WILPF/Poor People’s Campaign: 40 Days of Action Begin May 14!
Published on May, 27 2018
By Marybeth Gardam, Nancy Price, and Mary Bricker-Jenkins
WILPF-US, as a national partner of the PPC, will be represented at the opening Monday, May 14th and closing June 23rd events in Washington, DC, as well as at state capitals and branch locations around the country over the 40 Days of Action. This phase closes on Saturday, June 23, with a Rally in DC, at the end of which participants will be “sent forth” to their states for ongoing network building, education, and action.
In addition to WILPF’s partnership with the Poor People’s Campaign, you may individually endorse the Campaign here.
This Campaign is more than a 40 day or one-year effort. Rather, it is a multi-year undertaking to unite tens of thousands to challenge the evils of systemic racism, poverty, the war economy and ecological devastation, and the nation’s distorted morality. It is a commitment to build a broadly diverse movement based on acknowledging the validity of the many issues and “silos” we are each committed to personally and organizationally, yet acting together to create a people-centered and mutually supportive fusion movement to transform the political, economic. and moral structures of our country.
A new section of WILPF’s homepage and website will help you stay informed of actions and events. Please check it regularly for new materials by the WILPF4PPC committee and the Campaign.
Here’s what you need to know now:
1. The 40 Days of Action begin on Mother’s Day, Sunday, May 13th with a mass evening gathering from 6:00–8:00 pm EDT at National City Christian Church, 5 Thomas Circle, NW, Washington, DC, 20005. Invitation on Facebook here. This and all events taking place in DC will be live-streamed on the Campaign’s Facebook page.
2. Monday, May 14th is the first of the weekly Mondays of Direct Action in Washington, DC and in all 30+ states. In DC, our new banner will be carried high by our WILPF DC Branch members, along with Marybeth Gardam, Development Chair. We invite nearby members and branches to join them. Contact Marybeth immediately at mbgardam@gmail.com if you plan to be in DC for the May 14 events.
A. Training for those interested in participating in nonviolent direct action is at 10:00 am EDT at St. Marks Episcopal Church, 301 A St., SE, Washington, DC.
B. Actions at the US Capitol Lawn begin at 2:00 pm EDT.
C. Find your Monday, May 14th local event here.
The Campaign embraces Non-Violent Fusion Direct Action
Two types of NVFDA trainings are being held. If you are considering or planning civil disobedience and possible arrest during the 40 Days of actions, especially on Mondays. “Training A” is required and is being organized in the states. Contact your PPC state coordinators for details.[INSERT PCCC State Coordinating Committees.xlsx] “Training B” is an orientation and less rigorous training immediately before every action in the participating 40 states. WILPF members are expected to do this less-rigorous pre-action Training B. Read the Covenant on Nonviolence.
3. Weekly Themes and 40 Days of Moral Action Weekly Schedule. (Click here for schedule in PDF format)
WEEK ONE (May 13-19) – SOMEBODY’S HURTING OUR PEOPLE: Children, Women, and People with Disabilities in Poverty
WEEK TWO (May 20-26) – LINKING SYSTEMIC RACISM AND POVERTY: Voting Rights, Immigration, Xenophobia, Islamophobia, and the Mistreatment of Indigenous Communities
WEEK THREE (May 27-June 2) – THE WAR ECONOMY: Militarism and the Proliferation of Gun Violence (NOTE: PPC state capitol actions this week will be held on Tuesday to support PPC participation in local Memorial Day events.)
WEEK FOUR (June 3-9) – THE RIGHT TO HEALTH AND A HEALTHY PLANET: Ecological Devastation and Health Care
WEEK FIVE (June 10-16) – EVERYBODY’S GOT THE RIGHT TO LIVE: Education, Living Wage Jobs, Income, Housing
WEEK SIX (June 17-22) – A NEW AND UNSETTLING FORCE: Confronting the Distorted Moral Narrative
June 23 – Global Day of Solidarity and Sending Forth Call to Action Mass Rally in Washington DC (details TBA)
4. Contact List of PPC State Tri-Chairs.
5. Color flyer for the Poor People’s Campaign: A Call for National Revival.
6. Events calendar and more information at Repairers of the Breach —sign up for their newsletter and calendar of events, and trainings.
7. Read "A Moral Agenda Based on Fundamental Rights".
8. Read introduction and full report of “The Souls of Poor Folk: Auditing America 50 Years Afterthe Poor People’s Campaign Challenged Racism, Poverty, the War Economy/Militarism and Our National Morality”.
9. PPC Communications and Social Media: Over the 40 Days, an expert PPC communications and social media team is coordinating national and state media staff to ensure weekly themes, actions, and the voices of those most impacted are lifted up each week to highlight the Ma 13th launch, the May 14th actions in DC and nationwide, and Weekly Themes to carry us through the 40 Days to June 23rd and into the next phase.
10. A PPC Documentarian Team of professionals and volunteers will livestream DC and state events and actions, create educational materials, and compile an archive. Want to volunteer? Contact your PPC state coordinator.
Take photos
Take photos of your action and send to nancytprice39@gmail.com with subject line “PPC photos”, and include a caption and photo credit. Your action can be PPC-specific or include the PPC in your other WILPF-US program events.
Order a banner for your branch
It’s not too late to order a banner for your branch. Here’s how. Even if it won’t get to you by May 14, you’ll be using it for June 23rd, all other Mondays, and future events and actions.
Stay in touch
Here is the current list of PPC state tri-chairs. If your state is not listed in the current list of PPC State Tri-Chairs, and you have not yet made contact, email laurel@poorpeoplescampaign.org. If you are not already on your state’s distribution list, be sure to contact your PPC state coordinators to learn details of planned actions and events. Most states also have a Facebook page—search [yourstate]poorpeoplescampaign on Facebook–-and a web page–search [your state]poorpeoplescampaign.org.
Lost in cyberland?
Send an email to Mary B-J at wilpf4ppc@gmail.com
