[pjw] UPDATES on Yvonne: Friday concert, where to give, other activism

[Peace and Justice Works]

Hello again friends and community

Thanks to the roughly 20 people who have called, emailed or otherwise 
connected with PJW or Flying Focus about Yvonne's death. People shared 
lovely remembrances and expressed appreciation for the memoriam.

In terms of a memorial event, plans for a large gathering are uncertain 
due to COVID, but this Friday July 8 at 1 PM there will be a sing-along 
outside of a private residence in SE Portland conducted by Yvonne's 
singing partner Mary Rose. Write back to get more information.

One question that came up was where to donate. If you want to make a 
donation to honor Yvonne's memory, donate to an organization (or 
organizations) which:

--support women's empowerment and/or work to end violence against women

--promote adoption and/or spaying/neutering of animals

--work for peace and/or the delivery of humanitarian aid

--give youth opportunity to create art, music and/or peace initiatives

--use grassroots reporting to get the word out about any of the above.

Many organizations have an "in memory of" checkbox where you can say the 
money is to honor Yvonne Simmons.

I can't believe that in the biography of Yvonne I left off that she 
co-organized weekly vigils for Women in Black for many years, usually 
across the street or in front of the Federal Building downtown. While 
highlighting the situation of women in Palestine, Women in Black focuses 
on women in all areas subjected to violence.
https://womeninblack.org/about-women-in-black/

It's also notable that Yvonne often appeared on KBOO-FM and promoted the 
radio station remaining a grassroots, non-corporate outlet, produced her 
own shows on cable access TV for years before joining Flying Focus when it 
started in 1991, and wrote articles on occasion for the Portland Alliance 
newspaper (now defunct except for a website).

But with Yvonne, no one email or list could really capture her many 
interests and adventures.

If you're curious about her video work, for those of you not on the 
Flying Focus email list, I added this info when sending the in memoriam 
out to that group:

  Unfortunately none of her full shows are online but clips are in several
  "Busiversaries." You can see most of the programs listed in these
  sections of our catalog:

  Foreign Affairs
  https://flyingfocus.org/ffvc06.html#formeryugoslavia
  Feminist Issues
  https://flyingfocus.org/ffvc07.html
  and
  Organizing for Change
  https://flyingfocus.org/ffvc24.html (see "Las Lomas Project")

That is all for now.

Peace
dan handelman
peace and justice works