Oct / Nov / Dec 2014

A P U B L I C A T I O N O F T H E P E A C E & J U S T I C E C E N T E RH I G H L I G H T S

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here was a dream once upon atime; a dream shared by many; a

dream for which countless peoplehave fought and died. This dream spokeof equality, justice, and respect among allpeople. But as all entities need theiropposite in order to exist,this dream is the conse-quence of a frighteningnightmare. It is a night-mare in which opportuni-ties to achieve a safe,healthy, and prosperouslife are still a privilegedesignated to only aportion of our people.This nightmare hasexisted for too long andas history leaves behinda mark, the behaviors thatshould have been eradicated from societylong ago are still a large part of ourinstitution. And so the dream goes on.

Today, members of our communityfrom different academic, racial, and socio-economic backgroundshave cometogether to undo institutionalized racismin Vermont. It is a peaceful but definitivefight in which we see Vermont’s schoolsystem at the heart of the reform. “Thingsare going to change,” Hal Colston,Director of Partnership for Change sayswith a firm voice, passion aglow in hisface. Colston’s Partnership for Change isa local organization whose mission is toremodel the Burlington and WinooskiSchool Districts by creating a student-centered learning system that provides allstudents with the skills necessary to

Undoing Racism In VT’s School SystemAn Equation to the Power of 3BY Alessandra Clelia Amato, PJC Racial & Economic Justice Intern

succeed in their future education and lifeafter school. “We have a significantachievement gap along the lines of raceand ethnicity as well as socio-econom-ics,” Colston explains, “so kids who arestruggling in families with lack of re-

sources – kids of color– all too often are notbeing met as who theyare.” He continues tosay, “This current[educational] system isdesigned as one-size-fits-all and if you don’tfit that seat, well... it’stoo bad.”

Hal, who joinedPartnership forChange in the springof 2012, highlights the

importance of creating a meaningfulrelationship between students andteachers as a key tool to end institutional-ized racism in Vermont’s schools. Colstonconfides that he often reminds himself ofthe words of professor of child psychia-try at Yale University, Dr. James Comer’s:no significant learning can occur withouta significant relationship. Furthermore,the answer to assure the success ofstudents and to the undoing of racism inthe school district is a three-way relation-ship in which parents have to play a roleof their own. Infinite Cucleasure, Commu-nity Organizer at Parents and Youth forChange, tells us that their goal is toencourage families to become involved

PAGE 2From the Center

The PJC is developing new educational workfor the Racial & Economic Justice Programsand the PeaceWork Programs.

PAGE 3New Faces at the PJC

Goodbye to Carmen Solari. Welcome to CassyFrank, Armando Carmona, and Paij Wadley-Bailey.

PAGE 4PJC Response to Shooting of

Michael Brown & Racism in VT

PAGE 5Composting Toilets in Haiti

PAGE 6Where does Environmental

Justice fit in the PJC?

VGS and Fracking

PAGE 7Warm to Cold: Mental Stresses

of Drone Pilots

PAGE 8The Silence on Rape is Breaking

PAGE 9The Happiness Walk: Two

Women, Two Years, 7500 miles

PAGE 10Calendar

PAGE 11 Julia Alvarez to presnt at PJC

Activist Award Ceremony andParty for Migrant Justice.

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From the Director

EDITORS

Wendy CoeRachel Siegel

PUBLISHED4/year

(See membership formon page 12)

CIRCULATION1,200

The opinions expressed inthe articles, including

those by staff, are thoseof the authors and notnecessarily those of thepeace & justice center.

60 Lake Street #1CBurlington, VT 05401

802.863.2345fax: 802.863.2532

www.pjcvt.orginfo@pjcvt.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS(alphabetical order)

Linda AyerBeverly Little Thunder

Jake SchumannDavid ShimanNathan SuterAndrea Swan

Paij Wadley-BaileyJudy Yarnall

STAFFArmando Carmona

Wendy CoeCassy Frank

Rachel SiegelKyle Silliman-Smith

PJC MISSION

Our mission is to create ajust and peaceful world.To this end, we work on

the interconnected issuesof economic and racial

justice, peace, and humanrights through education,

advocacy, training and non-violent activisim, and

community organizing,since 1979.

Coming Soon: New PJC Educational Programs!The board and staff at the PJC are hard at work developing new educational plans for both the Racial &Economic Justice Programs and the PeaceWork Programs. In recent years, the PJC has contracted a handfulof incredible trainers to host programs on topics like white privilege, nonviolent communication, conflictresolution and more. These programs were terrific as individual events. We are now poised, however, togrow as an organization and the time is right to develop our own workshops.

We are engaged with advisory panels for each of the two program areas to create the workshops. At theend of the development period, we will have comprehensive how-to manuals so that the programs will bereplicable, standardized to some degree, and will extend beyond any one staff or board member’s tenure.We intend to start offering the programs in 2015 and expect that with consistent outreach and marketing,our presence will create more opportunities for those already interested in doing this work and draw in newpeople who may not have thought about these topics before. Below is an outline of our plans.

Racial & Economic Justice Educational Programs: “Privilege and Accountability” is an opportunity to delve deeply into the ways that we have person-

ally absorbed the discriminatory messages about race and class and how to unlearn them. It will addressmicro-aggressions, unconscious thoughts, identity awareness and alliance-building. This will be marketedespecially to Human Resource departments at larger Vermont business as well as to the public.

“Myths, Bias and Stereotypes” looks at historic and current oppressive messages regarding variouscultural, religious and ethnic groups including Anti-Semitism, white supremacy, homophobia and sexism,how they overlap and how they differ.

“History of Institutional Racism in the USA” walks through the racialization of American culture fromthe 1st Act of Congress to the Japanese internment camps, from the colonization of the Native peoples tomass incarceration. The intersections of capitalism, imperialism and patriarchy will be included as willexamples of people rising above oppression.

“Ethnicity, Diversity, Sameness and Difference” is for preschool through elementary school studentsto engage in open dialogue about topics that are often hard for parent and teachers to discuss. We willgently engage in games and conversations that explore who we are and how we experience our identity.

“Anti-racist Parenting Discussion Group” will be a six-week series of facilitated conversations toaddress the challenge of raising kids of any ethnicity in our current climate. Using video clips, blog postsand other written material as conversation starters, we will discuss talking to kids about racism, multiracialfamilial experiences, dealing with fear and anxiety, creating hope, and more.

PeaceWork Educational Programs: “Non-violent Conflict Resolution” will touch on numerous topics including creating peace both

internally and externally in order to be well-equipped to intervene in difficult or even violent situations. Anoverview of nonviolent communication will be included. This program is well-suited to the public and toinstitutions like prison and police departments.

“Activism 101: Rallies, Marches, Protests, Civil Disobedience and More” teaches an overview of waysto engage in making a more peaceful world around us and will speak to both historic and current activistmovements. This workshop will likely appeal to high school and college students and will thus be marketedlargely to those groups.

“Creating Peace Within: Mindfulness and the Bigger Picture” is an introduction to making peace withour internal landscapes, practicing loving kindness in our hearts and minds, and connecting the personalexperience to our local and global communities and movements. This workshop will be marketed morebroadly than any of the others as it is accessible to all.

“Peacework for Kids” is being developed for elementary schools, middle schools and camp groups,and will offer time to discuss conflict resolution, self-love, and nonviolent communication. There is anexercise that replicates the Woolworth’s lunch counter sit-in designed for kids that will be an optional add-on to this workshop.

All of the workshops are adaptable so they can be used by various ages and will be offered for variouslengths of time with the content altered depending on who is participating and how much time is allotted.

Stay tuned for more information about programs you can help us bring to people throughout Vermontand that you can participate in yourself!

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New Faces at the PJCStaff ChangesIt is not easy to say goodbye to Carmen Solari who has

been with the PJC for the past two years, most recently asour Fair Trade Store Manager. Carmen has managed thestore with not only a commitment to fair trade and fiscalstability, but with a sense of aesthetics and creativity thatwent beyond her job responsibilities. She also brought ourfair trade program into the world through presentations inelementary schools on our Cocoa Campaign, college presen-tations on Fair Trade vs Free Trade, public film screenings,and a large scale collaborative event every May for Interna-tional Fair Trade Day. She worked with interns showing greatrespect and guiding them on a learning journey. Carmen wasa driving force behind our collaborative work with UVMstudent groups and the Fair Trade Burlington Network that urged UVM to change theirpurchasing policy. As a result, UVM has contracted with a third-party certifier to makecertain that the clothing they buy is ethically sourced. Carmen has made such a differ-ence in our store, in our office, in our local community, and across the globe. We wishyou well Carmen and we know that your activist soul, your creative spirit and your senseof humor will bring you great places and will continue to make the world a better place.

Cassy Frank has been hired as our new Fair Trade StoreManager. She joins us as a recent transplant from theWillamette Valley, Oregon. Her career has been driven by adesire to inspire individuals to uncover solutions to livehappy, healthy, and productive lives. In addition to ten yearsin the natural products industry as a Marketing Communica-tions and Education Manager, Cassy spent three years livingoff-grid in South America. During this time Cassy collabo-rated with a local artisan community and volunteered at asmall co-op where she witnessed rewards of fair trade firsthand. Returning stateside, Cassy has remained committed tofollowing a whole food diet, seeking out locally producedfood for her family, and practicing sustainability in hereveryday life. We are excited to get to know Cassy. Come into the store anytime tointroduce yourself and let her know what you love about PJC!

We are also excited to introduce Armando Carmona, ournew Assistant Store Manager and Volunteer Coordinator.Armando brings with him a wealth of organizing and leadershipskills as well as a steadfast commitment to human rights,diversity, and inclusion. His past experiences include transla-tion work, policy-based research and coyuntural analysis (apopular education approach and strategy for collectiveanalysis). He is also an aspiring journalist and writer. Pleasehelp us welcome Armando – we are looking forward to workingtogether!

New PJC Board Member

With great enthusiasm, we welcome PaijWadley-Bailey to the Board of Directors.Paij’s accomplishments and associationsare extensive, remarkable and include:

Developed the Lesbian & Gay StudiesProgram and Center at Goddard College

Served as the first coordinator of theLGBTQA Services Program at UVM

Served as faculty at each of thesecolleges

Works as the (unpaid) Director of theVermont Anti-Racism Action Team(VARAT), which maintains a hotline forcomplaints about racism in publicschools

Works as the statewide director ofReading to End Racism (RER), aninitiative to help eliminate racismthrough interactive personal andliterary programs that educate andempower youth

Is an anti-racism trainer and diversityconsultant

Serves on the New England RegionalFunding Panel for the HaymarketPeople’s Fund

Member of Women’s InternationalLeague for Peace & Freedom CentralVermont Chapter

Coordinates the Central VermontCodepink affiliate group

Paij identifies as a “bull-dagger:” herforebearers were black women who, ascross-dressers, herded cattle (referred toas “doggies”) and helped to “tame theWild West.” They were also among thefirst “rodeo-ists.” When it was discov-ered that they were female, the “o” wasdropped in their case and an “a” insertedto denote they were females.

We are fortunate to have Paij workingwith us and are grateful for the expertise,wisdom and commitment she brings toour work.

Join Us! PJC Annual Meeting, October 23, Thursday

Elect Board Members, Program Updates, & Dinner

6pm at the PJC, 60 Lake St, Burlington VT

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BY Rachel Siegel, 8/21/14

hen heinous acts of racistviolence happen elsewhere, many

well-intended people use them asevidence that there isn’t racism inVermont. The staff and board of the Peace& Justice Center disagree. There is moreto discrimination than just the dramaticacts of violence that saturate our media.

The shooting in Ferguson, Missouri,as well as both the civil unrest and themilitarized police response are of deepconcern to the Peace & Justice Center.Racial justice and nonviolence are at theheart of our work. We believe in and work

Response to the Shooting of Michael Brown andRacism in Vermont

Wfor a more peaceful and just world, aworld where parents do not need to feartheir black and brown boys will be killedfor no reason other than their appearance,where we recognize the benefits ofdiversity, and where human equality isvalued. We therefore must speak outagainst acts of racist violence.

Simultaneously, we must respond tothe more subtle acts of racism thatpervade our culture and to institutionaland systemic oppression. There is aphrase “death by a million cuts” whichaptly reflects the hurt of racism inVermont. The usually unconscious actsof prejudice and disrespect, the stereo-

types projected, the touching of hair, thebeing followed in stores, the crossing ofstreets in avoidance, and other acts inresponse to people of color, are referredto as micro-aggressions. Each micro-aggression slices at those of us withbrown and black skin and limits the livesof those of us who are white. Institution-alized racism includes decision making,resource allocation, policies and practicesthat perpetuate privilege and access tosome and not to others. These systems ofoppression are also hard for those inpower to see. To continue the metaphor,institutionalized racism creates anenvironment in which the wounds cut

Peace & Justice Center Statement

Undoing continued from page 1

with their kids’ schools and most impor-tantly to realize the power they have asparents and guardians to shape the futureof their kids. “If you don’t do it, nobodywill do it,” Infinite replies after been askedwhat he would tell the families who don’twant to have anything to do with theschool district. In fact, Infinite believesthat traditional reforms are not enough toaccount for all inequities outside of theschool. He adds, “a family’s shift inbehavior and mindset is transferable [andit can] adjust inequities on your block,neighborhood library, and local policeforce.”

The equation to the power of three isthat in which teachers, parents andstudents are given the power and skills tocreate a more student-centered schoolsystem where diversity is embraced andwe ensure the success of each and everystudent. Partnership for Change alongwith Parents and Youth for Change arenot the only ones who shares this dream.In fact, as Infinite says, they are only apart of the movement, carrying a smallamount of the total weight. There arepeople who are trying to stand up forchange everyday. They are teachers,administrators, board members, students,

parents, and members of the communitywho share a common denominator: theyall believe that the current system is notworking for most people, and that it mustbe remodeled to fit the needs of every-one.

In an effort to raise awareness aboutthe struggle racial minority groups facewithin the educational system, the Peace& Justice Center is collaborating withPartnership for Change to bring theSundance award-winning film AmericanPromise to Burlington. “As an organiza-tion with racial justice at the heart of ourmission, we are eager to share thisoutstanding film. American Promiseperfectly highlights the intersection ofracial justice and education,” says RachelSiegel, Executive Director of the Peace &Justice Center.

American Promise takes us to the 13year-long journey of two middle-classAfrican American parents in Brooklyn,NY, who turn their cameras on their son,Idris, and his best friend, Seun, as theymake their way through one of the mostprestigious private schools in thecountry. This provocative and intimatedocumentary presents the complicatedtruths about America’s struggle to comeof age on issues of race, class and

opportunity. Joe Brewster, Co-Producerand Co-Director of the movie shares thatsame dream of equity and once againtalks about the importance of the powerof three by saying, “Our goal is toempower boys, their parents, andeducators to pursue education opportuni-ties, especially to help close the blackmale achievement gap.” AmericanPromise will be screened at Merrills’ RoxyCinema in Burlington on October 7th at6:30pm and it will be introduced by HalColston. The event is free but due tolimited seating, people are encouraged topick up tickets in advance at the Peace &Justice Center Store or at the Roxy.

“I like to think what we are doing isnot any different than practicing medi-cine. You continually work on improvingit and learning from what you just did andmaking it better. And I think we shouldhave the same approach to education,”says Colston. There was a dream onceupon a time that spoke of equality,justice, and respect among all people. Itwas a beautiful dream, and it still is.However this time people are not going toallow the nightmare to continue for muchlonger. “Things are going to change.” Yesthey are.

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Composting Toilet ProjectLaunched in Haiti

more deeply and heal more slowly evenwhen there is no singular act of violencethat explains the hurt.

We live in a highly racialized society.When white people refer dismissively tothe “race card,” as a defense against whata person of color perceives as racism,another cut is made. While some claimcolorblindness, we believe this is amyth. Saying skin color is not seendenies a very important characteristic of aperson’s identity and experience. Ofcourse we see race and our hope is thatwe don’t make assumptions based onit. How can people of color, whendisrespected, not wonder if race is acontributing factor? In fact, how couldanyone prove that it is not?

The death of Michael Brown and theensuing violence is indeed horrific. Whilewe speak out against the abuse of powerin Ferguson and send messages ofsupport and comfort to his family andfriends, we hope all of us, people of colorand aspiring white allies alike, will alsoturn our attention to the racism and whiteprivilege here in Vermont.

The Peace & Justice Center hosted acouple of racial justice-relatedevents. They were not specific to thekilling of Michael Brown and werescheduled prior to the tragedy. Howeverthey are not unrelated.

“The Spies of Mississippi,” adocumentary about the state-sponsoredcampaign to Defeat Civil Rights in the1960s, was shown at the Block Gallery inWinooski on August 26th. The DVD isavailable in the PJC Library.

Book discussion of “The New JimCrow: Mass Incarceration in the Age ofColorblindness,” by Michelle Alexanderon Sept. 22 & 24. Racial profiling, disen-franchisement, and mass incarcerationconstitute today’s legal system for insti-tutionalized racism, discrimination, andexclusion. To hear about future discus-sions, sign up for our bi-weekly enews.

The Peace & Justice Center board andstaff send blessings and condolences toMichael Brown’s family and to allmembers of the Ferguson community, wejoin the collective voice of alarm regard-ing police militarization and violence, andwe pledge renewed commitment to themovement for racial justice and peace inVermont and beyond.

s you read this, local farmers onPeak Macaya, the second

highest mountain in Haiti, areharvesting coffee. They are walking forhours up and down steep inclines, gentlypicking beans, carrying heavy loads ontheir heads, using hand-powered ma-chines to crack shells and extract beans,carefully monitoring moisture levels, andhand-sorting the very best beans to roastand sell. I first visited Peak Macaya inJune 2013 and was instantly struck by theuntouched beauty of the mountain andthe natural way of life. As I reached therugged mountainside that appeareduninhabited from the distance, I sawclusters of houses, carefully tendedgardens, and met local people.

I learned a lot on my first visit butwhat struck me most was the lack of anytoilet or even primitive latrine. Themountain is the toilet and human wastecan easily be seen by the river where theywash their clothes and bodies, alongpaths where most pass with no shoes,and in fields where they garden. This notonly creates a huge health risk for morethan 30,000 people living in this area butalso for the quarter million people wholive downstream from this vital watersource.

Volunteers for Peace (VFP.org) is aBurlington non-profit offering programsaround the world. We have a particularlystrong program in Haiti due to the closeproximity and a moral obligation toempower and support local communities

which have been oppressed by USintervention. Our primary focus is culturalexchange and each year almost 100volunteers serve with us in Haiti. In 2011,we established Clean Water for LaVallee,an organization that provides cleandrinking water in schools and educatesstudents about health and hygiene. As Iwalked the mountain I brainstormed withlocal farmers how to address the sanita-tion issue and support their work.

In March 2014, the Peace & JusticeCenter graciously hosted our firstSanitation Fundraiser and our project waslaunched! In June, a VFP volunteer and Iarrived in Haiti and began meeting withlocal leaders to develop a pilot project forsanitation on Peak Macaya. In July,community meetings were held to obtainlocal buy-in and select the eight localproject leaders. In August, the first eightcomposting toilets were constructed, twocollection areas were created and localsstarted to collect the natural materials thatwould mix with the waste. This month thetoilets officially opened in three communi-ties. Approximately 15 people will useeach toilet, a simple outhouse with a fivegallon bucket to collect the waste. Thecommunity leaders will collect the wasteto make compost every two days. It willtake a year for the compost to be ready touse on future coffee and vegetableplants. You can help this project grow bypurchasing Peak Macaya coffee at thePeace & Justice Store or contacting me atmeg@vfp.org or 802-540-3060 to sponsorone or more toilets or to volunteer inHaiti.

ABY Meg Brook, Director ofVolunteers For Peace

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BY Rachel Siegel

JC’s mission is specifically aboutsocial and economic justice as

well as peace and human rights.We do not focus per se on environmentaljustice, climate change mitigation,conservation, alternative energies, etc.,because that work is clearly being doneby multiple admirable organizations inVermont including 350 Vermont, RisingTide, Vermont Energy InvestmentCorporation, SunCommon, NRG and manymore.

However, our work is not unrelated toenvironmental justice.

As weather patterns have becomemore extreme and damaging, it is easy tosee who is most affected by the devasta-tion – here in Vermont and internationallyit is the people with the least resources.This is where environmental justice meetseconomic justice.

When we think about the USA’sinvestment in fossil fuel extraction andproduction, we see capitalism wreakinghavoc in Middle East, in Native communi-ties of North America, and elsewhere.This is where environmental justice meetspeace and human rights.

I believe that climate change is theissue of this generation much like nuclearwar was the issue of mine in the 70s (notthat we are safe from nuclear weapons byany stretch). And I believe that environ-mental justice must be a priority.

In the meantime, while we are surviv-ing and solving this crisis, we need alsoto prioritize working to mitigate the impacton those most severely and negativelyimpacted by environmental injustice.

Assuming we don’t destroy ourspecies and/or the planet as a whole, weneed to continue addressing social andeconomic justice, peace and humanrights. I give much thanks to those doingthe work to directly address our environ-mental crisis from all the various angles.And I thank those of you who work toaddress the social and economic impactof environmental injustice.

Where does EnvironmentalJustice fit in the PJC?

VGS and Fracking

BY Jen Berger, rate-payer andmember of Rising Tide Vermont

limate change is effectingeveryone. Decades of overuse

and dependence on fossil fuelshas created unstable environmentalconditions of global proportions. Some-times we see the effects in other parts ofthe country, and in September 2011, wesaw the effects in our backyard whenHurricane Irene wreaked havoc through-out the state of Vermont.

At the same time that our environmentis becoming more unstable, the economycontinues to waiver and fail to meet basichuman needs. Rents continue to rise inChittenden County, jobs remain difficultto find, and the changes in weather makeheating one’s home more and moredifficult.

Corporations and many politicians areproposing that fracked gas can bothshore up our struggling economy, and actas a clean and cheap transition to arenewable energy future. Unfortunately,neither of these is true. Natural gas mayappear to be cheaper right now, and maybe cheaper than other heating sources,such as propane and oil, but these lowerrates are temporary due to the currentsaturation of fracked gas on the market.To add to that, a number of recentstudies have pointed out the highlikelihood of turbulent gas prices movingforward due to the way Wall Street hascreated a “fracking bubble” through itsfrenzied investment in the process.

The idea of fracked gas being a cleanergas is also a myth. Natural gas is anaturally occurring hydrocarbon mixtureconsisting mainly of methane, which isdriven out of the ground throughshattering the bedrock with massiveinjections of fresh water and chemicals.Although frequently greenwashed as a“bridge” fuel, natural gas is still a fossilfuel with greenhouse gas emissions thatmay be as bad or worse than conven-tional oil or coal when extracted using thecontroversial method of hydraulicfracturing. In addition to its impact onclimate change, the transmission of

fracked gas depends on miles of pipelinesthat are dug into the land often in thebackyards and farmlands of residentsnearby the drilling sites.

This is exactly what is happening herein Vermont. Vermont Gas Systems (VGS)is in the process of breaking ground onthe first of a three-phase major frackedgas transmission pipeline expansion inChittenden and Addison Counties. If theyare allowed to build it, the proposedpipeline project would extend fromColchester to Vergennes and Middlebury,then under Lake Champlain toTiconderoga, NY to serve the Interna-tional Paper mill. There are longer termplans to build a pipeline to Rutland and toconnect to the USA’s transmission linesin New York State.

The majority of residents in AddisonCounty whose land is directly impactedby the pipeline route, are opposed to thispipeline.

Actually, technically, the State ofVermont is opposed to this project. In2012, Vermont became the first state toban the practice of hydraulic fracturing.Governor Shumlin stated, “The increasedamounts of natural gas obtainablethrough hydraulic fracturing were notworth the risk to drinking water sup-plies…. In the coming generation or two,drinking water will be more valuable thanoil or natural gas…Human beingssurvived for thousands and thousands ofyears without oil and without naturalgas,” he said. “We have never knownhumanity or life on this plant to survivewithout clean water.”

However, the Governor, and VGS arenot morally opposed to bringing frackedgas through Vermont, sourcing it fromAlberta, Canada to the great detriment ofthe Lubicon Lake Cree First Nationcommunities in the region.

This fracked gas pipeline project isalso a detriment to the land, landscape,farms, and lives of Vermont residents. Ithas, and will have an impact on thefinances of Chittenden County andFranklin county residents. Over the lastfew years, a percentage of the paymentsVGS rate-payers make on our bills goesinto the System Expansion & ReliabilityFund (SERF). This fund is being collectedto construct the fracked gas pipeline

Environmental Justice

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he Peace & Justice Center startedtheir Cost of War program in 2012.

The program focused on numerouscosts of war, especially how soldiers areaffected by war. In 2014, the programbecame specifically about drones. As I amfinishing my summer as the Cost of Warintern, I have explored the reality ofdrones and more specifically what itmeans to be a drone pilot.

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, ie.drones,such as the Predator and Reaper, arehovering over the Asian and Africancontinents, carrying hellfire missiles,while American pilots are sitting in a roomsomewhere in the USA. Many believe thistype of war is working in our favorbecause our troops can fight safely fromtheir own country. Even though thosepilots are physically safe, it is becomingmore evident that drone pilots are payinga serious mental health cost.

One drone pilot, Brandon Bryant, hasactively spoken out about the physiologi-cal reality of being a drone pilot. Origi-nally from Missoula, Montana, Bryant

Warm to Cold: Mental Stresses of Drone PilotsBY Michaela Herrmann, PJC Cost of War Intern

joined the military to pay off college debt.After going through Imagery Analysistraining, his entire class was picked up bya drone program. He spent five years as asensor operator, in an 8x20 trailer sta-tioned in Nevada (1) and realized theharsh truth about drones.

Bryant became aware of the fact thatover 98% of those killed in drone strikesare not high targets. Drones can seeeverything beneath them, includingsomething as small as a soccer ball. Atone point, Bryant even witnessed a childaccidentally get hit by a drone and thenwas told it was just a dog. Also, thescreen that the pilots watch, displays aheatwave map. The map shows bodytemperature of humans, so pilots canliterally see a person go from havingwarm blood to cold (1). Bryant now hasPost Traumatic Stress Disorder as a directresult of being a drone operator.

Bryant is not the only drone pilot whohas suffered from PTSD. The Air Forcehas taken interest in knowing the healtheffects of drone operators. In 2011, the

Air Force surveyed 840 drone pilots andfound 46% of Predator and Reaper pilots,and 48% of Global Hawk sensor operatorsreported to have “high operationalstress.” Another study focused on healthrecords of 709 drone pilots and 5,256manned aircraft pilots between October2003 and December 2011. After examiningdiagnosis and treatment records, profes-sionals concluded that drone operatorshad higher incidence rates from 12conditions including anxiety disorder,depressive disorder, post-traumatic stressdisorder, substance abuse and suicidalideation (2).

Drone operators experience high stressand PTSD because one, they are monitor-ing a potential target area for days; two,they also see the aftermath of a droneattack where manned aircraft pilots donot; and three, the brain has a difficulttime understanding how one can be atwar during the day and then return hometo a community not at war (3).

While technological advances seem tobe improving safety for our soldiers, theyare ordered to kill people and communi-ties of people whose faces and behaviorthey recognize. We are taking whateverhumanity is left in war out and our ownpilots are paying a serious mental healthcost as a result.

If you have any further questionsplease feel free to contact the Peace &Justice Center. We would be more thanhappy to travel anywhere in Vermont toshare our drone programming whichincludes films, speakers, action ideas andtwo presentations, one on the basics ofdrones and the other on the experience ofdrone pilots.

Works Cited(1) “Former Drone Operator Speaks Out.”YouTube. May 16, 2013. Web. Sept. 3, 2014.(2) Dao, James. “Drone Pilots Are Found toGet Stress Disorders Much as Those inCombat Do.” The New York Times. Feb. 22,2013. Web. Sept. 3, 2014.(3) “Drone Pilot Kills Afghani Militants fromNevada Control Centre.” YouTube. Oct. 23,2009. Web. Sept. 3, 2014.

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project. Therefore, Chittenden County residents have already been financially support-ing this project. In July, VGS announced a 40% increase in the cost of the project,bringing the cost to $121 million, and is seeking a 3.8% increase in rates for currentcustomers beginning in November. We, as rate-payers, will be asked to pick up the costof the increase, whether we support the pipeline expansion or not. In July, over 500Chittenden County residents signed a petition calling on the Public Service board toreopen the project’s Certificate of Public Good (CPG) and halt construction until the 40%cost increase is evaluated. They didn’t.

Fracking is a major issue in the fight against climate change and a major issue we arefighting right now in Vermont. What can we do?

Stay informed at www.risingtidevermont.org and vtdigger.org Watch Gasland, a film about this issue available in the PJC library. You can send comments to the Public Service board at: psb.clerk@state.vt.us. Writeletters to the editor stating your opposition. Contact Vermont Gas Systems 802-863-4511 ext 4 or customerservice@vermontgas.com . Don’t pay the 3.8% increase on your gas bills, stating on your bill that you arepaying for your gas service, but not for the pipeline.

At the end of October, Rising Tide will host a massive day of action against thepipeline. Visit risingtidevermont.org for more information or emailrisingtidevermont@gmail.com to get involved.

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Robin’s Nest

A woman who insists on carrying amattress to class at Colombia Universityuntil her rapist is expelled from campus, isgetting worldwide coverage. The sexualand domestic abuse rampant amongmembers of the National Football leagueis all over the mainstream media.

Something is happening. And it’shappening here in Burlington, too. TheMarch on Sept. 13, for rape andmurder victim Laura Winterbottom,got the largest number of partici-pants ever.

And, during the first week ofcollege at UVM, some 50 mostlyfemale students turned up to hearfilmmaker Liz Canner talk and showclips from her work in progress onrape on campus: Silence U.

Sponsored by WILPF, the UVMWomen’s Center and the Gender,Sexuality and Women’s StudiesDept., this wasn’t your usuallecture. It was about survival.“Nowadays,” Canner said, “youmight graduate with the title ofsurvivor as well as a BA.”

It is generally thought that auniversity should be a place ofinquiry, openness, experimentation,risk- taking; not a place of lies andcoverups, of fear and isolation. And yetfor many women that is what it has beenand still is. Liz recounted how during hercollege years at Brown University, womenstudents developed an underground wayof alerting each other to serial rapists oncampus by writing their names on thebathroom wall. The administrationimmediately and continually had thenames erased. One Executive VicePresident called the women “MagicMarker terrorists,’’ and their list “anti-male graffiti.”

“Rather,” said Liz, “it was an act ofdesperation of women trying to protecteach other. The pushback from theUniversity opened her eyes to the fact ofmale supremacy on campus and was oneof the events that led her, years later, tomake this film.

Her question: What spaces on campusseem more rape-prone or rape-free toyou? Students: “Some dorms seem lesssafe.” “Freshmen get targeted becausethey are not aware. They can beidentified. They carry a purse.” “Thefrats.”

From her coverage of the rape cultureat Dartmouth College, Liz discovered that

fraternities dominate the social scene atDartmouth. They control the space, andoffer free alcohol. They teach humiliationand misogyny, and as such, they offer adegree in the techniques of patriarchy.“Fraternities stunt men at a vulnerableage.” said Liz.

A huge thorn in the side of Dartmouthon the frat issue is former studentAndrew Lohse who is interviewed in Liz’sfilm. Lohse is currently touring the talkshows with his memoir “Confessions ofan Ivy League Frat Boy” which has justbeen published. Lohse was a ‘bro’ at theSigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, and in factfor several years was the captain incharge of hazing. Author Janet Reitmanhas written a fascinating account of hisjourney from dedicated frat boy towhistleblower in a biography in Rolling

Stone (2012). According to Reitman,Lohse “accused Dartmouth’s storiedGreek system – 17 fraternities, 11 sorori-ties and three coed houses, to whichroughly half of the student body belongs– of perpetuating a culture of “pervasivehazing, substance abuse and sexualassault,” as well as an “intoxicatingnihilism” that dominates campus sociallife. “Fraternity life is at the core of thecollege’s human and cultural dysfunc-tions.” Lohse concluded, by recommend-ing that Dartmouth “overhaul its Greeksystem, and perhaps get rid of fraternitiesentirely.”

Fraternities do not have aspowerful a grip on the UVMcampus as they do at Dartmouth,perhaps because alert women’sgroups force the administrationto react swiftly when an incidentoccurs. When a survey wascirculated by a ‘bro’ at Sigma PhiEpsilon in 2011 asking, “If I couldrape someone, who would it be?”the feminist group FedUp raiseda hue and cry. UVM put the fraton probation and within daysnational leadership kicked thestudents out of the fraternity’shouse and closed the chapter.

Liz Canner sees some positivesteps being taken on the nationallevel. Title IX is a federal civilrights law that prohibits discrimi-nation on the basis of sex in anyeducation program or activity

that receives federal funding. The statuteis intended to protect students’ right toan education without the hostility ofsexual harassment or assault. The Obamaadministration is getting more proactivein taking action on rape claims, but thereis still a long way to go. Liz says thatObama should include frats in Title IXinvestigations. Could a movement todelegitimize frats get traction at UVM?

Canner is completing her film, andraising funds to cover post productioncosts. Her hope is to use the film toeducate and create change on collegecampuses and within our justicesystem. She is available to speak tocollege and community groups.

She can be reached at elizabethcanner@yahoo.com.

The Silence on Rape is BreakingBY Robin Lloyd with filmmaker Liz Canner

At the March for Laura Winterbottom on Sept. 13, WILPF and PJCmembers Robin Lloyd and Judy Yarnell walked the talk with members ofUVM’s One in Four chapter. According to the national website, the UVMchapter is one of only 15 chapters around college campusesnationally. “One in Four, Inc is a 501(c)3 non-profit organizationdedicated to the prevention of rape by the thoughtful application oftheory and research to rape prevention programming.” One preventiontechnique they stress is bystander intervention. Its not just up to thewoman to say no, but up to onlookers, in a potentially high-risksituation, to difuse the situation and say “Stop it, guys.”

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P E A C E & J U S T I C E S T O R E

he nation has a lot of challenges:poverty, homelessness and an

unsustainable growth economy,struggling rural towns and urban blight,mental health issues, violence andincreasing incarceration rates, climatechange, the destruction of ecosystems,and animal extinctions.

This image could be paralyzing andthat is one of the reasons VermontersPaula Francis and Linda Wheatley arewalking across the United States askingpeople about happiness. They felt theyhad to do SOMETHING.

Linda and Paula, both of CentralVermont, began walking in 2012 to focusattention on what people say matters inlife – what we value – as a project of theVermont-based nonprofit Gross NationalHappiness (GNH) USA. They identifyvalues themes and then connect peopleand communities to resources that caninspire an alignment between theseshared values, our political system, andour economy.

There are a couple of other reasons forThe Happiness Walk. Research showsthat cultivating deeper levels of indi-vidual happiness enhances our ability toparticipate, engage, and contribute to thewellbeing of all. The walkers have foundthat even the conversation abouthappiness inspires well-being. We believethis conversation has enormous power.

We walk also because we know thatwe will get what we measure. Usingalternative indicators is an idea that isspreading quickly. For decades, develop-ment and “progress” have been largelydriven by economic indicators. Measureslike Gross Domestic Product (GDP) havebeen overused and unquestioned. As asociety, we have allowed our economicand political systems to be more influ-enced by these outdated measures ofprogress than by the measures thatinitially inspired the declaration of ourright to the pursuit of happiness: free-dom, community, good governance,opportunity and more.

Paula and Linda are gathering state-ments from people they meet along theway. They have spoken with hundredsand expect to collect thousands ofresponses to prompts about happinessand what matters in life. They believe thatthe information collected and the net-works created during their two-year, 7500-mile journey could actually influencepositive change at the policy level, in ourmedia, and in our public discourse.

Gross National Happiness, an exampleof wellbeing measures developed inBhutan over the last decade, has spurreda resolution at the United Nations.Alternative indicator sets like the HappyPlanet Index, the Better Life Index and theHuman Development Index offer meaning-ful measures of wellbeing.

Vermont has taken this discussion tothe State House. Vermont is the first statein the nation to legislate an expanded setof well-being measures, the GenuineProgress Indicator. The state’s newEconomic Development Strategy will begrounded in the GPI. Wellbeing indicatorsmust drive policy.

To date, Paula and Linda have walkedover 800 miles, from Montreal, Canada toWashington, DC. They will continue onfrom Washington, DC to Norfolk, VA,October 11th to the 27th, then towardRaleigh, NC in November. You can findinformation about their route atwww.happinesswalk.com. You’ll also findtheir blog and photos, a list of events andrequests for help (hosts, gear transport-ers, media connections, etc.). TheHappiness Walk will be celebrating the2014 kick-off on October 7th at NorthBranch Café, 41 State St, Montpelier,5-7pm. Everyone is welcome.

Contact info: Linda Wheatley, 802-535-8383, linda@happinesswalk.com. PaulaFrancis, 802-279-4072,paula@happinesswalk.com.

The Happiness Walk: Two Women,Two Years, 7500 miles

NonviolentCommunication:A Language of LifeNonviolent Communication partnerspractical skills with a powerful consciousnessand vocabulary to help you get what youwant peacefully.

In this internationally acclaimed text,Marshall Rosenberg offers insightful stories,anecdotes, practical exercises and role-playsthat will dramatically change your approachto communication for the better.

The NonviolenceHandbookMichael Nagler offers a step-by-step guideto creatively using nonviolence to confrontany problem and to build change move-ments capable of restructuring the verybedrock of society.

TBY Linda Wheatley

Become aRecruiter for Peace!

The PJC visits VT high schools to talk tostudents about alternatives to the military andoffer opportunities to learn skills in nonvio-lence. Join us for a training on how to talk toyouth so that you can join our recruitmentteam! Saturday, Nov. 8th at 3:30pm at thePeace & Justice Center. More info: Kyle at863-2345 x6 or program@pjcvt.org.

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C A L E N D A R

October 5, Sunday 1pm Workshop on Direct Democracy and Horizontalism at PJC with

Marina Sitrin, author of They Can’t Represent Us: ReinventingDemocracy from Greece to Occupy. Join us as we explore questionsabout democratic participation, strategies on how to construct newsocial and political relations through horizontal spaces and apply theseexperiences in a local context. Our conversation will range from theenvironmental defense assemblies in Argentina, Zapatista autonomy inChiapas, the Occupy Plataforma (housing defense) movement in Spain,and assembly movements in Greece. Marina Sitrin, has participated inthe Direct Action Network in the late 1990s to Occupy and themovements in Argentina. She has studied first hand horizontalmovements in Latin America over the past two decades as well as thecontemporary ones in Southern Europe. Free.

October 7, Tuesday 6:30pm Screening of American Promise.. This inspiring and intimate

film provides a personal look at the racial achievement gap found in oureducation system. This issue sets our youth up for lifelong inequity. Thefilm is being presented to provide awareness, offer support and inspireparticipation in a movement for racial justice to improve our kids’future. Learn more about the local movement that is working to endracism in our schools. The film will be introduced by Hal Colston,director of Partnership for Change. It is being presented with supportfrom PJC members, a grant from Haymarket Peoples’ Fund, and a co-sponsorship with Partnership for Change. This event is free but becausethere is limited seating we recommend picking up tickets at the PJC.Information: Kyle at 802-863-2345 x6 or kyle@pjcvt.org.

October 8, Wednesday 6-7:30pm Films and panel discussion on South Sudan at PJC. FREE.

Light snacks provided. This event is being hosted in conjunction withthe Canvas Peace Project event on October 18.

October 9, Thursday 5pm Women’s International League of Peace and Freedom meeting

at PJC. Also Nov. 13 and Dec. 11.

October 13, Monday 6-8pm Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel meeting at PJC.

vtjp@vtjp.org. All are welcome! Also Nov. 10 and Dec. 8.

October 18, Saturday 6-9pm The Canvas Peace Project is an initiative inspiring artists across

the US to raise awareness of genocide and the ongoing conflicts in theregion of Sudan. The Canvas Peace Project will host an auction andevent at the Skinny Pancake in Burlington. Sponsored by the PJC,Skinny Pancake and SUDEF.

October 21, Tuesday 7-8pm Listening for What Matters Most. A PJC workshop lead by

Robin Guillian and held as part of Vermont’s Conflict Resolution Monthactivities. $5 fee, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds.Information: Kyle at 802-863-2345 x6 or email kyle@pjcvt.org.

October 23, Thursday 6pm PJC Annual Meeting at PJC. Join us for dinner, board elections and

an update from our director.

October 29, Wednesday 6:30-8:30pm Recycled Aluminum Jewelry Art Class with Kenyan Artist

Leah Mitula. In honor of Fair Trade Month, the PJC will be hosting LeahMitula, the founder of Denur Crafts, an all-women’s jewelry cooperative inKenya. All of their jewelry is made from raw, locally sourced materials:carved bone pendants from the butcher, earrings made from aluminumcans, and glass beads made from sand. Leah is traveling all the way fromNairobi to Vermont to share with us the craft of making jewelry fromrecycled aluminum! Davis Studio, 4 Howard St, Studio 2, Burlington. $30register here.

November 4, Tuesday 6-8pm “Peace and Popcorn.” A casual series of peace and social justice

films from the PJC’s video library, chosen by night-of participants on thefirst Tuesday of every month. Good films and good company. All arewelcome. Peace & Justice Center, 60 Lake St. Free. Also Dec. 2.

November 5, Wednesday 5:25pm CORN, (Conversation On Race Now) is doing a series of

programs on “Interracial Love: Living the Difference” on CCTV, Channel17. It can be found online under CCTV’s social justice category. For moreinformation and if you would like to be a guest on the show, contactVivian Mason vhm8446@gmail.com, co-founder of CORN.

7-8:30pm Engaging Conflict for Peace. By seeing oneself in all beings weautomatically create a frame of mind for a peaceful coexistence. And onlyby embracing peaceful resolution to conflicts can we can truly experiencejustice and joyous living. Come learn powerful skills for engaging conflictpeacefully from Ben Bosley a professional in the field of conflict resolution.$5 Adults. Free for Kids. At PJC and sponsored by the PJC. Information:Kyle at 802-863-2345 x6 or email kyle@pjcvt.org.

November 8, Saturday 1-8pm VT Workers Center Membership Assembly & Sweet 16 Anniversary

Celebration Dinner at the Old Labor Hall, Barre VT. (802) 861 4892.

November 15, Saturday 7pm Peace & Justice Center presents Julia Alvarez at Main Street Landing

as part of the 2014 Ed Everts Social Justice Activist Awards honoringMigrant Justice. Live music, food, cash bar. Tickets at PJC.

December 4, Thursday 7pm Liberty in North Korea Tour Comes to the PJC with voices and

insights of those who have experienced the challenges and changes inNorth Korea first hand. Joonmi Park, and Joseph Kim produced a personal,dynamic, and engaging multimedia presentation. You will gain a betterunderstanding of the challenges the people face and the ways they areovercoming them. For more information visit: libertyinnorthkorea.org orcontact Kyle Silliman-Smith at 863-2345 x6 or kyle@pjcvt.org

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A Request From Julia AlvarezBY Judy Yarnall

ulia Alvarez, who will be reading and speaking at ourNovember 15th event honoring Migrant Justice, has long

been engaged with issues of social justice. Her best knownnovel, In the Time of the Butterflies, tells the story of the valiantMirabel sisters who were killed because of their undergroundwork against the Dominican dictator Trujillo. It has inspiredthousands of women and activists, just as her kids’ novel Returnto Sender has roused awareness and sympathy for migrant dairyworkers and their families in Vermont.

Her current cause is the third annual Border of Lights gather-ing at the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic onthe anniversary of the Haitian Massacre (October 1937), when20,000 Haitians and Dominicans of Haitian descent were slaugh-tered by the dictator and his military. “This crime againsthumanity,” Julia told me, “was never properly addressed orredressed by the Dominican government, an attitude whichpersists to this day, as we saw this past September 2013 when aDraconian law was passed by the highest court in the land,denationalizing Dominicans of Haitian descent.”

We of the PJC can join the Border of Lights vigil by goingonline sometime between 8-10 pm on Friday, October 3rd andposting a photo of ourselves (and friends) holding a light inremembrance of the lives lost and hope for present day justice.These images of solidarity from far away, Julia says, cheer thecrowd at the border.

For instructions, go to www.juliaalvarez.com/border-of-lights/virtual-vigil.php

Migrant Justiceigrant Justice builds the voice, capacity, and power ofthe migrant farmworker community and engages

community partners to organize for economic justiceand human rights. We gather the migrant farmworker communityto discuss and analyze shared problems and envision collectivesolutions. Through this ongoing investment in leadershipdevelopment, members deepen their skills in community educa-tion and organizing in order to work for long-term systemicchange. From this basis our farmworker members have prioritizedbuilding a human rights movement in order to meet their basichuman needs by securing the fundamental human rights to: 1)Dignified work and quality housing; 2) Freedom of movementand access to transportation; 3) Equal treatment and freedomfrom discrimination; 4) Access to quality healthcare.

We have build a powerful movement of farmworker leadersand allies producing some inspiring concrete victories including:

Building a broad network of racial justice organizations towin legislation in 2014 expanding the State Police bias-free policy(that we won in 2011) to all Vermont police that explicitly: a)prohibits all Vermont Police to use resources for the purposes ofimmigration enforcement; b) mandates bias-free training of allpolice; c) requires uniform race data collection.

Organizing a powerful grassroots network of farmworkers,farmers, and allies to win legislation in 2013 for all VT residents toaccess drivers licenses, regardless of immigration status;

Stopping the deportation of Danilo Lopez in July 2013 byorganizing widespread community and power-holders’ supportincluding public support from all 3 of Vermont’s representatives;

Partnering with Vermont Workers’ Center to prevent theexclusion of undocumented people in Vermont’s 2011 ground-breaking universal healthcare legislation;

Winning over $15,000 in back wages through our Workers’Rights Hotline, Teleayuda, pushing the VTDOL to change laborlaw in 2013 to expand state powers to collect unpaid wages;

Being recognized nationally as theexample of Ben & Jerry’s Foundation’seffective funding for their 2014 NCRPaward; receiving the 2013 VT ACLU“David Curtis Civil Liberties Award”;

Winning RESIST, Inc. Organiza-tion of the Year for 2013 and the 1stUU Society of Burlington’s Coura-geous Love Award for 2013; and beingnamed the recipient of the Peace &Justice Center’s 2014 Ed Everts SocialJustice Activist Organization Award.

Save the Date! Saturday, November 15, 2014

The Peace & Justice Center is delighted to honor the work ofMigrant Justice, a Burlington-based organization who is dedi-cated to building the voice, capacity, and power of the migrantfarmworker community and engaging community partners toorganize for economic justice and human rights.

The evening will include a reading by Julia Alvarez, a writer ofnovels, essays, books for young readers, and poetry. You may befamiliar with her novels, especially, How The García Girls LostTheir Accents and In the Time of the Butterflies.

Please join us for this festive celebration and fundraiser. For information on tickets to the event,please email info@pjcvt.org

Music, food, cash bar. At Main StreetLanding, One Main St, Burlington. Co-sponsored by Main Street Landing.

An Evening with Julia Alvarezto honor the work of Migrant Justice with the PJC’sEd Everts Social Justice Activist Organization Award

J

M

12 October-December 2014

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