Statement on Peace & Justice from U.S. Conflict Prevention / Bridging / Peace Building Leaders
Our shared future depends on peace and justice prevailing together, with freedom, security and opportunity assured for all Americans. Flashpoints over recent years illuminate how far we still have to go to realize the ideals and fulfill the promises of the American experiment. Violence by anyone is counterproductive to solving our profound challenges, which is impossible to do in a diverse country without crossing lines of difference. When our pursuit of a more perfect union excludes Americans unlike ourselves, it's doomed to fail. We must resist demonizing others and instead listen to understand their concerns. We must honor the First Amendment right to protest regardless of our perspective on the cause. We want all people to be able to raise their voices and be safe in doing so.
Diversity can be America’s greatest strength while dehumanization, contempt, injustice, and violence are our common enemy. By our individual actions, we can move closer to realizing the ideals of the United States or we can increase hostility, deepen division, and put those ideals farther out of reach. The brighter path forward for all of us is paved with hope, courage, grace, and understanding, not resentment, fear, or violence. We stand optimistically with our sleeves rolled up, committed to extinguishing the menace of toxic polarization and injustice with love, empathy, and action toward a stronger nation for all its people.
Pearce Godwin, Founder, Listen First Project and the #ListenFirst Coalition (Contact: Pearce@ListenFirstProject.org 828-773-2586)
Kamy Akhavan, Executive Director, USC Dornsife Center for the Political Future
Samar Ali, Founding President and CEO, Millions of Conversations
Kevin Amirehsani, Co-founder, Building Bipartisan Bonds
Dr. Bobby W. Austin, President, Neighborhood Associates Corporation
Joseph Bock, Director, School of Conflict Management, Peacebuilding and Development, Kennesaw State University
Graham Bodie, Chief Listening Officer, Listen First Project
Bruce Bond, Co-Founder, Common Ground Committee
Matt Byrne, Director of Dialogue, AllSides
Brian Clancy, Chief Civic Engagement Officer, Bridge Alliance
Ingrid Cockhren, Director, PACEs Connection
Christine Cole, Executive Director, Crime and Justice Institute
Peter T Coleman, Professor of Psychology at Columbia University
Portia Ballard Espy, Executive Director, William Winter Institute for Racial Reconciliation
Candace B. Fleming, US Operations Manager, Urban Specialists
Leslie Garvin, Executive Director, North Carolina Campus Compact
Nicholas Steven George, Founding Executive Director, The Listening, Inc.
Michael Gingerich and Tom Kaden, Co-Founders, Someone To Tell It To
Harry Nathan Gottlieb, Founder, Unify America
Cheryl Graeve, National Organizer, National Institute for Civil Discourse
Karen Gross, Founder, Citizen Discourse
Kristin Hansen, Executive Director, Civic Health Project
Celeste Headlee, author and journalist
Heidi Holliday, Executive Director, Consensus KC
J.R. Jamison, Executive Director, Indiana Campus Compact
Liz Joyner, Founder & CEO, The Village Square
Brandyn Keating, CEO, YOUnify
June Klees, Co-founder, Compassionate America
Adam Lippin, Founder/CEO, Hearme.app
Antong Lucky, President, Urban Specialists
Aaron Lyles, CEO and Co-Founder, Commonly, PBC
D.G. Mawn, President, National Association For Community Mediation
Mary McCord, Executive Director, Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection, Georgetown Law
David McCullough III, CEO and Co-Founder, The American Exchange Project
Manu Meel, CEO, BridgeUSA
Debilyn Molineaux, President/CEO, Bridge Alliance
Stuart Muszynski, President and CEO, Values-in-Action Foundation
John Noltner, Founder and Executive Director, A Peace of My Mind
Erik Olsen, Co-Founder, Common Ground Committee
Brandon Peele, Founder, Unity Lab
Rachel Perić, Executive Director, Welcoming America
Branden Polk, Free Speech & Peace Fellow, Charles Koch Institute
Bob Reeg, Chief Executive Officer, Peace Through Action USA
Prabha Sankaranarayan, CEO, Mediators Beyond Borders International
Timothy J. Shaffer, Director, Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy, Kansas State University
Michael Shipler, Vice-President for Strategy, Search for Common Ground
Bill Shireman, Co-Founder, In This Together
Andrew Shue, Co-Founder, The People
Michele Simos, Executive Director, The Dignity Institute
Eric Solomon, Founder & CEO, The Human OS
Libby Stegger, Founder & Executive Director, Move for America
Lisa Swallow, Executive Director and Co-Founder, Crossing Party Lines
Andy Swindler, Co-Founder & Chief Empathy Officer, FeelReal
Benjamin Turtel, Founder & CEO, Junto
Dan Vallone, Director, More in Common USA
Annafi Wahed, Founder and CEO, The Flip Side
Paul Weisman, President, SMART Conversations
John Wood, Jr., National Ambassador, Braver Angels
Josh Woodard, Co-Founder, Civi
Jillian Youngblood, Executive Director, Civic Genius
Layla Zaidane, President & CEO, Millennial Action Project
“When our pursuit of a more perfect union excludes Americans unlike ourselves, it's doomed to fail. We must resist demonizing others and instead listen to understand their concerns. Diversity can be America’s greatest strength while dehumanization, contempt, injustice, and violence are our common enemy.” -Pearce Godwin, Founder, Listen First Project and the #ListenFirst Coalition of 300+ organizations bridging divides; Pearce@ListenFirstProject.org, 828-773-2586
"The ingredients for prolonged - even armed - conflict are all present in today's United States. But so too are the ingredients for creating a safer, healthier more just society. The choice is ours." -Michael Shipler, Vice-President for Strategy, Search for Common Ground
“In this time of great tension, we urge all Americans to harness the tensions of our differences to support and enact our inalienable right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness AND justice. Our ability to balance individual with community needs will allow us to use the lessons of the past to bring the vision of America to reality. E pluribus unum, out of many, we are one.” -Debilyn Molineaux, President/CEO, Bridge Alliance representing 90 democracy strengthening organizations; debilyn@bridgealliance.us, 559-213-8463
“We have the capacity to address current and historical issues and apply the power of a wide range of democracy, governance and peacebuilding tools, in order to let the people generate and self-determine solutions. This we believe was and remains the intent of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, transforming the momentum of division into the momentum of unity. At this time of extraordinary tension and pain, we come together recognizing that we must lead with empathy and compassion, with curiosity and hope, with the ability to harness our capacity for creating a shared future in which there is peace and justice for all.” -Prabha Sankaranarayan, CEO, Mediators Beyond Borders International; prabha@mediatorsbeyondborders.org, 412-523-3305
“In 1964 the U.S. Congress formalized the support for local peacemakers, both in and outside the justice system, today we call them community mediation centers. We together can co-create our present as we step into the future. Let us be curious. Let us be hope-filled. Let us breathe as one and listen as many.” -D.G. Mawn, President, National Association For Community Mediation; dgmawn@nafcm.org, 602-633-4213
"How do we cross lines of difference to create healing and understanding, especially when such deep pain is involved? How do we acknowledge pain, share truth and create a constructive path forward? It is not easy, but is both possible and necessary. We are here with tools and resources to support all of you in that courageous journey forward." -Brandyn Keating, CEO, YOUnify; Brandyn@YOUnify.org; 508-982-2247
“We are in a time of deep hurt, anger and resentment. What each of us wants is kindness, caring and respect. If we each tilt our actions toward kindness, respect and shared opportunity, our country and institutions will follow suit. This is the challenge of our moment, not to lower ourselves to fighting but to raise ourselves to listening and understanding.” -Stuart Muszynski, President and CEO, Values-in-Action Foundation