WILPF EB/SF NEWS NOVEMBER 2025

WILPF NEWS

Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom

East Bay and San Francisco Branches

Work to Advance Peace, Justice and Human Rights

November 2025

“Peace is not radical, it’s common sense. We need to normalize peace.”

Anne Henny, East Bay WILPF

To read more about issues that are central to our mission as WILPF members, and to learn about other opportunities for you to get involved, visit the websites that are listed every month at the bottom of the newsletter.

To join with your local WILPF activists, you are very welcome to come to one of our monthly meetings of the East Bay and San Francisco branches. We generally meet by Zoom on the second Saturday of the month from 10am-noon. Reply to this email for details. It’s time to step up our work to save our democracy and our planet.

Peace Is / Peace Is Not WILPF National Campaign

WILPF US All Branch Meetings

In 2025, “peace” has been reduced to a political buzzword. President Trump aspires to be seen as a peacemaker—boasting about ending wars—yet his administration continues enabling and waging aggressive military campaigns in Gaza, Iran, and beyond, while repressing dissent at home. Despite this, countries such as Israel and Pakistan have stated their intentions to nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize.

This dangerous framing narrows peace to mean a pause in fighting or a shift in military power, ignoring the deeper truth that peace requires justice, dignity, and human security. WILPF US’s Peace is / Peace is Not campaign challenges the Administration’s militarized definition of peace, and reclaims the definition of peace to reflect:

Human rights and dignity
Disarmament and nonviolence
Social, economic and environmental justice
Sustainable well-being for all

“Peace is not a slogan you can weaponize. Peace is justice, dignity, and freedom for all people. When the Administration wages war abroad, represses dissent at home, and violates human rights, that is not peace—it is violence by another name. WILPF US will not let peace be redefined by those who profit from war,” said Linda Low, Executive Director, Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom US.

Through a series of national actions and educational campaigns, WILPF US will expose what peace is not—militarism, repression, inequality—and uplift what peace is: justice, freedom to speak, climate and environmental protection, and human dignity.

The All Branch meeting that focused on this new campaign, hosted by Shelby Young, was on October 8^th. Here is the Zoom Recording from that meeting.

Now remember to sign up for our next All Branch Meeting on November, 12th, 2025 at 5pm PT / 6pm MT / 7pm CT / 8pm ET. Sign up here

Betty Traynor at No Kings 2 in SF with Peace is…Peace is Not sign

Fight Supremacy: Actions Against Authoritarianism

Howard Zinn Book Fair

Sunday, December 7, 10am-6pm

CCSF Mission Campus, 1125 Valencia Street, SF

www.zinnbookfair.org/

The Howard Zinn Book Fair is an annual celebration of The People’s History, past present and future. We bring together left authors, readers, organizers and community members to debate and discuss strategies for a better world. Founded in 2014, our volunteer-run event typically hosts 60 workshops and 100 publishers. Welcoming over 2500 attendees, the Fair has become a well loved institution.

In the midst of a rising authoritarian tide, millions of people around the world are taking a stand against tyranny. This year’s theme, “Fight Supremacy: Actions wcrats, oligarchs, and far-right regimes—and the fear and brutality they wield. The fair is inspired by the history from below tradition, which includes Howard Zinn’s A People’s History of the United States. These histories are part of the truth-telling project about our collective past. We organize this year to defend memory, people, and communities from erasure and genocide.

We hope you can join the workshop hosted by Rosa del Duca, a veteran who worked with Before Enlisting and is the author of Breaking Cadence: One Woman’s War Against the War

Counter-Recruitment 101: Help Spread Truth in the Face of Military Recruiter Lies hosted by Rosa del Duca

10:30 am-12:00 pm, Room 201

America’s “economic draft” is alive and well, with military recruiters preying on young, disadvantaged, idealistic teens to fill the ranks. But often times “serving” your country means abandoning your moral compass, from misguided forever wars to helping ICE terrorize hardworking people. Hear from anti-war veterans in the “Truth in Recruitment” movement, working to get teens vital information before signing that eight-year contract. Get informed so you can help the next generation say “no” to a toxic, authoritarian system built on exploitation.

East Bay and SF Branch Members join WILPF’ers around the Nation for “No Kings 2” National Day of Action

WILPF members from branches across the country took to the streets to protest the Trump administration’s fascist policies on Oct. 18. The “No Kings” protests were part of a National Day of Action that drew 7 million people across the US. Read more about how WILPF members called for peace and justice together and view photos from several No Kings events.

Anne Henny and Richard Rollins, part of the Human Banner

“No Kings, Yes on 50” at Ocean Beach in San Francisco

UN Climate Change Conference – Belém, November 2025

WILPF at COP30

https://unfccc.int/cop30

The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the largest global United Nations event for discussions and negotiations on climate change. The meeting is held annually, with the presidency rotating among the five UN-recognized regions.

In 2025, Brasil will have the honor of hosting the 30th Conference of the Parties (COP30), which will take place in Belém, Pará. The chosen city will provide the world with a unique platform to discuss climate solutions, firmly rooted in the heart of the Amazon.

As the host country, Brasil is committed to strengthening multilateralism and the implementation of the Paris Agreement.

From 10–21 November, WILPF will participate in the 30th session of the  Conference of the Parties (COP30) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP30) in Belém, Brazil. Dubbed the “COP of implementation”– the Brazilian presidency has vowed to prioritise action over words. Set in the heart of the Amazon, the summit offers a historic chance to centre Indigenous knowledge. This year will see the largest delegation of Indigenous peoples in COP history, marking a key moment for climate justice.

This year, WILPF is proudly represented by WILPF Colombia (LIMPAL). Valentina Quintero and Natalia Chaves Monroy will bring the voices of frontline communities and feminist peacebuilders to Belém, joining our allies in the Women and Gender Constituency (WGC), Climate Action Network (CAN), Global Energy Embargo for Palestine, and the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative.

In memoriam, a Thanks-Giving Celebration of the Centennial Life of

ANN FAGAN GINGER

Champion of Peace, Human Rights, and the Rule of Law

Berkeley’s Oracle of Justice

in Music ~ Song ~ Poetry ~ Video ~ Remembrance ~ Giveaway

Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists

1924 Cedar St. at Bonita Ave., Berkeley 94709

Saturday, November 29th, 2025

Ceremony 2:30 til 4:00 pm

Community Fellowship, Refreshments 4:00

All are welcome.

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