DC Peace Team

Funding from this Prize will enable us to scale up our impact and contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 16.

Whether perpetrated against an individual or a group of people, all forms of violence deeply touch human lives and negatively impact societies. Each year, over 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence, a rate of nearly 28.8 per 100,000.We believe that violence can largely be prevented and that community members can play a crucial role in disrupting systems of oppression and ending the cycle of violence that permeates their communities and thwarts hopes of sustainable peace, justice, and security.Hence we are committed to investing in community engagement strategies that meet ordinary citizens where they are, empower them to commit to building peaceful societies, and strengthen their capacities to address conflict and injustice with evidence-based nonviolent methods.Our theory of change is based on the idea that we can achieve sustainable just peace by integrating the principles and practices of nonviolence into the fabric of human life.This prize will allow us to increase our current outreach and training capacity, implement robust public awareness campaigns, and connect those impacted by violence to the resources they need to heal.

DC Peace Team was created in 2011 based on the understanding that sustainable peace and security don’t just happen but are the result of collective consensus and community investment. Since its inception, DC Peace Team’s mission has always been to advance peace and security in societies by empowering ordinary civilians to become nonviolent citizens. Our mission is fueled by strategic partnerships and training that strengthen people’s capabilities to address conflict and injustice with nonviolent approaches. We envision a world free of all forms of violence, including racism. We pursue our mission by:

•  Providing individuals and groups with training in key nonviolent skills, such as Active Bystander Intervention and Nonviolent Communication
•  Facilitating Restorative Circles

• Deploying Unarmed Civilian Protection units where needed. Our core values are Nonviolence; Empathy; Compassion; Respect; Empowerment; Inclusion; Collaboration; Creativity; Honesty; and Transparency. We are committed to advancing Trauma-Informed practices that disrupt racism and all forms of oppression. We envision a world where everyone is increasingly committed to nonviolence and hope to scale up our mission and efforts to impact people and communities around the world.

Each year, over 1.6 million people worldwide lose their lives to violence, a rate of nearly 28.8 per 100,000. In the U.S, over 3.2 million students are victims of bullying each year and African Americans and Latinos are much more likely than whites to be exposed to physical and structural violence. In situations of conflict, a bystander intervention can be the difference between life and death and can significantly reduce trauma. However, research has shown that even in an emergency, a bystander is less likely to extend help when they are in the presence of others. Several factors can hinder people’s ability to recognize a conflict or/and intervene. This includes factors such as fear, diffusion of responsibility, race, gender, sexual orientation, or not knowing what to do. That’s where our Team comes in. 

We are a team of volunteers that provide ordinary people like us with the skills they need to recognize situations of conflict, safely intervene, and address the harm caused by violence. This includes harmful situations that are often invisible, such as microaggression. We understand that violence is not an intrinsic part of the human condition and promote nonviolence as a way of life. 

Our commitment to grow in nonviolence as a way of life and dedication to directly unleash the potential of community members enables us to make a unique contribution. Another element that makes our work unique is the fact that we go beyond addressing conflict to connecting those affected by violence and those perpetuating violence with the resources they need to heal and learn. We understand that violence is not an intrinsic part of the human condition and value the humanity of every person. This approach sets up the stage for reconciliation and sustainable system change. DC Peace Team’s strength also lies in the fact that it brings together assets from the grassroots, academic, and advocacy communities. We don't take away communities' agency. We work with communities to support their peacebuilding priorities. 

We are constantly reassessing our priorities to ensure they are aligned with our values and address communities’ current needs. This is effective because it allows us to refine our programming and put community members at the center of our work. We are also equipped with a Measure, Evaluation, Research and Learning Committee that enables us to measure our impact and progress.