CONTACT AFSC!

529-D Guilford College Rd.

Greensboro, NC 27410

336.854.0633

LKhamala@afsc.org

TEtheridge@afsc.org

afsc.org/greensboro

facebook.com/afscnc

N E W S L E T T E R E D I T O R :

M A R I A C O R T E Z - P E R E Z

A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

“Peace is the fruit

of love, a love

that is also

justice. But to

grow in love

requires work—

hard work. And it

can bring pain

because it implies

loss—loss of the

certitudes,

comforts, and

hurts that shelter

and define us.”

—Jean Vanier

Jan Vanier is a Canadian

Catholic philosopher,

theologian and

humanitarian who founded

the L’Arche intentional

communities, which are

inclusive of people with

developmental disabilities.

Rebuilding in the Spirit of Community When I heard the news in June of the string of Black churches burned down across the South, I was saddened. The burnings occurred just weeks after nine African American worshippers were gunned down as they attended bible service at Emmanuel A.M.E. church in Charleston, South Carolina. The alleged individual responsible for the shooting, a 21 year old white male, reportedly wanted to start a race war.

Many of the church fires were the result of arson. Even though not all were designated hate crimes, they still deserve our attention, because of the critical role that churches have played in the African American community and in the civil rights struggle.

One fire hit close to home personally and professionally for me as an AFSC staff member. In the early morning of June 24th, a North Carolina church, Briar Creek Baptist in Charlotte, fell victim to arson.

I know all too well the devastating impact fire can have on human lives. When I was in high school, my family home in Brooklyn caught fire. We were able to move forward remembering not to demonize the individual, but the behavior. When I heard about the church fires, it sparked painful memories from my childhood and I felt compelled to help.

Shortly after learning about the

church fire in Charlotte, I reached out to Briar Creek church to offer help with debris clean up. We were able to work with Samaritan’s Purse, a relief agency that provides emergency aid after natural disasters.

Our office reached out to local organizational partners in Greensboro and in Charlotte to help with cleanup efforts. Several emails, texts and calls from Friends in NC-NAACP chapters, Friends Disaster Service of NCYM-FUM (North Carolina Yearly Meeting), Guilford College Friends Center Intern Greg Woods and Facebook friends, each eager to roll up their sleeves.

In early August, small teams reported to volunteer at Briar Creek Church. I manned the wash station, removing layers of soot debris from metal fold up chairs, pots, pans, trophies, plates and a number of other items the church wanted to salvage because of religious significance and memories.

In the sanctuary smoke claimed most of the damage. Major property damage loss was in the rear of building near the children's learning area and computer workstation.

The destruction to the children's area saddened me the most. It’s uplifting to know the damage did not result in the loss of lives.

Briar Creek’s members will find

comfort as they move forward when they recall the many supporters from the community that arrived in their time of great need.

In the coming weeks, I plan to gather those volunteers that helped and create a meaningful reflection to unpack our shared experience. A special thank you to Aleks, our research intern; Aleks will continue to monitor and provide status updates on needs of the other burned churches.

Briar Creek Baptist continues

to welcome aid. To learn how

you can help, view details at

www.metrolina.org.

—AFSC Staff, Toni Etheridge

Toni visits the destroyed children's’ area in Briar Creek church

On July 30, 2015, the Police Accountability, Community Safety and Healing Initiative (PACSHI) held a community-wide meeting, at Genesis Baptist Church in Greensboro. Local faith leaders, civil rights advocates, youth organizers, the Assistant Chief of Police, county commissioners, residents with pending grievances against the Greensboro Police Department, and concerned community members were present.

Toni Etheridge, the Program Associate for American Friends

Service Committee’s Peace and Economic Justice program, and interim PACSHI coordinator, was co-moderator at the city-wide gathering alongside Rev. Nelson Johnson. This meeting was in preparation for the city council meeting in mid-August.

Attendees heard from the Healing Map project, which has been gathering audio interviews with local residents who have experienced police brutality. In this particular case a gay, black male resident of Greensboro recounted his encounter with the police while gathering with friends in downtown Greensboro. A Thousand Youth Gathered presented on intergenerational organizing and led community members in liberation chant and song.

Graham Holt, local defense lawyer working with the Beloved Community Center, provided updates on a current police misconduct cases. One case in particular is the Scales brothers’ case. The charges against the Scales brothers, Rufus and Devin, were dropped and the City of Greensboro issued a public printed apology to the brothers. Although the charges in this case were dropped still many unaddressed questions loom.

For example, reportedly the officer in the Scales case, one officer made an illegal arrest and misrepresented himself before the magistrate. Rev. Nelson Johnson from the Beloved Community Center, with community partners and local residents, have issued a request for a formal reply on who can bring charges against police officers (in addition to filing a police complaint) and determine their wrong doing. When this question was posed to the City Manager, he indicated he does not have the authority to make such a determination.

At the packed City Council meeting held on August 17th, community members hoped this would be an opportunity for clarity in the Scales case, not continued confusion.

The next PACSHI meeting will be held on October 29, at 6:30pm at Genesis Baptist Church.

— AFSC Intern Alecks Babic & Staff Toni Etheridge

P A G E 2 A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

AFSC Goes to Camp! During the last week in July, AFSC partner organization

Elimu Learning Center hosted its 3rd annual summer

camp. AFSC staff Toni Etheridge and interns Holden

Cession and Femi Shittu were pleased to assist with pre-

camp preparations, workshop supplies and snack

donations. Femi and Holden also led focused activities

about experiences young people of color face in school

and in the workplace. This included topics about cultural

discrimination, as well as gender, age, religion, and race.

The Elimu summer camp explores creative ways to

enhance the learning experience for these bright young

leaders by collaborating in partnership with AFSC and

other local community organizations. These young men

and women affirm that knowledge is power when they

present their outstanding end-of-camp work.

This year’s summer camp theme was preparing young

folks for the “real world”. Middle and High School youths

learned skills that prepare them for adulthood such as

creating a resume, introductory economics, and

discriminatory practices in the workplace/school.

Elementary aged youths learned the importance in working together, rather than alone, and the beauty in

diversity. After all, if all your friends look like you and

think like you, there are few new experiences to enjoy.

Additional components were craft projects and various

forms of dance.

The high school group pictured below discussed the harsh

realities of lunch time social segregation, bullying and

being profiled while shopping in a mall. One camper,

Jason, is no stranger when it comes to speaking up. Jason

spoke to Congresswoman Alma Adams at her

Greensboro office and in Washington, D.C. on economic

development. He shared the need for more funding

to support existing programs like Elimu.

We were pleased to partner with the Elimu camp for

another year filled with learning and laughter.

— AFSC Intern Femi Shittu & AFSC Staff Toni Etheridge

Greensboro Seeks Healing & Accountability with Police

August 25, 2015 at the City Council Work Session marked

an exciting moment for Let's Learn Triad Campaign for

Tuition Equity. Let’s Learn Triad is advocating for equal

tuition to NC colleges and universities for undocumented

students who meet the same academic and residency

requirements as other students. Greensboro City Council

Members, during their regular work session, learned that

many students are denied higher education because of their

immigration status and that around 20 other states have

already addressed this issue. In Greensboro, both the

Human Relations Commission and the College Commission

have already endorsed the Tuition Equity movement.

After young people Saul and Maria shared their moving

stories of how being undocumented affects their lives along

with the struggle to further their education due to out-of-

state tuition rates, the City Council Members responded

with positive and favorable feedback. They agreed to take the issue before a full City Council Meeting and will hopefully add

Tuition Equity to their legislative agenda this coming year! There is still a lot of work to do but, this is great progress.

—AFSC Intern Maria Cortez Perez

Hey Congress! End the Bed Quota!

P A G E 3

On Friday August 21, 2015,

members of AFSC’s Immigrant

Solidarity Committee of Charlotte

(ISC) visited Congressman Robert

Pittenger’s office to educate him

about the Detention Bed Mandate, a

congressional appropriation that

requires that 34,000 immigrant

detention beds be filled at all times.

With 34 pillow cases in hand, each

pillow case representing 1,000

detention beds, the group met with

Pittenger’s staff members and shared

information about federal and site-

specific detention quotas. In addition,

the group was able to share the

impacts these quotas have on the

community.

Members of the ISC asked staff Rep.

Pittenger to stand with them and his

constituents in solidarity with

immigrant families in our community

by co-sponsoring HR 2808, and to

vote for DHS appropriations

amendments striking quota language.

While the staff members could not

speak to Pittenger’s perspective on

detention

quotas, the ISC

carried a strong

message that

these quotas

hurt our

community. The

ISC plans to

contact the

representative’s

staff in

Washington and

to follow up

with a response.

This congressional visit was part of

AFSC’s Week of Action to end bed

quotas. For more information, visit

www.afsc.org/stopquotas.

—AFSC Fellow Leticia Benitez

Greensboro City Council Considers Tuition Equity

Photo by Haley Richter

P A G E 4 A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

“All of Us or None:” New AFSC Poster Exhibit in Greensboro AFSC’S “All of us or None” Poster project illustrates how militarism directly impacts all of our lives. The

images on display are part of a new AFSC traveling exhibit that examines the effects of militarism at both the

foreign and domestic policy levels. It also highlights alternatives and positive nonviolent solutions. For more

info, contact Toni (TEtheridge@afsc.org, 336 -854-0633). See the poster images here: http://allofus.afsc.org.

Posters will be at the following locations in August 2015:

Guilford College

5800 West Friendly Ave. Greensboro, NC 27410

Bldg. King Hall – Room (Bayard Rustin Center)

Open Mon – Fri (times vary pending college schedule)

University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG)

1400 Spring Garden St. Greensboro, NC 27412

Bldg. WGS (Women/Gender Studies) Room - Library

Open: Mon- Thurs. 11am -3pm

Interactive Resource Center -IRC (Main Lobby)

407 E. Washington Street Greensboro, NC 27401

Open: Mon-Fri. 8am – 3pm, Sat. 8am-2pm

Visual Storytelling &

Social Justice Professional filmmaker

Meleisha Edwards,

consultant with AFSC’s

African American—Latino

Bridge Building Project,

led a Visual Storytelling

workshop on August 20 in

Charlotte. Inspiring others

to follow their dreams,

Edwards, who also has a medical degree, shared

her story and how she began in film. Edwards

discussed how everyday people using everyday

tools, like cell phone cameras and free software,

can use video to promote social justice. In small

groups, participants mapped out how they

would use film to bring attention to a particular

social issue that they care about.

We are proud to have Meleisha working with

AFSC to develop a “Stereotypes, Struggles, and

Similarities” video that will be used during

workshops in which young people of color will

explore the tensions and parallels within the

Latino and African American communities.

— AFSC Fellow Leticia Benitez