Opelika, Little Rock and Morro Bay Build Community with Nonviolent Actions!
Campaign Nonviolence Action Week is still on, and the actions have been and continue to be inspiring. If you haven’t been able to participate yet, be sure to check the list of actions for events near you or online, and follow us on social media (we’ve got Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) to see photos from successful actions, watch daily teach-ins, enjoy the music from local vigils, and be a part of the excitement.
Bob Estes of Little Rock, AR reports: “Arkansas Peace Week developed non-violence lesson plans and resources in partnership with Little Rock School District and Volunteers in Public Schools (VIPS). This curriculum teaches peacemaking skills for elementary age students. In 2021 we provided these lessons to students in Little Rock School District, Pulaski County Special School District, and many private schools Over 12,000 students participated. https://arkansaspeaceweek.com/schools/schools-and-youth-programs/
In 2021 we began the Peace Week Art Contest for 1st - 6th Grade students https://arkansaspeaceweek.com/murals-and-art/peace-week-youth-art-contest/ and Peace Week Essay Contest for 7th – 12 Grade Students https://arkansaspeaceweek.com/schools/peace-week-youth-essay-contest/. In our first year we had over 500 entries.
Other major events this year included:
Peace Week Youth Summit Online THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 2021 AT 6 PM CDT – 8:30 PM CDT.
Peace Week Essay Contest winners announced and asked to win their winning Essays
Film Screening and Discussion of "I AM ELEVEN" . I AM ELEVEN explores the lives and thoughts of children from 15 countries. These children share their thoughts on a range of subjects such as love, war, global warming, music, terrorism, culture, family, happiness, religion and the future. This documentary enables us to explore an age where these ‘not quite kids, not quite teenagers’ briefly linger, between the frank openness and sometimes naivety of childhood, and the sharp and surprisingly brave wisdom and knowing of adulthood. http://www.iameleven.com/thefilmPeace Across Faiths https://arkansaspeaceweek.com/faith-groups/interfaith-meal/
Interfaith Program, Picnic & Ice Cream Social
September 19th. 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Allsopp Park Pavilion at 3700 Cedar Hill Road.Traditional kickoff of Arkansas Peace Week with an evening of reflections and prayers. During this time, we will celebrate peace from different faiths and non-faith perspectives as we enjoy a meal and make new friends.
Prior to the program, we had a "Bring Your Own" meal picnic. We provided Ice Cream and Water. Guest brought blanket or lawn chairs as we spread out on the grounds to ensure social distancing.
ARKANSAS PEACE FEST Online https://arkansaspeaceweek.com/schools/peace-fest/
SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2021 AT 2 PM CDT – 4 PM CDT
Peace Week Art Contest winners announced
Screening and Discussion of the film: Woodruff: A Lesson of Non-violence This is a documentary produced by W.A.N.D. (Women's Action For New Directions) and tells a powerful story of what one remarkable elementary school in Little Rock, Arkansas was doing to deal with violence. It is an amazing testament to the goodness of human beings. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itokKOrpG8k.
THV11’s Craig O’Neill reads children’s books for Peace Week. The Peace Book!, Peace Week in Miss Fox’s Class,
Reading of The General Hardcover by Jane Charters
Peace Week 7th Street Mural Painting https://arkansaspeaceweek.com/murals-and-art/mural/
SEPTEMBER 18 & 19, 2021 AT 9 AM CDT – 12 PM CDT, West 7th St Underpass, 2486 W 7th St Little Rock
All ages were invited. Many painted, others stopped by and learned the history and origins of the murals and meet the artist.”
You can read more about Arkansas Peace Week in this great write-up for a local news station, and be sure to watch the video below!
Carolyn Morton of our newest Nonviolent City, Opelika, AL writes, “September 18, we did our second social justice group discussion with our community young people and family. We wish everyone a happy peace day in the city of Opelika and around the world. September 23, Samford Community Outreach Nonviolence Group (SCONG), AL-Auburn and Opelika Moms Demand Action took a photo together and received two proclamations from our Mayor Gary Fuller honoring International Day Of Peace and honoring my father’s life and legacy every fourth Saturday in September. September 25, Pastor Carolyn Morton and SCONG. gathered together with our community, family, and friends. Local young people, Opelika Police and Fire Department, Lee county NAACP BRANCH Unit 5038 Members, AL-Auburn and Opelika Moms Demand Action, LEE County Democratic Club Members were some of our guests helping us celebrate our International Day Of Peace and the Nonviolent Opelika Project. We started getting ready for the Fourth Annual MLK Jr. Youth Nonviolence Peace March and Rally Against Gun Violence in our community. Honoring my father’s life and legacy every fourth Saturday in September—the past two years for me and my family and our city. We did a devotional scripture and prayer. We all lined up for the Peace March and Rally. Words of encouragement from a minister friend of mine included the theme: "Let's Unite In Love And Power In Our Community." I was honored by a group called Religious Affairs of The NAACP Lee County Branch for 35 years in my Ministry and being a community faith leader, doing community outreach, and being an activist for nonviolence, peace, and social justice! Love doing activism work as well! Opelika police department honored me with a coin token for the city of Opelika. I love doing through the anointing of God! We Had a wonderful and BLESSED International Day Of Peace in our city of OPELIKA ALABAMA!”
Ruth Ann Angus of Yes We Can Peacebuilders/Nonviolent Morro Bay reports: “We had several organizations join us as well as the city police chief and commander. One of the organizations is Lumina Alliance that works with young people (high school and college) and adults on sexual violence. We had a talk about the 30 Basic Human Rights we all possess and a peace chorus sang a program for us. The local Lions club helped out with this event as well as two organizations that work aiding the homeless and poverty stricken. Attendees were able to visit with each organization to obtain information materials and to talk about nonviolence. And we all enjoyed a nice outdoor, sunny picnic! Media attention was the local paper and Facebook. Feedback has been very positive and a collaboration with Lumina Alliance to spread the word about nonviolence and defeat sexual violence is taking place between them and Yes We Can Peacebuilders. Our aim is to get brochures and other materials into area high schools especially and have that done by the young people from Morro Bay High School. The Morro Bay Lions will also be collaborating on this. All in all, we are greatly pleased with how our event turned out.”