NORTH EAST Sat, Mar 28 @ 2pm -4pm North East, PA U.S. 20 & Lake Street North East, PA 16428
CHAUTAUQUA NY Sat, Mar 28 @ 11am – 1pm Chautauqua Institution, 67 Bestor Plaza, Chautauqua, NY 14722
MEADVILLE Sat., March 28 11am – 12:30pm Diamond Park Square Meadville, PA 16335
NORTHERN CHQ Sat, Mar 28 @ 3 – 5pm 219 Central Ave Fredonia, NY 14063
More info: nokings.org mobilize.us
ACTIVISM & RESOURCES
Erie County PA Activism Comprehensive list of local actions, resources, and groups. all in one easy-to-search place. Updated often!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1GQMvq8gAOiFI9niSPC0PkE5tdwzbdwhZS_L_FEsHn88/edit?tab=t.0
ARTS & FESTS & READS
Erie Resistance Singing March 12- at 6pm Unitarian Universalist Congregation 7180 Perry Hwy, Erie, PA "Come share some tunes!!!" RSVP: PIRiseUp@gmail.com
A Doll's House Erie Playhouse April 10 - 26 Playwright Amy Herzog’s acclaimed adaptation of Henrik Ibsen's groundbreaking 1879 play that critiques 19th-century marriage and gender roles.
The Audacity: Queer Imaginaries in Art and Writing April 29 at 630pm Erie Art Museum 20 E 5th St. Erie, PA Instructor: Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal. Discussion follows. Seminar included with Museum admission. "We also ask that participants mark their attendance with donations which will go directly to Compton’s Table..." Recommended reading (open source) provided to participants before the session. Registration and Materials Required.
Youngstown May Day Festival, May 1-3, 2026 Calvin Center 755 Mahoning Ave, Youngstown Ohio. "Annual celebration of labor, human rights, climate justice, and all things spring!"
Erie Resistance Singing March 12- at 6pm Unitarian Universalist Congregation 7180 Perry Hwy, Erie, PA "Come share some tunes!!!" RSVP: PIRiseUp@gmail.com
Multicultural Dance Night 2026 Friday, March 27, 2026 7:00 PM "Enjoy dances from around the world performed by artists from our own vibrant Erie community."
Sunny War in concert March 28 at 7:30 PM Struthers Library Theatre 302 W 3rd Ave. Warren, PA
The Audacity: Queer Imaginaries in Art and Writing April 29 at 630pm Erie Art Museum 20 E 5th St. Erie, PA Instructor: Clayton Bradshaw-Mittal. Discussion follows. Seminar included with Museum admission. "We also ask that participants mark their attendance with donations which will go directly to Compton’s Table..." Recommended reading (open source) provided to participants before the session. Registration and Materials Required.
Youngstown May Day Festival, May 1-3, 2026 Calvin Center 755 Mahoning Ave, Youngstown Ohio. "Annual celebration of labor, human rights, climate justice, and all things spring!"
ACLU-PA Art contest "Open to art creatives ages 18–30, the contest seeks original artwork that explores the meaning and importance of due process to our civil liberties and freedoms. "
Finding Black bookstores in the region Directory compiled and promoted by National Association of Black Bookstores (NAB²).
BIKE
The Erie Bike Co-op is having its Spring Open on March 28 from 10am-2pm. The event includes bicycle giveaways and a variety of donation-based bicycles as well as pay-what-you-can tune ups (pedal bikes only, they can't service e-bikes), tours of the upgraded shop space, and rollout of their new community tool share program. They'll be collecting donations to outfit a new slate of work benches with tools for this program as well. Check the SSJNN Facebook page for updates, and sign up for the co-op's email newsletter for more info.
BLACK HISTORY
Marcus Atkinson announces 24/7 Black radio "BlaXcess Media, a brand-new radio network operating under the Lilly Broadcasting umbrella on WICU-FM 92.7 HD2. Built to amplify culture, conversation, and community, BlaXcess Media delivers Black radio 24/7—right here in Erie."
Rev. Jesse Jackson’s inspiring impact remembered by Erie leaders (Kevin Flowers/Erie Times-News) leaders
Historical Institute of Culture & the African American Experience. 315 East 9th Street, Erie, PA
(814) 920-2851 BishopCurtisJones@gmail.com As of February 2026 they were experiencing boiler trouble, so best to check first before visiting. Voices of History project spotlights Erie’s Black heritage (PA Humanities) Erie stories scheduled to be released this year. Part of a statewide effort to collect and celebrate the stories, family histories, struggles, and triumphs of Black Pennsylvanians in the 20th and 21st centuries, preserved digitally.
How legacy of slavery shaped PA and Philadelphia (Penn Capital-Star) Interview with historian Kathleen Brown, a University of Pennsylvania professor
Jaime Kinder and the grassroots revolution in Meadville (PA Humanities) Feature on Meadville mayor and her participation in PA Heart & Soul. (published 8/27/2025)
A Look at Erie'a East Side Renaissance (Erie Times-News) Video
Reddit conversation about living on lower eastside Erie Pretty discussion, from people who actually live or lived there.
Here's what new US census data tells us about city of Erie (Kevin Flowers/Erie Times-News)
EARTH
Festival of the Birds at Presque Isle May 15-17
WNY Land Conservancy Raising Funds to Acquire Bear Lake (WNYLC) " a key piece in a growing conservation corridor in northern Chautauqua County... these lands will form a connected network of forests, wetlands, and wildlife habitat totaling nearly 1,000 acres across 2.5 miles...also an important component of the WNY Wildway" ... French Creek Hemlock Hill (WeConservePA) now open to "leave no trace" recreation Morton family donated 249 acres to French Creek Conservatory, borders the Seneca Division of the Erie National Wildlife Refuge.
ELECTIONS
Justin Wagner from Mercer Co. running against Mike Kelly "Veteran Engineer.Pro Union,Pro Worker" "Mercer County’s Homegrown Candidate"
Justin Wagner-Meet and Greet March 26th – 6-8pm Edinboro Hotel, 100 Meadville St, Edinboro
FOOD
Annual CommUnity Seed Swap at 1020 Collective March 21 10am-1pm 1020 Holland St Erie PA "These events are free and open to the public!"
Seed Swap: March 21st, 11am-4pmErie Food Policy Advisory Council Community Meeting Schedule Change FPAC community meetings moved to 4th Wednesday of each month. 4:30 PM - 5 PM: Optional Community Potluck Social 5 PM - 6 PM: FPAC Meeting (regular business and community discussion) SSJNN Eastside Office or Virtual 436 East 26th St. Erie, PA" FPAC current newsletter
Plant Swap: May 17th, 11am-2pm
HOME
March 11 6pm Cathedral of St Paul, 134 W 7th Erie PA
March 14 12pm Quality of Life Learning Center, 2046 E 19th Erie PA
Dave Brennan says PA vacant buildings could solve its housing crisis (Erie Times-News)
IMMIGRANTS
City of Erie to Expand Support for Immigrants and Refugees, Limit Cooperation with ICE (Emerson Bannon Cutri / Portside) Erie City Council approves welcoming city ordinance (Kevin Flowers / Erie Times-News)
ICE in Erie: PA United's Rapid Response Network Established to Increase Protections, Inform Neighbors (Carlos Mora /Erie Reader) "If you see immigration enforcement activity, or if a loved one has been detained, you can call our 24/7 hotline at 814-580-7090. Trained volunteers will answer and help coordinate support. If you want to get involved or learn more, you can reach us at eriedeiced@protonmail.com. "
"You are Not Alone" monthly vigil March 13 12:15 PM in front of the Federal Courthouse on South Park Row in Erie. The Erie-Meadville District Anti-racism Team of the United Methodist Church will be leading the prayer gathering.
PA to expand successful "Little Scandinavia" housing project to SCI Cambridge Springs, 2 others (PennLive) "The state Department of Corrections is in the process of expanding a pilot housing program modeled after more humane prisons in Scandanavia to three additional prisons"
Benedictines for Peace is sponsoring the Good Friday Pilgrimage for Peace on Friday, April 3, 2026, beginning at 11:00 am at St. Peter Cathedral, 10th and Sassafras Streets in Erie. Racism is the focus of this year’s contemporary Stations of the Cross. All are welcome to participate. Details at link
Archbishop Oscar Romero Award on March 24, the feast day of Saint Oscar Romero, held at 7 p.m. in the Mercy Heritage Room of Mercyhurst University, Erie PA
GEMISH
Songs That Remember: Oral Traditions and Cultural Resilience in Diasporic Families 16 Mar Featuring: Shreelina Ghosh, Ph.D 7:00 PM Jefferson Ed. Society 3207 State, Erie $10.30
w/Guest $15.45
w/Guest $15.45
Books and Beers: The Wind Knows My Name by Isabel Allende March 22 at Erie Ale Works 416 W
12th Erie 12:30pm
WNY
New Neighbors Coalition Jamestown NY "We are a grassroots, community-minded, volunteer network committed to welcoming immigrants to Jamestown, NY"
Fredonia march takes aim at ICE policies (Observer Today)
NY AG Letitia James investigates death of Nurul Amin Shah Alam (Mother Jones) Blind refugee dumped by Border Patrol in Buffalo Feb. 24.
New Trump policy threatens Buffalo refugees (Investigative Post)
JUSTICE
SPIRIT
"You are Not Alone" monthly vigil March 13 12:15 PM in front of the Federal Courthouse on South Park Row in Erie. "If your faith community would like to participate in leading one of these peaceful gatherings, please contact us to get scheduled."
GEMISH
Paul Zobrod Remembered Paul Zobrod's's daughter Zoe recently wrote a thoughtful opinion on ICE (see under Immigrants heading), and I was reminded that she had written a very nice remembrance when her father passed last year. Paul Zobrod taught at Allegheny from the 1960s to the 1990s. See Zoe's remembrance at link.
