WILPF NEWS
Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom
East Bay and San Francisco Branches
Work to Advance Peace, Justice and Human Rights
January 2026
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968
To join with your local WILPF activists, come to one of our monthly meetings of the East Bay and San Francisco branches. We generally meet virtually 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. Our next meeting is Saturday, February 14th.
A CONVERSATION WITH WILPF US EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR LINDA LOW
On December 12th, members from WILPF San Francisco, WILPF East Bay and WILPF Palo Alto met in Barbara Blong’s home with Linda Low, who was in S.F. to attend the 80th anniversary of the United Nations, an event sponsored by the Rotary Club. Linda, herself a Rotary Peace Fellow, spoke at the event.
Linda talked about our accomplishments in 2025 and outlined ambitious plans for the US Section of WILPF in 2026: 1) growing Young WILPF, 2) organizing a National Tribunal on Palestine/Gaza with Veterans for Peace and AFSC/Quakers in mid-2026, and 3) implementing a 12-month plan with the goal of having 100 Branches (with a minimum of 10 members) and/or Groups (with a minimum of 3 members), and initiating a 12-month capital campaign with the goal of collectively raising $100,00 in 2026.
She encouraged members and other supporters to get involved in WILPF. Whether it’s nuclear disarmament, stopping wars and advancing peace initiatives in the Middle East and Latin America, fighting for social, economic and environmental justice, advancing human rights at home and around the world, find an issue that you feel passionate about and join the fight. You’re not alone!
In these dangerous times, join WILPF, renew your membership, or make a one-time donation to support this important work. You can donate online or by check.
Linda Low, Executive Director of WILPF US with WILPF members from the San Francisco, East Bay and Palo Alto branches
WOMEN’S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM US SECTION CONDEMNS THE US’s IMPERIALIST ATTACK ON VENEZUELA
Joint statement from WILPF US’s DISARM/End Wars and Cuba and
Bolivarian Alliance Issue Committees
The U.S. criminal bombardment of Caracas and other cities in Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro under the fabricated pretext of “narco-terrorism” is a blatant violation of Venezuela’s national sovereignty and independence.
The United Nations Charter makes it a crime to threaten war and a crime to wage war except in defense or by UN authorization, neither of which is the case here. This attack on Venezuela is about its enormous oil reserves which are publicly owned and the US government’s desire to secure these resources and their profits for a few privileged hands. This attack was not about drugs, safety, or democracy. Venezuela is not a major supplier of drugs to the United States. This is also about an authoritarian leader starting a war to distract the public from his failures at home.
In less than a year in office, Trump has ordered the US military to attack seven countries without any authorization from Congress– Somalia, Iran, Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Nigeria and Venezuela, and is threatening to attack other countries. In a press conference on January 3rd, President Trump said: “…we are going to run the country, until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition.” No one voted for this, nor has Congress authorized it on behalf of the American people.
We stand with the people of Venezuela and other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean in their right to protect their proclaimed Zone of Peace. The US actions are grave violations of international law and the US Constitution.
The threats issued against other Latin American countries, including Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico, are similarly illegal and corrupt expressions of imperialist military and economic aggression. Such deliberate violations of sovereignty and the illegal use of force imperil the peace and stability of the whole region and the world.
We demand that the US end this illegal aggression, safely return President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Adela Flores (also a respected politician) to Venezuela, and respect the right of the Venezuelan people to govern their own sovereign country.
We call on all WILPF US members to:
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Call the US Capitol Switchboard: 202-224-3121 and ask to be connected to your representative’s phones.
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Demand that your representatives in Congress support the two active War Powers Resolutions to stop unauthorized U.S. military action against Venezuela, one led by Rep. Ilhan Omar in the House, and one led by Senators Tim Kaine, Adam Schiff, and Rand Paul in the Senate. Both are procedurally positioned to move forward, and both require immediate public pressure to force a vote.
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Join any demonstrations in your hometowns against this outrageous military attack on Venezuela.
We urge all people in the US and around the world to show unity in demanding peace and self-determination for the Venezuelan people.
NO WAR ON VENEZUELA!
Hosted by the Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism
JANUARY 26TH 5PM-6:30PM
Speakers:
Leni Villagomez Reeves: I am Leni Villagomez Reeves, and my life has been too complex for a single paragraph, but… my current work is as a solidarity activist, and I’m the co-chair of the WILPF-US Cuba and the Bolivarian Alliance Committee. I’m a retired Pediatric Emergency Physician. Before college, I lived in Delano and worked with the United Farmworkers Union. sI have close ties in Cuba, where I have spent a lot of time over the years.
Steve Ellner is a retired professor of the Universidad de Oriente in Venezuela where he lived for over 40 years and is currently Associate Managing Editor of the Journal. He has been a visiting professor at Gerogetown University, Duke University, University of Buenos Aires, Australian National University, and Tulane University, and has taught at Columbia University and Johns Hopkins. In 2018 he spoke in dozens of cities in the U.S. and Canada as part of a Venezuelan solidarity tour.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Hsd_1ukMT7SgwwHK6OEppA
EXPLORE WILPF TODAY
WILPF East Bay, P. O. Box 13083, Oakland, CA 94661
WILPF-SF, P. O. Box 590253, San Francisco, CA 94159
Before Enlisting: https://www.BeforeEnlisting.org/
National WILPF www.wilpfus.org
International WILPF https://www.wilpf.org/
Peace Women https://www.peacewomen.org/
Reaching Critical Will https://www.reachingcriticalwill.org/