End of the Year Letter December 2025
Peter
December 24, 2025
Dear friends and family,
I wish you happy holidays and a better year for you, humanity and the planet in 2026. 2025 has been a difficult year-so many connected issues. Although I do not see yet, the light at the end of the tunnel, I continue to be active in solidarity with Palestine (Palestine Action of South Sound), in political education (Economics for Everyone) and organizing against Trumpism.
My continued connection to friends, you, and family, especially my kids (also my brother, grandchildren and sisters in law) bring me happiness and fulfillment. Thank You from the bottom of my heart! I miss those of you outside Olympia who I cannot see regularly. Friendships are so important to me. Because of this, I almost never feel lonely or depressed. I remain hopeful that another world. a just one, is possible even though fascism is on the rise and a real threat. I have never been more afraid of a fascist USA than now but also don’t think it is inevitable. It is urgent to resist. I feel alive and usually, youthful and still learning.
Sadly, many close friends are dealing with serious illness or injuries. I was strongly affected by the sudden death of my dear friend, Sayad Khan. on January 10th, 2025. He is missed by me and so many. Sy Khan presente!
I continue to work for the release of my friend, Thomas Afeworki, who has been unjustly imprisoned for 15 years in Washington State. I also keep in touch with a few other prisoners.
My health is good. I exercise every day, including going to the gym every other day for a two-hour workout where I listen to Democracy Now, a few podcasts such as “The Dig” and “Behind the News”, and my new habit of listening to novels on audio. I especially enjoyed historical novels including those by Isabel Allende–Island Beneath the Sea (Haiti), A Long Petal of the Sea (Spanish Civil War and Chile), and The Wind Knows My Name (refugees from El Salvador and Nazi Austria). Beginning in my teenage years and up to the present, historical novels continue to be a source of learning and enjoyment for me.
I have been much less disciplined in writing than in staying physically fit. I am working on a memoir which I approach historically. I include lessons for today from the many experiences I have had. I am only up to 1970 and have already written over 30,000 words. I hope to finish a first draft in 2026 and then begin editing it. My memory about the past is still good. I am also working with my close friend Savvina on a Political Economy book that is accessible. It is a critique of capitalism and the current U.S. and global political economy, an analysis of key social movements, an analysis of attempts at socialism in various countries, and a vision of a participatory socialist alternative. In this book, we are trying to build on presentations that Savvina and I have made in political economy programs we have taught at Evergreen. I need to make writing more of a priority. I haven’t developed a regular schedule.
Most of my writing in 2025 have been edited versions of talks I have given, most commonly on Palestine and anti-Zionism, others on immigrant justice, on global solidarity, on Trumpism, and an analysis of Trump’s regressive budget legislation. I am angry every day by the growing US aggression against Venezuela and share this this in conversations and meetings but have not so far, actively organized against these U.S. war crimes. I incorporate anti U.S intervention and against war with Venezuela, and solidarity with Gaza in my activism in the broader movement against Trump.
I miss teaching at Evergreen, 34 years of my life, but continue to teach informally wherever I am and realize teaching, formally and informally, is an important part of who I am. I increasingly share stories that I hope are both interesting and relevant to people today.
I hope to do more traveling in 2026, such as a planned trip to Ireland, Greece and Italy in the summer of 2026, and one to friends north of San Francisco in January, and maybe one to Mexico. I spent almost two months in Mexico in 2025, over a month in Oaxaca, and shorter periods in Morelia and Mexico City, travelling on one trip with a close friend, and the other one with family. I enjoyed every day there, especially seeing good friends although frustrated about the deterioration of my Spanish. I have spent over six years of my life in Latin America, mainly Mexico but also significant time in Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. Solidarity with the people of Latin America and visiting there continues to be an important part of my life.
I have done many interviews this year about government repression against me and my life of activism. These requests have increased recently Two recent interviews I did are: 1) a video on lessons for young activists; and 2) a podcast on my life in San Diego, focusing on repression from 1970 to 1975. They are still being edited. Let me know if you want the link.
Free Palestine!
In solidarity and friendship,