At this moment, as the fascist Trump administration brings waves of imperialist ambitions to heightening dangers hour by hour, it’s all the more urgent to engage in critical conversations with young people who may otherwise not have that opportunity. With the imminent threat of a disastrous war on Iran, the starvation of the people of Cuba, the official start of the “Board of Peace” while genocide continues in Gaza along with increased land grabs in the West Bank, and the kidnapped president of Venezuela and his wife remain in custody in NYC, we need to continue going right into classrooms to respond to questioning students.
We write you with deep appreciation for the support you have given World Can’t Wait which has meant so much to us. We view the work we do as a way of helping people see that it is possible to face hard truths personally and collectively and to use that understanding to help build a better world.
Since 2008, We Are Not Your Soldiers, a project of World Can’t Wait, has brought veterans into classrooms to share stories of why they enlisted, what they experienced in the U.S. military, the effects on their lives as well as the people of the countries where they were stationed. The speakers expose imperial wars to youth who remain unaware of the crimes being carried out throughout the world in their names.
In World Can’t Wait’s 22nd year, it’s beyond our capacity to respond and organize others to act on all the existential issues we care so deeply about which humanity and the planet face — from global climate change to the heightening danger of nuclear war and to the spread of fascist governments.
So this year, as the Department of War floats serious consideration of bringing back the draft, we are concentrating on reaching larger numbers of students with our We Are Not Your Soldiers project. The opportunities have increased as there is so much questioning going on within society. We need more than ever to reach those students who may want to sign up for the U.S. military as well as the larger group of youth who need to know the history and prospects of U.S. imperialism.
Your generous donation will help as we get more requests than ever from educators as the Trump regime daily commits increasingly aggressive and dangerous actions against brown people especially as well as all people within our borders and throughout the world.
The U.S. military continues recruiting this generation, maintaining its 850+ bases globally, while preparing for war across the globe. Our core message to youth: If you enlist, you may risk death or injury; subject yourself, your family and community to your own PTSD and/or moral injury; and inflict unjust death and destruction on other peoples. You could lose your own humanity.
Our ground-breaking panel of a dozen veterans – from Vietnam to Afghanistan to the global network of U.S. bases maintaining U.S. imperialist domination – visits classrooms to share what recruiters won’t — the real cost of war: John Burns, Ross Caputi, Joy Damiani, Rosa del Duca, Will Griffin, Chris “Henri” Henrikson, Miles Megaciph, Lyle Rubin, Brian Teucke, Shaniyat Turani-Chowdhury, Joe Urgo and Miguel Gabriel Vazquez. We provide the space for honest dialogue, critical thinking and informed decision-making. These men and women, English- and Spanish-speakers, tell the hidden stories, bringing living history to high school and college students. Your donation keeps us in schools across the country.
We’ve started off 2026 with visits to three NYC high schools, presenting to a total of 12 classes, in an all-boys Catholic school, a public school with only female students and a school dedicated to recent immigrants.
In 2025, we went to 19 schools, largely in New York City but also in Long Island NY, New Jersey, Philadelphia, North Carolina and Oregon — some more than once. In-depth discussions took place in 51 classrooms and, additionally, with two student groups. We visited, in-person and via remote technology, two middle schools, three high schools, 5 community colleges and 11 regular colleges. 14 of these were public institutions and 5 were private.
Your gifts made all this possible! Let’s keep it going!
It is only with your help that we can continue to be the only program in the United States to bring veterans directly into classrooms. Each time a veteran speaks to a class, they receive a stipend to help cover childcare and/or time off from work or school. We cover travel expenses, internet presence, communication tools, materials and some advertising to teachers.
Will you stand with us? Please ensure that the work of We Are Not Your Soldiers continues by donating now to keep expanding our outreach in 2026. In the spring semester of 2025, we visited 13 schools and 23 classes — in the fall of 2025, we visited 15 schools and 28 classes. We want to engage in dialogue with an even wider cross-section of youth.
How else will young people get to learn from those individuals who saw what happened to people in countries the U.S. invaded and to the U.S. troops themselves? Despite the gloom that surrounds us, this year is also shimmering with possibilities. Your gift will help us engage in more thoughtful dialogue as students question the wars abroad and the violence being unleashed by the Trump regime against people within our own borders.
At this time donations made to We Are Not Your Soldiers/World Can’t Wait do not qualify for tax deductions. We’re working on the issue and hope to have a new fiscal sponsor soon.
Checks can be made to World Can’t Wait, 2 East 28th Street #321, New York NY 10016-7402. Donations can also be made via Paypal.
Scan to donate. Point your phone’s camera at the QR code to go directly to our donation page. Every dollar helps put a veteran in front of students who need to hear the other side. Or you can click the button below.
With gratitude for your willingness to confront injustice during these frightening times, we send you our best wishes,
Stephanie Rugoff, Coordinator, We Are Not Your Soldiers
Debra Sweet, Director, World Can’t Wait