Seven members of First Church attended PIIN’s Intro to Faith-Based Organizing on January 21. At that training, First Church members (Joan Adibi, Linda Fleming, Laura Gallagher, Joan Harvey, Bob Mitchell, Karen Burns, and Sandy Woolley) learned about a community organizing tool called 1-1s. This tool is a way to get to know the people we work with. We hope to identify others who are concerned about justice issues. In the cottage meetings conducted by the VIM group in past years, many of us expressed concern about environmental, racial, and other justice, particularly about working with others to make a difference. Please contact any of us if you’d like to talk to one of us. We’d love to learn about your ideas.
Three Upcoming Justice Events
A wonderful concert of spirituals this Friday, February 17th, at 7 PM at the Pittsburgh Mennonite Church at 2018 S. Braddock, titled “A Spiritual Legacy.” The concert will feature Anthony Brown, a baritone, and Phillip De Luna, on piano. Panelists will react to the music, discussing the journey of spirituals from slavery to the present. The event is open to the public and family friendly. It should be a wonderful evening.
Sunday, February 19, 7-8 PM, there is a zoom forum, “How Can Pittsburgh Move from Environmental Racism to Environmental Justice.” The panelists, Allyssa Lyon, and Patrick Campbell are representatives of the Black Environmental Collective, and Michelle Naccarati-Chapkis is an Allegheny Council person. The meeting will be held on zoom.
Meeting ID: 824 1541 4027 Passcode: 390840
Finally, if you are concerned about changing gun laws, please Save the Date, March 23, for CeaseFirePA’s annual Advocacy Day in Harrisburg. CeaseFire will be chartering buses to Harrisburg. This Advocacy Day will coincide with other events around the country and mark the fifth anniversary of the inaugural March for our Lives in DC. With the recent election results, there is a real opportunity to change some gun laws in Pennsylvania. PIIN hopes to bring ten delegates to Harrisburg on this CeaseFire Advocacy Day.