In Opelika, Alabama, Pastor Carolyn Morton works hard to foster nonviolence throughout her community. As part of the Nonviolent Cities Project, Nonviolent Opelika offers trainings in Kingian Nonviolence, holds marches and rallies, receives annual proclamations from the mayor, and much more. 

Most recently, they trained volunteers to participate in Community Violence Intervention and have been holding night walks since December 17th. Preventing gun violence has been a longstanding effort for Pastor Morton and her Samford Community Outreach Nonviolence Group. They have organized marches against gun violence, collaborated with local initiatives of Moms Demand Action, put together neighborhood patrols to reduce incidents, and other types of actions. 

The Community Violence Intervention Night Walk Volunteers wear brightly colored vests that say PEACEKEEPERS in bold lettering on the back. By putting a visible presence in the local neighborhoods, it deters violence and also puts community members on hand to de-escalate any situations that may occur. It is an approach advocated by many violence prevention groups nationwide, including Nonviolent Peaceforce and Cure Violence.

Pastor Carolyn Morton writes, “We dedicated this work to the Samford Community Outreach Nonviolence Group and Opelika Nonviolent City Project and Pace e Bene . . . for sharing wisdom and knowledge through teaching, training and education and different resources and toolkits. Our first training session about Community Violence Intervention Night Walk Volunteers was on December 7th, 2024. We are officially peacemakers now!”

Learn more about the Nonviolent Cities Project, which fosters nonviolence in dozens of cities and communities nationwide.