I was fortunate to be a part of a Peace Circle with the Chicago Program Urban Studies students this semester. Peace Circles are a way of talking together in which all of us: are respected and treated equally; have the opportunity to speak without interruption; tell our own stories; speak and listen in a deeper more heartfelt way.
Restorative justice groups such as Project NIA use peace circles to provide a space for at-risk and previously incarcerated youth to express their voices, and to educate youth about accountability and conflict resolution. Chicago Public Schools use peacekeeping circles to solve conflict and avoid suspensions.
Our circle helped us get to know each other as we shared songs and stories about ourselves. Cheryl Graves, our circle facilitator, passed around a talking piece. When you have the talking piece, only you are allowed to speak. One of the talking pieces Cheryl presented were a pair of seashells that she brought back from Jamaica. One seashell was polished and one had just been taken from the sea, and was not yet polished. The question put to us was “Who polished you? Who inspired you to become the polished person you are today?” The “magic” shells brought out tears, and laughter as we each shared stories of our personal heroes and heroines.
We then went on to create a list of peacekeeping words: our values, rules, words that are important to each of us as we learn to build community together as roommates, as part of the program, as citizens of Chicago. It was a session I won’t soon forget. Thanks, Cheryl.
“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Howard Thurman
American Theologian, Clergyman and Activist
A great quote shared with us by Cheryl Graves, Director of Community Justice for Youth Institute and facilitator of our Peace Circle.
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