing genocide in Palestine and war in multiple countries; continuing the mass incarceration of Black and brown people; deporting millions of immigrants; and neglecting campaign promises made to the oppressed communities who represent their voting base. Recent gains in the rights of oppressed people have been made by grassroots organizations in spite of a lack of support and often outright opposition from Democratic Party leaders.
History has proven what Frederick Douglass once said: “power concedes nothing without a demand.”
August 18th, 2024: Bodies Outside of Unjust Laws – pre-March on the DNC!
DATE: 08/18/2024
TIME: 05:00 PM
LOCATION: Michigan Ave & Wacker Drive (Chicago), 60601
Join activists from across the nation on the eve of the DNC. We demand federal action to expand access to abortion and reproductive health care, support families, and defend the rights of trans and queer people. We also demand an end to U.S. funds going to genocide, and an immediate and lasting ceasefire in Palestine so all Palestinians can live in peace and dignity with bodily autonomy and reproductive justice.
July 23rd, 2024: Lessons from the Battle of Seattle for the Chicago DNC
Lessons from the Battle of Seattle for the Chicago DNC
DATE:07/23/2024
TIME: 06:30 PM
LOCATION: 637 S Dearborn St, Chicago, IL 60605
Twenty-five years ago, nonviolent protesters shocked the Establishment in Seattle by shutting down the Seattle round of the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks. DW Gibson has just published an oral history of the event, One Week to Change the World.
A key message of the book is why the protests in Seattle were so effective at making change. Gibson gleans through his interviews that the “outside” Street Heat coupled with and complementary to an “inside strategy” of moving the institutions, facilitated significant change at a level that street protests alone could not have achieved.
DW Gibson and journalist John Nichols, National Affairs Correspondent for The Nation magazine will talk about the current political climate and how the lessons learned in the protests surrounding the WTO meetings might be useful today.
Can the organizing and narrative around the protests at Chicago DNC be similarly broadened so that more people will participate and make those protests more effective at moving the Democratic Party on Peace issues, particularly around Israel/Gaza?
Join us for a lively discussion!
July 9th, 2024: Debunking Deterrence Theory and Pursuing Global Nuclear Disarmament
DATE:07/09/2024
TIME:07:00 PM
LOCATION:Online Event
For too long, deterrence theory has been used as the legitimizing foundation for US and global nuclear weapons policy. Deterrence is rarely examined, let alone questioned, but it is often waved around like some verbal magic wand to justify extremely dangerous and exorbitant policies that threaten life on Earth. Our speakers will examine the very frightening flaws of deterrence theory that have too often brought humanity to the brink of extinction, and offer practical strategies and tactics to replace it, and to advance the cause of global nuclear disarmament.
We will hear from the following experts: Tadatoshi (Tad) Akiba, former Mayor of Hiroshima, Japan Professor Elaine Scarry, Harvard University, author of Thermonuclear Monarchy: Choosing between Democracy and Doom Jackie Cabasso, Western States Legal Foundation, United for Peace and Justice, Mayors for Peace Emma Claire Foley, Defuse Nuclear War and Roots Action Moderators: Joseph Gerson, Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security and Kevin Martin, Peace Action Education Fund.
June 22nd, 2024: “Breaking Chains Through Verses of Freedom” – Resource Fair and Spoken Word Event
DATE:06/22/2024
TIME: 05:30 PM
LOCATION: 2810 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL 60618
Join us at the Hairpin Arts Center on Saturday, June 22nd at 5:30 PM CT for an event hosted by the Illinois Coalition for Higher Education in Prison (IL-CHEP). This event is designed to provoke thought and stimulate interest in the impact of mass incarceration in the U.S., the educational programs which can transform and counter the violent carceral system from within, and paths from imprisonment to flourishing.
5:30-6:30PM – The event will start with a resource fair to provide system-impacted individuals, their family members, and the general public with information from a variety of groups working in the realms of art, peace, justice, education, and support services and advocacy to formerly incarcerated individuals.
6:30-9:30 – Live spoken word performances by system-impacted individuals.
June 20th, 2024: “Where Olive Trees Weep” – Documentary Film and Discussion
DATE: 06/20/2024
TIME: 07:00 PM
LOCATION: 1450 Chicago Ave., Evanston IL 60201
Admission: $10.00 (No one will be turned away) – **Proceeds go to the film’s producers and to UNRWA**
The film “Where Olive Trees Weep” offers a searing window into the struggles and resilience of the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. Featuring Palestinian journalist and therapist Ashira Darwish, Jewish therapist Dr. Gabor Maté, grassroots activist Ahed Tamimi, Israeli journalist Amira Hass, and others. Followed by Q+A with discussants from Chicago area orginaztions. Bring a friend and help raise local awareness of this powerful documentary. Co-sponsors include CAPA, American Muslims for Palestine Chicago, Jewish Voice for Peace Chicago, Evanston Ceasefire Coalition, and Lake Street Church’s Peace & Justice Committee.
June 13th, 2024: Hands Off the Uhuru 3!
DATE: 06/13/2024
TIME: 07:00 PM
LOCATION: Online Event
Uhuru Means Freedom in Swahili!
The Uhuru 3 are Omali Yeshitela, Chairman of the African People’s Socialist Party (APSP); Penny Hess, Chair of the African People’s Solidarity Committee (APSC); and Jesse Nevel, Chair of the Uhuru Solidarity Movement (USM). In April 2023, the Uhuru 3 were indicted by the US Govt on bogus charges of being “agents of a foreign government” because of the Uhuru Movement’s over 50 years of work to advocate for the liberation and unification of Africa and forcibly dispersed African people everywhere.
The charges levied on the Uhuru 3 came nine months after the FBI and local police violently raided seven homes and properties of the APSP and Uhuru Movement in St. Louis, MO and St. Petersburg, FL on July 29, 2022. These charges carry prison sentences of up to 15 years each. On Sept. 28, 2023, a Motion to Dismiss the Charges against the Uhuru 3 was presented to US court in Tampa, Florida. The Uhuru 3 are still awaiting a response from the Dept. of Justice. The charges against the Uhuru 3 reveal the historical and ongoing escalation of attacks on free speech rights, freedom to organize, and freedom to struggle for liberation of African, Indigenous and all oppressed peoples of the world.
More information from the https://handsoffuhuru.org/ website.
June 12th, 2024: The Danger and Cost of ICBMs
DATE:06/12/2024
TIME:06:00 PM
LOCATION:Online Event
The risks of nuclear war and the costs of the U.S. government’s “War Machine” both continue to escalate. This webinar, taking place during the week of June 10-17 in honor of the late Daniel Ellsberg, will examine Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles – the most costly, vulnerable and dangerous leg of the nuclear triad of land-, sea-, and air-based missiles. This timely event hosted by Massachusetts Peace Action features CAPA’s David Borris along with Norman Solomon and Emma Claire Foley of RootsAction and Defuse Nuclear War.
June 1st, 2024: Great Lakes Regional Gathering – Gaza Solidarity
DATE:06/01/2024
TIME:04:00 PM
LOCATION:Online Event
So much has happened regarding our topics in the past three months:
— Julian Assange has received a temporary reprieve from the High Court of London allowing him the right to appeal his extradition to the U.S.
— President Biden signed a spending bill that increases southern border enforcement, tosses crumbs to immigration services, and trades away rights to asylum for migrants escaping violence and political turmoil.
— In Gaza, thousands more have been killed. The resistance remains strong in the streets, on campuses, in council chambers, on the media, and at primary election ballot boxes across the country.
It’s time for updates on these issues, followed by a special focus on Palestine. It’s a perfect time for us in the Great Lakes area to get together, compare notes and make some plans for the upcoming months. With the Poor People’s Campaign Mass Mobilization in Washington D.C. on June 29th and the upcoming election in November and all that comes with it, now is the time to work together!
June 1st, 2024: Climate Action in Evanston!
May 29th, 2024 – A Conversation with Annie Jacobsen and Back from the Brink
May 28th, 2024 – Earth Bill Webinar
Are you interested in stopping climate pollution by 2030? CAPA is hosting a webinar on May 28th at 7PM Central featuring the EARTH BILL, with Todd Fernandez, Executive Director for Climate Crisis Policy & The Earth Bill Network. The Earth Bill, or “The Earth Act to Stop Climate Pollution by 2030” (H.R. 598), is a visionary, science-based law to mandate an end to harmful emissions at the source – at the industry level – on the timeline required to meet the climate emergency.We have to start fast and succeed by 2030 because our additional pollution this decade will take the planet beyond the 1.5°C into tipping point scenarios that will destabilize the entire planet. This major legislation is a rallying cry to build public power and galvanize congressional action. See you on May 28th!
May 19th, 2024 – Honoring the Memory of Wadee Alfayoumi
Join us in honoring Wadee Alfayoumi, the 6-year-old child killed in Illinois on October 16th, 2023 by a landlord — a hate crime that defies understanding. CAPA invites you to show up in support of our Palestinian and Muslim communities at this difficult time. This event is co-sponsored by the Muslim Civic Coalition, Muslim Community Center, and Lake Street Church.
Let’s gather for this program to address hate crimes and the vulnerable children as horror unfolds in Gaza. We will discuss how to support HR 942 and SR 589, congressional resolutions that address hate crimes and hate speech against Palestinian community members.
Showing up is what we can do as we build a louder voice for justice in Palestine, and for freedom and safety for our Palestinian brothers and sisters.
May 19th, 2024 – Free Them All! Free Palestine! Rally
Join us for a demonstration on Sunday, May 19th at the 18th District Police Station (1160 N Larrabee St) at 3pm. We’ll be combining our struggle to free the wrongfully convicted, torture survivors, and all political prisoners with the struggle to free Palestine.
May 1st, 2024 – 6p – Get Out the Vote effort at Evanston Public Library
Join Chicago Area Peace Action (CAPA) for a Get Out the Vote writing workshop on May 1st at Evanston Public Library! We will get out our pens and show you how to join the efforts of our partners VoteForward and Indivisible in writing letters and postcards to voters in battleground states — think Michigan and Wisconsin.
We’ll write together all summer and mail out in October. Join our team of writers. Bring a pen and bring a friend!
Wed., May 1st, 6-8PM, Evanston Public Library, Falcon Room (3rd floor)
April 26th, 2024 – 7p – MacLeish Hall, Lake Street Church
Peace Concert “Laugh While It’s Still Legal”
Satire and Social Commentary with Tom Neilson
April 20th, 2024: Earth Day Fest
Join CAPA and friends as we celebrate Earth Day Fest, from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday, April 20th, 2024. As the Ecology Center is undergoing renovations, the event will occur at Ingraham Park, 2100 Ridge Ave., behind the Morton Civic Center.
CAPA Climate Group members will have a table where we offer information about passing the Earth Bill, and get petition signatures for climate demands to the Biden Administration.
This is the first Earth Day Fest, and the City of Evanston Parks and Recreation Department with support from Public Works and the Office of Sustainability welcomes you to attend this free event. There will be games, activities, resources, tree plantings and volunteer opportunities! The event will also feature food trucks, Earth-friendly resources and more than 15 local ecology groups.
See you there!
April 19th, 2024: Global Climate Strike
Our communities, our planet, and our futures are being menaced by oil and gas corporations and the decisions made by elected leaders that prop them up. But it doesn’t have to be this way, another world is possible. We deserve a world free from fossil fuels. This is our chance, and Biden’s opportunity, to break free from fossil fuels and build an equitable and safe future for all. We demand bold climate action for a livable future.
We are coming together, across the globe, to fight back against the fossil fuel industry and its enablers. Together, we are unstoppable as we build and imagine a fossil fuel-free world. We must End the Era of Fossil Fuels in a just and equitable way. Are you in?
From April 19-22, thousands of young people will take part in multiple national days of actions – led by groups including Sunrise Movement, Fridays for Future USA, Campus Climate Network, Reclaim Earth Day, and The Youth vs Fossil Fuels Coalition – calling on President Biden and other decision makers to declare a Climate Emergency and End Fossil Fuels. Find more information here.
April 17th, 2024: “No War on Iran” Rally!
Join us on Wednesday, April 17th at 5:30 PM for a rally and speakout in Chicago’s Federal Plaza, with a possible march to the Ogilvie Transportation Center, which shares a building with the Israeli Consulate.
We will demand that there be no further escalation toward a full Israeli or full U.S. war with Iran – which could escalate to an uncontrollable regional war leading to immeasurable human suffering, the distinct possibility of a global economic crash, and a vastly increased likelhood of species annihiliation via nuclear war.
- WHEN: Wednesday, April 17th, 2024 at 5:30 PM Central
- WHERE: Federal Plaza, 230 South Dearborn, Chicago
The rally will demand a suspension of military aid to Israel and will stress conscientiously pursuing deescalation and peace, as all people of conscience must now compel the Israel and U.S. governments to deescalate.
This will be an event of PSL-Chicago and About Face: Veterans Against War (formerly Iraq Veterans for Peace), alongside CAPA, the ANSWER Coalition, the National Iranian American Council, American Muslims for Palestine and a growing list of endorsing organizations. We will demand an end of military aid to Israel and a restoration of humanitarian aid to the region.
See you at 5:30 P.M. tomorrow on Federal Plaza!
April 6th, 2024: Peace Summit “Solidarity and Sustainability Toward a Peaceful Future”
With the unfolding of the current genocide in Palestine and increased violence in Congo, it is clear now more than ever that we need to unite in solidarity to fight violance across the globe. As we lead this battle, we must ensure that every step we take towards a peaceful world is sustainabile and just so we can protect humanity and our environment in this current climate crisis. We must also protect and uplift refugees, who have been affected both by war and by climate change, to ensure our future is as equitable as possible.
As a means to help build this movement and inpsire more peace activists to rise up, Chicago Area Peace Action’s Student Network is hosting their annual Peace Summit. The Peace summit will highlight the role we play in global conflict and shine a light on what we can do locally to support the movement. Attendees of the Peace Summit can expect to hear from various panels of student speakers, experience cultural performances, and attend breakout sessions led by young activists who are greatly contributing to the movement.
Join us at the Evanston Public Library Thursday, April 4th at 6:00 P.M. for “Out of the Rubble: Gaza Now and Beyond,” a discussion featuring Dr. John Kahler of MedGlobal and Jonah Karsh of IfNotNow, with Jerome McDonnell moderating. Dr. Kahler will share insights from his work with MedGlobal, an organization which has been sending teams of doctors to Gaza during the current crisis. Jonah Karsh will share the work of IfNotNow in organizing for ceasefire, justice, and an end to occupation and apartheid. Both will contemplate how to bring a lasting ceasefire in Gaza – and how to move forward after the killing stops.
MedGlobal‘s field teams support local health programs around the globe at times of war or natural disasters. IfNotNow is a movement of American Jews organizing to end U.S. support for the Israeli government’s system of apartheid. This event is cosponsored by CAPA, The Peace and Justice Committee of Lake Street Church, and MedGlobal.
John Kahler, MD is a co-founder of MedGlobal. His interest in global health and his participation in humanitarian work around the world, from Mexico to Haiti to Tanzania, has spanned more than 25 years.
Jonah Karsh is a lead organizer with IfNotNow Chicago. He has been deeply involved in organizing for democracy and human rights in Israel/Palestine and has served on the national board of J Street.
Jerome McDonnell hosted the program Worldview on WBEZ for years, bringing in experts to discuss international news from a local perspective. The show heavily featured arts, activism, and social movements in Chicago.
Be part of this conversation with us on April 4th. Light refreshments will also be provided at the event. We hope to see you there!
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March 28th-April 1st, 2024: International Uranium Film Festival
Nuclear disarmament advocates–check out the International Uranium Film Festival in Chicago–March 28th-April 1st!
Multiple locations ● 16 films, 16 +hours ● First time: Best Young Filmmaker Award – $1,000 ● (some locations limited seating; EventBrite registration required) ●
The Schedule: film listings and descriptions at www.neis.org
- Thur. 3/28, 6-9 p.m.: Loyola Univ. Damen Theater, 6511 N. Sheridan
Road, Lake Shore Campus, Chicago. Special showing: On the Beach - Fri. 3/29, 6-9 p.m.: Haymarket House, 800 West Buena Ave.,
Chicago (limited seating, EventBrite reservation req’d.) - Sat. 3/30, noon to 8 p.m.: Univ. of Chicago International House, 1414
East 59th Street, Chicago - Sun. 3/31, 4:30 p.m. matinee: Music Box Theater, 3733 N. Southport
Ave., Chicago. Special showing: BUILDING BOMBS - Mon. 4/1, 2-8 p.m., Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave.,
Evanston (limited seating, EventBrite reservation req’d.)
- Thur. 3/28, 6-9 p.m.: Loyola Univ. Damen Theater, 6511 N. Sheridan
Coming to Chicago (birthplace of the Nuclear Age) in its 13th year, the International Uranium Film Festival presents films about nuclear power and weapons; nuclear victims and environmental justice; and the risks of radioactivity, from uranium mining to nuclear waste. From
Hiroshima, the Manhattan Project, Fukushima and everything in between, where Oppenheimer dared not go, these films shed overdue light on all nuclear issues, past, present and future!
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-uranium-film-festival-day-5-tickets-837941404297
https://neis.org/
https://uraniumfilmfestival.org/
@uraniumfilm @uraniumfilmfestival
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March 27th, 2024: From Palestine to the Philippines: Stop U.S.-Backed Bombing and Build a Just Peace!
While Palestine, the Philippines, and the US are geographically distant, the relationships between their governments are characterized by a common thread of military aid and weapons sales, human rights violations, negligent governments, widespread vilification of activists and civil society institutions, as well as the weaponization of civilian life as a tactic to maintain control.
This webinar aims to educate the public about the human rights violations in both Occupied Palestine and the Philippines, highlight the role of the US in enabling violence, the roots of the conflict, and opportunities to engage and oppose the continuing harm being carried out.
This webinar is being hosted by ICHRP-US & faith communities including: Pax Christi USA, Pax Christi International, Western Methodist Justice Movement, & ecumenical partners.
February 27th, 2024: Gaza in Crisis – A Discussion with Dr. Zaher Sahloul and Sr. Thaer Ahmad of MedGlobal
When: Tuesday, Feb 27th at 7pm Central
Where:Lake Street Church, 1450 Chicago Ave (Courtyard Entrance) Evanston, IL 60201
On February 27th Dr. Zaher Sahloul and Dr. Thaer Ahmad of MedGlobal, will be our guest speakers. Both are recently returned from Gaza where they were deployed in January 2024 for 2 weeks at hospitals and clinics across the Gaza strip and they will discuss their first-hand experience of the medical crisis unfolding in Palestine. Both Doctors are professors at University of Illinois Chicago (UIC).
MedGlobal field teams support local health programs around the globe at times of war or natural disasters. Its growing teams and partner organizations are supported by a diverse number of selfless volunteer medical professionals of all specialties from 27 countries who embrace its mission.
Dr. Zaher Sahloul is President and cofounder of MedGlobal. Dr. Sahloul was awarded Chicagoan of the year in 2016, and Gandhi Award for Peace in 2020 among many other awards for his humanitarian work.
Thaer Ahmad, MD is a board certified emergency medicine physician who serves as Asst. Program Director for Advocate Christ’s Emergency Medicine Residency Program and Global Health Director for its emergency department.
Jerome McDonnell hosted Worldview on WBEZ for years, bringing in experts to discuss international news from a local perspective, and drawing local connections. The show heavily featured arts, activism, and social movements in Chicago.
This presentation is being cosponsored by: Chicago Area Peace Action, (CAPA), The Peace and Justice Committee of Lake Street Church, Muslim Community Center of Chicago, Second Baptist Church of Evanston and MedGlobal.
February 22nd, 2024: Meet Kina Collins, Pro-Peace Congressional Candidate for IL-7
When: Thursday, Feb 22nd at 6pm Central
Where: Online (Zoom)
Whether you live in Illinois’s 7th District or not, perhaps you have friends in this district. Or perhaps you are available to join our CAPA Peace Voter 2024 committee members who will work to elect Kina Collins as the best progressive candidate of the several running this election cycle in this district. We are looking for new energy in the House of Representatives… someone who will be a strong voice for the climate and peace issues of today. Please email us at capa@chipeaceaction.org if you would like to canvas or phonebank with us for Kina Collins… and register to meet Kina at the zoom event below!
It’s easy to forget that in just a few short weeks, primary elections will be taking place in most of the country. While it may feel exhausting sometimes to keep up with the races, this election can be a bellwether moment for us to prioritize peace in foreign policy. This primary season, Peace Action has been endorsing candidates who believe in justice and human rights abroad, who believe in a ceasefire in Gaza, and who believe that the US military-industrial complex should no longer dictate where our funding priorities lay. One such candidate is Kina Collins, who is running for Illinois’ 7th district.
At 6:00 pm Central, Kina will again join us for a conversation about today’s most pressing foreign policy issues. She spoke to us during her 2022 campaign but wanted to come back to address all the foreign policy issues that have arisen since then. She felt that those running for Congress owed it to voters to share their positions on Gaza, Ukraine, and more.
February 20th, 2024: Chicago Rally for Julian Assange
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb 20th at 4pm. Chicago Rally and Press Conference “Drop the charges against Julian Assange”
Join our rally on Michigan Avenue near the Chicago Tribune Building (435 Michigan Ave.). We need as many supporters as possible to hold banners and pass out flyers. Share the link above.
At 4:30 pm speakers will discuss the day’s court proceedings, the significance of the case for press freedom in this country, as well as highlighting the critical role Julian Assange and WikiLeaks has played in exposing U.S. war crimes and misdeeds. Cities across the U.S. are holding similar rallies.
Current sponsors include AssangeDefenseChicago, Black Alliance for Peace, Chicago Area Peace Action, CodePink, and JISOOR. Please email felawrence@gmail.com if you would like to suggest other orgs.
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ONGOING ACTIONS:
Call your representative!! Urge that they support H.Res.934, currently with the House Judiciary Committee. H .Res.934 – “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that regular journalistic activities are protected under the First Amendment, and that the United States ought to drop all charges against and attempts to extradite Julian Assange.”
Flyers and Bannering: Contact Stansfield Smith (stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com) for literature and details of bannering opportunities.
Social Media: Join the AssangeDefenseChicago facebook group and share content on your own social media. Now is the time to create as much coverage as possible.
“Free Julian Assange!” 
February 19th, 2024: 24-hour Livestream Event
WHEN: Monday, Feb 19th, starting at 2:30 A.M. CT:
The 24hr Countdown to Day X Webcast! (make sure to hit the notify bell)
The 24 hour webcast begins at 2:30 A.M. CT streaming on the YouTube channels @StellaAssange and @AssangeDefense. In this countdown, the Assange Defense team will be providing a complete overview of what Julian Assange is facing at the two-day public hearing that starts on the 20th at 2:30 A.M. CT. It will then be going live from outside the Royal Courts of Justice in London.
This webcast will include pre-recorded messages of support from leading voices in the U.S and around the world. Chicago voices are well represented.
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ONGOING ACTIONS:
Call your representative!! Urge that they support H.Res.934, currently with the House Judiciary Committee. H .Res.934 – “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that regular journalistic activities are protected under the First Amendment, and that the United States ought to drop all charges against and attempts to extradite Julian Assange.”
Flyers and Bannering: Contact Stansfield Smith (stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com) for literature and details of bannering opportunities.
Social Media: Join the AssangeDefenseChicago facebook group and share content on your own social media. Now is the time to create as much coverage as possible.
“Free Julian Assange!”
February 15th, 2024: Freedom of the Press Foundation Event
WHEN: Thursday, Feb 15th at 11:30 A.M. CT
The Freedom of the Press Foundation is holding a virtual discussion explaining how the Assange prosecution endangers all journalists. Speakers include:
- – U.S. Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass
- – Cindy Cohn, executive director of the Electronic Frontier Foundation
- – Carrie DeCell, senior staff attorney at the Knight First Amendment Institute
- – Trevor Timm, executive director of Freedom of the Press Foundation
- – Ben Wizner, director of the ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project.
Followed by the world premiere of a Freedom of the Press Foundation (FPF) video urging the Biden administration to drop this dangerous prosecution.
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ONGOING ACTIONS:
Call your representative!! Urge that they support H.Res.934, currently with the House Judiciary Committee. H .Res.934 – “Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that regular journalistic activities are protected under the First Amendment, and that the United States ought to drop all charges against and attempts to extradite Julian Assange.”
Flyers and Bannering: Contact Stansfield Smith (stansfieldsmith100@gmail.com) for literature and details of bannering opportunities.
Social Media: Join the AssangeDefenseChicago facebook group and share content on your own social media. Now is the time to create as much coverage as possible.
“Free Julian Assange!”
February 13th, 2024: “Occupation of the American Mind” Documentary and Discussion
WHEN: Tuesday, Feb. 13th @ 7 PM
WHERE: Lake Street Church, Parlor Room, 1450 Chicago Ave (Courtyard Entrance), Evanston IL, 60201
CAPA believes it is time to have a larger discussion of the seven decades of Israeli Occupation and consider how the U.S. could arrive at a position of fairness toward both Iraeli and Palestinian lives and their equal need for freedom, safety and prosperity. The U.S. should immediately become a non partial broker working alongside other brokers in the Middle East for an acceptable solution for both peoples.
On Tuesday, February 13th, we are coordinating with the Peace and Justice Committee of Lake Street Church in Evanston to show the film, “Occupation of the American Mind: Israel’s Public Relations War in the United States.” As the film’s webpage states:
Polling shows strong global opposition to Israel’s illegal occupation of Palestinian land, and mounting outrage over Israel’s ongoing slaughter of unarmed Palestinian civilians who are fighting for their rights. Nevertheless, public sympathy and support for Israel within the US continues to hold strong.
“The Occupation of the American Mind” zeroes in on this critical exception, breaking down the devastatingly effective public relations war that Israel and right-wing pro-Israel advocacy groups have been waging for decades in the US. Narrated by Roger Waters and featuring leading observers of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, the film explores how the Israeli government, the US government, and the pro-Israel lobby have joined forces, often with very different motives and interests, to shape American media coverage of the conflict in Israel’s favor.
The result is a stunning look at how — and why — American media coverage of the conflict regularly minimizes the occupation, vilifies critics of Israeli policy, and dehumanizes the Palestinian people.
January 27th: Stop Endless Wars – Great Lakes Regional Gathering II
Join United for Peace and Justice, Cleveland Peace Action, Chicago Area Peace Action, and friends for the next Great Lakes Regional Gathering online, to discuss ways forward to a culture of peace and justice.
Food costs too high… no good jobs… even more prisons… cops out of control… endless war… and on it goes. All are links in a chain. Don’t let the chains of the system keep you down!
The Great Lakes Regional Gathering held in March 2023 was informative and energizing. There’s certainly a lot going on in our area and a lot that needs to happen.
Our problems are connected. So are the solutions. Let’s get together to discuss next steps for 2024!
Please join us online on Jan 27, 2024, from 1 -3PM CT.
January 15th: Nonviolent Action, Unarmed Civilian Protection – A Way Forward to Justice & Peace
Featuring Charles Johnson, Organizing Director with Chicago Area Peace Action
When: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Monday, January 15, 2024, 7:00-8:30 pm Central Time
Where: Online
There is another way, a better way, and a more effective way. The nonviolent way can achieve results, resolve conflicts, reach understanding, and help to heal.
In this session, participants will learn about the nonviolent alternative known as Unarmed Civilian Protection, a way to provide safety and security, and achieve peace. We will be introduced to the techniques, success stories, and economies of Unarmed Civilian Protection– a practice which is transforming models of safety in U.S. communities and in conflicts around the world. We will also be able to participate in role-playing situations, and receive resources to learn more!
Charles Johnson is a co-founding member of Nonviolent Peaceforce’s Chicago chapter. He has received certification in Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) studies through the UN/Merrimack College, and has trained in UCP with Nonviolent Peaceforce, DC Peace Team, Meta Peace Team, and others.
January 13th: Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War 2024
When: Saturday, Jan. 13th, 2024 @ 1-4:30 PM CST
Where: Online
We are in a period of unusual danger and difficulty: The Russia/Ukraine conflict has sharply increased the danger of nuclear war; The tragic Israel/Gaza Conflict threatens to expand; The Pentagon budget is higher than ever and still going up; Cold Warriors in high places are beating the drums of war toward Russia and China; Within the US right wing forces are working to weaken voting rights and representative democracy. This annual Conference is an effort to find social, economic and political paths away from the war economy and toward peace and nuclear disarmament. The Breakouts provide small focused working groups to plan steps forward.
Agenda
1:00: Welcome: MLK Jr and our tasks- Jonathan King (MIT and Mass Peace Action)
1:05: Dangers: Chair Susan Mirsky (Mass Peace Action)
- Nuclear Winter – Alan Robock (Rutgers University)
- Folly of Replacing ICBMs- David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action)
- Dangers from Ukraine/Russia Conflict – Medea Benjamin (CODEPINK)
- Dangers from Israel/Gaza Conflict – Trita Parsi (Quincy Institute)
2:00: Unsustainable Costs: Chair Dave Pack – (PeaceWorks Kansas City)
- Nuclear Weapons Budgets – Lindsay Koshgarian (Institute for Policy Studies)
- Human Costs of the War Economy – Shailly Gupta Barnes (Kairos Center & Poor Peoples Campaign)
2:30: Congressional Battlegrounds:
- Supporting the Congressional Progressive Caucus – Larry Cohen (Our Revolution national Chair)
- Prospects for Change in the House – Rep. Ro Khanna
3:00: Breakouts: [List Below]
4:00: Major Grassroots Campaigns: Chair Cole Harrison (Mass Peace Action)
- Poor Peoples Campaign 40 Weeks of Moral/Political Action – Rev. Savina Martin (Mass Poor Peoples Campaign)
- Back from the Brink – Dr. Ira Helfand (Physicians for Social Responsibility)
- Fund HealthCare Not Warfare – Jonathan King (Mass Peace Action)
- Ceasefire Now! – Marcy Winograd (CODEPINK).
Breakouts
A). Building Local Back from the Brink Campaigns – Dave Pack (Kansas City Peaceworks); Jeremy Love (PSR); Jackie Cabasso (Mayors for Peace).
B). Building Progressive State Political Coalitions – Martha Karchere (Our Revolution MA); Russell Freedman (Progressive Dems of America); State Rep. Mike Connolly (Massachusetts); Roger Quindell (Milwaukee Veterans for Peace); Cynthia Silva Parker (M-APoor Peoples Campaign).
C). Campus Organizing and Nuclear Disarmament Curricula – Prof. Steve Slaner (Northern Essex Community College); Prof. Gary Goldstein (Tufts Univ); Prof. Stewart Prager (Physicists Coalition); Prof. ?Ceasar McDowell (MIT Urban Studies); Lynne Hall (Mass Peace Action).
D). Defending the Squad and Building the Progressive Caucus – Amanda Nichols (Our Revolution); Larry Cohen (Our Revolution); Andrew King (Citizens for Public Schools).
E). Opposing Militarism At Home – Nancy Goldner (Racial Justice Actin Group, Mass Peace Action); Keith Harvey (AFSC); Gerry Gorman (Chicago Area Peace Action).
F). Direct Actions including Divestment –Susan Mirsky, Peter Bergel (Salem, Oregon); David Swanson (World Beyond War).
G). Following up on the TPNW Conference – Joe Gerson (CPPDCS); Cherrill Spencer (WILPF); Kevin Martin (National Peace Action); State Rep. Lindsay Sabadosa (Mass).
H). Joining the Ceasefire Now Movement – Raytheon, Gaza, and Nuclear Weapons – Paul Shannon (AFSC); Jasmine Owens (Win Without War); Hayat Imam (MAPA); Glen Cote (Mass Peace Action); Aaron Shakow (Harvard Medical School)
I). New Dangers from Tactical Nuclear Weapons – Richard Krushnic (Mass Peace Action), Dan Shaw (Newton Dialogues on Peace and War); Elaine Scarry (Harvard Univ).
J). Pressing for Ceasefire in Ukraine – Medea Benjamin (CodePINK); Jackie Dee King (Mass Peace Action); John Ratliff (Mass Senior Action); Brian Garvey (Mass Peace Action).
K). Promoting State Legislation – Bonnie Gorman (Veterans for Peace, MAPA), State Rep Carol Doherty (Massachusetts); Kathleen Hamill (Warheads to Windmills).
L). Relations with Catholic Organizations – Peter Metz (Mass Peace Action); Mike Moran (Pax Christi); Claire Schaeffer-Duffy (Catholic Worker).
M). Rotary Clubs and Related Civic Organizations – Fran Jeffries (Rotary International); Ann Frisch (Rotary International); Kathie Malley-Morrison (Mass Peace Action).
N). Warheads to Windmills – Timmon Wallis (Nuclear Ban, US); Vickie Elson (Nuclear Ban, US); John MacDougall (350.org).
O). Working with Communities of Faith –John Bach (Cambridge Quakers), Rev. Savina Martin (Poor Peoples Campaign); Nicholas Colluras (MIT Chaplains); Cathy Murphy (Minnesota Peace Project).
P). Working with Nurses and Public Health orgs –Sandy Eaton (MassCARE); Catherine DeLorey (Fund Healthcare not Warfare); Dr. Bob Gould (Am Public Health Assn Peace Caucus); Jonathan King (Mass Peace Action); Mateo Krumholz (University of Minnesota).
Co-sponsors: Campaign for Peace, Disarmament and Common Security; Chicago Area Peace Action; CodePINK; Institute for People’s Engagement; Kansas City Peaceworks; Massachusetts Peace Action; MIT Faculty Newsletter; MIT Radius; National Our Revolution; Peace Action Maine; Warheads to Windmills.
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