Updates and opportunities to join in NFM’s social witness and community service activities:
Illinois Yearly Meeting (ILYM)
Sat 6/15: Illinois Yearly Meeting Anti-Racism Cafe. Online.
This online discussion takes place on the 15th of each month from 7-8:30 pm.
"Are you interested in connecting with other Friends in Illinois Yearly Meeting on anti-racism work? Then join in at the Anti-Racism Café. Each month the ILYM Ad Hoc Anti-Racism Committee will provide space both for Friends who want to share ideas for anti-racist activism, and for Friends who want to focus on the inward work of becoming anti-racist. This is an opportunity to learn about the experiences of Friends in other meetings, to share resources, and to come together in worship and fellowship to build a wider Quaker community."
More information: https://ilym.org/ilym/anti-racism-cafe/
Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL)
Action Alert on Gun Violence. Online.
FCNL urges Friends to encourage their representatives in Congress to dedicate funding to violence interruption programs to address gun violence: "Traditionally, cities have responded to community-level violence by increasing the presence of a militarized police force. This solution has repeatedly failed, with sometimes fatal consequences. Violence interrupters work within their communities to de-escalate violence before it happens, reducing the need for police intervention. These evidence-based programs are tailored to the unique needs of the neighborhoods they serve and lay the groundwork for lasting communal change."
More information: https://fcnl.quorum.us/campaign/44195/
Friends General Conference (FGC)
Community of Practice Program: Quaker Coalition for Uprooting Racism. Hybrid.
This collaborative effort by FGC, FCNL, Pendle Hill, the American Friends Service Committee, Friends Council on Education, Quaker Voluntary Service, and individual Friends is intended to "move the Religious Society of Friends forward in becoming a fully transforming, co-creative community which understands that dismantling white supremacy and creating beloved community is an elemental aspect of our faith.” The next community cohort will take place January-September 2024; see link below to sign up for updates.
More information: https://www.fgcquaker.org/fgcprograms/ministry-on-racism/qcur/