How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Programs at Sunday Friends are cultivated around community building and participation with the goals to empower individuals, strengthen listening and attention skills, and develop mindful choices that enhance their well-being.

Participants are engaged in both group and family activities which are carefully designed to strengthen relationships, increase self-awareness, and enhance personal development.

How we collaborated

Reconnecting in 2019, James McCaskill, the new Executive Director to Sunday Friends attended his first peaceful World Conversation on the topic of Organizational Development where he elaborated on the increasing demand of the organization’s programming.

In 2016, Ali Barekat, the Executive Director from Sunday Friends co-facilitated a peaceful world conversation with our 2016 and 2017 grantee, Peace in the Park on the topic of Mindful Leadership where we explored the question “As influential leaders in your communities, what peaceful practices are at the core of your leadership?”

In addition, Ali Barekat attended and participated at our 2016 event, The Life and Times of Sami Sunchild where he elaborated on the work of Sunday Friends.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

In celebration of Hālau o Keikiali‘i’s 25th anniversary as a traditional, Hawaiian hula school, their special event includes gathering hula students and Hawaiian music practitioners from around the globe together in the San Francisco Bay Area for a public hula performance that is part ritual and part theatrical production.

Chanting, dancing ancient hula, offering prayers to nurture the waters, the lands, the entities that sustain and connect us with life-forces; unifies global peace. The hula ritual and artistic work is dedicated to embodying and sharing this aloha, this love, which is the source of life and planetary well-being.

How we collaborated

The Peaceful World Foundation featured Kumu Kawika Alfiche, Master Teacher of the Halau o Keikiali’i and the Director of the Kaululehua Hawaiian Cultural Center in South San Francisco as our guest seeker to explore together the question: How do we continue our Ancestors’ Legacy?

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

By actively bringing the community together to explore and co-create a mural around differences, similarities and common values, the program includes hosted intergenerational conversations and art making as tools to promote peace building.

How we collaborated

In 2019 Laurie Marshall, artist and educator at Create Peace Project co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation on the theme Connecting through Art alongside our 2016 and 2018 grantee, No Bully. Using art as a participatory tool during the conversation, we furthered explored the question “How can we use art to transform bullying?”

In 2017, Laurie Marshall co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation with our 2017 grantee, CASA on the question, What is Fluidity? as both organizations work with local youth to build community through art.

Create Peace Project also attended and participated at our 2017 Picnic for Peace and our 2019 Peace Festival. They were also an instrumental participant at the annual Peace in the Park in San Francisco. Laurie’s work at Create Peace Project highlights the healing power of art and the relaxing nature it cultivates when done in community.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Native Youth Guardians of the Waters Program (GOTW) provides young adults an immersive indigenous-based educational experience designed to explore personal and collective identities in an urban context, and facilitate cultural, spiritual, and emotional healing through the revitalization of personal and inter-personal relationships to native lifeways, arts and traditions.

The GOTW program contributes to peace and social consciousness through its holistic approach which includes inter-tribal and inter-cultural sharing, and promotion of eco-cultural health. Through mindful practices, listening, dialogue and group processing, participants explore the connections between cultural healing and ecological health, as well as traditional and new arts.

How we collaborated

In 2019 Melissa K. Nelson, President and CEO of The Cultural Conservancy co-facilitated with the Peaceful World Foundation on the topic of Organizational Change. We explored the question; “how do we manage the change and growth of our organizational programs while adhering to our organization’s mission?”

In 2017 Maya Harjo, Food-Ways Coordinator from The Cultural Conservancy co-facilitated a conversation with our 2017 grantee, Sustainable Solano on the topic: The Joys of Connecting with the Earth where she highlighted the value in seeing our Earth as our Ancestor.

In 2016, Melissa and Nicola Wagenberg from The Cultural Conservancy co-facilitated a peaceful world conversation with our 2016 grantee, Circle of Ancestors, on the topic Bringing Peace into our Modern Lives. The highlights of the conversation included, sensing and valuing the importance of having gratitude for the things that give us life.

Later in 2016, Melissa and Nicola in collaboration with our 2016-2017 grantee, California Consortium of Urban Indian Health (CCUIH) lead the Water Prayer Gathering at El Polin Springs in San Francisco and the 2017 Autumnal Gathering in the Presidio.

We are deeply grateful for the support and friendship found with the staff at the Cultural Conservancy who were actively involved in our peace building efforts.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Their conversation programs empower residents to become collaborators for change as they discuss central issues embarking on creating a community movement for change. Sustainable Solano has grown out of decades of dedicated community work that started with community gardens and has grown to include an emphasis on creating sustainable, regenerative environments and community capacity building by supporting local food systems and building workforce skills for a better future.

How we collaborated

In late 2017, Marlen Otten from Sustainable Solano joined us as a guest speaker alongside Maya Harjo, Food-ways Coordinator from The Cultural Conservancy at our peaceful world conversation, The Joys of Connecting with the Earth.

Marlen also attended our 2017 Picnic in the Presidio where she received a boarder scope of the collaborative work we do with other local organizations in their peace building efforts.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

The festival unites world-renowned peace leaders, yogis, wellness scientists, researchers, meditation and mindfulness teachers with celebrated performers and artists.  Experiential and engaging talks, workshops and activities are designed by the experts to all ages and are presented with easy and actionable takeaways on how to live a conscious life. 

With an effort to cultivate peace and wellbeing 365 days of the year, the festival provides access to local organizations, resources, programs, and initiatives that promote peace and wellbeing within the community and online. 

How we collaborated

Jay Chodagam, Founding Chairman of the annual Peace in the Park Festival has attended and participated in many peaceful world conversations.  He co-facilitated a conversation with our 2016 grantee, Sunday Friends on the topic of Mindful Leadership and another conversation on Mindful Travel where he highlighted his lessons learned.

In 2015 and 2016, we collaborated and participated at the Peace in the Park Festival by hosting peaceful world conversations. Jay attended and participated at our 2017 Picnic for Peace in the Presidio where he elaborated on the Peace in the Park mission and endeavors.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Their programs are designed to provide a safe space for girls to develop confidence, wellbeing, and self-care tools for long-term healthy growth and engagement within their communities. Promoting social consciousnesses through compassion, inclusion, and advocacy are at the core of their educational programs.

How we collaborated

Elizabeth Gutierrez and Ann Bui of Oasis for Girls co-facilitated our peaceful world conversation lunch event, Celebrating Diversity and Advocacy with our 2018 grantee, The Mosaic Project. The approach towards peace is no different from the approach towards diversity as it invites us to arrive at both with cultural humility and assertive communication.

In 2019, Peaceful World Foundation attended their 20^th Anniversary Oasis Shine Gala in San Francisco. Today, we continue fostering our relationship and planning future events online.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

The Peace Summit component in the No Bully partnership is an engaging and impactful conduit to support conversations in community meetings regarding school culture and social vision. No Bully’s approach is an effective tool for schools seeking to improve school climate, engage alternatives to suspension, and mitigate the physical and mental health impacts of bullying and cyberbullying.

How we collaborated

In 2019 No Bully’s CEO, Will McCoy and Director of Development, Sophie Cary alongside our 2017 and 2019 grantee, Create Peace Project, co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation on the theme of Connecting through Art.

In 2016, Kathy Grey, Director of Training at No Bully co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation with our 2016 grantee, Headstand on the topic, Teaching Peace in Schools. Kathy described how No Bully works with schools to leverage student empathy to stop bullying and to spread kindness, inclusion and acceptance for all students.

In addition, other staff members from No Bully attended various peaceful world conversations bringing the voice of a younger and diverse generation into the conversation.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

By using a social-emotional based learning curriculum designed to address issues of difference, self-esteem building and inspire inclusion, their organizational outdoor and in-school projects center around creating more peaceful and inclusive communities.

Their program enables an environment that fosters mutual respect, connection, and a celebration of differences that motivates all members to achieve their highest potential.

How we collaborated

Mark Yanez and Christabel Nunoo of the Mosaic Project co-facilitated our peaceful world lunch conversation event, Celebrating Diversity and Advocacy with our 2018 grantee, Oasis for Girls. The approach to peace is no different from the approach to diversity as it invites us to arrive at both with cultural humility and assertive communication.  

The Peaceful World Foundation attended their 20^th Anniversary Celebration in the hills of Oakland, CA.

Visit their website : https://mosaicproject.org/

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

The Power of Hope Program promotes a growing global movement of youth empowerment through the arts, which allows youth to develop confidence, a joy for life, a passion for the natural world, and the internal motivation to follow their aspirations and live a meaningful life.

How we collaborated

During one of our 2016 peaceful world breakfast conversation, What is your Legacy?, Oren Slozberg was at the time Chief Strategies Officer at Commonweal and he had shared that he had met Sami, our founder in a few occasions while living in the Haight-Ashbury area for nearly a decade.

Oren founded EDGE, a program focusing on building community through connection, cognition and creativity, recognizing that as humans we have a quest for purpose and a sense of belonging. He mentored our staff as we began our journey into growing as a grant making and peace building foundation.

Again In 2016, Oren co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation with our upcoming 2017 grantee, Holistic Underground.  Exploring the topic, Entrepreneurship and Peace Building, Oren brought decades of experience to the table and cultivated a relationship with Holistic Underground’s Founder, Mazin Jamal which lead to Commonweal becoming their fiscal sponsor and launching Holistic Underground forward as a NPO.

In 2017, Oren became the Executive Director for Commonweal and continues to be an instrumental part of our work at the Peaceful World Foundation. He attended and participated at our 2019 Peace Festival where he elaborated on our collaborative efforts.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Both their Leadership and Organizational Development Programs occur in the context of a diverse and supportive community which allows participants to expand their horizons and make lasting impacts in their community. Their focus has been in the areas of homeless and formerly incarcerated services, technology, education, and sustainability.

How we collaborated

In 2021, Executive Director, Mazin Jamal, led a virtual conversation on Restorative Healing in partnership with the Dalai Lama Fellows.

During our 2017 Picnic for Peace in the Presidio, both Mazin and Kate Hockett from HU participated, volunteered, and elaborated on their work. Later that year, HU co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation, Exploring Global and Local Youth Leadership in the Rise of Technology, with our 2017 and 2019 grantee, The Dalai Lama Fellows.

Both organizations dedicate themselves to encouraging and supporting youth leadership, both locally and globally, through programs and platforms that instill mindfulness and well-being.

Before receiving funding, members of HU were actively involved in our 2016 event, The Life and Times of Sami Sunchild as volunteers and where Mazin Jamal, Executive Director of HU performed. In addition, HU participated in several of our 2016 peaceful world conversations; Chain Reaction and Entrepreneurship and Peace Building where Mazin met Oren Slozberg from Commonweal.

Oren brought decades of experience to the conversation table and cultivated a relationship with HU which lead to Commonweal becoming their fiscal sponsor launching HU forward as an NPO.

Visit their website : https://www.holisticunderground.org

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Friends of the Urban Forestuses trees and outdoor experiences as alternative methods to manage stress and increase inner awareness. By encouraging ecologically sustainable practices, their participants learn to develop healthier cognitive, emotional, and behavioral engagement with the self and with others.

How we collaborated

In 2019 Roberta Catalinotto, Vice President at Friends of the Urban Forest, attended and participated at our peaceful world lunch conversation event, Celebrating Diversity and Advocacy where she elaborated that their organization ensures that inclusion, diversity and advocacy is at the core of their Green Teens Program.

In 2018 Alex Javier, Education Manager at Friends of the Urban Forest, participated and co-facilitated our peaceful world conversation lunch event at the SF Tides Converge on the theme of Traditions, Transitions and Teen Spirit with our 2018 and 2019 grantee, Outward Bound California.With an interest in our youth taking the lead on several social issues around the country, our conversation went over our allocated two hours.

In 2017, Alex attended his first peaceful world breakfast conversation, The Joys of Connecting with the Earth. The conversation was facilitated by our 2017 grantee, Sustainable Solano and our 2018 grantee, The Cultural Conservancy.

HOW THE PROGRAM CONTRIBUTES TO PEACE AND SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS:

The programs within ArtSeed are primarily devoted to youngsters from distressed households who gain an experience of peace and shared social consciousness in long-term, supportive mentorships with artists.

By helping to empower young people to look at peaceful solutions, ArtSeed’s artistic explorations inspire critical thinking and optimism among their constituents.

HOW WE COLLABORATED

Josefa Vaughan, Founder and Executive Director of ArtSeed and Gino Bella, ArtSeed’s Executive Assistant have attended many of our peaceful world conversations and actively participated in our breakfast conversation, Connecting with Art.

She made connections with our 2018-2019 grantee, Seeds of Awareness who used artwork from ArtSeed to display during the opening of their new clinic in Oakland, CA.

In addition to joining our conversations, Josefa and one of her Board Members, Anita Stokes attended and participated at our 2019 Peace Festival at the Anubhuti Meditation and Retreat Center where she elaborated on her peace building work.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Outward Bound California provides hands-on opportunities for youth from very different backgrounds to practice problem-solving, conflict resolution, compassionate leadership, and service. Their Youth Leadership Corp program supports our focus on Mindful Education specifically for its ability to instill compassionate leadership in teens using participatory approaches to community building.

How we collaborated

Vanessa Baker, Development Director at Outward Bound California co-facilitated our peaceful world conversation lunch event on the theme of Traditions, Transitions and Teen Spirit with our 2018 and 2019 grantee, Friends of the Urban Forest.

In 2019 Adriana Guerrero, Annual Fund Manager and Fund Development Coordinator, Jinny Jung from Outward Bound participated and attended several peaceful world conversations including our lunch event Celebrating Diversity and Advocacy where the question on ethical funding was discussed.

They both also attended our 2019 Peace Festival where they elaborated on their organizational mission.

Visit their website: https://www.outwardboundcalifornia.org/about/locations/san-francisco

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

RISE (Root-Inspire-Support-Empower) envisions a world where vulnerable and marginalized youth:

• Connect to a sense of inner-peace, self-worth, and inherent goodness
• Emanate compassion and kindness through their actions
• Develop the inner resources needed to manage stress, build resilience and become leaders in their communities.

RISE (Root-Inspire-Support-Empower) envisions a world where vulnerable and marginalized youth:

• Connect to a sense of inner-peace, self-worth, and inherent goodness
• Emanate compassion and kindness through their actions
• Develop the inner resources needed to manage stress, build resilience, and become leaders in their communities.

How we collaborated

Jaedra DiGiammarino, Outreach Team Member at RISE Yoga for Youth, co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation on Exploring the Rise of Mindfulness Based Socio-emotional Learning within our Bay Area Schools alongside our 2018 and 2019 grantee, Seeds of Awareness.

By sharing a technique RISE uses for moving youth through painful experiences, Jaedra shared how she noticed better self-regulation among her students.

Erin Lila Wilson, Founder and Executive Director of RISE, YOGA for Youth attended and participated at our 2018 Peace Festival.

Visit their website: https://www.riseyogaforyouth.org/

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

In addition to addressing the triggers of stress, Seeds of Awareness also cultivates skills in children and adults to create socially, ecologically and spiritually conscious communities in the Bay Area.

How we collaborated

Doug Lerch, Founder and Executive Director for Seeds of Awareness co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation on Exploring the Rise of Mindfulness Based Socio-emotional Learning within our Bay Area Schools alongside our 2018 grantee, RISE Yoga for Youth.

Doug Lerch, Kathleen Harris and Mark Khmelnitskiy from Seeds of Awareness attended and participated at our 2019 Peace Festival where Doug elaborated on their organizational mission and community impacts.

Visit their website: https://www.seeds-of-awareness.org/our-services/mindful-schools/#

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

Their program Traditions of Health Project advancing the cultural revitalization efforts of Urban Indian communities in California by hosting healing circles with Traditional Healers, elders, and youth to lead discussions in traditional protocol for healing and peace in the Urban Indian community.

How we Collaborated:

April McGill, Director of Community Partnerships at CCUIH in collaboration with our 2016-2017 grantee, The Cultural Conservancy facilitated the Water Prayer Gathering at El Polin Springs in San Francisco.

In 2017, April and other colleagues from CCUIH attended and actively participated at several peaceful world conversations and events including the 2017 Autumnal Gathering and the 2017 Picnic for Peace in the Presidio where they elaborated on their organization’s mission.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

The program’s curriculum introduces mindfulness and personal reflection as the basis for a personal practice that helps maintain self-awareness and resilience. Fellows explore their inner values, beliefs, and intentions to clarify the purpose of their work and determine how best to develop an ethical leadership vision.

In 2018, the Dalai Lama Fellows became a program of the Contemplative Sciences Center at the University of Virginia. The move was part of a long-term sustainability plan to ensure a permanent home for the curriculum and community that had been carefully curated and developed since 2010.

How we collaborated

In 2021, Associate Director Anthony DeMauro led a virtual conversation on Restorative Healing in partnership with Holistic Underground.

In 2019, Executive Director of the Peaceful World Foundation, Heidi Majano was invited and attended The Global Assembly of the 2019 Fellows at the Annual Contemplative Leadership Assembly at the University of Virginia.

Natalie Conneely, Director of Resource Development at the Dalai Lama Fellows, attended and participated at several of our peaceful world conversations. She was also actively involved during our 2017 Picnic for Peace in the Presidio where she elaborated on our collaborative efforts.

Bela Shah, Fellowship Director at the Dalai Lama Fellows co-facilitated a peaceful world breakfast conversation Exploring Global and Local Youth Leadership in the Rise of technology, with our 2017 and 2019 grantee, Holistic Underground. Both organizations dedicate themselves to encouraging and supporting youth leadership both locally and globally, through programs and platforms that instill mindfulness and well-being.

In 2016, Uvinie Lubecki, Director of Operations and Growth at the Dalai Lama Fellows lead a mindful listening workshop at our Peaceful World Conversation Tent during the annual 2016 Peace in the Park Festival.

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

CASA has a fulltime wellness counselor who conducts individual and group therapy using expressive arts. At CASA, children are free to be themselves within a structured arts curriculum and in turn graduate with a love for the arts, but more importantly they leave with a drive to be a better human. Their program has produced original musicals created in partnership with their 250 students and a diverse team of artist/educators.

How we collaborated

In 2017, Leslie Einhorn, Executive Director at CASA co-facilitated a peaceful world conversation with Laurie Marshall from Create Peace Project on the question, “What is Fluidity?” The conversation was lively as we elaborated on defining the concept of fluidity.

We concluded our conversation with an interest in further exploring the ideas of identity, labels and the comforts and limitations that come with them. Perhaps the deeper question we are all reaching for when we consider labels and identity is, “what does it mean to be human?”

Visit their website : http://casasf.org/

How the program contributes to peace and social consciousness:

The Peace Circle project serves East Bay community members who have been exposed to high stress factors related to community and domestic violence, working multiple jobs, deportation anxieties, and disruptive changes within the family unit.

Grounded in traditional knowledge, the coping cultural tools aid participants by creating a ceremonial space to help participants find new ways to reduce stress, strengthen community bonds, and experience inner peace.

How we collaborated

In 2017, PWF joined and participated at their Peace Healing Circle Gathering in the hills of Oakland, CA.

In 2016, Marcela Gabin co-facilitated a peaceful world conversation with both Melissa Nelson and Nicola Wagenberg from The Cultural Conservancy on the topic Bringing Peace into our Modern Lives. The highlights of the conversation included, sensing and valuing the importance of having gratitude for the things that give us life.

Marcela Sabin lead a workshop on Traditional Healing Practices at the 2016 Peace in the Park Festival funded by the Peaceful World Foundation. Her colleague Ernesto Olmos participated by offering both an educational and participatory demo on Pre-Columbian musical instruments.