Peace Leadership Academy

Heart-to-Heart

Heart-to-Heart’s Peace Leadership Academy equips everyday peacemakers and leaders to interrupt violence, forge unity, and cultivate connection and care. We do this by forming in-person and online communities of emerging peace leaders, supporting their growth in four essential skills: Mindfulness, Empathy, Decision-Making, and Conflict Transformation.

Peace Leadership Academy

Upcoming offerings include:

Heart-to-Heart Parenting: 9-week online course (7:30-9pm Eastern) starts Tuesday, October 01. Led by Jeannie Anderson. This class brings a holistic approach to understanding children’s behavior and gives you the tools and awareness to address situations with far more clarity and effectiveness. This program is based on Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication (NVC). For more information and registration, please view details here.

Peace Leadership Academy Cohort #3, January through March 2025 program led by Steve Tumolo. For more information fill out the form below:

PLA 2024 Expression of Interest Form

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I am curious about the Peace Leadership Academy and I'd like to learn more

I am interested in the Peace Leadership Academy, please send me an application

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Background on the Peace Leadership Academy

The Peace Leadership Academy (PLA) was created to support the development of leaders for existing Heart-to-Heart programs. In our first year, we aimed to grow the number of Heart-to-Heart trainers for our Reentry Program by providing a foundation of knowledge of our curriculum and our approach to learning in community. Nine people completed the first cohort in May 2023, including the team of assistants. Most of these participants are now engaged in bringing Heart-to-Heart to people who are incarcerated.

The second cohort graduated 21 persons in March 2024, including the team of assistants. In addition to preparing Heart-to-Heart trainers and assistants for our prison/reentry programs, other participants drew on their PLA training to support their sense of connection with all of creation. This led to the rise of Heart-to-Heart’s Earth Empathy program. Several other participants in this cohort applied their learning to bringing Nonviolent Communication to faith communities in their region. A number of participants were motivated not as much by their desire to become teachers or trainers, but simply to be everyday peacemakers, to be a healing presence in their contexts, this includes making peace through parenting.

This second cohort focused its learning on the first of the four MEDC skills, Mindfulness. We explored the nature and practice of a holistic approach to mindfulness, seeking to practice mindfulness at all the layers of life: intrapersonally, interpersonally, communally/organizationally, societally, ecologically, and cosmically. The third cohort, planned for January through March of 2025 will focus on the second MEDC skill, Empathy. Perhaps the third and fourth skills, Decision making and Conflict transformation will be given a deep dive in coming years.

Scholarships for Emerging Leaders Operating in Underserved Communities

The Peace Leadership Academy, and all Heart-to-Heart programs, seeks to make a preferential option for those marginalized in our society. We want those in most need to have the most attention, care, and resources. Toward that end, we seek to develop and implement a robust scholarship program, prioritizing financial assistance for people impacted by our justice system, people and communities of color, girls and women, young adults, and more. If you are interested in a scholarship, note this in the Expression of Interest Form above.

To contribute to our PLA scholarship fund, click below.

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