We are excited to announce our 8th Annual Benefit – Weaving Connection: Building the Power of Community! This annual event kicks off our Spring Fundraising Drive, our largest fundraiser of the year, where we increase the capacity of friends and funds to continue our long-term organizing.
We are thrilled to offer two options to attend this annual event:
Virtual Benefit
Wednesday, May 31st
6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Via Zoom
Registration for this event is now closed.
Benefit Luncheon (in-person)
Wednesday, May 24th
12 :00 pm- 1:00 pm
(doors open at 11:30am)
Spokane Valley Event Center
10514 E. Sprague Ave
Registration for this event is now closed.
In our Peace and Justice Action League community, we believe everyday people can accomplish extraordinary things together. For more than 45 years, we have organized for racial equity, economic justice, peace, and human rights. As we continue our long-term transformational organizing to build collective power and dismantle structural oppression, our calling is to build a multi-racial, intergenerational, all-gender, rural-urban, bottom-up movement centered on the leadership of impacted people.
At the Peace & Justice Action League’s Benefit, Weaving Connection: Building the Power of Community, members, donors, and new friends will get the opportunity to be part of this movement for peace and justice. Guests will hear firsthand how PJALS expands the number of people confident to lead more people into strategic action to expose and transform systems of hate, violence, exclusion, and oppression to build a just future for all of us.
There is no cost to attend – guests will have the opportunity to donate to PJALS largest fundraising event.
Keynote Speaker: Shantell Jackson
Shantell Jackson (she/her) is a multimedia artist and writer currently residing in Spokane, WA by way of Buffalo, NY. Shantell works with various mediums in her visual art process, with a focus on ink drawings and is the Program Director with Spokane Arts.
During her 17 years of service in higher education, Shantell focused on academic and multicultural programming and created programs to help students understand themselves and others. In her work with Spectrum Center, Shantell facilitates training on LGBTQ+ Safe Spaces, Identity 101 and Allyship. Her installations and performance art pieces explore the human condition both contemporarily and historically. All of her work aims to create dialogues across differences to build bridges and forge acceptance and healing.
We will also hear from several of our amazing community leaders:
Jac Archer (they/them) became the PJALS Organizer in November 2021. Jac moved to the Spokane area in 2013 where they work as an activist, community organizer, and educator in the fields of diversity, equity, civic engagement, and sexuality and gender. Jac has delivered lectures and training workshops throughout the community, including Whitworth University and Eastern Washington University.
Jac serves on the Steering Committee of Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR), as a Spokane Human Rights Commissioner, and on the Spectrum Spokane Board. Jac has a passion for community organizing, institutional policy and making difficult concepts easily accessible. They also enjoy writing, singing, performance, and podcasts.
Justice Forral (they/them) is a community activist who works as the Director of Operations for Spokane Community Against Racism (SCAR) and serves on the board of the Washington State Tenants Union. Justice has led marches and worked on background legislative actions. They believe in solidarity first and working with other groups to strengthen our community. They have had a focus on immigrant rights, civil rights, police accountability, and community building.
Sarah Hegde (she/her) is a Junior at Lewis and Clark High School. She got involved with the Young Activists Leaders Program (YALP) in January of 2019 and then went on to graduate from the program in June of that year. In October of 2019, she was brought on staff and has been running the program since as one of the youth organizers.
Through navigating the field of digital organizing during the pandemic, Sarah has built connections through YALP and school, focused on youth advocacy in an interracial, intergenerational setting. She continues to learn about community organizing and antiracism through the PJALS members and staff, as well as the broader Spokane community. Sarah enjoys playing volleyball, being in the LC band, spending time with her family, and being an organizer.
Five ways to support our Spring Fund Drive & Annual Benefit today:
- Host a Table at our in-person luncheon for you and your friends. Sign up here and find the Table Host Packet here.
- If you are unable to host a table but want to attend, you can reserve a spot here.
- If attending our evening online event works better for you, you can register here to receive zoom information prior to the event.
- If you are unable to attend this year but want to donate to support our Spring Fund Drive, you can easily do so here.
- Sponsor the Benefit as an individual or business. You can find more information here and donate here.