WILPF BUSINESS MEETING
WILPF will meet Thursday, May 10, at 7 p.m. at the Fresno Center for Nonviolence, 1584 N. Van Ness Ave. This meeting is open to all members.
WOMEN IN BLACK
A worldwide network of women committed to peace with justice and actively opposed to injustice, war, militarism and other forms of violence. May 2 (first Wednesday of each month) at noon at Fresno County Courthouse. Wear black, bring a sign if you wish and stand in silence for peace.
STIR IT UP–WILPF
On KFCF 88.1 FM (listener-supported free speech radio for Central California). May 23, 3 p.m. (fourth Wednesday of each month). Jean Hays does outstanding interviews on subjects involving WILPF interests and activities. Tune in to 88.1!
RAGING GRANNIES
Meetings on selected Mondays at 7 p.m. Call Patty at 559 999-9709 for details.
Find us on Facebook!
WILPF Fresno
WILPF Fresno Earth Democracy
WILPF Fresno Library Committee
Fresno WILPF Cuba Solidarity Committee
RETURN OF THE YARD SALE!
Donate! Volunteer! The WILPF yard sale will be Saturday, May 19. Time to do your spring organizing and set aside some items to donate for the sale. We’ll need volunteers to work that day. It’s lively and fun; come help out!
It’s time to donate your stuff and your time. (Bring stuff to Patty’s not more than one week before.) Front Yard of Patty Bennett, 512 E. Harvard Ave., starting at 6:30 a.m.
We really need volunteers! This is WILPF’s other main fund-raiser for the year, and if you haven’t already got the idea we need your help. Contact Bev Fitzpatrick at 559 355-9717.
MARCH FOR OUR LIVES–ART FOR OUR LIVES
You are all invited to come to a paint and poster-making event with March for Our Lives. We will design and paint posters and paintings to carry or hang up, meet lots of new peace and justice friends, enjoy refreshments and have fun. Saturday, May 12 (ArtHop second Saturday), noon–4 p.m., at Chris Sorensen’s Studios, 2223 S. Van Ness Ave., south of Ventura.
Sponsored by the Interfaith Alliance of Central California (IACC) with support from WILPF Fresno and the First Congregational Church. For more information, contact Janet Capella at 559 974-5541 or on Facebook (WILPF) or Yasmin Mendoza at marchforourlives@gmail.com or on Facebook (MFOL).
ECO-GARDEN POTLUCK
All invited. Saturday, May 19, 1 p.m.–4 p.m., at the Dakota EcoGarden, 2231 W. Dakota Ave. Bring something to eat to share. Try to carpool as parking is limited. Front yard parking available for the mobility challenged. We are looking good, thanks to the work and contributions of many. Come and celebrate with us. Contact nancywaidtlow@gmail.com.
EARTH DAY—APRIL 14
Radio Park was filled with information, music and activities, and, of course, WILPF Fresno was there. Kids got a chance to clean up the ocean, removing plastic pollution and saving marine life, and both children and adults did an eco-friendly cleanup with vinegar and baking soda. The Raging Grannies sang, and at the WILPF Table we talked to many people about WILPF and our efforts to make a better community. Earth Democracy is one of Fresno WILPF’s most active committees, working on many issues, including water, opposition to the Temperance Flat Dam and preservation of the San Joaquin River, pesticide use and air quality. These concern all of us! To help, contact Jean Hays at skyhorse3593@sbcglobal.net.
CUBA AND THE BOLIVARIAN ALLIANCE SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE
Is Resistance Futile?
That is certainly what the U.S. government wants people to think. Chile, Honduras, Guatemala: Elect a president the United States doesn’t like? Get ready for the military coup. Panama, Grenada, Cuba¾invasion. Venezuela, Nicaragua, Cuba¾economic siege warfare and internal subversion funded by the United States. What country has successfully resisted? ¡Cuba!
Are Women’s Rights Important?
Cuba legalized abortion in 1965, the first country in Latin America to do so by 30 years, and eight years before the U.S. Roe v. Wade decision. Cuba was the first country in the world to sign the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women and the second to ratify it (approved by the UN General Assembly in 1979). It is now acceded to or ratified by 187 countries but not the United States, Iran, Somalia, Sudan, Palau, Tonga or the Holy See of the Vatican. (For comparison, in Latin America, Chile, still struggling to emerge from many years of fascist dictatorship imposed by the U.S.-sponsored coup that deposed the elected president Allende and put Pinochet in power, has just recently passed a bill legalizing abortion only in cases of rape and when the pregnant woman’s life is in danger. Oh, and when the fetus will not survive anyway.)
Can we learn anything?
Can we learn from a country that has no child labor, universal access to free healthcare and free education at all levels? Not to mention six weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and three months afterward at full salary, with another nine months available at 60% salary and with the right to return automatically to one’s job at the end of the year. Only if we try. And if we defend Cuba’s right to continue to choose its own way to do things.
Want a look at the real Cuba?
There still might be a few places open on the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba, July 16–29, although the official deadline for applications was May 1. Application forms are available from friendshipmentcaravan@ifconews.org or by calling 212-926-5757 ext. 6.
Come Learn and Have Fun—Save the Date
Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba Event
June 29 at Wesley Methodist Church 6:30 p.m.–8:30 p.m.
Potluck, speaker, music and more
The WILPF page is compiled and edited by Leni Villagomez Reeves (lenivreeves@gmail.com) or Patty Bennett.
