This past Friday, September 21st, gave way to a successful 42nd year of Annual Dinners for the Resource Center for Nonviolence. With a full house of over 150 people in attendance, our annual dinner was graced with entertainment by local musician Tim Brady of Cement Ship, a gourmet vegetarian dinner prepared by Eileen Balian and her wonderful volunteers, a program honoring the hard work of our beloved community, and a silent auction organized by RCNV volunteer, Dan Spelce.
We were so fortunate to have Kimberly Ellis as our program’s highlight, a nationally recognized Progressive leader who has been credited with revolutionizing Democratic politics and has been called, “the most powerful unelected person in California Democratic politics.” She is the former Executive Director of Emerge California – the state’s most effective training program for Democratic women to run for and win elected office and has been frequently interviewed and quoted in political media, syndicated television, and radio. She spoke to Annual Dinner attendees on how to promote love, peace, and nonviolence during this era of perpetual conflict.
You can watch the live recording of Kimberly Ellis’s talk HERE
2018 Scott Kennedy Drawing the Line Award
The Scott Kennedy Drawing the Line Award was created to recognize the work of organizations and their commitment to nonviolent social change. For 2018, the staff members of RCNV have chosen to honor two organizations: Cosecha Santa Cruz and the Soldarity Hunger Strike organized by Families Belong Together.
Cosecha Santa Cruz has organized movements fighting for the protection, dignity, and respect for undocumented immigrants, encouraging the economic noncooperation of supporters of ICE with the ultimate goal of its abolition. You can learn more about Cosecha Santa Cruz HERE.
Families Belong Together has been awarded for joining in solidarity with incarcerated migrant mothers to co-organize a national and local hunger strike, demanding “that every migrant family separated by this administration be reunited, released from incarceration, and receive support and justice for the trauma inflicted by our government.” You can learn more about Families Belong Together and their Solidarity Hunger Strike HERE.
A Gigantic Thank You
Our annual dinner’s success could not have been possible without the continuous support of our nonviolent community, our host and individual contributors, our business supporters, food donors, and our amazing volunteers for which we are immensely grateful.
THANK YOU to our organizational hosts: Palestine Justice Coalition, Veterans for Peace/ARMISTICE100, Santa Cruz County Community Coalition to Overcome Racism, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, NAACP Santa Cruz County Branch, and The Boys Who Said No film.
THANK YOU also to our individual hosts: Mavel Armijo, Steve & Jody & Patrick Carstens, Shalom Compost, Darrell & Karen Darling, Robert deFreitas & Gigo DaSilva, Alain Desouches, Eileen Donnelly, Shelly Errington, Ilene Feinman & Kenny Welcher, Robin Gaither- in memory of Don Matchan, Katharina Harlow, Amanda Harris Altice, Don Lane, Robert and Caroline Levering, Thom & Linda McCue, Kimlin McDaniel Keith, Sen. Bill Monning & Dr. Dana Kent, Gary & Marilyn Patton, Morgan Rankin, Roland & Patricia Rebele, William Rence, Nick & Ruth Royal, Patricia Schroeder, and Jeffrey Smedberg.
Special thanks to: Eileen Balian, Tim Brady aka Cement Ship, Liz Klotz-Chamberlin, Dan Spelce, Kate Doyle, Kris Kennedy, and Peace United Church of Christ
Dinner volunteers: Brian Murtha, Iverne Rand, Noreen Bailey, Deb Berkson, Sheila Carrillo, Sherry Conable, Stan & Joyce Cunningham, Robert DeFreitas, Gigo daSilvas, Kirsten Carraway and son, Kathleen Eschen-Pipes, Haran Kandadas, Karen Kaplan, Helen Nunberg, Willow Katz, Marilyn Lucier, Alexander Gaguine, Alene Smith, Arlene Ganzler, Jesse Bravier, Sheila Carrillo, Randall, Kevin Bell, Dan Spelce, Mel Nunez, Karren Moorer, Jasmin Zafra, Bridgette Hess, Isaac Collins, Gabriella Baldonado, Trevor Miller, Joe Pardue
THANK YOU to the food donors who made our dinner possible: Trader Joe’s Front St., Staff of Life, Pacific Cookie Company, Beckmann’s Old World Bakery, Discretion Brewery, Coffeol, and Costco
Business Supporters: Trader Joe’s Front St., Staff of Life, Pacific Cookie Co., Beckmanns Old World Bakery, Discretion Brewery, Coffeol, Costco, New Camaldoli Hermitage, Palomar Ballroom, Nonviolent Communication-Santa Cruz, Fred Mindlin String Stories & Games, Sports Goals USA, The Starving Musician, Phil Caylor- L.Ac, Actors Theatre/Center Stage Theatre, El Teatro Campesino, Estrella Collective, DMV Clinic, Yarn Shop Santa Cruz, Snazzy Productions, Pearl of the Ocean Sri Lankan Restaurant, Celtic Society of Monterey Bay, Dharma’s Restaurant, Nichols Veterinary Care, Yippee Dog Spa, HI-Pigeon Point Hostel, Monterey Bay Whale Watch, and Alvarado Street Grill