April 30, 2009  

Dear Friends,  
Austin Center for Peace and Justice, now seven years old, is a community committed to creating a culture of peace and justice in Austin and in the world. ACPJ's stated mission is "to recognize and practice nonviolence as a core value in our personal, cultural, local, national, and global relationships, and to be a coordinating link for peace education, action, and resources in the Austin community.”

This is an exciting time for Austin and ACPJ.  In our recent activities and efforts we have seen that change is needed not only in the country as a whole, but also in ACPJ, if we are to grow in our role in Austin.  We are excited to be moving toward a strengthening of our role in forging connections between the various groups and organizations doing peace and justice work in Austin, and in playing a leading role facilitating relationship building around the issues that you are concerned about.  Toward this vision of a revitalized ACPJ that will serve you and the rest of Austin, we have made some changes and we have a request:

Your financial and volunteer support will allow ACPJ to increase its effectiveness and create new pathways to live our mission.  We hope you will consider this opportunity to support ACPJ and forge broader and deeper connections with others in the Austin community.

In gratitude,

Rev. Don Bobb, President

Roscoe Overton, Treasurer

Renee Morris-Larson

David Jenkins

Sylvia Benini  
 

Note: Please visit the ACPJ web site at www.austinpeacecenter.org to learn more about what opportunities await us.  In addition, you will find a beautiful synopsis of the history and accomplishments of your organization.

Overview of ACPJ History            Directors Report          Spring 2009       

May 1 , 2009
 
Dear Friends,

  Austin Center for Peace and Justice, now seven years old, is a community committed to creating a culture of peace and justice in Austin and in the world. ACPJ's stated mission is "to recognize and practice nonviolence as a core value in our personal, cultural, local, national, and global relationships, and to be a coordinating link for peace education, action and resources in the Austin community”. We strive to live by the axiom, “think globally, act locally."
 
In the wake of September 11, 2001, many of us hungered for peace in our broken world. We sought ways to foster visible, grass-roots efforts to encourage mutual respect and peaceful resolution of conflict. Several of us found one another during this search for peace, and on April 1, 2002, opened a center in a portable building behind the Austin Mennonite Church. Our first event celebrated Earth Day, April 22, with a new designation, Peace on Earth Day. It was the first of what has become a series of annual events, including the Hiroshima/Nagasaki Remembrance Day, Gandhi’s Birthday Celebration, and an event honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
 
In addition to bringing the community together for these annual inspirational gatherings, ACPJ has sponsored monthly Brunches on the third Saturday of each month since January 2005., Gathering from 10-12 Noon, these Brunches, first held at Central Christian Church, for the past three years have been held at Central Presbyterian Church.  These Brunches have provided ongoing opportunities for networking among local groups seeking social change.  ACPJ has presented workshops on nonviolence training and has offered technical assistance to help individuals and groups reach their peace and justice goals. We have supported peace efforts between the US and Iraq through a Clergy Press Conference before the current War and one ACPJ officer &  board member, Charlie Jackson,  joining the Christian Peacemaker Team in Iraq several times.  We have also sponsored presentations on Afghan and Iraqi women by Peggy Kelsey.
 
In 2007-2008 ACPJ began working with the East Austin community to respond to the feelings of despair and hopelessness on the part of the youth by bringing together neighborhood residents and law enforcement officers.  In collaboration with the Austin Community College, we held two programs for community dialogue,
" Building Bridges ".
 Our emphasis was on listening before speaking, feeling before arguing, absorbing another point of view before rejecting it, and working together to find common ground. 

Chief of Police Art Acevedo spoke to the group asking for the community’s help in working together to find solutions to the tensions which have existed between the minority communities and the Austin Police for some time. He and his staff participated in small group session, responded to questions, and laid the groundwork for continuing the dialogue. 

Two members of our Board have been working on community building projects. 
Roscoe Overton  , (The Overton Group) has been seeking to promote cross-cultural understanding through bilingual education, by teaching Spanish to all children in public school grade levels Pre-K and 1st grade.

Richard Franklin has created and demonstrated success in group mentoring of African- American boys in middle schools and is also engaged in working with domestic violence needs, and emergency housing for women and children .
 
In 2009, we continued to pursue the challenge in our community of bridging the historic divide between East and West Austin, reinforced by the I-35 corridor.  In our recent April Brunch, with equal racial participation, we focused on racial reconciliation among the differing ethnicities in Austin. Given the historic separation and discrimination which has existed between the two areas, this issue will require much ongoing effort in bridge-building in which we will be totally engaged. Please, make plans to come and attend our brunches and engage in your local member supported peace and justice organization.

In late 2008 and early 2009 we have continued to provide support for our veterans returning from the armed services in Iraq and Afghanistan, by  co-sponsoring the Iraq Veterans Against the War Winter Soldier Regional Hearings and Testimony, and supported media efforts of many other local grass-roots events and efforts including the Austin Immigrant Coalition, The Million Musicians’ March for Peace, the Rally and Parade for the People of Gaza, the Austin Immigrant Coalition, the Austin Coalition for Palestine and assisting where requested by individuals and organizations in matters of justice .
 
We have invited guests to make presentations in our Brunches on a wide range of issues, including : 
-         the need for single member districts in Austin
-         the operation of our local police monitors' office
-         the international ongoing effort to abolish war from our planet ( War is SO 20th Century !)
-         the creating of a Department of Peace in our US government
-         the homeless population in our community and need for affordable housing for everyone, including single room housing solutions
-         the need for a universal living wage for all workers in Austin
-         effective lobbying at City Council
-         the Civilian Medical Support Network for Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans
-         the ongoing international effort to abolish cluster bombs and to recover landmines from previous conflicts worldwide
 -   the escalating need to teach conflict resolution in our public schools at all levels .

These are the efforts your donations support. As a member-supported organization, we need your help,  now.
We are asking that you renew your membership at this critical time in ACPJ's missions. We can foresee and project a need for  $12,000.00  to support our projects for the remainder of this year .

 Thank you for your contributions efforts in your daily lives and your generosity and spiritual support.

Thank you for allowing me to serve as Interim Director at Austin Center for Peace and Justice.  It has been a blessing to get to know so many of you more intimately, and to work on projects and shared issues.

  Please, come and join us on May 16, Saturday at 10 am for our monthly brunch. We will continue exploring the socieo- economic challenges facing us in Austin with the projected $30 million dollar shortfall in revenue to operate our City.  We hope to sustain old connections and create new relationships that will foster identification of solutions to the myriad challenges facing our community.

Thank You,
Peace & Justice !

 
Sylvia Benini
Interim Director
 
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
512.799.5117 
 
P.S. We would like to mention the names of so many who have been active on the board and at ACPJ events during the past seven years, recognizing that we will inadvertently forget some folks who have contributed greatly to the ongoing activities .  Here is the roll of board members , musicians,  associates:
 
Mary Berwick                                  Roscoe Overton
Vicky Aeschbacher                         Bruce Barrick
Alex Casillas                                   Jim Crosby
Thad Crouch                                   Slim Richeys' Dream Band
Liz & Terry Yates                            Jan Dawes
Patrick Flood                                  Marg Hayes
Ray Gingerich                                 Richard Franklin                                      
Charlie Jackson                              David Jenkins

Kurt Kosted                                    Terry and Jane Levan
Walter and Jennifer Long             Renee Morris-Larson
John Minor                                     Jim Rigby
Debbie Russell                               Amanda Winters
Richard Franklin                            Bonnie Tamres-Moore and Gary Moore


Dick Underhill                                Don Gardiner                             
Fran Hanlon                                   Daniel LLanes
Richard Bowden                            The Therapy Sisters
Frank Meyers                                 Chuck Vorspann