Join Us For the Next Local Peace Economy Meeting! |
Are you one of the many Americans who dread this holiday week? Do you dread the mandatory time with dysfunctional families, the problematic fairy-tale Thanksgiving story, and the consumerist feeding-frenzy of Black Friday?
I especially dread the consumption-driven start of the holiday shopping excess on Black Friday. For me, this rampant consumerism ruins a perfectly good Friday that could be better spent being in service to something larger than ourselves and our individual families.
How might bring the Peace Economy ethos to Black Friday as an antidote? How might we include our wider community and shift our focus away from consumption? We could start small and simply invite neighbors or friends to a community potluck meal and discuss how we might organize for the coming times of community need. We could organize a park or river clean-up to give back with gratitude to the “more than human” world, which is part of our community as well. We might have a bonfire and invite strangers and passers-by to be warmed by the fire and some conversation; volunteer with a community organization doing important work that you admire; donate to little “free” libraries around us, or attend a craft fair. Instead of consuming, focus on community and bring the family along, if they are willing.
Ask yourself, “Who else might I bring to my table?”
Finding a community lens through which you might view this upcoming holiday season could help to relieve the almost inevitable disappointment many feel and bring you some measure of joy or gratitude. It might also allow you to breathe easier, hug longer, savor nourishment, feel connected, and appreciate the small ways the messiness of life, community, and family can foster contentment and enough-ness.
For more ideas about how to welcome the Peace Economy into your holiday weekend, see this social media post or visit CODEPINK’s Substack page for more information.
Our next Local Peace Economy meeting is next Wednesday, December 4th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT.
In this meeting, we want to emphasize that this is the moment we have been warning about since we launched this project. The structures that held us have been crumbling for a while now and it becomes more and more apparent. What can we learn from them? How might we meet this moment? Why community, mutual aid and grounding ourselves locally matters even more right now. How can we not be pulled under by fears while creating the future? How can we share what we learn with others?
We hope you will join us!
If you were unable to join us for the last meeting or want to revisit the content from the last meeting, you can find the recording of the last call here.
Some members of CODEPINK are joining a hunger strike to serve as a call for urgent action to break the siege, demand humanitarian access to Gaza, and end Israel’s genocidal campaign that has devastated the region. CODEPINK and other participating groups stand in firm opposition to the ongoing blockade and the use of U.S. weapons in the genocide, advocating for an immediate shift toward peace and justice for the people of Gaza.
We are always interested in your experiences with your local community and want to be in service to the important work you are doing. Please feel free to share your experiences and insights with our local peace economy listserv.
Some supportive resources:
- Video introduction to the workbook
- Local Peace Economy Wiki
- CODEPINK Radio Ep. 242: The Local Peace Economy
- CODEPINK Radio Ep. 256: What is the root of peace?
If you have an idea for a local peace economy project and would like specific support bringing it to life, reach out to Marie at marie@codepink.org to set up a time to talk! She welcomes such conversations with this community.
We look forward to seeing you this Wednesday, December 4th!
