July 2012

As part of the celebration of Three Decades of Daring Deeds, we are featuring interviews with WAMM members who have been with the organization from its beginnings.

When Polly Mann moved from Marshall, Minnesota to Minneapolis, she had already been coming to the Twin Cities to protest against the Vietnam War. She had become acquainted with Marianne Hamilton. Both women were concerned about the dangers of nuclear war. They talked with other women who were opposed to war in the early 1980s.

Photo by Michael Bayly

Some of these women met at the Newman Center at the University of Minnesota for a meeting with an action. Their first joint action took place that day when they walked down University Avenue in below zero weather to protest war.

Some of the original WAMM women taught social work at the University of Minnesota and they brought the concept of empowerment to WAMM. Polly points out that this was long before “empowerment” was common in volcabulary. To be empowered, the women of WAMM wanted to remain an autonomous local group and that meant running the organization themselves with an office and staff.

They did not want it to be hierarchical or have to comply with a distant headquarters. They wanted to be open, to listen to one another and to develop on their own organically, under the umbrella of the mission to oppose our country’s military madness and related injustices.

Polly Mann as Mrs. I.M. Rich at the Minnesota State Capitol; accompanied by supporters, including Marie Antoinette Sans Tete and Dim Murphy, CEO of A. Lie & Tech, she proclaims tax breaks for the elite. Photo by Tom Bottolene.

Today, the organization is still going strong and so is Polly, both continuing to organize in the peace and justice movement.

In spite of the gravity of the issues, Polly maintains her wit and wisdom. She engages in education, protests and creative actions. She continues to speak against war and injustice and writes a regular column, as well as articles, for the WAMM newsletter. In addition to being an active member of the Newsletter Commit-tee, she is also a member of the WAMM Middle East Committee and the WAMM Media Committee.

Polly invites you to celebrate WAMM’s 30th Anniversary. There will be no long speeches but plenty of visual reminders of our history, tasty refreshments and camaraderie. 

The Celebration Party
Three Decades of Daring Deeds

Sunday, July 22 , 2012    4:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Program at 5:00 PM
Suggested donation: anything with a 3 and a 0 in it!
Carondelet Center Dining Room
(next to St. Catherine University)
1890 Randolph Avenue, St. Paul, MN  55105

All of us, friends, supporters and members, are who and what WAMM continues to be, so come celebrate us!  RSVP or reservations are not required.

We hope you can come to the party, but if you are unable to, please help WAMM continue acting for peace and for justice. Donate online by clicking here, mail your donation to WAMM, 310 E. 38th Street, Minneapolis MN 55409, or call the WAMM office at 612-827-5364.

People know they can count on WAMM. In a violent world, WAMM will continue as a strong presence for peace with your help.

We can’t do it without you. Thank you!

P.S. If you would like to learn more about WAMM, visit the WAMM website byclicking here. For views on current issues, check the blog, WAMMToday by clicking here.

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One Comment

  1. nonviolentconflict July 22, 2012 at 4:17 PM

    Reblogged this on NonviolentConflict.

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