Veterans taking part in an anti-war walk from Maine to Washington, D.C., stopped in Philadelphia on June 14-15.

The Peace Walk 2024 began May 7 in Ogunquit, Maine, and will conclude around July 4 or 5 at the NATO summit in Washington, D.C. Under the general theme “Silence the Drums of War,” participants are calling for an end to the threat of nuclear war and all wars.

After crossing the Benjamin Franklin Bridge from New Jersey on June 14, walkers held a press conference at Independence Park near the Liberty Bell. The next day, in their first “direct actions event,” they rallied outside Day & Zimmermann, makers of bombs, shells and missiles, including many used by the Israeli Occupation Forces against Palestinians in Gaza.

The veterans were joined by local anti-war activists, including Tina Sheldenm, Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; Betsey Piette, Workers World Party; and Joe Piette, who read a statement from Puerto Rican activist Fermin Morales, a member of IBEW (electricians) Local 98 who previously did work for Day & Zimmermann.

Morales said: “Day & Zimmermann is a partner in crime with the settler-colonial state of Israel in perpetration of genocide against the Palestinian people, because it is providing ammunition to the Israel Defense Forces. Day & Zimmermann needs to divest itself from the apartheid state of Israel and the military-industrial complex.”

Following the rally at Day & Zimmermann, marchers gathered outside Israel Bonds seller Development Corporation for Israel where they protested the purchase of these bonds by state and municipal governments.

Peace March protests purchase of Israel Bonds, Philadelphia, June 15, 2024. (WW Photo: Joe Piette)

Their flier noted: “State and local treasuries across the U.S. invest hundreds of millions in the state of Israel. A record-setting $2 billion in sales was made in 2023 with $1 billion raised since Oct. 7 while Israel bombed hospitals and laid waste to infrastructure in Gaza. Under Stacy Garrity, the Pennsylvania Treasury Department invested $20 million in 2023. We will encourage Pennsylvania to divest until Israel agrees to end the occupation of Palestine.”

The day ended with a “Merchants of Death Tour” where walkers delivered “Cease and Desist” orders to 10 U.S. weapons profiteers with offices at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. These companies included Advanced Integrated Technologies, American Systems Corporation, AMSEC/Hll, Continental Tide Defense Systems, Inc., GBS Group, Naval Surface Warfare Center, NOBLIS MSD, Northrop Grumman Corporation, Paramount Enterprises International and Peraton.

Giráldez will transition into the Head Coach role in the coming weeks, while Andrés González and Toni Gordo join Spirit Staff

Washington, D.C. (06/20/2024) – Five months after the Washington Spirit announced Jonatan Giráldez as its new Head Coach, Giráldez has arrived in Washington, D.C., the club announced today. The arrival comes shortly after Giráldez led FC Barcelona Femení to an historic continental Quadruple in his final season with the side, winning Liga F, the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Copa de la Reina and Supercopa de España Femenina.

Since his hiring by the Spirit, Giráldez’s plan has always been to integrate with the club following the 2023-24 FC Barcelona Femení season. During this time, Adrián González has served as the Spirit’s Interim Head Coach, leading the team to a 9-3-1 (28 points) record through 13 matches.

“I’m thrilled to join the Spirit and begin this next chapter with the club,” said Giráldez. “To be part of the vision Michele Kang has for the Spirit and women’s soccer globally is an exciting opportunity.”

Giráldez is set to assimilate into the Spirit staff, slowly taking over head coaching responsibilities to ensure the smoothest transition possible. Accordingly, Interim Head Coach Adrián González will remain in the acting position during this time. Once Giráldez fully assumes the Head Coach role, González will remain on the technical staff as an assistant coach.

Giráldez’s arrival has been much anticipated. He most recently led FC Barcelona Femení to its second consecutive UEFA Women’s Champions League victory, helping secure the team’s first-ever Quadruple in the same season, winning the Liga F, Copa de la Reina, Supercopa, and Champions League titles.

Giráldez began his tenure at FC Barcelona Femení in 2019 as an assistant before being promoted to be the club’s Head Coach in 2021 after just two and a half seasons. He went on to win Liga F in each of his three seasons. Additionally, Giráldez led Barcelona to 58 consecutive Liga F wins to start his head coaching tenure, including a perfect 30-0-0 record in his first season at the helm.

For his stellar coaching, Giráldez was named the IFFHS World’s Best Club Coach in 2023. He was also named a finalist for the UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year Award in 2023 and FIFA’s The Best Women’s Coach award in early 2024.

Giráldez is originally from Vigo in the Galicia community of northwest Spain. He and his partner Olaya welcomed their first child, a son, in 2023, just eight days before winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League.

Giráldez is joined by Andrés González and Toni Gordo, who were integral parts of his championship-winning staff at Barcelona. They will serve as Fitness Coach and Club Analyst, respectively, effective immediately.

Andrés González will serve as a Fitness Coach for the Washington Spirit, joining Dawn Scott’s Performance, Medical, and Innovation team. He also comes from FC Barcelona Femení where he served as the Strength and Conditioning coach since July 2022. Additionally, González served as an assistant Strength and Conditioning coach at Real Sociedad in Spain. He also has coaching experience at the youth level in Spain. He is from Ourense, Spain.

Toni Gordo will join the team as a Club Analyst after serving in a similar role at FC Barcelona Femení since 2016. He served in various analyst and video roles at FC Barcelona during this term, including stints with the Barcelona Femení B team and, most recently, six years with the first team Barcelona Femení squad. Prior to his time with FC Barcelona, Gordo served as the Sports Coordinator at CD Palafolls and a coach for CE Mataró in Catalonia. Gordo is from Mataró, Catalonia, Spain.

About The Washington Spirit

The Washington Spirit is the premier professional women’s soccer team based in Washington, D.C. and plays at Audi Field in Buzzard Point. The Spirit was founded on November 21, 2012 and is an inaugural member of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) the fastest growing sports league in the US. The club is home to some of the best players in the world who have won championships for both club and country. In 2024, the Spirit drafted an epic class of rookies who are already breaking records and wowing fans. For more information about the Spirit, visit WashingtonSpirit.com and follow the club on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. 

By Emmy Powell
Communications Specialist

Finalists of Texas Farm Bureau’s (TFB) 2023 AgVentures Challenge: Pitch It, Market It, Sell It state contest recently traveled to Washington, D.C. to meet with elected officials on Capitol Hill and visit historical sites.

The students on the trip included Mattison Smith of Wood County, Joe Polster of Hamilton County, Whitley Anderson of Scurry County, Justin Hill of Moore County, Jhett Davis of Johnson County and Aubrey Ellis of Rush County.

The expense-paid trip was part of the prize package the students received for being finalists in the state contest.

“The trip gave them a chance to meet congressional leaders, bringing the contest full circle for the students,” McKenna Bush, TFB Youth Outreach coordinator, said. “It is important for young adults to understand constitutional government and the free enterprise system.”

During the trip, the finalists met with U.S. Reps. Pete Sessions, Jake Ellzey, Lance Gooden, Ronny Jackson, Nathaniel Moran and Jodey Arrington.

The students also met with U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.

They visited the American Farm Bureau Federation office and had an evening tour of the U.S. Capitol.

They also met with congressional interns from Texas A&M University, Texas Tech University and current staffers who are alumni from the intern programs.

The trip doubled as an opportunity for networking and learning about American history.

“This trip is an opportunity to reward them for their hard work, broaden their network and participate in experiential learning. This group of young adults are bright, and the trip allowed them to gain deeper knowledge of not only the nation’s government, but experience the capital while making memories,” Bush said.

Each student brought home a different lesson from the trip.

“It’s definitely a blessing to grow a deeper understanding of the role congressional members play,” Smith, the contest winner, said. “This trip has me looking at my future a little differently because being in D.C. and seeing everything at work at the Capitol is really different than what you see and learn about in school.”

Smith also put emphasis on the importance of agriculture in D.C.

“It’s important that farmers, ranchers and people who are passionate about agriculture go to D.C. because you’re able to share a story that they might not really understand unless it’s coming from you,” Smith said.

Polster, the contest runner-up, has always been interested in politics and noted he gained new perspectives while at the nation’s capital.

“It was truly an awesome experience,” he said. “We visited with my congressman, met their staff and learned about the different positions that are within government and how legislation is created and passed.”

The trip helped students understand grassroots advocacy and how one voice can help make a difference.

“If lawmakers aren’t representing agriculture properly, we’re not going to be able to grow food and raise livestock. It’s important we have congressmen and senators who are willing to meet with us so we can show the importance of agriculture in their everyday life” Polster said.

They visited the International Spy Museum and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The group also toured Old Town Alexandria, Arlington National Cemetery and Mount Vernon, as well as attended the Congressional Baseball Game at the Washington Nationals Park.

Contest details
This was the first year for the contest and open to high school seniors who completed TFB’s Thrive experience last August.

Thrive is part of TFB’s Student Success Series, which includes virtual and in-person programs for students in eighth through twelfth grade. The Student Success Series aims to help students develop a better understanding of advocacy, learn more about Farm Bureau and grow personal and professional skills they can use in the classroom and future careers.

Ten finalists participated in the state AgVentures Challenge where they created an agricultural product, developed a marketing pitch and presented their ideas to a panel of judges.

The state contest took place at TFB’s Conference and Training Center in Waco Jan. 26.

For more information about the Student Success Series, visit texasfarmbureau.org/student-success-series.