December 2017

Sisters and Brothers:

This was my first full-year as a board member of the Denver Justice & Peace Committee. I wasn’t sure what that would entail or how I might be helpful, but I was honored that Jerry Stookey and Rebeca Zúniga-Hamlin encouraged me to join, and I’m so glad I did. It’s been a remarkable group of people to meet with every month or so to talk about all things DJPC. It’s also been a privilege to meet so many DJPC members and allies in other organizations that DJPC partners with. This note can only begin to give a glimpse of the solidarity projects and nonviolent activism that the DJPC took part in during the past year.

The effort of our Director alone would take many pages; but, suffice it to say that Rebeca has become a political force in Denver. In addition to guiding the DJPC through a transition of the board, and through financial challenges, she has coordinated forums, organized another memorable Awards Night, networked with multiple organizations, participated in several marches, stood with Standing Rock, played a major role the Border Encuentro, was interviewed on KGNU, maintains the deeply informative Denver Justice and Peace Committee Facebook page, created the DJPC YouTube channel, and so much more. Last April’s Forum on “Youth Perspective on Border Militarization” gives a sense of the sort of educational and life-changing political organizing that DJPC is a part of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P77EU9sM5tM

Aside from myself, 2017 was the first year for several other current board members. As with Rebeca, it would take several pages to cover the good work they’ve been doing over the past year. Elliot is the sole remaining long-standing board member, and we’re so glad he is still filling that role with the intelligence and heart that he brings to it. It’s also been a joy to get to know all the new board members – Lynn, Amy, Lorena and Kaelyn all embody the mission of DJPC to promote human rights. Most recently, three board members have had articles published on the brutal injustices of militarism and corporate imperialism, and in support of the people who believe that another world is possible.

• Lynn Holland, “The Price of Mineral Wealth in Chiapas”http://www.worldpolicy.org/blog/2017/10/12/price-mining-wealth-chiapas

• Kaelyn DeVries, “Criminalizing Resistance: Militarization, Murder, and Extractivism in Chiapas” http://upsidedownworld.org/archives/mexico/criminalizing-resistance-militarization-murder-extractivism-chiapas/

• Lorena Gaibor, “In El Salvador, Vidalina Morales is Uprooting Patriarchy While Defending the Environment”
  http://upsidedownworld.org/archives/el-salvador/el-salvador-vidalina-morales-uprooting-patriarchy-defending-environment/

• And thanks to Amy Czulada for speaking out on issues like, “Environment and Health in Chiapas” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvICjbzX2cs

• People can learn more about the new faces on the DJPC board at our web page: http://denjustpeace.org/about/boardboard/

To the many members, donors, friends and family of DJPC – too many to name –

THANK YOU for coming to our events, for stopping by our table, for “Liking” our Facebook page, for sharing your ideas, for funding this organization, and for the many ways you all make DJPC happen.

Let’s continue the conversations, the networking, the delegations, the forums and all the other solidarity work of DJPC’s 35 year legacy. As anti-capitalist as I may be, I wish I had invested in Amazon (or maybe Bitcoin) to ensure that DJPC would be sustained for another 35 years. All of us on the board and the many people who want to see DJPC thrive continue to brainstorm about the financial end of things. If people have fundraising suggestions (or Amazon stock), drop us a line. We’ve been tremendously encouraged by all the people who have become Sustaining Members, or have in other ways made the work of the past year possible. Let’s continue the struggle, and the community, in 2018!

Let’s do more of the same in 2018! Checks can be made to “DJPC Education Fund” or you can donate on our website at www.denjustpeace.org. As we seek seek stability, I encourage you to be a monthly at the level is comfortable for you, as low as $10 a month will go along way. You can do this through the website or setting up an automatic transfers.

In solidarity,

Preston Enright