Who is Peace by Piece?

Peace by Piece is a nonviolence youth group made up of students ages 17-24. We formed this nonviolent youth group to help fight the problem of violence among our youth in New Orleans on July 25, 2010.

Each of our Peace by Piece youth leaders have participated in violent acts before deciding to adopt a nonviolent lifestyle. Our mission is to train middle and high school aged youth of color on the principles and steps of Kingian Nonviolence so that they can become certified to teach other youth about the importance of nonviolence.

The members of Peace by Piece were trained and certified by the Martin Luther King Center to teach four hours worth of Kingian Nonviolence curriculum to local middle schools and high schools in New Orleans. The student leaders received their certification by completing a week long nonviolence program at the Martin Luther King Center in July 2010, where they passed both verbal and written examinations in order to teach this material to their peers.

We are directly addressing the need for an alternative to violence in our community. Right now we are working with detention students at SciTech Middle School and the “boys to men” program at St. Rita School.

Our Kingian Nonviolence training is facilitated and adapted by our youth using skits, spoken word, songs and dances all based on our nonviolence curriculum. This project will be ongoing until we successfully train over 500 youth or more in Kingian Nonviolence.

We offer three sessions to each group of students that we work with. The training varies in length from forty-five minutes to two hours per session and each session is based on the six steps of nonviolent social change. This is a sequential process of nonviolent conflict-resolution and social change based on Dr. King’s teachings. The youth are responsible for scheduling our training with each school and conducting student evaluations to test the effectiveness of our curriculum among youth participants.

Our hard work has earned us the opportunity to travel to South Africa and represent the state of Louisiana as Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence with the delegation from the United States to South Africa from June 10-21, 2011. This program is led by the King Center and the Building Life Foundations. There are 4 of us in total making this trip.

Peace by Piece Selected to be Ambassadors for Nonviolence

As Young Ambassadors we will gain an understanding of “Pre and Post Apartheid”, South African government, International business and policies as well as Nonviolent Resistant Education. We have an opportunity to travel to Johannesburg, Soweto, Durban and Cape Town South Africa and meet Mahatma Gandhi’s granddaughter, learn the nonviolence teachings of M. L. King, Jr., Arch Bishop Tutu and President Nelson Mandela and so much more. We will then bring back all of this information and apply it to our nonviolence work in New Orleans. Being selected to participate in this program is a great honor.

We are working hard to raise $4,500 a piece to travel to South Africa. A small donation from you can help our group pay for a trip that will change our lives and the lives of our peers in New Orleans. We are asking you to help make our futures brighter by donating today. To donate by mail, send in a money order or personal check to the American Friends Service Committee at 1137 Baronne St., New Orleans LA, 70113. To donate online, click "Donate" on the blog homepage. A donation from you will make a world of difference in our lives.

You can find out more about the South Africa program by visiting www.BLFNVCENTER.com and more about the American Friends Service Committee by visiting www.afsc.org.

Thanks for Your Support,
Rose Gilliam
Domonique Triggs
Briana O’Neal
Ahmane' Glover

Donate to Briana O’Neal

          Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence South Africa Trip

My name is Briana O’Neal and I’m 20 years old. I live in New Orleans, La. and I’m a youth organizer. I want to travel to South Africa so that I can receive the second part of my nonviolence training. When I receive this I would like to use my personal life story in collaboration with the truth of Dr. King and his story to promote nonviolence. I will use the training and the knowledge that I have to teach youth all over the world that there is a way to deal with violence without more violence.

Living in the city of New Orleans, that rates number 3 in the highest number of murder rates, we must educate our peers about nonviolence. I hope that one day our city can reach its’ full potential where every young person will have the chance to live past their eighteenth birthday, graduate from high school on time and where most of the jail cells will be empty of our youth and the “Youth Study Center” would be closed for good.

I first started being involved in youth organizing in 2006, when I returned to New Orleans after being displaced by Hurricane Katrina hoping to find a better school system then we had before. Instead I found that we had no books, cold lunch and overcrowded classrooms. We also had to walk through metal detectors and get searched by security for an hour each day. I joined 2 youth groups, FYRE Youth Squad and Young Adults Striving for Success, to help fight these problems. Now I’m working with the American Friends Service Committee New Orleans Project as a nonviolent leader to help fight the problem of violence among my peers with the group that we formed called Peace by Piece. As a member of Peace by Piece, I go to local middle school and high schools and train other youth in Kingian Nonviolence.

Our hard work has earned us the opportunity to travel to South Africa and represent the state of Louisiana as Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence with the delegation from the United States to South Africa from June 10-21, 2011.  A donation from you will help us make a difference.

Thanks for your support,             
Briana O'Neal
Young Ambassador for Nonviolence
 

Donate to Domonique Triggs

           Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence South Africa Trip

My name is Domonique Triggs and I am a 17 year old male born in New Orleans.  I’m a senior at the New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School with a 3.5 GPA. I’ve been a youth organizer in New Orleans for approximately three years. During my time as an organizer I have helped to organize, two “Pick Up Your Peace” youth summits and attended the 2010 United States Social Forum. I am also the treasurer of New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School and the manager of the 1304 First Robotics Team at my high school.  I hope to study biology pre-med at college.

I am also a Kingian Nonviolence youth trainer who is certified to teach a four hour class on Dr. Martin Luther King’s philosophy of nonviolence. My life of nonviolence started because my brother was a local drug dealer ever since he was 16 years old. When I was young the only thing that I wanted was to be just like my oldest brother. I even considered selling drugs until Hurricane Katrina forced my family to relocate to Detroit where I saw homeless people begging to feed their need for their addiction instead of trying to find someplace to live.  It truly broke my heart to see such sights, so I promised myself that I would never turn to drugs or violence for anything. 

 I want to help other young people choose nonviolence too. So, now I work with the American Friends Service Committee New Orleans Project as a nonviolent leader with a group that we formed called Peace by Piece. As a member of Peace by Piece, I go to local middle school and high schools and train other youth in Kingian Nonviolence.

Our hard work has earned us the opportunity to travel to South Africa and represent the state of Louisiana as Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence with the delegation from the United States to South Africa from June 10-21, 2011.  Please donate today and help us make a difference.

Thanks for your support,              
Domonique Triggs
Youth Ambassador for Nonviolence

Donate to Rose Gilliam

          Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence South Africa Trip

 Hello, my name is Rose Gilliam. I recently graduated from New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School. In January, I will be a freshman at Delgado Community College majoring in Biology. I am an excellent writer. I write poetry, short stories, skits and songs. I enjoy singing and using my talents to tell my story. 

 I’m also a youth organizer and I have chosen to become a nonviolence leader. Nonviolence plays a major part in my life because before turning to nonviolence my life was headed down the wrong path. My emotional pain was pushing me towards a violent future and my rage was holding me back. I had tried so many other ways to express myself but violence was the only relief I found. 

Fortunately I was given the opportunity to travel to the Martin Luther King Center in Atlanta, Ga. in July 2010 and become a certified nonviolence trainer. Now I work with the American Friends Service Committee New Orleans Project as a nonviolent leader with a group that we formed called Peace by Piece. As a member of Peace by Piece, I go to local middle school and high schools and train other youth in Kingian Nonviolence.

Our hard work has earned us the opportunity to travel to South Africa and represent the state of Louisiana as Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence with the delegation from the United States to South Africa from June 10-21, 2011. You can help us make a difference in the community by donating today.

Thanks for Your Support, 
 Rose Gilliam
 Youth Ambassador for Nonviolence

Why Donate?

DONATE TODAY BY CLICKING THE "DONATE NOW BUTTON" ON THIS PAGE.


YOU CAN ALSO SEND ALL DONATIONS made payable to our fiscal agent, JuneBug Productions, to the American Friends Service Committee Office at 1137 Baronne St. New Orleans, La. 70113


Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence South Africa Trip

For over 93 years, the American Friends Service Committee has been a non-profit focused on service, development, and peace building programs throughout the world. Our work is based on the belief in the worth of every person, and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice.

The New Orleans American Friends Service Committee office has been active for over four years working in education and action around the ‘school to prison pipeline’, working with youth, families, schools and those in the faith community. Our work has been in partnership with organizations like Sojourner Truth Center, YASS, FYRE Youth Squad, FFLIC, and Southern Poverty Law Center. In addition to our work around the school to prison pipeline, we also sponsored Youth roundtables, Community forums and an Alternative Jobs and Resources Fair.

My name is Ahmane’ Glover, and as the New Orleans Project Community Activist, I am writing to you to request monetary donations on behalf of our new initiative, the New Orleans Peace Building Project. We have formed a nonviolent youth group called Peace by Piece to help fight the problem of violence among our youth. The members of Peace by Piece have the distinct opportunity to travel to South Africa from June 10-21, 2011.  A donation from you will help us complete the list of deliverables below. The Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence deliverables:

The Young Ambassadors will gain an understanding of “Pre and Post Apartheid”, South African government, International business and policies as well as Nonviolent Resistant Education.  As a developing country South Africa offers the opportunity for:

• Cultural and educational exchange.
• Examining effective nonviolence leadership and its universal application
• First hand information on the issues and concerns in the country and how they relate to the United States
• Understanding of the “Truth and Reconciliation Commission” established by Arch Bishop Tutu and President Nelson Mandela.
• The opportunity to dialog with youth leaders concerning common issues and concerns.
• South Africa Business and International Economic development
• World HIV/Aids Education                                                                        

The Young Ambassadors will join other high school students around the USA in the study of the struggle from Apartheid to Democracy. Ambassadors will participate in student forums in Johannesburg, Soweto, Durban and Cape Town South Africa. 


They will also:

• Promote serious discussion among high school and college students across the U.S. and internationally about nonviolence conflict reconciliation. Students will understand how it may be applied in their schools and communities to reduce violence and violent prone situations.
• Students will spend 2 intensive days in Africa learning nonviolence techniques and skills to teach to their New Orleans community.
• Discuss current world issues with international high school students.
• Complement existing curricula and other scholastic activities; and strengthen students' research, writing, reasoning skills and leadership skills.

We are asking you to help make our futures brighter by donating today.


DONATE TODAY BY CLICKING THE "DONATE NOW BUTTON" ON THIS PAGE.
YOU CAN ALSO SEND ALL DONATIONS made payable to our fiscal agent, JuneBug Productions, to the American Friends Service Committee Office at 1137 Baronne St. New Orleans, La. 70113



Thanks for Your Support,
Ahmane’ Glover
Community Activist, American Friends Service Committee New Orleans Project
504-565-3596, aglover@afsc.org

Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence South Africa Trip Details

The Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence Selection Process

The students were selected based on the following criteria to participate in the “Young Ambassadors for Nonviolence” delegation from the United States to South Africa.:

• The completion of the Kingian Nonviolence Certification Program at the MLK Center in Atlanta, GA in July 2010. Each student had to pass both written and verbal examinations on material taught to them over the course of a week to become certified.
• Students must be high school or college age.
• Students have to be either positive or negative leaders in their communities.
• Students had to complete registration and provide 2 letters of recommendation.
• Based on the above list a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 10 students were chosen per state to represent the U.S. nonviolence delegation to South Africa.

New Orleans Delegation Student Profiles:

All three of these youth are working with AFSC as Nonviolence Leaders that train middle school and high school students on MLK’s principles of nonviolence using poems, skits, songs, dancing and much more. They are currently working in SciTech Middle School and St. Rita School in New Orleans.

Domonique Triggs (Male, 17)

1.      Attends New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School and has a 3.5 GPA.

2.      Wants to go to college to study biology pre-med and become an anesthesiologist.

3.      At school he is the manager of the robotics team and is the treasurer of the school’s student government.

4.      He is a member of The New Orleans Overcomers- a group of high school aged community organizers that formed after Hurricane Katrina. He has been a youth organizer for 3 years.

5.      Wants to help other young men change their lives with nonviolence.

6.      He believes that, “My life of nonviolence started because my brother was a local drug dealer ever since he was 16 years old. When I was young the only thing that I wanted was to be just like my oldest brother. Now I promised myself that I would never turn to drugs or violence for anything. ”

Rose Gilliam (Female, 18)

1.      Recently graduated from New Orleans Charter Science and Math High School.

2.      Wants to be a pediatric surgeon. Will attend Delgado Community College and study biology in Spring 2011.

3.      Violence was the only relief she found before turning to nonviolence.

4.      She is a youth poet that has been a member of a spoken word group called “Creative Forces.” She enjoys singing and using her talents to tell her story.

5.      She is a member of The New Orleans Overcomers- a group of high school aged community organizers that formed after Hurricane Katrina.

6.      She believes that, “Nonviolence plays a major part in my life because before turning to nonviolence my life was headed down the wrong path.”

Briana O’Neal (Female, 20)

1.      She has just won “Youth Change Maker Award” from Operation REACH on Oct. 16, 2010.

2.      She is a member of FYRE Youth Squad and Young Adults Striving for Success (YASS).

3.      Delivers speeches about the inequities of life in New Orleans.

4.      She has been in trouble in the past for fighting and having a violent lifestyle.

5.      She believes that, “Living in the city of New Orleans, that rates number 3 in the highest number of murder rates, we must educate our peers about nonviolence. I hope that one day our city can reach its’ full potential  where every young person will have the chance to live past their eighteenth birthday, graduate from high school on time and where most of the jail cells will be empty of our youth and closed for good. “

Ahmane’ Glover (Female, 24) Group Organizer & Trip Chaperone

1.     She is a community activist with the American Friends Service Committee, a human rights non-profit, working with the youth peace building program.

2.     She graduated from Loyola University New Orleans with a B.A. in Communications. She received a community service and academic scholarship.

3.      She believes that, “after my cousin Marcus and my best friend’s brother Kevin were murdered senselessly, the fight for the lives of our youth became real to me. Nonviolence is a saving grace and it transforms lives.”

Our Fiscal Agent for this trip: JuneBug Productions

Junebug Productions, Inc. is the organizational successor to the Free Southern Theater, (FST), which was formed in 1963 to be a cultural arm of the Civil Rights Movement—“a theater for those who have no theater.” The FST was a major influence in the Black Theater Movement. Junebug Productions’ Artistic Director, John O’Neal, was a co-founder of the FST and a guiding force throughout the organization’s existence.

We appreciate the support of JuneBug Productions as our fiscal agent. Their support will help us journey to South Africa to gain more nonviolence training to be used in the New Orleans community.