Category: Civil Rights - PACG

Immigration

1/15/2019

Let's Talk About Migrants at the Border

The Sanctuary Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities
3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA 52807 (map)

Please join us for this enlightening discussion of why the migrants are leaving their countries, what are the causes of the problems in their countries, and what is happening at the border. Speakers are Dr. Peter Kivisto from Augustana College and Jody Mashek from American Friends Service Committee. This event is sponsored by The Sanctuary Project of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the Quad Cities.

John Dunsheath
j.dunsheath@aol.com

migrants_at_our_border_2019-02-02.pdf
File Size:	330 kb
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Inhumane Treatment Isn't a Partisan Issue - Dispatch-Argus Column by Aaron Wagner

12/11/2018

Quad Cities Interfaith Organizer Aaron Wagner's Powerful Column in Dispatch-Argus on Asylum Seekers

The Dispatch-Argus published a powerful column by Quad Cities Interfaith organizer Aaron Wagner, who brought PACG and other community organizations and churches together to protest the tear-gassing of asylum seekers on our southern border. Aaron was responding to criticism of the rally. Read the whole column at the Dispatch-Argus.

Here is one of my favorite paragraphs:

All persons of conscience need to conclude that if we have $200 million to spend in deploying troops to the border as a pre-election political ploy (the current White House admitted as much), we certainly have the resources to legally process asylum seekers at the border, to not jail or detain them, and to put resources into providing a path to citizenship for 11 million currently undocumented New Americans.

You can also view television and print coverage of the rally itself at this PACG Blog page.

Alta Price

Rally in Support of Asylum Seekers - After Action Report

12/7/2018

Rally in Support of Asylum Seekers - After Action Report

We had a good turnout at the rally in support of asylum seekers on Friday, November 30th at 4 pm. We also had great press coverage! Check it out at the following links:

KWQC

WHBF-TV/KGCW-TV/KJLB-TV

WQAD

Read this story at the Dispatch-Argus.

Thanks to all who came to a cold winter rally in support of Central American asylum seekers who were tear-gassed by our government. We are a land of immigrants, and we demand that our government and ICE treat asylum seekers humanely. We further demand that our government and ICE follow our own laws and international laws that give asylum seekers the right to apply for asylum.

We plan to follow up this rally with meetings with our Illinois and Iowa Senators and Representatives and local ICE officials.

The rally was organized by Aaron Wagner of Quad Cities Interfaith.

Civil Rights

12/3/2018

The Civil Rights Forum

The PACG Civil Rights Forum will not be meeting in December. However, at least some of the groups we are working with do have December meetings.

December 8th (Saturday) at 10:00 am at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the QC - QC Sanctuary Coalition (contact John Dunsheath with questions.)

December 12th (Wednesday) at 1:00 pm at the Chancery of the Diocese of Davenport (780 W Central Park, Davenport, IA) - One Human Family Immigration Task Force (contact Sister Nancy Miller with questions)

December 17th (Monday) at 6:30 pm at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Bettendorf - Quad Cities Interfaith Task Force Assembly (includes Immigration and Restorative Justice) (contact Aaron Wagner at Quad Cities Interfaith with questions)

Alta Price

PACG Book Club - January, February, and March 2019

12/2/2018

PACG Book Club Announcements for January, February and March of 2019

The PACG Book Club has had two excellent discussions in the last two months. Yesterday (December 1st) we met in the small room at the Davenport Main Library to discuss The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander. A powerful book every progressive should read!

We also really liked the space at the Davenport Main Library (321 N Main St, Davenport, IA - map link ) and have reserved the small room for the first Saturdays in January and February. Take the elevator to LL and look for the meeting rooms. We will meet at 10:30 am so that Alta can make it to the Metropolitan Opera simulcasts at the movie theater at noon the first Saturdays in February and March (Carmen and La Fille du Regiment - both great operas!). Also, you can bring coffee or treats if you want - just don't eat or drink in the rest of the library.

We decided to continue to read books related to racial justice for the next three months at least. You can come for the discussion even if you have not read the book.

January 5th (Saturday) at 10:30 - Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community? by Martin Luther King Jr.
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level - 321 N Main St, Davenport IA map link
This was Martin Luther King Jr.'s last book before his assassination. It is every bit as relevant today (see The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander) as when it was written. Read any book by or about Martin Luther King Jr. or read one of his important speeches or essays and join us. Although we will discuss the book selection, mostly we will discuss Martin Luther King Jr. - his work, his philosophy, his relevance for today's struggle for racial justice. Here is a link to multiple resources on Martin Luther King Jr. from the King Institute at Stanford University.

February 2nd (Saturday) at 10:30 am - Beloved by Toni Morrison
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level - 321 N Main St, Davenport IA map link
We have checked out a library book kit for Beloved. See Alta to get your copy of the book. The book is due February 2nd, so either come to the discussion or return it to Alta before February 2nd.

March 2nd (Saturday) at 10:30 am - The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin
Davenport Main Public Library, small room on lower level - 321 N Main St, Davenport IA map link
This is only one of multiple great books by James Baldwin. Feel free to come and tell us about any other James Baldwin books you have read, even if you don't have time to read this one.

Contact Alta Price (altaprice@gmail.com or 563-505-2996) with questions, comments, or to get your copy of Beloved.

We met at Fresh Deli in November to discuss the book The Hate You Give by Angie Thomas. We were joined by students from St. Ambrose University. We had a great discussion! We didn't make it to the movie, but based upon how much we liked the book, we're going to look for it at the theater or when it is out on dvd.

Support the Transgender Community - Wednesday, Nov 7 at 7:00 pm

11/6/2018

Support the Transgender Community - Wednesday, Nov 7 at 7:00 pm

Civil Rights Forum
Metropolitan Community Church, 2930 W Locust St, Davenport, IA (maplink)

The Board of PACG voted to sponsor this rally in support of the Transgender Community. We encourage you to come and show your own support.

The Trump Administration is trying to erase transgender persons out of existence and deny them civil rights protections. Read more about the proposed changes at the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Alta Price

November 2018 Immigration Meetings

10/28/2018

November 2018 Immigration Meetings

The PACG Civil Rights Forum is working on its own and in coalition with other community organizations on Immigration. Consider coming to one of these upcoming meetings on Immigration issues:

Nov 3 (Saturday), 9 am to noon at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the QC - Sanctuary 102 Presentation (contact sanctuary@uucqc.org for more information)
Nov 10 (Saturday), 10 am at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the QC - QC Sanctuary Coalition (contact John Dunsheath with questions)
Nov 10 (Saturday), 6 to 8 pm at First Baptist Church in Moline - Quad Cities Alliance for Immigrants and Refugees Citizenship Honors Dinner (free dinner) (contact QCAIR office at 563-594-0854)
Nov 11 (Sunday), 4 pm at Greatest Grains - PACG Civil Rights Forum (contact Alta Price with questions)
Nov 14 (Wednesday), 1:30 pm at the Diocese in Davenport - One Human Family Immigration Task Force (contact Sister Nancy Miller with questions)
Nov 19 (Monday), 6:30 pm at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Bettendorf - Quad Cities Interfaith Task Force Assembly (includes Immigration and Restorative Justice) (contact Quad Cities Interfaith with questions

Sanctuary 102: November 3, 2018

10/27/2018

Sanctuary 102 Presentation
Saturday, November 3 at 9 AM to noon
UUCQC, 3707 Eastern Ave, Davenport, IA (map link)

Click on the file below to download the flyer to invite your friends.

sanctuary_102_invitation.pdf
File Size:	157 kb
File Type:	pdf

Book Club News for October, November and December 2018

10/9/2018

October 23 (Tuesday) at 5:30 pm: International Women Authors Series with Mexican Author Valeria Luiselli

In my other book club I have very much enjoyed the Annual International Women Authors series. Consider attending the 12th Annual International Women Authors Series dinner on Tuesday, October 23, 5:30 pm with Mexican author Valeria Luiselli. The dinner is at the Radisson in downtown Davenport. The cost is $40 (less if you fill a whole table). You must register in advance, and they could sell out. Her books are short and you could probably get some of them read by October 23. Also, she wrote Tell Me How It Ends: An Essay in Forty Questions, a book of essays interviewing children fleeing violence in Central America that is very pertinent to the work we are doing on Immigration in the Civil Rights Forum.

Alta Price

**November 10 (Saturday) at 11:30 am: The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas**

Read more about it at the author’s website. There is also a movie based on the book, so PACG will go to the movie as well (on a different date). Check back later for the location.

**December 1 (Saturday) at 11:30 am: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander**

Read more about it at the NewJimCrow.com website. We will be reading this with the folks in PACG’s new Issue Forum on Drug Policy. (Join the Drug Policy Facebook group or visit the Drug Policy section of our pacgqc.org website to get involved.) Check back later for the location.

Community Events: Quad Cities Interfaith October 2018 Task Force Assembly

10/9/2018

Join Quad Cities Interfaith
for our upcoming

Issues Task Force Assembly
October 22, 2018, 6:30-8:00 p.m.
St. Mary’s Parrish House, 516 Fillmore Street, Davenport (map link)

Issue Task Forces will be strategizing on advancing our campaigns for:
Immigrant Rights
Mass Incarceration/Restorative Justice
Additional issues as they emerge

Note from PACG:
Immigrant Rights will be of interest to our Civil Rights Forum
Mass Incarceration/Restorative Justice will be of interest to our Civil Rights Forum
and Drug Policy Forum

Contact Lead Organizer Aaron Wagner, QCI, at
641-990-4594, aaronwagnerqci@gmail.com, with
questions or input leading up the October 22nd meeting