Dear Friend,
As the weather turns cooler this month, we welcome Palestinian authors Asmaa Abu Mezied and Yousef Aljamal for a conversation about their contributions to "Light in Gaza: Writings Born of Fire" a new anthology published by AFSC and Haymarket Books. As part of a two-week tour, Asmaa and Yousef are traveling to U.S. cities speaking about life in Gaza under Israel’s brutal blockade. Please join us! Learn more here.
We count on friends like you to fund all our work in communities worldwide. If you are able, now is the best time to give. We have our biggest matching gift challenge of the year going on right now. Please give today.
With deep appreciation,
Tonya Histand
Director of Public Engagement
Alumni news & notes
A new history of Black Liberation, “Stayed on Freedom,” was recently published telling the story of two grassroots organizers and AFSC alums, Zoharah Simmons and Michael Simmons.
Kenia Calderon was recently named a Rising Star Luminaries Finalist by the Credit Union Times. In her current role, Kenia, who worked with AFSC Iowa's Immigration Legal Services Program, builds relationships with the Latino community so that the credit union can better serve their bilingual members.
Kay Whitlock, who worked for AFSC in various roles including regional director of the North Central Region and National Representative of LGBT Issues, recently published this article on culture wars and criminalization.
Kitty Bergel was a fundraiser for AFSC for 22 years, based in the Pasadena office of the then Pacific Southwest Region. She passed away in August.
Tony Coleman, who worked for AFSC in Oakland connecting healing justice and youth, passed away in late September.
Hayes Mizell worked for AFSC from 1966 until 1987 as a community advocate for desegregating South Carolina schools. He passed away in Columbia, South Carolina last month.
Lucille Malvani, who worked with AFSC in Kentucky, Germany, and Mexico, passed away on September 9 in Los Angeles. In 1953, she met Raymond Steinberg Malvani while they were both working for AFSC in Mexico.
Do you have news to share? Email us today!
Updates from AFSC
Growing food sovereignty in El Salvador
In western El Salvador, women are learning ancestral practices to farm food sustainably and create an economy that benefits all.
Defending the right to housing
In Atlanta, AFSC's new manual is helping renters and homeowners stop evictions and advocate for safe, healthy housing.
AFSC in Michigan: Introducing the Let Me Tell You Project
Let Me Tell You is a collection of first-person stories about the experience and impact of long imprisonment in Michigan. Watch the video to hear from staff and impacted folk who make this project possible.
Archive dive
Ending apartheid in South Africa
AFSC's long and sometimes contentious effort to end apartheid began with divestment from Chase Manhattan Bank by our New York office in 1965. Our work focused primarily on how the U.S. government and businesses were supporting South Africa, and we called for sanctions and divestment to force an end to apartheid. As part of this divestment strategy, our Atlanta office led a successful nationwide boycott of the Coca-Cola Company in the 1980s. Read this recent article.
More ways to take action and connect with AFSC:
- Nominate the next Board clerk here!
- Tell Congress: Pass a Farm Bill to reduce hunger and address climate change
- New! Find local events on our events page.
- Are you interested in receiving life income while supporting AFSC? A gift annuity is easy to arrange. Reach out to GiftPlanning@afsc.org or visit us online.
Thank you for reading our AFSC Alumni Newsletter! To learn more about our Alumni Network and connect with former friends and colleagues, visit our webpage and Facebook group. You can also email me your questions and suggestions.