July 2025 Greenstar
PA Greens Attend No Kings Day of Defiance
On June 14, members of the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA) attended the No Kings Day of Defiance, a world-wide demonstration of outrage. More than five million people participated in more than 2,000 separate mobilizations around the world.
The Day of Defiance was important because it revealed a massive opposition to the current U.S. political system. Citizens have witnessed reduced government services, deportation of working people, cancellation of research contracts, slashed services for those who are hungry and homeless, layoffs of public employees, and a wholesale attack on First Amendment Rights. Let us not forget the racist ban on foreign travelers and students, or the economic chaos caused by impending tariffs.
It was time for citizens of our commonwealth to speak out in more than 80 Pennsylvania rallies. They spoke loudly with joyous and energetic voices, heard from the smallest village to the largest city.
In the little town of Bradford, McKean County, every member of the Green Party attended the No Kings Day of Defiance. Barbara Laxon, a member of the GPPA Steering Committee from McKean County, reported, “We had at least 130 show up. They stood in the pouring rain for an hour and a half to hear the four speakers. They all talked about the oaths we take as citizens -- from the Declaration of Independence to the oath of soldiers in 1776, from the oath taken upon election to office to the one taken as a federal employee, from the oath of citizenship to the Pledge of Allegiance. The emphasis was that none of these oaths were to a person, but rather to the Constitution and against all enemies of that Constitution.”
GPPA Steering Committee Member Colleen Schmotzer said, “Theron Gilliland and I went to the No Kings protest in Pittsburgh, and it was an amazing turnout. There were so many that participated! Everyone was having a good time, there were great speeches, and a lot who supported Palestine! Flags waving high, and people chanting Free Palestine! All in all, it was a very peaceful protest, and we had a great time.”
In Pennsylvania’s largest city, it was difficult to find the Green Party of Philadelphia (GPOP) members among the 100,000 people who attended the No Kings Day of Defiance in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Chris Robinson, a GPOP member from Germantown, said, “It was a doozy! I was energized by the magnitude and dynamism of the crowd. People seemed ready to fight against the oppressor at their doorstep. The creativity of their homemade signs was inspiring:
- No Crowns! No Clowns!
- Fight Normalization!
- It’s so bad, even the INTROVERTS are here!
- ICE Melts Under Pressure!
- Only You Can Prevent Fascist Liars!
- No Faux King Way!
It will now be the task of the Green Party to give those demonstrators a choice which will bring them a future that is better than the one planned for them by the duopoly.”
PA Green News
Edited by Chris Robinson
Tony Dastra Announces Lancaster Mayoral Campaign
Eight years after throwing his hat into the ring for Lancaster city’s top administrator, Tony Dastra will run for mayor again in 2025. Dastra, 28, said he considers himself to be the “most qualified candidate” to lead Lancaster after garnering experience on the city’s planning commission and home rule study commission, where he gave input into the city’s current comprehensive plan and home rule charter. “I do feel, even though I’m 28, I have a wealth of knowledge to bring to this community,” he said. Dastra said he intends to focus on housing equity, ethical policing, environmental stewardship and transportation concerns as mayor.
GPPA State Committee Meets
Forty eight elected delegates and friends of the Green Party of Pennsylvania (GPPA) met in Harrisburg, PA, and online on June 7 for the GPPA State Committee meeting. By consensus the delegates endorsed the candidacy of Mayor Michael Bagdes-Canning for re-election in Cherry Valley (Butler County). They also endorsed the candidacy of Tony Dastra for Mayor of Lancaster City (Lancaster County). The next meeting of the GPPA State Committee will take place on Saturday, September 13.
Green Party to Field Candidate in Allegheny County Special Election
The Green Party of Allegheny County plans to challenge Republican control of an at-large seat on County Council this fall. Theron Gilliland, Jr., a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, will formally launch his bid on Sunday . . . . Under the county’s home rule charter, council’s two at-large seats can’t be held by the same party. The one on the ballot this November was previously held by Republican Sam DeMarco, who left this past winter to take a job with U.S. Senator Dave McCormick. Republicans picked Mike Embrescia to hold the seat on an interim basis — but Embrescia must run in November to fill out the remainder of DeMarco’s term...
This fall’s special election means only one at-large seat is up for grabs, and the county’s largest party is barred from running because Democrat Bethany Hallam holds the other at-large seat. A win would be a chance for the Greens — whose platform includes a commitment to environmental sustainability, social justice, and democratic reform — to show their viability as an independent movement.
Team Reports
Edited by Patrick O. McNally
The Green Party of Pennsylvania has four Action Teams.
Communication Team
The ComTeam invites you to become a page editor for GREEN STAR. We would like to recruit new editors for these pages: Campaign Updates and PA Green News. Please apply via email to: [email protected]
Please join the Communication Team right here.
www.gpofpa.org/team_communications_join
Finance Team
The Finance Team helps to manage and plan the finances of the party. Currently, the team is deciding on a new monthly meeting date and time. Topics of the team’s recent meetings have included a re-do of our merchandising products and processes, and other fundraising initiatives including our ongoing art auction at https://www.gpofpa.org/auction
Please join the Finance Team right here.
https://www.gpofpa.org/team_finance_join
Green Wave Team
The Green Wave Team works to identify, recruit and support candidates for office who represent our Four Pillars and Ten Key Values.
Please join the Green Wave Team right here.
www.gpofpa.org/team_greenwave_join
Core Team
The Core Team establishes party rules, develops the platform, and manages the tools and systems that maintain the party and allow it to grow. Look for Core Team meetings on the first Monday of each month at 6:30 pm.
Please join the Core Team right here.
https://www.gpofpa.org/team_core_join
Campaign Updates
Edited by Chris Robinson
Four Green Party candidates have been approved to run for local office this year. Other Green Party candidates who plan to run in 2026 are welcome to contact GREEN STAR at [email protected].
November 4, 2025, General Election
Michael Bagdes-Canning for Re-Election to Mayor of Cherry Valley Borough
Butler County
Michael told GREEN STAR, “I was honored to be endorsed for Mayor of Cherry Valley Borough by the Green Party of Pennsylvania. This endorsement means a lot to me because it makes clear that I stand in solidarity with the only political body in Pennsylvania that forswears corporate and billionaire donations, promotes grassroots democracy and community-based economics, rejects militarism and environmental devastation, and embraces nonviolence and ecological wisdom. These values are important for tiny rural communities like Cherry Valley. For the last 50 years, as jobs and young people have left and our infrastructure has deteriorated, the Democrats have ignored us and the Republicans have patronized us. We need a new future-focused vision, one which recognizes that the one-size-fits-all solutions favored by the duopoly just don’t fit anyone.”
Tony Dastra for Mayor of Lancaster City
Lancaster County
Tony told GREEN STAR, “I am running for Mayor because Lancaster City deserves a Mayor who knows how municipal government works, listens before leading and works for every neighborhood.”
You may follow Tony Dastra’s campaign here, https://www.tonydastraformayor.com/
Theron Gilliland Jr. for County Council at Large
Allegheny County
Theron told GREEN STAR, “With the resignation of the minority County Council At-Large, the situation in Allegheny County is quite unique and fortuitous: a Green Party candidate will be running in a socially progressive metropolitan area where none of the opponents will have a 'D' after their names, and that is always the biggest hurdle. I have been in these streets over the past ten years for various social justice and environmental causes, and I believe that the community will recognize my contributions and vote for me to bring Green Party values to the Pittsburgh area."
You may follow Theron Gilliland’s campaign here,
Campaign Email - [email protected]
Website - https://www.TheronForAllegheny.com
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/theron.for.allegheny
Twitter/"X" - https://x.com/TheronForACC
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/theronforallegheny
BlueSky - https://bsky.app/profile/theronforallegheny.bsky.social
TikTok - tiktok.com/@theronforallegheny
Alexander Noyle for Election to Auditor of East Norriton Township
Montgomery County
Volunteers for Election Day may email [email protected] or send him a message on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Alex4Auditor
National Green News
Edited by David Ochmanowicz Jr.
Unified Call to Confront Famine in Gaza
The Steering Committee of the Green Party of the United States agreed to endorse this, and the Green Party has been added to the list of signatories.
Palestinian civil society, joined by humanitarian and human rights organizations worldwide, issues this urgent and unified call: The manufactured famine in Gaza must be halted. The international community must act decisively, immediately, and with full moral and legal responsibility.
Latinx Caucus of the Green Party Condemns ICE Paramilitary Raids Across California
The Latinx Caucus of the Green Party of the United States strongly condemns the recent violent and militarized Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that terrorized neighborhoods across California, including Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco...
Green-Rainbow Party of Mass. Condemns Israel's Deadly Attack on Iran
Statement from the Co-Chairs of the Green-Rainbow Party
We condemn Israel's unprovoked, criminal attack on Iran. Over 200 Iranians have already been killed by Israel's campaign of terror bombing. The images from Tehran are heartbreaking and reveal a war that is not being conducted against a government or a military but against an entire nation and its people. We dispute the claimed justifications for Israel's attack. For decades, the Israeli government has claimed that Iran was on the verge of developing nuclear weapons, and for decades this has not come to pass. Iran fully complied with the terms of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action until it was torn up by President Trump during his first term at the behest of Israel's stooges in both parties.
Nevada Green Party Strongly Condemns Actions of Trump Administration
The Nevada Green Party strongly condemns the actions of the Trump administration in seizing control of the National Guard, in response to Constitutionally protected protests against the actions of ICE . . . [and] against law-abiding residents of this country. While these actions took place in the state of California, to our west, we are watching with grave concern, that these actions will be mirrored in other states, where immigrants are experiencing harsh treatment by this administration, through ICE and its agents, who are further seeking to avoid accountability for their actions, including through extralegal means.
Pink Floyd Legend Calls for Justice and Backs Dr. Butch Ware
Rock legend and Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters delivers an unflinching critique of global injustice in a powerful new interview with Palestine Chronicle TV. The 81-year-old activist discusses everything from Gaza's ongoing crisis to his legal battles against defamation, while endorsing Dr. Butch Ware as a potential California governor. Waters' passionate call for universal human rights and his condemnation of what he terms genocide offers a stark reminder of art's role in challenging power structures WATCH THE INTERVIEW HERE
“Maybe it’s [Dr.] Butch Ware [...] I listened to a speech he made the other day [...] and I thought wow this guy is bright. Will he become the governor of California? I bloody well hope so.”
~ Roger Waters
Global Green News
Edited by Hal Brown
Polish Presidential Election
The second round of the Polish presidential election . . . is being closely watched across Europe. Although none of the candidates are Kremlin supporters, as was the case recently in Romania, the differences between the presidential candidates are fundamental. The support of the Czech party, as well as that of the Polish and European Greens, goes to Rafał Trzaskowski, a candidate who defends democratic values, the rule of law, and European cooperation.
Irish Greens Denounce Government Over Children’s National Hospital
The Irish Green Party has criticized the government for its inability to manage the National Children’s Hospital project, denouncing repeated delays and a complete lack of accountability on the part of those responsible. Despite millions of euros spent, work is not progressing as planned. Hazel Chu, Green Party spokesperson . . . strongly criticized the government’s hands-off approach to national infrastructure projects, which has led to the latest National Children’s Hospital debacle. “With the project’s fifteenth delay and its cost potentially reaching $2.3 billion, the information released today by the Public Accounts Committee illustrates what happens when the government abdicates its responsibilities and lets large-scale projects proceed.”
Finnish Green Party Demands Equal Treatment of All Students
Green Party leader Sofia Virta demands that the government take steps to change the law so that every student, regardless of educational institution, has equal rights and opportunities for the support they need. "Organizing learning support should be made easier through funding, not more complicated."
Green Party of Rwanda on Participatory Democracy
Led by its President, Dr Frank Habineza, the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) held a grand rally in Musanze District, Northern Province, focusing on women and youth empowerment through political education and training. The meeting emphasized the party’s commitment to its core principles: participatory democracy, ecological wisdom, social justice, non-violence, sustainable development and human rights. In his speech, Dr Habineza highlighted the importance of youth and women in building a more democratic and sustainable future for Rwanda.
GPPA Meeting Dates for 2025
All State Committee Meetings will begin at noon
Saturday, September 13, in Harrisburg
Sunday, November 9
GPPA Communications Team
Issue Credits
Editors: Hal Brown, Patrick O. McNally, David Ochmanowicz, Jr. and Chris Robinson
Contributors: Michael Bagdes-Canning, Theron Gilliland Jr, Barbara Laxon, Alex Noyle, Chris Robinson and Colleen Schmotzer
Layout: Hal Brown, Sherri Miller, and David Ochmanowicz Jr.
Graphic Arts: Kevin Richardson
Everything we do is based on our Four Pillars and Ten Key Values. If you find that you share these ideals, come and join the movement.
Join us and help bring about a future where people and planet are valued over profits. We have a new, tiered membership structure that allows you to determine your level of commitment and support. And if you want to get more directly involved, consider joining an action team Work with other committed progressives and activists in activities such as planning events, developing media content, or helping with campaigns.
The GREEN STAR is an official publication of the Green Party of Pennsylvania Communications Team * 2025.
Showing 1 reaction