May 18, 2016
Of the community, for the community
The Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice (ACPJ) provides resources and space for organizations and individuals working on peace and justice issues to network with one another and share information.
“Through our programs and collaborations, we work locally to support regional and global justice.
ACPJ strives to create a world where our collective needs are met sustainably and nonviolently. We value the interconnectedness of all life. We emphasize cooperation and respect for diversity. We are committed to nonviolent conflict resolution.
We strive for peace within ourselves while we work towards creating peace in our community and in our world.”
- Albuquerque Center for Peace & Justice website
History
Our Purpose, Name, and Location
The Albuquerque Center for Peace was founded in 1983 to provide space where groups working on peace and justice issues could support and network with one another. In 1984, the words "and Justice" were added to the name to better represent the greater mission and goals of their work. The Center moved to a second, larger location on the NE corner of Harvard and Silver in 1987 and in 2003, purchased and moved to their current location at 202 Harvard SE. We often refer to ourselves as the Peace Center.
Our Focus
The initial focus of the Peace Center was disarmament and peaceful economic conversion - work that reflects being located in a state that has been controlled economically by the war industry since the 1940’s.
The work broadened in the mid-80’s to include Central America solidarity movements, including the Sanctuary Movement; and the Peace Education Project, which provided local educators with resources, curricula, and training on issues such as multiculturalism, re-thinking Columbus, and nonviolence.
Throughout the ‘80s and into the early ‘90s, the Peace Center published Center News, a newspaper of local actions, campaigns, and commentary on peace and justice issues.
In the 1990s, Peace Center members, staff and volunteers organized peaceful resistance to unjust US policies, including the 1991 Gulf War and the opening of WIPP - a nuclear weapons waste dump in southeast NM.
With the controversial election of 2000 and then the September 11, 2001 attack on the US, the activity at the Peace Center has greatly increased. Its 300 plus members continue to support and implement projects that work to overcome challenges to peace and justice.
Our Members
Beyond individual members, the Peace Center is home to roughly 60 PAJOLA groups (Peace And Justice Organizations Linking Arms). PAJOLA, the Center's coalition of member organizations, began bringing members closer to each other in November 2002.
PAJOLA promotes support, sharing in, and learning more about work with which each member is involved. PAJOLA groups cover a diverse array of issues important in the community, including human rights, climate change, immigration reform, Palestinian solidarity, indigenous rights, and refugee resources.
Examples of PAJOLA Members
The New Mexico Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice has been a PAJOLA member for the past four years, working closely with the Peace Center to spread the word about their initiatives and events. The NM Faith Coalition for Immigrant Justice is committed to promoting comprehensive, humane immigration reform, and working with faith communities and community organizations on behalf of those affected by unjust laws that do not reflect higher values. They offer forums, teach-ins, and border and local immersion experiences to faith communities and individuals, in an effort to expand the base of committed community members that recognizes the humanity of all. The group’s Education and Advocacy Committee meets at the Peace Center regularly, and has used the Peace Hall to show several films on immigration. The Peace Center also publicizes the NM Faith Coalition’s events in their newsletter and on their Grassroots New Mexico broadcast.
350NewMexico.org has been a PAJOLA member of the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice for three years. 350NewMexico.org is the local chapter of the international 350.org that organizes climate-focused campaigns, projects and actions by people in 188 countries. 350.org has three monthly events at the Peace Center including the free and public Monthly Speaker Series held at 6:30 pm on the fourth Monday of the month. Topics relate to understanding climate issues and taking action to reduce our carbon footprint.
Benefits of Membership
- Full PAJOLA members are able to host monthly events in the “Peace Hall,” the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice’s meeting space, as well as spread the word about their events and programs through our monthly newsletter, which is circulated to over 1,000 individuals.
- Related events are posted on the Peace Center’s social justice calendar on their website.
- The Peace Center has a weekly time slot every Wednesday at 3:55pm on 89.9 FM KUNM Radio where it announces the Center and PAJOLA events, right before Democracy Now, to an estimated 3,000 listeners.
- Some events hosted by the Peace Center include a weekly nonviolent communication study group, Peacemakers Book Club, a monthly movie night, and the “Peace Café” every Thursday from noon to 3 pm.
Join us in Spreading Peace and Justice
To find out how you can get involved and become a member, visit www.abqpeaceandjustice.org or call 505-268-9557. You can also stop by the Albuquerque Center for Peace and Justice front office which is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm at 202 Harvard SE.
