Hadil Alhayek serves as OEP's Children's Peace Formation Organizer intern.  She reflects on the impact that On Earth Peace has made in her life during her year-long internship.

Why are you drawn/applied to On Earth Peace?
I applied to OEP after a mentor recommended it to me, he was a co-speaker that joined me in a series talking about Palestine Justice. What drew me to OEP was that it had young people from all around the US, from different backgrounds who were coming together to talk about different social justice issues that were all of interest to me, I liked that the organization gave young people to generate the change they want to see in the world. And I was happy to get to know and learn from these interns that I have worked closely with for the past year.

Farming in Palestine under the Occupation 

by Haya Saleh, OEP Palestine Justice Organizer

       In Palestine, agriculture is the most important economic sector. Agriculture provides life-saving career possibilities in Gaza, an area where unemployment is rampant. Agriculture is also an important aspect of cultural identity in the West Bank, where farming has been a way of life since ancient times. It also provides chances for long-term stability and sustainability. Nonetheless, agriculture's role in the Palestinian economy has dwindled over time. The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has had a significant influence on the Palestinian economy. Agriculture is a significant element of Palestine's national, cultural, economic, and social fabric. Palestinians have been early adopters of agricultural methods throughout the region and worldwide. Agriculture demonstrates their perseverance, struggle, and loyalty to their land in the face of confiscation and settlement attempts. In this article, I’ll be discussing the Palestinian economy and agriculture and how the Israeli occupation affects both of them.

On Earth Peace (OEP) held its 2022 Spring Board Meeting virtually on Zoom, April 7-9, 2022.  Those attending included interns from as far away as Spain and Gaza.  Six current board members are people of color and an equal number are younger than 40, leaving older and white board members as a slight minority for the first time in the board’s history.  It was a delight to see co-chair Melisa Leiter Grandison holding her newborn daughter, Mikyla Soul, on her shoulder during the meetings. All current board members are members of the Church of the Brethren (COB) or persons with deep family roots in the Brethren tradition.  With young adult interns and fellows providing skilled leadership for portions of the meetings, the benefit of including younger and more diverse leadership was evident, reflecting the OEP value of developing intergenerational leadership.  

Source included in image.

Caption: A person is looking through a microscope with the title of the show underneath. 

Written by Janell Ryan, Newsletter Editor

This month, I’m recommending the show ‘Getting Curious with Jonathan Van Ness’. The entire 6-episode series came out earlier this year, with bite-sized episodes that are easily digested while also giving a lot to think about. Jonathan explores multiple fields, from learning about bugs and all their intricacies to investigating the snack industry and the rise of sugar addiction. However, there were two episodes that really struck a chord in me; one focusing on the gender binary, and the other focusing on skyscrapers and how they’re built.

Caption: The cover of studio album It’s My Way! by Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Source included in image.

Written by Calum Clow, Environmental Justice Organizer

When I visited San Francisco this past November, I toured Alcatraz Prison. A highlight of that destination was an exhibit on the Native American occupation of the island. One of the displays in the museum showed Indigenous contributions to mainstream pop culture and art. I took a picture of an old album cover that caught my attention so I could listen to it when I came home. The folk album was the revolutionary debut record of Buffy Sainte-Marie entitled “It’s My Way!” released in 1964.