Issue 66
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Greetings and best wishes from 1501 Cherry Street! I hope you are doing well, staying healthy, and staying as engaged in community work as ever, even if it’s taking different forms these days. We certainly have our work cut for us at the city, state, and national levels to build a more just, peaceful, and healthy society for all.
Meanwhile, thank you for doing what you can to help stop the spread of Covid-19, through working from home as you are able, washing your hands often, wearing a mask, and staying physically distant from people outside your household. Philadelphia’s case numbers are growing, so these guidelines are as important as ever. We are glad to have you as part of our community, we miss you when you’re not here, and we are always happy to see you when you are here in person.
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
UPDATED GUIDELINES!
We recently updated our Current Guidelines for Return to Friends Center during Modified Green Phase. Please review them.
- The city recently changed limits for indoor gatherings, so that is updated.
- Also, we would like to ask each organization to appoint a Pandemic Safety Officer to serve as the lead connecting point for covid-related communications.
EQUITY PARTNER NEWS
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE (AFSC)
How to create a mutual aid network
No matter who won the 2020 U.S. election, we will need mutual aid for our shared well-being. The multiple challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, economic downturn, and continuing white supremacist and state violence in 2020 have been catalysts for communities to come together to help each other when the government can’t or won’t. When systems fail to protect our survival, many respond by working together to keep their communities safe and healthy through mutual aid.
Solidarity, not charity.
PHILADELPHIA YEARLY MEETING (PYM)
Personal Stories: Navigating the LGBTQ+ Journey with Loved Ones
November 12 @ 7:00 pm – 8:30 pm
In keeping with the Quaker practice of welcoming all, this event focuses on how individual people successfully navigate gender and other transitions and what we as a society can do to make that easier. Register here.
CENTRAL PHILADELPHIA MONTHLY MEETING (CPMM)
CPMM member in the news:
George Lakey co-founds Choose Democracy
George Lakey is a longtime nonviolent activist who co-founded Choose Democracy. As stated on their website, https://choosedemocracy.us:
“Choose Democracy has one mission: prepare Americans in how to prevent and, if necessary, stop an undemocratic power grab or coup. Our work involves psychological preparation, lessons from history, and strategic sensibility.”
The group was featured in numerous news articles, including in The Guardian, The Atlantic and Waging Nonviolence.
Here’s their most recent update: “None of the [post-election tactics] shows the potential to overturn the election result. There’s a deteriorating democracy, but there’s no coup. Choose Democracy is watching events carefully, but believe the coup attempt is behind us. Meanwhile, we’re pausing our rigorous training schedule unless we see evidence otherwise.” Stay tuned and check back to see what they say as the situation continues to evolve!
TENANT NEWS
- 10 Philadelphia-area leaders on what’s next for philanthropy,
including Farrah Parkes, Gender Justice Fund:
3 from Scattergood Foundation:
- Tia Burroughs, consultant to Rise Partnership (Scattergood Foundation):
It’s time to start calling out the systems that lead to need for nonprofit programs
“Failing to discuss the reasons why we need equity is not helpful,” says Tia Burroughs, guest columnist from the RISE Partnership (Scattergood Foundation is a member of RISE)
- What kind of data affects social change and where does it come from?
At ECS’s Forum on Justice & Opportunity, the Scattergood Foundation and Azavea presented projects on understanding needs and assets, and strengthening social programs through data and evaluation. https://generocity.org/philly/2020/11/02/what-kind-of-data-affects-social-change-and-where-does-it-come-from/
- Eight priorities for Philly’s next behavioral health commissioner
By Scattergood Foundation’s Joe Pyle and Kate Williams
Opinion, The Philadelphia Inquirer (paywall)