Our 6th Annual Peace and Economic Justice Action Conference

by Teresa Kinder, intern

March is bringing with it this year’s Action Conference that has become the largest gathering of over 200 progressive thinks from across Washington and neighboring states. This year we will be hosting 24 fabulous workshops on a broad range of issues focusing on education, action, and skill building.

Conference goers tell us the Conference provides a “great variety of programs and the opportunity to meet new people!” Another reported, “I met amazing people the mingle times were so productive and interesting. The energy at the conference and the reception was amazing. Wow! It is hard to feel hopeless about America’s current state when getting together to make a change like this.”

This year come and learn how you can build creative and effective actions in Eric Ross’s ‘Escalation of Creative Nonviolent Direct Action Tactics’ workshop. Also learn how to effectively talk to your legislators with Gloria Ochoa, Blaine Stum, Lori Kinnear, and Shar Lichty.

The Conference will feature workshops focusing locally and internationally. Join David Brookbank and Jan Treecraft in ‘Nicaragua: Cristiana, Socialista y Solidaria.’ Or, travel  with Mary Rupert and Larry Shook in ‘Journey to Afghanistan and Back with a Young Soldier.’

Join us March 20th for the reception before the conference for a great evening of socializing. Then come on Saturday March 21, for the Peace and Economic Justice Action Conference. For full details and to register go to http://pjals.org/2015conference. Let your voice be heard.

Meet Our Action Conference Keynote

By Shar Lichty

              We are thrilled to have Judith LeBlanc, Senor Organizer with Alliance for a Just Society as our Keynote Speaker at this year’s Peace & Economic Justice Action Conference. Check out our fantastic list of workshops and register now to enjoy early bird rates at pjals.org/2015conference.

Judith is currently organizing a project to create a national Native leadership network to provide support for strategic planning and capacity building trainings in Indian Country.

She was the Field Director for Peace Action, a national grassroots organization representing 90,000 members committed to a fundamental change in U.S. foreign policy. She coordinated the Move the Money Campaign, an effort to organize grassroots coalitions of community, labor and peace groups to change national spending priorities from wars and weapons to fund jobs and public services as one of the steps towards a “new economy” that works for all.

She has worked on a national level for over 30 years on campaigns ranging from labor rights, racial justice to peace, and disarmament campaigns. She served two terms as a national co-chair of United for Peace and Justice, the national coalition that organized the movement to oppose the 2^nd war in Iraq. In 2014 she received the National Priorities Project’s Democracy Champions Award.

Judith is a member of the Caddo Tribe of Oklahoma. She lives in Harlem, New York.

This has become the largest skill-building, relationship weaving event of its kind in the Inland NW, bringing together 200 progressives from Montana to Seattle and beyond. There are 21 fantastic workshops to chose from! You can still register at pjals.org/2014conference, or you can come and register at the door!

Our Keynote Speaker is Kristin Stoneking, Executive Director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR). A vocal advocate for the Occupy/Decolonize movement, Kristin achieved national attention in November 2011 for her role in a situation with violent overtones. Police officers pepper-sprayed activists who had joined a large Occupy Davis protest.  Kristin successfully mediated between the parties and, when video footage of the dramatic incident “went viral” via social media, promoted the disciplined, principled use of nonviolent action. Check out this interview with Kristin about her upcoming keynote!  Read more »

by Liz Moore, PJALS Director

What I love most about PJALS is being part of a community of people who take action together based on the connections between human rights, economic justice, & peace.

Our Steering Committee asked you, PJALS members, to guide strategic planning for 2013-2014. We learned that you overwhelmingly support organizing to raise revenue & reject cuts as well as to counter the costs of militarism and to demand money for people, not for war. You’re also passionate about alternatives to incarceration & police accountability. You value that we create community together through our events & campaigns. You strongly support our Young Activist Leaders Program & our interns. You love our Action Conference. You want PJALS to continue to strengthen our connections with communities of color & with rural people.

Why prioritize those areas? Read more »

Rave reviews about our Action Conference:

“Great variety of programs and the opportunity to meet new people!”
“It gave me inspiration and hope.”
“Surrounded by the energy of like minded people, rare in Spokane!”
“Open discussions, amazing positive energy, and equality.”
“I met amazing people and the mingle times were so productive and interesting. The energy at this conference and the reception was amazing. Wow! It is hard to feel hopeless about America’s current state when getting together to make a change like this.”
“Idealistic but practical. Motivating, energizing.”

We want YOU to join in this year! Read more »

Register before February 11 and join us at Early Bird Rates!

Here’s what attendees had to say about last year’s conference:

“I met amazing people and the mingle times were so productive and interesting. The energy at this conference and the reception was amazing. Wow! It is hard to feel hopeless about America’s current state when getting together to make a change like this.”

“What a stupendous job you all did! Well worth the price of admission! Extremely well organized, broad range of workshops, people totally engaged all day!”

“I can’t believe this conference was even better than last year!! It was world-class. The keynote speaker rocked my world.”

“Idealistic but practical. Motivating, energizing.”

We want YOU to join in this year!

Free Opening Reception, Friday February 17, 5:30p-8:30p:

Join us to kick off our conference with short film “Maria Full of Hope” and performances by local spoken word and musical artists. No conference registration necessary to join this party!

Action Conference, Saturday February 18th 8a-5:30p:

Connect with like-minded folks putting values into action and join us for fantastic speakers, 3 Education for Action workshop sessions (see list below), light breakfast & lunch!

Keynote Speaker: Steve Williams, founder and former Executive Director of POWER (People Organized to Win Employment Rights) in Oakland, CA, and co-author of Towards Land, Work and Power: Charting a Path of Resistance to U.S.-led Imperialism

“Young Activist Leaders” Panel Discussion

Early Bird Registration until Feb 11 (then add $5): Read more »