Category Archives: Resources

Peace and Justice Action League Joins Showing Up for Racial Justice

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Spokane PJALS joins SURJ Show Up for Racial Justice

SURJ is a national network of groups and individuals organizing White people for racial justice. Through community organizing, mobilizing, and education, SURJ moves White people to act as part of a multi-racial majority for justice with passion and accountability. We work to connect people across the country while supporting and collaborating with local and national racial justice organizing efforts. SURJ provides a space to build relationships, skills and political analysis to act for change.

Our Vision for PJALS

The Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane engages everyday people to build a just and nonviolent world

Everyday people are together advancing peace, economic justice, and human rights, through campaigns grounded in the intersections of these values. We are:

  • Engaging youth, cultivating youth leadership and long-term involvement.
  • Nurturing strong relationships & active partnerships with communities of color, LGBT+ communities, faith communities, and other progressive bases.
  • Sharing our messages, setting the frame of debates, and engaging everyday people.
  • Delivering high-quality work through robust volunteer involvement and leadership, appropriate staffing, strong organizational systems, and a funding base that’s expanding, stable, and sufficient.

Black Agenda Pledge of Cooperation for Unity

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Recent events splashed across the media and slogans parading are fading. During Black History Month is it possible to get a commitment from you on the principles stated in the preamble to action below? Send any comments you would like to make to info@4comculture.com .
Black Agenda Pledge of Cooperation for Unity
PREAMBLE
We are the Black Community. We honor, acknowledge and represent a great range of people. Racially, we are African Americans, _______, _________  and so much more. Our religions include a variety of denominations. Some of us are Agnostic. Some of us define ourselves as distinctly Non-Religious. Our Community members include heterosexuals, gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals, transgendered and the disabled. We work as social workers with children, young adults, mentally and physically disabled folk and  people with HIV+ status. We work in the military. We work in education on all levels. We are entrepreneurs in the arts, theater, music, photography, sales, services, food and hospitality, unions and __________.  Some of us don’t work. We are retired, students, unemployed or receiving public assistance. We hold a variety of political views. We represent a variety of income levels.  All this and more are represented in our Community. We are the Black Community, by birth, by marriage and by choice. We celebrate and accept our members in all our diversity and find strength in our acceptance of each other. May this acknowledgement of people in all our shapes and sizes spread from our Community throughout our nations, throughout the world.
By signing this pledge in support of the Black Agenda I understand that I will be there for other individuals and organizations and they will be there for me and my organization.
Signed _________________________________________Date ___/___/2015
If you agree with these principles type your name and the date in the CONTACT US form to the right. 
Posted at: www.4comculture.com   Contact: info@4comculture.com

Don’t Vote Alone – Encourage Your Friends to Vote

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This Is My Vote 2012-05-25

Voting is the essence of democracy. Voting in the United States is voluntary. Some people vote in person at the polls, while others vote by mail days or weeks before the actual election date. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important that all U.S. citizens who qualify participate in the democratic process of electing public officials.

For information to assist you in locating and contacting your government officials visit the Speak Up and Out to Government page.

Speak Out to Government

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This Is My Vote 2012-05-25

Voting is the essence of democracy. Voting in the United States is voluntary. Some people vote in person at the polls, while others vote by mail days or weeks before the actual election date. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important that all U.S. citizens who qualify participate in the democratic process of electing public officials.

For information to assist you in locating and contacting your government officials visit the Speak Up and Out to Government page.

Democracy Requires Participation

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This Is My Vote 2012-05-25

Voting is the essence of democracy. Voting in the United States is voluntary. Some people vote in person at the polls, while others vote by mail days or weeks before the actual election date. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important that all U.S. citizens who qualify participate in the democratic process of electing public officials.

For information to assist you in locating and contacting your government officials visit the Speak Up and Out to Government page.

Over 18? Register to Vote!

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This Is My Vote 2012-05-25

Voting is the essence of democracy. Voting in the United States is voluntary. Some people vote in person at the polls, while others vote by mail days or weeks before the actual election date. Regardless of how you do it, it’s important that all U.S. citizens who qualify participate in the democratic process of electing public officials.

For information to assist you in locating and contacting your government officials visit the Speak Up and Out to Government page.

THE GREEN THING…

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Thought you could appreciate and enjoy

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren’t good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, “We didn’t have this green thing back in my earlier days.”

The clerk responded, “That’s our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations.”

She was right — our generation didn’t have the green thing in its day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, which we reused for numerous things. Most memorable besides household garbage bags was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our school books. This was to ensure that public property (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribblings. Then we were able to personalize our books. But, too bad we didn’t do the green thing back then.

We walked up stairs because we didn’t have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn’t climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn’t have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby’s diapers because we didn’t have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts — wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn’t have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house — not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana . In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn’t have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn’t fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn’t need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she’s right; we didn’t have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn’t have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn’t need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.

But isn’t it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn’t have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart ass young person…

We don’t like being old in the first place, so it doesn’t take much to piss us off

Thank you Irish, we often need the reminders!

Tincan Media for Education & Community Development

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Local nonprofit organization Tincan uses information technology and interactive media for education and community development.

July 30 2011 the Spokane Black Agenda Summit breakout group on Communication and Culture expressed an interest in developing better communication for the African American community through the use of all forms of media including online forums, visual media and community TV. Tincan is there to provide the skills necessary to do this.

Don’t ask what Obama has done for you, ask what we have done since Obama has been elected. Let us gather skills and work on solutions. Visit the Tincan website to see what workshops are coming up:   tincan.org

 

Thanksgiving 2011 ~ Assistance List

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This information is provided as a community service. Spokane County United Way does not manage or administer these programs or services.  We have attempted to provide as accurate information as possible as it was received from the community agencies. Anyone having questions about any of the information listed below should contact the agency directly, at the phone number provided with the agency listing.

 

This list may also be viewed on our web site at www.unitedwayspokane.org.

The City Gate, 170 S. Madison, 455-9670.  Thanksgiving dinner will be served on Wednesday, November 23rd, from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Gonzaga University, Sodexo Food Services and St. Aloysius Parish, 429 E. Boone Ave.         A free community Thanksgiving Dinner will be served on Thanksgiving Day, November 24. The event is scheduled from 12:00 Noon until 1:30 p.m. at Cataldo Hall, on the Gonzaga Campus. For more information call 313-7001 or 313-7004.

Mid City Concerns, 1222 W. Second, 456-6597.  Thanksgiving dinner will be served on Thanksgiving Day, November 24, at 11:30 a.m. for seniors; and 12:30 p.m. for the general public. All are welcome.

 

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church, at Tum Tum Community Center, 6424 Highway 291, Tum Tum, WA, 509-276-5566.  Dinner will be served on Saturday, November 19, from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Salvation Army, 222 E. Indiana, 325-6821.  Thanksgiving Turkey Baskets (frozen turkey & fixings) will be distributed on Tuesday, November 22nd, from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. (two days before Thanksgiving). Everyone is welcome. Proof of income, ID and residency are required.

Spokane Valley Partners Food Bank, 10814 E. Broadway, 928-7769, 927-1153.  Food baskets will be provided to those Valley residents who sign up for them.  Sign-ups will be accepted on 11/9, 11/10, 11/16, 11/17 (Wednesdays 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Thursdays by appointment 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.). Please call for appointment.  Food distribution will be Nov 21 & 22 by appointment for those who have signed up. Recipients must be a Spokane Valley resident, have identification, proof of household residents, i.e. utility bill, mail with name/address on it, school record, or Medicaid card.

The Union Gospel Mission, at Spokane Convention Center,  334 W. Spokane Falls Bl., 535-8510.  Thanksgiving dinner will be served on Wednesday, November 23rd from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the Spokane Convention Center.  Enter the doors in the breezeway between the INB Performing Arts Center and Convention Center) ~  Doors open at 3:40 pm. ~  TICKETS ARE REQUIRED. Tickets are available through SNAP, Spokane Mental Health and House of Charity. Everyone is welcome.

VFW Post #1435, 212 S. David St, Spokane Valley (near Thurman/Appleway), 535-9315.

A Thanksgiving community dinner will be served on Saturday, November 19, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Women’s & Children’s Free Restaurant – at Rogers High School, 1622 E. Wellesley, 324-1995 ext 300.  Thanksgiving dinner will be served on Saturday, November 19, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Everyone is welcome, no reservations required.

Looking for other assistance for programs or services in Spokane County?

GET CONNECTED!! Call 2-1-1! Trained specialists are available to

help you find a number of programs or services in Spokane, Ferry,

Pend Oreille and Stevens Counties.

   From a land-line or cell — just dial 2-1-1. That will connect you.

2-1-1 operates Monday through Friday during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. After hours, or on weekends please call “First Call For Help” at (509) 838-4428.

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IS YOUR AGENCY LOOKING FOR  VOLUNTEERS?  Please utilize our Volunteer Solutions Database online. It is a great way to secure volunteers for the holidays or anytime. Just go to www.unitedwayspokane.org and click on the link for  “Volunteer Now”. You have to register first. Then, it’s easy to input your request for those special volunteers anytime you need them!

DO YOU WANT TO VOLUNTEER?  If you want to volunteer your time during the holidays or other times during the year, just go to www.unitedwayspokane.org and click on the link for “Volunteer Now”.  There are many volunteer opportunities listed throughout the year

Revised 11/2/11