By Vickie Samland, Program Associate

This fall, students, educators, and administrators will come together for the 5th Annual Youth Peace Leadership Conference!

We need great leaders for the future, but these kids are learning and demonstrating their leadership in the present. Some are already peer mediators or playground conflict managers. Others are learning how they can use their skills and leadership ability to create more peace in their schools. They are all creative and insightful about life and the reduction of violence.

These youth offer positive challenges to adults. From one adult to another, how are you creative and insightful about your life? How do you share your leadership in peacemaking?

It does not have to be in grandiose, highly public ways. Maybe leadership in peacemaking is as simple as asking, “What do we need to do to have more peace in our group?” Your group might be your family, your workplace, or your neighborhood. Peace leadership could be helping a group truly brainstorm to develop more options for solving a difficult issue rather than fighting over differing viewpoints. Leadership in peacemaking might be helping a group practice having civil conversation, discussing a controversial issue without judgment, blame or argument: what we call “circles of conversation.”

Looking around the globe, women are working in their local areas to develop peace in war-torn communities. Motivated women are taking on leadership roles in Bosnia, Croatia, South Africa and Nicaragua.

In South Africa women were included in the Truth and Reconciliation Commissions. Women in Palestine and Israel give voice in different ways to peacemaking. In the former Yugoslavia women are influencing the reconciling process. Women all over the world are important players in peacemaking but are often excluded from the table when it comes time to talk peace.

Women tend to look at the conflict differently and tend to respond to peacemaking through the application and affect upon family and relationships; men tend to consider the application of statecraft in the conflict. Because mostly men are in the position of power, statecraft is the dominant consideration and the strength of the women's position is lost; the direct impact of families, communities and relationships is lost. When women come to the peacemaking table, peace is often considered in a more holistic form; relationships and reconciliation get greater consideration.

Faith-based groups can be leaders in peacemaking. Every religion should examine how it contributes to violent conflict, and to the development of peace and reconciliation. Each religious tradition has a faith-based source of walking in peace and nonviolence, but each can also claim a history of perpetuating violence. Religion can be a leader in promoting peaceful solutions to current violent conflict.

Whether young or old, youth or adult, there are ways to claim leadership in peacemaking. The world is very well practiced in the leadership of “warring” with each other, whether between individuals or between countries. Be a leader for peace. Support our leaders for peace, especially at our Youth Peace Leadership Conference.

The 7th Annual Ambassador of Peace Award Event Honors Bill Ritter on October 16

Purchase tickets online or call 303-433-4983.

Bill Ritter is being honored with this award for his dedication and work in the Denver metropolitan area in violence prevention over the past several years.

Bill Ritter has been the District Attorney for Denver, Colorado since June 1993. He combines aggressive prosecution of criminals with strong support for victims. Staff members working under his leadership are directed each day to fulfill one mission: to do justice.

Bill has created and nurtured a number of specialty units and programs at the Denver DA’s office that demonstrate his commitment and compassion, including an award-winning Victim Advocate team, Juvenile Diversion Program and Community Justice Unit. He also helped create Denver’s Drug Court, an innovative and effective approach to drug crimes.

Bill continues to lecture around the country on such diverse topics as domestic violence, white-collar crime and restorative justice.

Keynote Speaker focuses on Emotional Literacy for 7th Annual Ambassador of Peace Award Event

Linda Lantieri has over 30 years of experience in education as a teacher, administrator and professor. She is an internationally known expert in social and emotional learning and conflict resolution.

Linda serves as the founding director of the Resolving Conflict Creatively Program (RCCP) of Educators for Social Responsibility, which supports the program in 400 schools in the United States. She is also the Director of the New York Satellite Office of the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL).

Linda is co-author of Waging Peace in Our Schools and editor of Schools With Spirit: Nurturing the Inner Lives of Children and Teachers.

If you would like to attend the 7th Annual Ambassador of Peace Award Eveny, you may purchase tickets online or call 303-433-4983.

Youth Spotlight
By Carema Cook-Masaud, Program Associate

The Conflict Center has been honored this summer with the presence of volunteer Chris Herrera. Chris’s family moved from Los Angeles to Denver three years ago in search of a healthier environment for the children. The oldest of four brothers and a sister, Chris is currently a sophomore at North High School.

He claims that his first year at North had an easy start, and he likes school. But he warns other students, “Don’t slack, ‘cause anything you don’t do, you still have to do later, and you may slip.” Last year, his favorite class was a business class in which he did computer work. He liked learning and using PowerPoint, and his final project was a slide show presentation on the electrician profession. As a sophomore, this year he is looking forward to his class on web page design.

Chris’s creative talents also show through in his graffiti art. He researches different techniques of graffiti on the Internet, and in his garage studio combines his own ideas with those he acquires. His father supports his work by supplying discarded wallpaper for Chris’s canvases.

Chris brought one of his art pieces to The Conflict Center and shared his artwork with the impressed staff. He explained that his supplies include interior wall paint and brushes or spray paint, along with the wallpaper canvas. He enjoys using different styles of calligraphy to write names in his graffiti art.

Chris learned about The Conflict Center from a friend when searching for a summer community service project. Chris is involved with the summer youth program at Servicios de la Raza, which places teens in various volunteer programs. At The Conflict Center, Chris enjoyed answering phones, filing, performing computer work and even washing windows. He most enjoyed learning Adobe Photoshop from our Youth Programs Coordinator, Dustin Olde. Using Photoshop, Chris completed a project of producing maps of RTD bus line routes to The Conflict Center to be published for TCC clients and volunteers.

When asked what he liked most about working at The Conflict Center, Chris replied, “The people here are great. Everyone is friendly.” He also advised teens to be on time for work and to use friendly communication in the workplace. Thank you, Chris, for all your work at The Conflict Center, and for your youthful and positive presence!

Madame Solutions
(on workplace praise)

Dear Madame Solutions:
My boss is never happy with my performance. When ever I turn in work, she always tells me what more to do, or how to do it better. I never hear thank you or nice work. What should I do? Not Good Enough

Dear Not Good Enough,
Opportunity is banging at your door!

The first step for you is to put your concern on the table. Just say it. De-victimize your self by sticking out your chest and confidently telling your supervisor that you would like to have positive feedback, specifics about what you are doing well. Explain that you find it encouraging and that it helps you be more productive.

Feel free to point out your successes and strengths. Invite more frequent reviews of your work… opportunities to acknowledge areas of improvement and progress. You might ask, "What's the upside of the work I do?". Gently remind your supervisor that, while you welcome review and suggestions, you work more happily and much harder when building on successes and productive feedback.

We all need positive strokes every day. As a matter of fact, we need at least one dozen, count them, twelve. This will keep us feeling okay, given the challenges in our daily lives. It will take more than twelve each day to get us on the positive side of the scale.

So here's another opportunity, honey. Flood your workplace with plenty of genuine positive comments… no faking please! Become a role model by continually voicing nurturing and encouraging strokes to your co-workers. This effort will bring you positive results because what you consistently put out is absolutely what you will get back. Don't even think about challenging this statement!

So here's the plan: first, express your concern openly and be willing to work with your supervisor for improved performance from each of you. Second, do your best work and show it off. Finally, create a positive environment by being out-loud positive.

Expect this to work. No doubts, no hesitation. Trust me!

To submit a “workplace conflict” related question to Madame Solutions: Email your question to info@conflictcenter.org with “MadameSolutions” in the subject line.
Or, mail your question to: Madame Solutions, 4140 Tejon St., Denver, CO 80211

Parent to Parent
by Tammy Sherwood

When parents become angry, often getting together and working out problems just doesn’t happen. The following activities are great ways to work on problem solving as a family and recognize how important relationships are and how much you love each other.

LOVE BAGS
Give each family member a bag. They may be homemade bags. Have everyone write down on pieces of paper things to do or say that make them feel loved and put them in their bag. For example, "hold me," "tell me something you love about me," or "Please give me a hug." When someone is feeling discouraged or perhaps needs some extra tender loving care, they can bring their love bag to a person from whom they want some love and get what they need! Share this idea with all members in the family!

AN ENCOURAGEMENT FEAST
One person is designated “It,” and sits or stands in the middle of the group. As a family, each member of the group takes a turn telling the person in the middle, "What I really love about you is…" After everyone has shared from the family group, the person who is "It" says, "What I love about me is…" Then, after everyone has shared, another person becomes "It" and enters the center of the circle. Eventually everyone takes a turn.

This particular exercise can be helpful for people who need extra support and encouragement (perhaps before a particular task or difficult test). It can also be a celebration piece around birthdays, specific achievements or giving special recognition.

Star Volunteer

This month’s Star Volunteer shares some traits with other Star Volunteers: he is dedicated to peacemaking and working with youth, and has carried this over into his other volunteer work. He also represents a smaller segment of volunteers: those who started working with us when they were young.

In high school, David Ludwig started working with The Conflict Center as an office intern and has continued to volunteer during college breaks. He has helped with the last several Garden Tours and coordinated volunteers for this summer’s garage sale.

This love of community service first developed in middle school with his church youth group. He worked at soup kitchens, gathered food and gifts for a shelter for women and children and went on a service tour (with former TCC staff member, Jessica Buckley) to Juarez, Mexico.

Currently David is a senior at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, majoring in Speech Communications. At UNC he has coordinated communication activities for the Resident Hall Council and his fraternity, Alpha Kappa Lambda, and attended regional and national meetings to develop his leadership skills. This semester, he has an internship at Disney World.

Lest you think he never finds time to relax, rest assured that David is a sports fanatic. He’s a huge fan of the Broncos, Avalanche, Rockies, Nuggets and Rapids. Perhaps this isn’t really “relaxing,” though!

He works part-time at Build-A-Bear in the Cherry Creek Mall, where he was the employee of the month in August 2003. He loves this job because it allows him to interact with young children.

David is a Star Volunteer because of his dedication and long term commitment to the work of The Conflict Center. He plans to teach elementary school and we know he will bring these same talents – as well as the message of nonviolence – to this work.

Free Conflict Management Training for Volunteers!

One of the many “perks” that The Conflict Center offers to its volunteers is an on-going schedule of trainings in both Conflict and Anger Management. Designed as introductory-level classes, these lively sessions offer practical skills in handling the everyday conflicts and frustrations that come along in our busy lives. It’s a great opportunity to meet other volunteers while you learn how The Conflict Center teaches its special message that…

“CONFLICT IS INEVITABLE,
VIOLENCE IS NOT!”

Please plan to attend the next training on Monday evening, November 3, 2003 from 6:00-8:00 pm. at The Conflict Center. You’ll discover that conflict in itself is not a bad thing. It’s what we do with it, how we handle it, that can lead to positive or negative outcomes. Conflict can be an opportunity for growth, change, and improved relationships. This class in Conflict Management, like all of the classes, will be taught by a TCC staff member and an experienced volunteer. A class on Anger Management will be offered after the holidays early in the New Year.

Call The Conflict Center at 303-433-4983 to make your reservation!

Ron Ludwig congratulating front office volunteer Fred Ulibarri upon his completion of TCC’s Training Intensive

Volunteer Opportunities

5th Annual Youth Peace Leadership Conference

Tuesday, October 21, 2003 from 8:30am-2:45pm
Regis University in Denver

We are pleased to host an opportunity for youth throughout Colorado to come together for an exciting day of peace and leadership learning. Morning and afternoon workshops will address conflict and anger management, peace leadership, diversity, and peer mediation.

Students and educators 3rd-12th grades will have a wonderful day filled with learning and new experiences.

Conference tracks include:

This one-day event costs only $30. Get energized and involved with like-minded youth seeking new ways to make the world a more peaceful place.

Call Heather Polak at TCC (303)433-4983 for more information.

Community Outreach
By Laura Naranjo, Community Liaison

One successful community outreach project is a tribute to a very important person in TCC’s history. Ellen Torres was a North Denver peacemaker who “lived, worked, stayed, played and prayed” in the Highlands neighborhood. Ellen, who passed away in August of 2001, was a tireless peaceworker, serving on school and community boards and as a Denver Juvenile Court probation officer. She worked overtime for TCC; petitioning judges, colleagues, educators and officials to support the services offered by this new nonprofit. The Northwest Coalition For Better Schools, where Ellen served on the Board of Directors, was the first coalition effort to implement TCC’s year round curriculum program. Ellen appealed to the DPS Administration and principals to adopt TCC’s peacemaking curriculum in 17 Northwest Denver schools and continued to serve as an active member of TCC on the NDVPC and Getting to Peace in North Denver.

In her memory, ad-hoc task forces were formed to attempt to carry on Ellen’s work. Ellen had appealed to the Denver Police Department to consider a bilingual community volunteer program that would assist DPD with calls for service, pointing out that Colorado Springs and Aurora have such programs. Based on her efforts, a task force was formed: Volunteers In Policing, a neighborhood based project that meets under the auspices of TCC. Comprised of service providers, DPD and neighbors, the Ellen Torres VIP Project volunteers aid police service calls where language assistance is needed. “We’re collaborating with TCC and the neighborhoods and think this effort will strengthen and improve communications in DPD District One,” said Cmdr. Brian Gallagher. To date the VIP project has received formal status with the DPD Chief and found success: a commendation letter, TCC proposals for special trainings, VIP handbook and six initial volunteers. TCC would like to thank the Torres family and friends for their continued support in special recognition of Ellen’s VIP peace work.

For more info or to volunteer for the Ellen Torres VIP project, call 303.433-4983 ext.26.

View our current class schedule