Peace Camp 2018 – Week Two

First Congregational Church of Houston 10840 Beinhorn Road, 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 Two takes place June 18th-22nd at the First Congregational Church, 10840 Beinhorn Rd.  Houston 77024

International Food and Cultural Festival

Shape Community Center 3903 Almeda Rd, Houston, TX

SHAPE Community Center is forming a coalition of community partners are bridging the gap between cultures by showcasing the international flavor, through food and culture, of countries, regions, and traditions operating within ourcity. Food, music, and art have long been national as well as international genres of communication. This International Food and Cultural Festival will allow participants a global experience into the culture and customs of many countries and traditions through food, music, dance, dress, art, literature, and more. 

$5 – $20

Houston Pride Festival and Parade 2018

City Hall 901 Bagby, Houston, TX, United States

2018 marks 40 Years of Pride in the city of Houston. Join us in Downtown Houston where our very own "Stonewall" occurred in 1977 as thousands protested against Anita Bryant's anti-gay campaign.

This event is ADMISSION FREE and open to the public to attend/watch and open to the public (no age limit). No tickets are necessary except for the VIP Parade area. There are no tickets necessary for general admission.

For VIP Parade Tickets: pridehouston.org/vip

The Houston Pride Festival® and Houston Pride Parade® are at the center of the Celebration with an attendance of over 700,000 people every year from all over the world. Come and join all of the LGBT Community in celebrating who we are as a people and how much more we still need to FIGHT FOR.

Houston Ebony Opera Guild Annual Concert

Westbury United Methodist Church 5200 Willowbend Blvd., Houston

ANNUAL SUMMER CONCERT: A JUNETEENTH CELEBRATION

"Steady Soldier"
Music commemorating the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

$10 – $50

UU Houston Churches Pride Parade

Come join the UU Churches in the Houston Pride Parade on Allen Pkwy Lineup #68 Theme is the Wizard of Oz. For more information & carpooling, contact [email protected] or call Peggy (936) 718-7777

Free

One Thousand Texans for Transit – Houston in Houston

MATCH (Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston) 3400 Main Street, Houston

Join us on Sunday, June 24 in Montrose to hear about and discuss paths to realizing the the goal of high-quality public transportation! We'll have a panel of local transit leaders, hear remarks from elected officials, and break out into groups to work shop strategies for statewide coordination.

Free

Town Talk: Being a Transgender & Nonbinary Ally

Hamburger Mary's 2409 Grant St., Houston

In honor of LGBTQIA+ pride, our Town Talk this month will focus on how to be an ally to the transgender and nonbinary community. Lou Weaver, queer transman & transgender programs coordinator for Equality Texas, will moderate a panel discussion with members of the transgender and nonbinary community. Over the course of the evening, Lou will explore the simple language and terminology we can use as allies, when talking about the transgender and nonbinary community.

Register at https://events.mobilizeamerica.io/hcdp/event/1102/

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