Maria Garcia serves as OEP's Written Communication Organizing Intern. Maria is a recent master’s graduate in Gender, Media, and Culture from Goldsmiths, University of London. She reflects on On Earth Peace's impact on her life during her internship.

Why are you drawn/applied to On Earth Peace?

I was drawn to OEP because of its emphasis on Kingian Nonviolence. Before my internship, I was unaware of KNV teachings, that perspective of approaching conflicts was utterly new and intriguing to me.

The On Earth Peace Board of Directors held its spring board meetings on April 13-15 celebrating the faithful leadership of the interim executive staff, fellows, and interns as well as an ever deepening commitment to becoming an anti-racist organization. 

In February of 2023, the Board of Directors reorganized and called Tamera Shaw and Jennifer K. Scarr to serve as co-chairs for the next two years. Irv Heishman was called to chair the resource management committee while Doug Richard was called to chair the board governance committee. These four board members along with interim co-executive director Marie Benner-Rhoades form the Executive Committee which is planning a much needed dive into our organization’s policies in the next year. 

Haya Saleh serves as our Kingian Nonviolence fellow, but previously served as our Palestine Justice intern organizer. She is a Palestinian living in Gaza where she teaches English as a second language. She graduated in 2021 from a local college in Palestine and plans to get a Master's degree in sociology abroad.  In addition to organizing people for Palestine Justice in the US and abroad, she brings OEP programs to children and youth in Gaza. She reflects on the impact that On Earth Peace has made in her life during her internship and fellowship.

Why are you drawn/applied to On Earth Peace?

My interest in OEP began when I subscribed to their newsletter and learned about a 2-hour KNV training. The training concept was new to me as well as the Kingian framework of peacebuilding and community organizing. Soon afterward I applied to the "Palestine Justice Organizer" internship that was highly relevant to my background since I am located in Palestine. 

In January, one of our youth grant recipients coordinated a project that left an impact not only on them but also on a marginalized group in society. The Spark Junior team is the creation of a previous training OEP sponsored. In June last year, Kingian Nonviolence Fellow Haya Saleh collaborated with the Organizing Fellow, Hadil Alhayek, to give 25 participants in Gaza, Palestine, Agape Satyagraha training in a framework created by OEP that highlights peacebuilding and conflict resolution techniques and methods. The program introduces children and teenagers to understanding emotions, controlling reactions, communication strategies, negotiation, mediation, arbitration, and Kingian Nonviolence frameworks.

Spark Junior consists of five teens who, during the Agape Satyagraha training, were assigned to choose a conflict and create a suitable solution. During the training, they focused on increasing youth’s social engagement in their local community through voluntary work.

Photo Caption: Participants in the January 25 kickoff meeting of the new Action Team included Gerald Rhoades, Matt Guynn, Gail Heisel, Sandi Evans Rogers, Mandy Park, Bev Eikenberry, Steve Stone, SueZann Bosler, Lisa Krieg, Linda Himes, Ray Cromartie, and Linda Williams (not pictured).  

A new Church of the Brethren Gun Violence Prevention Action Team launched in January 2023, meeting four times before early March. The team’s purpose is to galvanize the Church of the Brethren to be faithful as an effective force for reducing gun violence in our neighborhoods and wherever it occurs.  On Earth Peace is convening this action team as part of a broader campaign to activate advocates for gun violence prevention.