We organize, educate and take action around issues of peace and social
justice.
All organizing work is based on community members' interpretation
of our mission statement.
The following are current projects and efforts of the TMC. Some of them meet regularly and others come together around specific events:
- The Africa Project - was The Africa Peace and Human Rights Education Project. This Project advocates for peace, justice and human rights in Africa by raising awareness and advocating against the human rights abuses occurring in Africa and within the African immigrant community in Pittsburgh. Currently, the Project is working on publishing a book of art by child soldiers in Uganda. Donations to support the project can be made online (be sure to select the Africa Project pull down menu). Contact Peter at: 412-657-8513 or peterokema@gmail.com. Fax: (412) 361-0540.
- Anti-War Committee - organizes interfaith vigils, rallies, teach-ins, a speakers bureau, legislative action, media outreach, and other activities to promote peaceful solutions to world conflicts. The AWC meets weekly on Sundays at 4pm at the TMC. To get involved, contact info@pittsburghendthewar.org or 412-422-7435.
- Azania Heritage International - is a community resource on African culture, ethnicity, languages and the economics of radical social change, as well as an empowerment project for Africans and African Americans in Pittsburgh. AHI holds events marking international days of remembrance such as the annual Steve Biko Day. To get involved contact amaazania@yahoo.com or 412-361-3022 and ask for Mongezi.
- Book 'Em - Pittsburgh's books to prisoners campaign. Meets weekly at the Thomas Merton Center to organize and prepare books to ship to prisoners. To get involved, contact: bookem@indypgh.org or 412-361-3022 and leave a message.
- Code Pink - is a local chapter of the national women for peace network that came out of the opposition to the war in Iraq. To get involved, contact codepinkpgh@aol.com. Or call Francine Porter and leave a message at 412-389-3216.
- Community Labor Solidarity Campaign - works in solidarity with the labor movement, in some cases doing the things that labor law doesn't allow unions to do, while bridging the gaps between unions and community groups. To get involved, contact labor.solidarity@gmail.com or 412-361-3022.
- Conscience - the mission of this project is to support any individual, who by an act of conscience, objects to personally participating in combat activities of our nation's military forces. Activities have included counseling, legal support, organizing public solidarity with individual conscientious objectors who desire that kind of support, outreach and educational activity on the alternatives to war and military participation. If you are interested in getting involved, Conscience needs volunteers who like working on CO and other military discharge issues without fanfare. Send an email to: consciencepgh@yahoo.com or call 412-231-1581.
- Demilitarize Pittsburgh - aims to research, expose and confront the powerful corporate interests behind the war machine. Demilitarize Pittsburgh researchers the contracts and practices of local war profiteers, produces educational materials, organizes educational events and protests, and coordinates direct community outreach. For more info call 412-401-2069 or email demilitarizepittsburgh@gmail.com.
- Diversity Footprint Project – art, justice and community dialogue. Contact draw3rd@verizon.net or 412-798-5197.
- The East End Community Thrift Shop - provides clothing and household items for low-income individuals in the area surrounding the TMC, providing free goods through a voucher system. Profits help fund the Center. To get involved, contact Shirley Gleditsch at 412-361-6010 or email Shawna Hammond at shawnapgh@aol.com
- Enough is ENOUGH: The Death of Jonny Gammage - educational video project on Jonny Gammage delving into issues of police brutality, law enforcement and criminal justice reform. To get involved with the project, contact Billy Jackson at: 412-441-8400 or BillyNOMMO@comcast.net Or visit the brand new website at www.NOMMOProductions.com to purchase a DVD, arrange a screening, request a speaker, give us feedback, or make a donation.
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Fed Up! the Pittsburgh chapter of the Human Rights Coalition. We are group dedicated to upholding the rights of prisoners through providing resources and support, exposing injustice, and building relationships with people in prison and their advocates. Currently we are focusing on Maximum Security Facilities in Pennsylvania and Virginia. Human Rights Coalition - FedUp! Chapter 5125 Penn Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15224 412-802-8575 hrcfedup@gmail.com
- Feminist Media & Cultural Arts Project (FEMCAP) – contact 412-366-3710 or meemers@surfbest.net
- Fight for Lifers West - is an advocacy group for Pennsylvania Lifers and their families. We try to educate the general public about Life WithOut Parole, implement change in the judicial system, work with other advocacy groups, and offer emotional support to lifers, family and friends of lifers. We meet on the 3rd Saturday of every month at The Thomas Merton Center located at 5125 Penn Ave in the Garfield section of Pittsburgh. For more information, write to Fight For Lifers West; P.O. Box 4683; Pittsburgh, PA 15206 or call 412-361-3022 and give your name and phone number. Ask for someone from FFLW to call you back. You can also e-mail: fightforliferswest@yahoo.com
- Food Not Bombs - is a radical movement of people dedicated to community organizing through food sharing. Members share vegan meals with hungry people in Pittsburgh two days a week as well as protest war, poverty, occupation, the globalization of the economy, restrictions to the movements of people, and the destruction of the Earth. To get involved, e-mail pittsburgh_fnb@yahoo.com
- Haiti Solidarity Committee - continues to educate and agitate for Justice in Haiti, shipping medical supplies and other necessities. To get involved, contact Joyce at 412-271-8414 or e-mail jrothermel@pittsburghfoodbank.org.
- In Sisterhood: The Women's Movement in Pittsburgh - a film documentary in progress. Contact: 412-621-3252 or pmulbrich@yahoo.com.
- New Voices Pittsburgh: Women of Color for Reproductive Justice – aims to engage women of color on the Reproductive Justice Movement and framework by mobilizing them for systemic change through political action and public policy and developing new voices for leadership in Pittsburgh. Contact: newvoicespgh@gmail.com.
- The NewPeople - a justice and peace newspaper published monthly by the TMC. Currently, the paper has a circulation of 4000. To get involved, contact Leah at 412-361-3022 or leah@thomasmertoncenter.org
- Pittsburgh Campaign for Democracy NOW! - They're working to promote Democracy NOW! on WRCT and on PCTV. They're putting up billboards, distributing bumper stickers and placing ads in local media. Volunteers are always needed to help at the radio station. To contact the campaign, call Danny at 412-422-5377 or e-mail sleator@gmail.com.
- Pittsburgh Works! – produces documentary videos of diverse community members’ perspectives on local labor issues and history, with a special emphasis on bringing young people into the process, promoting open dialogue around labor history. Contact: connections05@hotmail.com.
- Pittsburgh Women Blogging Project --The project is currently actively recruiting local women bloggers and see this as a new forum to promote a women's voiceswithin the Burghosphere. If interested, email Agent Ska, Sue or Maria at pghwomen@gmail.com. If interested Contact Sue Kerr at sue@sitnscoop.com
- Project 53 - Recycling musical instruments and all music related books and materials. Making music skills and materials publicly attainable despite financial abilities. Contact: project.53@hotmail.com or 412-897-6943.
- Raging Grannies - In the tradition of wise women elders, the mission of the Pittsburgh Raging Grannies is to promote global peace, justice, and social and economic equality by raising public awareness through the medium of song and humor. Our goal is to challenge our audiences to work to bring about the social changes that are required in order to end economic oppression, particularly of women and children, and to end racial inequality, environmental destruction, human rights violations, and arms proliferation. To get involved, contact Carol at 412-486-5130 or e-mail crosen5605@aol.com.
- Roots of Promise -Uniting our spiritual integrity with actions for peace and social justice affiliated with Network of Spiritual Progressives Pittsburgh Chapter (NSP) - An Interfaith Movement of the Tikkun Community welcoming to "spiritual but not Religious" secular people as well. Tikkun: To heal, repair and transform the world. To learn more about Roots of Promise or NSP and to get involved contact Wanda Guthrie 724.327.2767 or 412.596.0066 or spiritualprogressives.pgh@gmail.com.
- Save Our Civil Liberties formed in the aftermath of the police crackdown at the Miami FTAA protests (November 2003) to raise awareness about what happened, ensure justice & accountability, and rollback the increasing criminalization of dissent in the US. Save Our Civil Liberties is now launching a new national campaign, Stop Taser Abuse Today (STAT!), which aims to curb law enforcement's use and abuse of Tasers and equip local organizers with tools to take action in their own communities.
- Save Our Transit - a grassroots organization whose mission is to lobby for adequate funding for public transportation. To get involved, contact Amanda at 412-361-3022 or zeidersamanda@gmail.com.
- School of the Americas Watch of Western PA - organizes an annual bus trip from Pittsburgh to Fort Benning, Georgia in November for a non-violent protest and educates throughout the year about the role of the U.S. Army School of the Americas in training Latin American troops in techniques of torture, blackmail and counterinsurgency. To get involved, contact the WPA-SOA Watch at soapittsburgh@gmail.com.
- Sustainable Living Project - is a group of local youth interested in creating a community based on mutual aid and respect for the earth. The goal is to work on and promote alternative lifestyle projects to show how we can lessen our impact on Pittsburgh’s ecosystem, share resources, and provide healthier alternatives for the community at large. This includes urban farming and providing healthy food grown holistically to our neighbors in the Pittsburgh area, specifically to low income families; alternative building projects using recycled and natural materials; and community education classes on these principals and practices. To get involved, contact sustainablepgh@yahoo.com or call 412-361-3022 to leave a message.
- Urban Arts Project - provides networking, guidance and technical support to socially-conscious artists who are interested in journalism, creative writing, cultural arts and poetry. Through partnerships with newspapers, grassroots organizers and community-based organizations, artists and writers have an opportunity to showcase their talents, network with other artists, publish articles, perform at local venues and display or sell artwork at select cultural events. Our primary mission is to foster an environment where artists showcase their creativity while developing a range of professional and interpersonal skills. Participants will learn how to raise awareness of important social issues via the use of poetry, art and multi-media. For more information, contact Michelleburtonbrown@yahoo.com.
Below is a list of projects that the TMC helped start. They have now spun off into their own and remain "Friends/Affiliates" of the Center.
- Citizens Budget Campaign of Western Pennsylvania - CBC members are currently working on PUSH (see below). But visit the CBC site for updates on budget issues: www.geocities.com/molly_rush
- PA United for Single-payer Healthcare (PUSH) - the US healthcare system boasts double-digit annual cost increases, 44 million people with no insurance and the tens of millions more who lack inadequate coverage. PUSH works to change that by lobbying for a universal, single-payer system. Meetings are held monthly at 11am at the United Steelworkers Headquarters downtown. PUSH is no longer a project of the TMC but remains a "Friend and Affiliate." To get involved, contact Molly Rush at 412-343-3027 or m.rush@earthlink.net.
- Pittsburgh Palestine Solidarity Committee - was founded to foster Information, dialogue and activities connected with the Palestinian People's struggle for Independence. Contact katedaher@yahoo.com to get involved.
Below is a brief history of past TMC projects and efforts. These groups are not currently meeting or organizing.
- AIDS in Africa - focused on the AIDS crisis in Africa, highlighting its impact on African women and girls. The project included organizing, education, outreach, advocacy and development.
- Black Community Disaster Network - a project that developed out of the lessons learned from hurricane Katrina, where the government left the poor, black communities to fend for themselves and to die by indifference and neglect. BCDN worked to obtain disaster readiness skills to take back to neighbors, friends and family so that the poorest communities can become empowered to prepare for any disaster. Workshops have taught participants to administer first aid to gun shot victims, trained adults and youth in CPR, gave tips for developing a family exit plan and taught children how to react in a disaster -- especially if away from their parents.
- Canaries in the Coalfields - Sounding the alarm on the devastation wrought by our continued reliance on coal, the group organized in solidarity with activists throughout Pennsylvania to challenge "King Coal." Canaries worked to build strength in Pittsburgh for the growing movement to transform Pennsylvania from an energy sacrifice zone for the nation into a leader for green energy practices that allow us to live in harmony with our environment and bring sustainable jobs to our communities.
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Farmers Market Friends - aims to generate enthusiastic, informed public involvement and investment in building dynamic, innovative sustainable community farmers markets.
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greenlots - worked to improve the economic and environmental health of struggling communities in the Pittsburgh region through the reclamation and reuse of vacant land. The project promoted awareness of smart land use at the grassroots level, involves community residents in the reclamation and reuse process and provides technical assistance for community projects. This project is not currently organizing.
- The Lending Library - loans books and videos on justice and peace issues to TMC members. TMC is an effective resource center on various issues ranging from peacemaking and racial and economic justice.
- Healthcare Campaign - fought for universal healthcare, organizing solidarity actions with workers who are increasingly forced to struggle to maintain their right to affordable coverage, and helping the uninsured organize to build sufficient pressure so that the system is forced to grant concessions addressing their immediate needs.
- Parenting for Peace - was part of a national movement forming to answer our nation's plans for war with tools and skills to equip adults and children to cultivate peace and disarm that violence.
- Peaceburgh - produced and distributed the colorful "Pittsburghers for Peace" posters and buttons as part of its House-to-House Campaign Against the War.
- Peace in Unity - created the International Peace and Unity symbol to catalyze the movement of the human race towards peace and harmony in a manner that works for the highest good.
- People Against Police Violence - worked with the families of victims to advocate for justice for the victims of police violence, increase community awareness, and demand that guilty cops serve maximum prison sentences.
- Pittsburgh Association of Peacemakers and Proactive Youth (PAPPY) - began as Pittsburgh's first action network linking high school activists across the city. PAPPY was a resource for students who want to get involved and need a place to start and for those who want to meet with other involved high school students. The organizers have graduated but they'd be thrilled if other high school students wanted to pick up where they left off.
- Pittsburgh Bill of Rights Defense Campaign - Organizing a grassroots response to defend civil liberties in America today. They succeeded in getting City Council to pass a resolution to resist the implementation of the USA PATRIOT Act.
- Pittsburgh Global Justice Now! - a Pittsburgh-based campaign focused on ending global injustice. PGJN provides resources on the large global economic institutions and organizes around the International Monetary Fund, World Bank, World Trade Organization, Free Trade Area of the Americas and more through education and direct action.
- Pittsburgh Latin American and Caribbean Film Series - regular film screening of political films from Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Pittsburgh Social Forum - identifies with the World Social Forum. Members meet occasionally to discuss the growing concerns about globalization and the increasing corporate domination of our lives, governments, and international relations, which threatens our individual liberties, quality of life, and the sustainability of our environment and society.
- Pittsburgh to Venezuela Collective - the PVC is a group of people in the Pittsburgh area who are planning to travel to Caracas, Venezuela, to work with a grassroots tactical media collective building sustainable community media and cultural resistance within the barrio of La Vega, Caracas.
- Press Play - a video arts project started by students from Carnegie Mellon University showcasing local work.
- Project 1877 - was a community space that connected activists of different classes, races, sexualities, genders, and beliefs. Featuring shows, events, free school, an alt library, art facilities, meeting rooms, and more, this project represented a common ground designed to foster communication between the many different progressive movements in Pittsburgh. The Penn Avenue site has closed down.
- RESYST - to work toward acceptance of the multitude of queer identities and unite through the shared struggles that our difference creates so that we can broaden our foundation to affect change. RESYST all forms of oppression: make way for expression! This group gets together occasionally, usually before larger actions, to plan street theatre and queer awareness outreach, making connections to struggles. To stay informed of upcoming RESYST actions and to network with other like-minded queers, send an e-mail to info@thomasmertoncenter.org requesting to join the d-list.
- Rock Against Racism: Fusing Art and Action - concert and arts festival to promote racial reconciliation in the Pittsburgh area. RAR events took place 2000-2003.
- Stepping Stones - street health empowerment network project committed to health for all; specifically through finding lay caregivers, motivators, and advocates in disenfranchised communities; and assisting them with paraprofessional education, a peer network, and mentor relationships. This group is not currently meeting/organizing.
- Student Global AIDS Project - inter-university effort to raise awareness of the global AIDS crisis. This project was originally organized by a TMC intern and is now a student organization at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Student Parents for Accessible Childcare - working to ensure affordable childcare for all student parents at the University of Pittsburgh.
- Three Rivers Action Medics - was a group of medically trained justice and peace workers in and around Pittsburgh, PA. Members volunteer before, during, and after protests, camps, and marches to promote the health and wellness of politically and socially active people.
- UPRISE Counter-Recruitment Tour - a tour of Mid-West and Mid-Atlantic states aimed at advancing regional counter-recruitment efforts and linking the issues of war and military recruitment to globalization and environmental sustainability. The Tour dates were September 14 to October 9, 2006. For more information, contact info@uprisetour.org.