I spent today with one of my favorite non-profit groups in DC, the Peaceoholics, a group dedicated to stopping violence. Founded by ex-offenders Ron Motten and Jauhar Abraham, the group uses crisis mediation and mentoring to keep disadvantaged youth out of trouble and teaches them skills to succeed in life. Jauhar took me under his wing for a day to see the group in action.
We spent the day in Ward 8, first at Malcolm X Elementary School and then at Anacostia Senior High School. At Malcolm X, we witnessed the convening of a "youth court," where a student accused of starting a fight was judged by her peers. It was amazing to see the childeren participate fully and take the case so seriously. Similar to a substence abuse-intervention, the court applied peer pressure to prevent future bad behavior.
At Anacostia Senior High School, we toured the facility and spoke with some of the students in the Peaceoholics mentoring program. We also observed a group attempting to get better statistical data on student attendance in order to track down truants.
This day's experience was incredibly moving. Hearing stories shared by some of the kids overwhelmed me with pain, but also with hope and admiration. It was absolutely heartbreaking to imagine the lives of some of the young children east of the river. With no parental guidance and a government that has essentially abandoned them, the heroic Peaceoholics have stepped in to do what they can to help some of our sons and daughters have a productive future. We owe Ron and Jauhar a debt of gratitude for all they are doing.
Check out the Peaceoholics website to learn more.
http://www.peaceoholics.org/home.htm
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment