Caption: Four Just Peace Leaders are smiling at the camera, with the words 'We are thankful for our Just Peace Leaders' in the center of them. 

Written by: Kharis Murphy, Communications Fellow

At On Earth Peace, we are thankful to be able to support leaders in peace and justice across generations. These Just Peace Leaders do so much to build Beloved Community and stand up to violence and oppression. As we take time this month to give thanks, we wanted to highlight and give thanks for just a few of our incredible leaders.

An activist, peace seeker, and member of the Silent Generation, Libby Lane is an inspiration to many. After a white supremacist rally near her home resulted in death, Libby reached out to OEP to find out how she could become more active in the fight against racism. She became involved with a project called The Listening, a freedom school in her community that focuses on Black history and how to be in an anti-racist community with others. She is also a writer, who uses her platform to promote her passion for justice and peace. For showing us that it is never too late to begin, we are thankful for Libby.

Beverly Eikenberry is a member of the Baby Boomer generation who has a long history of focusing on peacemaking and anti-racism. She is a trained mediator who has worked to bring awareness to the devastation of atomic weapons as co-director of the World Friendship Center in Hiroshima, facilitated cultural exchange and awareness of other points of view through organizing international work camps with the Church of the Brethren, and directed peace education programs in public schools. For her commitment to helping people see from another’s perspective, we are thankful for Beverly. 

OEP’s Director of Organizing, Matt Guynn, is a lifelong fighter for peace and justice. Through OEP, he has played a central role in the formation of the Kingian Nonviolence Network, an informal group of Kingian trainers, organizers, and centers, while also consulting and leading trainings with churches and community groups, and supporting the growth of dozens of organizing interns from around the country. Beyond his work with OEP, Matt has also played a meaningful role in helping organize the Oregon Poor People's Campaign, serving on the Coordinating Committee since 2018, and continuing to support strategy, and leadership development across the Oregon PPC. For helping us grow in Kingian Nonviolence, we are thankful for Matt. 

Sadia Akhter Aurna, was born and raised in Bangladesh. From a very young age she saw poverty, hunger,  and the need for peace, education, and a safer environment for all people, regardless of their gender, sexual preference or religion. She strives to work towards peace and justice by writing, joining organizations that support the less privileged, such as OEP, Ashoka, and the Indian Subcontinent Student organization, and through peaceful protests against corruption, violence and injustice. For always raising her voice against injustice and oppression, we are thankful for Aurna. 

Even though we could only highlight a few of them, we are thankful for all of our Just Peace Leaders! You can find out more about Libby, Beverly, Matt, Aurna, and all of the Just Peace Leaders by visiting https://www.onearthpeace.org/leaders. Do you have someone in your life who does work that you are thankful for? Tell us about them! Email [email protected] to share your stories of leadership