Peace Week Events Will Honor the Legacy of
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Principles of Non-Violence
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Principles of Non-Violence
LIFE Camp, Inc., founded by leading national
anti-violence activist Erica Ford, has announced the schedule of events
for the sixth annual New York Peace Week kicking off on January 15, 2016
with activities to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s
principles of non-violence. Throughout the year, LIFE Camp programs
focus on anti-violence and intervention throughout the five New York
City boroughs. Media reports recently highlighted
how there were no shootings for 365 days LIFE Camp’s designated South
Jamaica, Queens, impact zone which falls under the 113th Precinct within
the boundaries of 111th and 118th Avenues between 146th Street and Guy
R. Brewer Boulevard in South Jamaica. Over
the years the prominence of Peace Week has grown and it was adopted by
the New York City Council in 2014 including participation by New York
City First Lady Chirlane McCray in a Peace Week PSA campaign.
Peace Week will officially kick off on Friday, January 15 at 10:00 a.m.
with a press conference at New York City Hall. Participants will
include Peace Week creator Erica Ford; World-renowned peace and
spiritual leader Deepak Chopra; Brooklyn
City Councilman Jumaane Williams; Bronx Assemblyman Michael Blake;
Lucia McBath, National Spokesperson, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in
America; and other top elected officials, community leaders,
celebrities, and a number of parents who have lost their
children to senseless violence. There will be proclamations read by
elected officials in support of Peace Week
On Friday, January 15th, on Dr. King’s
actual birthday, multiple New York City schools will kick-off the
week-long “Peace Week Challenge” and “Wear Orange to School Day.”
Students will take the pledge for peace by vowing to show
gratitude to others on a daily basis; to stop, think and breathe before
doing things; to take personal responsibility/awareness of one’s
actions and how they impact others; and to give back to others and one’s
community. By committing to take these actions
for one week consecutively, the hope is to continue these practices
beyond the week! The school with the most peace pledges will get a visit
from celebrity Nick Cannon during the school year! The collective goal
is to create a culture of peace throughout NYC
for seven days by having students host an event, perform an activity or
simply take one personal action toward creating inner peace and setting
a positive example for young people.
Another Peace Week highlight is the annual
Forgiveness Dinner, hosted by legendary Hip-Hop pioneer and
philanthropist Russell Simmons. This annual event recognizes mothers who
have lost children to gun violence. INSERT MORE LANGUAGE
The Peace Week Summit at Fordham University will
feature a frank conversation on how to create a culture of peace with
Spike Lee and Erica Ford, performances by Estelle, Lemon Anderson and
the Impact Repertory Theater, and the Mothers for
Peace Panel, featuring the mothers of Amadou Diallo, NYPD Officer Jose
Ramos, Kevin Miller, and Nelba Marquez Greene.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, January 15, 2016
10:00 a.m.
Peace Week Kick-Off Press Conference at City Hall
New York City Hall is located at the center of City Hall Park in the Civic Center area of Lower Manhattan.
New York City Schools “Wear Orange to School Day” & kick-off of the “Peace Week Challenge”
Saturday, January 16, 2016
Youth Basketball Event – “Ballin for Peace”
7:00 p.m.
Eagle Academy for Young Men,
171-10 Linden Blvd, Jamaica, NY 11434
Sunday, January 17, 2016
Peace Week Forgiveness Dinner
3:30pm - 4pm: "Orange Carpet" Press
4pm - 7pm: Dinner & Event Program
7pm - 8pm: Dessert & Dancing
Occasions Banquet Hall
127-08 Merrick Blvd Jamaica, NY
Monday, January 18, 2016
Annual King Day Public Policy Forum at Peace Week partner National Action Network
1-3 p.m.
106 West 145th Street (@ Malcolm X Blvd.)
The annual King Day event at National Action
Network will feature Peace Week Founder Erica Ford who will speak and
participate in a King Day march down Adam Clayton Powell Blvd to Martin
Luther King Blvd with civil rights, labor and advocacy
groups along with leading elected officials.
Wednesday, January 20, 2016
Peace Week Summit
7-10 p.m.
Pope Auditorium, Fordham Law School
The Peace Week Summit at Fordham University will
feature an open dialogue among men, women and children to help restore
the family unit impacted by violence. There will be special high-profile
special guests that will be announced as participants
Background:
LIFE Camp, led by CEO and Founder Erica Ford,
provides at risk inner city youth ages 13-24 years old with the valuable
tools they need to stay in school and out of the criminal justice
system. The program also offers these individuals educational,
employment, and social opportunities they might not otherwise have.
LIFE Camp has even spawned an I Love My LIFE tour, which highlights
young entrepreneurs and visits schools and prisons with the LIFE Camp
message of anti-violence and self-love. Another offshoot
of LIFE Camp is Erica’s Peace is a Lifestyle program, featuring
holistic guru Deepak Chopra. Chopra, an outspoken supporter of Erica’s
work, makes monthly visits to LIFE Camp where he talks to and meditates
with the group participants. Life Camp also founded
the Healing Hearts program, a support group comprised of mothers who've
lost their children to gun violence, who provide assistance to other
parents who've suffered the same, to help transform their pain of
traumatic loss into positive purpose.
About Erica Ford:
Source: Mercury LLC.
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