By Niaz Dorry – NAMA’s Coordinating Director

…well, we really only need the money and the lawyers! You can keep the guns. We’re non-violent. And, we’ve had enough gun encounters to last us a while.

I was all ready to send you a decked out newsletter, but then read the most recent blog by our community organizer, Brett Tolley. He writes about how being held up at gunpoint recently taught him about the value of our work connecting fisheries to the broader food justice movement. To say his words inspired me would be an understatement. What was equally inspiring was a comment left by a reader telling Brett “If everyone confronted with violence was as clear-eyed as you were in this situation, the violence would not get passed on so often as it does. Thanks for your perspective — and may we all keep the big picture in mind as we are confronted by personal and systemic violence.”

So instead of sending the original newsletter, I decided to send you Brett’s blog. I don’t expect all of you to cry like I did reading it, but I hope it moves you. You can follow our blog by visiting http://whofishesmatters.blogspot.com, but I’ll spare you a step this time as I’ve added Brett’s blog below.

Oh, and why do we need lawyers and money? Like for the rest of the world, these are lean times for NAMA. Please consider supporting our work by making a donation today. And, as for lawyers, we are making great headway on the Fleet Diversity front. Currently we are working with fishing communities around New England to develop alternatives for an Amendment that may shape the future of New England fisheries. To do this work justice, we’ll need some legal analysis. So if you or someone you know has background in environmental law and wants to put it to good use by offering some pro-bono help to our work on fisheries policies, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Now, get a box of tissue and enjoy Brett’s blog.

(Click here to read the full newsletter)