Wednesday 9 May 2012

Washington DC area Journey of Hope

Washington DC area Journey of Hope June 22-July 2

Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing

Washington DC area Journey of Hope June 22-July 2

Journey of Hope speaker will be touring the DC area June 22-July 2, 2012.

Speaking events are being planned for Northern Virginia, Washington, DC and Maryland. The Journey of Hope will culminate when we join with the Abolitionist Action Committee’s 19th annual Fast and Vigil June 29-July 2 at the US Supreme Court. The Journey of Hope has been a big part of the Fast and Vigil since it began in 1994.

If you are interested in hosting a speaking event for your church, school, college and/or community group during these dates, please contact the Journey at info@JourneyofHope.org.

The Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing is led by murder victim family members who are opposed to the death penalty. We travel around the country and around the world sharing our storiesce to Healing and talk about how the death penalty has nothing to do with the healing that murder victim family members need when a loved one has been killed, but how in fact it continues the cycle of violence and creates more victim family members. We say stop the killing. We have seen enough. Death row family members, exonerated and other abolition activists join our Journey speaking teams to help put the human face on the issue of the death penalty.

Speakers include Shujaa Graham, Terri Steinberg, Charity Lee, Randy Gardner, Scott Langley, Art Laffin, Bill Pelke and others. Speaking events are free, although love offerings or honorariums are welcomed. The Journey of Hope is a 501 c 3 non-profit organization.

Events will be scheduled on a first come, first serve basis.

Rachel Lawler has volunteered to help coordinate the DC Journey. Please contact Ann Feczko for possible DC events, John MacDiarmid for Northern Virginia or Rachel for Maryland and all other general questions. Brian Evans has offered to help with Amnesty groups that might want to organize an event.

In addition to telling our stories we will be promoting the fast and vigil and encouraging attendance of our audiences to visit our actions at the court. June 29th is the 40th anniversary of Furman V. Georgia, a decision that temporarily halted executions in the US until the July 2, 1976 Greg V. Georgia decision that allowed executions to resume. June 29th is an important landmark and it is a day that will be widely observed. There will be a rally that day at the court plus speaking teach ins at the court each evening.

5 states have abolished the death penalty in the last five years. California voters can replace the death penalty with life without parole in the upcoming November election. Since the Troy Davis case media has given a lot of attention to the abolition movement. It would be helpful to our cause if media would be invited to Journey speaking events.

Please let us know what we can do to help make the Journey of Hope a success in your area.

Bill Pelke, President Journey of Hope…from Violence to Healing http://www.journeyofhope.org/
Cell phone 305-775-5823 a

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