Name: Public Launch of “Olympia’s Hidden Histories” and Peacemaker Gallery
Start: 2022-10-07T00:00:00-04:00
End: 2022-10-08T23:59:59-04:00
Location: 119 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501

Join us at Fall Arts Walk 2022!

Posted on September 14, 2022

On behalf of students at The Evergreen State College, The Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project, and Art Forces, the Rachel Corrie Foundation is pleased to announce the public launch of Olympia’s Hidden Histories and a new exhibition space, tentatively called “Peacemaker Gallery.”

The multimedia StoryMaps tours and gallery seek to make visible the stories of Olympia’s diverse communities and natural ecology, which are often erased from the dominant narrative of the city. Students in Evergreen’s “American Frontiers: Homelands and Borderlands” program produced walking tours on the historic displacement of Indigenous, Chinese, and working-class communities, and salmon and oyster populations, and their contemporary revitalization:

st̓əč̓as (Steh-Chass): People of the Water
Tidelands: “When the Tide is Out, the Table is Set”
Olympia’s Chinatowns: Exclusion and Endurance
The 5th Avenue Dam: Reflections on Capitol Lake

The public launch will be at the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural at 119 ½ Capitol Way North (Capitol Way North and State), 10:00-11:00 am, Friday, October 7th (the first day of Fall Arts Walk). Invited speakers include Evergreen students and faculty who produced the tours and local partners from the Squaxin Island Tribe (including Chairman Kristopher Peters), Olympia Historical Society, Locke Family Association, and Salmon Defense who provided guidance and editing for the project. The audience will be invited to walk all or some of the tours on their smartphones, with each walk taking about one hour. The tours collection can be accessed on any internet-connected device at https://artforces.org/hiddenhistories (no app download is needed).

The new exhibition space, tentatively called “Peacemaker Gallery,” is hosted by Art Forces and the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project. The gallery will be open during Arts Walk weekend on the second floor of the historic Labor Temple Building, 119 N Capitol Way, 11:00 am-9:00 pm Friday, October 7th, and noon-5:00 pm, Saturday, October 8th. The exhibit intersects with the publication of Olympia’s Hidden Histories, showcasing collaborative and local art highlighting the themes found in the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural and Olympia’s Hidden Histories walking tours.

For those who can’t make the Friday morning launch of Olympia’s Hidden Histories, walking tour information will be available at the Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural site throughout Arts Walk weekend.

The “Walls Tell Stories, Olympia” project is partially funded by a Washington Humanities SHARP grant (through the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021) and by a Thurston County Heritage Grant (recommended by the Thurston County Historic Commission and awarded by the Thurston County Board of Commissioners). Support also comes from the Handleman Family Fund, Sam Mazza Foundation, and the Middle East Children’s Alliance. Support for the launch event comes from the Mellon Foundation (via The Evergreen State College Dean’s Office).

Location: 119 Capitol Way N, Olympia, WA 98501, United States

For more information, please contact [email protected] or [email protected]

CCBLA Opportunity with RCF

Posted on September 2, 2022

Work Study Position: Through CCBLA at The Evergreen State College

Job Title: Community Connections Project Assistant

Salary: $17.00/hr

Start Date: October 1st, 2022 or until a qualified applicant is identified

Job Description

This is a part-time (6-8 hr/week) Work Study position with the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice (RCF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Olympia. Continuing the work that Rachel Corrie began, the foundation conducts and supports programs that foster connections between people, that build understanding, respect, and appreciation for differences, and that promote cooperation within and between local and global communities. The foundation encourages and supports grassroots efforts in pursuit of human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice, which we view as prerequisites for world peace. Current emphasis is on the Middle East.

The Community Connections Project Assistant will work closely with RCF staff and relevant committees and will also interact with other RCF volunteers, partnering organizations, and the public. The position will participate in prioritizing, planning, implementing, and evaluating RCF projects, with a focus on creatively educating and generating connection and involvement with these efforts among different sectors of local and broader RCF communities. Outreach efforts may include, but not be limited to partner organizations, faith groups, community groups, area campuses, student groups, etc. Project focuses may include but are not limited to the following:

The Olympia-Rafah Solidarity Mural Project and associated events, including a current Walls Tell Stories project, annual mural maintenance, and Olympia Arts Walk mural events
Event management, including fielding of event requests, planning, communication, implementation, evaluation and record-keeping for RCF sponsored and co-sponsored events
Continued development of RCF scholarship outreach and promotion, including the Rachel Corrie Memorial Scholarship at The Evergreen State College, and engaging community support for RCF scholarship programs
Pre-planning for Olympia Arab Festival 2022 and/or a 2023 event marking the 20th anniversary of Rachel Corrie’s stand in Gaza
Engaging local interest and support for RCF Gaza projects
Support for general operations of the Rachel Corrie Foundation, under supervision of the Administrative Manager, with the intent of acquiring skills related to running a small nonprofit organization
Support for creating written communications such as e-newsletters and postings at the RCF website

Educational Benefits to be derived by the Student in this job: The student will gain experience, knowledge, and skills pertaining to community engagement and education around social justice issues and the functioning of a small nonprofit organization, including (but not limited to) project and event planning and implementation, community outreach, meeting planning and facilitation, fundraising, communications, and daily operations.

Desired Qualifications:

Some knowledge of and/or interest in Middle East history and politics, particularly the Israel/Palestine issue
Energetic self-starter who is detail oriented, organized, prompt, efficient, and able to prioritize tasks according to deadlines, multitask, manage time wisely, and work independently
Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others and to work in a team
Ability to work effectively with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures
Strong interest in serving and working with the public and ability to do so in a courteous, professional manner
Strong written and oral communication skills
Proficiency in or ability to learn Microsoft Office including Word, Publisher, Excel, and Powerpoint
Email proficiency
Experience with or ability to learn use of Google Drive and Google applications, and/or databases
Ability to work scheduled part-time hours, to be present on occasional evenings for meetings, and to assist with foundation sponsored events

To Apply: The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants who qualify for Washington State Work Study are encouraged to apply. Applications will be held in strict confidence. Interested Evergreen students can reach out to CCBLA Director Ellen Shortt to check eligibility ([email protected]). Additional information can be found on the CCBLA program website.

Work Study Opportunity with RCF

Posted on September 2, 2022

JOB DESCRIPTION – WORK STUDY

Title: Office & Project Management Assistant

Report to: Administrative Manager

*Currently open to TESC, SPSCC, and St. Martin’s students*

This is a part-time, hybrid (6-8 hr/week) Work Study position with the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Olympia. Continuing the work that Rachel Corrie began, the foundation conducts and supports programs that foster connections between people, that build understanding, respect, and appreciation for differences, and that promote cooperation within and between local and global communities. The foundation encourages and supports grassroots efforts in pursuit of human rights and social, economic, and environmental justice, which we view as prerequisites for world peace. Current emphasis is on the Middle East.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Office & Project Management Assistant works closely with management staff, the Board of Directors, designated committees, interns, volunteers, partner organizations, the public, and program constituents to help develop and carry out daily operations, programs, and projects of the Rachel Corrie Foundation (RCF). Within a collaborative, team environment, the Office &Project Management Assistant works with administrative staff and the Board President to support day-to-day functioning of the Rachel Corrie Foundation office, including RCF communications, donor management, fundraising, community outreach, and organizational goals. This position also shares responsibility for project management, including planning, development, implementation, and monitoring of RCF programs and associated projects.

The student will…

…support general operations of the Rachel Corrie Foundation, under supervision of the Administrative Manager, with the intent of acquiring skills related to running a small nonprofit organization.

…assist with events and projects, including fielding of event requests, planning, communications, and implementation of RCF sponsored and co-sponsored events and programs.

…forward electronic and email inquiries to staff.

…support the creation of written communications such as emails, pamphlets, educational and promotional materials.

…learn and communicate general information relating to RCF’s project and mission.

…support maintenance of electronic and hard copy records associated with designated programs, projects, events, and general record keeping.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Some knowledge of and/or interest in social justice and the Arab world, particularly the Israel/Palestine issue
Energetic self-starter who is detail oriented, organized, prompt, and efficient, with ability to prioritize tasks according to deadlines, to multitask, manage time wisely, and work independently
Excellent interpersonal skills, including ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with others and to work in a team
Ability to work effectively with individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures
Strong interest in serving and working with the public, and ability to do so in a courteous, professional manner
Strong written and oral communication skills
Proficiency in or ability to learn Microsoft Office including Word, Publisher, Excel, and Powerpoint
Email proficiency
Experience with or ability to learn to use Google Drive and Google applications, and/or databases
Ability to work scheduled part-time hours, to be present on occasional evenings for meetings, and to assist with foundation sponsored events

EDUCATIONAL BENEFITS TO BE DERIVED BY THE STUDENT: The student will gain experience, knowledge, and skills in all areas of community engagement and education around social justice issues and the functioning of a small nonprofit organization, including (but not limited to) daily office management and operations, meeting planning and facilitation, communications, project and event planning and implementation, community outreach, and development and fundraising.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Start Date: October 1st or until a qualified candidate is identified
Compensation: $17.00/hour
To Apply: The Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants who qualify for Washington State Work Study are encouraged to apply. Applications will be held in strict confidence. Please submit a letter of interest and résumé with full employment history to [email protected], through Handshake, or by postal mail to Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, 203 East 4th Avenue, Suite 402, Olympia, WA 98501.

Applications will be reviewed upon receipt. The position will be open until a qualified candidate is identified. For a copy of the full job description, please contact [email protected] or call the RCF office at (360) 754-3998.

Accountability for Shireen Abu Akleh

Posted on July 21, 2022

Seeking Accountability for Shireen Abu Akleh

At the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice, we were outraged and deeply saddened when news came from the West Bank in May of the killing of prominent Al Jazeera reporter and Palestinian-American Shireen Abu Akleh. In the days and weeks that followed, an all too familiar pattern of events unfolded: Israeli denial of responsibility, obfuscation of facts, and U.S. calls for Israeli investigation without strong action to back those calls.

This past Wednesday, The Intercept published this story in which Alice Speri compellingly recounts the Corrie family’s quest for accountability in the case of Rachel Corrie and the current effort by the Abu Akleh family to seek justice for their loved one, Shireen, all within the broader context of the U.S./Israel relationship and the Occupation of Palestine that has claimed the lives of so many others.

Please make time to read this very important article:

No Path to Justice: Israel Keeps Killing Americans While Israeli Officials Give Them a Pass

In this BBC video, hear from Anton Abu Akleh about his family’s reaction to recent U.S. actions and statements on Shireen Abu Akleh’s case.

Shireen Abu Akleh’s brother: ‘I feel abandoned’

Now take action!

Share links to the pieces above through social media and elsewhere.

Commit with us to remember Shireen and to act on her behalf.

Continue to demand that the U.S. and other governments act strongly to ensure not only a credible investigation, but also accountability in Shireen’s case and for protection of the press. Contact your public officials. Demand that they take action for Shireen Abu Akleh and strongly and consistently oppose and address human rights violations committed by Israel.

If Israel and the U.S. fail to produce a sound investigation that leads to accountability in Shireen’s case, then demand that international bodies such as the United Nations or International Criminal Court be supported in taking on this case.

Continue to advocate for the thousands of Palestinians lost to Israeli Occupation whose cases receive no attention from Israel – nor from the U.S., whose billions in military aid make us complicit.

You can help to maintain the work of the Rachel Corrie Foundation for Peace and Justice. Donate Here.

The Nakba: 74 Years and Counting

Posted on May 22, 2022

The Nakba

74 Years and Counting

From the Rachel Corrie Foundation Public Policy Committee

On May 15th, 2022, the 13 million Palestinians around the world mark the Nakba, or the “catastrophe” of the 1948 dispossession of their ancestral territory, and the founding of the Israeli state on their national homeland. In the two-year period around the Nakba, Palestinians lost about 78 percent of historic Palestine. At least 40 percent of Palestinians became refugees, subjected to violent “ethnic cleansing,” and thousands were killed in a series of atrocities and massacres. Settlers took possession of their homes, farms, and businesses, in a repeat of the settler colonialism earlier inflicted on the Americas, South Africa, and other parts of the world. In 1967, the Israeli military occupied the rest of historic Palestine.

As the world’s attention is focused on the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Ukrainian people are facing their own Nakba in 2022, at the hands of another occupier who claims much of their land, and denies their very cultural existence. Imagine if Putin successfully annexes most of Ukraine and displaces its people, and moves settlers from Russia to take their place. Imagine if 19 years from now, he invades the rest of Ukraine, and begins to settle Russians in those occupied territories. Then the history of Ukrainians would begin to resemble the experiences of Palestinians, with an occupation that is normalized in the name of “might makes right.”

If we understand such a vision as a nightmare for Ukrainians, we can begin to understand what the continuing denial of nationhood – and in many ways, a continuation of the Nakba that has never ended – means to Palestinians in the 21st century. As our hearts go out to Europeans suffering from war and occupation, we have an opportunity to extend that empathy to others being denied their basic human rights, and to stop enabling other wars and occupations.

Connect with RCF Online