Samhar Almomani is On Earth Peace's Kingian Nonviolence Organizer and a senior public health student at Elizabethtown College in Pennsylvania. He is originally from Jordan and grew up in the United Arab Emirates.  He's interested in addressing health disparities and ensuring equitable access to healthcare for everyone, and worked on addressing these health issues in his previous internships, including his work with the World Forgotten Children Foundation. Samhar also volunteers with Save The Water and the American Civil Liberties Union in PA. This call to service drew them towards pursuing a career in public health and getting an internship with OEP. Samhar plans on pursuing a graduate degree in health policy at George Washington University this fall and is looking forward to finding ways to use the Kingian Nonviolence toolbox to better communities' health. 

Why did you apply to On Earth Peace? What drew you to the organization?

I applied to OEP because I have always had an interest in learning more about how to apply nonviolence techniques in the real world. Elizabethtown College has roots in the Brethren community, and I wanted to explore my call to service and how it relates to Kingian Nonviolence. The idea of using nonviolence methodology to address health inequities seemed practical and interesting to me. Upon meeting with members of the organization in the interviewing process, I knew that OEP would be an organization that would provide me with valuable experience. The position of Kingian Nonviolence Organizer stood out to me specifically because I have always had an interest in community organizing and talking with communities about ways they can use their collective power to enact change. 

What are your favorite projects that you’ve worked on?

Planning the monthly 2-hour workshops is definitely my favorite part of the job, and I quickly developed an interest in exploring ways that we can better communicate the ideas of KNV to people who decide to join one of those workshops. I began meeting with KNV trainers whom I have previously worked with on 2-hour workshops and asked them what changes they think would make the workshops more valuable and accessible to people. Learning about the trainers' perspectives and connecting with them on a deeper level has been a great experience. Another favorite project of mine is currently ongoing, and it is a three-part series of webinars at Elizabethtown College. Ever since starting with OEP, I had wanted to reconnect Elizabethtown College with OEP, so I was excited to see parts of this effort come to fruition. 

How has OEP affected your future aspirations?

I knew when I applied to OEP that I was hoping the internship would change my perspective in a couple of ways. I wanted to think outside the box and use novel ideas to combat modern problems. I think the reason behind the stalling of progress in many areas, such as health, has been because the same ideas get used over and over again with no regard to whether they work or not. Therefore, OEP has helped me see solutions to problems in new ways, and they helped me understand how to work on and organize community effort.

What would you like people to know about OEP and yourself?

I would like people to know that OEP has a great network which makes it a wonderful resource. This means that you can reach out even if you need help with something that isn't KNV-related. I have met people who have experience in environmental justice, the criminal justice system, healthcare, and more. You should not hesitate to reach out! One thing I would like people to know about me is that I love making new connections and meeting new people, so if anything from my bio, projects, or work stands out to you, I would love to connect!