War Resisters League
New England Regional Office
PO Box 1093
Norwich, CT 06360
Phone: 860.639.8834
Email: joanne [at] warresisters.org
Regional Staffperson Joanne Sheehan provides resources and organizing support in a number of areas related to WRL's pledge to resist war and to strive nonviolently to remove the causes of war including racism, sexism and all forms of exploitation. Rick Gaumer, also a co-founder of WRL/NE, provides administrative support and cooks for Pacifeast Catering.
Nonviolence training
WRL/NE provides facilitators for trainings on nonviolent action, campaign building and grassroots organizing skills. Joanne Sheehan is available to facilitate trainings and workshops on Building Strategic Grassroots Nonviolent Campaigns; Building an Active Organization; How to have a Good Meeting: Agendas, good facilitation, group decision making including consensus; Preparation for Nonviolent Direct Action, and Movement Building for Allies. WRL/NE is in contact with nonviolence trainers in New England through the New England Nonviolence Trainers Network.
Speakers/Workshops
Joanne Sheehan speaks to community groups and college classes and facilitates workshops on various issues including stories and strategies of nonviolent social change, the militarization of youth from a gender perspective, and constructive program – saying yes as well as no.
Voluntown Peace Trust
WRL/NE is actively involved in the Voluntown Peace Trust (formerly the Community for Nonviolent Action) as a member of the Cooperative for Nonviolent Action. VPT provides an accessible space for workshop and gatherings.
Pacifeast Catering
WRL/NE created Pacifeast Catering to provide financial support for our work. This grew out of our experience as the caterers for People's Music Network for Songs of Freedom and Struggle (peoplesmusic.org) since 1977. We cook for weekend gatherings as well as weddings, parties, memorials and other large events. We provide good, healthy options, specializing in vegetarian and vegan although we will cook meat. We will travel to cater in Southern New England and Downstate New York if the event is large enough.
Joanne Sheehan,
New England Regional Office Staff
Joanne Sheehan has been on the staff of the New England Regional Office of WRL since she co-founded it in 1985. She as been a nonviolence trainer/workshop facilitator since the 1970s. She had worked with the Catholic Peace Fellowship and the Community for Nonviolent Action. Joanne has
been active with War Resisters International (WRI) since 1983 when she was elected to Council and served as WRI Chair from 1998 to 2006. She is an editor and contributor of WRI's “Handbook for Nonviolent Campaigns”. (link)
Believing that nonviolent social change needs to include constructive program, Joanne has been involved in developing community land trusts and organizing for economic conversion in her military dependent community of Southeastern Connecticut.
