Dear friends:   42 years ago, Dik Cool, Karen Kerney and Jack Manno decided to continue publishing the Peace Calendar which Dik had started 11 years earlier at the Syracuse Peace Council. Although there really isn't an actual “birthday,” Dik Cool, who loved celebrating birthdays, chose July 17. This is...

Dear friend: Outdoor music season is in full swing.  Here in Central New York there's everything from free events featuring local bands to big festivals and concerts with amazing national and international acts. We're big fans of live music, and the powerful role that music can play in bringing people...

Dear friend:   Eleven years ago, Patrisse Cullors, Alicia Garza, and Opal Tometi piloted the online movement, #BlackLivesMatter. Originally created to honor the life of Trayvon Martin, and condemn police brutality, this initiative has grown to become the mouthpiece for dismantling racist systems nationwide and beyond.   To me, #BlackLivesMatter...