What Does A Community Without Police Look Like?

White Supremacy Kills It has been ten days since the racist and misogynist killing of eight people near Atlanta, six of whom were of Asian descent and seven of whom were women. To the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the PPF community, you are loved and you are not alone. Those of us who are not AAPI do not understand the fear and pain and anger you must be feeling right now after the racist and misogynist killings in Atlanta last week, but we are with you and we strive to practice the kind of solidarity that costs something (to lift up the words of Cole Arthur Riley). In the last week--and for years and decades--many Asian American Pacific Islanders have been writing about the particular ways that Asian Americans and Asian American women experience racism and misogyny in the United States (see writings from this week by Presbyterian clergy Laura Mariko Cheifetz and Mihee Kim-Kort). Their words and their stories and their lives are important. White supremacy kills. White supremacy operates in unique ways against different communities, but it kills all of us. The only way forward is in solidarity. The only way to truly live is to dismantle what steals life and rebuild something new in its place.  - Rev. Emily Brewer, Executive Director What Does A Community Without Police Look Like? This month, Praxis Circles will reach the end of their 8-week dive into deepening learning and engagement on antiracism and policing. Defunding the police is the start to re-envisioning community safety. And so, as a closing practice, it was recommended that each participant create a creative visual representation of their vision for their community without police. No art skills necessary, all that is required is an imagination that can help us spring life from our visions. One participant, Laura Haney, created this image seen above (click on it for a larger version). In her image, Laura reminds us of the inherent closeness between policing and violence. During the last Praxis Circle, Laura noted that she drew “no guns” in all the areas of public safety that she included in her community vision - because any safety that includes guns, does not include real care. And sometimes, to get us to the place where we can name what real community care and safety includes, we have to explicitly name what it doesn’t.  When you think about your own community, your neighborhood, and imagine real care for everyone, what do you see?  - Rev. Ashley Bair, Defund the Police Organizer Spend Easter in Jerusalem with Bishop William Barber II PPF is a co-sponsor of FOSNA's unique Easter celebration to be held virtually on April 3 at 12pm Eastern. Worship with Palestinian Christians, learn of their unique tradition on this day, and show solidarity for their unique struggle.  This year’s service will not only connect us with Palestine with preaching by two powerful Palestinian Christians--Nora Carmi and Jean Zaru-- it includes a sermon by Bishop William Barber II of the New Poor People’s Campaign. On top of that Sabeel Co-Founder Naim Ateek will lead a power ceremony of light. We will worship together, uplift one another, and learn more about the unique Palestinian traditions of this holiday. This ceremony will bring together a community of care to work for collective liberation. Register here. Take The Knee Off The Neck Of The Syrian People: Aid Not Sanctions The title above is the theme of the virtual spring gathering of the Syria Lebanon Partnership Network (SLPN), a mission network of the PC(USA). The meeting is scheduled on Zoom on April 13 from 12:00 to 2:00 pm Eastern. The first hour will focus on ‘What’s going on in Syria and why?’ The second hour will focus on ‘What can we do and how?' Participants are welcome to join for one or both hours. There is no cost to attend. Register for this online event here. Sacred People, Sacred Earth On March 11, people of faith across 45 countries participated in over 420 events for climate justice together as a global grassroots multi-faith community. According to GreenFaith, it was the largest-ever grassroots multi-faith climate day of action. Over 120 co-sponsoring religious groups sent a clear message: world leaders are not doing nearly enough to address the climate crisis. Look through the uplifting photos from these hundreds of events around the world here. Presbyterian Peace Fellowship 845-786-6743 | presbypeacefellowship.org Instagram | Facebook | Twitter

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