Friends,
Each year, Western Washington FOR's Spring Assembly brings together grassroots folks to share ideas and network with each other to strengthen the movements for social justice, nonviolence and peace.
Join WWFOR for a day of grassroots networking and a keynote address by Bill Moyer from the Backbone Campaign on artful activism!
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Save the date: 54th Annual Northwest Regional Conference
June 29 to July 2 in Seabeck, WA
The Western Washington Fellowship of Reconciliation and Oregon Fellowship of Reconciliation have partnered for fifty-four years to conduct one of the largest peace conferences in the Pacific Northwest.
The 2012 Keynote Speaker is Dr. Aaron Wolf.
Dr. Wolf is a professor of geography in the Department of Geosciences at Oregon State University. Dr. Wolf's work focuses on negotiating transboundary water treaties, where his training combining environmental science with dispute resolution theory and practice have been particularly appropriate.
Dr. Wolf discovered that commencing the negotiations with each group's spiritual needs for the water allows for clearly seeing the other as spiritual people, as fully human, and leads to successful treaties. His keynote presentation is titled "Healing the Enlightenment Rift: Rationality, Spirituality, and Shared Waters." Dr. Wolf will also be leading a workshop that will involve role-plays and exercises, and is titled Transformative Listening and Facilitation.
We will also have a second keynote address by Rev. Lucas Johnson, who is on the National Council of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.
Rev. Johnson is currently serving as a teaching assistant with Vincent Harding at Morehouse College in Atlanta, focusing on a course "The Last Years of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Life and the Future of American Democracy." He is also involved with the King Center Imaging Project, digitizing the archives at the Center for Nonviolent Social Change.
Rev. Lucas Johnson has worked extensively with the Baptist Peace Fellowship and other Baptist programs, as well as serving as Atlanta Director of Lutheran Volunteer Corps 2010-2011.
The Seabeck Conference will offer numerous workshops covering relevant issues for our time. The conference also has an outstanding music program led by folksinger Tom Rawson. Our attendees represent a variety of denominations and faith traditions. Finally, we provide both child and youth educational programs to ensure learning experiences for all family members. We welcome all to join us!
Registration
Full details will be posted on the FOR website in late April, as well as at www.ofor.org and at www.wwfor.org.
Contact John Roy Wilson, Conference Co-Chair, at (503) 585-5436 or jrw45@comcast.net; or Janet Hawkins, Conference Co-Chair, at (503) 244-7703 or janetchawkins@msn.com with questions or to request the pre-registration form.
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Event details
WWFOR Spring Assembly
Saturday, April 14, 9:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Fauntleroy United Church of Christ
9140 California Ave SW, Seattle, WA
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It costs WWFOR approximately $15 per person to put on the event. We welcome participants regardless of ability to pay, and hope those who can afford more will balance those who can afford less. Your registration donation includes a delicious lunch.
Contact WWFOR at (206) 789-5565 or wwfor@wwfor.org with any questions.
Workshops at the Spring Assembly
Occupy Your Faith -- Occupy Tacoma and Elsewhere: History and Current Realities, with Mike Collie of Occupy Tacoma
The Occupy Movement has put voice and actions to the unease many Americans have been feeling: too much work but too little satisfaction or economic security. Occupy has exposed a capitalistic system that exists only for profit and rewards only investors. Occupy Tacoma has experienced a less rocky road than in many other locations. This workshop notes historical predecessors and gives reasons for the successes achieved by the Tacoma group.
Strategy, Conflict and Creativity: A Foundation for Harmonizing Grassroots Power, with Bill Moyer of the Backbone Campaign, based on Vashon Island
After a tumultuous Fall and in anticipation of a vibrant Spring, how will the populist uprising manifest and draw new members to the cause? How can we build movement identity that is sympathetic and inviting? Overcoming obstacles, misconceptions and confusion about the nature of conflict, the activist-organizer's role in building movement power, and understanding grand strategic principles are essential so we can deliver meaningful victories.
A War in Waiting with the Islamic Republic of Iran, with Seattle peace activists Jim Eachus and Dick Blakney of the Network Promoting Peace with Iran
Is Iran moving toward building a nuclear weapon? Many threats and actions are tantamount to war. Examples: Obama threatens that all options are on the table. Israel might attack Iran. Economic sanctions could cripple Iran. Iran could close the Strait of Hormuz. Covert war including assassinations is already underway. Iran has ratified the NPT, but Israel -- with known nuclear weapons -- has not. US history against Iran is significant. What about diplomacy?
Corporate Personhood and Campaign Finance Reform: An Update on Local Activities, with Monica Hoover of Washington Public Campaigns and Occupy Olympia
This presidential election year will set records in many ways and money spent will be one of them. The role of "super PACs" brought on by the Citizens United decision will really stand out in 2012. This workshop will give an overview of the problem and will explore the progress people and organizations are making toward building movements for solutions.
Empowering the Progressive Movement, with Glen Anderson, longtime volunteer grassroots organizer
Many progressives recognize how dysfunctional all systems are, so they feel powerless, and this feeling inhibits us from acting boldly and effectively. This workshop will help us understand this "learned helplessness" and how to overcome it. We'll explore how political and social change occurs and how to organize and strategize to create effective and powerful grassroots movements.
Empowering WWFOR Members and Chapters for an Effective and Sustainable Future, with Larry Kerschner of WWFOR
WWFOR and our chapters have done good work in the past. How can we move ahead to a future with more members and more income to make more progress toward peace, social and economic justice, and a nonviolent society? What strategies and activities could we do to help WWFOR become sustainable as an organization and effective as a social change catalyst? |
