Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice

A supportive gathering to process grief, fear & anger

Trying to keep your sanity in this season of political chaos? Join us for an evening of edgy harmonies, incendiary lyrics, and theatrical hijinks with Charlie King and Rick Burkhardt in a benefit concert for the Interfaith Council for Peace and Justice on Saturday, October 26, at 7:30 pm, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, 2145 Independence in Ann Arbor.

Register for tickets here: givebutter.com/ICPJBenefitConcert_Oct26th

Charlie King is a long-time local favorite who first performed in Ann Arbor in 1979. He is a nationally known musical storyteller, satirist, and activist who passionately chronicles the extraordinary lives of ordinary people. Pete Seeger hailed him as “One of the finest singers and songwriters of our time.” Charlie has won the War Resisters League’s 1998 Peacemaker Award; the 1999 Sacco-Vanzetti Social Justice Award for which he was nominated by Pete Seeger; the 2014 Joe Hill Award, a lifetime achievement award for excellence in the field of labor culture; and the 2017 Phil Ochs Award, in recognition of his music and activism for social justice in the spirit of Phil Ochs.

Rick Burkhardt is an Obie-award-winning composer, playwright, and performer who has performed throughout the U.S. and the world. He toured nationally as a singer, songwriter, and accordionist with The Prince Myshkins, a satirical political cabaret duo. His songs have been featured on NPR’s Morning Edition and Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now. His plays have been produced in several regional theaters. Concert proceeds benefit Ann Arbor’s Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice. Founded in 1965, ICPJ centers racial and economic justice to address the root causes of violence from oppression, poverty, environmental devastation, patriarchy, and war.
 
Tickets are $20 for general admission, $15 for online streaming, $10 for students and low-income, and $50 for sponsors (includes CD). To purchase tickets, visit givebutter.com/ICPJBenefitConcert_Oct26th or contact the organizers at jeffalson56@gmail.com or 734-476-3399.

Please RSVP: https://givebutter.com/ResiliencyHubsConvo1

Speaker: Dr. Alejandro Artiga-Purcell

Tuesday, May 14th @ 7pm (virtual)

Join us as the Latin America Caucus of ICPJ continues our 2024 Speaker Series with speaker Dr. Alejandro Artiga-Purcell, Assistant Professor in the Communication Studies Department at San José State University.

Registration Required
Registration is free, donations gratefully accepted:
https://givebutter.com/LAC_Series_Environmental_Human_Rights

Please share this flyer with your networks: LAC Series May 2024

Alejandro holds a M.A. in Development Studies from the International Institute of Social Studies in the Netherlands, and a Ph.D. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

For over a decade, Alejandro’s research and advocacy work have focused on thesuccesses and limitations of water justice social movements and the social and environmental consequences of extractive development in Central America. He has worked with a variety of non-governmental organizations in El Salvador, Honduras, Chile, Washington D.C., and California on issues spanning US trade policy, water governance, and gold and lithium mining. His work centers environmental justice that embraces diversity and coalition-building with underrepresented and vulnerable populations.

Registration Required: https://givebutter.com/De-escalationTraining

Meta Peace Team (MPT) and the Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice (ICPJ) have co-created this full-day nonviolence & de-escalation training to prepare & organize ourselves to respond to animosity and hatred with non-violence, de-escalation, empathy, and love.

The training is a proactive response to increasing threats and violence against Black, Brown, Indigenous, Jewish, Arab, Muslim, Palestinian, and queer communities, especially since the January 6th attack, with a recognition of the potential for further escalation as elections approach.

Who should attend this training?

Those Interested in Joining Peace-keeping Teams:
Participants who wish to actively engage in peace-keeping efforts in response to rising threats and violence.

Individuals Wanting to Deepen De-escalation Skills:
Those who are uncertain about joining peace-keeping teams but are interested in enhancing their skills to de-escalate animosity and violence, both within communities and during protests.

Experienced Activists Seeking to Connect with Others:
Individuals who have previous experience in nonviolence and de-escalation but are looking to refresh their skills, connect with new activists, and re-activate their commitment to peace efforts.

What to expect?

• We will provide materials ahead of the training and help you prepare with readings and reflection prompts.
• Guidance to ground ourselves, reflect upon and understand our own emotional and physical being, needs, and capacities.
• Discussion of power and bias in relation to offering community support and in our work to build trusting teams.
• Skill-building will include nonviolent communication, de-escalation techniques, and empathy-building strategies.
• We will offer practice space to experiment with and reinforce learnings.
• This training is also geared toward building our community and trust with one another so that we can strengthen the network of peace-keepers.

Supporting others through de-escalation requires an open-heart and willingness to cultivate compassion, understanding, and empathy. De-escalation work involves recognizing and addressing our own inner challenges, personal histories and traumas, personal biases, emotions, and reaction patterns.

We seek to create a brave space, where participants feel encouraged to step out of their comfort zones, share openly, and engage in challenging conversations. A space that acknowledges discomfort but encourages personal and collective growth.

What is the cost for this training?
The training is free. We try to make our offerings free and accessible to all. We always accept donations, which will be shared between ICPJ and MPT.

Will there be child care?
Please contact Eleanore@ICPJ.org if you would require child care to attend this training.