WNPJ Fall Assembly – Oct 28, 2023 – Wisconsin Network for Peace & Justice

Every Drop Counts: Coming Together for Water

Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice (wnpj.org) brought people together in Appleton to learn about challenges and solutions to the water issues we are facing in our communities – which are playing out all over the world.

This program was dedicated to the work of Dawn Sturdevant Baum (1976-2023), Wisconsin attorney who became General Counsel for the Yurok Tribe in Northern California, and spoke up for indigenous peoples around the world at the the UN Climate Change COP 26 in Glasgow, Scotland and COP 27 in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, where she spoke about the importance of using indigenous knowledge with sovereignty in addressing the climate crisis.

Watch segments from the program:

Dean Hoegger of Clean Water Action Council speaks about laws citizens can use to protect the waters of the state and about some current legal challenges that threaten to take away the DNR’s authority and the rights of citizens to protect the environment and human health.
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Lynn and Nancy Utesch, featured in the film Sold Down the River, spoke about the third world water conditions in Wisconsin brought on by factory farms, and affect farms in their region. This issue is being played out across the United States as politicians seem to put the interests of their corporate donors over the health and safety of their constituents.
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Rights of Nature Wisconsin Initiative – Terry Dawson and WISDOM representative David Liners, and Rev. Mark Richards. Today, we face global environmental crises – including soaring extinction rates and accelerating climate change. This has happened despite thousands of environmental laws. What those laws have in common is that they regulate the exploitation of nature – treating nature as existing for human use. It’s time for that to change – for our laws to recognize nature — the waters, plants, animals and ecosystems we live among — as a living being with legal rights.
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Peacemaker of the Year Award 2023 was presented to Bill Christofferson of Milwaukee, lead organizer for The Golden Rule, VFP anti-nuke ship. Introduction was by Mark Foreman (L) of Milwaukee Vets for Peace. Presenting the Award is Co-chair Mary Kay Baum (R). (photo credit, Brad Geyer)

Bill has served on the WNPJ Board and has been connected with many of our member groups, including Nukewatch, Veterans for Peace, WAVE, and more. He has written a book: “Man from Clear Lake: Earth Day Founder Senator Gaylord Nelson”. This past year, Bill coordinated the sailing of the anti-nuke ship “The Golden Rule” into Wisconsin waters, spreading information about the hazards of nuclear waste and war-heads at each place she docked.

Music and slides to remember our George Paz Martin – “We are Family”

George Paz Martin, 1946-2023
Tribute by Julie Enslow

‘Sold Down the River’ video, introduced by John Peck (not available online)

More photos from the assembly

(photo credit to Ronna Swift of Appleton)

Great Blue Herons depend on wetlands and waterways.
In summer they make nests on very high trees, close to each other in a rookery. Adults spend most of every day stalking in water to slowly catch fish for themselves and for their young.
Nesting in a large rookery protects the young from predators. Plus one adult heron stands guard ready to challenge and scare away any predator.
This community is dedicated to protecting all of its members.
Mary Kay Baum, Co-chair of WNPJ