I have had the honor of developing a presentation in collaboration with members of eight families in Gaza who I have personal connections to, and who I care about deeply. I am trying to introduce them to my local community, share their messages, raise awareness, and amplify their voices.
These presentations offer attendees a chance to learn more about the lives, loves, and challenges of these families as they try to survive, and they also provide an opportunity for attendees to learn how to give meaningful and direct support to Palestinians in Gaza.
My hope is that these presentations will lead to more awareness of what is happening, which will in turn lead to more people acting to end it, while at the same time generating more direct material support for the featured families. The families have shared their words, images, writing, and other media, and have given me permission to share these with you during these public programs. I believe listening to what they share with us is the very least we should be doing right now, and I have been heartened to see growing interest in and support for these events.
These programs have been hosted in partnership with the Whatcom Coalition for Palestine, and with promotional support from the Whatcom Peace & Justice Center, and the Whatcom Families for Justice in Palestine.
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Presentation dates, times, and locations are listed below, and more will be added as they are confirmed.
- SATURDAY, MAY 31, 2025 / 2-3pm (presentation) 3-3:30pm (Q &A) / Bellingham Central Library Downstairs Lecture Room (This program is not sponsored by the Bellingham Public Library, and is offered in affiliation with the Whatcom Coalition for Justice in Palestine).
- SATURDAY, MAY 17, 2025 / 3-4pm (presentation) / 4-4:30pm (Q&A) / Location awaiting confirmation -this will be updated soon.
- SATURDAY, MAY 10, 2025 / 3-4pm (presentation) / 4-4:30pm (Q&A) / Langley United Methodist Church (Fellowship Hall), Langley, Washington. (Hosted in affiliation with the Whatcom Coalition for Justice in Palestine, and Whidbey for Palestine)
- SATURDAY, APRIL 12, 2025 / 3-4pm (presentation) / 4-5pm (meeting of the Whatcom Coalition for Justice In Palestine). Bellingham Central Library Downstairs Lecture Room (This program is not sponsored by the Bellingham Public Library, and is offered in affiliation with the Whatcom Coalition for Justice in Palestine).
- SUNDAY, MARCH 2, 2025 / 1:30-2:30pm (presentation) /2:30 to 3:00pm (Q & A) / Bellingham Central Library Downstairs Lecture Room (This program is not sponsored by the Bellingham Public Library, and is offered in affiliation with the Whatcom Coalition for Justice in Palestine).
Contact Information: Clarissa Mansfield is a writer and communicator living in Bellingham, with professional experience working in higher education and academic libraries. Views are her own and are not being presented as belonging to her employer.
Do you have a club, group, church, neighborhood, organization, or community group interested in hosting this program? Please contact me at clarissjanae@gmail.com.
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