I have struggled to find personal peace all my life. When I became aware of and inspired by Peace Day, I don’t think I was conscious about why this idea resonated with me on such a deep level. At the immediate level, I am a Philly girl - born and raised in Germantown. A public high school and Temple University student. A social worker in various neighborhoods throughout the city for a number of years, working with Southeast Asian refugees, foster youth, at-risk youth and people with mental illness. I was truly excited that Peace Day could provide an incredible chance for the City of Brotherly Love - this fractured, troubled, beautiful city that I have always loved - to unify. Just for a day, but also planting the seeds for greater kindness, understanding, dialogue and consciousness about peace in the days following.
I was a reluctant leader, stepping forward because no one else did. I have shared my enthusiasm, collaborative style and some program development skills, but I have many deficits as a leader, and feel perhaps these are why, after 15+ years, Peace Day Philly has yet to become a Philly Thing. I never thought it would be so hard to “sell” peace, and sometimes I have been discouraged. But many incredible things have happened, too. Beginning with people and organizations saying YES. Local organizations, global organizations. Performers, artists, global analysts, street workers, social workers and youth. And the incredible Peace Day Philly volunteers who have contributed immensely and held me up in my challenged moments. This YES is a powerful one. Yes, I will commit to doing something for Peace Day, to using the global platform to take meaningful local action. Mayors have supported us, police participate at a level that’s unique nationally, and sometimes we even get the public schools to take notice. And, through one yes, we had a PDP home for many years.
In the early years, when Peace Day Philly was first catching fire, there were many times I felt overwhelmed. I was building a website (what did I know about that?), coordinating 15-30 programs across Philly spanning a week, working with my committed volunteers to make wonderful things happen. Making it all up as I went along. Since 2011, Peace Day Philly has involved over 200 programs, and I am proud of that, and that we have involved over 150 organizations through the years. But sometimes personally, it was too much for me, and my personal battle with finding peace came into the forefront at stressful moments.
I have learned, sometimes the hard way, that peace is a process, not a destination. That being said, one day can be a powerful spark for meaningful action around peace, social justice and unity. And these things I believe everyone can agree that we need more of in our beloved city. Small but profound acts of forgiveness, letting go of a resentment, reaching out to someone who is isolated, getting together with community members, lifting up the work you do related to peace and justice as an organization year round. These and so may other ways are possibilities to plug into Peace Day, with the potential to shift perspective, willingness, collaboration and action far beyond September 21.
I am a much more peaceful person now, having learned many emotion skills, as well as the tricky process of how to let go. I believe I am doing a better job of “building peace in peace.” which is something one of our original members encouraged. And, as a committed board member annually reminded us, to build peace “from the inside out.” I might not push for quite so much now, but I am mindful to work in the spirit of peace. I believe that is how our volunteer initiative will truly have a significant impact, and how Peace Day Philly will continue into the future as an annual opportunity for the City of Philadelphia.
I invite you, please, help make Peace Day Philly a Philly thing. Tell your friends, co-workers, networks, neighbors. Get them excited about the possibilities for peace and unity building. Whether in personal, community or professional lives. What a great thing for the city of Philadelphia it could be.