Erwin Wang Makes Good Happen

As part of the Living Peace Series with Sir Richard Branson, we hosted our Living Peace Projects (formerly known as “Working Groups”) on January 22, 2011. With each Living Peace Series speaking event, we host a day of service for youth encouraging participants to not only get involved, but continue to do good in the world.

Now, over a year after the Living Peace Projects with Virgin Unite, we are so happy to highlight the work of Erwin Wang. As a local high school student, Erwin joined us back in January 2011 and began a project to raise funds for charity. As part of the project Erwin began at the Living Peace Projects, he raised $2,000! The funds supported the Human Options scholarship program here at the Center as well as the food pantry at Families Forward.

Erwin and CLP Founder Kelly

When asked about the impact the event had on him, Erwin said:

“Since I could remember, both my mother and father spoke of the importance of generosity, and the far-reaching happiness it brings to all people. It is an aspect that has influenced me throughout my childhood and teenage years. I’ve been privileged to have been raised in such a nurturing environment – it only seems fitting to give back to the community that has given me so much. What started out as a simple idea developed into a full-fledged fundraising event. It was a wild and exciting ride from start to finish, and ultimately saw it appropriate to provide the funds to Families Forward and the Human Options program. Many are unaware of the financial and domestic issues families in Irvine must tackle daily – which is precisely why these organizations are deserving of these funds. I’d like to acknowledge my team for pulling off such a feat, along with Kelly Smith and Rebecca Hendrickson of CLP for allocating the funds.”

-Erwin Wang

Erwin is certainly an amazing example of making good happen and how a project that may seem small can make a huge impact. We wish him all the best in his college career and endeavors!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Choose to Be Happy

“You must wake up every morning and choose to be happy. You gotta put on happiness like you put on your clothes.”

- 14-year-old Khadim Diop at TEDxHarlem

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

International Day of the Girl

Today is first official International Day of the Girl! Declared  by the United Nations, the Day of the Girl highlights the immense potential of young girls worldwide.

“The UN General Assembly, which comprises all 193 members of the UN, voted that 11 October should be recognized as International Day of the Girl Child. This is an opportunity to address the unique challenges that girls face, promote girls’ rights and to highlight the gender equalities that still persist between girls and boys.

The UN has also decided to mark this inaugural celebration of girls’ potential by bringing attention to the plight of child brides. By choosing child marriage as its theme, the International Day of the Girl will draw international attention to activists’ work and government commitments, while also calling on world leaders to support programmes and laws to end child marriage.” – Girls Not Brides

Girls are valuable, strong, creative, powerful, and have such great potential. They deserve the chance to realize that potential. Empower girls and let them thrive.

Get involved! Learn more & find resources at:

Girls Not Brides /// Half the Sky /// The Girl Effect /// The Elders

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Live Peace with Playing for Change

Playing for a Change started out as a small project inspired to bring about peace through music by recording musicians all across the world with a mobile recording studio. The movement grew out of the belief that music has the power to unite people across all boundaries. Over 100 musicians have been recorded by the project. From these connections Playing for Change has created a touring band.  While recording, the project’s film crew was compelled to push the movement further by creating the Playing for Change Foundation to facilitate global music education. It’s mission is to ensure that anyone with the desire to receive a music education would have the opportunity to do so. The Foundation has started a music schools in Ghana,  South Africa, Rwanda, Mali ,and four schools in Nepal. The Foundation holds benefit concerts around the world on Playing for Change Day, September 22nd, to fund it’s music school program.

Playing for Change Musicians’s rendition of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song

Playing for Change’s website features videos from high profile artists like Bono and Manu Chao alongside street artists and community musical groups remixed to create a cohesive song. It regularly posts new episodes highlighting musicians and cultures all over the world as the project continues to expand its reach.

The Playing for Change crew has worked with musicians at these locations

You can support the movement by holding your own event or concert, volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Live Peace with CUSA

The Center for Unconventional Security Affairs (CUSA), started in 2003, is a department at UC Irvine that takes a look at modern issues and challenges for  human and environmental security through “innovative research and education programs that integrate experts from the public and private sector.”

CUSA focuses on two core areas in it’s programming and research, Environment Conflict and Peace Building and Global Change and Human Security. It’s interdisciplinary approach seeks to cultivate a new generation of leaders and researchers with education programs involving experts from the public and private sector. CUSA researchers and students have conducted research fieldwork in more than twenty-five countries and on all seven continents, including Antarctica.

Here’s a TEDxOrangeCoast talk with Richard Matthew, Ph.D., the founding director of the Center for Unconventional Security Affairs.

Professor Matthew spends much of his time in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, studying how environmental stress contributes to violent conflict and other types of crisis. For several years he has worked closely with the United Nations to integrate natural resource management and climate change adaptation into peace-building efforts, participating in various field assessments and directing one in Sierra Leone. He teaches courses on sustainability and social enterprise.

The Environment Art and Human Security (eARTh) Studio, founded by Pamela Donohoo, aerialist, cirque-style acrobat, dancer/ choreographer, gymnast, approaches the issues of environment, sustainability and human security issues through art. Pamela Donohoo performed an improvisational dance while simultaneously creating a 9′x9′ painting that captured movements informed and inspired by the experience of women in conflict zones as part of our Women, War, and Peace Lecture.

Support CUSA’s efforts towards a more peaceful world and read more about it’s upcoming events and projects at their website.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Celebrating Living Peace Projects and International Day of Peace

On Sunday, September 23rd we hosted two wonderful events! Our latest Living Peace Projects with Roots and Shoots was in the morning followed by our International Day of Peace celebration in the afternoon. We are so thankful for all who joined us and made so much good happen! Check out some great photos from the exciting day.

The 2011 human peace sign! We will unveil the 2012 version soon…

Young peacemaker learning about native California animals with Inside the Outdoors.

A trio of our wonderful volunteers.

Spinning the prize wheel.

Enjoying story time in the library.

Exploring the Ecology Center’s Water Shed.

We are so thankful for the support of all who joined us on this wonderful day!  Keep an eye out for more pictures to be added to a Facebook album and future blog post!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Live Peace with Roots and Shoots

Roots creep underground everywhere and make a firm foundation. Shoots seem very weak, but to reach the light, they can break open brick walls. Imagine that the brick walls are all the problems we have inflicted on our planet. Hundreds of thousands of roots & shoots, hundreds of thousands of young people around the world, can break through these walls. We CAN change the world.

- Dr. Jane Goodall

We are very excited to welcome Jane Goodall this October for our Living Peace Series!

Jane Goodall’s world renowned work with Chimpanzees has led to receive titles such as, National Geographic explorer-in-residence, United Nations peace messenger, and the president of Advocates for Animals. However, her work with the Jane Goodall Institute and it’s youth component Roots & Shoots, deals with more than just the wellbeing of animals, but the interconnectivity of the wellbeing of humans, animals, and the environment.

Roots & Shoots was founded by Dr. Jane Goodall and a group of Tanzanian students in 1991 in order to motivate young people to make positive change. It has grown over the years, with chapters in more than 120 countries, to include a variety of projects and campaigns that have a global reach. The program is built on campaigns that are designed to unite a “global network” with common initiatives.

Get involved with Roots & Shoots at our International Day of Peace celebration on September 23rd where Shawn Sweeney, Roots & Shoots Youth Outreach and Engagement Manager, will speak on careers in peace! Youth involved will build and fly giant peace doves and receive premiere seating at Jane Goodall’s speaking event on October 2nd. You can sign up for the youth event on our website.

You can also become a Roots & Shoots member, find a group to join in your area,  sign up for their newsletter, and visit their website for more information.

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Live Peace with Team Kids

The mission of Team Kids is to inspire and empower young people to become resilient and responsible citizens with a passion for community service. Young people crave the opportunity to participate and to feel they truly matter in their school and community. Ultimately, the Team Kids’ mission is to inspire today’s youth to become compassionate leaders and philanthropists of tomorrow. Team Kids helps kids, and adults, realize the power and capacity young people have to improve conditions and the lives of others in their community. Since 2001, over 21,000 Team Kids participants in Orange County public schools have contributed over $200,000 in value to local youth-serving charities. A pre-post evaluation conducted by WestEd, a leading educational research firm, has demonstrated this program’s effectiveness for promoting positive identity, community engagement, and prevention of high-risk behaviors, such as alcohol/drug use, early pregnancy, and violent behavior.

To learn more about Team Kids or to donate, visit their website . Volunteers are always welcome. Email Jtapp@teamkids.org or call 949•861•4887 to volunteer!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

8 Ways to Promote Literacy and Protect the Environment

In honor of National Literacy Month, help to spread world literacy and protect the environment. The following list will give you some ideas on what to do with used books laying around the house. Also remember to be mindful about where you purchase your books to find cheaper and environmentally conscious options.

1. Donate used books to a local library or daycare center.

2. Give a sick child the chance to escape to other worlds by donating children’s books to a children’s hospital, such as Children’s Hospital of Orange County (CHOC).

3. Better World Books collects and sells books to raise funds for literacy non-profits such as the National Center for Family Literacy and Room to Read. Buy books, sell textbooks, or donate to help out!

4. Help lift our troop’s spirits by donating to Books for Soldiers or Operation Paperback.

5. Empower children in need by donating to Books for Africa or the African Library Project.

6. Donate to the Children and Families Commission of Orange County’s Early Literacy Program

7. Exchange books on Paperbackswap by earning credits for every book that you send another paperbackswap member. Membership is free! There are many more online book swapping services such as Book Crossing, BookMooch, and BooksFreeSwap.

8. Purchase used books instead of new books, to support local book stores or online used book retailers as an eco-friendly alternative. College students, this is a must for buying and selling back textbooks.

Literacy and imagination are invaluable tools to instill hope in securing a peaceful and sustainable future. Spread stories, love ,and happy reading!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!

Live Peace with The Girl Effect

This week we are highlighting The Girl Effect, a movement to end poverty through female empowerment and education.

Help spread the word by sharing their videos, fact sheets, posters, and other resources available on their website!

Good Happens.

Peace Grl Out!