Dear Friends,
I just celebrated my 75th birthday and I want to express my deep gratitude to Friends for helping me to become a Quaker peace activist. What a blessing! I especially want to thank David Hartsough, George Lakey, Bill Durland, Janet Riley, and others for inspiring and challenging me. I also deeply appreciate the “cloud of witnesses” who have gone before us and are still cheering us on: Benjamin Lay, John Woolman, Lucretia Mott, Howard and Anna Brinton, Bill Lovett, Bob Vogel, Josephine Duveneck, and many others.
As Pacific Yearly Meeting's annual session approaches, I am carrying two concerns I feel I must share with Friends: how to end homelessness, and what we need to do to address the tragic Israel/Palestinian conflict. I’d like to engage in dialogue with Friends on what we can do individually and as a Society of Friends to address these urgent concerns.
I'd like to facilitate a discussion about what it takes to end homelessness, which is a crucial concern that is top of mind for many California and presumably also Quakers. I have exciting news to share: In Pasadena (where I live and which is only 20 miles from Whittier) we have reduced our homeless county by over 50% and our organization played an important role in enabling that to happen. So I want to share what it takes to not just to alleviate but actually end homelessness with Friends. (You can learn more about our nonprofit, which has the support of Orange Grove Meeting, by clicking on ouor website: Making Housing and Community Happen; Pasadena; Housing Advocacy
| | Making Housing and Community Happen; Pasadena; Housing AdvocacyCommunity organizing for affordable housing; Pasadena, CA; Housing justice through advocacy to end homelessness;... |
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I am also passionately concerned about what's happening in Gaza and have been very active in the ceasefire movement here in Pasadena which has scored some notable victories. After months of protesting, we persuaded the Pasadena city council to approve a Ceasefire Resolution. Over 600 people showed up for an historic Council member and 200 spoke, mostly in favor a ceasefire. This story made the news.
|  | Pasadena passes resolution to support ceasefire in Gaza |
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We also persuaded our Rep Judy Chu to be one of the 58 Congress members who did not vote for military assistance to Israel. This wasn't easy, but we did it. Additionally, I was able, with Divine assistance, to persuade Orange Grove Meeting to not only approve a ceasefire minute but also to approve $10,000 in humanitarian aid to Gaza. I'd like to encourage Friends to take similar action (beyond approving minutes).
| More Information -Famine in Gaza Donate now to provide food, water, and other essentials to families in Gaza. A few weeks ago, the... |
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As you can probably see, I feel on fire with the Spirit and don't want to let this opportunity pass.
Looking forward to hearing from you
In friendship and peace,
Anthony
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