2022 WNPJ Fall Assembly – November 13, 2022

Abolition

On Sunday, November 13th WNPJ hosted its annual Fall Assembly in Milwaukee (and via zoom). Each year we take this time to bring individuals and organizations together, to set the vision for the upcoming year, to honor the efforts of peacemakers and peace builders…and to get into some “Good Trouble”.

Traditionally Abolition was understood as the refusal to accept slavery. Modern abolitionists are using the term to cover a spectrum of inhumanities. Abolitionists today may call for the end of policing, as we know it. They may ask us to reevaluate how we spend our money and direct more towards community building rather than punishment. They may ask us to recognize
the obligation we have to ensure all children receive an education where they are respected and treated with dignity. They are asking us to reevaluate our relationship to violence. And we are being asked to reckon with our society’s unwillingness to change our thinking or to change our systems that continue to foster violence.

Today people are asking us to look deeper into what are the root causes of violence in our communities, in our families, and in our world. We are being asked to heal. This is Abolition.

Abolition is a personal choice that one makes on a daily basis.

This assembly was held at Marquette University, hosted by the Marquette University Center for Peacemaking.

Welcoming comments from Judy Miner, former Network Coordinator

Keynote Angela Harris – Milwaukee abolitionist educator, introduced by Dena Eakles

Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Art Heitzer, peace activist and advocate for normalizing relations with Cuba. Introduced by Julie Enslow, Tynnetta Jackson and Mary Kay Baum:

Peacemaker of the Year Award recipient Claude Motley, introduced by Debra Gillispie:

Video clip from the film: https://youtu.be/bs0nma7yNTc
More about the award-winning film “When Claude Got Shot”: https://whenclaudegotshot.org/
Peacemaker Award details

What does Abolition mean to you? Tynnetta Jackson, interviewed by Debra Gillispie