Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane

History

The Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane(PJALS) is a community of people committed to building foundations for a just and nonviolent world.

PJALS has been active for 30 years. Since 1975, PJALS has promoted social, political and economic change through community organizing, nonviolence training, volunteer involvement, human rights education and advocacy. PJALS networks with local, regional and national peace and human rights groups to initiate change locally and globally.

PJALS is a grassroots, multi-issue organization with about 600 members. Many members are low-income. PJALS accomplishments have included: leading the largest anti-racism march in the Inland Northwest, organizing the Pacific Northwest’s only counter-Quincentennial event representing every regional Indian nation, establishing Spokane’s only fair trade store, organizing an educational forum on farm worker rights keynoting Dolores Huerta, providing peacekeeper training for GLBT marches and events, education around GLBT civil rights, working on successful passage of a local human rights ordinance, organizing statewide vigils and services for state executions, advocating and educating around NAFTA and globalization issues, sponsoring an annual peace essay contest, and presenting a consistent voice and presence in opposition to war, militarization, and nuclear proliferation.

Mission Statement

The Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane is committed to involving individuals and local communities in building foundations for a just and nonviolent world.

Diversity Statement

The Peace and Justice Action League of Spokane is committed to honoring the unique and dignified experience of every human being. To this end, PJALS invites input from a wide variety of community groups and individuals, seeking to integrate our experiences, honor our diversity and thereby strengthen the emerging diversity of our community.

We want participation and representation from families, low wage workers, faith communities, unions, and identity-based civic and advocacy organizations. We acknowledge the differences of community members with regard to race, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, ethnicity, physical ability, socioeconomic and cultural back ground, educational levels, marital status, and family circumstance.

We seek to foster mutual understanding and support through alliances with other groups affected by oppression in order to direct grassroots efforts toward increased justice.