Massachusetts Peace Action

US Aggression towards Venezuela and its Repercussions for Latin America (a WIRN webinar)
2026-01-14 20:00 - 21:30 (America/New_York) | Online Event
Wedenesday January 14th @ 8PM

The recent U.S. military attacks and threats on Venezuela are just its latest acts of war on its southern neighbor. Since the rise of Hugo Chavez, there have been coup attempts, sanctions, subversive support of the right-wing opposition, theft of financial assets, and the widespread dissemination of lies and propaganda portraying Venezuela as a threat to the U.S. But now, the Trump regime appears more determined than ever to bring about regime change in this country that has the largest proven reserves of oil in the world.
The danger of this U.S aggression is not just to the people of Venezuela, but to the rest of Latin America as well, especially to the targeted nations of Cuba, Nicaragua, and Colombia. The U.S., under the banner of the Monroe Doctrine, considers all of Latin America its sphere of influence and means to reinvigorate its dominance and exploitation of natural resources there. Capturing Venezuela would be a jewel in the imperial crown, but it would also inevitably lead to more and more neo-colonization throughout the hemisphere.

Speakers:
John Perry, based in Nicaragua, is with the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition and writes for the Grayzone, London Review of Books, FAIR, Covert Action and elsewhere
Roger Harris taught political science at a Historically Black College in Mississippi in the late 1960s and was involved in the civil rights movement and community organizing in East Harlem, New York City. He is a co-founder of the Venezuela Solidarity Network and was an election accompanier for the last presidential election in Venezuela. Roger is on the state central committee of the California Peace and Freedom Party and on the board of the human rights organization, the Task Force on the Americas. He is on the program committee of the Marxist Forum and on the secretariat of the US Peace Council. He is active in the SanctionsKill campaign and the Nicaragua Solidarity Coalition. His political writings may be regularly found at Counterpunch, LA Progressive, Antiwar.com, Venezuelanalysis, and the Orinoco Tribune.

Justice 4 All Thursdays
2026-01-15 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-22 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-29 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-05 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-12 11:00 - 13:00 | 1000 District Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 United States, 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, 01803, United States
Via Turn Purple 2 Blue:

Greater Assabet Indivisible Network (GAIN) invites you to stand in solidarity with immigrants and resistance to ICE and their cruel and lawless detention of our neighbors Thursdays from 11am-1pm. Regardless of any other political views, you are welcome to join us and demand Justice 4 All so long as you do so non-violently.
Our friends at Bearing Witness have been hosting gatherings at this location for many weeks. We are an unaffiliated group, but very much aligned with their values and mission. Our goal is to add to the total number of hours that citizens stand in non-violent opposition to the deplorable detainment conditions at this location. If you have been to Bearing Witness on Wednesdays, we would love to have you at Justice 4 All Thursdays.
Schedule (Starting Thursday, September 4 – more dates to follow)
11:00-11:30 Welcome; music; announcements
11:30-12:30 Stand with signs along District Ave
12:30-1:00 Optional short march down to Mall Rd.
What happens at this ICE office?
ICE personnel depart from District Ave. in unmarked vans with tinted windows on missions to abduct immigrants across New England. Immigrants may also show up at the office for appointments. The facility on District Ave was never intended to be a detention center, yet immigration lawyers and media interviews reveal that people are now being housed here in conditions that have been called “abysmal” and “unsanitary.”
What to expect at Justice 4 All?
We are committed to nonviolence, and we stand peacefully with signs outside the facility. We do not block the entrance, we do not physically approach ICE agents as they walk to/from the parking lot, and we do not block traffic on District Ave.
Signs
This is a very targeted action outside the ICE facility, so it’s not the venue for protesting other causes. Even though we care deeply about other issues, while outside ICE we must remain focused on immigration.
Parking and other tips
For parking, please use the Macy’s overflow lot (75 Burlington Mall Road, follow signs for Macy’s, see map). For those with mobility challenges, please keep in mind that the lots closest to ICE — the FAA lot beside ICE and the BAE Systems lot directly across the street from ICE — have both been blocked off. There are restaurants nearby (Clover, Pressed Cafe, Chipotle) to get food and use the bathroom. Before arriving, please consider your own self-preservation (citizenship status) and self-care (sunscreen, hydration, etc.)

No Fear with Street Theater
2026-01-17 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-24 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-01-31 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-07 11:00 - 13:00 | 1000 District Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 United States, 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, 01803, United States
Join the new protest group, “No Fear Street Theater” for weekly protests on Saturdays starting October 11th from 11am to 1pm. Stand up for immigrants two blocks from the Burlington ICE office. All are welcomed and encouraged to support our immigrant community. The protests will be held at Burlington Mall Rd. at District Avenue.

Hands off Venezuela
2026-01-17 12:00 - 13:00 | Greenfield Town Common, Court Square, Greenfield, MA, 01301, United States

No Wars. No ICE. No Kings.
2026-01-17 12:00 - 14:00 | Government Center, Boston, MA, United States

Hands off Venezuela!
2026-01-17 15:00 - 17:00 | Lincoln Square, Worcester, MA, 01608, United States

Matthew Hoh: Ukraine War, End it Now or Lose Much More Later
2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:30 | Online Event
Attendees of this webinar will hear Matthew Hoh discuss the military, economic and political state of the Ukraine War as it nears its 4th anniversary. He will discuss the ongoing negotiations to end the Ukraine War and why ending the war is an imperative for all sides. He will summarize the current military, economic and political realities for Ukraine and Russia, as well as Europe and the US, and provide his thoughts on what a successful negotiated settlement may look like. He will also discuss the potential consequences if a political settlement to the war is not reached and it continues into its fifth year. Finally, he will discuss the dangers that will continue even if there is a peace agreement and why demilitarization and a renewed effort to rebuild a wrecked United Nations system are urgently needed.
Matthew Hoh is a disabled Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War and former Afghan War State Department Officer. In 2009, after being appointed to the Foreign Service, Hoh resigned his post in Afghanistan over the Obama administration’s escalation of the Afghan War. He is now an analyst and commentator on foreign and military policy issues as a senior fellow with the Eisenhower Media Network. He serves on the advisory boards of many peace organizations, including Veterans for Peace and World Beyond War, and is an associate member of Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity.
Register to attend:

Boston Solidarity with Minnesota Rally
2026-01-23 15:00 - 17:00 | South Bay Shopping Center, 7 Allstate Rd., Boston, 02125
On Friday, January 23, 2026
South Bay Mall, Dorchester, MA
On Friday, January 23, 2026, UAW Region 9A, labor and other community organizations are gathering for mass rallies and marches in solidarity with Minneapolis-St. Paul and their call for a national “Day of Truth and Freedom” as they face an expanding occupation and escalating ICE violence. Following the shooting of Renee Good and increased repression and intimidation by ICE, multiple Minnesota unions have called for a general strike and economic blackout in the cities.
Join us at 3pm at South Bay Mall in Dorchester (meet near Home Depot) as we stand together in collective power.

Wajib
2026-01-23 19:00 - 20:30 | St James Episcopal Church – Parish Hall, 1991 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA, 02140
To launch our Palestine film series, we present Wajib (2017). The film offers a rare, intimate, and authentic glimpse into the everyday lives of middle-class Palestinians in Nazareth. It is a humorous family drama about a father and his estranged son forced to spend a day together delivering wedding invitations by hand. Wajib artfully weaves the realities of living under occupation into the fabric of everyday interactions, rather than presenting overt political statements. Snippets of news on the radio, interactions with Israeli authorities, and discussions about the choices Palestinians make to survive all serve as a subtle but constant reminder of the political context, offering a deep, thoughtful exploration of identity, exile, and compromise.
Released in 2017, Wajib was directed by Annemarie Jacir, and won 36 international film awards. Jacir’s new film Palestine 36 is the Palestine submission for an international film Oscar. The main actors are Mohammad and his son, Saleh Bakri.
Our screening honors Mohammad Bakri, a well known actor and producer who passed away on December 25. Bakri also worked as a director, including directing the 2002 film Jenin, Jenin in which he interviewed residents of the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank who claimed mass destruction and the killing of Palestinians by Israeli forces during Operation Defensive Shield. The film drew a lot of controversy in Israel and was quickly banned by the Israeli Film Board from being screened.
Sponsored by the MAPA Education Fund. The screening will be followed by an appreciation of Bakri and a discussion led by a Palestinian who is from Nazareth. Light refreshments.
Order your tickets here.

Film Showing: "The Next Dream.” Temporary Protected Status
2026-01-24 15:00 - 17:00 | Community Church of Boston, 565 Boylston St, Boston, 02116
Join us on January 24, from 3-5 at Boston Community Church to watch « The Next Dream », a documentary about the history of the TPS Program and what is at stake with its defense and the need for a path to Citizenship.
Like in the past, and to-day more then ever, its need has come out of the policies of our Government, defending dictatorships or promoting economic policies that starve democracies. El Salvador and Venezuela are just a few examples.
Hear from those directly affected and discuss ways we can support them.

ICE out of our Cities
2026-01-25 18:00 - 19:00
Register here: https://bit.ly/466rwUf

Militarism vs the Care Economy and Degrowth
2026-01-26 18:00 - 19:30 | Online Event
At this critical time, when climate change and war are devastating the planet and causing tremendous suffering, the current political climate is taking everything in the wrong direction. The system of endless growth and accumulation of wealth in fewer and fewer hands at the expense of everyone else and the earth cannot be sustained. How can we do more than hold back the most extreme antidemocratic and environmentally destructive measures and work together to realize a common vision of a livable world? Speakers Harrris Gruman, Juan Jose De Blas and Anna Prouty will address how we can transition from the current disaster/militarist economy to a peace, climate, and justice-oriented care and degrowth economy. They will lay out some of the principles and benefits of a care economy and degrowth and talk about practical steps we can take here in the US to bring about the world we want to see.
Speakers:
Harris Gruman – Executive Director of the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) State Council. He is co-founder and co-chair of Raise Up Massachusetts, a coalition of 150 organizations which successfully campaigned to raise the minimum wage to $15, enact paid family and medical leave, and pass the Fair Share Amendment, aka millionaire’s tax. A veteran of decades of successful issue and electoral work in community and labor organizing, he is an astute political strategist. A former executive director of the Neighbor to Neighbor Education Fund, he studied at Johns Hopkins University. At MAPA, he is a member of the Board of Directors, the Ukraine Committee, and of the Peace and the Working Class Working Group.
Juan Jose Deblas is an active member of the International Degrowth Network as well as the Spanish member group Red Decrecer para Vivir. He sees degrowth as an opportunity to rethink the world’s economic and social systems, address the imbalance between the Global North and South, and protect humanity’s most vulnerable. He is Coordinator of the IDN practice circle, Secretary of organizing and general circles, and helping with European newsletter. He helped organize the September 2025 Beyond Growth conference in the Spanish parliament.
Anna Prouty, Media + Outreach Coordinator at the Degrowth Institute, is a writer, artist and community organizer living in Cascadia. She is the media and outreach coordinator for DGI, and coordinates the Policy Working Group. She was also a co-founder of DegrowUS. When not at DGI, she works for the Center for Rural Livelihoods in Oregon, and organizes around economic democracy, land restoration and bioregionalism. Her debut novel, Genesis, will be released in summer 2026 by Vine Leaves Press.
Register to attend:

Power Hour: Support the Israel Divestment Bill
2026-01-29 18:00 - 19:00 | Online Event
Join MAPA’s Power Hour on Jan. 29 at 6pm to make calls in support of the Israel Divestment Bill.
Despite the supposed “ceasefire” in Gaza, Israel has continued its genocide of Palestinians through airstrikes, gunfire, blocking aid, and destroying homes. The Israel Divestment Bill is as relevant now as it was before the ceasefire was announced.
This bill is currently in the Public Service Committee in the MA House. We will be making calls to the two chairs of the committee to pressure them to vote the bill out favorably. If it does go forward, it can then eventually be voted on by the full state legislature. Read more about the bill.
Take this step to make the State of Massachusetts divest from genocide.

Iran, the US, and Israel: How did we get here?
2026-01-30 15:00 - 17:00 | Online Event
The threat of war continues to loom over Iran. After more than two weeks of nationwide unrest that rocked the country, the protest movement appears temporarily contained following an intense and coordinated security crackdown. Meanwhile, outside actors openly brag about exploiting the situation for their ends, and reports suggest a military strike by the Trump Administration might be imminent.
On Friday, Jan. 30th at 3 pm, NIAC President, Jamal Abdi, will join journalist and analyst Negar Mortazavi and award-winning foreign affairs correspondent and author of All the Shah’s Men, Stephen Kinzer, in conversation. The panel will unpack the current situation inside Iran and the geopolitical landscape, including U.S. and Israeli calculations following the 12-day war last June that killed hundreds of Iranian civilians, and where we go from here.
Negar Mortazavi is an award-winning journalist and commentator, editor and host of the Iran Podcast, Senior Fellow at the Center for International Policy (CIP), and Nonresident Scholar at the Middle East Policy Council in Washington DC. She has been covering Iranian and Middle Eastern affairs as well as US foreign policy towards the Middle East for over a decade. She is a regular commentator for US and global media including CNN, NBC, NPR, BBC, France24, Aljazeera, among others. She has written for Foreign Policy magazine, Politico, The Intercept, and The Independent. She holds a Master’s degree from Brandeis University and a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Jamal Abdi is the President of the National Iranian American Council and the executive director of NIAC Action. He has served in this role since 2018. Prior to joining NIAC as Policy Director in 2009, he was a Policy Advisor on foreign policy, national security, and immigration issues in Congress. Jamal holds a B.A. from the University of Washington in Seattle, majoring in Political Science with a focus on International Relations. He has written for The New York Times, CNN, Foreign Policy, The Hill, and USA Today and blogs at The Huffington Post. He is a frequent guest contributor in print, radio, and television, including appearances on Al Jazeera, NPR, BBC Radio, and VOA.
Stephen Kinzer is an award-winning foreign correspondent who has covered more than 50 countries on five continents. He was a New York Times foreign correspondent for 20 years and is now Senior Fellow at the Watson School of International and Public Affairs of Brown University and a Boston Globe opinion columnist. His books include All the Shan’s Men: An American Coup and the Roots of Middle East Terror (2003).
The event will be online and presentations will be recorded. Sponsored by NIAC and Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund, cosponsored by Veterans for Peace, Just Foreign Policy, About Face Northeast, Center for International Policy, Friends Committee on National Legislation, and Military Families Speak Out.
Register to attend.

Invest in Minds not Missiles
2026-01-31 15:00 - 17:30 | Online Event
Reducing the Threat of Nuclear War 2026
Invest in Minds Not Missiles
Virtual National Conference

Our nation and world are in a period of continuing danger and difficulty: The recently passed Pentagon budget is higher than ever and is funding a new generation of nuclear weapons; The tragic Israel/Gaza Conflict continues; The Russia/Ukraine conflict remains a source of increased danger of nuclear war; The attacks on Venezuela opens a new front of “forever wars”. The egregious costs of the weapons buildups is draining our tax dollars from critical civilian needs, among which are K-12 public schools and higher education. This Conference continues the tradition of trying to increase cooperation and collaboration among those advocating for nuclear disarmament and social and economic justice.
3:00 pm Welcome: Prof. Robert Redwine (MIT);
3:05 pm Continuing Threats:

The Military/Industrial/Nuclear Weapons Complex- William Hartung (Quincy Institute);
Fallacies of the Golden Dome Project – Prof. Ted Postol (MIT);
Dangers from the New Sentinel ICBM – David Borris (Chicago Area Peace Action).

3:45 pm Unacceptable Costs:
Chair: Jonathan King (MIT & Mass Peace Action):

Civilian vs Military Components of the Federal Budget – Debbie Weinstein (Coalition for Human Needs);
Resisting Attacks on Higher Education – Mia McIver (AAUP);
Protecting K-12 Public Schools – TBA (American Federation of Teachers);

4:25 pm Congressional Efforts to Cut Nuclear Weapons Spending and Extend the START Treaty:
Chair: Maryellen Kurkulos (Mass Peace Action Education Fund):

Back from the Brink Campaign – Daniel Hall (Back from the Brink)
U.S. House Opportunities – Larry Cohen (Our Revolution);
U.S. Senate and Extending the New START Treaty – Joseph Gerson (Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security);

4:55 Protecting our Future:
Chair: Susan Mirsky (Nuclear Disarmament Working Group):

Organizing from the Bottom – Shailly Gupta Barnes (Kairos Center, NYC);
Cutting Weapons Budgets – Ben Cohen (Up in Arms Campaign);
Mobilizing for Jobs and Peace – Hon. Nina Turner (We Are Somebody).

5:30 Adjourn
Sponsored by Massachusetts Peace Action Education Fund; MIT Radius; Our Revolution; Institute for People’s Engagement; Up in Arms; Campaign for Peace, Disarmament, and Common Security.
Program Committee: David Borris, Ed Erikson, Keith Harvey, Jonathan King, Susan Mirsky, Robert Redwine

Attendance free. Register to attend.

Black Lives Matter Era Exhibit
2026-02-03 - 2026-02-28 | The Foundry, 101 Roger St, Cambridge, MA, United States
In February 2026, TBR will host an immersive exhibition honoring the Black Lives Matter era as part of Black History Month. The exhibition will be up for all of February 2026 at The Foundry. It is a Community Reflection Space to honor the contributions! reckon with the challenges, and imagine what comes next.
THESE ARE FIVE COMPONENTS TO THE EXHIBITION:
Oral Histories capturing firsthand accounts and reflections from organizers, participants, and community members.
A Wall of Remembrance honoring those we have lost and those who fought for justice.
Artifacts from BLM chapters across Massachusetts, showcasing local organizing efforts.
A BLM Chapter Map projected on the wall showing the locations of national and local chapters.
A Timeline of Key Events that shaped and defined the movement.

New START Action Hour
2026-02-03 12:00 - 13:00 | https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87902840696?pwd=[REDACTED]
Peace Action and colleague organizations will host an Action Hour via Zoom, Tuesday, February 3 at 12:00 Noon eastern time for concerned individuals to generate calls and emails to Congress and the president in support of continuing to observe the New START limits on deployed, strategic nuclear weapons by the US and Russia, due to expire February 5. Longtime nuclear disarmament advocate U.S.
Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), who named his SANE Act after our organization (we were founded as the National Committee for a SANE Nuclear Policy in 1957), will kick us off with brief recorded remarks, so please plan to be prompt.
Never joined an Action Hour before? It’s easy! In addition to a briefing on the status of the issue, we’ll provide a sample call script and template email for you to contact Congress and the president. You make the calls and send the emails during the meeting, and we may have time for some report-backs, especially if you get to talk to a live operator or staffer. It should take well under an hour.
Join Zoom MeetingMeeting ID: 879 0284 0696Passcode: [REDACTED]

Bearing Witness @ ICE
2026-02-04 11:00 - 13:00, 2026-02-11 11:00 - 13:00 | 1000 District Avenue Burlington, MA 01803 United States, 1000 District Avenue, Burlington, 01803, United States
Join Bearing Witness @ ICE outside the ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) New England Headquarters office in Burlington, next to the Burlington Mall, every Wednesday from 11am-1pm.
Stand with us in solidarity to show our love & support, express our shame at ICE, and bear witness to the cruel and unconstitutional actions of our government. Regardless of your views on any other political issues, if you support immigrants and their constitutional rights and are committed to nonviolence, join us.
Schedule (every Wednesday)

11:00-11:30, Welcome and announcements
11:30-12:30, Stand or sit with signs; option to read the U.S. Constitution to ICE
12:30-1:00, Short walk along the sidewalk on District Ave to Mall Road

NOTE: Please sign up for our email list as we may cancel due to severe weather or other circumstances.
If you’re never attended a standout and are curious about signs, parking and more, click The Standout

ICE Wars: Violence, Compassion, and Resistance
2026-02-04 20:00 - 21:00 | Online Event
This webinar will describe the scope of the federal presence in Minnesota, what it feels like to be the subjects to an armed intervention by your own government, the impact on immigrant neighbors, and the myriad ways people are responding and resisting. It will include some lessons that may be helpful for other communities.
Presenter:

Pam Costain lives in Minneapolis. She has been a lifelong peace and social justice activist, a founder of Women Against Military Madness, the Executive Director of the Resource Center of the Americas for 14 years, and a founder and Training Director of Wellstone Action for five years. She is currently active with Twin Cities Indivisible.

Register to attend:

Hands Off Iran Action Hour
2026-02-05 12:30 - 13:30 | Online Event
https://secure.everyaction.com/p3KgFwur4UWVhn_KO_6dzQ2
Join to urge congress to pass Iran War Power Resolutions

Protecting Campus Expression in the Greater Boston Area
2026-02-06 16:00 - 17:00 | https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87235968169
Higher Education is a Public Necessity: Freedom to Speak, To Teach, To Learn, To Research;
With Security and Affordability
A Teach-in with the AAUP/AFT campaign leading up to a national Day of Action on May 1, 2026.
The AAUP and AFT have organized a national campaign resisting the Trump attacks on our campuses, to engage faculty, staffs, students and alumni The call is for teach-ins on the first Fridays of the month leading up to a national event on Friday May 1, 2026. The Greater Boston area is home to more than 50 colleges and universities, but few have active AAUP chapters or AFT locals. To advance the Days of Action Campaign in Greater Boston the Books Not Bombs Committee is holding a series of Zoom Teach-ins. The third in our Boston-area Zoom Teach-ins will be Friday Feb 6 4-5 pm.

4th Anniversary of Ukraine War: End it Now, or It Could End Up in a Nuclear War!
2026-02-12 19:00 - 20:30 | Online Event
Dr. Ivana Nikolic´ Hughes will discuss the urgent need for a negotiated end to the Ukraine War, even with significant concessions to the Russians given the increasingly dire military situation facing the Ukrainians. This would prevent the US or NATO from escalating with new long-range missiles, troops, or attacks on Russian shipping and other targets– such as the alleged Ukrainian 90-drone ‘decapitation’ attack in late December on one of Russian President Putin’s homes– to try to avoid a total Ukrainian defeat. Such escalation could trigger WWIII, and a catastrophic nuclear war.
She will also discuss the increasing danger of nuclear war between the US and Russia because both the Biden and Trump administrations failed to negotiate with Russia to renew the START treaty (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty). It has been the most effective treaty over the past forty years to limit nuclear weapons. It expires on Feb. 6th, and she will discuss the importance of a groundswell of public support for Trump to agree to Putin’s offer to extend the treaty while beginning new negotiations to renew and even expand it.
Dr. Ivana Nikolic´ Hughes is President of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation and a Senior Lecturer in the Discipline of Chemistry at Columbia University. She holds a BS with Honors from Caltech, and a PhD from Stanford University. She has been a faculty member at Columbia University since 2008 and currently serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Group to the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). Her writing has appeared in The Nation, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, The Hill, Scientific American, Truthout, Common Dreams, Transcend Media Service, The Diplomat, and elsewhere.
Cosponsored by Ukraine: A Time for Peace Campaign and the Nuclear Disarmament Working Group of MAPA.
Register to attend:
