https://traprock.org                       justicia(at)traprock.org

                             2019 Report and Request for Support in 2020

Once again, at a time of historic challenges and resistance, the Traprock Center had a year full of activity. We now approach a new decade with a sense of urgency, also aware of possibilities for change. Voices and actions of youth demanding a livable future offer hope. We will continue to support their efforts.

Since 1978 Traprock has been a community-based organization for peace and justice. With a volunteer board led by Director Pat Hynes, the work focuses on education, support and mobilization for peace and justice. Major projects are presented on a newly designed website (traprock.org) that features a monthly calendar of social justice events throughout the Pioneer Valley.

Here is a brief presentation of our recent work, see website links for details and photos. We hope for your trust and support in 2020.

EDUCATION

The Children’s Books Collaborative offers books and related programs on social justice, peace and environment. After collaborating with children’s libraries in Greenfield (2016), Orange (2017) and Montague (2018), in 2019 we reached across the Atlantic to West Africa. Pat Hynes’ participation in a peace conference in Ghana led to a feminist peace group in Sierra Leone receiving our 2019 award of $1,000 for children’s books on peace and justice themes. The books are now in the curriculum of two schools.

Journey Camp, led by board member Sarah Pirtle, had a successful 26th year. This peacebuilding camp offers a summer educational experience in a supportive and empowering community. Sunseed Boys Session for ages 13-17 and Moonseed Leadership Camp for girls ages 11–17 were especially fruitful in reaching youth on peace, social justice and gender equality issues, and other weeks welcomed ages 5 to 12 along with teen leaders.

The Wally and Juanita Nelson Scholarship and Traprock student Fellowship are awarded annually to Greenfield Community College (GCC) students doing exemplary work on behalf of peace, social or environmental justice. GCC faculty and Traprock board member Josh Becker supervises this project.

Common Threads: The latest in the Common Threads dialogue booklet series, PASSING THE POWER ON: Dialogue to Connect Ages and Change Ageism can be downloaded here. It gives insights from the January 2018 Traprock conference on ageism in progressive communities co-led by Sarah Pirtle and Larkin Christie of Youth Rise Together.

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword: Our editorials, articles and letters on war and militarism, climate change, nuclear weapons, renewable energy and vital social justice issues are published in local and national news sites and carried on websites worldwide. See recent posts on the website homepage; all sorted by subject here.

SUPPORT

The Young Peacemakers Program: Partnering with the Interfaith Council of Franklin County, Traprock honors area young people dedicated to peace and justice in their schools and communities with the annual Peacemakers Award. The 19th annual event was held in May 2019 at GCC.

Our Listserv reaches some 500 people and groups. This community service supports and increases area groups’ outreach and mobilization by sharing programs and actions of interest widely.

Organizational voices count: Traprock supports key state legislation related to peace, justice and climate health. Members have given written and oral testimony in 2019 on bills having to do with abolishing nuclear weapons and changing the state seal.

As a registered non-profit organization, Traprock supports key projects and groups with their fundraising. We continue to support our 10,000 Trees in Vietnam project.

MOBILIZATION

Traprock board members work for disarmament of nuclear weapons through a ban on nuclear materials and other actions. We are part of activist networks for peace with justice in the Middle East and Venezuela. We joined with the Peace Task Force of Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution (FCCPR) and others to commemorate the 74th anniversary of the first atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6, 2019.

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Tax-exempt donations help us continue and expand this work. Online: see traprock.org/donate/. Or send checks to: Traprock Center for Peace & Justice,
PO Box 1201, Greenfield, MA 01302.