Tag: Bread Not Bombs

Bread not Bombs 2023 brought us together again!

For the 37th time, we gathered in community on Saturday, November 4 in the Undercroft at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Oxford. We switched to a potluck format but welcomed everyone, whether or not they brought a dish, and had plenty of delicious food! In solidarity with workers, our menu included our tradition of beans and rice and bread. Peter Carels and 5 friends of OGADE Drum Group accompanied our spirited exchange.

We recognized the decades of committed activism of our two Peace & Justice Award winners, Kathy McMahon-Klosterman and Vanessa Cummings. Each of them continues to work tirelessly for justice, equity and inclusion of all members of our community. Last year’s P&J winner, Shana Rosenberg, updated us on the progress of Thread Up! Oxford, and we shared the call for attending the December 15 meeting of Miami’s Board of Trustees from last year’s other P&J recipient, Chantel Raghu. Vice-Mayor Raghu is calling on Miami University to cover the costs of Oxford providing EMS and fire services to Miami’s campus. Friends and community members socialized and spoke out about local justice concerns, including gun violence, and the need to support local unions, and groups like Democratic Socialists of America.

This year’s dinner received considerable support from the community, including donations of coffee from Thurstons’ Oxford Coffee Company; condiments and foodstuffs from MOON Co-Op; and bottled water from Rev. Beverly A. Simmons and God’s House of Praise & Worship. Representatives of our host, Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, Rev. Julie Blake Fisher and Rev. Kip Colegrove, joined us for the fun. As always, the event could not have happened without the committed volunteers and Board members of OCPJ: Margarette Beckwith, Kathie Brinkman, Susan Callan, Barbara Ann Caruso, Marilyn Elzey, Ann Fuehrer, Andy Garrison, Ann Geddes, James Klosterman, Pat Meade, Mary Rezaian, Linda Simmons, Jerry Stanley, and Josette Stanley. Photos provided by Mary Rezaian and Margarette Beckwith.

Looking forward to seeing you for the 38th time in 2024!

Bread not Bombs is back after a two-year pandemic hiatus.  On Saturday, December 3, 2022, 75 members of the community gathered in the undercroft of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church with Oxford Citizens for Peace and Justice (OCPJ). Thirty-seven volunteers, organized by long-time OCPJ member Ann Geddes, made it possible for us to share a homemade meal of beans and rice, enjoy the music of Judy and Warren Waldron and the drumming of OGADE, and appreciate the activism of two winners of the annually awarded Peace and Justice Awards. 

OCPJ recognized Oxford’s Vice-Mayor Chantel Raghu with one of our annual Peace and Justice Awards.  A second award went to Shana Rosenberg, who is a member of two of the City of Oxford’s Commissions, the Housing Advisory and the Planning Commissions, and founder of Thread up Oxford.  Although they each make unique contributions, both Chantel and Shana work within the structure of City government AND outside of that structure to address basic survival needs—food, clothing and shelter—of vulnerable, really all, members of the community, through sustainable practices that keep food waste or fabrics out of landfills.  They work seemingly tirelessly, contributing their time, energy and homes to redistributing resources, working in solidarity with those living in poverty. 

The first Bread not Bombs dinner happened in 1986, organized by OCPJ’s co-founder and first Director, Linda Musmeci Kimball.  This year’s BnB program, emceed by Board President Barbara Ann Caruso and Facilitator Ann Fuehrer, included Linda’s recounting of OCPJ’s beginning in 1979 and early years; a scrapbook of many of the photos Linda kept over the years was shared with attendees.  Long-time OCPJ member Kathy McMahon-Klosterman gave a moving tribute to co-founder Jane Strippel, who died at the end of October 2022.  Children enjoyed doing crafts and exploring picture books on Iran, Ukraine, and citizen movements for peace and justice.  We sold buttons, stickers, peace calendars and other merchandise at our Peace Market.  Flyers and displays provided education and calls to action on homelessness and environmental justice in Oxford.

If you’d like more information about OCPJ and how to join; OCPJ trifold brochures, buttons or stickers; or if you’d like to become more actively involved, including joining the Board of OCPJ, contact Ann at facilitator@ocpjohio.org

Photos provided by Mary Rezaian and Margarette Beckwith.  

Board President Barbara Ann Caruso