Group Purpose: The purpose of this group is to explore with others, via discussion of various books and other media, in a safe and open social space, the ways in which colonization, racism, gender bias and other biases show up in our lives and in our activism. Growing our awareness of how our words and actions affect and are related to the society we live in, and how our personal behaviors contribute to the culture of Veterans For Peace, allows us to be more accountable to ourselves and others, increases our individual agency. Learn more about yourself and others by coming together for meaningful discussions geared toward personal and organizational growth, in a mutually supportive atmosphere reflective of the VFP mission of “building a culture of peace.”
Join us in our next Book Club!
SUNDAYS [APRIL 24TH, MAY 15, JUNE 5 & 12] 5pm/E, 4pm/C, 3pm/M, and 2pm/P
The book club's next book will be 12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist's Handbook by Patrisse Cullors, (Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter)
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12 Steps to Changing Yourself and the World: An Abolitionist’s Handbook
by Patrisse Cullors (Co-Founder of Black Lives Matter)
“Abolitionist practice is [also] about establishing a system rooted in dignity and care for all people. A system that does not rely on punishment as accountability.” Abolition is part of your fight. …Our country funds war like it’s trying to win a video game. We thrive on conflict, incarceration, crime and punishment, at home and abroad.” Patrisse Cullors
Patrisse Cullors wants you to know that abolition is vulnerable work, intimate, personal and non-negotiable work. …Abolition is a series of choices and practices. …Deeply personal choices can create a pattern of abolition. And in this moment, we are understanding, more deeply than ever, that each of us is called to the work of self and collective transformation for a future that abolition has helped to create. We can’t get where we need to go if we aren’t willing to be vulnerable, to make mistakes, to recognize inside ourselves the capacity to misstep, to act in anger and reaction, to lose touch with our good intentions. And then - and this is the most important part - to turn and face those missteps with humility and curiosity, allowing those difficult moments to become the skeletal structure for our integrity and dignity, for our political clarity.
In Abolitionist’s Handbook Patrisse builds a bridge from her story to our own, from our challenges to our hardest-won lessons, from our dysfunctional system to accessible practices we can all put into application for our collective abolitionist journey.
Foreword: Adrienne Maree Brown
In An Abolitionist’s Handbook Readers Will Learn How To:
HAVE COURAGEOUS CONVERSATIONS ~ COMMIT TO RESPONSE VERSUS REACTION ~ EXPERIMENT BECAUSE NOTHING IS FIXED
SAY “YES” TO IMAGINATION ~ FORGIVE ACTIVELY VERSUS PASSIVELY ~ ALLOW ONESELF TO FEEL
COMMIT TO NOT HARMING OR ABUSING OTHERS ~ PRACTICE ACCOUNTABILITY FOR HARM CAUSED
EMBRACE NON-REFORMIST REFORMS ~ BUILD COMMUNITY ~ VALUE INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
FIGHT THE U. S. STATE RATHER THAN MAKE IT STRONGER