Vulnerability of the Displaced: Refugees and Trafficking

A 2nd Cup 1111 E 11th St, Houston

In observation of World Refugee Day, join us for a panel discussion on the vulnerability of refugees and other displaced persons to human trafficking, both domestically and internationally.  The panel will include, Christa Mayfield, Assistant Executive Director, Unbound Houston; Danielle Bolks, MSW, Senior Program Director, YMCA International Services; and Anne Chandler, Executive Director, Houston Office Tahirih Justice Center.  The event is sponsored by A 2nd Cup, FAWCO Alumnae USA (FAUSA) Houston and the Zonta Club of Houston.   Cookies and coffee will be provided.

Free

#FamiliesBelongTogether Rally in Brownsville, TX

Linear Park 1501 E. 7th Street, Brownsviile

On Thursday, June 28th, families, advocates, and allies will hold a rally in the park across the street from the Brownsville Federal Court, where immigrants are being prosecuted en masse for crossing the border into the United States, and then separated from their children. Instead of focusing on actually reuniting kids with parents, the Trump administration now wants to warehouse whole families in prisons. Children don’t belong in jail at all, even with their parents, under any circumstances.

National Day of Action – Families Belong Together

Houston City Hall 901 Bagby Street, Houston

Houstonians- UNITE! Join Indivisible Houston, PSR Houston, FIEL and other allied groups Saturday, June 30th at 10 AM for a rally at City Hall and march to Ted Cruz’s office to show solidarity with families and opposition to burdensome, ignorant, divisive immigration law.

The horrors of the deportation machine and the Administration’s decision to kidnap children and use them as pawns in exchange for a fantasy real estate construction project along the southern border rip apart families and destroy communities.

Join us to demand that our publicly elected employees take the following actions:

1) End the new DHS policy of family separation in order to REUNITE FAMILIES;

2) Vote against the Goodlatte Immigration plan;

3) Defund ICE (an agency established after 9/11 with expanded powers beyond standard
customs checks and enforcement); and

4) End private prison donations and require reps return all private prison donations- both individual and PAC.

#EndFamilySeparation #AbolishICE #AbolishCBP

Demonstration against the Houston Child Detention Center

419 Emancipation Avenue 419 Emancipation Avenue, Houston, TX, United States

Widespread, intense opposition to the separation of migrant families has led Trump to issue an executive order supposedly ending this practice. But this nightmare is far from over. About 2000 children remain separated from their moms and dads. Trump’s “zero-tolerance” policy of prosecuting migrants may mean more family separations or the long-term detention of entire families. The administration is talking about new detention centers for scores of thousands of migrants. And in Houston, plans for a new child detention center at 419 Emancipation Avenue are going forward.

The Free Los Niños Coalition and its member organizations invite you to participate in another demonstration against the Houston child detention center at 419 Emancipation Avenue on Thursday, July 5, at 6 pm. This action will include lots of chanting, remarks from sponsoring groups, a march through the neighborhood, some wonderful entertainment, and—time permitting—an open mic. Please join us and help prevent the detention of migrants on a street which was recently renamed to honor the emancipation of African Americans from slavery.

Peace Camp 2018 – Week Three

Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church 1900 Bering Dr., Houston

“Justice” is the theme this summer for Peace Camp 2018. This is an alternative day camp from 9am -3pm, for children ages 5-18. The focus will be on developing inner peace and building problem solving skills. Yoga, gardening, special guests, using puppets co-operative games, and cooking are some of the activities planned. Youth who are 13 and older will have a curriculum that deals with gun control, racism, LGBTQ issues, PTSD, and other more mature topics. Although several sessions are at churches, the camp is not religious.

With violence permeating our culture, let’s make teaching peace a priority!

Week Three takes place July 9th-13th at the Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church, 1900 Bering Dr. Houston 77057

Got Privilege? Reflects Of the 19th Annual White Privilege Conference

Center for the Healing of Racism 3412 Crawford Street, Houston, TX, United States

Cherry Steinwender, Executive Director of the Center for the Healing of Racism, and Laura Gallier will reflect on their experience at the 19th Annual White Privilege Conference.

Free

Assistance for Refugees: Where We Are, Where We’re Going, and How You Can Help

U.S. Southern District Federal Courthouse 515 Rusk St., Third Floor, Houston

Please join the Honorable Keith Ellison, the Anti-Defamation League, and American Constitution Society for a conversation with Rebecca Heller, director and co-founder of the International Refugee Assistance Program.

Rebecca will be discussing the legal framework for refugee and asylum applicants, the current policies and laws surrounding this issue, and ways the legal community and others can help.

Dialogue on: “Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong”

Center for the Healing of Racism 3412 Crawford Street, Houston, TX, United States

School textbooks have played a key role in reinforcing and maintaining white supremacy and racism in the United States. James W. Loewen’s bestselling book Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook got Wrong, explores how historical myths continue to be perpetuated about everything from Columbus’s historic voyages to an honest evaluation of U.S. foreign policy. Please join us for one or both of two dialogues to discuss the issues presented in Loewen’s book: Tuesday, July 17, 2018 — Noon to 2:00 PM and/or Wednesday, July 18, 2018 — 6:30 to 8:30 PM.

Free. Donations encouraged. RSVP required.

VegFest 2018

Stafford Centre 10505 Cash Road, Houston, TX, United States

The 6th Annual VegFest Houston is an exciting Vegan Expo! The Expo features include: superb vegan restaurants, exciting vegan and abolitionist animal rights organizations, 'Kids Zone' Makerspace with crafts, vegan food demos, our popular "Ask a Vegan" booth and panels, free product samples, yoga and meditation, like-minded community booths and green businesses, plus raffle prize giveaways. Join us at the luxurious Stafford Centre Convention Hall on Saturday, July 21, 2108!

Our family-friendly annual festival is open to the public. Admission is Free!

Free

Book Review: The War on Science

Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church 2353 Rice Blvd., Houston

You are invited to attend a talk reviewing the book, The War on Science:  Who's Waging It, Why It Matters, and What You Can Do About It.

Free

Peace Camp 2018 – Week Four

Cameron Retreat Center 2402 Holcombe, Houston, TX, United States

“Justice” is the theme this summer for Peace Camp 2018. This is an alternative day camp from 9am -3pm, for children ages 5-18. The focus will be on developing inner peace and building problem solving skills. Yoga, gardening, special guests, using puppets co-operative games, and cooking are some of the activities planned. Youth who are 13 and older will have a curriculum that deals with gun control, racism, LGBTQ issues, PTSD, and other more mature topics. Although several sessions are at churches, the camp is not religious.

With violence permeating our culture, let’s make teaching peace a priority!

Week Four takes place July 23rd-27th at the Cameron Retreat Center, 2405 Holcombe Blvd. Houston 77021

Youth Justice Visioning Session

United Way-Greater Houston 50 Waugh Dr., Houston, United States

The Houston community is greatly impacted by youth incarceration, as Harris County commits the highest number of youth to Texas' state secure youth lockups. Additionally, local Harris County officials plan to build a new juvenile detention center at an estimated cost of $65-70 million. Kids do not belong in prisons, and the voices of Houston residents- particularly those most affected by youth incarceration- must be heard if a youth justice transformation is to take hold and be successful in Texas. Join us for a visioning session to answer this question: What do young people need to avoid justice involvement and lead successful lives?

Free

2018 Gaza Freedom Flotilla Presentation

Live Oak Friends Meeting House 1318 W. 26th, Houston, TX, United States

Come see Col. Ann Wright who was with the Gaza flotilla in Sicily and Alex McDonald who was crew member on one of the boats as it was harassed by police in Paris do a presentation on the story of the 4 boats, their stops, the reception in different ports and their crews.

Free

Houston’s Green Building Resource Center

online not applicable, not applicable, United States

Christ the King Evangelical Lutheran Church invites you to a monthly environmental education web meeting series whose theme in 2018 is Stewardship. On Sunday, July 29 at 6 p.m., we welcome Steve Stelzer, Program Director for Houston’s Green Building Resource Center. Steve is an architect with 30 years’ experience who is focused on making Houston a greener place to live and work. He will discuss the center’s work to educate the public on healthy and energy/water/material-conserving design & construction. This mission is accomplished in a number of ways: a showroom highlighting building components, water conservation, site, and energy efficiency, monthly educational seminars on a wide variety of topics, and plan review services to suggest strategies to conserve energy and water, save money, & create a healthier building environment.

Free

Peace Camp 2018 – Week Five

First Unitarian Universalist Church 5200 Fannin St., Houston, TX, United States

“Justice” is the theme this summer for Peace Camp 2018. This is an alternative day camp from 9am -3pm, for children ages 5-18. The focus will be on developing inner peace and building problem solving skills. Yoga, gardening, special guests, using puppets co-operative games, and cooking are some of the activities planned. Youth who are 13 and older will have a curriculum that deals with gun control, racism, LGBTQ issues, PTSD, and other more mature topics. Although several sessions are at churches, the camp is not religious.

With violence permeating our culture, let’s make teaching peace a priority!

Week Five takes place July 30th-August 3rd at the First Unitarian Universalist Church, 5200 Fannin St. Houston 77004

Please join Amnesty International and guest speaker!

upstairs Central Market Community Room 3815 Westheimer, Houston

Free and open to the public; Amnesty International Houston, local 23 welcomes guest speaker; Melike Er.

Speaking on the issue of Human Rights in Turkey.

Free

Creating Inclusive Communities Teacher Workshop

Holocaust Museum Houston 9220 Kirby Dr., Suite 100, Houston

In correlation with the exhibition, "The Faces of Syrian Refugees," Holocaust Museum Houston will host a one-day education workshop for teachers in the Greater Houston area. In efforts to offer resources and information on refugee resettlement and awareness, refugee advocacy groups will work in conjunction with the HMH Education Department to provide activities, literature, and lessons that teachers can take back to their classrooms.

This workshop is open to educators who work directly with refugee students, educators learning more about the refugee experience, and/or how students can become active advocates.

$25

Benefit Concert for Peace Camp featuring the band Traveler

Bohemeo's Cafe & Coffeeshop 708 Telephone Rd., Houston, TX, United States

We hope you can join us for this benefit for Houston Peace Camp, a day camp for kids that fosters an understanding of peace, justice, and environmental awareness.

All proceeds go toward helping this very special program.

Suggested Donation

Grannies Respond – Houston Evening of Action

Guadalupe Plaza Park 2311 Runnels St, Houston

We are on a 2,000 mile journey to the border to protest the inhumane treatment of immigrants. And on Sunday, August 5th, we’re stopping for rest in Houston, Texas.

Come down to Guadalupe Plaza Park (or Talento Bilnguae de Houston if you need to beat the heat). Meet the grannies, learn about what they're doing and how to join the caravan, sign our nationwide petition, and more.

Free

Transition – It’s Up to You

Haven's Center 1827 W Alabama St, Houston, TX, United States

Are you feeling curious? Critical? Excited? Daunted? The Transition movement is made up of people like you who are already feeling the benefit of connecting with others to take care of themselves, their community and the planet. We hope you'll join us at the next Transition Houston meeting as we explore local issues and how […]