Black Women  for Positive Change October Month of NonViolence

“Peace Circles: Promoting voice and collaboration among students to create a violence-free future.”

For young people, to dream of a future without violence is an act of bravery.  Creating a violence-free future is an important goal and providing children with a platform to express themselves through peace circles is a powerful way to empower them toward that goal. Restorative circles have proved to be effective in addressing conflicts and promoting healing in communities and schools.

A peace circle is a powerful process that invites young people to share their perspective, address conflict, and promote healing. When they are empowered to speak their truth, they can take an active role in solving problems and overcoming challenges.

Restorative circles, which include peace circles, have roots in indigenous traditions and have been used to make decisions, resolve conflict, and build community for centuries. These practices have been shared and adopted across the world and are commonly used to address conflict and promote healing in schools and communities.  As individuals come together in a circle process, they can share their thoughts and feelings in a safe and respectful space. Everyone has an equal voice. These circles provide a structured process for resolving conflict, discussing difficult issues, and understanding perspectives. The facilitator leads the group through a set of questions that invite empathy, reflection, and connection. These conversations can promote healing, strengthen relationships, and encourage people to take collective responsibility for creating positive change.  A peace circle can take place in schools, community organizations, workplaces, neighborhoods, and other settings where people converge.

During the Black Women for Positive Change October Month of Nonviolence, organizations will conduct peace circles for young people in communities across the country. As this process is taught and shared, the focus will be on the experiences of needs and experiences of children.  Facilitators will invite participants to reflect on their experiences of violence, its roots, its impacts, and strategies for building peace. These community-building events will foster dialogue, promote understanding, and empower young people to envision, and build, a future without violence.