Announcements and Statements

Visualizing Palestine Exhibit at Tacoma Friends – October 22 through 25

Tacoma Friends Meeting invites anyone who is interested to view an exhibit called Why We Record: Defying Fragmentation and Erasure in Palestine October 22 through 25. This exhibit was created by the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) along with Visualizing Palestine. Attendees can view photographs and creative graphics, and read first-hand accounts from Palestine right after the Nakba, or “catastrophe” of 1948, through years of displacement and fragmentation, leading into a vision of hope for the future.

The exhibit schedule is:

  • Thursday, October 22, 11 am to 2 pm
  • Friday, October 23, 4 to 7 pm
  • Sunday, October 25, 12 to 2 pm, with a discussion at 1 pm

There is no cost to attend. We invite all – including ourselves – to reject the notion that violence can bring about lasting peace and security for anyone involved. We share a deep respect for the storytellers narrating the painful realities of Palestinians who cannot yet live in dignity and freedom, and we invite visitors to this exhibit to witness the truths of the past, the heartbreak of the present, and the possibilities of the future. To see panels in the display go to: Downloadable Exhibit – Visualizing Palestine

From Faith to Action – October 22, 2026, 6 to 8 pm, Bethlehem Baptist Church

Join Associated Ministries and the Faith Action Network for an energizing evening of community-building and advocacy. Connect with local leaders, hear powerful stories, and learn concrete ways to take action at the city, county, and state levels. This event takes place at Bethlehem Baptist Church, 4818 Portland Ave E., Tacoma. Use this link to register. https://fanwa.ourpowerbase.net/civicrm/event/info?reset=1&id=338

Election 2026

Please view the following slide presentation and consider voting “No” on Initiatives 001 and 638. No Hate in Washington State.pptx – Google Slides

Also consider voting “No” on Initiative 645 to protect a funding source for multiple programs in Washington State without raising taxes on working families. Here is the slide presentation for more information: No on Initiative 645.pptx – Google Slides

Please consider the following nominees for the WA Supreme Court who align with our values: Justice Colleen Melody, Judge Jaime Hawk, Judge Ian Birk, Justice Theo Angelis, and Chief Justice Debra Stephens.

Opportunities

Donations for the unhoused. Bring items to help unhoused neighbors to Tacoma Friends. Clean clothing, jackets, water bottles, towels, easy-to-eat food items are all appreciated. Volunteers will take them to a distribution site.
Resources for Immigrant Families

Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families provides resources for immigrant families and those who are helping them navigate these difficult times. Go to DCYF | Washington State Department of Children, Youth, and Families and learn more by clicking on the Family Separation Rapid Response Team button.

Link to divestment strategies offered by the American Friends Service Committee: How to Divest | AFSC Investigate. Go to Home | American Friends Service Committee for additional information about Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) efforts.

Ongoing Peaceful Demonstrations in Tacoma:

  • The corner of 38th and Steel, Saturdays from 2-3pm regarding the conflict in Palestine.
  • 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month from 5 to 6 pm at the corner of Sprague and 6th (at the corner of Hilltop Heritage Middle School). The organizers are an independent Love>Fear Group composed of people from various faith traditions. will be standing on Monday, March 9th from 5:00 – 6:00 p.m, on the corner of 6th and Sprague. People stand in opposition to fascism and war. They use positive messages and strive for non-violence in speech and action.
  • March 28th – various locations – No Kings Day.

Homeless Outreach – Bring a case of bottled water or other food/supplies to the meetinghouse for distribution to people living homeless.

Contact your State legislator through Welcome to the Washington State Legislature or go to Home — Quaker Voice for more information about legislative issues here in Washington State.

Learn about Federal issues and contact Congress by visiting Home | Friends Committee On National Legislation


Community Statements

Tacoma Friends Minute on Peace “Quakers believe there is that of God in everyone. To harm another person is to harm God’s dwelling place. Peace is more than a sense of calm or a rejection of violence. Peace is a way of life . . .”

Tacoma Friends Minute on Inclusion “Tacoma Friends Meeting (Quakers) is a community of people from a variety of races, colors, ethnicities, national origins, (dis)abilities and attributes, sexual orientations, gender identities, and their expressions. . . .:

Audio of Tacoma Friend Minute on continued suffering and death in Gaza Friend Louisa Beal recorded our Minute as a PSA for KTAH Radio Tacoma 101.9 FM. The QR code below takes you to audio of the PSA.


Tacoma Friends Updated Minute on Conflict in Israel and Gaza, approved by Meeting for Business June, 2025

Tacoma Friends Minute on Conflict in Israel and Gaza, approved by Meeting for Business January 14, 2024

TFM Land Acknowledgement that the meeting house sits on Puyallup Tribe unceded territory, recognition of our responsibility for harm, ongoing commitment to right relationships, and repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.

2025 State of the Society Report “Mixed joy and grief as we gained new friends and mourned the loss of dear loved ones. . . .”