About Us

Mission

Astorians for Peace and Justice was founded in the spring of 2003 in opposition to the Second Gulf War. Our mission is to bring people together in our diverse neighborhood who share a commitment to social justice and democracy to work locally for a more peaceful world.

AFPJ works to build community through education, outreach, cultural exchange, and political action. We are an independent, non-partisan, and non-sectarian organization that believes all people have the right to live in peace and with dignity.

Get Involved

We are an all-volunteer organization and can use your help. We meet once or twice a month to plan actions and events. Join us! We usually meet every other Wednesday evening at the Freeze Peach cafe, 22-00 29th Street, just off Ditmars, in Astoria. Contact us for more information.

Past AFPJ Events & Activities

• Lobby visit to Councilman Peter Vallone Jr. regarding the Religious Freedom Peace Tax Fund. Reso 367. May 2005.
• Astoria contingent to May Day march for nuclear disarmament and an end to war. May 2005
• Participated in vigils at The Flushing Library and at the Flushing military recruitment center in Downtown Flushing, Queens, on the second anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. March 2005.
• Presented The State of the Franchise in 2004 and Beyond, a forum about elections and democracy that included discussion of non-citizen voting, the disenfranchisement of felons, and the problems of electronic balloting. Speakers included Brian Pu-Folkes, Jazz Hayden, and Theresa Hommel. October 2004.
• Queens contingent to the August 29 demonstration against the war at the Republican National Convention.
• Queens contingent at the March 20, 2004 demonstration against the occupation of Iraq.
• Sponsored a showing of Uncovered at Bohemian Hall.
• Co-sponsored a talk on Iraq and Palestine by Jessica Anderson of Seattle's Another World Is Possible.
• Presented: Is the War Really Over? Part II, a talk by Marvin Gettleman and poetry reading by Astoria's own Eliot Katz at Bohemian Hall.
• Organized a lobbying visit to Councilmember Peter Vallone Jr. regarding City Council Resolution 909 affirming civil liberties.
• Lobbying workshop by NYBORDC director Udi Ofer on Resolution 909.
• Party for Peace, an informal get-together for Queens activists & friends.
• Is the War Really Over? a community forum & talk by Councilmember Charles Barron, Veterans for Peace's John Kim, and the Immigration Law Board's Cyrus Mehta.
• Organized buses for and/or participation in peace protests and rallies on Feb. 15 and Mar. 22, 2003.