Blog - Page 2 of 45 - Peace Learning Center

21 04, 2022

Board Member Spotlight – April 2022

Brandi Metzger2022-05-01T14:09:23-04:00April 21st, 2022|Tags: board member, volunteer|

Meet Robin G. Jackson, M.A. Please provide 2-3 sentences about yourself (where you work/go to school, hobbies) I am a Doctoral Candidate in Urban Education Studies, in the IUPUI School of Education. I am also a Doctoral Research Assistant at the Midwest & Plains Equity Assistance Center (MAP Center). My current hobbies include binging true crime/horror shows, documentaries, and podcasts. You know. To relax. What is it about PLC’s work that appeals to you? My own work with the MAP Center involves assisting in providing technical assistance to state and local education agencies across a 13-state region—which encompasses guiding our partners through developing antiracist and anti-oppressive practices to better serve all students, but minoritized students in particular. PLC’s work is in this wheelhouse, which is what drew me in. I appreciate the ongoing work PLC is willing to do to ensure they are honoring its vision of becoming an anti-racist organization. Anti-racism is a journey, not a destination. I believe this sentiment is understood, lessons are learned and internalized, and the discomfort is welcomed. What kind of work are you doing with PLC? I have been a board member since Spring 2019. I bring with me criticality and a repository of equity-centered resources—both that have been afforded to me through my Doctoral training, in conjunction with an immersion in scholarship and technical assistance at the MAP Center. Can you tell us a memorable experience or something you have learned

11 03, 2022

Meet Director of Development, Joe Gunn

Brandi Metzger2022-03-11T17:29:08-05:00March 11th, 2022|Tags: PLC staff, SEL, Social & Emotional Learning|

Let’s start with the easy stuff – give us a sample of your professional background and experience. I have over 15 years of experience in the nonprofit sector. I’ve worked in youth development, fundraising, disability services, and advocacy. I’ve also served on many advisory committees and a few boards of directors. My first nonprofit job was at CYO Camp Rancho Framasa in Brown County. I did a little bit of every program for the organization over the years, but my favorite job was supporting youth with disabilities. The programs there are designed to ensure all children are fully included in all aspects of the program. I also recently finished a Master of Public Affairs in Nonprofit Management from IUPUI. It was great to take my past nonprofit experience and connect it to theory and best practice. I also made sure to keep a critical eye on norms in the sector that do not support diversity, equity, justice, and inclusion. What brought you to PLC? I first heard about the Peace Learning Center through my good friend Kelly Hannon. She attended Peace Learning Center programs while in high school and reconnected with PLC as a high school educator pursuing a master’s degree at IUPUI. I connected with their organization and did a presentation for PLC staff on disability diversity, equity, and inclusion with my previous nonprofit employer, accessABILITY. After finishing my master’s degree, I was looking to

11 03, 2022

Meet Grants and Communications Manager, Brandi Metzger

Brandi Metzger2022-03-11T17:24:17-05:00March 11th, 2022|Tags: PLC staff, SEL, Social & Emotional Learning|

Let’s start with the easy stuff – give us a sample of your professional background and experience. I have been a writer for as long as I can remember. I earned a Bachelor’s in creative writing from Oberlin College in northern Ohio. My professional journey has been very diverse: copywriting, research, animal caretaking, environmental stewardship, teaching, film and live-show production assistantship, and a few other hats. My service as an AmeriCorps Public Ally instilled a sense of confidence that I could be a leader in my community. I am passionate about finding creative ways for us all to understand the beautifully complex world around us. What brought you to PLC? Having experienced its programming in my youth, I was already a fan of PLC’s work. I believe PLC is an environment in which I can continue the work I love (bringing people together for the common good) while also gaining a wealth of peaceful practices that will serve me wherever I go. What are you most excited about in your new role? I am looking forward to maintaining and strengthening the relationships between PLC and its internal and external communities through effective communication. What’s your idea of a perfect day? A picnic and walk with my cat in a wide-open field in the morning, writing a funny script in the afternoon, and talking with friends under the stars long into the night. If we pushed play

4 03, 2022

Join Our Team, Community Care (Position Filled June 6, 2022)

Jay Horan2023-02-03T10:32:29-05:00March 4th, 2022|Tags: PLC staff, SEL, Social & Emotional Learning|

This position is no longer available. Please email your resume to info@peacelearningcenter.org if you would like to be considered for future positions. Job Title: Director of Community CARE Status: Full Time - Exempt Reports to: Associate Director Salary: $45,000 - $55,000 annually Primary Function/Purpose: Intentional advocacy activities through community, advocacy, reconciliation, and empowerment will help to achieve systemic change while expanding PLC’s impact. Advocacy creates a cycle of support for PLC’s direct service offerings through its program pillars. In this cycle, advocacy not only uplifts the voices of clients but increases PLC’s visibility in many different spheres of influence, allowing for innovative ideas, new funding streams, and media visibility. Position Responsibilities: • Be able to work with Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and other government and community organizations. • Be able to effectively work with Marion County Superior Court Juvenile Justice System, including Parole and Probation Departments. • Effectively interact with all levels of socio-economic communities. • Support Associate Director in additional duties as requested • Cross train PLC Program Facilitators in family programming • Ensure completion of monthly reports and evaluations from participants in programs and community meeting outcomes. • Develops a yearly Peace Education Conference in collaboration with the Associate Director. • Facilitates SEL, Equity, and Restorative Practices workshops. • Build strong relationships with contacts and other potential clients • Employ appropriate and respectful behavior management

10 02, 2022

Peace Love and Learning

Jay Horan2022-02-10T15:17:03-05:00February 10th, 2022|Tags: PLC staff, SEL, Social & Emotional Learning|

"Education is an act of love, and thus an act of courage." -Paulo Freire- Peace Learning Center embraces Valentine’s Day this year by encouraging our followers to join us in continual learning and self-development. If you’re interested in challenging yourself and the status quo, we recommend checking out the following learning opportunities: Implicit Bias Microaggressions Analyzing Power for Equity History of Race If you’re interested in self-love and well-being, we recommend checking out our, Eight Dimensions of Wellness workshop. If you are interested in reconciliation, peaceful resolution of conflicts and accountability, we recommend checking out the following sessions: Conflict Styles and Resolution Restorative Practices Level 1 Restorative Practices Level 2 Spread the love! Community education is just as in important as individual efforts. Book these workshops, and more, as a private opportunity for your business, church, organization, or social circle. Contact Jay Horan, jhoran@peacelearningcenter.org, for more details.

11 01, 2022

Board Member Spotlight – January 2022

Brandi Metzger2022-01-11T14:21:51-05:00January 11th, 2022|Tags: board member, volunteer|

Meet Vicki Rubio I've lived in Indianapolis for about 14 years and really appreciate the community I've built here. I work for Citizen University as a Program Manager. I get joy out of reading, exploring, and gardening, particularly with native plants. What is it about PLC's work that appeals to you? One of the things that drew me to PLC was the internal work the organization has and continues to undertake to implement anti-racist practices and policies. That internal work is so important for an organization that is working with schools and other community members and groups to advance equity and justice. What kind of work do you do with PLC? I'm currently serving as secretary of the board and also serve on the finance committee. In these roles, I support planning for our monthly board meetings and help provide financial oversight. Can you tell us a memorable experience or something you have learned during your time at PLC? I have learned about the impact that restorative justice and social-emotional learning practices can have in schools. Teachers are building critical skills for engaging with students through PLC workshops. Students are learning about how to manage conflict effectively and how to build a better classroom community with their peers. This work is so vital to building a stronger, more peaceful Indianapolis.

6 01, 2022

Meet Director of Equity Learning, Nirupama Hayden

Brandi Metzger2022-01-27T12:16:35-05:00January 6th, 2022|Tags: PLC staff, SEL, Social & Emotional Learning|

Let’s start with the easy stuff – give us a sample of your professional background and experience. In addition to working in the industry for eleven years, I’ve consulted for diversity and inclusion (D&I) for nearly two decades. My skills and experiences in demand included auditing to determine the current D&I gaps within the business, troubleshooting to pinpoint root causes of D&I issues, creating results-oriented D&I programming, and resolving intercultural conflicts. As a cultural anthropologist, I am interested in best practices in diversity and inclusion in corporate settings as well as cross-cultural issues in a variety of spaces. I have advised both domestically and internationally, and offer my services in my free time to local non-profits to remove barriers for marginalized youth and adults and promote intercultural peace and understanding What brought you to PLC? PLC’s mission and values align to my own, and demonstrates them daily through its committed support in serving the community. What are you most excited about in your new role? Collaborating with like-minded individuals in service to the community. What’s your idea of a perfect day? Spending time with my family (and that includes my pup!) doing anything at all. Oh, and a pot of masala chai! If we pushed play on what you were last listening to (music, podcast or otherwise) what would we hear? Anecdotes of the Buddha’s life, as related to his disciples, collected in Old Path, White

9 11, 2021

Noun, Plural, Fam-i-lies

Brandi Metzger2021-11-09T16:31:10-05:00November 9th, 2021|

by Naeemah Jackson a basic social unit consisting of parents and their children, considered as a group, whether dwelling together or not: the traditional family a social unit consisting of one or more adults together with the children they care for: a single-parent family the children of one person or one couple collectively: the spouse and children of one person: any group of people closely related by blood or marriage, as parents, children, uncles, aunts, and cousins: So, what is your personal definition of family? Who is considered “family?” to you? There’s the traditional family unit: mother, father, children that Boomers grew up with while glued to the television watching June Cleaver in “Leave it to Beaver;” clad in her ever-present billowy dress, lovely apron, pearls, and vacuuming in high heels. Then we saw Donna Reed, in “The Donna Reed Show;” again, elegantly dressed and cleaning in high heels. Can’t forget “Father Knows Best.” But then things changed. Enter the 70’s, the ’80s, and ’90s, where families portrayed on television broke the 50’s mold. From blended families as in the ”Brady Bunch,” irreverent families as in “Married with Children,” and “The Conners,” taboo-breaking families like “Archie Bunker and All in the Family,” and of course ground breaking shows like “Good Times” and “The Huxtables,” which portrayed Black families from two different socio-economic worlds. One living in the projects, and one with a father who is a medical doctor, and

9 11, 2021

Board Member Spotlight – November 2021

Brandi Metzger2021-11-09T16:08:51-05:00November 9th, 2021|Tags: board member, volunteer|

Meet Margie Worrell I currently work at United Way of Central Indiana as the Senior Manager of Basic Needs. Much of my day-to-day work is around a program that provides free volunteer tax assistance to families in our area. It is very rewarding work where I get to be around very caring people! My hobbies include hiking, hanging out with my two kids and my dog, and working in my yard - I love to be outdoors! What is it about PLC's work that appeals to you? I think what appeals to me most is the way that PLC works to help people understand how to be connected to others in a peaceful and respectful way. Being a former first grade teacher, I have seen how young children are often able to act with compassion and love; and when they fall short of that, they are able to understand correction and alter their behavior. I am not sure why so many people seem to forget this skill as they grow older. I believe that if we can teach our young people how to act lovingly toward one another, they can change the world. And if we can teach their parents as well, we can make that change even more rapidly. THAT is what I see PLC doing for our community...teaching this lesson to both young and old(er) people! What kind of work do you do with PLC? I am

5 10, 2021

A Look Back at Hispanic Heritage Month

Brandi Metzger2021-10-05T20:49:32-04:00October 5th, 2021|

by Liz Guadiana The Peace Learning Center was so excited to host its very first Latinx Circle: Community Conversations session on September 15th to kick off Hispanic Heritage Month (presented by Liz Guadiana and Iliana Enriquez). We wanted to engage the Latinx community in a dialogue around what was most important to them. Often, we have seen many parallels between American and Latinx counterparts regarding cultural, societal, and familial issues. With that in mind, we created a space for Latinx individuals to voice their concerns or stories pertaining to these very issues. Our opening circle brings us all in by introducing ourselves to each other by name along with any roles or affiliations to an organization. In recognition of the many Latinx cultures that encompass the identity, we showed a short video of Latinx people around the country. It gave us insight into an all-women Mexican mariachi band, the story of how traditional tamales made their way to Mississippi through a family-owned business, and the day-in-a-life of a grocery store owner/radio DJ in the heart of New York. This incited great discussion around what makes us, us. As soon as we started sharing our experiences, we could feel the ‘room’ soften because of how relatable they were to us. Affirming head nods, speaking from the heart, mixed in with some levity helped us all unburden ourselves in a way. Towards the end, we all felt like we had just