Tabling. After talking for a long time, we launched an activity that turned out to be the cornerstone of our work for awhile. Every Saturday we set up a table with a canopy at the local Silverlake farmer's market and passed out information on the war against terrorism.

The tabling concept evolved. We got the idea to not just sit behind the table but to develop a petition against a war on Iraq, put it on clipboards, and to approach people and draw them over to our table. We distribute "No War on Iraq" tee-shirts. We sign people up to be on our mailing list. We offer War Times and other handouts. Sometimes we write our own handouts and tailor them to current needs. We publicize upcoming activities. We have now expanded to the much larger Hollywood Farmer's Market as well. By now hundreds of names appear on our email list - many from the weekly tabling. This is the database from which we draw support for the projects we undertake.

Voter Registration. All over the place,
as often as possible.

Vigils. Neighbors for Peace and Justice held its first Friday evening weekly demonstration in the Silverlake area in early September 2002. Then we initiated another one in Echo Park. Meanwhile, some folks from other parts of the metro area started to clone our demos. Drawn by announcements on Pacifica, on the Internet, and by email, people from the community came out to join other peace advocates, pass out informational flyers, and get energized by the honking for peace.

Demonstration guide. We produced a demo guide to encourage more local demos around town and nationally as well. Our goal was to decentralize and spread out: create local venues where people could go in the interim between the big demonstrations. Of course, large demonstrations in major cities were vitally important, but why go into hibernation in the meantime? Weekly demos sprouted like mushrooms all over the city. Letting others see a lot more people were opposed to Bush's War than they may have realized, sent a powerful message. Local demos are also an effective way to build an organization from the ground up as the folks who come regularly begin to network.

Petitioning. At one of our first big projects, the Sunset Junction Street Fair, we bought a booth and collected 1600 signatures on petitions against the Iraq war. We presented them to local congress people and senators. We've met with Rep. Diane Watson, Rep. Xavier Becerra, Councilman Eric Garcetti, Congressman Henry Waxman, and State Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg. On October 17, 2002, we held a community "conversation" with Jackie Goldberg, Eric Garcetti, and Xavier Becerra to discuss how a war on Iraq would impact us personally in LA and in California and how we could work with them towards peace.

Strike Support. When the supermarket strike began, NPJ members could be found on the local Vons picket lines, urging shoppers not to cross.

Billboard. We've also sponsored three billboards at the very high traffic intersetcion of Sunset, Hollywood, Virgil and Hillhurst. Would you like to contribute to our next one?

Doo-Dah. We made a nice funny political float – Up the Creek Without a Paddle featuring W and Cheney (not) at the helm – for the December 2004 Occasional Doo-Dah Parade

Silverlake Conscientious Projector . Hosting the Silverlake monthly film series Conscientious Projector. Presentations explore issues of war and peace, government policies, local campaigns, international issues, social movements, community projects, sustainable development ... and include a panel discussion on the subject represented.

We are building a base in the Silverlake/ Echo Park/ Los Feliz/ Atwater community of L.A. We meet regularly to discuss new activities. The creativity and energy of the people of this community is unlimited. Thinking globally while acting locally has given us muscle and allows people to participate who might not make it to broader events in a city as sprawled out as Los Angeles.

In Neighbors for Peace and Justice most of us view these struggles as part of the larger global struggle for justice and peace. What happened to the supermarket strikers, what’s happening to communities as Wal-Mart encroaches, - these are related to Bush’s neo-conservative agenda of corporate greed. That’s why we invite you to join with us at Neighbors for Peace and Justice in working hard to oppose destructive conservative policies and promote an agenda of peace and justice.

We generally meet twice a month in the Silverlake / Echo Park area. Check the Next Meeting box in the right hand column of this and other pages on this site for the date, time and location. You can also sign up to be on our email list (click here) to receive notices about upcoming meetings and events.

neighborsforpeaceandjustice.org