Project Summary

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We will build infrastructure for a cultural shift away from domination and violence by engaging diverse groups of teens in an intense year-long process expressing the issues that define their lives and their vision for the future in an original musical and community change projects.

About me

I am a retired social worker from UC Berkeley, a New Thought minister, and a committed peace activist. In recent years my focus has moved from being a "warrior for peace" to the idea of building "infrastructure" so that peace has a lasting chance. That is why I joined with others to form the Culture of Peace Alliance (COPA) and why I am so excited we are empowering youth. COPA members have a wide range of contacts within the political, faith, education, and nonprofit communities, to build the necessary partnerships to not only succeed at starting the project, but also in making sure our teens have maximum impact over time. City at Peace is a key partner, sharing its proven approach to youth empowerment with us. Other partners include Philipines-born actor/director/musician/teacher Robert Encila, Phyllis Grimes, who led many peace ambassador trips to the Soviet Union, Del Jones, who founded the Partnership Way Center in 1991, based on the work of Riane Eisler, and is an Ambassador for Domestic Violence Education, Dr. Ann Yellott, Ph.D., who works with Dr. Bernard Lafayette on the Youth NonViolent Leadership Project, Jack Strasburg, a Tucson Peace Center Board member who was a founding member of local, state and national Green Parties and worked with Dine (Navajo) and Hopi on the Big Mountain relocation, and Sat Bir Kaur Khalsa, an active Sikh who strongly upholds the human rights of all people to live, love, and share peacefully.