What is CODEPINK?

CODEPINK is a women-initiated grassroots peace and social justice movement working to end U.S. funded wars and occupations, to challenge militarism globally, and to redirect our resources into health care, education, green jobs and other life-affirming activities. Won't you join us?

Why women?

CODEPINK is not exclusively womenwe invite men to join us-but we are particularly eager to see mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and daughters, female workers, students, teachers, healers, artists, writers, singers, poets and all outraged woman rise up and oppose the global militarism.

How did it get started?

Medea Benjamin, Jodie Evans, Diane Wilson, Starhawk and about 100 other women kicked off CODEPINK on November 17, 2002. We set up for a 4-month all-day vigil in front of the White House during the cold of winter.

The vigil inspired people from all walks of life, and from all over the country, to stand for peace. Many organizations joined us, including Global Exchange, Greenpeace, WILPF, WAND, Public Citizen, NOW, Women for Women International and Neighbors for Peace and Justice. The vigil culminated on March 8, International Women's Day, when we celebrated women as global peacemakers with a week of activities, rallies and a march to encircle the White House in pink.

Over 10,000 people participated, and a group of 25 women, including Alice Walker, Maxine Hong Kingston, Susan Griffin, Starhawk, Jodie Evans and Medea Benjamin, were arrested for taking our peaceful protest right up to the White House gate.

CODEPINK thus emerged out of a deep desire by a group of American women to stop the United States from invading Iraq. The name CODEPINK plays on the former Bush Administration's color-coded homeland security alerts — yellow, orange, red — that signaled terrorist threats. While Bush's color-coded alerts were based on fear and were used to justify violence, the CODEPINK alert is a feisty call for people to "wage peace."

More About Us!

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Check out past campaigns in 2011

Since then CODEPINK has become a worldwide network of women and men committed to working for peace and social justice. We have become famous for confronting the warmongers, whether in the halls and hearing rooms of Congress, the national conventions of both the Republicans and Democrats, George Bush's fundraisers, the publicity tours of Karl Rove, Condi Rice, Donald Rumsfeld and others, and Nancy Pelosi's house.

Our Call to You:

"We call on women around the world to rise up and oppose the war in Iraq. We call on mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters, on workers, students, teachers, healers, artists, writers, singers, poets, and every ordinary outraged woman willing to be outrageous for peace.  Women have been the guardians of life-not because we are better or purer or more innately nurturing than men, but because the men have busied themselves making war. Because of our responsibility to the next generation, because of our own love for our families and communities and this country that we are a part of, we understand the love of a mother in Iraq for her children, and the driving desire of that child for life."—Starhawk

A Global Movement

The peace movement is global: CODEPINK has strengthened our international ties through peacemaking delegations to Iran, Pakistan, Syria, Beirut , Iraq, Italy, the war tribunal in Turkey, Britain's Stop the War assembly, a gathering in Thailand of women worldwide, and our participation in the World Social Forum in Brazil and Venezuela.

To join our upcoming peace delegations, click here!

How can you get involved?

  1. Sign up for our weekly e-alerts and invite your friends to sign up.

  2. Join a local CODEPINK or start one of your own. There are dozens of local CODEPINK groups throughout the US and overseas. Each group chooses CODEPINK campaigns to work on, and may also participate in local issues and coalitions. Local groups' actions range from weekly or monthly vigils; counter-recruitment actions in schools; visits to district offices of congressmembers; bird-dogging and banner-dropping actions; hosting house parties; and more.

  3. Educate yourself:

    - Learn about effective responses to violence and terrorism by reading CODEPINK's recommended books.

    - Watch DVDs on CODEPINK's recommended movies list.

    - Stay informed about our current issues.

    - Browse our resource toolbox to get inspired for more action!

  4. Get Pink Wear! Our CODEPINKon-line store has a wonderful array of CODEPINK t-shirts, scarves, buttons, bumper stickers, and books. Be visible as a codepinker in your community. Great gift ideas, too!

  5. Make a donation. The generosity of our supporters builds this movement. You can donate on-line or send a check to CODEPINK, 2010 Linden Ave, Venice, CA 90291. We are a non-profit organization and your donations are tax-deductible.

We thank you for your interest and look forward to working together for a world in which we relate to each other through compassion, generosity, kindness, love and joy.

Yes WE CAN Live in Peace!