January 19, 2013
Press Release
Media Contact: Broc Coward (562) 570-6684
Long Beach, CA: Youth, religious and community leaders will join Councilmember Suja Lowenthal, PeaceBuilders, VoiceWaves, Junior League of Long Beach and The Center Long Beach for the official kick-off of the Season for Nonviolence 2013 (SNV13).
The kick-off will feature premiere videos from SNV13 and VoiceWaves, who will highlight Long Beach residents Building Peace in their community. In addition, PeaceBuilders will provide a sneak peak of its anti-bullying anthem and music video, “No Matter What (They Might Say),” by director Alec Watson. Spoken word and musical performances by area youth are also planned, as well as a preview of the Season’s scheduled activities.
The Season for Nonviolence, January 30 to April 4, is a national 64-day educational, media, and grassroots campaign dedicated to demonstrating that nonviolence is a powerful way to heal, transform, and empower our lives and communities. Inspired by the 50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., this international event honors their vision for an empowered, nonviolent world. The City of Long Beach and its community partners have participated in a Season for Nonviolence for the last six years.
SNV13 kick-off precedes the 2nd Annual LUNAFEST® Film Festival at the Art Theater, an event co-sponsored by the makers of Luna Bars and Junior League of Long Beach, featuring nine award-winning films made by, for and about women. Tickets for LUNAFEST® can be purchased at www.jllb.org.
What: Season for Nonviolence 2013 Kick-Off
When: Sunday, January 27, 2013 M. 1:00 PM ~ 2:00 PM
Where: The Center Long Beach, 2017 E. 4th Street, Long Beach 90814
Who: Dr. Suja Lowenthal, Councilmember, Second District
Michelle Molina, CEO, PeaceBuilders
Antonio Ruiz, Community Engagement Coordinator, VoiceWaves
This event is free and open to the public. For more information regarding this event, please call 562-570-6684. For more information about SNV13, please go to their Facebook page, “Season for Nonviolence, Long Beach.
PeaceBuilders is a science-based, research-validated violence prevention curriculum and professional development program for grades pre-K to 12. PeaceBuilders, developed in 1993, is designated an US Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Exemplary Program.
VoiceWaves is a Long Beach youth-led journalism and media-training project. The youth, ages 16-24, are learning to report, write, and create digital journalism content. Their reports will raise awareness of healthy community issues and activate change action in Central and West Long Beach. New America Media, with the support of The California Endowment, the Knight Foundation and in partnership with Building Healthy Communities, launched VoiceWaves in May 2011. The project is based at PeacePartners.