internship

Because I believe that conflict is inevitable, the meaning of peace and how to achieve it will always change with time. Peace means open and honest conversation is encouraged, and no one is silenced. Healthy mediation is in place, and nonviolent tactics are used to manage conflicts. Honest and respectful relationships exist, and individuals protect one another. I think that peace can be achieved, however, it is not an easy task by any means. Peace can be achieved through mediation, conversation, democracy, and nonviolence. My most memorable moment with PLC so far was helping with the MLK 19th Annual Community Festival on January 14th. I really enjoyed being a part of such an important event for our community. Participating in this event was an honor, and I truly have learned more about leadership. “Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared" is a quote by Buddha I live by.  I always want to live a peaceful life and constantly try to make other people feel more happy and accepted. Rose is currently taking a short break from school. She was previously at Butler University from Fall 2015-Fall 2016 in the Peace and Conflict Studies program. After this semester off from school, she will be attending IUPUI to study Philanthropy. Rose has a broad interest in all social issues, but in particular, she finds herself mainly

To me, Peace means the opportunity for genuine dialogue. As Martin Buber called it, the “I and Thou” moments. In those moments, there are no hidden agendas, no assumptions, and no judgments. There are only people coming together to talk and listen.  I think peace can be achieved through the “I and Thou” moments. Everyone just needs to be willing to open themselves up to others.  It is hard for me to pick a most memorable moment at Peace Learning Center, as all of my moments have been memorable. I have only been there for two weeks, but I have already learned quite a bit about what it is like behind the scenes at a nonprofit. I will also never forget how everyone was kind and welcomed me in from the very beginning.  To quote my favorite lyric, from my favorite song in the musical RENT, “Forget regret, or life is yours to miss.”  I try to live by this quote because life is too short to have regrets. Worrying over something behind you can keep you from learning the lessons of the past. Not only that, but it can keep you from enjoying yourself in the present.

Peace to me means bringing a community together where distance and miscommunication were once major hurdles. I believe peace consists of working through those problems towards the common good of the community. To be able to achieve peace, we as a society must start accepting and celebrating each other's differences. Once we see past these differences, we can start creating a community of peace. I also think in teaching the next generation to celebrate those differences will help our community since they are the future. I chose to intern at the PLC because I wanted to improve my skills at facilitating discussion among a group. I also had the opportunity got to work with kids of all ages which taught me how to adapt to any situation.  While interning here, I was most surprised by the discussions we had as a group when talking about how to treat one another. I thought it would be too broad of a topic for younger kids to process, but they were the ones who contributed the most to our discussions. I was challenged when they would ask rather hard questions--making me think about my own choices in my personal life. This job really required me to reflect on my actions, and how I can change them to become a better role model to the younger generation. After participating in a day at the PLC, I hope the groups will remember the lessons we gave on affirmation. As a young person, you are