Welcome to 2023 International Day of Peace
"Transforming Justice"
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Sunday, September 17th @ 3pm
Structures Brewing, 601 W. Holly Whatcom Peace & Justice is celebrating the 20th
annual Bellingham International Day of Peace. Recognized by the United Nations since 1982 and the City of Bellingham since 2017, International Day of Peace is a day for all to envision what our world can look like without weapons, violence, and oppression. This year’s theme "Transforming Justice" aims to uplift peaceful ways to address conflict, interpersonal harm, and systemic violence. International Day of Peace is WPJC's main fundraising and educational event of the year, raising critical funds to support the ever more critical work of the Center in advocating for peace and against wars & militarized systemic violence at home and abroad. With your help, this year, our goal is to raise $15,000. Funds make it possible for us to keep our doors open for new and old peace activists while supporting our volunteers and staff in their service. Please give as generously as you are able. Donations are tax-deductible. Register here to support the Center and secure a spot!Announcing Our Emcee: Shu-Ling Zhao
We are so excited that Shu will be emceeing again for us this year! Shu-Ling Zhao (she/her) is a biracial Chinese-American, mother, daughter, sister, wife, auntie, performer, director, fabricator, community organizer, arts educator, lover of local wildlife, cooking enthusiast, fundraiser, facilitator, fair-weather runner, black coffee drinker, data devotee, seltzer connoisseur, amateur plant parent, millennial, and artist residing on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Lummi, Nooksack, and Coast Salish people.
In 2020, after the murder of George Floyd, Shu began working with community organizers to support the Black Lives Matter movement locally. In August of 2020, she helped organize the protest to declare racism a public health crisis and later worked with both Whatcom County and City of Bellingham on their Resolutions Affirming Racism as a Public Health Crisis. Following the murder of six Asian and Islander women in Atlanta last April and with the rise of hate incidents against the AAPI community, Shu organized a solidarity vigil at Maritime Heritage. She is currently working with Chuckanut Health Foundation and local partners in government to develop a Whatcom County Racial Equity Commission through a community-owned process. Live Brazilian Music with FoleadaRemember how much fun we had last year with the amazingly talented musicians of Foleada? We're thrilled to announce they will be back to Bellingham for this year's event!
Foleada is a Seattle-based Forró (Brazilian folk/jazz) band with a focus on Pé de Serra style. Forró is the heartbeat of Northeast Brazil and it draws on many musical styles, from Afro-Brazilian music like samba and baião to European polkas. On the other hand, Forró dance borrows from Cuban salsa and Samba de Gafieira, a Brazilian ballroom dance.
Come dance your heart out with us at Structures Brewing! Silent Auction Now Live!Preview just a few of the items up for auction this year: Pickford tickets and a year-long membership, Black Noise merch + gift card, and a $100 gift card to use for any unique Bellinghistory tour!
Don’t miss your chance to get some goodies, special experiences, and gift cards to your favorite spots in Bellingham, all while supporting peace and justice in our community! Check it out here! Our auction will end on International Day of Peace, September 21st at midnight! |
Drag Performance by Nävouny Divinne
You won't want to miss local drag artist Nävouny Divinne's transformative performance on September 17th. Donate today to secure your spot!
Nävouny Divinne is a Multi-Ethnic and multimedia, Trans, artistic shapeshifter. You can always look forward to being surprised when she performs/creates. Yet what you can always rely on is Nävouny's strong social justice, alternative, mental health, joy and BIPOC Queer and cultural themes of it's artwork.
IG's: @navouny, @navounyisapoet
In the context of current affairs, this year's theme resonates profoundly. “Transforming Justice” is a creative invitation to respond to the surge in domestic and militarized police violence during the pandemic, setbacks in national LGBTQ+ youth protection, labor and reproductive rights, as well as instances of book bans and sex education censorship. “Transforming Justice” speaks to the pressing need to reevaluate conventional notions of justice and safety, advocating for preventive, educational, and care-centric strategies to cultivate a peaceful society. ~WPJC Team
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Every year since 2005, we honor a local peacemaker elder whose life's work is in the spirit of Rosemary and Howard Harris, the co-founders of Bellingham's peace vigil.
 Betsy Pernotto was one of the founders of Whatcom Jobs with Justice in 1995. She serves as co-chair of Jobs with Justice which actively supports workers uniting to form a union, bargain collectively, and fight for a living wage with benefits and decent working conditions, as well as community struggles, such as opposing cuts to public services, raising the minimum wage and a thorough cleanup of the Bellingham Waterfront. She serves as a delegate to the Northwest Washington Central Labor Council, is a board member of Bellingham Food Bank and is on the steering committee of Community First Whatcom.
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In line with our intergenerational work, this year we are also offering the second Dotty Dale Youth Award with funds offered by the Dale family and community.
 Alfredo Juarez Zeferino (Lelo), is an immigrant rights organizer, local farmworker, and oldest in his family. To his work, he brings his lived experience and ability to speak three languages (English/Spanish/Mixteco) and a deep cultural understanding of his people from Guerrero and Oaxaca. He is committed to supporting basic immigrant and worker rights for all. Lelo is member of the Immigrant Advisory Board in Bellingham, Community to Community Development (C2C) volunteer, and part of the leadership that helped form the Independent Democratic farmworker union, Familias Unidas por la Justicia.
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Drink and Dine for Peace is Back!
Thanks to our sponsors for making International Day of Peace possible:
Structures Brewing
Inatai Foundation
Village Books and Paper Dreams
The Pickford Film Center
Steele Financial Services
A-1 Builders
Whatcom Human Rights Task Force
Amnesty International Group 270 and Puget Sound
Bellingham-Whatcom Peace & Justice Vigil
Veterans for Peace Chapter 111
St James Presbyterian Church
The Justice Seekers Group at Christ The Servant Lutheran Church
Wink Wink
Inatai Foundation
Village Books and Paper Dreams
The Pickford Film Center
Steele Financial Services
A-1 Builders
Whatcom Human Rights Task Force
Amnesty International Group 270 and Puget Sound
Bellingham-Whatcom Peace & Justice Vigil
Veterans for Peace Chapter 111
St James Presbyterian Church
The Justice Seekers Group at Christ The Servant Lutheran Church
Wink Wink
Spread the word: Help us make it happen!
Download and share the poster with a blurb about International Day of Peace in your next newsletter or on your story. Even better share a photo or video explaining why you think the WPJC and this year's theme are relevant to YOU and share in your social media! You can also invite friends to the event on Facebook and please sign up to volunteer with us via Google Forms or by emailing office@whatcompjc.org (we need greeters, clean up/set up crew and more!). We understand that creating fun opportunities to build community and relationships grounded in solidarity is safety!
Share the above event details and this webpage with your congregation, coworkers, neighbors, and friends.
Want to become a Sponsor for Peace?
Contact WPJC at 360-734-0217 or office@whatcompjc.org if your business or organization wants to sponsor International Day of Peace.