“What we do is more important than what we say or what we say we believe.”
—  bell hooks (1952-2021)

In this decisive decade, we work on:

Founded in 1979, many involved in Traprock’s early days remain active. Others offer spiritual and political inspiration as we remember and honor their work. We think of Frances Crowe, Wally and Juanita Nelson, and most recently the loss of Dr. Marty Nathan.

In this century and decade, Traprock has developed our website, social media and email. Not getting our e-newsletter directly? Sign up here for bi-weekly news and programs from Traprock and others.

We’re still on the streets! Traprock supports the weekly Saturday vigils on the Greenfield Common. From 10 to 11 am, Greenfield-based Racial Justice Rising’s vigil has an anti-racist focus, and from 11 am to noon the open peace and democracy vigil continues — since 2002.    

Traprock organizes special actions around the Saturday vigils with the Franklin County Continuing the Political Revolution Peace Task Force and others: August 6-9 Hiroshima-Nagasaki commemorations call for nuclear disarmament; around Tax Day we urge defunding the military; on Armistice Day, originally celebrated on behalf of peace among nations, we called to support the Afghan population, left in dire need.

Highlights from 2021 –

Successful fundraising to support youth intern work on social media raised our digital communication to a more professional and accessible level.

Former Traprock director Pat Hynes continues as active board member to educate and activate our community and beyond with frequent editorials, articles, video presentations and radio podcasts. These are posted on our website and linked to in newsletters. We look forward to the spring 2022 publication of a collection of her work.

The Common Threads project, led by Sarah Pirtle, achieved new levels of outreach and involvement in opposing sexism and empowering girls with the Respect for Girls project, revealing strength and creativity through new alliances and cooperative projects. Sarah helped organize a widely viewed on-line concert for the first day of spring 2021. Many musicians and others honored the UN International Day for the Elimination of Racial Injustice, and work of United Against Hate. Hear the concert online.

Additional support for youth: The 21st Peacemaker Awards ceremony honoring active teens went forward on Zoom, with awards sponsored by the Interfaith Council of Franklin County and Traprock. Twelve Franklin County students and two student groups were recognized for making a difference in the community through activism and outreach. A special plus is a 2022 video project featuring these activist youth, led by board member Diana Roberts.

These and other Traprock projects that support and benefit youth will continue in 2022, with your help. In addition to the Peacemaker awards, they include the Wally and Juanita Nelson Scholarship supporting a Greenfield Community College (GCC) student, a GCC fellowship for student activism, and the Children’s Books Collaborative, providing libraries with books for youth on world peace, empathy, friendship, diversity, tolerance, community, and our place in the natural environment.  

Internationally, in 2021, Traprock supporters were again able to aid the 10,000 Trees for Vietnam environmental justice project in its restoration of biodiversity to an area of central Vietnam heavily sprayed with herbicides such as Agent Orange during the American War in Vietnam.  Thus far the project has supported the planting of 18,000 trees and thousands of Moringa tree seedlings. See a video on this project here.

Traprock in community: work for peace and justice must involve many, thus Traprock is a member of the state-wide Mass Peace Action and works with local and Western Mass. groups including: Racial Justice Rising; Twice as Smart; the FCCPR Peace Task Force; the Resistance Center; Interfaith Center of Franklin County; Greening Greenfield; Nuclear Ban US; the Middle East Peace and Justice Coalition, Ban Killer Drones and CodePink of W. Mass., among others.

Looking ahead to 2022, with your support, for even greater impacts

Traprock’s effective voice for peace, racial, gender, economic and climate justice depends on the action and support of its board members, the many participants in our programs and actions, and all who support these efforts financially. Our modest annual budget from donations is augmented by hundreds of hours of volunteer work. PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE AND EXPAND THIS WORK!

HOW TO HELP?  Make your tax-exempt donation, small or large, directly on our website at ‘Donate’ or send a check to Traprock Center for Peace & Justice, P. O. Box 1201, Greenfield, MA 01302

Yours for peace, justice – and hope in challenging times – your friends at Traprock