Join us for a special screening of the feature-length film about the life and work of George Lakey at Friends Center. Get ready to be inspired by his story and his impact on movements for social justice.
A special treat for those who like to sing Broadway show tunes — come at 7pm for a singalong before the movie begins at 7:30.
Citizen George has been in the works for 3 years and is a feature length film directed by Glenn Holsten. Archival footage, interviews, and animation tell the stories of George’s decades of activism and participation in movements for justice throughout his life. The film shows George’s evolution over time highlighting spiritual inspiration, and the dynamic role of community in enabling activists to face danger and violence, aiding audiences who are highly anxious about today’s crises.
Friends Center is proud to host this event. Since 1856, we have been a gathering place and event space for Philadelphia community groups and nonprofit organizations, both Quaker and non-Quaker. With our LEED Platinum green renovation and modern video and teleconferencing facilities, we are both historic and up to date. Friends Center is easy to reach by public transit, bike, walking, and car. We are two blocks from City Hall, near the hub of public transit and one block from the Broad Street exit of the Vine Street Expressway (Interstate 676).
Last week I went to the Parkway Central Branch of the Free Library to hear George Lakey in conversation with Varshini Prakash, executive director and co-founder of Sunrise Movement, the youth-led movement to stop climate change.
George was in conversation about his new book, Dancing with History: A Life for Peace and Justice.
Now a member of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, George has been a Quaker nonviolent activist and researcher for over 7 decades! Among many other things, he co-founded Movement for a New Society in the 1970s, Training for Change in the 1990s, and Earth Quaker Action Team in the 2010s.
Oh, and if that wasn’t enough, George often leads a community singalong of Handel’s Messiah in the Cherry Street Room in December. We’ll announce it if and when it returns.
Friends Center is full of inspiring stories like George’s. In the tenant newsletter, we try to lift up a few of them each month. Please let Jennifer Williams know if your organization has news to share!
—Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
Y.A. BOOK LAUNCH EVENT AT CPMM Young Adult Adaptation of Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility Dec 7, 2022 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm Friends Center, 1501 Cherry Street
Join Toni Graves Williamson and Ali Michael for the launch of their Young Adult adaptation of Robin DiAngelo’s bestselling book White Fragility. This event is sponsored by Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting, Friends Council on Education, and Friends Select School. Tickets are available for free or purchase (copy of the book included) on Eventbrite.
Annual ‘Sleep Out’ raises over $600,000 for local youth homelessness
In the bitter cold on Thursday night into Friday morning, people traded their beds for a sleeping bag and a cardboard box. Participants raised funds for Covenant House’s services for homeless youth.
Get the full scoop here: Via Channel 6/ABC (Early on in the segment, you get a glimpse of our facility manager, John Gibson, moving some supplies!)
This year, AFSC launched Emerging Leaders for Liberation (ELL) to help young people strengthen their social justice and leadership skills. Over eight months, youth get trained on anti-racism, organizing, advocacy, nonviolent direct action, and more. They also develop projects to address systemic issues in their own communities.
“It’s vital that young people understand how much their voices matter and the power they have to create change. We need to continue investing in their leadership for a better future for everyone,” says Mariana Martinez, ELL program director.
The inaugural cohort of ELL participants includes 30 young people from 15 states. Many have worked with local AFSC programs or are part of Quaker meetings or colleges.
CPMM AUTHOR EVENT The Library Committee warmly invites you to hear CPMM member Steve Davison talk about and read from 3 of his books of poetry on Saturday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. – 12 noon (via Zoom).
The Road to Continental Heart: Befriending and Defending the Spirit of North America — A coffee-table-style book featuring poems he wrote once a week for a friend who walked across the country with a group environmental activists; Continental Heart — A meditation on our relationship with the land we live in and an appeal for a more spiritual culture of place; Dancing Mockingbird — A collection of nature poems.
CLICK HERE to join in on the poetry and discussion!
Come join Global Writes to learn the fundamentals of game design with the integration of a variety of technology tools to plan and create board and video games that can be used to teach content-based themes in the classroom. Their Skin in the Game process utilizes game design and concepts in Science, Technology, Reading, Engineering, Art, and Math (STREAM) to engage participants in advanced, interdisciplinary learning. Please have on hand a computer that can support Chrome browser as well as some plain paper and pencil.
This fall, small groups of ANNA singers took to the streets to sing, hoping the current cultural climate would bend toward justice. We are pleased to present a full choir concert in person and broadcast online. In this concert, we sing to remind ourselves that when we connect and collaborate, our power is much more than when we move through the world alone. Together, People Have the Power.
October Tenant Newsletter: Renovation & Parking Updates, Famous African American Quaker, FCNL is Hiring
Issue 75, October 2021
DIRECTOR’S NOTE
Greetings and best wishes for fall!
With changes in climate, our local autumn season seems to come later than ever. One bonus is that the native plants in the front garden and the courtyard oval are still blooming—and attracting pollinators. The gardens have filled in nicely over the years. I like to see it as a metaphor for the millions of people working in communities for positive change, including the few hundred based here at Friends Center. Through your steady, persistent work, through your showing up again and again, may the systems in which we are embedded also evolve, just like the gardens have grown—even if it’s hard to see the change at any given moment.
Take care and stay safe,
Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
Renovation of 1520 Race Street
The renovation of the 1520 Race Street building by Friends Select School began this week, starting with interior demolition.
While most of the work will not have an impact on users of the Friends Center, there will be some temporary changes in the courtyard. The contractor will put fencing and barriers in place to provide a safe distance from the building. This will impact Friends Child Care Center the most, and so we will be in frequent communication with them.
Note that the loading zone is being used by contractors for both Friends Center and Friends Select. The loading zone is only for deliveries, pickups, and dropoffs. There is no tenant parking until further notice. See the updated LOADING ZONE GUIDELINES (right).
We will be in close touch with the contractor, so that we may do our best to alert the Friends Center community to any significant changes before they occur. Our priority is to maintain safety for everyone. Please reach out to Erick Emerick with any concerns and we will do our best to address them.
Benjamin Banneker (1731-1806) was a self-educated African American mathematician, astronomer, surveyor, compiler of almanacs, and writer. He was also a regular attender at Quaker meetings and an abolitionist who gained fame and recognition for his contributions to science and his prescient correspondence on multiple subjects, including race, with key intellectuals of the time. Click link above to read the full article.
On Sept. 9, 1971, over 1200 people incarcerated at the Attica Correctional Facility in New York took control of the prison to demand better living conditions and human rights. After four tense days, law enforcement retook the prison by force, leading to the deaths of at least 43 people. In the 50 years since, organizations like AFSC have been entrenched in the work to advocate with incarcerated people for improvements to the system that respect basic human dignity, as well as the growing movement to #FreeThemAll and abolish the prison system as we know it.
Join AFSC staff from our Healing Justice program as they discuss how our work was catalyzed by the events of the Attica Uprising, and hear from campers from the Liberation Summer Camp, which had a focus on this moment in history. Speakers include Healing Justice program coordinator Lewis Webb, Jr., filmmaker and advocate Kharon Benson, Liberation Camp intern Akira Rose, Joeli Valerio, and others.
Pamela Haines will speak via Zoom on her book of poetry, ALIVE IN THIS WORLD, on October 30th at 11:00 AM.
The collection of poetry is organized into three sections. The first, A HOME WITH THE TREES, explores a relationship with trees with a growing understanding and gratitude. In COMMUTER ENCOUNTERS, intimate contact with strangers on a trolley or bus invites reflection on humanity, connection and justice. In the final section, A HOME WITH THE EARTH, the soil is a medium for meditation on nourishment and how living in small green city spaces can bring big gifts. The poems are a call to pay attention to Life and to not let the world go by unnoticed.
Please log in using the Zoom platform listed below:
…In general… Philadelphia is a “hospitable place for American Muslims, both African American and immigrants,” said Jacob Bender, executive director of CAIR Philadelphia, the Council on American Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil liberties and advocacy group. “Perhaps it’s the city’s Quaker background, opening it to different religious minorities.”…
Bender estimates that close to 200,000 Muslims live in Philadelphia, 80% of whom he identified as African Americans. The Pennsylvania suburbs are home to another 200,000, mostly Arab immigrants and their children….
Another unfortunate aftermath of Sept. 11 was that many young Muslim Americans wanted to disassociate themselves from their religious background, said Ahmet Selim Tekelioglu,education and outreach director for CAIR-Philadelphia.
WHEN: Thursday October 21st, 10am – 3pm and Friday October 22nd from 10am-1:30pmWHERE: We’re going virtual again this year!QUESTIONS?: Contact Jennifer at jennifer@pahealthaccess.org or 267-908-9100 x704
As the only conference of its kind, PHAN brings together health care policy experts, advocates, industry representatives, enrollment assisters, and government leaders to discuss key health policy issues directly affecting the Commonwealth.
This fall, join us as we discuss such critical healthcare issues as: lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic (thus far); the federal and state landscape for healthcare policy; lowering the cost of prescription drugs; health equity & the role of Medicaid; hospital consolidation & the changing healthcare landscape; and much more!
“The Underground Railroad in South Jersey and Its Importance Today”
Featuring Linda Shockley, Executive Board President, Lawnside Historical Society
“Oral history identifies Peter Mott as an agent and conductor for the Underground Railroad, working from his home and Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church in present day Lawnside. Freedom seekers would continue their journey north via Evesham, Haddonfield, and Pennsauken. The Lawnside Historical Society has restored Mott’s home for use as a museum of the Underground Railroad and the Lawnside community, the only historically African-American incorporated municipality in the northern USA.: (www.petermotthouse.org)
The new General Secretary will be a courageous Quaker leader with a commitment to justice, peace, and environmental sustainability; to expanding diversity, equity and inclusion within the FCNL community and beyond; and to building and nurturing relationships across political and organizational divides.
We Seek a World Free of War and the Threat of War We seek a Society with Equity and Justice for All We seek Community where Every Person’s Potential Can be Fulfilled We Seek an Earth Restored
For more information, contact DeAnne Butterfield, Clerk, Search Committee gssearch@fcnl.org
The lasting impact of U.S. decisions in the aftermath of 9/11 – By Mary Zerkel
Twenty years ago, on Sept. 11, 2001, the world was shocked at the coordinated attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
Expressions of sympathy and grief came from throughout the world. But rather than use the moment to forge global cooperation, the United States embarked on a disastrous course driven by narratives of fear and retribution. Continue reading here.
Quakerism 101 – Quaker Discernment, Decision Making, and the Meeting for Business
Overview
Our second session will explore the Quaker understanding of spiritual discernment and the Quaker processes for making decisions, including the meeting for worship with attention to business and the life of the meeting.
Date: October 24, 1:00-3:00 pm
Zoom: The Zoom link is the same as the link for meeting for worship. The worship meeting will simply be extended.
Facilitators: Barry Scott and Jennifer Walker
TENANT NEWS
The Center For Healing & Justice Through Sport (CHJS)
Launch Tour Recap
Last week The Collaborative partnered with the Center for Healing and Justice Through Sport to introduce their work and vision of CHJS, highlight some of the amazing work happening in Philadelphia, and continue the conversation around how the Philadelphia SBYD community can continue to push our field forward.
The mission of CHJS is to make sport healing for all youth, everywhere, through training, consulting, and movement building. They believe that underneath the fun and camaraderie, sport can be used as a vehicle to provide creative and accessible solutions to some of society’s biggest issues. Click Here to stay up to date with CHJS and their upcoming events!
YOU’RE INVITED!
Join Friends Council on Education for an evening of Light — poetry, music, thought — to uplift and sustain us on this next stretch of the road we are traveling.
We hope that you will join us for this and other activities throughout the year in celebration of Friends Council’s 90th Anniversary!
IN THE (QUAKER) NEIGHBORHOOD
Quaker Speak is a bi-weekly video series that highlights a variety of relevant topics and how they tie into Quakerism.
This particular video touches on the difference between a welcoming space and an inclusive space. Click here to watch!
Quaker Trivia
Four of the five women who convened the 1848 convention on women’s rights at Seneca Falls were Quakers. It is presumed that the reason Quaker women played a large part in the struggle for women’s suffrage was due to the leadership skills acquired throughout two centuries of women’s experience speaking publicly and adopting administrative leadership roles within the Quaker community—opportunities unmatched for women in any other western religion at that time.
As announced in February, we have now completed the sale of the 1520 Race Street building to Friends Select School, effective today!
Thank you to everyone involved, including former tenants of 1520, who collaborated with us on plans for relocation of workplaces and storage; the advisors & board of directors of Friends Center, who thoroughly reviewed every aspect of the deal; and especially the staff and contractors of Friends Center. In particular, a big shout-out to Erick Emerick for managing our side of the move-out.
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
We’ve upgraded! That’s right, our Historical Quaker Meetinghouse has been updated with some modern-day technology. The Race Street Room now features a built in PC, camera and microphones giving super hosts the ability to hold Zoom meetings.
What’s that??? Over having zoom meeting you say?!!? No problem! You can now invite up to 300 in person guests to meetings in the worship room. And the room now has air conditioning for hot weather! (Masks required.)
Philadelphia Yearly Meeting recently completed their 341st Annual Sessions, which was virtual again this year. You may review all of Annual Sessions or focus on the parts that speak to you the most:
ARE THERE HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS HIDDEN IN YOUR INVESTMENTS?
Knowing what you own is the first step to aligning your investments with your values. You be invested in state violence through companies involved in mass incarceration, immigrant detention and surveillance, military occupation, or the border industry.
Our database includes original research and lists over 150 company and industry profiles. Learn how companies profit from and support state violence. Then use this knowledge to create change.
Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting is now hosting in person and virtual Meeting for Worship. Meeting for Worship will begin at 11a.m., and unfortunately is no longer followed by coffee hour. The building will close at 1 pm. If you wish to attend CPMM’s virtual Worship, please email the meeting office at office@cpmm.org to get the meeting ID and password.
What does the future of energy efficiency look like? A difficult year has given us new appreciation for “business-as-usual” conditions. But as the industry recovers, we’re facing a unique opportunity to look beyond the old “normal” and shape the future. KEEA and EEA-NJ’s first in-person event of 2021, Forging the Future for Energy Efficiency, presents two days of forward-looking programming examining the policies, technologies, and companies pushing our industry into a new period of growth and innovation.
When: September 22-23rd at the Philadelphia Navy Yard; act by August 13th for early bird pricing!
Community Ventures is a non-profit, mission-driven developer and property manager of affordable housing in Philadelphia.
Seeking a career-minded and energetic Assistant Rental Manager to join the team managing a group of affordable residential properties in North Philadelphia. Click here for responsibilities, requirements and benefits.
IN THE (QUAKER) NEIGHBORHOOD
Do you know a Quaker leader?
FCNL is searching for a new General Secretary.
The Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) seeks a Spirit-led, seasoned, and strategic leader who brings vision, inspiration, and executive experience to the role of General Secretary. The new General Secretary will be a courageous Quaker leader with a commitment to justice, peace, and environmental stewardship; to expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion within the FCNL community and beyond; and to building and nurturing relationships across political and organizational divides that promote healing of divisions in the Congress and the country.
Although Friends Center remains relatively quiet a fair amount of the time, a lot of change is happening below the surface, in some respects, quite literally.
As of now, we plan to close on the sale of our 1520 Race Street building to Friends Select School on August 3.
We appreciate all the staff from the equity partners and the tenants with storage in that building who have worked so hard to reduce and move over their materials. As you have heard, our remaining storage is quite limited.
Stay tuned for future updates.
Meanwhile, stay safe, be healthy, act for justice, and find time for peaceful reflection as you are able.
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
→→→ FC Furniture GIVEAWAY ←←←
June 21-25, 2021
Sending a big thank you all of the tenants who moved out of the 1520 building and chose to leave furniture and office supplies behind. We would like to pay their kindness forward by opening the doors and offering our entire community the chance to browse what’s there and take what you like.
Stop by the 1520 Race Street building
the week of June 21-25
for our office furnishings giveaway!
First-come, first-served!
You are responsible for hauling away items you want. Friends Center staff is not able to assist.
Please mark claim larger items by taping a sign or post-it to the item your name, organization, and phone number.
Other questions? Contact Erick.
CHANGES IN THE RACE STREET ROOM
also known as the Worship Room
Friends Center has two exciting changes to announce for the Race Street Room, betteer known as the Worship Room of the Meetinghouse:
Our contractor Spinnaker Multimedia Solutions recently upgraded the AV system in the Race Street Room. We can now host hybrid meetings with participants who are both in person and online through Zoom!! Please contact Shakirah Holloway in our office if you would like to know more.
Our facility manager John Gibson and our building controls contractor Carrier Systems recently upgraded the HVAC system in the Race Street Room to provide cooled air! While it will probably never be truly cool on a hot day, this solution will make the space bearable in summer. All powered by our path-breaking geothermal heating and cooling system, of course!
CHANGES IN EVENT ROOM USE
Friends Child Care Center is moving out of the 1520 Race Street building and is now occupying the Cherry Street Room and Rufus Jones Room for the foreseeable future. We are in the process of developing a new facility for them in the Lower Level of the 1501 Cherry Street building.
Our hope is to have the new facility available in early 2022. Stay tuned as more details become available!
Reflections on the Light and Languages of Pentecost: Fire. Light. The Holy Spirit.
Reflections by Melinda Wenner Bradley, Youth Religious Life Coordinator for PYM
“While Friends did not traditionally celebrate religious holidays aligned with the liturgical calendar of the Christian church, Pentecost feels to me like a story our children should hear…. How can seeking the Light, receiving gifts of the Spirit, and sharing a message of God’s love for all people across the boundaries of place and language be part of all of our days as Friends?”
Every person without permanent immigration status deserves a lasting solution to keep families and communities together. But today, there are about 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. without a viable pathway to permanent residency and citizenship.
The Biden administration has approved a new sale of $735 million in weapons to Israel, despite objections in Congress. At the same time, the Biden administration also announced it would commit just $5 million to support reconstruction in Gaza—a fraction of what the U.S. is providing in weapons. AFSC is working to change U.S. policy to support those pushing for nonviolent change. Everyone deserves to live in safety and peace.
» AFSC’s position against weapons sales and in support of reconstruction
» Learn more about AFSC’s global peace policy: Shared Security
GEORGE LAKEY: STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS WITH DIVERSE LEARNERS
Saturday, June 5th, 11:00 AM
George Lakey of Central Philadelphia Monthly Meeting will read from one of his newest books. Facilitating Group Learningis an essential resource designed to help educators, trainers, workshop leaders, and anyone who assists groups to learn. George Lakey will discuss the core principles and proven techniques of direct education, an approach he developed for effectively teaching adults in groups. The author emphasizes critical issues related to diversity, as well as authenticity and emotions. Please log in on the Zoom platform. Login info and other details here.
.O on Transforming Love Ministry
Sunday, June 6th, 1:00 pm
CPMM member .O will talk about her transforming love ministry on June 6, 2021 at 1 pm.
.O invites participants to bring a seed of their liking, and to watch ahead of time this 6-minute video showing the lived experience of inseparable oneness:
This is part of a series, Meeting for Worship with Attention to Ministry, sponsored by the Committee on Gifts and Leadings.
After six dynamic years at Friends Center, Girls Inc. of Greater Philadelphia & Southern N.J. is moving to the Bok Building in mid-June. While we are sorry to see them go, we recognize they have outgrown the available space at Friends Center.
Executive Director Dena Herrin was new in her job when she contacted us in 2015 about leasing space for four staff and some interns. Their work of “inspiring all girls to be strong, smart, and bold” was a great fit with the Quaker testimony of equality, and the long history of women in leadership roles in the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers).
Since 2015, thanks to the efforts of Dena, Natasha Andrews, Cherice Arrington, and the rest of the team, Girls Inc. has nearly doubled in size! No doubt, they have also increased their impact on the girls and young women they serve by even more than that. They also did a lively and informative podcast with us.
Many people at Friends Center also benefited from Girls Inc. sharing their resources with the community, especially the many seasonal craft supplies.
Good luck, Girls Inc.! We look forward to hearing reports of how your programs continue to flourish and grow in your new home.
And welcome back to
Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance
This month we welcome back Keystone Energy Efficiency Alliance—better known as KEEA—to Friends Center. Their work to advance energy efficiency in the Mid-Atlantic through energy education and awareness is an excellent fit with our mission to promote Quaker values such as stewardship of the environment. It also fits extremely well with our 1501 Cherry Street building, which was renovated to LEED Platinum certification level 11 years ago now.
KEEA had been a tenant from 2013 to 2018, so it is nice to welcome them back to our tenant community now.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
Local Rollin’ Fun!
Lace up your skates and get ready to roll back in time as live DJs spin throwback tunes at the Rothman Orthopaedics Roller Rink, including hits from the 80s, 90s and early 2000s! Now in place at Dilworth Park next to City Hall.
Although this newsletter is going out late in April, it has plenty of interesting information. Send us your updates, so we can share more news again in just a few weeks. Happy spring!
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
Shredding Day II – First week of May
Shredding Day was so successful, we’re making a sequel!
Please drop off paper for shredding inside the loading dock entrance in the Meetinghouse basement, Monday, May 3—Thursday May 6. (The vendor will be here very early that Friday, so Friday is too late to drop material off.)
The Runway to Annual Sessions is filled with virtual workshops, gatherings, Business Q&As, an All Ages Gathering, and a Collaborative Fair!
During the week of Annual Sessions, July 27 through August 1, we will gather to begin our week with the 4th Annual Spiritual Formation retreat. Following the virtual retreat, we will connect as a yearly meeting in All Ages Worship, Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, five fantastic keynotes, an awesome Artist in Residence, Youth programs, Young Adult programs, Fellowship, worship sharing, Affinity Spaces, epistle writing, and Bible studies.
This year’s Annual Sessions theme is “Uproot Injustice, Root Justice” and is present and woven into all aspects of our work together including Meeting for Worship with Attention to Business, our keynote presentations, the Collaborative Fair, and the workshops.
To receive the latest schedule of events, registration details, upcoming events and stories, please check the Annual Sessions page and sign up for our weekly News & Events newsletter.
Despite Chauvin conviction, trauma of police violence continues
Young Black and Brown people in the Twin Cities need accountability and healing
SAINT PAUL, MN (April 20, 2021) A Minneapolis jury found Derek Chauvin—a white police officer—guilty for the murder of George Floyd. George Floyd—a Black 46-year-old Minneapolis resident—was killed by Chauvin and three other officers on May 25 of last year. Floyd’s murder sparked widespread condemnation and protests across the Twin Cities and across the country. The American Friends Service Committee (AFSC)—a Quaker social justice organization—organized against this killing and police violence nationwide.
» Read the full statement from Shanene Herbert, director of AFSC’s Healing Justice program in Saint Paul.
CPMM member .O will talk about her transforming love ministry on June 6, 2021. This is part of a series, Meeting for Worship with Attention to Ministry, sponsored by the Committee on Gifts and Leadings.
(PHILADELPHIA, PA, 04/21/21) — The Philadelphia Chapter of Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Philadelphia) welcomes the conviction of Derek Chauvin in the murder of George Floyd…. CAIR-Philadelphia Civil Rights Attorney Timothy Welbeck said, “A guilty verdict, while satisfying in that it brings a measure of justice to Derek Chauvin’s heinous actions, is still an incomplete measure. It will never bring back George Floyd and it is just the first step in addressing unchecked police violence against people of color.” He continued, “The criminal justice system that we have is broken at its very foundation. The murder of George Floyd is one of the most grotesque illustrations of that. I’m glad to see a guilty verdict. This is what we were hoping for and anticipating. Just as the prosecution said in its closing arguments, ‘you saw what you saw,’ America saw what it saw. And I am relieved that at the very least, we have some semblance of accountability in this moment.” Welbeck concluded by saying, “This conviction is a start, but there is much work to do…” Said Mohammed Zubairu, President of the Executive Committee of CAIR-Philadelphia, “The Muslim community of the Greater Delaware Valley must continue to speak out on issues of justice in our locality and our country. As Americans, this is our First Amendment right. As Muslims, this is our obligation, to correct wrongs when we see them, and certainly not be part to them by action or inaction.” » Read the full statement
GENDER JUSTICE FUND
Trust-based philanthropy offers us a path to power sharing, beyond the pandemic
“By lifting restrictions on the use of funds and relying on grantees to tell us what they needed, we made seismic shifts in the distribution of power in our sector,” says guest columnist Farrah Parkes.
Aligning policy & practice through local grantmaking efforts by Caitlin O’Brien & Alyson Ferguson for Generocity:
The Scattergood Foundation will award four $20,000 grants to grassroots orgs as part of its new grant program, Policy Meets Practice: Think Bigger Do Good Support Local.
WRTI-FM, on the radio at 90.7 FM and online wrti.org, presents Friday Choral Connection, which airs every Friday at 1:30 PM. This program, which started last September, has been extended through June 2021. Singing City will be featured on April 30.
IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD
PROGRAMS AT DILWORTH PARK
Center City Fit Mondays & Tuesdays, April 12-October 12, 6 p.m.-7 p.m.
Get ready to get moving! Professional instructors and trainers from Optimal Sport 1315 Walnut will host free outdoor fitness classes for participants of all skill levels. Monday evenings will be dedicated to Zumba, and Tuesdays in April will focus on Boot Camp before transitioning to HIIT classes in May.
The Arts on Center Stage Wednesdays, May 5—August 25, 5 p.m.-7:30 p.m.
Philadelphia’s robust network of arts & culture organizations, large and small, will be celebrated every week as they showcase their talent in the center of the city at Dilworth Park. Performances will range from orchestral serenades and ballet ensembles to jazz instrumentals and beyond. In support of local restaurants, guests are encouraged to dine al fresco with takeout meals from nearby eateries. Cocktails to-go will be offered to guests 21 and older, and a special menu will be available at the Air Grille. CCD and the park’s café operators have implemented increased health safety procedures throughout the park and visitors will be reminded to adhere to all CDC guidelines, including wearing masks at all times. All programs are weather permitting and subject to change. Dilworth Park is located at 1 S. 15th St., on the west side of City Hall. Visit DilworthPark.org to learn more.
Today in the U.S. we have yet another reason for mourning. The horrific mass shooting of Asian American women in Atlanta is just the latest sign of a wave of anti-Asian violence in the US. And other forms of structural and interpersonal violence continue to occur here in Philadelphia, in the US, and in other countries (many of whom are supplied with weapons from this country).
Fortunately, many organizations at Friends Center organize communities and offer resources to counter these trends. Here are just a few samples:
CAIR: TONIGHT (3/17): Vigil for Victims of Anti-Asian Violence10th & Vine St Plaza, 7-8 PM for all those who are grieving those who have suffered. At 6 PM, we also welcome those who want to help make posters for the vigil.
Gender Justice Fund: Tweet: “White supremacy and patriarchy are inextricably linked. We must fight them both on every front. Our hearts are with those affected by the shooting in #Atlanta.”
Friends Center’s Twitter list of the organizations here is a great way to find out what your colleagues are doing: https://twitter.com/i/lists/184330795.
– Chris Mohr, Executive Director
AROUND FRIENDS CENTER
Shredding Day: March 19th
Our Preferred company will be visiting Friends Center to shred sensitive documents onsite. You can leave your shredding down by the loading area on the cart that is set up. What is collected will be locked up at night until it is picked up Friday.
The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker Organization which includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service. Its work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice. Read more about AFSC’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
This is a video recording of Yoko Koike Barnes’s presentation on her Fair Trade Ministry, offered during the meeting for worship with attention to ministry via Zoom on March 4, 2021.
https://youtu.be/7XJ8lJgncqs
TENANT NEWS
Gender Justice Fund & Scattergood Foundation featured:
Generocity.org: “Does the local nonprofit sector have the collective agency to make change and move us toward just recovery?”
“It is hard to find balance between doing the work and finding the energy and resources to argue at City Hall,” says Farrah Parkes of Gender Justice Fund.
“Sentenced to death, but innocent: These are stories of justice gone wrong.”
Since 1973, more than 8,700 people in the U.S. have been sent to death row. At least 182 weren’t guilty—their lives upended by a system that nearly killed them.
Today I am excited to announce that Friends Center has entered into an agreement with Friends Select School to buy and renovate the 1520 Race Street, the building on the west side of our courtyard.
Quaker Traditions Series: Part I – Spiritual Practice
The Quaker Traditions Series is a set of articles on the Quaker faith. In his role as Associate Secretary for Religious Life, Zachary Dutton has listened deeply to Friends in the community. Working with the PYM staff community engagement team he has provided answers to framing questions for this four-part series. The answers are reflective as opposed to definitive.
The gift of the Quaker faith is that it is one of continuing revelation, so the article speaks to the ‘here and now’ of our faith even as it is tied to, and reflects, our history and tradition. If you have thoughts on these questions, please share them with Zachary – his email is at the end of this article. He is always looking for new ways to be in relationship with our wider Quaker community. Enjoy article here.
Biden’s changes to the immigration system explained
Soon after taking office, President Joe Biden began making big changes, including to U.S. immigration policy. These actions work to undo some of the most harmful policies passed by the Trump administration—and lay the groundwork for a more just and humane immigration system.
We welcome these much-needed changes and the Biden administration’s swift action on these issues. Now we need to keep the momentum up to ensure that the administration continues to support immigrant communities and enact policies that respect the rights and dignity of all people.
Here’s where you can find some of the positive changes that Biden has already made and what this means for immigrant communities.
What can we say? 2020 was…quite the year! We’re happy to report that ACE has come out of it perhaps stronger than ever thanks to an amazing board of directors, staff, and 4,000+ incredible volunteers around the country. Even in the face of a global pandemic, ACE’s strongest resource – our mentors – rallied to ensure that deserving students still had access to the best career guidance program in the country!
Green Building United recently spoke with Patrick Isaac—a newly elected Board Member of GBU—about his career path, experience in the industry, and interest in sustainability. This is what he had to say!
Nonprofit leaders, mayor react to executive actions that will be issued by President Biden
We reached out to seven local leaders for a quick comment….
Farrah Parkes, the executive director of the Gender Justice Fund, said that she was “heartened by the speed with which the Biden administration is moving to address the most pressing issues facing the country and reverse some of the most egregious actions of the former President — particularly those related to immigration.”
“We are well overdue for a coordinated federal response to the pandemic which has claimed over 400,000 lives in the United States,” Parkes added. “It is also gratifying to see swift action on addressing systemic racism and workplace discrimination as well as climate change.”
CAIR-Philadelphia Executive Director Jacob Bender said in a press release: “We commend President Biden for immediately moving to repeal the Muslim and African Bans, which is an important first step toward undoing the anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant policies of the previous administration. It is an important fulfilment of a campaign pledge to the Muslim community and its allies.”
Bayard Rustin was a black Civil Rights activist, a close associate of Martin Luther King, and an advocate of gay and lesbian rights, and a Quaker.
Rustin was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania and was brought up by his grandmother, who had been raised as a Quaker. He himself became a Quaker in 1936, shortly before moving to New York where he lived most of his adult life. He was a pacifist and a primary influence in bringing non-violent resistance into the American Civil Rights Movement, much inspired by Gandhi’s approach in India.
In 1941, he joined the pacifist Fellowship of Reconciliation. He protested against segregation within the armed forces, and worked with the American Friends Service Committee to protect the property of interned Japanese Americans.
Despite his membership of the Society of Friends (one of the so-called ‘Historic Peace Churches’), Rustin was jailed in 1944 for his conscientious objection to cooperating with the draft. While in jail, he organised protests against segregated seating in the dining hall. In a letter to the prison warden, he wrote:
Both morally and practically, segregation is to me a basic injustice. Since I believe it to be so, I must attempt to remove it. There are three ways in which one can deal with an injustice. (a) One can accept it without protest. (b) One can seek to avoid it. (c) One can resist the injustice non-violently. To accept it is to perpetuate it.
