MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Houston Peace and Justice Center is to enhance the work of institutions and organizations in the Houston area that promote non-violence, human rights, and economic, social, and environmental justice. The Center encourages their networking and collaboration. It facilitates their pooling of existing resources and acquisition of new resources to achieve specific goals. It offers itself as a vehicle for educational outreach to the general public and as a sponsor of events that build community among Houston's peace and justice activists.
MEMBER INSTITUTIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS
Alliance for Democracy
American Friends Service Committee
Amnesty International
Casa Juan Diego/Catholic Worker
Catholic Diocese of Galveston Houston:Campaign for Human Development
Office of Family Life Ministry
Office of Youth MinistryChrist the Good Shepherd Catholic Community, Spring Texas
Corpus Justice, Inc.
Fellowship of Reconciliation
Faith Covenant Church Council
Houston Area Women's Center
Houston Area Committee on Youth and Non-Military Opportunities
Houston Immigration and Refugee Coalition
Houston Non-Violent Action/War Resistors' League
Houston Peace Forum
Maryknoll Fathers & Brothers
National Conference for Community and Justice
(formerly National Conference of Christians and Jews)
Pax Christi
Peace Action
Physicians for Social Responsibility
Texans Against Gun Violence
First Congregational Church: Board of Church in Society
St. Joseph Catholic Church: Social Justice Group
United Methodist Church: Peace and Order Section, Board of Church and Society
Women's International League of Peace and Freedom
DIRECTORY OF MEMBER GROUPS AND INSTITUTIONS
Casa Juan Diego/Houston Catholic Worker
P. O. Box 70113, Houston, TX 77270
713/869-7376
e-mail: info@cjd.org
Website: www.cjd.org
Primary contacts: Mark and Louise ZwickCasa Juan Diego is part of the Catholic Worker movement founded by Dorothy Day and Peter Maurin. The movement emphasizes personalism, voluntary poverty, pacifism and hospitality.
Mission: To do the works of mercy instead of the works of war, to alleviate oppression of the poorest of the poor.
General Area of Concern: Creating alternative structures for undocumented immigrants and refugees. Close to 40,000 people have passed through our doors.
Specific Issues/Projects:
- Giving hospitality (a place to live) to new immigrants (men and women), immigrant battered women, immigrant pregnant women and immigrant families of prisoners.
- Providing supplemental food and clothing and medical clinics to help maintain independence of immigrant in the community.
1505 Kane St.
Houston, TX 77007
(713) 222-6193
Primary contacts: Allen Pape at 281/837-9472 or Apape41@aol.com; Claudia
Morgan at 713/668-1209
Mission: To educate the parish community and neighborhood community about social issues and possible solutions to these problems, and To prayerfully seek and work for solutions of injustice in the community, state, nation, and world.
Current Issues of Concern:
- Supporting the Catholic Campaign for Human Development
- Opposition and alternatives to the death penalty.
- Educational programs and classes for the parish community.
- Join SHARE Foundation - Adopt a sister community in El Salvador.
Meetings: Held monthly and sometimes twice a month.
Attendance: Parishioners of St. Joseph and people from others churches and organizations are always welcome.
The St. Joseph Social Justice group would like to hear from you. We are open to new issues and ideals. Please come to our meetings to inform us and help build justice and peace in the love of the Lord. We often coordinate with so drop by sometime. "No one who lights a lamp conceals it with a other organizations, vessel or sets it under a bed; rather, he places it on a lamp stand so that those who enter may see the light."Luke 8:16 Light your world.
7900 N. Stadium Dr. #36C.
Houston TX 77030-4415
713/796-2745
Primary contact: Herb Rothschild 713/743-9022 (work), 713/743-9015 (fax),
HRothschild@uh.edu.
This is the local chapter of Peace Action and its state affiliate, Peace Action-Texas. Peace Action is the result of the merger in 1988 of SANE (Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy, founded in 1957) and the Nuclear largest grassroots peace organization.Mission: To shape public policies promoting global nuclear disarmament, a demilitarized economy and a demilitarized foreign policy based on justice and human rights. In addition to advocacy, Peace Action's state and local groups promote non-violent conflict resolution and educate for peace.
Current Issues of Concern:
- Continuing nuclear weapons development and testing
- Bloated military budget
- The international arms trade
- U.S. military support of regimes that abuse human rights
Current Projects:
- Congressional passage of the Arms Trade Code of Conduct
- Closing the School of the Americas
- Ending Indonesia's occupation of East Timor and U.S. support of the occupation
- Renewed public attention to nuclear arms threat
Campaign for Human Development, Catholic Diocese of Galveston Houston
2403 E. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77021
713/741-8731 (phone) 713/748-1609 (fax)
Primary contact: Stephanie Weber sweber@compassnet.com
National affiliation: Campaign for Human Development www.nccbuscc/chd.orgThe Campaign for Human Development (CHD) is a division of the US Catholic Conference. It is "The Catholic Church working to end poverty and injustice in America." It was formed in 1970 to act on the core Catholic social teaching that every person has an inherent God-given dignity. Realizing that "charity" toward the poor was an insufficient response to forces that erode human dignity, CHD addresses the root causes of poverty and injustice.
Mission: To address the root causes of poverty in America through promotion and support of community-controlled, self-help organizations and through transformative education. Since its founding, CHD has provided more than $200 million in grants or loans to more than 3000 community-based, self-help projects.
General Areas of Concern:
- Education for justice
- Community organizing and empowerment
- Economic development
For a list of current projects in the Houston area, or to explore the possibility of support for a project here, call the local CHD office
Office of Youth Ministry, Catholic Diocese of Galveston-Houston
2403 E. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77021
713/741-8723 (phone) 713/741-8775 (fax)
Primary contact: Ellen Burns eburns@webtv.netThe Campaign for Human Development (CHD) is a division of the US Catholic Conference. It is "The Catholic Church working to end poverty and injustice in America." It was formed in 1970 to act on the core Catholic social teaching that every person has an inherent God-given dignity. Realizing that "charity" toward the poor was an insufficient response to forces that erode human dignity, CHD addresses the root causes of poverty and injustice.
Mission: Evangelize youth of various cultures from differing family backgrounds, and call forth others to be evangelizers of youth and adults. . . . Help youth become models of Christian living as well as effective leaders. . . [and] be advocates for youth.
Current Issues/Projects in area of peace and justice:
- Education for non-violent conflict resolution
- SPLUNGE (Special People Living Uniquely Nourishing Experiences. This program gives young people (15-19) a chance to live for a week in an Houston inner city Catholic parish, work in an agency serving the poor, and engage in spiritual reflection on the experience. Participation is by application to the Office of Youth Ministry.
1844 Kipling St., Houston TX 77098
Primary contacts: Lee Loe 713-524-2682,
Bert Golding (membership) 713-977-4025 berthg@aol.com
National affiliation: Fellowship of Reconciliation
http://www.nonviolence.org/~nvweb/forMission: The Fellowship of Reconciliation seeks to replace violence, war, racism, and economic injustice wih nonviolence, peace and justice. We are an interfaith organization, commmitted to active nonviolence as a transforming way of life and as a means of radical change. We educate, train, build coalitions, and engage in nonviolent and compassionate actions locally, nationally, and globally.
Membership: Open to all who are committed to justice, non-violence, and peace. Annual dues are $25.
General Areas of Concern:
- Peace and social justice issues in the U.S. and worldwide.
- Nuclear disarmament
- Reduction of military spending
- Human rights
Current Issues/Projects :
- Monthly meeting with speakers on a current issue involving peace/social justice.
- Ending the sanctions against Iraq
- Supporting the struggle of the people of Chiapas
- Aid to victims of the war in Bosnia
Meetings: Third Sunday at 5:30 PM with potluck supper at 6:30 Central Congregational Church, 1311 Holman (details normally given in the calendar of Houston Peace News)
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, Houston Chapter
5959 Queensloch #230, Houston, TX 77096
713/726-1266
Primary contact: Lynn FurayAn 85-year-old organization formed by women who objected to World War I, including Nobel Peace Prize laureate Jane Addams. The WILPF network includes sections in 42 nations, with100 local branches in the U.S., and NGO status and offices with the UN in Geneva and New York. It believes that domestic and international violence are related.
Mission: Create an environment of political, economic, social, and psychological freedom for all members of the human community.
Membership: Open to all who share the mission.
General Areas of Concern:
- Disarmament
- Ending U.S. intervention abroad
- Racial justice
- Women's rights
Current Issues/Projects:
- Stopping the Cassini program (space launches with plutonium fuel aboard)
- Reducing sales of war toys
First Unitarian Church, Room 302
5200 Fannin St., Houston 77004-5899
Primary contact: Pat Nichols, 1515 Antoine, Houston 77005; 713/681-6267Founded in 1985, the Peace Forum presents public programs on a wide range of peace and justice issues. Held on the second Thursday of the month, they feature speakers or audio-visual resources. A sampling of past programs: "The Drug Dilemma: War or Peace?", "The Crisis in Immigration Rights," and "The Impact of Sanctions on the Public Health of Iraq."
Mission: To inform and educate the public on peace and justice issues, and to encourage local activity.
All programs are held the second Thursday of each month at the First Unitarian Church, Room 302, and begin at 7:30 p.m.
Houston Immigration and Refugee Coalition
6926 Navigation, Houston, TX 77011
713/926-2890 (phone) 713/926-2877 (fax)
Primary contact: Benito Juarez
National affiliation: National Network for Immigration and Refugee Rights
www.nnirr.orgHIRC is a network of individuals and organizations representing, serving,
and concerned about the immigrant and refugee community of the Houston
area.Mission: Promote the civil rights and human dignity of all immigrants and
refugees, and advocate for their better access to legal, educational, and
social services.General Areas of Concern:
- Identify and confront timely issues relating to immigration and to immigrants and refugees
- Combat immigrant "bashing"
- Raise consciousness about the contributions of immigrants to U.S. life
- Advocate for immigrant rights and fair treatment with local, state, and national officials and agencies, and serve as liaison with national advocacy organizations
- Serve as local clearinghouse of information affecting immigrants
- Help build a statewide immigration and refugee colaition
Current Issues/Projects:
- Citizenship preparation, ESL and GED classes, voter registration
- Monitoring INS activities on the border, at worksites, and in detention centers, and resisting abuses.
- Monitoring implications and impacts of welfare reform on the immigrant community, and conducting training sessions on the changes.
Peace with Justice Program, United Methodist Church-Texas Conference
179 Camilla Circle, Bellville 77418
409/865-9698
Primary contact: Brenda Hardt whardt@phoenix.netThe 1992 General Conference of the United Methodist Church made Peace with Justice a special program under the General Board of Church and Society.
Mission: Help church members address the need for greater economic, social, ecological, and racial peace and justice in their community, nation, and world.
General Areas of Concern:
- Sweatshops and child labor abuse
- Nuclear disarmament
- Reduction of military spending
Current Issues/Projects:
- Promote "Abolition 2000" to abolition nuclear weapons
- Promote "Jubilee 2000" to bring debt relief to poor nations
- A speakers bureau called Voices of Biblical Faith and Justice. Offerings include "Why Churches Should Support Public Schools", Problem Solving and Non-violent Conflict Resolution, Responsible Consumerism, Living and Working in Diversity, and the workshop "The Growing Divide-Economic Disparity in the U.S."
Texans Against Gun Violence, Greater Houston Chapter
13164 Memorial, Box 160, Houston 77079
713/827-8916 (phone) 713/827-1860 (fax)
www.insync.net/~tagvhou/Primary contact: Dave Smith tagvhou@insync.net
The Greater Houston Chapter is part of a statewide network that also includes groups in Austin, Dallas, and Fort Worth. We also serve as the local contact for national groups like Handgun Control, Inc.
Mission: Dedicated to significantly reduce gun violence in Texas through education and legislation. TAGV seeks to end the tragic loss of life and hope caused by the easy availability of guns. We view firearms as dangerous consumer products that warrant careful public regulation. We believe that with gun ownership come serious responsibilities to family, neighbors, and the greater community.
Membership: Open to anyone who seeks more responsible approaches to gun manufacture, sale, ownership, and use. Annual dues are $25 individual, $35family.
General Areas of Concern:
- Guns as central to a culture of violence
- Access to guns by minors and other irresponsible parties
Current Issues/Projects:
- Working with the police to institute the "Boston Plan", a multi-facted program effective in reducing teen homicide
- Working with the medical community to educate people about the dangers of guns in the home
- Making presentations in the schools
- Promoting legislation requiring mandatory training for handgun purchasers, regulation of sales at gun shows, and strengthening the law that makes adults criminally responsible if a minor uses their firearm to harm him/herself or someone else
HOW TO JOIN
Membership in the Houston Peace & Justice Center is open to all institutions and organizations in the Houston metropolitan area that wholly or in significant part promote non-violence, human rights, and/or economic, social, and environmental justice. The term "promote" as used in this article is intended to encompass advocacy but not the rendering of social services. No institution or organization that puts forward candidates for political office shall be eligible for membership.
The Houston Peace & Justice Center is incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of the State of Texas.