THOUGHTS…
Yes, This is the Time for Gun Control
We are at war with ourselves and I hope that we can win the battle.
Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Heather Heyer.
We abandon hatred for love and strife for unity for the sake of humanity…
THE MOVEMENT IS NOW…
What is UWS?
UWS is an awareness campaign to promote unity and foster cultural, racial, economical, spiritual and social unity.
The UWS Mission
- Stop the violence
- Build Communities
- Empowering Leaders
- Advocacy
- Social Awareness
- Education
- Program Development
- Peace Through Entrepreneurship
- Teaching Peace Through Play
A Call for Peace
Many of us here in the Western world have our own circles of safety. The things we do and places we go that we considered safe are now being challenged with a new wave of violence. The family construct has also been laid to waste. Modern society worships independence and looks down on anything but monetary gain. This evolution pushes us to redefine home and safety.
Situations that we personally experience or even have knowledge of challenge our perception of safety, stay with us and impact the daily decisions we make. Every time I walk out of my door, I know that I am not safe from harm but I do it anyway. Why? I do it because I hope that my actions today build the framework of something that can one day change the world. Creating a sense of safety for ourselves starts with living for things that exist outside of our own livelihood. It’s attached to purpose and supported by faith. It’s knowing that whatever and whenever you are doing the right thing, you are home. It’s knowing that safety is collective and has very little to do with our individual well-being. Safety is knowing that we are living our lives with purpose for however long that may be.
What is peace? (International Alert)
Peace is when people are able to resolve their conflicts without violence and can work together to improve the quality of their lives. Peace is when:
- Everyone lives in safety, without fear or threat of violence, and no form of violence is tolerated in law or in practice
- Everyone is equal before the law, the systems for justice are trusted, and fair and effective laws protect people’s rights
- Everyone is able to participate in shaping political decisions and the government is accountable to the people
- Everyone has fair and equal access to the basic needs for their wellbeing – such as food, clean water, shelter, education, healthcare and a decent living environment
- Everyone has an equal opportunity to work and make a living, regardless of gender, ethnicity or any other aspect of identity
Going the Distance
The truth is that we have not gone the distance to preserve harmony yet as a country. We are still being REACTIVE versus PROACTIVE.
- There are too many people without a voice
- There are too many people without resources
- There are too many people without opportunities
- There are too many people who care but not enough to fight for the rights of others
- There are too many laws that do nothing
- There are too many systems that work for some but not all
- There are too many policies that leave room for discrimination
- There are too many dollars being cut from education and scholarship programs
and the list goes on…
Answering the call for peace requires us to go the distance
RESOURCES
Yes, This is the Time for Gun Control
Student group harnesses the power of play to foster peace
Peace Through Entrepreneurship
Ten Lessons for Talking About Race, Racism and Racial Justice
Join The Movement
- Be a Contributer: Submit resources, posts or commentary to tephra@tephramiriam.com
- Follow Us: Follow on social media or subscribe in order to keep up to date with new posts and resources.
- Become an Activist: Become a community organizer, help facilitate events , help grow our network or help spread our mission.