Social justice activists honored in Jersey City

The Jersey City Peace Movement sponsored a program on Dec. 30 that presented awards of appreciation to activists and organizations involved in community and political organizing of progressive struggles at home and abroad.

Jersey City Peace Movement activists and Troops Out Now Coalition activists, Dec. 30. Photo: V. Guzman

The standing room only event was held at the Pershing Field Vietnam Veteran’s Community Center in Jersey City, N.J. The JCPM was formed after the U.S. bombed and invaded Iraq in March 2003. Since that time the JCPM has been connecting local community issues to an anti-war perspective, creating friends and allies along the way.

Organizations that were honored included New Jersey Solidarity—Activists for the Liberation of Palestine; Black Waxx Multimedia; Jersey City Youth Skaters; Peace and Justice Coalition initiated by People’s Organization for Progress in Newark; Our Youth, a LGBT organization; Troops Out Now Coalition based in New York; Jersey City Food Not Bombs; New Jersey Acción (Action) 21, a mainly Latin@ group; 9/11 Truth Chapters in Jersey City and Red Bank; and Hoboken Farmboy, an organization that feeds the hungry.

Jersey City Peace Movement award to Troops Out Now Coalition. WW photo: Monica Moorehead

Individuals cited for their contributions included Black Waxx artist and activist, Nana Soul; peace and justice activist, Dave Davis; and the late anti-war activist and Vietnam War veteran, Dave Cline.

Presenters of the awards were JCPM activists Adela Santiago, Erik-Anders Nilsson, Lisa Marie Palmieri and Trish Szymanski. The JCPM is a member of TONC.

Starting on Jan. 27, the JCPM will be organizing “Stop the War Sundays” on the fourth Sunday of every month, gathering at the Journal Square 9/11 Memorial Fountain in Jersey City from 12 p.m. until 1 p.m. For more information about JCPM, go to www.JCPM.org or email JCPeaceMovement@hotmail.com

JCPM demands are that the troops be brought home now; an end to racism, anti-Semitism, sexism, anti-Arab sentiment and homophobia; no war on Iran and other threatened countries; an end to war on Iraq and Afghanistan and other oppressed nations; an end to Congress funding endless war; and money for jobs, education, health care, food and housing—not for war!

—Monica Moorehead