When terrible things happen to children, their peace is stolen from them. Even brief separations can impair the brain development of a young child or infant. Neuroscience reveals that separating children from their primary caregivers is traumatic and puts children at risk for long-term physical, mental, and learning difficulties as they age.
Traumatized individuals and communities are more easily controlled by leaders who do not have their best interests in mind. Healed, peacebuilding individuals and communities are better equipped to engage with active healthy nonviolent power. This is why we must come together as communities to authentically engage, care for one another, and build grassroots power. Joining together provides us with the safety and security to practice brain and body self-regulation strategies for healing that allows us to take leadership in our own lives. In the face of uncertainty and vulnerability, resilient healthy power is sustained, grows, and spreads to those around us. This allows us to make powerful nonviolent choices to be agents of constructive change within our own spheres of influence. When we face and stand up to inauthentic leaders we strengthen and build just peace within our lives. Together, we are transforming our communities peace by peace.