In honor of the Pink Moon I want to share information about several pink activist  Women’s Groups.

CODEPINK: Women for Peace is an anti-war group founded by Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans, Diane Wilson, Starhawk and about 100 other women on November 17, 2002 in the lead up to the Iraq War.

They describe themselves as a “grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the war in Iraq, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education and other life-affirming activities.”

The name CODEPINK plays on the Bush Administration’s color-coded homeland security alerts — yellow, orange, red — that signal terrorist threats. While these color-coded alerts are based on fear and have  been used to justify violence, the CodePink alert is a feisty call for women and men to “wage peace.”

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, stop new wars, and redirect our resources into healthcare, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities. CODEPINK rejects foreign policies based on domination and aggression, and instead calls for policies based on diplomacy, compassion and a commitment to international law. With an emphasis on joy and humor, CODEPINK women and men seek to activate, amplify and inspire a community of peacemakers through creative campaigns and a commitment to non-violence.

CODEPINK uses highly creative political street theater to publicize its positions. Wearing their signature pink color, they have conducted marches, protests, and high-visibility publicity stunts with the use of puppets, effigies, oversized heads, and fake blood.

Their first action was a 4-month all-day vigil in front of the White House during the cold of winter. The vigil inspired people from all walks of life, and from all over the country, to stand for peace.

The vigil culminated on March 8, International Women’s Day, when they celebrated women as global peacemakers with a week of activities, rallies and a march to encircle the White House in pink. Over 10,000 people participated, and a group of 25 women, including Alice Walker, Maxine Hong Kingston, Susan Griffin, Starhawk, Jodie Evans and Medea Benjamin — midlife Queens, all —  were arrested for taking the peaceful protest right up to the White House gate.

CODEPINK organizes annual rallies on Mothers Day to encourage women to embrace the role of peacemakers. “Women have been the guardians of life… Because of our responsibility to the next generation, because of our own love for our families and communities, it is time we women devote ourselves — wholeheartedly — to the business of making peace.”

On Valentine’s Day, they stage “kiss-ins” where members assemble outside military recruitment centers and offer kisses in front of pink banners with slogans such as “Make Out, Not War!” and “Love the Troops, Hate the War.”

The Pink Peace Queens have also published a book, Stop the Next War Now, which includes essays by Eve Ensler, Barbara Lee, Arianna Huffington, Janeane Garofalo, Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Hong Kingston, Jody Williams, Naomi Klein, Benazir Bhutto, Helen Thomas, Julia Butterfly Hill, Amy Goodman, Doris Haddock, Cynthia McKinney and others.

Today CODEPINK has 250 local chapters across the United States as well as affiliate groups in Australia, Bangladesh, Canada and Japan.

* Please send me your thoughts about power. Also stories of your own empowerment. When shared, these ideas and examples are extremely inspiring to others. Thanks.

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The Queen welcomes questions concerning all issues of interest to women in their mature years. Send your inquiries to thequeenofmyself@aol.com.

CONSULT THE MIDLIFE MIDWIFE™
Queen Mama Donna offers upbeat, practical and ceremonial guidance for individual women and groups who want to enjoy the fruits of an enriching, influential, purposeful, passionate, and powerful maturity.