Tag Archives: Community Vigil

Grannies for Peace vigil at Washington Park, May 7, 2022, “For the Mothers and Children of Ukraine, and all who are suffering and dying. US help achieve a ceasefire, leading to peace!”

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Middle of the vigil on May 7, 2022. Photo by Maud Easter.

Fran and Mickie Holding the grannies’ banner. Photo by Harry Thornhill

Maud, Maggie, Dan, Karen, Elaine and Kate. May 7, 2022. Photo by Marcia Hopple

Pat, Anita, Karen and Rio, Photo by Victor Anderson, May 7, 2022

At the start of the vigil, creating symmetry, May 7, 2022, photo by Harry Thornhill

On a slightly cool Saturday afternoon, surrounded by lovely tulips, celebratory families, with lots of canine members, seeking respite from some of the worries of war, pandemic illness and economic challenges, Grannies for peace gathered to share a mother’s and grandmother’s day calling for a ceasefire of the war in Ukraine.

At our annual Mother’s Day weekend vigils at the Tulipfest, Grannies and our allies have stood for ending wars, racism. and corporate war profiteering that create suffering for mothers and children and the poorest people of the world.

Some years the vigils have been large, with many allies joining us. This year’s vigil was a small gem of a demonstration with many signs, banners, and roses to give out with our leaflets. About 20 people included our eldest Granny, Pat Beetle, really glad to join our vigil once again, in between eye surgery and the upcoming removal of stitches. She was accompanied by her daughter, Karen, Karen’s partner Victor and our official canine greeter, Rio.

Since our “official photographer”, Mabel Leon, was attending another event we had help from 4 backup photographers to document many aspects of our vigil. Hence the large number of photos from different vantage points and perspectives.

 

Later in the vigil with Dot leafleting, handing out roses and talking to young women. Photo by Harry Thornhill

Maud and Joan holding Wars Make Refugees banner. Photo by Harry Thornhill

Maud, Maggie, Dan, Karen, Elaine and Kate. May 7, 2022. Photo by Marcia Hopple

Mickie talking with Pat, Elaine talking with Dot and Kate. Photo by Harry Thornhill, May7, 2022

Maggie and Joan holding Wars Make Refugees banner. Photo by Marcia Hopple, May 7, 2022

Howie Hawkins petitioners visit the vigil to gather signatures.Maggie and Marcia hold “Wars Make Refugees” banner. Photo by Maud Easter, May 7, 2022

Karen and Rio, Mary Baker, Maud. Photo May 7, 2022 by Victor Anderson

Discussions on either end of the vigil with Tulipfest goers. Photo by Maud Easter, May 7, 2022

Fest goers taking photos, Victor and Fran holding Grannies banner, Photo by Harry Thornhill

Our colorful banner Support All Our Children with roses for leafleting. Photo by Maud Easter

A particular shout out to some of our allies, including the faithful VFP poet, and flag bearer [and often photographer in other situations], Dan Wilcox; Harry Thornhill, leafletter, transporter of our signs and banners, photographer, and constant team member, with Joan Thornhill: Victor Anderson, photographer and part of the vital support team for Pat Beetle;  and Mary Baker, a member of Bethlehem Neighbors for Peace and other allied peace and justice groups.

Lastly to all of those who came up to talk with us, took leaflets, took many photos(and a few selfies), and asked questions, shared ideas and feelings and made us feel seen, heard and understood during the time that we stood together in Washington Park.

Leaflet for Grannies May 7, 2022 vigil at the Tulipfest

 

Report on Women Against War April 8, 2022 vigil to End War in Ukraine (Women in Black) on the steps of the NY State Legislative Building

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On the morning of Friday, April 8, 2022 at 10: 40 am, a group of women dressed in black began to gather and assemble signs and banners for a vigil to contribute our hopes and healing energy to ending the brutal war that had been waging in Ukraine for the past 6 weeks.  This vigil came together through the work of a committee of members of Women Against War who met virtually to plan the ceremony and the visual and written messages that we wished to send out into the world.  We knew that we didn’t just want to stand but also to call attention to the urgent need for a cease fire to stop the deaths and destruction and lay a groundwork for a negotiated peace.

This was our invitation to like minded, anti-war women in the community.  In it you can see a photo of the original 2002 demonstration, on the much grander inside staircase of the Legislative Office Building.
One of the most dramatic messages of peaceful anti-war hopes and dreams was the half hour of silent vigil that expressed our unity of spirit with the women of Ukraine and peace loving, pro-diplomacy people all over the world. But before the silent ceremony we began with our policy statement suggesting ways to reach that lifesaving ceasefire as soon as possible.

Maureen Aumand reading our collectively written policy statement. Photo by Mabel Leon

Center of the vigil, with Maureen reading our statement and her preamble, photo by Mabel Leon

There were many beautiful, wise, accomplished and healing women at our vigil but one that I’d like to highlight is Pat Beetle; our eldest community and world peacemaker, a member of Albany Friends Meeting, and an honored and valued member of Women Against War and several other peace and justice groups. She is 97 years old and still very active and involved.

Women in black with signs and banners and Pat Beetle seated and holding a beautiful peace plaque. Photo by Mabel Leon

Pat Beetle our eldest Woman Against War holding the ground with the Women Against War banner behind her. Photo by Mabel Leon

Mabel Leon, our semi-official action photographer took photos from many perspectives during the vigil. Here are some that highlight different aspects of our vigil, our signs and messages, and the visual context of the vigil on this amazingly clear morning at the end of a week of rain.

Support and Protect all our Children banner, April 8, 2022, Photo by Mabel Leon

Side view from later in the vigil, April 8, 2022, Photo by Mabel Leon

Early in the vigil as women assemble on the outside steps of the Albany Legislative Building. Photo by Mabel Leon

Wars make refugees and more signs about missiles April 8, 2022, photo by Mabel Leon

Right side of the vigil during the opening remarks April 8, 2022, photo by Mabel Leon

View from top left with the NY State Capitol building and other downtown Albany NY buildings around our vigil. Photo by Mabel Leon

Our vigil closed with a beautiful A Capella version of a Malvina Reynolds song sung by Terri Roben. Since we didn’t record Terri’s version here’s a short video of Malvina singing it.

And here’s Terri sharing it with us:

Terri Roben singing and a panoramic view at the close of the vigil

Terri Roben singing our closing song “From Way Up Here”, Written by Malvina Reynolds. photo by Mabel Leon

And here are two photos of the vigil without signs and banners, to match our original event in 2002.

The silent part of the vigil without signs and banners, April 8, 2022, Photo by Mabel Leon

Second photo without signs and banners to match our original Women in Black vigil in 2002.

Finally a couple of other media related events that publicized our vigil in advance and on that day. Maureen’s 9:51 minute interview with Mark Dunlea on the Hudson Mohawk Magazine the Wednesday before the vigil.

A photo on the front page of the Saturday, April 9th Daily Gazette:

Daily Gazette April 9th. Front Page photo of part of our vigil on April 8th. Photo Credit-Peter R. Barber/Daily Gazette

And two photos taken by Darrell Camp, from his Twitter page:

Photo at the very beginning of our vigil at 11:04 PM as people were holding signs and banners. Photo by Darrell Camp, reporter for NY Out Now/PBS

Some of our male allies at the foot of the LOB stairs, including Dan Wilcox, poet and Veteran for Peace with Mabel Leon taking photos Photo by Darrell Camp, NY Out Now

Children are starving in Yemen because of US bombs. 34 Backpack Vigil in Albany on Thursday, November 29th Noon to 1 PM.

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Despairing of getting House and Senate leadership to allow privileged status, under Authorization of Military Force rules to sponsored bills that would end US support for the Saudi led War in Yemen, The Iran Project of Women Against War decided to hold another public vigil.
We felt that broader Congressional attention might finally be focused on US support and weapons sales – after the blocking of a long sponsored House resolution by Paul Ryan, the horrific August 9th bombing  of a school bus by a US made bomb, and the brutal October 2nd assassination of journalist, Jamal Khashoggi, masterminded by Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman.

A child stands near the mangled wreckage of the bombed-out school bus. Photo by Ahmad Algohbary/Al Jazeera

Women Against War has been lobbying and vigiling for years to remove all US military support and weapons sales to the Saudi Emirati coalition as the rate of starvation and deaths from preventable diseases has grown to epic proportions. But this obvious violation of the rules of war by targeting a civilian vehicle provided a dramatic point to educate the public.

November 2018, The Backpack Cemetery for Yemeni civilians at the Saudi Consulate. from Afghan Peace Volunteers

Voices for Creative Nonviolence had created the visuals for a moving and visceral vigil. We decided to work with their ideas and their materials while adding some of our own. Much appreciation to Fran Dempsey for contacting Kathy Kelly and obtaining the backpacks and placards that they had designed, along with those in Grannies for Peace who shared previous signs and banners about the blockades and bombings in Yemen.

One of our goals was to create our own media with the visual display and a leaflet to distribute to pedestrians:
Thanks to the excellent media outreach by Maureen Aumand we had some media coverage, including 5 excellent photos and a short description by Times Union photographer, John Carl D’Annibale. [Taken early in the vigil as people were still arriving.]  At the peak of the vigil we counted 43 people]


You’ll also notice that each backpack has the name of one of the 9 to 11 year old students who died in the bombing. That work was done by some members of Fran’s family/community as part of the preparation. The 4 red, white and black signs taken together tell the story of the bombing and of the context of humanitarian crisis in Yemen.

To get a wider picture of the spirit and physical impact of the vigil here are photos taken by Mabel Leon. Given the most recent focus in the Senate on “punishing” MbS rather than on the suffering of the people of Yemen we may still have a longer struggle ahead of us than we would have wished.  So stay tuned and keep on lobbying and being active!

Grannies for Peace vigil for an End to Endless War, on September 21, 2018, The International Day of Peace.

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On an extremely windy evening 20 Grannies for Peace and their allies held a vigil to call for an end to endless war. We were there on the occasion of The International Day of Peace. A commemorative day that was established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution. As it says on their website: “Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.”    

We stood from a little before 5 PM to 6 PM.  Because of the high winds we were unable to unfurl most of our banners. But we did hold the Women Against War banner. Wendy brought two peace flags of her own. Joan and Harry brought their peace flag. Pete also brought some sturdy plastic signs that he attached to poles at the spot where traffic came off the Northway heading to Central Avenue or Wolf Road.

A small committee of Grannies planned this vigil, including Joan, Doreen and Dot, with help from others on the usual tasks involving outreach. Our numbers were smaller than usual because several of us were out of town or had schedule conflicts. Nevertheless we still made a colorful and passionate group to which commuters responded with honks and peace signs.

Our outreach flyer shared our reasons for being there with these words, written by Maud:

Enough!
End Endless War!

War is not the answer. Let’s declare war on war so that the outcome is peace upon peace.
Let’s work to end U.S. wars and militarism, support peace and human rights initiatives, and redirect our tax dollars into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming programs.

And now for the pictures, taken by Harry Thornhill:

Grannies for Peace, SJC contingent, with Tom Ellis. Photo by John Amidon


There is also a short, 2 minute video taken by John Amidon.