Divestment, solidarity economy, Farm Bill

Resources to inform and support your activism [afsc logo](   SATURDAY, MAY 25, 2024 Weekend Reading [In Guatemala, community members in Nebaj, Quiché grow medicinal plants in a community garden that benefits all families.]( Photo: Luis Ochoa Dear Friend, What would it look like if our society prioritized people and the planet over profits? In the U.S. and around the world, more communities are working toward that vision. They are exploring the solidarity economy, which offers just, sustainable alternatives to capitalism. This can include cooperatives, community land trusts, mutual aid, peer lending, community-supported agriculture, and more. [Here’s what you need to know and how you can get involved.]( Here are this week's picks to inform and support your activism: [An update on the Farm Bill:]( The Farm Bill is a huge piece of federal legislation that affects everything from food security to agribusiness to local farms to climate. It also includes funding for SNAP food assistance, the country’s most important anti-hunger program. But right now, the House is proposing drastic cuts to SNAP that would make it harder for millions of people to put food on the table. [Read more from AFSC’s Rick Wilson.]( And take action today by [telling Congress: Protect SNAP in the Farm Bill!]( [Holding universities accountable to our values:]( Across the U.S., students are risking their safety and academic careers to demand their universities stop funding companies that profit from the Israeli occupation. Read more about organizing efforts at Harvard University in this op-ed from a faculty member. (Harvard Crimson). You can also [check out AFSC's student divestment guide]( which includes a running list of successes among colleges and more. [Saving education in Gaza:]( Palestinians have always valued education as a way to escape poverty and resist occupation. But over the past seven months, schools and other educational institutions have been one of the main targets of Israel’s assault on Gaza. Students and teachers have also been killed. Amid this destruction, Palestinians are already trying to rebuild the education system. And people around the world are supporting their efforts. Read more from AFSC’s Yousef Aljamal. (In These Times) [Voices for ending the death penalty:]( So far this year, six people on death row have been executed in the United States. More are scheduled for the remainder of the year. In this piece, four people share their perspectives on why it’s past time to abolish the death penalty once and for all. [Resisting the Vietnam War:]( This Memorial Day, we remember all who have died in war—and call for a world without violence and conflict. We also recognize those who have courageously objected to war. Read more about how individuals and communities resisted the war in Vietnam, with photos from AFSC’s Archives. Special thanks to our monthly donors, our Partners for Peace, for their ongoing support to make all our work possible. [DONATE]( American Friends Service Committee 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 United States | [Donate]( [Facebook]( [X (Twitter)]( [Instagram |]( [News]( If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please [unsubscribe](. [Update your AFSC email preferences](