BRC Member Emi Kawamura in front of mural created by students at Wilson Vance Elementary.

Recipient of the $500 Community Engagement Grant for Youth, Borderless Relations Committee (BRC) based in Findlay, Ohio, had a year full of engagement in their community. BRC is made up of students Christina Horn, Maree Iboaya, and Emi Kawamura, who went above and beyond to make an impact on their community's youth. BRC’s mission was to help create a sense of belonging by empowering students by celebrating differences and providing education about diversity. The students the committee sought to empower were local third to fifth graders by providing Reading to end Racism: Discussing Racism to Youth.

Hannah Bentley serves as OEP's Women's Justice Organizer intern.  She reflects on the impact that On Earth Peace has made in her life during her internship.

Why are you drawn/applied to On Earth Peace?

There were two things that initially drew me to OEP: the work environment and the organization’s values. More specifically, a work environment for interns in which not one person is valued over another, and which genuinely invites feedback; and values which are not only unwavering on important stances such as anti-militarism, but are at the same time constantly growing and changing. A previous intern informed me about these two practices, leading to my application for OEP. As I’ve worked here, I’ve found these two aspects of working at OEP to be wonderful.

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.