A quick look at the first six years of BAY-Peace

2011-12 is off to a great start!

Our new Youth Action Team includes (back) Lawrence Newsome, Tele'Jon Quinn, Jasmire Gibson, Isaiah Teague, Sy Wilson, (front) Megan Torio, Program Leader Abe Velazquez and Kendra Ligon.

Welcome Abe Velazquez!
Introducing our new BAY-Peace Program Leader

"Peace Family,
My name is Abraham Velazquez, Jr., and I would like to formally introduce myself to the BAY-Peace community. I cannot express how excited I am to be on board with BAY-Peace and begin working with such an inspiring and powerful community.

Originally from the South Bronx, I was influenced by my Dominican-New York-Hip Hop culture to become a Battle MC, Spoken Word Artist, and a Poet in my teenage years. As a member of the Peace Poets, I have had the privilege of collaborating with young people nationally and in Cambodia, Cuba, Germany, India, and Spain to create fresh art that reflects our politics and the world around us in order to transform it.

Through Theatre of the Oppressed, Spoken Word Poetry, and Hip Hop culture, I am confident that we will continue to bring about the cultural shift we need to transition from a highly militarized, money and material-driven society, to a society where dignity is prioritized over capital and where no life can ever be considered disposable.

I look forward to learning more from the BAY-Peace community, to sharing my experiences and skills, and to collectively create transformative art!"

The 2010-11 Youth Action Team included returning members, Luis, Egypt, Sokthy and Aracely, as well as Guayo. Tele'Jon, Hector, Kadeem, Kenan, Kenny, Brian, Jabari, and Mario. Phuong and Susan were on staff.  Some highlights included presenting a skit about protecting student privacy from the JAMRS military recruting database at high school assemblies along with our video "The List." Students in the BAY-Peace class at Oakland Emiliano Zapata Street Academy conducted a year-long service learning project that allowed them to experience first hand the work of organizations that are struggling to meet human needs while so much of our resources are spent waging war. They produced an amazing music video called the BAY-Peace Anthem set to an original score by Luis.

In 2009-10 marked our Youth Manifesto Campaign victory when the Oakland Unified School District adopted our Student Privacy policy. (Read more about the Youth Manifesto Campaign and JAMRS here.) We also created two award wining videos; "No We Can't" (in cooperation with AFSC) about the high cost of military spending, and "The List" (in cooperation with The Factory) about the JAMRS military recruting database. Team members included Stephanie, Elena, Sokthy, Luis, Evaristo, Manuel, Italia, Junior, EiEi, Alba, Adam, Olivia and Aaron. Pablo (c/o American Friends Service Committee) and Susan were on staff.

In 2008-9 the Youth Action Team continued to organize the Youth Manifesto Campaingn, offered truth in recruting workshops in schools and community organizations, and created a Youth Manifesto video. We also organized a summer Road Trip to bring a bus load of young people to participate in "It's Your World—Change it!" a National Counter Recruitment Conference in Chicago. Team members included Stephanie, Elena, José, Xavier, Abraham, Eric, Arwa, Aaron, Juan and Luis. Pablo (c/o American Friends Service Committee) and Susan were on staff.

BAY-Peace became an independent organization in 2007-8 and began to host internships through Met West and June Jordan High Schools, as well as Youth Employment Partnership and the Metta Center for Nonviolence.  We kicked off the Youth Manifesto Campaign and organized the "Beyond the Recruiter Boot Camp Tour" for youth who were considering enlisting inthe military.  Team members included Amy, Stephanie, Ezekiel, Josh, Chalontae, Portia, Eric and Kay. Pablo (c/o American Friends Service Committee) and Susan were on staff.

The Youth Action Team started as a project of Alternatives to War through Education, as part of the Central Committee for Conscientious Objection.  Team members, together with military veteran presenters, led truth in recruiting workshops and spoke at rallies and community events bringing the targetting of youth of color by aggressive military recruiters to thousands of Bay Area youth. Team members included Escentio, Elihu, Jacquieta, Eric, Ruby, Lizzy, Aurora, Samora, Agnes, Latysha and Carrie. Tasha and Susan were on staff.

The Youth Action Team began with a group of three interns from the Youth Empowerment School—Ruby, Zamil and Kahlif. They developed truth in recruiting curriculum, made countless presentations together with military veterans, and helped to organize the On the Frontlines: Options for Youth in Times of War conference at UC Berkeley as part of the Military Out of Our Schools-Bay Area coalition. Their summer internship developed into a year-long after school class for students at Youth Empowerment School and the East Oakland Community School.