Mill Valley Senior Citizens for Peace, an organization advocating for justice in social and environmental issues, has rallied members every Friday from 4 to 5 p.m. for nearly 21 years on the corner of Miller Avenue and Camino Alto Street.
Founded on Jan. 31, 2003, by Rolly Mulvey, the group comprises Redwoods Retirement Community residents and Mill Valley locals, with an average age of 86 years old. Nancy Miller, an original member of the Mill Valley Seniors for Peace, has continued rallying in hopes of bringing peace to the world.
“In 2003, before the war in Iraq, I promised [Mulvey] I would be out here until there’s peace in the world,” Miller said. “And I’m still here.”
Members, wearing customized Mill Valley Senior Citizens for Peace apparel, gather at their Mill Valley corner to invoke interaction in modern politics.
“As the years went by, we continued to deal with peace issues that expanded our mission to new goals, such as social and racial justice to environmental issues,” Miller said.
The group uses various creative methods to spread its messages, including decorated signs, musical instruments and posters. Their striking signs and colorful posters catch the attention of bypassers, while their use of musical instruments and chants adds an energetic element to their protests. Miller highlights how the group’s diverse membership strengthens their initiative.
“Most of us live here in The Redwoods but we also have members from the [Mill Valley] community at large,” Miller said, motioning to the line of protesters down the sidewalk on a Friday afternoon. “The guy down at the end is the mayor. We have the mayor, guitarists and other community members with us today and every Friday.”
The support for their environmental initiatives extends well beyond the Mill Valley elderly; they also collaborate with seniors at Tamalpais High School. Among the ones leading the initiative are Madeline Mickelson, Lindsey Lefferts and Talia Bamberger. These dedicated students are not only members of their Environmental Club but also key figures in spearheading projects that bridge the gap between generations.
Mickelson, Lefferts and Bamberger began collaborating with the seniors during their sophomore year, guided by their adviser, Jessica Watts.
“We started protesting here with [our environmental teacher], Ms. Watts, as part of environmental science [class in our] sophomore year,” Mickelson said. “We really enjoyed getting to work with the seniors, so we decided to create our own club to work with them and come every Friday to protest alongside them.”
Students’ involvement with the seniors brings fresh perspectives and renewed energy to the cause. Lefferts notes the importance of working across generations and learning from the seniors.
“This is a generational issue,” Lefferts said. “It’s really fun to get involved, work and talk with seniors and hear their experiences, too.”
The Mill Valley Senior Citizens for Peace’s mission statement encapsulates all of the inspiring work they do: “In our closing years, we strive to serve as role models for our children and grandchildren, demonstrating how we must all work together to improve our democracy and to preserve our planet.”
Rain or shine, the members of Mill Valley Citizens for Peace will be out every week advocating for what they believe in and encouraging future generations to follow in their footsteps.
