Peace By Piece In Washington, DC On Capital Hill

 

 

Peace By Piece Visits Dew-More in Baltimore, MD

 

 

 

EXTRA!! EXTRA!! READ ALL ABOUT IT !!!!!!

GLENN SULLIVAN is published in The Washington Post!!

Glenn Sullivan recently graduated from Lake Area High School in New Orleans.  During his senior year, he wrote an essay entitled,
‘’New Orleans schools should stop hiring so many teachers who don’t understand the students’ culture or backgrounds.”  Glenn completed the spring semester internship with American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) in New Orleans.  As a result of his hard work, he not only got his essay published in The Washington Post and Times-Picayune, he will be returning to AFSC for a year-long internship in the fall. Glenn is a phenomenal young man! Please go read his article & leave a comment. I have copied the link here.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2014/06/26/my-school-district-hires-too-many-white-teachers/

It was Easter weekend, specifically a balmy sun soaked Saturday in Sampson park. We entered with the creative determination, associated with the AFSC intern experience, to have a great time with the youth and foster positive vibrations with other booths on such a celebratory day. Within due time our respective tables spilled over with youth drawn to the assortment of colorful options presented to them, many finding attraction to the “Call me Queen” and “Call me King” stencils. Now admittedly it would have been great to have a more official set up beyond the use of a park table and one other fold out table. Also, it would have been great to have a more central role in the festivities. However, the overall engagement was about fostering community connection, family, peace, love and happiness-- all things that we support individually and that together encourage nonviolence as a way of life and conflict resolution.

            Personally, in the general sense, I had an enjoyable time hanging with park attendees and working alongside my fellow interns. But I realize that I could have been more invested in the proceedings if I had constructed an activity for the youth myself instead of being back up for others. But as I mentioned above it felt as if we were squeezed in pretty tight with not of room to wiggle. Speaking of happy movements, there were many people running, playing basketball and dancing-- all good things to get your heart pumping and muscles working. But such enthusiasm made me contemplate the candy coated nature of this holy yet commercialized holiday. What I instead of processed sweets we (both AFSC and other contributors) distributed fruits in order to encourage healthier more nutrient rich dietary habits. Though I know such a task would be more expensive due to the way certain agricultural products are subsidized by the government or not which calls into question the really that living in a food desert is an institutionalized form of violence against certain parts of the city and the inhabitants in those areas. As the local New Orleans artist Ra Yoseph King Supreme says, “Your health is your wealth”.

            Therefore, I believe that doing a comprehensive food map of the 9^th ward and the surroundings wards (if not the entire city) showing locations that sell food items and what they generally carry would be a valuable tool. On top of that t would provide clear visuals to organize around in order to build the voices of the community into an even stronger unified front to ask for better options closer to home. In a larger scale project it could also be used to push for the building of community farm(s), a farmers market and/or a well stocked grocery store. Now these options may already be available, but if not there's certainly a powerful vision to be realized in their construction.

 

Miles Jones

Sampson Park OR-NAH! Reflections

I did an activity, “Peace Tees,” that had youth express what peace meant to them through painting pre-stenciled shirts that had phrases such as, “Call Me Queen”, “Leader”, and “Call Me Smart” on the front of the shirt.  I truly think this was powerful because the kids responded so well to it.—Breial Kennedy

I liked the positive reactions from the kids at Sampson Park while I was MC-ing and helping to facilitate different activities.  I wish more parents were participating and being present for the event.—Glenn Sullivan

The overall day at Sampson Park was a huge success—kids were engaged and activities ran smoothly.  The kids really loved the Peace Tees activity.—Kendall Santacruze

The event at Sampson Park was very interesting and eye opening.  We used the least expensive, least elaborate activities and the kids loved it.  It was for both the interns and the youth.  I can’t wait to see how the kids respond to our next series of activities.—Brandon Bigard

I loved the interaction between the interns and the children during peace games at the park.  I loved all of the positive energy that was present especially during Isaiah’s “Umoja Says” activity.  My main focus was to see the kids have fun and we made that happen.—April Stewart

One interaction that I remember the most was one between interns and kid wandering around the park after the event.  He was walking around with his pants on low, flashing a BB gun, holding an extra clip in the pocket.  According to him, his behavior was appropriate and was a normal everyday thing.  This stuck out to me because we come in the park to increase the peace and promote nonviolence.  I’m anxious to change this type of behavior.—Austin Smith

The activities that we chose were a good time especially the shirts which flew off the table into hands as if they had been given life themselves. This and other things including the Mardi Gras Indian parade made the day a swirl of bodies and colors in our section of the park.—Isaiah Jones

Intern Reflections

Isaiah Jones

Back at it again, i returned to Sampson park for another after such a long time away. This time it was called Sampson Park OR NAH and had a somewhat new-ish flock of little peoples coming around to engage with the activities. However, other than that the park itself looked essentially how i remembered it which is both comforting and disheartening at the same time because it would be wonderful if the folks of the Desire area had a better park area to interact with each other in.

            The activities that we chose were a good time especially the shirts which flew off the table into hands as if they had been given life themselves. This and other things including the Mardi Gras Indian parade made the day a swirl of bodies and colors in our section of the park-- lovely since the weather was doing its sometimes sunny, but mostly cloudy routine. As for my activity, well i would like to say that i felt like it was okay. However, in all honesty i wish i would have been more creative in my approach and the activities chosen for the youth to engage in. I found myself getting caught up in the examples and only later on finding more energetic options such as running to the other side of the park and back.

            It is certainly a truth to be told that even after having a good bit of experiences being in front of people and in a variety of ways interacting with people from all over the age spectrum that getting in front of young folk is difficult. Perhaps it’s a greater sense of awareness that you are having an impact on their minds or maybe it’s just general anxieties that could pop up anywhere. Whatever it is I still haven’t figured it out yet though i think it would be greatly beneficial if i could find that solution sooner rather than later.

            As it currently stands I am ever more determined to make a better activity and continue this learning process to becoming a stronger and flexible organizer in the greater New Orleans area, a city that someday soon i hope to make my home in more ways than just being a student living on campus.

 

Breial M. Kennedy

To whom it may inspire,

Since my first semester with AFSC, spring 2013, I’ve gone through a number of workshops and trainings. I’ve been afforded the opportunity to both host and participate in life changing events. I’ve also had the privilege of working with a diverse group of level headed people trying to reach a common goal, nonviolence. Because of AFSC, I’ve learned a lot of things about myself and my community.

Recently, I participated in an “Undoing Racism” workshop at Tulane University and it really put the spotlight on some of the most challenging issues we face in our communities daily: racism, discrimination, and violence. Throughout this internship I am constantly reminded of the importance of having an education, a plan, and a support system.  As an intern, I’ve learned that it is my civic duty to inform my community of their rights as human beings and to also let them know that they have friends and support in us, AFSC.

                I strongly encourage anyone who is interested in peace- building and conflict resolution to contact our organization and partner with us in making necessary adjustments in New Orleans and surrounding areas. It is imperative that we break cycles of violence in our communities starting with our youth. The youth are our future and it is up to us to mold what our societies of tomorrow will look like.

Meet Our 2014 Spring Interns

My name is April Stewart.  I am 21 years old and I have a 6^th month old daughter. I can sing, act, dance, and draw. I currently attend Blue Cliff College to become a clinical medical assistant. I am in a youth group called Fyre Youth Squad. I joined AFSC because I was in Peace by Piece before and I would like to continue learning all the ways I can create peace in my community and my life.

 

 

 My name is Glenn Sullivan and I am 18 years old. I am originally from New Orleans East. I have a few years of performing and recording experience both in and out of Louisiana. I am also very interested in music, history, and business. I am currently in the 12^th grade, and have plans to go to college while working to create and own 2 businesses.

 

My name is Maurice Dexter Deandre Hammond. I am 24 years old and I’m from New Orleans, Louisiana. I’m an artist, poet, rapper, singer and songwriter. I’ve performed with Rebirth and the New Orleans Mystics. I would like to get my Associates Degree in Business Administration. I would ultimately like to become an international recording artist and entrepreneur.

 

My name is Brandon Bigard, I’m a twenty year old Aries, I have a passion for the arts and a stubborn protective streak for her city ever since she was little. Running around in the advocacy world for over a decade and coming from a family deeply rooted in the arts, New Orleans, and the history that it contains. This young woman has tricks up her sleeve like the secrets contained in the streets she walks. I am currently an intern for AFSC, once again jumping back into the fray of learning, teaching, showing, and protecting the path for the perfect life.

 

 My name is Isaiah Jones and I’m here for my third go as a Peace by Piece Intern. I am a soon to be graduating Political Science major with a dual concentration in Women’s' Studies and Communications Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana. During my past times participating in this internship i learned a lot of valuable lessons about myself and the world that we live in so i look forward to what this round will bring. I'm still working for that 4.0 in life and hopefully will soon be engaging with graduate schools and job opportunities that will propel me even further into ever more interesting situations and connection with the community.

 

 Hi All!  My name is Breial Kennedy and I am currently a freshman at Dillard University. A couple things to know about me are I am a very compatible person, my favorite color is green, and I’m actually a returning intern from the spring 2013 semester.

Hey my name is Donald Mitchell. I’m a student, a son, and a brother. I’m independent and I’m striving for success in New Orleans, LA. Come follow me as I turn my struggles into my success.



An Inside Look at FOF in B-More

Briana O'Neal

I recently attended a Friend of a Friend (FOF) experience, a mentorship training project that operates inside of the criminal justice system in Maryland.  Friend of a Friend is a program of the AFSC office in Baltimore, MD.  My experience in B-More was very enlightening.  The training teaches how to build healthy relationships, create support, develop communication skills, and teach positive ways to handle conflict.

Participants work with mentors on their attitudes, strengths, weaknesses, and values. It’s important that the men leading this program have been through the criminal justice system and share similar experiences.  This helps them relate and connect to the new participants. They use interactive games, skits, and scenarios that cover real life situations. My favorites include: Mentor Money, an icebreaker that allows people to introduce themselves to each other; We Wear the Mask, an activity that acknowledges we all have mask that we hide behind to make life a little easier to deal with but we must not lose the real us behind the mask; and The Debate Game, participants debate on a topic and see who wins. Before we left we was asked, “Where do we go from here?”

I feel B-More, NOLA, and New Mexico has a lot in common.  We’re working on some of the same issues to change our communities.  It makes sense that we work together.  I think it would be great if we all could go to each other’s cities and attend trainings on what we do, how we do it, and what are the outcomes. We can help each other reach our goals of ending violence if we have multiple strategies and many people. There is strength and power in numbers.