From Peace and Social Concerns Committee:
As we all seek to find our own path forward in the current environment, we invite you to join us in reading Active Hope by Joanna Macy and Chris Johnstone.
We will be meeting on the 4th Sunday in January, February, and March at 9:30 am.
A section of the book will be discussed at each meeting.
To learn more about the book follow this link.
From Peace and Social Concerns Committee:
When: Nov 1st, 6 – 7:30 pm
Where: Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main Street, Freeport
Tickets:
The lecture will be followed by a screening of the short film “Weckuwapok (The Approaching Dawn).”
Chris Newell’s book “If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving” will be available for purchase.
For more information about our speaker, Chris Newell, access his biography here!
There will be a LACO Fundraising Dinner at Durham Friends Meetinghouse, October 5, 2024, 4:30 to 6:30 pm.
LACO is Lisbon Area Christian Outreach, a food pantry amd clothing bank supported by a number of churches, including this Friends Meeting, in and around Lisbon, Maine.
FCNL is asking us to contact our congressional representatives urging support for creation of a Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies.
The Social Justice Book Project, at Durham Monthly Meeting of Friends in Maine, has produced the materials in this folder for use by teachers of young children and organizations wishing to establish similar projects in their communities. These materials are available to you to print and share. By October 1, 2024 all of the materials will be available and they include:
Guide Books
A Guide to Building a School Justice Book Project
Creating an Anti-Bias Classroom Community – the Role of Books
Exploring the Black Experience in America – the Role of Books
Exploring Wabanaki History and Culture with Attention to Care of the Environment – the Role of Books
Booklists:
Anti-bias Classroom Community Books
Black Experience in America Books
Books By and About Indigenous Peoples
Books About Social Justice Activists
Stories About Inspirational Figures
Books About Appreciating and Caring for the Environment
Resources:
A List of Other Recommended Resources
Peace and Social Concerns calls these events to our attention:
Dear friend, Over the course of 2024, partners committed to surfacing the truths of colonization and oppression in the place known for millennia by the Wabanaki people as the Dawnland will engage with local communities on a journey across land and water, shining a light on the ways that Indigenous, Black, and settler-descendent populations are represented—or not—in Maine’s commemorative landscape.Convened by the public history nonprofit Atlantic Black Box, the Walk for Historical and Ecological Recovery (WHERE2024) is a broad-based and community-engaged effort carried out in partnership with Wabanaki REACH, Indigo Arts Alliance, Community Change Inc., and In Kinship Collective. |
| Join WHERE2024 partners on Thursday, May 9 at 5:30 pm for a launch event hosted by the Land We Live Onto kick off this epic collective journey. Click HERE to RSVP |
| Over seven months, a series of walks and programs situated in seven locations throughout the state will engage the public in surfacing suppressed stories of genocide and survival, enslavement and resistance, displacement and represencing.Walking in solidarity to forward ongoing processes of truth-seeking and transformation, our aim is to catalyze creative and embodied approaches to antiracist and decolonial historical recovery efforts across the state and the region.Please join us on May 9 as we move to reckon with all that has happened here and to engage in dialogue around the ways that our past continues to shape our present-day relationships and our possible futures.CLICK TO RSVP OR JOIN MAILING LIST |
| Atlantic Black Box is dedicated to expanding the field of historical recovery. We empower communities throughout the Northeast to research and reckon with the region’s active role in colonization and slavery while recentering the stories of its historically marginalized groups. Atlantic Black Box is a 501c3 public charity EIN 86-2963335 P.O. Box 8771, Portland, ME 04104 www.atlanticblackbox.com info@atlanticblackbox.comCopyright © 2024 Atlantic Black Box, All rights reserved. |
Peace and Social Concerns Committee will be showing a film, “Common Ground” at the Meetinghouse on April 26 at 7:00 PM. More on the film HERE.
From the film’s website:
From the filmmakers of ‘Kiss the Ground’ (Netflix) comes the follow-up documentary ‘Common Ground’, winner of the Tribeca Film Festival. Common Ground is an important new documentary film featuring Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Woody Harrelson, Ian Somerhalder, Donald Glover, Rosario Dawson, Mark Hyman, Gabe Brown, and many others.
Directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, Common Ground provides hope for future generations with concrete ways to fix a broken planetary system. The film explores how regenerative agriculture can help heal the soil, our health and the planet.
From Peace and Social Concerns Committee:
We know elections matter, and we know that our voices matter. That is why Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) asks us to identify the top priorities that they will focus on in the next Congress, convening in January, 2025.
On Sunday, April 14 at 12 noon, our Peace and Social Concerns Committee will lead us in a meeting wide discussion and discernment. If you cannot attend, in person or by Zoom, please reply to this email (durham@neym.org) with your thoughts.
“We may all feel at times that we stand alone and are helpless as single individuals to influence issues that we have a driving desire (leading) to improve and/or change. Please recognize that if you accept this invitation to provide input to FCNL you will be joining hundreds of others pushing for a better world. The success of FCNL’s 80 years of advocacy work has always depended on persistence, patience and the support of caring people (examples: 2016 US-Iran Nuclear Agreement, 2023 repeal of 2002 Iraq War Authorization, 2024 advocacy for passage of Bill S.1723 Truth and Healing Commission on Indian Boarding School Policies Act).”
On April 14 we will prepare a message from Durham Friends, letting FCNL know what is most important to us right now. Please help us do that by attending our meeting or sending your thoughts by email.
Here’s a list of current priorities, feel free to add yours under Other Issues
Economic Justice:
Sustainable Energy and Environment:
Justice Reform and Gun Violence Prevention:
Just Migration:
Native American Concerns:
Middle East Policy:
Nuclear Nonproliferation:
Pentagon Spending:
International Peace Building:
U.S. Wars and Militarism:
Voting and Elections:
Other Issues:
Portland Friends Meeting (and others) invite us to participate in a Zoom Letter Writing Party for Maine Gun Safety — to be held on Leap Day, February 29, 2024.
Here are the details:
(to avoid zoom bombing you’ll have to quickly take a moment to register)
Come spend an hour with Quakers and others throughout Maine by writing letters to your legislators, Janet Mills, or the newspaper, to promote the four priorities of the Maine Gun Safety Coalition.
Make it even more of a party by invite friends to join you in person at your home, and then log on together!
Can’t make the party? That’s ok, you can write a letter on your own time. Attached is a Letter to the Editor Toolkit, and you can also use that to help you reach out to Janet Mills or your legislator. Find your legislators here: https://nrcm.salsalabs.org/mainelegislatorlookup/index.html.
Also, we’re attaching a list of high-priority legislators who could use more nudging on this issue. Most of them are outside of Greater Portland (although one is in part of Westbrook and Windham). But please take a few minutes with the list, and if you know someone who lives in one of these towns, please reach out to them to contact their legislator, and invite them to this zoom party. This is how the work gets done!
Hosted by members of Portland Friends Meeting and Durham Friends Meeting, open to all!
Rob Levin and Heather Denkmire and Valerie Todd and Leslie Manning
Questions: email rob@roblevin.net.
Ingrid Chalufour brought the message at Durham Friends Meeting on February 4, 2024
Today I bring good news. Your money for children’s books is well spent. The 7 teachers who worked with us this fall have completed a process of using books to help them create an anti-bias classroom community. Basically, we have layered an anti-bias approach onto what they already do to create community. A definition:
“Anti-bias curriculum is an approach to early childhood education that sets forth values-based principles and methodology in support of respecting and embracing differences and acting against bias and unfairness.” From Teaching for Change
Note that we not only introduce injustice but we let children know they can do something about it.
The teachers received books about kindness; books that elicited empathy including topics such as homelessness and bullying; books that introduced all kinds of diversity (race, ethnicity, family structure, gender). They wrote reflections for us about the use of the books and the children’s responses. In conclusion, they wrote reflections about the impact of the whole unit. Their stories have provided evidence that the books do have an impact on children’s learning and on the teachers as well. I will share a few quotes:
Jeanne, who teaches a combined 1st-2nd Grade wrote, “I see that my work has had an impact this year because… my students feel comfortable asking questions and sharing ideas about the similarities and differences between us. I think the sense that any of these topics (race, ethnicity, language, religion, other aspects of culture…) are open for discussion and wondering is a key aspect of the anti-bias classroom. The other key component is the idea that we can each make a difference…. We all have such a long way to go but pure curiosity, without judgement, in a space of caring is how we start the journey.”
Aja, a PreK teacher wrote, “The books and conversations we had helped create a safe space where our ideas are not right or wrong but used to build knowledge from one another. We found joy in our physical differences and people colors are now widely used and discussed in the classroom. Children went home and talked about learning about melanin. We challenged some biases around gender stereotypes, abilities, and family and home structures. The kindness book was a wonderful book to read over and over and was such a simple yet helpful book in establishing a caring classroom community.”
From Emma another 1st-2nd Grade teacher, “I believe that because I made an effort to have open and honest conversations about identity, the children became more comfortable talking about the different ways they identify and the different ways people in their community identify. We spent time defining words like ‘empathy’, ‘race’, ‘diversity’, ‘community’. I know the majority understand these words because when I first asked what they meant, few students raised their hands and their answers were off-base; now when we have conversations revolving around those topics, it’s clear that we don’t need to define them because they are either a) using those words, or b) able to answer the questions I pose that contain those key words. I think in these early stages of language acquisition, this is a critical piece.”
Finally, from Kate a Kindergarten teacher, “Adding this layer has made me look more closely at the curriculum in order to figure out where could I weave in these books, so along with content students are experiencing, accepting, celebrating differences.”
We, the work group, are continually learning from the work of the teachers and from the consultants who are informing our journey. The teachers work this fall has taught us that spending time on creating an anti-bias classroom community is an essential foundation to the social justice work that follows which is exploring the Black experience in America and Wabanaki studies, with attention to care of the environment.
As we move from creating community to this new work about People of Color, we are introducing racism. Some ask why do you introduce 4- to 8-year-old children to racism. A primary reason is that small children are keen observers of the world. They are noticing similarities and differences and forming opinions, making judgements. When their judgements are made in the white dominant culture, they can begin to discriminate. At the same time these children are very quick to see unfairness. It is the perfect time to introduce the unfairness of racism. The question we have tackled recently is how do you do this. Young children are concrete thinkers so you must scaffold the message, moving from experiences the children can identify with to more abstract concepts like race. It is also essential to our approach that introducing any injustice is accompanied by the idea that you can do something about it.
Recently I happened upon a book at Curtis Library that does all of this. It is just the perfect book as our teachers transition to their new topic this winter and spring so we bought one for each of them and I will share it with you now: Our Skin, by Megan Madison, Jessica Ralli and Isabel Roxas.
The following information, and more, can be found on the Wabanaki Alliance Bill Tracker website at https://www.wabanakialliance.com/131st-bill-tracker/ The bills listed below are currently being targeted for your support. They will be voted on by the House and the Senate in the near future.
TAKE ACTION: Contact your legislators. Contact your legislators and ask them to vote YES on LD 25 and LD 294.
To find your legislators go to www.maine.gov and type voter lookup into the search bar. Select Government: eDemocracy: Voter Information Lookup and enter the name of your town.
Sponsor: Sen. Craig V. Hickman, D-Kennebec
The Wabanaki Alliance supports this bill.
SUMMARY
This bill provides that a member of a federally recognized Indian nation, tribe or band is not required to pay a fee for admission to or use of any state owned park or historic site managed by the state of Maine. An amendment to the bill proposed in committee also waives camping fees.
STATUS: Vote coming soon.
The Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry held a public hearing on Jan. 25. The committee voted that the bill ought to pass as amended. It will go to the Senate next for a vote.
Sponsor: Rep. Benjamin T. Collings, D-Portland
The Wabanaki Alliance supports this bill.
SUMMARY
This bill would add a Wabanaki citizen to the Baxter State Park Authority, which has full power in the control and management of Baxter State Park. The nominee would be appointed by the governor based on a joint recommendation by tribal governments of the Mi’kmaq Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Motahkomikuk, the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Sipayik and the Penobscot Nation.
STATUS: The Legislature will vote soon.
The Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry held a public hearing and work session during the first half of the legislation session. An additional work session was held January 17 and the majority of the committee voted the bill ought to pass as amended.
Peace and Social Concerns calls to your attention a lecture on
options: in person or via Zoom. Register here.
Earlham Scool of Religion is making available, via Zoom, the lecture Quaker historian Tom Hamm will give: “Quakers and Race in the 1920s.” Registration is required to get the Zoom link.
UPDATE: Peace and Social Concerns is asking that Friends meet at the Meetinghouse to view these webinars together (and to do the readings suggested beforehand). .
The Peace & Social Concerns Committee at Durham Friends Meeting Invite you to a Webinar Series, January-February 2024:
“Returning to the Land” by Nia To Go There (Cree)
Nia To Go There, PhD will offer a series of four webinars that are co-sponsored by Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples and Decolonizing Quakers (both national Quaker organizations). Nia will recommend short readings for each program.
January 13, 3:30-5 pm: “Returning to the Land: Cultural Perspectives.” Readings for this first session are AT THIS LINK.
January 27, 3:30-5 pm: “Returning to the Land: Seeing with a Native Eye.” Readings for this second session are AT THIS LINK.
February 10, 3:30-5 pm: “Returning to the Land: Colonization.” Readings for this third session are AT THIS LINK.
February 24, 3:30-5 pm: “Returning to the Land: Decolonization.”
Durham Friends look forward to some collective thinking about how we bring the important messages from these sessions home to Maine.
We hope to see you for all or some of these sessions at our Meetinghouse, 532 Quaker Meetinghouse Rd, Durham ME 04222.
Please contact Ingrid Chalufour at ichalufour@gmail.com with questions or to ask to have recommended readings forwarded to you.
Peace and Social Concerns commends these online programs being sponsored by Friends Peace Teams:
Upcoming ONLINE Webinars and Workshops December 4, 7pm EASTERN, 4pm PACIFIC: “Assimilate or Be Exterminated” by David Raymond (Mi’kmaw descendant). For much of their existence, the Quaker Yearly Meetings of Turtle Island and Britain pursued the eradication of Indigenous Peoples’ cultures and matriarchies as a means to save Indigenous Peoples from the supposed necessity of extermination (mass killing). David Raymond will examine Quaker writings and deeds from the late 18th century to the present and will offer reflections on the impact of the truth on his faith journey. Co-sponsored by Decolonizing Quakers. REGISTER HERE. January-February 2024: “Returning to the Land” by Nia To Go There (Cree) Nia To Go There, PhD will offer a series of four webinars that are co-sponsored by Decolonizing Quakers. We recommend registering for all four, although this is not required. Nia will recommend short readings for each program. January 13, 3:30-5 pm EASTERN, 12:30-2 pm PACIFIC: “Returning to the Land: Cultural Perspectives.” REGISTER HERE. January 27, 3:30-5 pm EASTERN, 12:30-2 pm PACIFIC: “Returning to the Land: Seeing with a Native Eye.” REGISTER HERE. February 10, 3:30-5 pm EASTERN, 12:30-2 pm PACIFIC: “Returning to the Land: Colonization.” REGISTER HERE. February 24, 3:30-5 pm EASTERN, 12:30-2 pm PACIFIC: “Returning to the Land: Decolonization.” REGISTER HERE.  “Roots of Injustice, Seeds of Change: Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples” Workshop In this 2-hour participatory program, we experience the history of the colonization of Turtle Island, the land that is now known as the United States. The story is told through the words of Indigenous leaders, European/American leaders, and Western historians. We engage with this history through experiential exercises and small group discussions. And we are invited to consider how we can build relationships with Indigenous peoples based on truth, respect, justice, and our shared humanity. Facilitated by TRR’s Native and non-Native teams. Appropriate for high school students and adults. Two opportunities to join: January 21, 4-6 pm EASTERN, 1-3 pm PACIFIC. REGISTER HERE. February 18, 4-6 pm EASTERN, 1-3 pm PACIFIC. REGISTER HERE. During the Holidays:Visit Tribal Museumshttps://www.indian-affairs.org/tribalmuseumsday-public-map.html Give Gifts from Native American Artists and Businesses For your holiday shopping (and all year round) please consider purchasing gifts from Native American and Indigenous artists and businesses. Here are some websites where you can browse: 10 Buffalos Art by Shana Yellow Calf Lukinich, Northern Arapaho in Wyoming Earrings from Native HarvestNative Harvest for Ojibwe-made gifts (baskets, jewelry, maple syrup, more) Partnership with Native Americans: Buy Native, American Indian Services, 12 Indigenous-Owned Businesses to Shop this Holiday Sacred Circle Gifts and Art Native Owned (Etsy) A List from Good Housekeeping Business Insider’s list of 41 Native-owned businesses New York magazine’s list of 24 Best Gifts from Indigenous-owned Brands Parade Magazine, 24 Indigenous-Owned Businesses Support Native Media and Organizations Subscribe to these Native e-newsletters and support them: Native News OnlineIndian Country TodayThese and other Native organizations will appreciate your donation: National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition, boardingschoolhealing.orgThe Mission of NABS is to work to ensure a meaningful and appropriate response from responsible agencies for those Native American individuals, families, and communities victimized by the United States’ federal policy of forced boarding school attendance and to secure redress from responsible institutions in order to support lasting and true community-directed healing. Native American Rights Fund, narf.orgFounded in 1970, the Native American Rights Fund is the oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide. Seventh Generation Fund, 7genFund.orgSeventh Generation Fund promotes and maintains the uniqueness and sovereignty of our distinct Native Nations by offering advocacy, small grants, trainings and technical assistance to Indigenous communities. Indigenous Environmental Network, ienearth.orgIEN is an alliance of grassroots Indigenous Peoples whose mission is to protect the sacredness of Mother Earth from contamination and exploitation by strengthening, respecting, and maintaining traditional teachings and natural laws. Indigenous Law Institute, ili.nativeweb.orgThe Indigenous Law Institute assists American Indian and other Indigenous communities to work toward a future of restoration and healing. They do this by working to develop a radically new basis for thinking about Native rights, from a Traditional Native Law perspective, and by contending that Native nations and peoples have an inherent right to live free of all forms of empire and domination. American Indian College Fund, collegefund.org The American Indian College Fund transforms Indian higher education by Funding and creating awareness of the unique, community-based accredited tribal colleges and universities, offering students access to knowledge, skills, and cultural values which enhance their communities and the country as a whole. IllumiNative, illuminative.org IllumiNative is a Native woman-led racial and social justice organization dedicated to increasing the visibility of—and challenging the narrative about—Native peoples. Indigenous Language Institute, ilinative.orgThe Indigenous Language Institute provides vital language related service to Native communities so that their individual identities, traditional wisdom, and values are passed on to future generations in their original languages. Indian Land Tenure Foundation, iltf.orgThe ILTF serves American Indian nations and people in the recovery and control of their homelands. Follow Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples on social mediaConnect to us on Facebook and Instagram! Upcoming events are regularly posted on social media and to our website: https://friendspeaceteams.org/upcoming-events DonateIf you’d like to donate to support the work of Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples, you can send money online here — be sure to choose TRR — or you can mail a check to Friends Peace Teams and write “TRR” on the memo line: Friends Peace Teams, 1001 Park Ave., St. Louis, MO 63104. Thank you! Toward Right Relationship with Native Peoples is a program of |
From AFSC via our Peace and Social Concerns Committee
Here is the most recent “Take Action“from FCNL on the unfolding tragedy in Israel-Palestine. Our Peace & Social Concerns Committee urges us to communicate with Congress.
We are heartbroken by the recent violence in Israel and Gaza. As Quakers, we deeply mourn the loss of all lives and pray for those who have lost loved ones due to this latest escalation. We unequivocally condemn Hamas’ attacks and inhumane treatment of civilians and call for the immediate release of all hostages. We also condemn the indiscriminate and violent Israeli response that has already claimed hundreds of civilian lives.
More war and weapons won’t bring peace. In the face of growing violence, lawmakers must:
Urge Congress to call for an immediate ceasefire, de-escalation, and restraint to prevent further civilian harm in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.
Through it’s Peace and Social Concerns Committee, Durham Friends Meeting is one of the sponsors of an Indigenous People’s Day celebration, Monday, October 9, 10am to Noon on the Brunswick Mall
Peace and Social Concerns Committee is encouraging donations to an effort to collect kitchen items for new Mainers soon to be housed in Brunswick. Items can be brought on Saturday, September 23, 10am to 4pm.
The Quaker Indigenous Boarding Schools: Facing Our History and Ourselves; A presentation by Paula Palmer, Gail Melix, and Andrew Grant on Sunday September 10 from 12:30 to 2:30.
Join us in the Durham Friends Meetinghouse. We will gather as a community to participate in this event by Zoom. Bring a picnic lunch.
Peace & Social Concerns
The message at Durham Friends Meeting this week was a reading, by Cindy Wood, of A Flag for Juneteenth, by Kim Taylor (Holiday Books, 2023). This message was part of the Social Justice Enrichment Project being carried through by our Peace and Social Concerns Committee.
Expert quilter Kim Taylor shares a unique and powerful story of the celebration of the first Juneteenth, from the perspective of a young girl.
On June 19, 1865, in Galveston, General Gordon Granger of the Union Army delivered the message that African Americans in Texas were free. Since then, Juneteenth, as the day has come to be known, has steadily gained recognition throughout the United States. ln 2020,a powerful wave of protests and demonstrations calling for racial justice and equality brought new awareness to the significance of the holiday.
A Flag for Juneteenth depicts a close-knit community of enslaved African Americans on a plantation in Texas, the day before the announcement is to be made that all enslaved people are free. Young Huldah, who is preparing to celebrate her tenth birthday, can’t possibly anticipate how much her life will change that Juneteenth morning. The story follows Huldah and her community as they process the news of their freedom and celebrate together by creating a community freedom flag.
Debut author and artist Kim Taylor sets this story apart by applying her skills as an expert quilter. Each of the illustrations has been lovingly hand sewn and quilted, giving the book a homespun, tactile quality that is altogether unique.
Two bills of great importance to the Wabanaki are passing through the state legislature quickly before the end of the session this month. Hearings have already happened on these bills and they are moving to the legislature for votes. PLEASE let your Representatives and Senators know that you support these bills. More information about them is on the Wabanaki Alliance website.
L.D. 2004, sponsored by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland, and co-sponsored by six Republicans, including House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, of Winter Harbor, would allow tribes to benefit from most federal laws – past, present and future. Jurisdiction over serious crimes and gambling would remain under the state’s purview.
Currently, Congress must specifically make Maine tribes eligible for any new federal program or law that affects the state-tribal relationship, which tribal leaders say can include almost anything.
Talbot Ross’ bill seeks to flip that paradigm, forcing the state to lobby Congress to exclude tribes from any future legislation that applies to the nation’s Indigenous tribes. See the attached talking points that do not include the LD number yet.
The second bill, LD 1970, An Act to Enact the Maine Indian Child Welfare Act, is discussed in the talking points below.
Talking points for LD 1970: “An Act to Enact the Maine Indian Child Welfare Act,”sponsored by Rep. Donna Bailey, D-York.
Links to sources that might be useful:
From the Wabanaki Alliance, lifted up by DFM’s Peace & Social Concerns Committee
From Peace and Social Concerns Committee:
Sponsor: House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross, D-Portland
The Wabanaki Alliance supports this bill. Read our testimony»
SUMMARY
This bill would restore language regarding Maine Indian treaty obligations to all printed copies of the Maine Constitution. In 1876, the state constitution was amended to remove certain sections of Article X from print. Article X incorporates most of the 1819 act that separated Maine from Massachusetts and includes a timeline for starting the new Maine government. Section 5 of the article, one of three affected by the 1876 amendment, clarifies Maine’s obligation to uphold and defend treaties made between Massachusetts and the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot Nations. While the three sections remain in force and can be read online, the 1876 amendment prohibits their inclusion in printed versions of the constitution. LD 78 is an amendment to the state constitution that would require that Section 5 be included in all printed copies of the constitution. Constitutional amendments require passage by two-thirds of each legislative chamber before advancing to the voters for approval. Learn more about the removal of section 5 in this report or watch REDACT, a recording of a Maine Historical Society panel discussion on the topic. Read the complete bill text»
⚠️ STATUS: Legislature will vote soon
The Committee on Judiciary held a public hearing on LD 78 Tuesday, March 7 (read the public testimony). At a March 16 work session, LD 78 was amended to stipulate that all provisions of Article X, not just Section 5, be included in printed version of the constitution. The committee voted that the bill Ought to Pass as Amended. The bill will go to the House next for a vote.
TAKE ACTION
» Contact your legislators. Contact your legislators and ask them to vote YES on LD 78. Find your legislators and their contact info here»
This was copied from the Wabanaki Alliance website.For more information or a link to learn the contact information of your Representative go to:
Friends Committee on Maine Public Policy (FCMPP) was launched in the 1980’s by Ed Snyder following his retirement from Friends Committee on National Legislation in Washington. He envisioned a statewide network of Quaker activists who could coordinate their advocacy efforts on timely topics under consideration in the Maine Legislature. At the beginning it was decided to focus on two policy areas where broad agreement among Friends could be anticipated without having to seek specific approval from all the local meetings: 1) tribal/state relations (i.e. Wabanaki concerns) and 2) civil liberty/criminal justice concerns (e.g. death penalty).
FCMPP used to meet in person on a regular basis to share reports, decide on issue priorities, and sustain ongoing personal connections. The passing of some in the founding cohort and the onset of Covid required meeting on zoom and a reduced capacity to handle a wide range of issues.
In recent years the focus has increasingly centered on Wabanaki concerns. There is a long history of Quaker efforts to assist the Maine tribes—e.g. the separate American Friends Service Committee program on Maine Indians. Two developments enhanced FCMPP attention to tribal matters: the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indigenous children taken from their families and the Task Force on needed amendments to the Land Claims Settlement Act of 1980 which cut off Maine tribes from benefits of Federal legislation affecting all tribes in the other forty-nine states.
A core group of FCMPP members has been intensely engaged in relevant support efforts, at times in close coordination with a counterpart Episcopal support group. FCMPP members have attended legislative hearings and given testimony—both spoken and written—on specific bills and placed op-eds and Letters to the Editor in local newspapers. They have travelled to all five Wabanaki settlements to meet in person with the tribal leaders in the effort to be informed allies. Several members regularly take part in a weekly zoom session led by the Wabanaki Alliance (the tribal chiefs, leaders, and staff) to coordinate advocacy and outreach endeavors including joint lobby visits with legislators. FCMPP leaders along with leaders from several other church groups have set up in-person meetings with Democratic and Republican leaders in both the House and Senate.
The major pending bill is based upon the Task Force recommendations to amend the 1980 law in order to restore a fuller measure of tribal sovereignty as well as economic benefits from Federal legislation. Several smaller relevant bills have been supported and seem likely to pass but the sovereignty bill will require a 2/3 vote on both chambers to overcome an expected veto from the Governor.
We will hand out today a Guide to Citizen Lobbying and giving testimony before legislative committees prepared by FCMPP for fellow Quakers as they may be led to express their views on current issues.
In February members of FCMPP met in a sorting session led by Peter Woodrow to assess future endeavors of the group. We recognize that our work evolved to focus primarily on tribal/state concerns. We are open to further evolution to take up other concerns. We welcome queries and expressions of interest from other Friends in Maine. What do you think a state-based Quaker advocacy group in Maine should be dealing with now?
Queries/Responses may be sent to: Jim Matlack jmatlack38@gmail.com and Shirley Hager Shirley.hager@maine.edu
LD 78: The Maine House will soon vote on LD 78 a bill that is important to the Wabanaki. It will require text of Maine Indian Treaty obligations to be published in all copies of the state Constitution. Now is the time to write your Representative asking them to support this bill. Use the link below to get access to information about how to contact your Representative.
LD 336: Also note that the Wabanaki Alliance does not support LD 336. Let your representative know that you oppose it too. More information about this and other bills can be found on the Alliances Legislative Tracker. The link is below.
Recommended by Peace and Social Concerns Committee:
Arts Are Elementary Presents:
A Discussion with Former Penobscot Nation Chief Barry Dana
Mon. 5/22 at 6:00pm
Curtis Library, Morrell Meeting Room
Arts Are Elementary is pleased to bring Former Chief of the Penobscot Nation, culture preservationist, long time educator, artist, and professional basketmaker Barry Dana to Brunswick. He will lead an open discussion about Wabanaki history and culture.
